The sport of boxing is big in Burbank. Its no wonder, because Burbank has history with the sweet science due to the late local resident World Heavyweight Champion James Jeffries. For over twenty years, Jeffries held weekly boxing matches at his barn in Burbank always drawing capacity crowds. Its obvious his legacy continues on today as local boxing fans pack the boxing arenas with near-sellout crowds whenever boxing matches are held in Burbank, California.
| Fight | Location | Date | Boxing Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | Burbank, CA | TBA | TBA |
Burbank Boxing Information
Burbank Boxing Gyms
Burbank YMCA Boxing
321 E Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91502
818-845-8551
Gio's Brooklyn Boxing Club
116 S San Fernando Blvd
Burbank, CA 91502
818-843-7660
Founded by the late Giorlando "Gio" Castronovo. The club has a full size boxing ring, heavy bags, speed bags, lots of cardio equipment plus a complete free weight gym. Private training and classes are available.
Burbank Boxing History
Burbank's boxing claim to fame was in the early 1900s when James "The Boilermaker" Jeffries (18-1-2, 14 KOs), the World Heavyweight Champion (1899-1905) retired from professional boxing to his 107 acre ranch on Victory Boulevard and Buena Vista Avenue in Burbank, California.
The Jeffries Barn on Jeffries Burbank property served as a boxing gym and boxing arena where weekly amateur boxing matches were held on Thursday nights from 1931 until his death in 1953. It was also the location for John Garfield's big fight scene in the 1939 film They Made Me a Criminal starring The Dead End Kids. In 1954 the California Historical Society put Jeffries Barn on the historical landmark list.
The Burbank Historical Society located at W Olive Ave & N Lomita St has a James J. Jeffries boxing exhibit on display at their museum consisting of vintage boxing photos, Burbank boxing history and old boxing gloves.
Founder of Burbank Boxing Club (which meets at the Burbank YMCA) and artist Steven Harpst designed The Prizefighter a 12-inch tall bronze scuplture awarded to World Boxing Hall of Fame (WBHF) inductees since 2004.
Note: James Jeffries was a 1980 WBHF inductee.