5th Street Gym

The 5th Street Gym (also known as World Famous 5th St. Gym) is a boxing gym in Miami Beach, Florida and the site of a historic run of championship fighters who trained here from the early 1950s until today. The original building was torn down in 1993 where it remained closed until 2010.[1] Chris Dundee was the original owner of the gym and his brother Angelo was the trainer. Many fighters made their names here, including the most famous of all, Muhammad Ali, know then as Cassius Clay. He trained here in the sixties and gave the gym worldwide recognition where people came to visit. Just about every celebrity from Jackie Gleason, Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster and the Beatles would stop by the gym. Suzanne Dundee Bonner would later take over in Chris Dundee's later years.

History

The gym opened in 1950 on Washington Avenue in Miami Beach by Chris Dundee. With the support of his brother, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Angelo Dundee, the two turned the 5th Street Gym from an old building to a boxing centre for professional training.

Legacy & Today

The "5th St Gym" re-opened in 2010 in the original location on 5th Street, with Angelo Dundee's blessing and Angelo would visit regularly and give pointers to the new crop of fighters and meet fans. The 5th St. Gym is still located at 1019 5th St. in the alley still on 5th Street. People, fans, fighters, members, celebrities and champions come from all over the world to train here. Notables such as David Haye, Roy Jones Jr. Paulie Malinaggi, Bernard Hopkins, George Groves, James DeGale, Dave Chapelle, Matt Damon, LeBron James, Adriana Lima and so many more come and train here or call it their second home. The gym currently houses over 10 fighters who are either World Champions or in the top 20 in the world. The name was changed by owners Dino Spencer and Tom Tsatas, removing "Angelo Dundee", after Angelo's passing.

References

  1. Alvarado, Francisco (August 15, 2013). "Sorry WSVN, But That Wasn't the Original 5th Street Gym That Got Jacked". Miami New Times. Retrieved September 25, 2018.

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