The Peter Welch Story

To those who know him best, Peter Welch is a family man... loving husband, proud father of three, and devoted community member who lives and works in South Boston. To the rest of the world, he is a Golden Gloves Champ and the Boxing Trainer and Coach for the Ultimate Fighter reality series on Spike TV. He has also been a television and motion picture actor and is a true motivator in every sense of the word.

Today, Peter Welch serves as the innovator behind the first-ever "Fighter Conditioning Program." He is the moving force and visionary of South Boston's premier gymnasium for athletic enthusiasts and up and coming fighters - the F-15 Training Center. (link to the program page He also donates his time and talent to benefit the area's youth. A self-made success story, trusted role model and inspiring mentor to many, Welch infuses his own core values - family, community, personal strength, hard work and tireless perseverance - into everything he touches.

Born and raised in the Old Colony Projects of South Boston, Welch recounts the neighborhood where he grew up as a tough proving ground where "you had to run fast or fight to survive." He laced up his first pair of boxing gloves at the age of 9 -when his father took him to a local "Southie gym". There, Peter attracted the attention of mentors that turned his life around. Role models Danny Long, Tommy Connor, Bobby Gries and Ed Kelly took notice of and encouraged development of his natural gifts. Through rigorous training and application, he was able to turn his raw fighting skills and undeniable will into a Golden Gloves Title at the age of seventeen. In his adult years, Peter moved on to compete professionally before pursuing other interests of the business.

Peter's natural charisma has afforded him opportunities that he never would have dreamed possible. He was featured in Boston Magazine, AXL's "Last Man Standing", The Improper Bostonian, Reebok's Professional Alliance, and the ESPN short film commercial series "The Squeeze" for Miller Lite that aired during the Red Sox 7th Game.

He volunteered at the McDonough Gym-- an institution that has served as an integral part of the South Boston community for the last 75 years, and the place that gave him his first start. There, he launched a youth boxing program along with friend, Dana White, who currently serves as President of the UFC. Recently, Peter crossed over into MMA as the official coach and boxing trainer for Spike TV's Ultimate Fighter reality show.

Peter has also appeared in motion pictures, most notably with Leonardo DiCaprio in the Oscar-winning Best Motion Picture The Departed which takes place in his hometown of South Boston and serves as tribute to the stark reality he knew as a youth. Peter Welch carries with him a great respect for the traditional "old school" boxing methods that formed the likes of Dempsey, Marciano, Hagler, Robinson and Ali. It is these same methods, coupled with rigorous, high-intensity athletic conditioning, that comprise his breakthrough F-15 Training System - and in particular, the "Fighter Conditioning Circuit." Although boxing runs through Welch's heart and soul, his true talent and gift is his extraordinary ability to train and motivate. As an athlete and a professional fighter, he has spent most of his life in the professional arena. At his F-15 Training Center here in South Boston, Welch now brings his experience, knowledge, talent and motivating energy to individuals who want something different -- and a lot more challenging -- in the areas of boxing and functional athletic conditioning.

Peter Welch Fast Facts: