MANSFIELD — The gym inside Tim's Mid-Ohio Home Improvements warehouse on Marion Street is no-frills.
The sparring ring is in one corner, its bright blue floor and blue-and-red corner pads in sharp contrast to the building's drab gray cement-block walls. Three black heavy bags hang from the loft's rafters, with two more waiting to be hung.
It's rough and tough, the kind of hard-hitting place that produced the city's greatest boxer, former International Boxing Federation light heavyweight champion Charles Williams.
Now 62, Prince Charles is the gym's de facto head trainer — though he'd still likely put in a few rounds if called upon — and he roams the grounds, offering tips on technique to regulars hoping to one day reach the level Williams did.
“I want to raise champions. I want to give these kids a chance just like someone gave me a chance,” said Williams, who held the IBF light heavyweight world title from 1987 to 1993.
“If I hadn't had the chance, I don't know what I'd be doing. I'm just trying to give young people the chance to succeed in life.”
Williams moved to Mansfield from Mississippi as a child and followed his brother to the gym, where he found his calling. He is now based in Columbus but visits Mansfield regularly to coach students.
But lending a helping hand to the city's youth wasn't always owner Tim Carper's plan: The former amateur boxer and fitness enthusiast was just trying to help a friend in need.
“About six years ago, Jack Elswick walked through my office door and said, 'I need help losing weight,' so I started training him,” Carper said.
“Jack asked me if I could bring in some young kids and train them, and before I knew it we had nine or 10 kids training. We ran out of space so we built a warehouse about six years ago.”
Longtime manager Rex Reese said the gym filled a void in Mansfield.
“Mansfield didn't have a boxing gym, but there always was one,” Reese said. “The owner of the building is Tim Carper. I've been boxing my whole life and I've never seen anyone step up like he did.”
“It's great for Mansfield.”
Craig Weber, a former professional boxer and Perrysville native with a career record of 21-2-2, is one of the trainers at the gym, agrees.
“Tim Carper's contributions to boxing at Mansfield have been incredible,” Weber said between sparring sessions. “We couldn't do it without him.”
In addition to a growing roster of amateur fighters, the gym also attracts active professional fighters.
Julian Lane, a bare-knuckle fighter from Mansfield (featured on Season 16 of The Ultimate Fighter), is a regular, as is up-and-coming professional boxer Chavon Stillwell, and Chase Nelson stops by when he's in town.
“Grassroots gyms like this are the future of boxing,” says gym owner Elswick. “We've had 35 people train here so far. It's a base for a lot of fighters.”
Prince Charles hopes his story will inspire the next generation of Mansfield warriors.
“I came from here and became a world champion, and there are kids out there who look at that and say to themselves, 'I can do that too. I can be a champion,'” Williams said.
“Having a former champion around makes it easier for them to believe they can become a champion.”
