NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — Sid Edwards has been boxing since he was 5 years old.
“I was never given the chance to become a professional. But I fought a lot of amateur matches and had a great career as an amateur,” he said.
Thanks to his grandfather, he is familiar with this sport.
“My grandfather, Joe Bennett, from Joliet, Illinois, trained with Muhammad Ali in the Olympics in the ’60s,” he said.
He said he had always dreamed of owning a boxing gym and becoming a coach.
“I once saw myself in a dream as a leader,” Edwards said.
Through faith, hard work, and discipline, Edwards' dream is now a reality. He is the owner of Kingdom City Boxing, located at Landmark Mall in Normal (1540 E. College Avenue).
“We have amateurs and we compete at a high level. We travel a lot. I start at age 8, but we have players who are still competing in their 40s and 50s. ” he said.
Before owning his business, Edwards started coaching at a friend's gym and quickly transitioned to his home.
“I ended up moving into my garage at home. My garage was the same size as the ring. It was 16 by 16,” he said.
Edwards, who was born in Joliet and raised in Chicago, said she is humbled because her path to success was not easy.
“I had a troubled childhood. I was independent from the age of 13 or 14. I knew my mother and I knew my father, but I never had them. “I grew up in the foster care system. I was in and out of prison throughout my childhood. I got infected for the first time when I was 14, and I was shot three times,” he said.
Despite the obstacles in his life, he says his faith keeps him grounded, and it's evident when he steps into the gym.
Edwards writes the poetry of his life on the wall—2 Timothy 1:7.
“That's fear, the poetry of fear. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and love and a sound mind,” he said.
There are also words written on the walls to describe the gym. He said his gym is a safe haven and outlet for many young and old.
Some people come here for fitness, others for boxing. It's such a nice environment that some people come here just to be in the environment, to just sit and people watch. This is also a faith-based gym, so I teach these people about God and show them the right path. And since it's ultimately about the kingdom, that's where the name Kingdom City comes from.
Sid Edwards
He said faith-based boxing gyms are about more than just fighting and aggression.
“My main goal is to see people set free and healed. All right, so free from the environment, free from bad habits, healed from hurt, healed from pain, and I'm all I want to see them succeed,” Edwards said.
For more information on Kingdom City Boxing, click here.