On the final day of HOPE Week, the Yankees, recipients of the 2025 Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence, honored Bronx Legends Boxing Academy, which is almost two miles away from Yankee Stadium.
The academy is more than learning the nuances of sparring and fighting. A defining feature of the program is its integration of academic support, including tutoring, SAT preparation and mentorship.
The philosophy is simple: Discipline learned in the ring must carry over into the classroom. The academy also partners with wellness organizations to offer Qigong yoga and meditation. When it comes to punctuality, BLBA doesn’t joke around. Every kid was told to be in the building by 11:15. If they came in at 11:30, they were told to return at 2:00 pm ET -- “You are going to miss the Yankees.”
In fact, members of the Yankees, including manager Aaron Boone and infielder José Caballero, saw firsthand how the academy works. First, kids and members of the Bronx Bombers started the day by performing Qigong, which “blends intentional movement, meditation and breathing practices,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Then it was time to work up a sweat. Everybody was doing shadow boxing drills for at least 10 minutes. There were some who were dealing with the heavy punching bag. Nobody worked harder than Caballero. There he was punching the heavy bag like he was preparing for a welterweight fight. Then he held the heavy bag for kids to get their licks in. It’s safe to say he held his own nicely.
After he was done for the day, Caballero said he wished he was involved in a program like the BLBA when he was growing up in Panama.
“Oh, my god. I’m exhausted, man,” he said. “It’s great cardio. It’s good to be here with the kids and enjoy the moment. I know it’s great because I know where I come from. As a kid, all I wanted was an opportunity. Having a place like this, you can get off the streets and become a better person. They also care about education.”
Boone was spent as well, but will never forget the kids who were showing him the ropes in and out of the ring.
“They were testing me a little bit. They weren’t just good with me throwing jabs, hooks and crosses; They wanted to get my heart rate going,” Boone said. “They were getting my competitive juices going a little bit. I was breathing heavily there, but it was great being with those kids. …
“You are around these kids that are doing such good with their lives. It really is inspiring. It perks you up because you see these kids from different walks of life. It’s in and around boxing, but you see one kid who is an amazing student, guys who are setting an example.”
For their success in the ring and classroom, BLBA was presented by the Yankees with a check worth $20,000.
The academy is run by Jay Bulger and his partner, boxer Peter Quillin, who held the WBO middleweight title from 2012-14.
“I’m like Kevin Costner in ‘Field of Dreams.’ If you build it, they will come,” Bulger said. “The moment I set my sights on building a boxing gym with our various partners – we couldn’t have done it without them – it’s obvious the Yankees would be our greatest partner in theory. The fact that the Yankees are in the Bronx, there is always going to be a north star. They are the biggest franchise in sports history and we aspire to follow in their footsteps. They are an incredible inspiration.”
Quillin said the academy started as a small dream, but became bigger once it was acknowledged by the Yankees.
“The Yankees let you know to keep on fighting. Things will come and it’s going to present itself. You have to be able to say, ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ It’s yes because it’s a big win for Bronx Legends, the Bronx and boxing,” he said. “We are trying to turn the stigma away when it comes to boxing like you can’t read. We have a kid with a high GPA. Never stop learning. I believe that when you stop learning, that’s when you are dying.”