According to USC location manager, Arjan Petersen, a permanent boxing location had been on the wish list for quite a while due to the high demand for boxing classes. ‘Boxing has become extremely popular in recent years. The improvised space and boxing ring at the USC’s main location was becoming too small,’ says Petersen.

Boxing veteran Stef in charge of USC School of Boxing

The real star of the School of Boxing is boxing veteran Stef van Gelderen. Stef van Gelderen can land a hefty liver punch. He first stepped into the ring when he was 16 and won the regional North Holland boxing title at the age of 18 by knocking out his opponent in the first round. Almost 10 years later, he won the Dutch kick-boxing championship. The boxing and kick-boxing veteran now teaches the art of landing and, more importantly, evading a liver punch to students at the USC School of Boxing in the Bajeskwartier neighbourhood in Amsterdam Zuidoost.

Low threshold

The School of Boxing aims to expand to about 500 members in the coming years. In the new room, about 48 people can do boxing activities at the same time. The cheapest trial membership available costs €7.50 and is for three classes. The USC chooses to keep prices low. Petersen: ‘We want to make the threshold for exercising as low as possible.’