For boxers like him, DMC isn’t just a place for the betterment of fists and fitness. It also provides a sense of newfound family. It’s a place that enables them to embrace new friends, new passion and, in many cases, their new country.
Murod came to southwest Ohio two years ago from Samarkand, Uzbekistan, a landlocked nation in central Asia bordered by five nations, including Afghanistan to its south. He, his mom, dad and two brothers all followed his uncle, who came to America several years earlier and developed a toehold here so their family could work, he said, toward “a better life.”
“When I was in my home country, I watched movies to learn about America,” Murod said with a smile. “I watched one where American students were in school and the bigger guys were beating up those who were not so strong in the locker room. I thought it would be like that.”
He shook his head as he compared his silver screen speculation with the real life schooling he found at Kings High School:
“When I got here, it wasn’t like what I thought at all. Everybody was good to me. I made friends at my school and my teachers taught me everything.”
He vastly improved the rudimentary English he came here with, became one of the standouts on the Knights’ wrestling team and tried his hand at boxing at the urging of his uncle, who, he said, bought him his equipment after (Murod) — following an online search and a call to gym owner and head trainer, Daniel Meza-Cuardo — committed to training at DMC on Marco Lane in Centerville.
As Murod gained boxing knowledge — “at first I’d close my eyes and I was scared of being punched,” he admitted — he also shed weight.
“I weighed 215 pounds at one time,” he said quietly. “I weighed 156 for this fight. I feel good.”
He just graduated from Kings and next fall he starts at the University of Cincinnati as an information technology (IT) major.
This summer Murod, whose dad is a truck driver and whose mom works in a restaurant. said he wanted to work a job, too:
“I said, ‘Uncle can I help you earn money?’
“He said, ‘No, I’m not asking you for money. I just want you to focus on your boxing. That’s your job. That and studying.’”
Murod is just one of several promising young amateurs who is transforming his life in the gym.
While boxing excellence is displayed throughout the club— a pair of black and gold “Manos de Piedra” trunks worn by Roberto Duran are framed and hang on a wall, alongside posters of Muhammad Ali and photos of legends like Sugar Ray Robinson, Carmen Basilio, Alexis Arguello, while a shelf holds boxing gloves signed by a few fighters, including Aaron Pryor — the real treasures at DMC are the boxers themselves.
Along with a wide spectrum of homegrown practitioners — from a 75-year-old guy who comes for fitness, to young kids, former area basketball stansouts like Danny McGeady (Alter High) and Cain Doliboa (Dayton and Wright State) to the gym’s headliner, middleweight Jrue King, who’s about to turn pro after an impressive amateur career — some of the most inspiring stories are those of the boxers, male and female, who have come here from all parts of the world.
Although they’re in Centerville, not New York Harbor, they have found their own version of the Statue of Liberty here.
Rather than a torch held aloft, by a green-robed figure, DMC offers a raised boxing glove, or, at least, the old reminder: “Keep your mitts up.”
And the Emma Lazarus poem at the base of Lady Liberty rings true here, as well:
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free… I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Monday, as two dozen boxers jumped rope before the training session began, Meza-Cuadra quietly surveyed the scene, then made that point:
“In here right now, that guy there is from Morocco, and the one behind is from the Philippines. Murod’s from Uzbekistan and that guy over there is from Mexico and out front there is Kareem, he’s from Palestine. Those kids over there are from China. The woman who just left is from Vietnam.”
Asked how many different countries have been represented in his gym over the years, he did a mental bob and weave down memory lane. He started in South and Central America: “Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico…”
Off the top of his head he worked his way continent to continent and came up with 52 nations, but admitted: " I know I’m forgetting some.”
‘Changed my whole lifestyle’
Jose Jacinto was born in Mexico — the state of Michoacan — 25 years ago and came to the United States when he was seven. He and his family run El Grillo Taqueria in Middletown.
Jacinto said he played soccer when he was younger, struggled with knee problems and eventually, when he couldn’t play the sport he wanted, he said:
“I gave up on myself.”
His weight ballooned to 268 pounds, he said.
He came into the gym three years ago and said he slowly “changed my whole lifestyle” — transforming himself with exercise, diet and a new mindset. He shed over 100 pounds and Monday when we spoke, he weighed 165.
“I’m wearing clothes I haven’t worn in a long time,” he said.
He admitted he had a lot to learn when he started boxing: “I had to catch up to people who had been doing it for maybe 10 years and when I had my first bouts I did really bad. But I’ve learned more and more and I’ve racked up some wins and now I’m like 5-5.”
Sunday, he won a three-round decision over Anthony Ryan of Hamilton.
“I just love this,” he said. “I love who I have become.”
DMC boxers were plentiful on the 12-bout card, which also included fighters from Hamilton, Columbus and Cleveland.
Kareem Moreab, a 14-year-old sophomore at West Carrollton High School who was born in Palestine, made his boxing debut as a bantamweight and won a stirring decision over Eric Snow of Cleveland.
“I was nervous early on — this was my first time — but I settled down and just remembered the things Daniel has taught us. He pushes you and you get better. And as the bout went on, I had more and more confidence.”
‘I ate good’
Murod had similar experience in his rematch with Jeremy Ballew, a much taller middleweight from Hamilton.
When the referee announced he had won the decision and raised his right arm in victory, Murod followed it up with a beaming Mr. America type muscle pose to a cheering crowd that included many from the stable of DMC boxers and his uncle, who nodded in approval.
After the fight, Murod — now 3-3 as an amateur — had his sights set on another matter, as well.
“My mom is very good at making food from my homeland, things like palov (rice, meat, carrots, onions) and shish kebabs,” he said. “She always makes good food for me before I fight and I want to eat, but I have to tell her: ‘No, I can’t. I have to make weight for the fight.’
“But I am a patient person. I am able to wait.” Monday, when he returned to the gym, he made a smiling admission.
“I ate good when I got home last night.”
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