BROOKLYN, NY (March 25, 2014) – Former Two-Time & Two Division Boxing World Champion and current NABF Welterweight Champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi has donated $25,000 to local non-profit Knockout Obesity in support of youth and adult nutritional and physical education serving the Brooklyn community. The check was presented today to Brooklyn restaurateur and Knockout Obesity founder Dimitrios Verteouris at the famed Gleason’s Gym in Dumbo. Former New York Senator and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was in attendance.
“I was born and raised in Brooklyn,” said Malignaggi. “I have the ability to give back to my community, help make a difference, and Knockout Obesity is a program I believe in. I know it can make a huge difference in the community. Boxing is an optimum, great way to exercise and with diet and nutrition added to the mix, it’s a winning program.”
“Close to 60 percent of Brooklyn residents are obese, which causes health risks like heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes, ” said Adams as he prepared to enter the ring for a boxing tutorial with Malignaggi. “Nearly one-in-every-ten people living in Brooklyn has diabetes. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Brooklyn. We have to get moving! Make the time to exercise!”
With the aid of Malignaggi, Verteouris explained basic punches including the jab, cross, hook and uppercut, with Adams executing each move perfectly.
A former cast member on Food Network’s reality show, Fat Chef, Verteouris lost 82lbs in three months using boxing and his own healthy menu from Nature’s Grill. “Being overweight was something that held me back in life. Ever since meeting Paulie and being introduced to the Sweet Science my life has done a one-eighty,” Verteouris said. “I thank him for bringing me to the gym that day to show me what hard work and dedication can get you in life. I’m proud of my friend for achieving what he has, and for giving back to his community that made him the person he is today. The Knockout Obesity journey has just begun with big things to come!”
In order to expose others to his successful weight loss routine, Verteouris founded Knockout Obesity, which incorporates boxing into its health and fitness classes geared towards adults and children throughout Brooklyn. Initially a summer pilot program at The Boys’ Club of New York (BCNY), Knockout Obesity launched a year round program at all three of its community centers. Now, Knockout Obesity aims to implement similar programming throughout Brooklyn.
The need to focus on children was driven home by Dr. Wendy Scinta, a top expert on adult and childhood obesity who attended the check presentation. “Two thirds of adults are overweight and half of those are obese. One in three children struggle with their weight. We have to take matters into our own hands, one child, one family, and then one community at a time.” A former member of the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, Dr. Scinta has helped thousands of patients successfully lose weight with her BOUNCE™ program and book. As the weight loss expert for Knockout Obesity, she described the American obesity epidemic as one that has stalled without much improvement. Engaging children in schools, employing outreach programs in local communities centers, educating the population on proper eating and exercise habits, are all solutions to the problem.
Knockout Obesity has been featured by ESPN, The Insider, New York Daily News, New York Post, Metro NY, Hot 97 and more. www.KOobesity.com.
