Tika Hemingway leads Pittsburgh Girls Box, teaching skills that go beyond boxing
WILKINSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) — On any given Saturday morning, you can find professional boxer Tika Hemingway leading a class in downtown Wilkinsburg.
It's called Pittsburgh Girls Box, and it's something Hemingway created when reflecting on her hometown's support of her boxing career.
"I've been boxing for a really long time, and the city of Pittsburgh is always coming out to all of my fights," Hemingway said. "I realized, I've been on this amazing journey. I've been all around the world and I've been really successful. I'm from the city of Pittsburgh, so why not give back to the people who have helped me out all these years?"
The class also has a second purpose: teaching self-defense. When Hemingway was a young girl, she had an unfortunate, life-changing experience that led her to take up the sport of boxing.
"I was walking home, and I was attacked by a grown man. He beat me up on the street corner," Hemingway said. "He pulled me into an abandoned house and raped me for hours at 14 years old. I then prayed to God all night like, 'Why did this happen to me'? Then I ran into a boxing trainer and asked him to train me. He decided to do so. We went to a gym that night and I've been in a gym ever since."
Although the program is called Pittsburgh Girls Box, it's open to women of all ages.
"I love seeing the mothers with their daughters, and I love being to interact with the younger girls," said Michelle Strobel of Penn Hills. "I love that they are all hearing the same message that I'm hearing and that we can share information with one another. The fact that it's free and Tika is involved is amazing."
Hemingway is currently looking for an opponent for her third professional fight and has two goals in the near future.
"My goal is to make Pittsburgh Girls Box one of the biggest programs in western Pennsylvania," Hemingway said. "Then I want to bring another championship back to the city of Pittsburgh."
If you or someone you know of might be interested in joining Hemingway and her group on Saturday mornings, she suggests reaching out to her on Facebook. And if you'd like to help them keep this program free to everyone in the future, you can donate @PittsburghGirlsBox on PayPal.