Boxer Erique Davis works out with A-Square Fight Club owner Eric McGuire.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

The aroma of old leather, sweat and canvas permeate the air in a training session at A-Square Fight Club.

Located in a building more fit for a body shop than a training center on Ann Arbor’s west side, A-Square is a quintessential boxing gym.

Heavy bags far past their prime hang from a dilapidated ceiling. The worn-out bags surround an elevated boxing ring in a room that includes rusty weight machines and treadmills. Old newspaper clippings line the walls highlighting the achievements of the area's best boxers, past and present.

One clipping features a black-and-white picture of an 11-year old Eric McGuire, smiling from ear to ear after with a first--place medal around his neck.

Many years and weight classes have passed since the photo was shot. McGuire is A-Square’s founder and he retains a youthful enthusiasm at age 40.

Only now, that passion is for training and promoting the next generation of fighters. That talent will be on display this Friday and Saturday at the Clarion Hotel in Ann Arbor as A-Square Fight Club hosts the Mid-West Boxing Classic Series.

“We’ve got a lot of good fighters,” McGuire said. “The event should feature some good boxing at every level on both days.”

A-Square has produced top-level talent in recent years, such as 2009 Junior Olympic champion, Raven Barnes. Barnes - one of just two female boxers in the entire country to earn a college scholarship for boxing - is finishing her first year at Northern Michigan University and training at the United States Olympic Education Center. Her goal: The 2012 London Olympics at 165 pounds.

Just two weeks ago, A-Square member Erique Davis, 17, won the Detroit Metro Golden Gloves senior division - the most elite level of amateur boxing - in the 141-pound division.

Though neither will fight this weekend, the event is an opportunity to see the rising stars of the gym. A fan favorite at recent events has been the 5-foot-4 inch, 140-pound Maurice Anthony, who just months since taking up the sport has won by knockout or stoppage in all four of his fights.

“There’s a lot of talent here in the gym,” said Barnes on a recent trip home from Marquette. “I’ve been to training camps, different national tournaments, and they have as much talent as them. Some have more.”

McGuire also wants to use the opportunity over the weekend for the local boxing community to give Davis a proper sendoff before he leaves to compete at the National Golden Gloves April 24-30 in Indianapolis.

“It’s a big deal to represent the Detroit Metro Golden Gloves in the open class in the nationals,” McGuire said. “When the people come out, I do want them to get a chance to meet him and to see him, because it’s a big accomplishment.”

Boxing will begin on Friday at 7 p.m. and on Saturday at 3 p.m. Call 734-585-8823 for details.

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.