Boxing center eyes Tosa location

Boxing has become much less about competition and more about physical and mental fitness, said a Waukesha gym owner who wants to open a facility in Wauwatosa.

"There are times when it's 80 percent women in the gym and 20 percent men and the women do it better because they focus and get into it," said Oscar Medina, who already runs a center in Waukesha.

Medina plans to operate Medina Boxing Camp at 10848 W. Wisconsin Ave. to offer boxing fitness workouts, strength and agility exercises, and competition boxing training

First, boxing coach Medina will have to go before the Plan Commission on Monday and Community Development Committee on Tuesday. Those panels will make a recommendation to the Common Council.

If the approval process goes smoothly, Medina plans to open in mid-July.

He plans to offer exercise and sparring classes for adults and youth, saying that people are getting into boxing because life is tough.

"We need to have this fighting spirit," he said. "People are thinking, 'I need to build a tougher skin.'"

At his Waukesha location, he's found many women who had taken cardio-kickboxing aerobics classes but wanted to take it to the next step. There are also teens that need discipline or focus because of attention deficit disorder, and master's class boxers (40-plus men) who want to compete in their sport.