Local boxing coach credits father’s legacy for statewide recognition

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A local boxing coach is making a name for himself and his father’s legacy statewide. He says his upbringing in the sport is to thank for all of his success.

“Everybody wants to be tough, so my way of being tough is to go out and win championships,” said Coach Ernest Butts Jr.

For Freedom Park Boxing Gym’s Earnest Butts Jr. the passion he has for boxing is in his blood.

“Boxing helped me to stay out of trouble, stay in shape and follow in the foot steps of my father,” he said.

His father Earnest Butts Sr. was a professional fighter back in the mid 1900’s.

“My father started when he was like 12 years-old. He was a great boxer back in the early 50’s. He fought with Sonny Liston, he sparred with Joe Frazier,” Butts went on.

He says growing up in the sport is how he went on to have a 30 year-long career as a boxer and then a coach.

“(I) won a Golden Glove when I was 19 years-old, went into the military, was an all army champion, came out, tried the pro thing, and it didn’t fair out really well for me so I started teaching,” Butts told 41NBC.

The list of accomplishments didn’t stop there. In December, he was recognized by the Georgia Amateur Boxing Association for all of his hard work.

“This award basically solidifies my career as an active boxer and an active coach in the state of Georgia,” he said.

Butts says coaching and mentoring has been his most fulfilling role.

“I can help kids to go farther in their career and that’s what they’re really looking at me as because it’s something a lot of guys don’t do,” he said.

Butts says now his purpose is sharing the teachings and skills his father helped him develop with hopes to pass on to other fighters trying to make it big.