Troy Isley and father Kevin Johnson worry about the future of the Alexandria Boxing Club (ABC) at Charles Houston Recreation Center in Alexandria, Virginia. In 2009, Kevin took Troy to ABC to learn how to defend himself on the streets of Alexandria. Six years later, with the guidance and support of ABC, Troy won the the 2014 Ringside World Championships in Kansas City and was also named Outstanding Male Boxer 154-176 lbs at the 2014 Junior Olympic National Championships. Troy now has his eyes on the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
The City of Alexandria has proposed decreasing the days and hours ABC can operate in the rec center. The area around the center was once public housing but now is in being gentrified. The city would like to offer adult cardio-boxing classes in the evenings for the new residents leaving ABC's after school program for underprivileged kids, some of whom are now elite boxers training for the 2016 Olympics, without a full-time gym. The city suggested the boxers use the gym every other evening, an arrangement that would be less than ideal for elite athletes in training.