SPOKANE, Wash. – If the walls of Spokane Boxing could talk, the art collection of Muhammad Ali, James J. Braddock, and local legend Joey Dolan would fall short of the story lines written in the ring today.
Owner Rick Welliver is the only tenant in the west downtown building that looks equal parts worn and forgotten. Though, he doesn’t need much than a wooden floor and a few bags to give his students a sense of hope cleverly disguised as boxing lessons.
“[We train] people that are in need. People that are on the bottom side of advantage.” Welliver said. “Hope walks through that door every moment.”
And when he sees it, Welliver won’t let it go.
Three years ago, a man best described is big and tall wandered into the gym on a rare stroke of confidence. Steve Einhaus admits, he had about as much confidence as he did boxing experience – none.
“He’s the best thing that’s walked into my gym since I opened in this space,” Welliver said. “We’re just a better Gym when Steve’s in it. There was no way we were gonna let him go.”
Einhaus was prescribed a new medication in April 2023 to help him manage his diagnosis – schizoaffective disorder. Einhaus learned his new medication and boxing didn’t mix.
He had already suffered through two metal breakdowns in adulthood.
“They were scary. Some bad things happened I ended up in bad places but ultimately it worked out,” Einhaus said. “This gym has been the turnaround.”
Welliver decided to make Einhaus a coach.
“Steve’s a great communicator. Everybody loves him,” Welliver said. “I want him around more. I am selfish that way.”
Einhaus is one of many who found sanctuary in the humble gym quarters. Beside a Thin Blue Line flag hangs a Black Lives Matter flag and a Pride flag – everyone is welcome at SPokane Boxing.
Even people who have no money.
“Sobriety chips,” Welliver said. “That’s what they pay me with.”
For people struggling with addiction, the gym replaces bad habits with discipline. Welliver doesn’t want their money – he wants them to invest in themselves and stay clean.
The gym has turned people’s life around entirely, because Einhaus now works at the hospital he was once a patient. He shares his story about mental health in hopes to help the next person suffering from the same diagnosis.
Einhaus stepped into Spokane Boxing to find a little confidence; he found hope instead.
“In mental illness, hope is the key thing,” Einhaus said. “I get more out of this gym than Rick would ever know.”
