An Atlanta, Ga. police officer offered to box a gym owner who banned police officers and active military members from using his facility.
Local cop Tommy Lefever believes a boxing match between him and EAV Barbell gym owner Jim Chambers might settle some of the negative feelings Chambers has about police officers, KHOU 11 reported Thursday.
“He seems like he might enjoy getting the opportunity to punch a cop in the face and I’d be happy to oblige him and give him that opportunity,” Lefever said.
Chambers recently posted a sign in his gym window declaring that “No fucking cops” were allowed in his gym. The policy has been in place for at a while, but a veteran brought it to the media’s attention when Chambers added “fucking” to the sign. Chambers said a lot of his customers haven’t had good experiences with the police.
“My belief is that the American state, the American empire is the most destructive and sadistic force the world has ever seen. What our army does is evil, so I don’t want to make somebody stronger so they can go kill Yeminis and North Koreans,” Chambers said.
Lefever feels that if the two men box at an upcoming match, it might help them gain respect for each other.
“I found, you sweat, you bleed with somebody, you exchange punches with somebody in a sport like boxing, it’s hard not to respect the guy for getting in there with you afterwards,” he said. “Gaining mutual respect for one another in the boxing ring might be the start of something that can help overcome differences in world view, ideology, what have you.”
Chambers told The Daily Caller News Foundation that he found the entire situation “asinine.”
“To respond to a policy which is in large part a response to police violence by proposing we beat on one another…well the irony is clear,” Chambers told The DCNF. “I’ve never trained in or studied boxing. It would be like me challenging him to a game of ice hockey. I don’t fraternize with cops, period.”
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