A native Brooklynite NYC and former professional heavyweight boxer. A recent ancestry analysis led to the discovery that Kelvin's African lineage hails from a combination of the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Benin, Africa Southeastern Bantu, Nigeria and Senegal. You can see him Netflix series _"Orange Is the New Black" .
As an amateur boxer he made it to four (4) NY Golden Gloves championships at Madison Square Garden (1990, 1992, 1993 & 1995). Crowned champion in both 1990 and 1995.
Is a published poet.
Considered joining the USMC when he graduated from high school.
In 2005 he met actor Denzel Washington and renowned poet Maya Angelou on the same day at separate events.
Met Daniel Day-Lewis at the once existing Blue Velvet Boxing gym on 24th St in New York, NY in 1996. Daniel had just enjoyed watching one of Kelvins sparring sessions and they spoke for a brief moment afterward.
Originally attended Chelsea Vocational High School in Manhattan. He was unjustly forced to transfer to his zone high school, which was Andrew Jackson high school in Cambria Heights, Queens, after a conflict with another student.
Was an extra in the film American Gangster.
Years before he took acting seriously, he auditioned for the role of Mike Tyson in the made for TV movie, Tyson . Michael Jai White would ultimately be cast in that role.
Kelvin had been sparring pro boxers while he was still an amateur boxer himself. One of the notable pro-boxer he sparred as an amateur was Michael Dokes (a former heavyweight champion). During that sparring session Dokes would suffer a cut above his eye from a blow received from Kelvin. Dokes insisted on continuing the sparring session mainly due the the fact he was sparring an amateur boxer and did not not want to look bad/weak. Dokes was preparing for his upcoming championship bout with Riddick Bowe at Madison Square Garden scheduled for Feb 6, 1993.
In his pro-debut as a heavyweight boxer he knocked out his opponent in 70 seconds of the first round at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, New York (November 1, 1997). This was the first time a pro-boxing event took place at the Apollo Theater in its 85 year history. One of the notable attendees was film director Spike Lee.
Pebble in Your Shoe was a short film in which Kelvin portrayed a pro-boxer named Raymond. One of his lines for that character portrayal in that film was, "boxing gave me direction, sht it saved my life!" That excerpt in so many ways reflected on Kelvins personal life experience. It was during the fall of 1988 when Kelvin first stepped into Times Square Boxing Gym and it is without a doubt that this sacred (yet harsh) sport saved Kelvins life which was headed down a dark, murky and life-ending road. It not only saved his life, but it also provided him with a positive life-direction and a great role model by way of Willie Dunne Sr. (his 1st boxing trainer).
Tutored other students in English and Math while attending Chelsea Vocational HS.
In 2004 he told his 8 year old daughter that he was poet. She didnt believe him and told him to prove it by writing something for her. Ten minutes later he presented her with a newly written poem, "That Sparkle in Your Eye" (it was published in 2005).
Boxing brought him a life saving family friend, Stephan Feder. He met Stephan, a partner at a New York law firm, at the Blue Velvet Boxing gym in Manhattan. Even today Stephan is still a big part of Kelvins life and is like a big brother to him.
Majored in Psychology at Hunter College CUNY.
Was selected to participate in the Chappaqua Summer Scholarship Program (CSSP)in the 80s. CSSP is program in which urban kids attend 6 weeks of summer classes for 3 consecutive summers at Horace Greeley HS in Chappaqua, NY. Attended the program from the period of 1981-1983.
Worked as a volunteer for the Samaritans, a suicide prevention hot-line in New York City, during the early 1990s.
Went to the same high school as LL Cool J and 50 Cent.
Father died from cancer at the age of 67 (d.1989). Kelvin was only 19 years old at the time of his fathers death.
Was homeless at the age of 14.
His first job was as a New York City messenger during his teenage years.
As an amateur boxer, in the mid 1990s, he once sparred with legendary rapper, Big Pun (Christopher Lee Rios) at the old Fort Apache Boxing gym in the south Bronx.
Well known cut-man and owner of Jimmys Corner in Times Sq., Jimmy Glenn , was his 1st and only boxing manager during his professional boxing career.
Cooley High was the first film that had an emotional impact on him as a young child. Kelvin then understood that ones life, whether young or old, was not forever.
Willie Dunne Sr. was Kelvins first boxing trainer 1988-2000.
Notable sparring partners during Kelvins professional boxing career were heavyweights Monte Barrett, Jameel McCline and Oleg Maskaev. His trainer, Willie Dunne, was once contacted by trainer Emanuel Steward regarding sparring work. Steward was hoping to contract Kelvin to spar with Lennox Lewis in preparation for Lewis upcoming bout with Mike Tyson in 2002. Willie Dunne declined this offer.
Fought in the 1992 U.S. Eastern Olympic trials in Marquette, Michigan with hopes of qualifying for the 92 U.S. Olympic boxing team, but he didnt make it beyond the quarter-finals of that event.
Auditioned for the roles of Muhammad Ali and Don King for the feature film The Bleeder before being cast in a supporting role of the real-life boxer/training partner Charlie Polite.
I have my health and a powerful mind and with those two things combined,I have already succeeded.
[Commenting on his boxing career] "I will always treasure the moments,when I slugged away on that squared platform where kings rise and,fall. ",[When asked about the Thanksgiving holiday] A day to be thankful for,friends and family. . . gives this joyous journey in life matter.
When I am truly living, I cannot die.
