Joe Delguyd’s love affair with boxing officially began when he accompanied his father to the closed-circuit broadcast of the Ali/Frazier fight at the Cleveland Arena on March 8, 1971. The fight inspired Delguyd to be a amateur boxer.

Delguyd competed as an amateur boxer and professional kick boxer between 1974 and 1995. He fought under the legendary trainer Clint Martin, Rick Hoffman and fellow Hall of Famer Lorenzo Scott. He won state and national kick boxing championships.

Delguyd had a combined fight record of 48 wins 13 losses, 37 KO’s.

Delguyd stopped fighting while he finished his final year of law school in 1985. Boxing was in his blood; however, and he transitioned from a boxing career to a coaching career when he brought a team of young boxers to their first Cleveland Golden Gloves Tournament in 1986. Delguyd has trained fighters at numerous locations on Cleveland’s east and west sides, including the legendary Rocky Marciano gym on West 25 Street as well as the original Old School Boxing Club on Perkins Avenue. Delguyd opened Old School Boxing Club with fellow Hall of Famer Tony Rogriguez.

Delguyd merged Old School Boxing with Strongstyle martial arts in 2010. Delguyd and co-trainer of the year Alex Cooper train some of the top boxers and mixed martial arts fighters in the world today, including the current UFC heavyweight champion of the world Stipe Miocic.

The list of amateur and professional champions trained by Delguyd or at Old School since the 80s is long and illustrious including :World featherweight champion Daniel Maldanado, Raging Craig Weber, Jessica Evil Eye, Antonio Neives, Ryan Blue Chip Martin, Mark Davis, Tim Van Newhouse, Miguel Gonzalez, Shawn Porter, Mickey Bey, Dante Moore, John Barnett, Ashley Barnett, and Vonda Ward.