JUNGLE GYM BOXING PREVIEW PLUS A LOOK BACK AT HORTONS/JUNGLE GYM HISTORY
Jungle Boy Boxing presents Golden Gloves Boxing at the Buffalo House in Duluth, Minnesota this Saturday, April 22, 2023. Fourteen bouts are scheduled with weight classes ranging from 100 pounds up to 240 pounds. The main event features MaCade Cannon of Duluth, MN versus Antonio Varney of Red Lake, MN in a 3 round, 180 pound bout. Expect a full house as usual with tickets available at the door while they last. The Buffalo House is located at 2590 Guss Rd. Duluth, MN 55810
Promoter and owner of the Jungle Gym, Zach Walters had one of the biggest and supportive fan bases over the past two decades in Minnesota as a professional fighting out of Duluth. Walters turned pro in 2002 and retired in 2009 with a record of (24-5, 19 KO’s). His all action fights truly felt like a rock concert mixed with a mini Las Vegas boxing arena atmosphere when Guns and Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” began to play as Walters made his way to the ring.
Pictured below is a photo of Walters training at one of many Horton’s Boxing gym locations which was located on the West End of Duluth and above the American Legion. Minnesotaboxing.com visited Walters that day to interview him for his Minnesota state title fight against Marty Lindquist on September 11, 2004.
The “original” Horton’s gym, Walters recalls was on Dickson Street in Gary-New Duluth. “It was there that I started boxing with Chuck (Horton)” says Walters. “After that location the gym moved to downtown Duluth where it expanded to accommodate fitness boxing. Later that same year I got into a tough spot in life and lived in the gym on the floor. About 3 months later I made my pro debut.”
After the Dickson Street gym, Horton’s moved to downtown Duluth on Michigan street. From there the team relocated up to 2nd Street in the basement of the YWCA. Shortly after moving again to the Boys and Girls club in West Duluth. Walters says Horton’s Gym pretty much shut down for a bit but they kept training in his garage in West Duluth.
Horton’s opened again at the space in the photo above at the American Legion. “After the Legion we moved to a space above Arthur’s Formal Wear on 1st street”. A fire shut down that location says Walters so they trained in Proctor, MN in the backyard of a gym member. Next up was Superior Street across from the Fond Du Luth Casino. E 1st street across from Fitger’s Hotel was the last location and where the gym was located when Walters took over, re-naming it the Jungle Gym.
Walters continued, “Soon after, I took over and was approached by the Mayor of Duluth to help find a new place to continue Jungle Gym. That’s when I moved to the Park Building where the gym was for 10 years. Now I’m back on 1st Street and love it”!
Watch the Jungle Gym boxing team and many more compete on Saturday night at the Buffalo House.
