Atlanta's Buckhead Fight Club celebrates 10 years

Known as Atlanta’s premiere boxing gym, the Buckhead Fight Club is looking to light the candles and celebrate 10 years in business. Along with the celebrations, which will take place on the 20th, the gym will be hosting a viewing party for the big Lomachenko/Haney showdown in Las Vegas.

Known for providing a great training site for both professional and amateur fighters, the fight club, only one of a handful in the USA that is female-built, owned, and operated, has also hosted dozens of professional shows over the years. The popular cards, featuring local, regional, and national talent, have seen the Buckhead Fight Club as one of boxing’s busiest venues over the years. 

MaxBoxing caught up with Buckhead Fight Club events producer Terri Moss recently to get her thoughts on the club, past and present, and 10 years in the Hot-Atlanta boxing business.

Bill Tibbs: Hi Terri, great to chat again. 

Terri Moss: Hi Bill, yes, nice to catch up. How are you?

BT: I’m good, thank you. So, congratulations on 10 years. What was your initial vision when you started the club?

TM: Well, sorta feel my way through, try to do some shows, look to train some fighters. Try to stay open for a couple of years (laughs). I never envisioned it growing into what it has. We started with the white-collar boxing shows that are still some of our biggest shows to date. All these years later we have had local, national, international fighters; Clarissa Shields has fought here, and Devin Haney.    

BT: Did you always plan on it being turned into a pro venue?

TM: Well, I always wanted to do shows. I think club shows are the lifeblood of boxing. We aren’t Top Rank, or Greg Cohen, or anything like that but we put on good shows. We are a place where fighters can come express themselves, show what they have. It is a place where lots of people can express themselves. When we didn’t have money for paint, we let the graffiti artists come and do their thing (laughs). It is a special place. 

BT: How many shows have you had over the years?

TM: Oh, I don’t know. We do shows here but we also do shows in other venues in the city. We have tried to stay busy. Club shows are such an important part of boxing. Without a strong club scene the top level really has no development program to see their fighters improve. It all starts at the club level.

BT: I remember when we spoke as you were coming out of the pandemic you had like 14 shows lined up.

TM: Yes, that was a very busy time. We have slowed down a bit, but we are still busy, we have shows coming up. 

BT: When young people see a venue that can be an avenue to the pros, is that an incentive for an amateur to turn pro?

TM: Yes, I think it is great. I think it is what might separate us from other clubs, as we have a thriving amateur and pro program going so a young amateur can see a path to the pro game if they are interested in pursuing that.

BT: Maybe we’ll see a world champion come out of the Buckhead Fight Club?

TM: That is one of my goals. I would love that. We have a huge space here, 25,000 square feet and we have mixed martial arts training here also. Maybe we’ll be the first gym to have a champion from each sport? But, yes, I’d love a world champion, maybe a couple.

BT: You have a big 10-year celebration coming up on the 20th.

TM: Yes, we do. We are very excited about that. We are going to give away some prizes, some awards. The first member who ever joined the club is still a member. We are having a viewing party for the Lomachenko/Haney fight from Las Vegas. It is going to be a lot of fun, free for everyone to just come down, celebrate 10 years and enjoy the evening.

BT: Well, congratulations to you Terri, and the Buckhead Fight Club on 10 years, here’s to 10 more. We’ll talk again down the line for sure.

TM: Yes, for sure. Thank you so much.