Born and raised in Hell's Kitchen, 30 year old fighter Michael Hughes has an exceptional relationship with violence and combat. Growing up in New York City’s harsh concrete jungle is where Hughes discovered his talent, gift, and maybe sometimes, a curse. He's had setbacks and victories, self discoveries and brutal fights - not just in the ring. Every move he has taken, has brought him here, to Church Street Boxing Gym where he is training to become pro and also training others, including myself, how to fight and protect ourselves. Despite his tumultuous youth, Michael has a pure calmness about him that the practice of boxing has absolutely contributed to. I admire him and his teachings which are invaluable to anyone who wants to learn how to box and/or protect oneself and others. I consider him a guardian, a true protector among the few we have in the world.
These are a collection of images about self discovery, perseverance, power and protection. Along with accompanying text by Michael himself.
“I’m a Midtown kid at heart - born and raised there. I grew up in Hell’s Kitchen during what I like to call “the last days in the Kitchen”. Midtown was rough here, safe there; it really just depended on what avenue you found yourself on. The streets of Hell’s Kitchen are where I grew to become a fighter, before I ever entered a boxing gym.
I wasn’t raised by my parents to be a fighter in the slightest bit but have always been drawn to combat. Growing up, as a kid, I watched old footage of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Jack Johnson, Ray Robinson, and other greats. When it came to playing sports, I’d always suffer from extreme anxiety from the simple fact that people were watching me. It wasn’t until I started doing Tae Kwon Do at 11-years-old, that I realized that I could care less about who watched me while fighting. Fighting has been the only thing that has always felt natural to me. Both my mother and father were very non-violent people and believed strongly in the “walk away” method if bad situations came my way. But they were not unaware that “walking away” was social suicide as a NYC kid, and a quick way to get yourself labeled as “soft”, “a punk”, and any other word to describe “a coward”. So ultimately, I had to teach myself how to be “tough” and stand up for myself, and the best way to get that type of practice was in the streets.
When I got to high school I was catapulted into a far more violent lifestyle. It was there that I got heavily introduced to gangs, street fights, drugs, and just all around reckless NYC teenage activity. I started doing MMA at 15 and was given the opportunity to turn professional at 18 for Tiger Schulmann’s pro fight team, but my parents shot down the idea because they feared I’d get brain damage. The lack of support from my family kind of crushed me. I didn’t realize it at the time, but shortly after that I stopped training frequently, and started hanging out in the streets more and getting my fight training in, the real way. Fighting has always been my go-to form of therapy. When I was young, I would get super angry and as a result go out and get into fights, or destroy some type of property (car windows, garbage cans, punch holes in walls, etc) to release it. As I got older, though, I learned that street fighting carried serious consequences.”
Location: 72nd & Riverside Park, on the basketball courts, underneath the overpass
History: Various Beacon students and I decided that we wanted to start a bare-knuckle fight club. A lot of dudes I went to school with just liked to fight, so this gave everyone the perfect opportunity to do so. I fought the most out of everyone and won every time with one exception.
“There are days, of course, when I’m exhausted and I wish that I had chosen a less strenuous path for myself, but those are the days when I’ve just got to push harder to get the job done. Maybe I would’ve followed in my parents’ footsteps of being an actor if I hadn’t followed my heart and become a fighter. I’ve always been good at acting, but it still doesn’t make me feel the way that fighting does.”
Location: The block I grew up on in Hell’s Kitchen - 43rd Street between 9th & 10th Avenue
History: Went to a house party that was thrown by a group of young women who lived across the street. My lifelong friend, Ryan, invited a kid named John from our college (St. John’s) to come. Various girls told us he was too drunk and acting up for hours, so we took him outside to try to talk to him and calm him down. He was too drunk to listen and eventually threatened to kill everyone. I, along with a couple other guys pounced on him and beat him badly. I landed a straight left punch to his left eye, that wound up breaking his orbital bone. I knew I was going to be in some serious trouble from that one punch alone, and about a month later detectives were knocking on my door to arrest me. The kid had to have surgery and a metal plate put in his face to heal his broken eye socket.
I was facing 2 years in prison and I wound up fighting the case for a year and a half, but luckily escaped having my freedom taken away from me.
“After beating the charges I was facing, I linked with my first genuine boxing coach, Jose, who I really bonded with. He kept me focused on training and staying in the gym. With his help I won the Golden Gloves in 2012. His dedication to helping me improve in the sport of boxing kept me focused and disciplined to grow in a more positive way.”
“I think I’ve always been so drawn to combat because I was just born with a fighter’s spirit. But also, the image of the “hero” has always attracted me. A hero, someone who uses his or her power to help others in need. Even though the fighting I did during my youth was far more villainous than heroic.”
Location: Church Street Boxing Gym
History: In the trenches putting my body and mind through self-inflicted hardships to build the strongest form of myself possible. Training on its own is hard enough, but I’m always looking for ways to increase the pain and challenge of it all. Do I enjoy the pain? A large part of me does. But I mean, what person who willingly puts themselves in the face of danger on a daily basis, isn’t at least 1/37th of a masochist? I’ll wait.
“Violence, in one form or another, has always felt like home to me.”
“If I didn’t have boxing or some type of martial art as an outlet for my internal battles, I don’t know what I’d do. I’ve never been a person who was meant to work a desk job. Those gigs feel like being in jail, just without the cell bars around you.”
Location: Church Street Boxing Gym
History: Inflicting my daily dose of pain combined with compassionate inspiration to the many souls who willingly step foot into my torture chamber.
Location: 45th Street & 10th Avenue, across the street from the now torn down P.S. 51
History: Jumped by a mob of gang members 2 blocks away from home during my freshman year at Beacon High School. Back left side of my head got split open by a pipe. Resulted in 5 staples to close my wound. Got revenge on the guy who hit me, 3 years later in Brooklyn.
“I turn 30 tomorrow, May 14th so I’m a late bloomer with the professional boxing career, but being a late bloomer has been the story of my life, honestly. I plan to lockdown management and turn pro this summer. Once that happens and I acquire fights, I want to continue to build my legacy. After I’m gone, if some people remember my name and say, “Yeah, I remember Mike Hughes. He wasn't the best, but had a lot of heart and was pretty damn good!” I’ll be satisfied. If they remember me as a superhero then that's a bonus!”