Waymaker Boxing is a nonprofit organization built on the belief that boxing can do more than train athletes. Through structure, discipline, and mentorship, we bring people together, develop leaders, and support personal growth across our community.
Our mission is to make a way for others through boxing by fostering structure, discipline, and mentorship that build strong individuals and stronger communities.
We envision a future where professional boxers are developed as leaders and mentors and where they actively lead programs that bring people together and strengthen communities.
Waymaker Boxing began before it had a name or nonprofit structure. It grew out of lived experience, trusted relationships, and a shared belief in what boxing can offer individuals and communities.
Artie DePinho and Mark DeLuca first worked together in professional boxing. Artie spent more than twenty years on the business side of the sport as a matchmaker, promoter, and manager. He managed Mark during the final stage of his career as a world-rated professional boxer. As Mark stepped away from competition, he wanted to remain connected to boxing while giving back in a meaningful way.
In January 2024, Artie and Mark launched their first community-based boxing program. The idea was simple. Boxing creates a shared experience that brings people together. Training side by side builds connection, respect, and belonging. That belief became the foundation for everything that followed.
That first program became People First Boxing, launched in partnership with The Phoenix and the Boston Police Department. The program brought individuals in recovery, law enforcement officers, and community members into the same gym.
The response was immediate. Participation grew, people showed up consistently, and real relationships formed. Boxing proved to be a powerful tool for trust, leadership, and community connection.
In the summer of 2025, Artie and Mark formally established Waymaker Boxing as a nonprofit organization. With a clear mission and growing support, programs expanded to serve youth, schools, and community organizations across the city.
As programs expanded across multiple locations, the need for a permanent home became clear. Without dedicated space, growth was limited and access was inconsistent.
To better serve the community, Waymaker Boxing committed to opening its first permanent gym in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The gym will serve as the organization's headquarters and primary training space.
This space allows community programs to come first by providing consistent access to training, equipment, and mentorship. Professional boxers will train alongside amateurs and youth while also leading programs and mentoring participants. Youth classes will focus on fundamentals, structure, and confidence. Open gym access will welcome community members into a space built on respect and belonging.
What began as a shared belief has grown into a mission-driven organization rooted in leadership, service, and community.
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Co-Founder and Director of Boxing Operations
Waymaker Boxing is led by two founders whose partnership began in professional boxing. Artie DePinho managed Mark DeLuca during the final stage of his career, and that relationship built the trust and shared values that shaped Waymaker Boxing. Together, they lead with a belief that structure builds trust and leadership grows through example.
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Artie DePinho has spent his career bringing people together. He has more than twenty years of experience in professional boxing as a matchmaker, promoter, and manager, working closely with athletes at every stage of their careers.
Outside the gym, Artie is a member of the Boston Police Department and has worked for years with individuals and families facing adversity. His work focuses on collaboration, problem solving, and connecting people to support. Artie leads Waymaker Boxing by building strong relationships, developing community partnerships, and making a way for others.
Co-Founder and Director of Boxing Operations
Mark DeLuca is a former world-rated professional boxer and a United States Marine Corps veteran. He has spent most of his life in boxing gyms, where discipline, consistency, and accountability shaped both his career and his character.
As Director of Boxing Operations, Mark leads Waymaker Boxing's programs and sets the standard inside the gym. He trains amateur and professional boxers and is directly involved in leading community programs, youth classes, and athlete mentorship. Mark leads by example and shows how boxing can help people find structure, confidence, and purpose inside and outside the gym.
