By Scott Rosenberg
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Down in the gray moist cinder-block gym of Hamlin Park, at the corner of Hoyne and Barry, Ninos is in the middle of his two-hour daily workout. He pounds a heavy bag with quick body punches, exhaling sharply with each blow. Dancing in a circle, he keeps his focus on the bag, even as his father bellows commands over his shoulder. The proud father can’t help but brag: “He loves boxing too much. It’s his habit.”
Anwar Abraham divides his time at the gym between coaching his two boys and working out himself. Both Ninos and his younger brother, Ashur, who’s ten, got involved in boxing at an early age. Their father hopes it’s put them on the straight and narrow. His attention seldom strays: “I don’t care how good he is, if a child has no parents taking care of him from age 6 to 16, he’ll get in trouble.” Looking at Ninos, he adds, “God bless he doesn’t mess with the wrong people.”
The program that Heglin oversees every day from 3 to 9 PM is open to all ages, though it’s primarily intended for community youth. “We’re trying to focus on the younger kids now–10 to 14. Once they get to high school and they get distracted by jobs, girlfriends, homework, they often drop out.” When he considers the rare committed few like Ninos, his eyes light up: “The ones that stay and that started young develop into really good fighters.”
