Dream Believe Become Boxing Gym is a youth-oriented non-profit boxing club based in Waukegan, Illinois. We work with children, teens, and young adults to provide discipline, knowledge, and skill through our rigorous training programs.  We offer classes and open gym hours five evenings per week for every skill level. By sharing our commitment to the sport of boxing, we give young people the tools they need to Dream, Believe, & Become.

About

Dream Believe Become Boxing Gym is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2007 by four students of North Shore Boxing Club’s Mateen Ahmad and Edwyn Ford.  Since then, a staff of dedicated volunteer trainers has worked with over 500 children and teens to provide a safe, fun, and productive environment in which students learn to set goals, believe in themselves, and achieve their dreams through athletics.

At our Waukegan, Illinois, headquarters we offer a variety of classes to meet the needs of our diverse community.  Our students learn proper boxing techniques, run drills, and condition their bodies to stay healthy and active. For those fighters who develop a passion for the sport and want to test their skills, we offer the opportunity to compete in amateur tournaments throughout the nation. Based on demand in our community, we have also started offering evening hours of open gym use and adult instruction.

At DBB, we believe boxing teaches discipline, dedication, mental and physical conditioning, and the ability to react quickly to changing situations. In short, boxing offers tools that go beyond the ring and into every facet of our lives.

Classes

To join the gym or get pricing information, visit our membership page. If you have further questions, contact us!

Kids Fundamentals of Boxing (Beginners Ages 7-12)

Tuesday and Thursday 5:00-6:00pm:  Students will learn the basics of boxing in this class that focuses on real boxing drills and techniques adapted to the abilities of young people.

Teen Fundamentals of Boxing (Beginners Ages 13-17)

Monday and Wednesday 5:00-6:00pm:  Students will learn the basics of boxing in this class that focuses on boxing drills and techniques for teens and young adults.

Advanced Competitive Boxing

Monday-Thursday 6:00-7:30pm:  This class prepares students to step into the ring and compete through a combination of conditioning and technique.  Fighters will focus on cardio, weight training, drills, and sparring.

Adult Comprehensive Boxing

Monday-Thursday 7:45-8:45pm:  This class focuses on developing and refining the technical aspects of boxing as well as conditioning.

Trainers

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Justin Foster

Justin Foster is a founding member and the president of Dream Believe Become Inc. He has been involved in the world of amateur boxing, as both a fighter and trainer, since 2003. In addition to his role at DBB, Justin has taught classes at both World Gym in Palatine, IL, and Equinox in Lincoln Park, Chicago. He believes that boxing can play an important role in the lives of young men and women: “Teenagers everywhere need a structure,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if you have two parents or zero parents.” Boxing, according to Justin, is uniquely positioned to offer that structure and the rewards that come along with it: “The tough part is staying in it; there’s no off-season so you’re training year-round. It’s real taxing. You see kids out having fun and you want to go do that. But if you can stick to it for a couple years, all those other kids who couldn’t stick with it are gone. The pack weeds out. If you just stay in it, you’ll be somebody.”

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Luis Antonio Linares Jr.

Luis Antonio Linares Jr. started at Dream Believe Become in 2010 with the intention of training for his own fights, but soon found that he was a natural teacher to others as well. A boxer since the age of 13, Luis has been a trainer at DBB since 2012 and is now preparing his own 13 year-old son, Antonio, to step into the ring. “He started when he was six,” says Luis, “and now he’s sparring in Chicago and Milwaukee, always shadowboxing at home… he’s very dedicated. He never wants to stop.” While the skills and techniques of boxing can be hard to master, Luis believes that dedication and conditioning must come first: “You can have the best skills in the world, be fast, hit hard, but if you don’t have the conditioning, some other guy who doesn’t have the best skills can beat you in those three rounds.” Boxing is hard, he acknowledges, but he still considers being a part of DBB the best thing in the world. “It’s like a medicine. You relieve stress, you work out, and you get to help people. You become family.”

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Sergio Soto

Sergio Soto began boxing at the age of 18 and won the 2003 Wisconsin Golden Gloves. He is a founding member of Dream Believe Become and has been training students since DBB started offering classes in 2011. Sergio never imagined himself as a teacher, but soon found it becoming a passion for him. “First it was training, being a fighter,” he says, “but now it’s being a boxing coach and a leader.” His students know they can approach him with any problem, whether in the ring, at school, or at home, and “that’s what really gets me right here in the heart.” He stresses the importance of the discipline boxing offers, and loves seeing how his students become more committed to their health, more energetic in their lifestyles, and more aware of the impact of their decisions. He wants everyone who enters DBB to know that they are welcome: “I know a lot of people get timid coming into a place like this because I was, too, but we’re accepting of everyone. You’re going to leave here feeling good mentally and physically.”

Donate

If you would like to make a charitable donation, please click on the Donate button below. The link below will take you directly to our donation page, secured by Thawte and hosted independently of this site.


Donate

Contact

For membership pricing, donor information, and other inquiries, write or call (847) 785-9436.

Event Calendar

May 27, 2017: DBB 10th Anniversary Pub Crawl Fundraiser.

Begins 1pm at Green Town Tavern

110 S Genesee St, Waukegan, IL 60085

Celebrate ten years with friends, drinks, and prizes.  Get all the details at our Facebook event page.

May 5, 2017: Conquer Fight Club Annual Fundraiser

Libertyville Sports Complex

1950 North Hwy 45
Libertyville, Illinois 60048

Golden Gloves Champion Jo Lee fights Gerardo Ramirez!  Tickets can be purchased here.

March 8-April 8, 2017: Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament, Chicago, IL.

Cicero Stadium
1909 S Laramie Ave, Cicero, IL 60804

Four of DBB’s fighters will be making us proud at the 2017 Chicago Golden Gloves: Esai Arenas, Justin Cardoza, Joseph Lee, and Luis Martinez.  Check out our blog to follow their progress, and purchase tickets here.

April 7, 2017: Chicago Golden Gloves Finals.

Joseph Lee fights in the 152 novice division!

April 6, 2017: Chicago Golden Gloves Finals.

Luis Martinez fights in the 141 novice division!

March 25, 2017: Chicago Golden Gloves semifinals.

Luis Martinez fights in the 141 novice division!

March 23, 2017: Chicago Golden Gloves semifinals.

Joseph Lee fights in the 152 novice division!

March 18, 2017: Chicago Golden Gloves quarterfinals.

Esai Arenas fights in the 132 open division! Luis Martinez fights in the 141 novice division!

March 16, 2017: Chicago Golden Gloves quarterfinals.

Joseph Lee fights in the 152 novice division!

March 10, 2017: Chicago Golden Gloves.

Joseph Lee fights in the 152 novice division!

March 9, 2017: Chicago Golden Gloves.

Luis Martinez fights in the 141 novice division!

March 4, 2017: HACP Night of Champions, Waukegan, IL.

Come see DBB fighters Justin Cardoza and Joseph Lee!  Find event information here.

Private: Blog