Former boxing champion’s growing foundation gives East St. Louis youth a fighting chance
Former boxing champion Arthur “Flash” Johnson realized a dream in 2018 when he opened Flash Boxing Gym at 1721 State Street in East St. Louis.
The gym was the headquarters of his private foundation and where the former Olympian introduced inner-city youth to the sport and encouraged scholarship with equal parts training and tutoring.
Johnson now has plans to super-size his vision. He broke ground on a brand new 9,000-square-foot facility at 501 North 11th Street.
Construction should take 10-12 months, he said. Once the new gym is ready, the foundation will look to add new programs, including basketball courts, a daycare and facilities where adults can earn their GED.
“This was always a passion of mine to have a center such as the one that we’re building,” Johnson said.
Johnson prides himself on the impact his foundation has had on the lives of metro-east youth and the families that have come through the organization.
“There’s nothing greater than that – no amount of money, amount of championships, none of that stuff,” Johnson said. “They can never say that nobody gave them an opportunity.”
As a person of faith, Johnson recognizes the spiritual connection he creates with those in need of his help.
“I feel like that when you give and lend to those less fortunate, that’s like lending to God,” he said.
State Senator Christopher Belt attended Saturday’s ceremonial groundbreaking.
Johnson was a national Golden Gloves champion and member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team. He later turned professional, winning a world junior featherweight title twice and a bantamweight championship. By the time he retired, he amassed a record of 22-6 with 14 knockouts.
Johnson and his wife, LaTanya Johnson, established the non-profit foundation in 2001 and initially provided boxing training in a senior citizen nutrition center in Washington Park. It has grown steadily ever since, necessitating expansion to a new building with added programs.
“We’ll be able to serve more kids and have some other things implemented in that big building,” Johnson said.
“I know every kid is not going to be successful in boxing, so you’ve got to give them other outlets to dream and aim high at.”
Even beyond the new gym, Johnson continues to dream. Further expansion could extend beyond the metro-east with a proposed facility in South Sudan, Africa.
“From a national perspective as well as international perspective, that is something that I’m looking forward to,” he said.
Current members of the Arthur Johnson Foundation Board of Directors include LaTanya Johnson, Lakeisha Johnson, Rosie Arnette, Tony Howard and Wade Wicks.
