Head Coach, Willy Martinez
Inside the Ring
Williams Martinez, or just “Martinez” as he prefers, was first introduced to boxing in 8th grade when his older cousin used to take him to the local boxing club. Martinez only visited the club for a couple months but it was enough to spark a flame that would continue to grow.
Once Martinez got his license at the age of 16, in that same month he began to drive himself to the Villa Park Boxing Club in Northern Illinois. Since then, Martinez has been either a student of the sport, an avid fan, or a competitor for the past 16 years.
Since first stepping into a boxing club in 8th grade, he has spent hundreds of hours learning and training with former and current Olympians, Chicago Golden Glove fighters, Martial artists and Professional fighters. He has trained at various gyms between the Chicagoland area and Southern Illinois which have given him a wide range of styles and cultures.
Having trained with so many gyms/fighters gave him the opportunity to learn about strategy, strength and conditioning exercises and how to listen to a fighters individual concerns.
Outside the Ring
Martinez served as an infantry Rifleman for the United States Marine Corps and is currently studying for his Master’s Degree. He works full time at the local Veterans Hospital and also serves as an area leader for a Veterans group, Red, White, and Blue which focuses on keeping Veterans physically and socially active and engaged with the community. He is also a Father to a toddler girl, so he understands the importance of nurturing and developing the youth.
Most of his professional career has been in public service, he is dedicated to making the community around him stronger.
Combining his Boxing experience with his professional and educational background make him a diverse mentor for the local youth. He understands that a good trainer makes adjustments for each of his fighter. He will challenge you every time class is in session, either physically or mentally.
Pharaoh Boxing Club 