2 Pro Boxers From Newark Give Tips To Kids At North Bergen Gym

NEWARK, NJ — A duo of pro boxers from Newark recently took some time out of their schedules to give tips to some young pugilistic hopefuls at a club in North Jersey.

Top professional boxing prospects Emmanuel “Salserito” Rodriguez and Anthony Johns, both of Newark, visited State of Fitness Boxing Club in North Bergen on Wednesday, meeting with the gym’s kids class to share some pointers.

State of Fitness Boxing Club first opened in 2016, and is owned by Desmond Boyle, a firefighter with the North Hudson Regional Fire Department.

The visit took place as Rodriguez (10-0, 5 knockouts) and Johns (2-0, 2 KOs) prepare for bouts at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark on Saturday, an event being touted by Rising Star Promotion.

Rodriguez will face Juan Gabriel Medina (14-9, 12 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in an eight-round bantamweight (118 pounds) bout for the North American Boxing Association gold title, while Johns will face Gilberto Duran (4-5, 4 KOs) of Yakima, Washington in a four-round bantamweight bout.

“I felt humbled to give back to the kids,” said Johns, a five-time New Jersey Golden Gloves champion and 2019 National Golden Gloves champion at 108 pounds.

“Doing things like this makes it feel like I’m fighting for all the right reasons,” he added.

“Everything that has to do with kids is always a blessing,” agreed Rodriguez, a three-time New Jersey Golden Gloves champion who will be headlining for the second straight time in his hometown.

“They’re basically the future, not only for boxing, but in the world,” Rodriguez said. “It’s always a blessing to give them the positivity that they need.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.