Freddy’s to raise money to rebuild boxing gym where Nico Hernandez trains

Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers is pitching in to help the north Wichita boxing gym where Olympic medalist Nico Hernandez trains reopen following a fire.

The popular chain will donate a percentage of proceeds raised between 5 and 9 p.m. next Tuesday, Dec. 6, toward the Northside Boxing Academy, which was heavily damaged in a fire early last month.

The fire was an arson, Wichita Fire Marshal Brad Crisp said Thursday night. Investigators are working to identify who was responsible.

All four Freddy’s locations are participating in Tuesday’s fundraiser, according to social media posts about the event.

“Help us rebuild the boxing gym,” Hernandez tweeted Thursday night.

He also asked that customers mention the fundraiser when placing their orders. No timetable for reopening the gym at 1901 N. Market has been announced.

The gym, an old fire station, sustained about $75,000 in damage, fire officials have said. Another $35,000 to $50,000 in equipment was destroyed, including about $10,000 of recently donated weightlifting and strength-training equipment, Hernandez said last month.

Hernandez earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in the light flyweight division.

This story was originally published December 1, 2016 at 7:33 PM with the headline "Freddy’s to raise money to rebuild boxing gym where Nico Hernandez trains."