Gladiator hosts fight night extravaganza Posted by the Times-Beacon Newspapers on 08/31/06 BY BOB VOSSELLER STAFF WRITER LACEY - Having a fight in your business is usually a problem but for Gladiator Boxing, owned and operated by Shawn Darling, it is the business. The establishment held a free boxing event on Saturday which featured 10 bouts. Darling is a certified U.S. Amateur boxing coach and a New Jersey Police Academy boxing instructor. He is also a former "Tough Man" fighter and a certified personal trainer and certified in first aid and CPR. Saturday's "boxing extravaganza" featured 10 exhibition bouts that gave fans the chance to meet and greet Muhammad, a former IBF light heavyweight and WBA Cruiserweight champion Bobby Czyz as well as John Brown who is a former NABF and USBA lightweight champion. International Boxing Hall of Fame champ, Matthew Saad Muhammad is also working at the reopened business as a personal trainer by appointment. Gladiator Boxing is affiliated with Team Gladiator, which is a registered member of USA Boxing and is a nonprofit organization. "This was an exhibition ( no winners or losers, more of a sparring demonstration to show everyone's friends and family their skills) during our open house. The most exciting bout of the night was between two lightweights, Mike Spicer and Mike Roscigno. They both demonstrated an advanced degree of skill," Darling said. Spicer recently moved here from New York City and is in training for the Silver Gloves this December. Darling said that Josh Bygott, Mike Tito and Dennis Downes all fought various opponents to prepare themselves for the upcoming Diamond Gloves Tournament in October. Bygott was challenged by Alex Trivinov who is from Russia and has an extensive amateur background in boxing from the former USSR . The youngest pugilists to participate were Jimmy Markham and Joey Bocking, both 10, in an evenly matched bout. Mike Smith, the 2005 Silver Glove champion, took on his older brother, Robert in the opening bout. "One of my coaches, Lael Barlow who is also a professional boxer went three rounds against James Collier. In addition to Spicer, Bocking, Downes and Shane Roxas, are all training for the upcoming Silver Gloves this December," Darling said. The evening went great with over 200 people in attendance. We were fortunate to have International Boxing Hall of Fame champ Matthew Saad Muhammad and three-time world champ, Bobby Czyz in attendance. They both worked a corner to the delight of the fighters and signed autographs and posed for pictures afterwards," Darling said. "We are now preparing for our first U.S. Amateur Boxing sanctioned event Saturday Oct. 28. It will be held at the Gladiator Boxing and will feature Team Gladiator members against opponents from the tri state area. The matches will vary from beginners in the sub novice division to the advanced fighters in the open division. Lacey's own Rob Walder will be featured in the main event." Darling said that Gladiator Boxing is for ages 8 and up. He added that boxing is for "fun, fitness, amateur competition, or for box professionally." Gladiator Boxing celebrated its relocation, one block over to a newly constructed 2,300 square-foot location with a 22-foot professional boxing ring. The new facility also features various heavy bags, speed bags, double end bags, cardio equipment, free weights and weight machines. "I found a small 400-square-foot location on the second floor at 719 Old Shore Road in the Lacey Industrial Park . Then we were incorporated and opened in September 2005. We had a small 10 by 10 ring and a couple of bags," Darling said. Three months later, Darling expanded the business across the entire second floor. It grew to 1,200 square feet. "Seven months later my landlord let me out of the lease because I outgrew his location. In July we moved one block over to our current location, 699 Challenger Way . I am happy to say we now have a 22 by 22 foot professional boxing ring that is bigger than our first location," Darling said. "In just one year we have three NJ Silver Gloves champions, one NJ Junior Olympic boxing champion, one WNPF National power lifting champion, two WNPF NJ power lifting champions and one member who took first place in two 5 K races," Darling said.