Local boxing icon helps youth channel positive energy - April 2013

Boxing champ whips teenagers into shape physically and mentally

Kayleb Cantali, Vinny, Sam Cantali, Joseph Rinaldi, Gian-luca and Antonio Bagnato

Profiles

Boxing Social and Community Sports

Sam Cantali is not your typical boxer trainer or community entrepreneur.

For the uninitiated Cantali is a former NSW boxing champion with a heart as big as Australia.

He also to this day continues to do good deeds to society, and in particular the local youth - his way of helping make up for his big mistake a decade ago which saw his serve 3 years in prison and get to involved in a bikie gang with a mixed reputation.

The charismatic trainer does not hide from his past, but rather builds on it, and mentors local youth about the power of positive thinking, fitness, and distinguishing right from wrong - having learn from first hand experience.

As many as 5 days per week, Cantali can be found training his young squad of boxers in the making at his makeshift (yet highly effective) boxing gym and training centre at Five Dock.

You won't find Sam's boxing gym listed in the white or yellow pages.

Cantali says "What we do is highly effective, yet no frills, but is exclusive in its own way. The right youth in the area just seem to find us on a recommendation and need to know basis. Anyone can join a gym to train but the group we have assembled has a real team spirit and feeling of community. They train hard and smart, get great value for money, get in shape, and can speak to me as a mate about life ups and downs - of which I know plenty. We also follow and talk about the UFC and fighting game".

The boxing gym doesn't charge a membership, but rather the members pay what they can afford. It's not a profit and commercially driven enterprise, but maybe one day it will be if its current success continues.

Safety is also a major focus on Mr Cantali and his squad, with head protection provided and a "Protect your head at all times" mentality. They also of course have first aid facilities at the ready, as a precaution.

Mr Cantali is assisted by his life partner, Jaz, who supervises and takes video for the squad to evaluate later in the training session, as well as Rocco, who provides motivation and a challenge to the young fighters who enjoy trying their skills on a larger, taller and unpredictable opponent.

A typical boxing training session goes for 1.5 hours and comprises of:

Debrief of what the members have done since last training session
Warm up including stretching
Skipping
Sparing
Pad work (30mins)
Sprinting and running (20mins)
Watching boxing and martial arts DVD's (20mins)
Mentor sessions one on one (10mins per member).

Mr Cantali says "We also offer the all import connections to the fight world, starting with Sydney and Redfern in particular, so if our prospects have the drive and talent, they will in fact get noticed by the right spoters and other professional boxing trainers and promoters, and that's hard to put a price on. If our fighters are not ready, we don't put them forward for the next level... if ready, we do - simple".

Some of the more promising upstarts include:

Joseph Rinaldi - 16 year old fitness freak and passionate young boxer. Has professional boxing aspirations and is also a local soccer star

Antonio Bagnato - long time friend of Joseph's who also shares the passion of boxing, fitness and soccer. Thinks he may become a fisherman when he's older, but would consider boxing if he becomes good enough.

Kayleb Cantali - a naturally gifted 13 year old athlete. Comes from a broken home and found that boxing and mateship in sports helped give him positive direction. Many at the boxing squad consider Kayleb "most improved".

So, do you know any youth in the area that would like to try some fitness training with a difference? If so, drop us a line and we will put you in touch with Sam's gym quicker than you can say left - right jab, uppercut.