Coach Calvin
As he sat in the dimly lit room, smoking his cigar, The Invisible Man’s mind drifts to the obscurity of men like Calvin Ford, also known as Coach Calvin. Who is this man, one asks? Coach Calvin, only a man, an invisible man doing invincible deeds, a coach, who happens to also shape the world boxing champions.
Early Days
Coach Calvin was not born into wealth or fame, but rather, he was born into a world of hardship and struggle. Growing up in the streets of West Baltimore, he was enveloped into the world of crime and drugs, like most of the youth. Coach Calvin became a lieutenant for drug kingpin Warren Boardley.
Speaking to the New York Times in an article printed on 24 February, 2017, Coach Calvin said of his memories from the streets,
“If I had to shoot you, I’d shoot you,” Ford said. “If I had to stab you, I’d stab you. If I had to beat you up with my hands, I’d beat you up with my hands.”
In 1988, Coach Calvin went to federal prison, convicted on racketeering and conspiracy charges.
Coach Calvin spent a decade in the prison, where he got acquainted with boxing and baking. Coach Calvin already had a background in kick boxing and one of crew mates, a professional boxer himself, encouraged him to become a boxer when he was released.
With recidivism rates close to 40%, where men went to jails, only to return back, he had decided that he didn’t want anything with that. And, instead of allowing his circumstances to dictate his life, Coach Calvin chose to rise above them.
Rising From The Ashes
On his release, Coach Calvin didn’t take up professional boxing, but he certainly took up coaching to pass on the knowledge he had acquired. With a heart full of determination and a burning passion for boxing, Coach Calvin had responded to the true calling was in coaching others. And so, he began to pour all of his knowledge, experience, and love into the young fighters he trained.
Coach Calvin took up a menial job as a dishwasher at the Philips Foods, having made a vow to himself to never return to his past life. The system of hierarchy and structure was the same, just different consequences. Determined to turn his life around, Coach Calvin worked his way up from a dishwasher to a manger.
Meanwhile, coach Calvin started training his son Quaadir Gurley at the Herring Run Recreation Centre. The gym later moved and was then renamed the Upton Boxing Centre. It was also Coach Calvin’s son Gurley who spotted Gervonta Davis, and who would later go on to become a world champion and coach Calvin’s protégé.
Coach Calvin from the many accounts has shared how he never looked back once he made the decision to pursue his passion. His journey wasn't an easy one, but he persevered, and it has led him to where he is now.
Today, coach Calvin donning track suits and reading glasses secured by a distinct chain, speaks mildly. A contrast to someone who teaches the art of violence and how to deliver pain effectively, efficiently on adversaries inside the ring.
Coach Calvin also happens to be the father figure to countless children who have been relying on him for years for boxing lessons, which transcend beyond just the sweet science as he keeps these children away from the streets.
Where is Upton?
The New York Times reported that in 2016, 318 people were killed in Baltimore, the second-highest homicide total for the city on record while 2015 was worse. The city was averaging nearly a murder a day.
In the heart of Baltimore, a city plagued by violence and poverty, lies Upton, a neighbourhood where children grow up far too quickly. Here, the sounds of gunshots and sirens are commonplace, and the spectre of death looms large over the community. For many children, the realities of life in Upton are grim, with few opportunities for education or employment, and little hope for the future.
Upton is an earshot away from the place where Freddie Gray got arrested, and the incident that left him dead a week later. The riots that took place after, just a few blocks away.
In this neighbourhood, children are forced to take care for themselves. Either a parent who was killed, or moving in and out of incarceration, the children having no prospects but that of a life of crime.
Sadly coach Calvin himself lost his son Gurley, when he was murdered in 2013. And he wasn’t the only one, as Upton saw a list of star fighters trained by Coach Calvin at the Upton Boxing Center, and who would be lost to the streets. They included Ronald Gibbs an Olympic hopeful, stabbed to death while defending and Angelo Ward, shot to death.
Despite the challenges that came with running a gym like Upton Boxing Center in a tough neighbourhood, coach Calvin never wavered in his commitment to his fighters. He has worked long hours, often sacrificing his own personal time and resources to help them succeed.
