Boxing gym planned for east side of Fort Scott

Workers start construction of a boxing gym last week at 1508 E. Wall St. The gym now has a frame and roof. Owner, boxer and trainer Rick Culler of Nevada, Mo., plans to open the facility in May. (Ruth Campbell/Tribune)

With an eye toward giving kids something to do and getting them off the street, Rick Culler plans to open a boxing gym in Fort Scott in May.

"I've got a couple of amateur kids that I train in Nevada like Hunter Luckenbill. He's getting ready for his first amateur fight. There's a couple of kids I work with. Once you get them trained, they can put on some good shows. It gives them something to do after school instead of hanging out on the streets and doing drugs. Basically, we try to provide a positive atmosphere for everybody," said Culler, a professional fighter and licensed trainer with USA Boxing.

Culler anticipates having youngsters from Nevada and Fort Scott at his gym. "We'll build it as a team," he said. "We won't fight each other. We go down to Heartland Boxing (Gym) in Galena," and go to Larry Edgar's Authentic Boxing Club in Kansas City, Mo., he said.

"When we get ready to hold shows, we'll bring in people ... from all over the place," such as Springfield and Miami, Okla. "We'll put on a good show for the public."

Located in the 1508 E. Wall St., the building is being constructed by a crew of five men from Springfield, Mo. It will contain some 2,160 square feet and seat 60-80 people. Concrete is expected to be poured this week, but the facility won't open to the public until May. Culler said plans are to have his boxing coach, Patrick Outlaw, fly in for the occasion.

"We'll have some good people here when we have the opening," he said.

Culler first got into the sport with in his native Nevada, Mo., with the late Wayne Neal, a former city manager of that town. He was an Army medic for four years and ended up going to California and becoming a travel nurse, a profession he maintained until he opened his own gym in Hollywood five years ago.

As a pro boxer, Culler, 31, said he had a 48-5 record and was 6-0 in mixed martial arts. He also holds six Golden Glove titles and two Silver Gloves.

As a trainer, he works with students ranging 7 to 55 years old, which is the age range for amateur competition and trained pro middleweight boxer Miguel Espino.