In the heart of Isla Vista, CA. lives Duke’s Boxing/Fitness. Established in 2005, Duke’s is owned and run by Santa Barbara local resident Henry “Duke” Calles, Jr. Henry, a decorated amateur boxer, was taught his craft by his uncle George Calderon, a great boxer himself. After fighting his way through the amateur ranks, Henry decided to share his talents with others and teach the great sport of boxing.

Watching his three uncles in the ring as he was growing up, Henry finally decided to become a fighter in 1998. George--the most talented of his three uncles--took Henry into a local boxing gym and began training him continuously, perfecting his boxing skills. What Henry soon found out during training was that he was not only building his physical strength, but he was also boosting his cardio endurance and stamina. In addition, he was gaining self-confidence, respect for himself, and others as well. Moving full speed ahead, in 2000 he became the Southern California Blue and Gold Tournament winner and in 2001 he was the178lb Southern California Golden Glove champion. During this time, Henry was boxing despite a rare eye condition called “Keratoconus.” Though correctible with contact lenses, he felt that this condition was holding him back from continuing his career as a fighter in the ring. While still training in the gym, he began to help other young boxers hone there skills, and immediately took a liking to coaching. Sadly, the gym where Henry had been training was forced to close its doors. This, however, gave him an idea; why not open his own gym? Prior to finding a venue for his gym, Henry began building his clientele by training small groups out of his home. And the rest, as they say, is history.

In 2005 Henry opened the doors of Duke’s Boxing. Duke’s is about 1800 square feet complete with boxing ring, heavy bags, speed bags, double end bags, and many other tools needed to mold someone into a great fighter or simply get people in the best shape possible. Classes are taught six days a week, three times a day. Duke’s offers the option of personal training (one on one) or small group instruction (8-12 people per class). Training includes strength training, cardio, heavy bag, and pairing up on focus mitts. Males and females alike benefit from this well-rounded workout that burns hundreds of calories per hour. All levels are welcome and he offers competitive and non-competitive boxing.