Through boxing, Tyrone Smith instills structure and promotes exercise to his students. Smith is a certified trainer and boxing instructor at Anytime Fitness at Hayes, and Body by D in Yorktown. He welcomes people of all age groups to take his class and grow.

Smith views boxing as a form of counseling for his clients. He puts emphasis on mental health when training to impact his clients on a deeper level.

Smith said his training is a response to what he sees in people’s communities. He said that he sees how people are affected by what they can’t always control. Boxing gives his clients a way to provide structure and control to their lives, he said.

Smith grew up around boxing. His father was a professional boxer in New Jersey. When he was young, Smith learned boxing and music, which he says helps him find a balance within himself. That balance has shaped his coaching methods.

When Smith was still learning, he felt that a lot of his coaches didn’t make the effort to reach hi...