Kronk Gym, an iconic Detroit boxing brand, looks to return to form this summer

An iconic Detroit boxing brand returns to the city
Kronk Gym will reopen by the end of the summer in Detroit. On Wednesday, officials involved in its revival spoke glowingly about its return.
(FOX 2) - Kronk Gym is returning to Detroit with plans to carry on the boxing brand once known around the world.
While the gym will open by the end of the summer, some big Detroit names were at the announcement of its return on Wednesday.
Local perspective:
Ask John Lepak what it's like to see the return of Kronk Gym, and he compared it to the feeling before a heavyweight bout.
"It’s hard to explain the emotions. It’s almost like I would describe getting ready for a big fight. The ups and downs. I just want to get it over with at this point," he said.
Lepak grew up in the old Kronk Gym. He remembers what it felt like walking through the red door - the entrance into a boxing center that helped trained many of the greats like Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis, and Wladimir Klitschko.
"This door has led many to pain and fame and that it truly did. But, the first thing you experienced was a wave of heat that I cannot even match," said Lepak.
Now the chief operating officer of the revived gym, he hopes to replicate the same feeling he once felt decades ago.
What they're saying:
Lepak is teaming up with Paul Bhatti to breathe new life into the iconic brand.
"There’s lots of kids around here that don’t have many places to go. They are few and far between — the boxing gyms that are around here. There’s some but we’re going to add another to the mix. It happens to be the biggest and most famous one that has ever been," Bhatti said.
He's the CEO of the gym, which is expected to open by the end of the summer.
Those who will call it home include a new generation of boxers, like William Myhre.
"I’ve got a great coach. Just being able to see what he’s done and being able to follow in that and just build something for my own is great," he said.
The backstory:
The original Kronk Gym opened in 1921, earning the name from former city councilman John Kronk.
It was founded by legendary trainer Emanuel Steward, who was the personality behind the training of successful boxers. His daughter, Sylvia Steward-Williams, was also in attendance for the announcement.
She hopes to carry on her dad's legacy.
"I’m glad that they’re bringing Kronk back to Detroit. Kronk is an international, world name. So, when people see this, it’s going to be all over the world," she said.
A flood damaged the original Kronk Gym in 2006, forcing it to relocate. Nearly 20 years later, Kronk is returning home.
The Source: Stakeholders at the announcement of the new Kronk Gym were interviewed for this story.