Cary-Grove's Chris Hill Stands Out at Pug’s Boxing Club

The senior at Cary-Grove High School is in the gym six days a week.

Of the young group of boxers training at The School of Hard Knocks in Crystal Lake, one kid from Cary sticks out and will likely have his first sanctioned amateur bout sometime this fall.

Gary Dobry, head coach of Pug’s Boxing Club, said Chris Hill, a 17-year-old senior at Cary-Grove High School, is among his most dedicated pupils.

“The most important thing for a boxer is his work ethic,” Dobry said. “Guys like Chris Hill are rare. He’s always in the gym.”

Dobry added that Hill keeps his hands up and has good form.

Hill spent Sunday morning sparring several rounds with Bill Briska, a 16-year-old who attends Crystal Lake South High School.

Hill and Briska took turns exchanging the classic orthodox 1-2-3 combination, which consists of the jab, cross and hook.

Hill's friend Spencer Kube first brought him to the gym about two years ago.

Spencer is the younger brother of Alex Kube, a standout player at Cary-Grove High School who recently finished up his college football career at Northern Illinois University.

Hill said his ring idol is Ricky Hatton. But he doesn’t see himself ever becoming a professional fighter.

“I box to stay in shape,” Hill said, “to stay active.”

Hill aspires to become a psychologist and would like to go to a university with a boxing club, such as Northern Michigan or Southern Illinois, so he can continue training.

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Pug's Boxing Team adds Veteran Trainer Tony Prignits to Training Staff

Tony Prignits @ Hard Knocks

Pug's Boxing Club welcomes British veteran boxing trainer Tony Prignits to the Pug's Boxing Team training staff. Head trainer, and Hard Knocks' owner, Gary Dobry says, "Tony has trained me personally for years and that relationship eventually evolved into Tony helping me work some of my own fighters. I'm big on technical skills, turning out 'technicians'. Tony is that old-school, Jake LaMotta-type of trainer that motivates fighters to be finishers, punishers. He's the proverbial "Mick" type of trainer of Rocky fame. Tony helps me produce well-conditioned wrecking machines that can get the job done. I soon realized that the marriage of our training approaches was producing

well-schooled fighters that were finishers as well." Pug's members can get 3 months of training with Tony and the Pug's Boxing Club for only $150. Non-members can get 3-months of competitive training with Dobry and Tony for $299. Call us for more details: 815 356 6572