Upton Boxing Center
When coach Calvin returned back from prison time, he wasn’t able to recognize the place where he had grown up in. The neighbourhood just didn’t take care of its kids nor the people that lived within it. There was no more guidance either.
And so coach Calvin took upon himself to deliver that guidance to the city’s children. His guidance is brutally honest and candid. It was a choice of their fate outside versus their future inside the Upton Boxing Center. He doesn’t tolerate, nor does he make compromises. It is a clear black and white choice between Upton Boxing Center and the streets. There is no one feet here and one feet there.
Himself coming from the streets, coach Calvin understood the need for structured programs that allow children to deal with the perpetual trauma that they go through on a daily basis. The discipline of the program adding to their focus in life.
For less than $70 a year, the Upton Boxing Center is a refuge, where Coach Calvin has developed a world in its own, governed by strict rules and zero tolerance to disrespect.
While the city finances the Upton Boxing Center, coach Calvin has spearheaded the contributions from his own pocket, including paying for trips and competitions outside the city.
Gervonta “The Tank” Davis
Coach Calvin became the father figure to Gervonta Davis, who was seven when he came into the Upton Boxing Centre.
Davis' childhood was marked by the absence of his parents, who were frequently incarcerated, leaving him to spend time in a group home. The Upton Boxing Center, where Davis was first introduced to boxing, became a refuge for him in an otherwise tumultuous world. It was there that he found stability and a sense of purpose, ultimately leading to a partnership with coach Calvin, that has continued to this day.
Coach Calvin and Davis share a deep bond forged through their shared passion for boxing. Davis' dedication to the sport was evident from an early age, as he often beat Coach Calvin to the gym, eager to improve his skills and achieve success in the ring. Coach Calvin recalls Davis' transformation when he stepped into the ring, becoming a different person altogether, fully immersed in the thrill and challenge of boxing.
Under coach Calvin’s guidance, Davis flourished. He won golden gloves in 2012, and he went on to become not only the most celebrated boxers from Upton Boxing Center, but one of the most successful boxers of his generation. Today, Davis is a world champion in three weight classes and one of the most recognizable faces in the sport, and he credits much of his success to the guidance and mentorship of Coach Calvin Ford.
Davis and coach Calvin remain inseparable today. For coach Calvin though, Davis saved him in many ways, as the sense of responsibility towards him led him to remain steadfast and focused.
Upton Boxing Rules
Coach Calvin’s unique coaching style, which combines tough love with unwavering support, has earned him the respect and admiration of all who know him.
He is known to have zero-tolerance policy towards disrespect. Any of his fighters at the gym found to have started trouble at school, either disrespecting a teacher or a starting a fight, would have to face the entire gym that evening for sparring.
Coach Calvin’s Legacy
Despite numerous accomplishments, coach Calvin remains a humble and unassuming man. He shies away from the spotlight and prefers to let his work speak for itself. And so, while the world may not know his name, those who have been touched by his coaching know that he is a force to be reckoned with.
The story of coach Calvin is one of perseverance, dedication, and the power of mentorship. From his early struggles in the streets of West Baltimore to his rise as one of the most respected coaches in the world of boxing and the custodian of Upton Boxing Center, Ford's journey has been marked by hardship, sacrifice, and triumph.
Through his work as a coach and mentor, coach Calvin has inspired countless young people to pursue their dreams and to believe in themselves. He has shown them that anything is possible if you have the courage and the determination to work hard and never give up.
But perhaps most importantly, coach Calvin has used boxing as a way to give back to his community through Upton Boxing Center and to make a positive difference in the lives of others. He has worked tirelessly to promote education, positive youth development, and social change, and he has become a symbol of hope and inspiration for young people everywhere.
Invisible Men, Invincible Deeds
As the Invisible Man, who has spent observing the hidden heroes of the world, those who toil in obscurity yet create great things, coach Calvin is one such hero. His dedication, his passion, and his unwavering spirit have transformed the lives of countless young boxers. And so, a toast to this invisible man doing invincible deeds, an enigmatic man, this coach of champions, this unsung hero of the boxing world. May coach Calvin’s legacy live on for generations to come.
