Eric Kelly, GOAT Trash Talker, Goes Hollywood

Eric Kelly is alive and well, and in the movies, it turns out.

You may remember Kelly from his viral videos in which he showed himself to be savagely honest, and honestly hilarious, or offensive, depending on your point of view.

The guy makes people clutch their pearls, it can be said. 

This video here is an ATG fave of mine. Dare you to watch and not laugh.

His best known one is below.

1 million hits on this platform and counting…

So, an update—Kelly is thriving, as a gym owner (“SouthBox” in the Bronx, new additional location in the works) and passing his time dipping his mitts into a new playground: Hollywood.

NYF has followed Kelly’s arc for a spell. From a few years ago:

One of the best United States amateur boxers of all-time, he finished with a remarkable 104-14 record, including numerous medals and awards, culminating with him being named alternate for the 2000 Olympic Games in Australia.

In 2001, Eric Kelly was the No. 1 ranked middleweight in the U.S., but he lost in the championship final of the USA Boxing Championships to an unranked Andre Ward, who went on to capture a gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Kelly's life dramatically changed while training at the United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC), where Kelly was trained by Al Mitchell, on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan.

During a brawl in a barroom, he suffered nerve damage to his left eyelid, after being struck in the face with a pool cue.

“It taught me how to be a man,” Eric Kelly said about his live-changing incident.

It’s about time kid has a closeup.

Eric Kelly On the Big Screen

The Florida-born Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn man is in a movie called “Day of the Fight,” which stars Michael Pitt, Joe Pesci and Ron Perlman. Jack Huston wrote and directed the movie.

Perlman is head trainer, four-time national amateur champ Eric Kelly, age 43, is assistant coach.

The ex amateur standout, whose pro prospects were squashed because of an eye injury stemming from a fracas, worked on the flick from Dec ‘22 to Feb. ‘23, in NY and NJ.

Kelly would have made noise as a pro but a pool cue messed up his left eye. He’s done quite well in adapting, and not letting the incident define his future

“I make a big splash on the screen, White Mike,” the notorious EK told me. “It debuted at the Venice Film Festival and was at Cannes.”

OK, Eric Kelly at Cannes has potential. Is there footage?

“Nah, my fumble, Woods,” he said, wishing he’d invaded the cozy confines of Cannes and spewed some harsh/needed truth-telling at the comfortable set.

“You gonna watch this movie, it’s got great actors, this story hasn’t been told in a long time, it’s a redemption tale,” he continued. “Dramatic, funny, action packed, you will learn lot about survival from this.”

Eric Kelly taught Perlman, who has been in the news, how to do pads. How was he?

“He did well. Woods, it’s a good movie, don’t miss it. Use your head for more than a hat rack!”

Is is trash talking, or truth telling?

Beyond that, Eric Kelly is touting SouthBox as “number one in NYC.”

He opened shop in 2017 and has some catching up to do with Gleason’s.

Kelly is exploring expansion, he said. Folks can check the joint out on Nov 11, when an amateur show takes place.

All in all, the alternately amiable and acid tongued entrepreneur sounded well. “Everything is good, blessed, kids and family are good,” said the NYC fixture, surviving and thriving.