New boxing center aims to build fitness and confidence

Boxing is a sport growing in both popularity and controversy. Those who protest it claim that it is too brutal and promotes violence. Others view it as a way to maintain not only peak physical condition, but a strong mental condition as well, because it teaches confidence and self-defense. These positive values have been instilled in many of the fighters who have stepped into PrimeTime Boxing and Fitness Gym, Sacramento's newest premiere boxing facility. The success of the newly-opened gym can be accredited to recent CSUS graduate Cary Williams.

At only 26 years of age, Williams has realized her dream of owning her own boxing gym in Sacramento, but the road to the top has been rocky along the way. An only child, Williams was raised primarily by her father, Ike. It was during this time that her appreciation of boxing began. "I can remember my dad watching fights on television, and I found that I was completely mesmerized," she said. "If a fight was on, I was watching."

At 16, she decided to leave home to live on her own. At such a young age many predicted that she might fall under the pressures of adolescence. Proving the skeptics wrong, she graduated from McClatchy High School with a 4.0 grade point average. Williams credits her father for teaching her not only self-reliance but for making her strong-minded as well.

"He taught me good morals and instilled strong values in me," she said.

Following high school, Williams found herself employed in many different jobs over the next few years.

"You name it, I did it," she said.

Primarily, she worked in sports bars and restaurants, where the appeal of boxing began to settle in once again.

"I started to watch boxing again and I became really interested in the sport," she said.

Continuing to work, Williams began attending CSUS in the fall of 1990, where she put herself through school until the day she graduated in 1996 with a degree in environmental science.

It was during her time at CSUS that she met Angelo Nunez, a one time professional boxer. He was living in her neighborhood at the time when they met, and she quickly became intrigued with his training.

"Angelo was not only in great shape, but he was well disciplined and had great confidence," said Williams. It didn't hurt that he had once fought with boxing champ Oscar de la Hoya either, and had recently become his sparring partner.

The two began to train together, and quickly Williams took to the daily regimen of a boxer. While still attending CSUS, she started to visit various boxing gyms throughout the Sacramento area, unsatisfied. She found that many of the gyms just threw people with little experience into the ring, and gave little attention to one-on-one instruction making it difficult for many students to learn the fundamentals of boxing.

During the six years she attended CSUS, she began to create an idea of a new gym that was not only geared for fighters with experience, but for people who were just interested in boxing but had no interest in actually stepping into the ring.

After four years of careful planning and undying determination, Williams' dream became reality when she opened PrimeTime Boxing and Fitness Gym last month. It's a total boxing facility filled with free weights, cardio and nautilus equipment in addition to professional boxing equipment.

"PrimeTime is about staying in shape and staying fit," she said. Williams' philosophy is not about fighting, but about learning the fundamentals first. The first thing she tells those who want to start boxing is "take your time."

"I don't want people to feel discouraged, and I don't want them to feel intimidated," she said. "I want people to come in and have fun and get in shape at their own pace."

According to Williams ,the gym is geared towards all ages, both men and women, beginner to expert. "There's something here for everybody," she said.

So far, the people are responding. Having been only open for a month, she already has about 25 students to her credit from word of mouth alone. Williams hopes this number will only continue to rise. She aspires to eventually open up another gym in the area, but for now she has found happiness in realizing a dream that started several years ago.

"I set goals and I follow through with them," she said. "Now that I've accomplished this, who knows what else I can do?"

If you are interested in checking out Prime Time Boxing and Fitness Gym, you can call Williams at 927-2697. Or, if you want to come see what the buzz is all about, you can visit Prime Time at 1931 Del Paso Blvd. Williams offers a 10 percent discount to all students.