FIGHT LIKE A BOXER.
THINK LIKE AN ENTREPRENEUR.
Boxing + Business Ownership = The IRONBOUND Approach
When you don’t know where to start with opportunity youth, start with boxing
Most people don’t understand boxing—and that’s understandable. From an outsider, it looks violent, gritty, and uncomfortable to watch. For those of us who love the sport, though, it’s a fantastic display of discipline, finesse, and strategy.
Here’s the thing: You don’t need to completely understand or love boxing to see the phenomenal impact it can have on the lives of those who get into the ring.
If you truly want to make a real, palpable difference in the lives of those who need it most, you can’t always do it from where YOU are comfortable.
You have to do it from where THEY are comfortable.
Inner-city kids and communities have agency with boxing. It’s our sport. Our heroes don’t wear capes. They wear championship belts. The tenacity, guts, and glory of boxing are well-known and well-respected in our communities.
We don’t have to sell a kid on boxing. Offer them gloves and a safe place to train, and they’ll come.
Once they walk through our doors, a whole new world opens up. They learn to box, yes—and then they discover THRIVE, our small business incubator.
And that’s when it happens—when the fight in the ring becomes the fight for their lives. Not just the lives they have—the lives they want, the lives they deserve, the lives they never thought were possible.
If you’ve never boxed or owned a business, you may never understand the compelling parallels.
But once you do, it’s clear.
Both take know-how, resilience, belief, and self-confidence.
Both take respect for grit and the grind.
Both take a tremendous amount of courage not only to start but to keep coming back.
The truth is, there’s so much about building champions that goes on where we can’t touch. The mental game. The distractions. The uphill-both-ways battle. All we can do is provide the opportunity, the space, the tools, and the training—and lift as we climb.
Academic success, a respect for self, entrepreneurship, social impact, economic development, a bend toward action and an active life—all of these start somewhere.
And for us—for every kid we coach—
It starts with boxing.
“I went from being an insecure kid who shied away from conflict to someone who feels confidently equipped to rise to every occasion. I didn’t just go to school; I went to the US Naval Academy. I didn’t just enlist; I became a US Marine.
I didn’t just take a job; I’ve built and now lead three organizations.
Boxing did that for me.
Boxing could do that for everyone.”
MEET MIKE STEADMAN
Founder, Coach, USNA ‘10
“IRON” Mike Steadman is the Founder of IRONBOUND Boxing, overseeing all aspects of its Corporate and Community activities.
A three-time National Collegiate Boxing Champion from the United States Naval Academy, Mike also served as a Marine Corps Infantry Officer with deployments to Afghanistan and Japan/Philippines. Mike’s dedication to the community and his corporate partners is an unwavering reflection of his military background.
A champion for community, entrepreneurship, social impact, and economic development, Mike has established himself as a high-profile, relentlessly vocal advocate for Veterans and opportunity youth.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
I was born and raised in Tyler, TX by a single mother. I have yet to meet my father. Growing up, life wasn’t always easy, but my mother did the best she could. After graduating from high school, I had an opportunity to attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. There I was introduced to the sport of boxing. I went on to win 3X National Champions and 2 Most Valuable Boxer awards as a light-heavyweight at 175lbs. After graduation, I served in the Marines for 5 years, deploying to Afghanistan, Japan, and the Philippines.
In 2015, I left the Marine Corps to relocate to Newark, NJ with the intent of starting a free boxing gym for other young men and women of color. I moved to Newark knowing any friends or family. All I had was a dream. While working at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, an all boys school in downtown Newark, I partnered with the City of Newark to launch the IRONBOUND Boxing Academy in 2017. My partners Gary Bloore, Keith Colon, and I, built the gym from scratch.
Starting the IRONBOUND Boxing Academy began my journey as an entrepreneur. In 2018, I left my job at St. Benedict’s to focus on IRONBOUND full-time, splitting my time between fundraising for the gym, and teaching corporate clients at companies such as WeWork, Spotify, and Etsy. The road hasn’t been easy, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’ve also learned a lot about myself and how to create value for others by providing goods and services. My hope is that through THRIVE, my team and I are able to share with you the lessons we’ve learned along the way, and empower you on your own entrepreneurial journey.
WHERE YOUTH THRIVE, COMMUNITIES FLOURISH
Honoring our commitment here at home.
WHERE WE START
The Ironbound is a neighborhood in Newark, NJ, one of the toughest cities in the country.
Born from industry, The Ironbound name became synonymous with grit and strength, derived from the large metalworks plants, its network of railroad tracks, and the working class, close-knit, multi-ethnic community that calls it home.
We took on the name IRONBOUND Boxing to pay homage to Newark’s resilience and made it the setting for our first gym—and a model for communities like ours around the country.
WHO WE SERVE
We offer free boxing and business training to Newark youth and young adults.
Our goal is to empower our local community by helping our youngest members thrive inside and outside the boxing ring.