DETROIT, Mich.—KRONK Gym, one of boxing’s most storied institutions and a symbol of Detroit’s athletic identity, has officially reopened in the city where it first rose to prominence.
The gym, now located at 670 Wilkins Street inside the historic Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center, began welcoming members this month. The reopening follows months of construction and marks the latest chapter in a legacy that has produced Olympic medalists, world champions and one of the most recognizable brands in boxing history.
For decades, the original KRONK Gym was known as a proving ground for elite fighters under the leadership of Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward. The gym closed in 2006 due to city cutbacks and damage to the facility, prompting Steward to open a new KRONK location on Warren Avenue. That site closed following his death in 2012, and a later facility opened by his wife, Marie Steward, closed in 2020 after a flood.
The 2025 reopening comes under new ownership with ongoing involvement from Marie Steward and Steward’s daughter, Sylvia Steward-Williams, along with several of KRONK’s former world champions. The leadership team includes Paul Bhatti, John Lepak, Amer Abdallah, Mikey Shumaker, Marie Steward, Sylvia Steward-Williams, and KRONK’s first world champion, Hilmer Kenty.
“This is not just the return of a gym, it’s the return of a Detroit franchise,” says KRONK CEO Paul Bhatti. “KRONK will once again be a home for opportunity, mentorship, and champions.”
The Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center, where boxing legends, including Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Eddie Futch, and a young Emanuel Steward, once trained, was selected for the revival due to its deep ties to Detroit’s boxing history. The building sat vacant for nearly two decades before KRONK’s reopening.
“Like thousands of other kids, Emanuel Steward was like a father figure to me,” says John Lepak, COO of KRONK. “Opening these doors again is a tremendous honor and responsibility. KRONK is more than a gym, it’s a community.”
The new 3,500-square-foot facility offers expanded training programs, youth mentorship initiatives, and community outreach efforts. KRONK officials say the gym will prioritize developing amateur and professional fighters while reestablishing its role in Detroit’s cultural and athletic fabric.
KRONK now offers youth, adult fitness, elite, amateur, and professional training memberships, as well as family plans. The gym has launched a comprehensive class schedule, featuring beginner and intermediate boxing, youth development, women’s boxing and fitness, strength and conditioning, and high-performance sessions for both amateurs and professionals.
Training leaders include former world champion Mary Jo Sanders, a 2025 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, as well as other KRONK alumni such as Third Chambers and Johnathon Banks. KRONK has also signed its first two professional fighters under its management division, undefeated prospect Hunter Lee (4-0) and amateur standout William Myhre, who is expected to make his professional debut in February 2026.
The gym has also released a new line of KRONK apparel and boxing gear available both in person and online.
“KRONK shaped boxing around the world, and my father dedicated his life to Detroit,” says Sylvia Steward-Williams. “We are proud to see this legacy enter a new era with this amazing team leading the way.”
