Minnesota Boxing News: Circle of Discipline

Full Circle
By Brett Mauren
Photo's by Jesse Kelley and Nic Rapacz
June 8th, 2010

Throughout the last decade Minnesota boxing has seen it’s share of talented fighters, but no gym has produced an amateur stable to quite the degree that Circle of Discipline has. Javontae Starks and Jamal James solidified themselves as amateur powerhouses, and this past weekend, a frequent Circle of Discipline fighter Rob Brant added another jewel to his crown with a National Golden Gloves title.

Brant captured the title with the help of former amateur star Jamal James in his corner.

“Five straight fights, fighting Tuesday through Saturday. Nobody said it was going to be easy. Great tournament, I had the youngest trainer in the game in there, 21 year old Jamal James working my corner.”

Brant’s fortune, and James’ ability to step into a corner role can probably be attributed to the attitude instilled at Circle of Discipline; mentally, physically, and spiritually, the full circle. Fighters out of the Circle of Discipline are taught to adapt to any and every situation, and James playing the role of cornerman this weekend was no different.

“Rob is improving on his skills, he was outboxing all of his opponents. In the later rounds fights got harder but he still stepped it up” James said in regards to the experience.

Whether he wants to take the credit or not, there is one man who stands at the forefront of the operation. He is former fighter, current mentor, and intellectual Sankara Frazier. Frazier is the brains behind the operation, but will be the first to tell you the gym and it’s credentials inside and out of the ring belong to something bigger.

“I am what most people would call the owner, as far as the business aspect is concerned. The community owns it, its about the people, everybody who comes in here understands that” Frazier said regarding his role.

Frazier offers the gym as a sanctuary to the community’s youth. The organization’s mission statement expresses the need to empower youth and young adults to become positive leaders. Only a few minutes is all that need to be spent inside the gym to see that Circle of Discipline does not veer off too far from it’s objective.

“There is a necessity to have a place where kids can come and have people that will help them learn how to box, they can feel at home and be around people that will help them succeed in this arena and any other arena, it’s much bigger than throwing a punch” Frazier noted.

It is no secret that Circle of Discipline is located in a community that’s youth needs an alternative to the negative temptations that present themselves daily. One has to ask themselves how easy it can be to not only direct a young man in mastering the sweet science, but in committing themselves to becoming valuable members of society. As Frazier puts it, it is a two way street, in order to get you have to give at Circle of Discipline.

“the trick is to teach someone to be as well rounded as they can be. You don’t serve two masters, you don’t come into circle of discipline then think you’re going to do whatever you want out there. Anyone who has trained with me, and I’ve trained some good ones, will tell you that when it comes to that I’m very serious and you can hit the door”

Frazier is as seasoned as it gets when it comes to boxing. Having trained world class fighters, including his son, Adonis, whose career was derailed by an injury. Adonis now serves as his father’s right hand man, and gathers high praise from star pupils Javontae Starks and Jamal James. The Fraziers are confident in their knowledge of the fight game, and in their ability to tutor an athlete to their maximum potential.

“Boxing is much more than teaching someone the mechanics of throwing a punch. You have to get inside, you have to be able to diagnose. I can build a fighter from the ground, I don’t have to say what you want to hear so that you stay. I can tell you to leave and turn around and build a fighter that can beat you.”

While boxing is Frazier’s bread and butter, and he is clearly an enthusiast for the sport, he sees holes, and flaws that need to be corrected.

“I’ve seen it not only here but across the country. they’ve made it way too easy to become a coach, you shouldn’t be able to just step in and become a coach”

It is difficult to find not only a boxing gym, but an organization that holds itself to the standard that Circle of Discipline and it’s members hold themselves too. The fighters and trainers here make it clear that they have no intention of playing the gatekeeper role, or coming in as an opponent in the professional game, and that is a mindset that stands behind every award and accolade the gym has compiled.

“Our competition is much stiffer. Our training procedures are different, our knowledge is vast, but we don’t run around and toot our own horn, we prove it to you when were in the ring. We are the premiere gym” Frazier notes.

With everything that Frazier sees wrong with boxing it seems he and his fighters are doing something right. Javontae Starks made one of Minnesota’s most anticipated professional debuts in November while Jamal James did the same on May 22. Robert Brant, a regular at the gym is far and away the most successful amateur boxer in Minnesota, and the future only looks to be brightening for Circle’s stable.

If you are interested in Sports Betting, odds, and expert picks, please check out the site links below!!

Sports Betting Champ
Doc's Sports Blog
Sports Betting Strategy
Sports Handicapping Experts
Sports Book Rules