Ike & Randy’s Boxing Gym | Boxing Paterson NJ 07501

I founded “Ike and Randy's Boxing Gym” located at 98 Park Avenue in Paterson, New Jersey in November 1993. The ground floor commercial space,  I believe,  had formerly been an auto body repair shop. Isaac “Ike” Rhule, a Jamaican man in his 60's owned the building.  I named the gym after “Ike” Rhule who passed away in 1996. I intended to name the gym for my late brother Bob as well. But Bob insisted that we name the gym for our brother Randy (who is mentally challenged). Randy can only read his first name which he proudly observes on the sign located atop the fence leading into our driveway. I make sure that I always tell Randy that the gym is his property and he is the boss. It usually brings a smile to his face.

We started out with one light bulb for illumination and one heavy bag suspended from a steel beam by a chain. We kept cleaning the place and got some more bags to use. I rented the space from Ike and he chipped in his excellent carpenter and masonry skills. My late brother Robert "Bob" Shevack, was a licensed electrician and a gold seal boiler mechanic. Ike got rid of the front garage door and put bricks where the door had been. He also put in a metal covered entrance door. Ike went on to build us a boxing ring and a dressing room. He also gave us a large closet space. Bob put in great lighting and heating, and also built us a bathroom. Bob went on to put in smoke detectors for safety reasons too.