Boxing fans in the Ozarks lined up to meet Former World Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes, who was in Springfield helping the future of boxing.
Holmes was a guest at Smitty’s Mid-West Boxing Gym’s first ever fundraiser dinner.
Smitty’s Mid-West Boxing Gym is all about the kids, “It’s a gym to get inner-city kids out of the streets,” Owner of Smitty’s Mid-West Boxing Gym Darrell “Coach Smitty” Smith said.
However, Coach Smitty can’t fight all the battles himself.
“I can’t keep taking kids to tournament after tournament after tournament, I have to get funding, I really need it bad and we’re doing good work, the numbers are proving,” said Coach Smitty.
With that mission in mind, Coach Smitty called Gold Medalist Ray Mercer who helped bring a World Heavyweight Champ to the Ozarks.
“How y’all doing, Larry Holmes here,” said the Former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.
The Boxing Hall of Famer is now giving back to kids as he knows first hand how life-changing the sport can be.
“If it wasn’t for boxing, I don’t know where I would’ve been. In jail? Probably. I was a troubled kid,” Holmes added.
Once opponents and now friends, Holmes and Mercer are focused on the future of boxing.
“It’s a special thing because our history is helping the future. Everything is for the kids that’s what we are here for, the kids and to give back to the kids. For Larry Holmes being here too, it just shows you that the boxing family is together and we’re all supporting the same thing. We want to support our youth,” Mercer said.
Like 14-year-old Aidyn, who recently started boxing at Smitty’s Mid-West Boxing Gym, “It’s kind of a let-out for me because I have anger issues, and my dad just passed away recently so it got worse. So, it’s just kind of a let-out for me.”
Also 8-year-old Nixon Cloud, “My favorite part is that I get to fight and I just love being with other people that are my friends.”
Nixon, Aidyn and others even got a little boxing lesson from the champ himself.
“Keep your nose clean, stay out of trouble, keep your left hand up and keep your right hand busy and you’ll be alright. Left-right, left-right, left-right,” said Holmes.
