Elephant in the Room Boxing Club, a local boxing gym founded by former professional boxer Devonne Canady, has been training New Haveners in the sport of boxing since 2012. This year, they had two champions.
The Western New England Golden Gloves Championship is a tournament for amateur boxers across the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts and is part of the national Golden Gloves of America boxing association. Winners of the Western New England Golden Gloves Championship earn the opportunity to compete in the New England Golden Gloves, and from there have the chance to compete for a national title in the National Tournament of Champions.
“Anybody in boxing has gone through the golden gloves. Mike Tyson [and] Muhammad Ali were both Golden Glove National Champions as amateurs,” Canady, who is also the current owner, said to the News. “This year, we had two winners — both masters, meaning they were over the age of 35. Usually, this is in Hartford. It’s usually over a month … so many people want to get in and win the title.”
Canady, a New Haven native, is a former professional boxer, having won the 2001 Women’s World Boxing Amateur Championships held in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the 90-kilogram division, the only American to win a gold medal that year. She took bronze the next year in Antalya, Turkey.
Because women’s boxing was not named an official Olympic sport until 2012, Canady never had the chance to compete at the Olympic Games. Hence, she founded Elephant in the Room in the hopes of one day training an Olympic competitor herself.
“I was supposed to go to the Olympic Games in 2008 in Beijing, but they denied women’s boxing as a sport,” Canady said. “In 2012, they represented women’s boxing, and it was included in the games. By that time, though, I was in my early 30s, and it was too late for me. Hence, I decided to open a gym. Being denied an opportunity to go to the Olympic Games was hurtful and disappointing, so the prospect of getting a student in through my gym was comforting.”
Starting as a 1,200-square-foot gym in a repurposed gas station, Elephant in the Room was able to move to their current location, a 5,500-square-foot space, in 2022. This allowed them to space a full-sized, 20-foot-by-20-foot ring, a feature Canady says many gyms are not able to accommodate.
Since moving into their current space, Elephant in the Room has trained several Golden Glove winners. In 2023, Troy Allen and Nyjayah Gibson both won championships in the Elite Division for those aged 19-35, and the gym won the award for Outstanding Novice Class Team.
This year, they had two more. Jason Phillips, 38, and Sam Paskewitz, 36, win the master’s division for boxers over the age of 35 in the 203-pound and 176-pound divisions, respectively. They each won their championships by technical knockout.
“Winning the Golden Gloves was surprising,” Paskewitz, a postdoctoral researcher in Yale’s Department of Psychology, said. “I felt like I didn’t do super well the first round, then I had some headgear nonsense, I took a standing 8 count, and then I turned on the gas, and I got him on the ropes. So I was surprised and then very, very happy.”
Having only picked up the sport three years after hanging up a bag in his garage, Phillips also said the victory was surprising.
Joining the gym just one year ago, he explained that he had to overcome self-doubt after being pushed by Canady to compete.
“Winning the golden gloves took me by surprise,” Phillips said to the News. “I had some self-doubt, but it was a really good experience listening to the coaches, making weight, getting to perform in front of everyone, getting to hear your name. I’ve never been this fit ever in my life. Boxing also gives you some goals, and it’s really rewarding to see your progress. Little by little you get to see that you’re getting better and getting over your nerves.”
As a nonprofit, Elephant in the Room strives to keep the club open to all. The club relies heavily on grants to operate and maintain its space, receiving support from the Community Development Block Grant, United Way, the Greater New Haven Community Foundation, and the City of New Haven. Canady expressed her gratitude, explaining that community members will often just stop by and donate their equipment. While grateful for the support, however, Canady also cited obtaining grants and balancing her budget as her biggest challenges in operating.
Aside from training competitors, Elephant in the Room also prioritizes sportsmanship, respect and physical care.
Another mission of the gym is to mentor youths. Canady holds after-school sessions for school-aged children. Canady requires all youth in her program to maintain their grades in order to participate. On top of this, she holds a twice-a-week Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Program, Canady focuses on mentorship, health and community.
Elephant in the Room Boxing is the only woman-owned boxing gym in New Haven.
Contact Peter Williams at p.williams@yale.edu.