Put your dukes up
October 6, 2008
Last month, I had the opportunity to go to UMAR Boxing, a youth development facility that provides afterschool academic tutoring and boxing training for inner city youth. Their slogan: “No Hooks Before Books.”
The group was founded by Marvin McDowell, a Maryland Boxing Hall of Famer, who told me, “You don’t really associate boxing with thinking, so what we’re trying to do here is erase that stereotype.”
Glenn Dezurn is one of the many success stories to come out of UMAR.
Two years ago, the 20-year-old was getting into trouble and had a temper. With help from McDowell and others at UMAR, Dezurn has changed his life around and is highly regarded as one of the top amateur boxers in his age group.
“I love boxing, it helped change my attitude,” Dezurn said. “It gave me motivation to wake up every day. It gave me hope because this is a hard city to grow up in.”
UMAR receives funding from the Family League of Baltimore City, The Weinberg Foundation and a Juvenile Justice program called the ROOTS program.
This year, about 50 youths are participating in the program. Check out the video below.
RICHARD SIMON, Multimedia Reporter
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