Sweet Science Fitness Boxing Club owner and Head Coach Marty Hill, once said, “Give the sport of boxing a chance and it will change your life!” These words ring true as he chooses everyday to pursue his passion for teaching the sport to the Doraville, Georgia community and beyond.
11Alive reported that the City of Doraville presented Hill with a proclamation in honor of National Black Business Month in August. The recognition celebrates the entrepreneur’s “hard work” for the Sweet Science Boxing Club’s “positive impact” on the city after relocating seven years ago.
“One of our goals is not just teaching the sport of boxing, but teaching them the sport of life,” Hill said during the ceremony, adding that the recognition is for the club as well. Some of the young adults from the club accompanied Hill in accepting the honor.In 2009, Hill transitioned out of Corporate America as a successful executive search consultant to embark on his journey to creating the Sweet Science Boxing Club brand. He opened the first brick-and-mortar club in that same year offering a unique training method to teach Atlanta’s business elite, corporate professionals, men, women and children.
“The Sweet Science Fitness Boxing Club brand was established to teach and instruct the REAL sport of boxing to individuals seeking to learn the Sweet Science of Boxing without any fear and intimidation of getting hurt,” Hill wrote in a statement, per his club’s website. “Teaching the sport of boxing to corporate professionals, competitive athletes, men, women and children has since become my greatest passion and pleasure.”
On Facebook, Doraville Mayor Joseph Geierman posted a few photos of the special occasion including the proclamation document. The celebratory caption highlighted Hill’s humble beginnings growing up in DeKalb County, graduating from Dunwoody High School, and attending Georgia College.
The mayor also shared a major accomplishment for the Sweet Science Boxing Club, which shines a light on Hill as a coach.
Back in 2021, Hill trained USA Boxing Elite Female National Champion Tanaesja Milligan. She was also the the first female elite national champion representing Doraville and the State of Georgia.
National Black Business Month also celebrates resilience and milestones of Black businesses and entrepreneurs. While many businesses suffered at the hands of the pandemic, Hill recounts having to really put in the work for his boxing club to stay afloat.
“I still came in the business everyday alone and shot virtual workout videos and did social media videos to make sure clients at home were still staying active and healthy and having something to do,” Hill said, according to 11Alive. “I worked harder during COVID, during that period of time, to make sure I retained, ascertained, kept my current clientele, went after other clients harder probably than I had done prior to, because we really had to dig in. It kept us going.”