Some evenings, when he had a pocket of a few hours of free time, Mike would train at the old Berwick YMCA building, which was constructed in 1906. There he and friend were given the sports coaching that they missed out on because they could no longer attend school.
The Berwick YMCA had two stories dedicated to different sports and wellness, with the third floor for administrative offices. The building was located on a corner lot in a convenient part of town so that young people had somewhere constructive to go.
Mike was part of a boxing class/team that met Tuesday and Thursday evenings, where dedicated coaches would teach the young men the fundamentals of the sport; Mike learning like a sponge, punched with the force of a heavyweight and had no fear taking on bigger opponents. In short, the seeds of a future champion were planted.
