Today we’d like to introduce you to Arsen Hovhannisyan.
Hi Arsen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan.
When I was 10 years old, my father introduced me to boxing by taking me to the famous Olympic Boxing School named after the Olympic and three-time European champion Vladimir Yengibaryan.
(As a child, I was shy and gentle with delicate features. In fact, I recall a shop saleswoman thinking I was a girl because I was wearing a winter hat which hid my short hair.)
Before meeting with the boxing coach, I was a little afraid because boxing seemed scary and rough. To my surprise, a man of about 65 came up to us and greeted us with a friendly smile. He became my first coach and a real teacher. I was getting more and more interested in boxing.
For the first two years, my studies focused solely on boxing techniques and tactics. I read as much as I could on the discipline. Instead of competitions, we took exams on long boxing combinations with a partner in the ring. At the age of 12, I moved to the senior boxing group under another honored coach, with whom I trained for over five years.
At age 16, I realized I needed to change something, because I had recently experienced too many defeats. That was when my final coach appeared in my life. He was a 66-year-old man with a thin mustache, slicked back hair, very neat and expensively dressed, played poker, quoted books by heart, and was well versed in boxing. He was a gentleman, scholar, trainer, and amazing coach.
We trained as a small group of skilled boxers and I think that we stood out with our style and vision of the fight. After years of hard training six to seven days a week, 13-mile runs, sparring sessions, and numerous tournaments, my boxing level and IQ started to rise!
Once again I was back to winning tournaments and competitions. Even if I had a day off, I went to the gym and talked with my boxing friends and the coach (a lot). It was the school of life!
In 2007, I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Kinesiology from the “University of Physical Culture and Sports” in Yerevan, which gave me a sound understanding of how the body works and what is needed for optimal functionality.
At age 23, I was offered the position of Vice President at the same Olympic boxing school I had trained with.
I spent 10 years at the Olympic boxing school and learned how the entire system works … directors, ministers, trips to the other countries, meetings and paperwork. We had 40 employees including trainers and about 350-500 students in different regions of the country.
I also started to train children and conduct personal training with people who just loved boxing! I enjoyed the training process and loved to see my students’ progress. I had a great group of children, ages 10-12 years, with whom we experienced many interesting and emotional moments. To this day, we are still very close.
I am happy that my boxing students have participated, and are participating, in the European and World Championships.
At the end of 2019, I left Armenia, flew to the United States, and chose beautiful Austin, Texas to be my new home. Within one month, I became employed at South Austin Gym as a Boxing Coach. In addition, I won a city-wide “show-fight” in the Capital City Heroes at my 34 year old.
Since it has always been important for me to follow my ideas and my heart, I decided to found Max Boxing Coach, and then Max Boxing Gym with the help of my family, good people and friends!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Opening Max Boxing Gym wasn’t easy. At the beginning, I faced financial pressure, limited resources, and the huge responsibility of building something real from the ground up. I was living in the gym, fully committed to making it work. One of the biggest turning points was when my sister believed in the vision and became both an investor and a partner. Her support gave the gym the stability it needed to grow. Together, we overcame the doubts and the tough early days. We built something authentic—focused on real boxing, real results, and real community. Every challenge shaped the gym into what it is today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
MaxBoxingGym LLC is a community-driven boxing gym located in Austin, TX, offering high-quality training for all ages and experience levels—from complete beginners to competitive fighters. We specialize in personalized coaching that adapts to each individual’s goals, whether it’s fitness, self-confidence, discipline, or competition. What sets us apart is our authentic approach to boxing—rooted in over 100 amateur bouts of experience—and the welcoming, no-ego environment we’ve created. We’re most proud of the transformation we see in our members—physically, mentally, and emotionally. At MaxBoxingGym, we believe boxing is for everyone, and we’re here to help you become your strongest self.
Any big plans?
I believe Max Boxing Gym is on its way to becoming the most popular boxing gym in Austin. With three locations across the city, we’re creating a strong, accessible community for anyone interested in boxing—whether for fitness, confidence, or competition. Our training is real, our atmosphere is welcoming, and our focus is always on helping each member grow. Max Boxing Gym is not just about boxing—it’s about building better people through the sport.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Maxboxinggym.com
- Instagram: @Max_Boxing_Gym @max_boxing_coach
- Facebook: Boxing Workouts
- LinkedIn: Arsen Hovhannisyan
Image Credits
Arsen Hovhannisyan
