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.