DETROIT—Happy’s Pizza is sponsoring the KRONK Amateur Boxing Team’s return to national competition, helping cover travel costs for 15 young athletes headed to the King of the Jungle National Tournament in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The tournament, scheduled for Aug. 5–8, will be KRONK’s first official national competition since the Detroit gym reopened in December 2025. Team members ranging in age from eight to 19 will compete alongside hundreds of amateur boxers from across the United States during the four-day event, which will feature three boxing rings and two daily competition sessions.
The sponsorship continues a long-standing tradition of community support for KRONK athletes, whose travel to regional, national, and international events has been an important part of the gym’s development of young boxers.
“KRONK has always represented far more than boxing,” says Happy Asker, founder and CEO of Happy Group and Happy’s Pizza. “It represents opportunity, discipline, family, and hope for young people who are willing to work hard. Supporting these athletes as they travel to compete on the national stage is an investment in their future, not just their performance in the ring. We’re honored to help continue a tradition that has changed countless lives and produced champions both inside and outside the ropes.”
The tournament is the latest milestone in KRONK’s revival under new leadership. The program aims to rebuild one of the country’s most respected amateur boxing teams while providing athletes with opportunities to compete beyond Detroit.
Head amateur coach James Lester Jr. began training at KRONK in 1996. He later became a three-time national champion and earned the No. 2 ranking in the United States while pursuing a place on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team.
“Some of the most important moments in my boxing career happened because people believed in me enough to help me travel and compete against the best fighters in the country,” says James Lester Jr., head coach of the KRONK Amateur Boxing Team. “Those tournaments accelerated my development, built my confidence, and prepared me to compete at the highest level. Today, our responsibility is to give this next generation those same opportunities. Thanks to supporters like Happy Asker and Happy Pizza, our athletes will gain experiences in top-level competition, improve their development, increase Kronk’s national presence, and continue the gym’s championship legacy.”
Former KRONK amateur boxer Tarick Salmaci, now founder of The Tarick Salmaci Group and ARG Real Estate, said sponsorship opportunities can have an impact beyond the sport.
“I know exactly what these young fighters are about to experience because I lived it,” Salmaci says. “When people invested in KRONK athletes years ago, they weren’t just paying for a trip, they were opening doors that changed lives. Traveling, competing against the best, representing Detroit, and learning from those experiences helped shape who I became, both as a boxer and as a businessman. I’m grateful to see leaders like Happy Asker continuing that tradition for today’s generation of KRONK fighters.”
KRONK COO John Lepak says national tournaments offer athletes experiences that extend beyond competition.
“KRONK has always been about giving young people an opportunity to become champions in life, not just in boxing. Every time we take our athletes to a national tournament, we’re exposing them to new experiences, new challenges, and new possibilities. Those trips build confidence, character, resilience, and lifelong memories,” says Lepak.
KRONK CEO Paul Bhatti said the Happy’s Pizza support will allow the athletes to represent their city and gym on a larger stage.
“Happy Asker’s support ensures these young men and women have the chance to proudly represent Detroit and the KRONK name on one of the biggest amateur boxing stages in the country. We are incredibly grateful for his commitment to our athletes and our mission,” Bhatti says.
Founded by the late Emanuel Steward, KRONK produced world champions including Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis, and Wladimir Klitschko. The gym’s renewed amateur program is focused on carrying forward that legacy through discipline, perseverance, teamwork, community involvement, and national competition.
