Gleason’s Gym Features Masters Fights on SATURDAY

Brooklyn is a potent tourist destination, with the buzz factor of the borough climbing to the moon, compared to in decades past, in the last 15 years.

And believe it or not, a pretty popular destination for people from all corners of the globe is the famed and fabled fight factory, Gleason's Gym.

They host art gallery popups…do filming for TV shows and movies..and act as home base for several top tier professionals, as well as up ‘n coming amateurs. And Gleason's is also a haven for those a bit more…seasoned…with more salt than pepper in their hair. Yes, Master's boxers, those 35 and up, find that Gleason's and head honcho Bruce Silverglade..

… respect their hopes and dreams and desires and how pugilism fits in their day to day planning.

On Saturday, some of these more salt than pepper people will glove up and test their mettle, at the Gleason's Gym Master's Clinic Show, the 11th annual.

I chatted with one participant, Matt Eccles, who is here in NY from his home base in Berkeley, CA.

He's had one fight, at Dreamland Masters in San Jose, in 2018, and is thoroughly infected with the boxing bug. “I got into it about 1 1/2 years ago, for fitness, and safety..and I was looking for a contact sport.”

Eccles didn't give up his age, but told us he's been married for 27 years, has three kids (18-23), lives in Berkeley and works in San Francisco. “I’m a bond dealer during the day,” Eccles stated.

And boxing…what has it brought to his life? “I love boxing because of the combat aspects, the extremely hard training, that the people are serious and dedicated and I love knowing that I can fight. I’m in better health and more focused on work and health now. I’ve reduced my weight and my drinking and I feel very strong!”

Eccles learned about this event from doing an internet search, and stories about the throwback melting pot popped up. You can learn more about what Gleason's offers here and here. And yes, you can stop by the gym and watch (from 6-10 PM ET) the salt-set test themselves and fight back against Father Time.

LATE UPDATE: The world is a complicated place. Eccles' flight was cancelled and the airline acted in extortionate fashion in offering replacements. He gave it a pass…fight number 2 will have to wait.

Gleason's will be there for Eccles next time around.