who we are

Some gyms

are built with

money...

GGG Boxing Club was built over three decades of blood, sweat, friendship, and an unwavering love for the sport of boxing.

Its story began in the late 1990s, when three young San Francisco fighters; Simon Redmond, Hank Frost, and Ernie Batongmalque — crossed paths while preparing for the 1999 Golden Gloves at the Cow Palace. Hank and Simon were regular sparring partners from rival gyms, pushing each other to improve every time they stepped through the ropes. They met Ernie during the tournament, and although each followed a different path, they shared the same passion for boxing and the same belief in what the sport could teach.

After establishing themselves on the local boxing scene, all three transitioned from competitors to coaches, dedicating their lives to passing on the lessons that boxing had given them. In 2003, Simon opened his 1st gym on 3rd Street.

In 2006 he opened Polk St Boxing Gym, where he reunited with Hank and Ernie to create one of San Francisco's most respected coaching teams. When coach Leo Larsen joined the squad, his knowledge and commitment to his craft made him an essential part of what became a widely respected team of trainers.

Polk St. Gym quickly earned a reputation as the city's true center of boxing. Every day, fighters trained alongside complete beginners. Boot camps were packed. Friday Night Fight cards became a local institution, giving amateur boxers a chance to test themselves in front of enthusiastic crowds. Over the years, the gym welcomed some of the biggest names in combat sports, including Manny Pacquiao, Nick and Nate Diaz, Chris Leben, Dave Bautista, Steve "The Celtic Warrior" Collins, and Karim Mayfield.

But what made Polk Street special was never the famous names.

It was the community.

It was the friendships formed between rounds, the coaches who cared as much about the person as the athlete, and the belief that anyone willing to work hard deserved a place in the gym.

When landlord issues forced Polk St Boxing Gym to close in 2015, that community didn't disappear. The team simply found a new home.

They opened Hit Fit SF, carrying the same coaching philosophy and family atmosphere into a new chapter. Once again, the gym flourished, until the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of its Sutter Street location in 2024.

For many, that might have been the end of the story.

For Hank, Simon, and Ernie, it was simply another round......

Now, in September 2026—more than twenty years after Polk St Boxing Gym first opened its doors—they are returning to where it all began.

GGG Boxing Club opens at 1436 Polk Street, bringing together decades of experience, countless friendships, and a lifetime devoted to the sweet science.