Duke McKenzie Fitness Centre

I only recently discovered that we have a world champion boxer in our midst. And not just a one time winner either. Duke McKenzie has achieved what nobody else has, becoming world champion in three different weight categories. With such an impressive record, he had no shortage of offers to train professional boxers after his retirement from the ring, all of which he turned down, instead opening a gym, first in Croydon, and for the last four years, appropriately at Victory Place, right in the middle of the Triangle.
Coming from a sporting family, his brother Clinton was a boxer, and his uncle was a champion weightlifter, Duke had little idea what he wanted to do. He tried plumbing, and painting & decorating, most jobs usually ending with the sack. Meanwhile he had been doing some amateur boxing, but by his own admission, he was not much good. All that changed in 1982, when he met boxing promoter and manager, Mickey Duff. It was at a boxing event, where Duke had been encouraged by his brother and mentor, Dudley, to go and introduce himself, but he got short shrift from the boxing promoter, and it took 18 months of persistent "stalking", in Duke's words, for Mickey to be persuaded by the young man's tenacity, into taking him on. Three weeks later the 19 year old south Londoner, was lying by a pool in Las Vegas, at the start of an intense boxing tour around the States. Dudley, and coach, Colin Smith, instilled in him self belief, resulting in his meteoric rise to British, then European, and finally World Champion. Duke then received further recognition, adding an MBE to his haul of medals.
The boxing gym, as well as being a business, is clearly a means for Duke to give something back. From motivating those in need of direction, to instilling respect and self discipline in the young, the gym provides a friendly, unhostile space in which to train and get fit, to all ages and backgrounds. Currently the youngest of the 200 or so members is 9, and the oldest, Roger, whom I met, is 73. As Duke recalls, he has boxed in some incredibly hostile places, so he was determined his club would be different. The friendly atmosphere extends to members all being issued with nicknames by Duke. Roger is known as Santa Claus, and other members include, Don King, French Assassin, Kylie, Rocky, Moneypenny, Diana Ross, Mr. Fox, Terminator and Postman Pat.
Duke gets a real buzz from not only working with his clients in the ring, but is also passionate about talking  to people, finding out what makes them tick, and motivating them outside the ring too. As a result, he does a lot of work with MIND, the mental health charity, giving regular seminars and training to patients in conjunction with The Royal Bethlem Hospital in Beckenham. To Duke it's clear, the benefits that physical training and fitness have on mental wellbeing are huge.
The wellbeing of the large warehouse on Victory Place is another matter however. The prospect of redevelopment has been raised on several occasions, but Duke is determined to stay on the site as long as possible. 

Duke McKenzie

Duke McKenzie Fitness Centre

2B Victory Place

The National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace

Assuming you were alive, where were you on 13th July 1964? Sir Alec Douglas-Home was in No.10, and Lyndon B. Johnson was in the White House. The House of the Rising Sun, by The Animals was number one (to be followed the next day by the Rolling Stones / It's all over now), The Vietnam War was in full swing, Malawi gained its independence, the film of A Hard Day's Night was just premiering, and the Post Office Tower had just been completed. Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh was visiting SE19 to open a brand new building, The National Sports Centre.
I first went inside, on joining the gym shortly after moving here 8 years ago, and was blown away by the scale and structure. 60s concrete isn't to everyone's taste, but you can't fail to be impressed by the ambition of the building. With its great nave of angled columns, it's a veritable cathedral of sport. And there can't be many better places to swim in Britain than the 50 metre pool with it's dramatic tower of diving boards. In my view, no less impressive than Zaha's aquatic temple in Stratford.
Designed by London County Council's Architecture Department, the building is admittedly showing its age, but the costs of running such a huge and intensively used building must be vast. It has however, over recent years had much invested in it by its custodians, GLL; new changing rooms, gym facilities, a climbing wall, and even some beach volleyball courts. Being Grade II* listed, it's future, once uncertain, now seems secure, and I'm told further developments are in the pipeline. Watch this space!
Meanwhile there are plans to celebrate its half centenary over the weekend of July 12/13th, with all leisure facilities being free on those dates. Diving board 'taster' sessions will be held on Saturday, along with drop in social tennis sessions.
On sunday the real fun starts with a Big Dance event in the stadium, followed by an open air screening of Mamma Mia, BBQ and catering.
So a very happy birthday to this wonderful piece of our local heritage!