Dorin Spivey.
Classes: Mondays, 6:45 pm; Saturdays, 11 am
$99 per month for members; $150 per month for non-members
Dorin Spivey has been boxing for more than 26 years. He’s won two National Boxing Association titles and the World Boxing Association NABA lightweight title, and has fought in some of the biggest fights on television. Now, Spivey has joined the fitness staff at the Simon Family JCC to help members get fit and learn the art of boxing.
His class, World Champion Boxing Class with Dorin Spivey, utilizes high intensity training to build agility, strength, and stamina. He also teaches the principles of boxing and strength training to help develop the lean, strong, and confident physique that fighters are known for.
“I want people to be able to learn a skill, learn a trade such as boxing, and learn how to get in shape with it,” says Spivey. “I would like people to enjoy themselves. It’s really a skill, an art, and a fun time.”
Spivey began his career in 1992 when he got his professional boxing license, despite having no amateur experience. “I had to learn on the job,” says Spivey. “The guys I had beaten in the beginning all had amateur experience. I beat them by conditioning and hard work.”
Inspired by watching boxing legends Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker on TV, Spivey began pursuing boxing after he graduated high school.
“When I first started, people kept telling me, ‘You can’t do it, you’re too nice, you’re too this, you’re too that,’” says Spivey. “But, somehow, boxing clicked for me and it was like my alter ego and I was this ferocious fighter in the ring.”
Spivey’s ferocity led to an extraordinary career, one that saw him compile a 50–7 record, with 33 wins coming by knockout. Now, Spivey is ready to move on from competitive boxing and help people feel confident and empowered through the sport.
“When you’re boxing, it makes you feel invincible—like nothing can touch you, and you can protect yourself regardless of where you go, plus it’s a great stress reliever,” he says. “This is what I want to do: share the things I know so everyone can experience these amazing benefits.”
For more information, contact Tom Purcell at 757-3212310 or tpurcell@simonfamilyjcc.org. To register for the class, call 757-321-2338 or visit the Simon Family JCC front desk.