It's about time. Artemio Colon
Second in a series of interviews with New Yorkers of all ages, It's about time features 91 year old Artemio Colon, who arrived in New York City from Puerto Rico when he was 25 years old. He is the founder of the Westside Boxing Gym in Manhattan's Washington Heights, located on 163rd Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.
Artemio Colon or simply, Colon as most people call him, was one of the first people I met when I began my career as a journalist. He and his family practically adopted me, and I spent many hours photographing and interviewing his fighters, traveling with them to amateur bouts, and learning the ropes. He always dreamed of having a world champion but time and circumstance, fate and a good fighter never came his way.
A companion video, My Hands Talk for Me: A Boxing Journey, is also included in this post since it features a fighter from Colon's gym. The journey of a prizefighter from his first fight to champion of the world is a long one. Alfredo Rodriguez of Manhattan has only been training for a month; his dream is to become a champion. For such a short time in the gym, Rodriguez has remarkable skills and coordination; his journey has just begun.
Enjoy!
Artemio Colon or simply, Colon as most people call him, was one of the first people I met when I began my career as a journalist. He and his family practically adopted me, and I spent many hours photographing and interviewing his fighters, traveling with them to amateur bouts, and learning the ropes. He always dreamed of having a world champion but time and circumstance, fate and a good fighter never came his way.
A companion video, My Hands Talk for Me: A Boxing Journey, is also included in this post since it features a fighter from Colon's gym. The journey of a prizefighter from his first fight to champion of the world is a long one. Alfredo Rodriguez of Manhattan has only been training for a month; his dream is to become a champion. For such a short time in the gym, Rodriguez has remarkable skills and coordination; his journey has just begun.
Enjoy!
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