CLEVELAND — A Cleveland man is helping kids get off the street, through boxing.
Fred Wilson started Inner City Boxing, Team 216 back in 2000.
Since opening, he's helped hundreds of kids in the Fairfax and greater Cleveland community. Now the captain of his program is ready for his first amateur fight this weekend – and hoping his path lands him in the Olympics in 2028.
Daquan Horton was caught up in a life on the streets, since the age of 13.
"I was playing with guns and stuff. I was on the streets. I used to do a lot of stuff that I'm not supposed to. I know better” said Horton.
From getting bullied in school to jumped on the street, the East Tech student finally had his wake-up call.
"A person pulled up on me with a gun and threatened me," said Horton.
That's when he turned his life around, thanks to his now father figure Fred Wilson.
"I saw pictures of him playing with guns in the street with street dudes that really, I knew him and he wasn't. So, I pulled him aside. I said, 'Dude, the route you going is not good.'” Said Wilson.
Wilson teaches the fundamentals and principles of boxing along with discipline, respect, responsibility, and strength to avoid a life with drugs, violence, and crime to at-risk youth like Horton.
"Hate to say it, but he'd probably be six feet under right now!" said Wilson.
Wilson started in his own basement moving to a church basement, and then was finally able to get a small room in the Fairfax Rec Center in 2015.
Wilson told 3News that he does not get paid for his work; in fact, it’s the opposite.
He paid for Cleveland Inner City Boxing to be USA boxing certified also paying for equipment out of his own pocket. He has received grants over the years and support from neighborhood connections, but would appreciate any help from the community by donating at brightersideboxing.com
“I was always told to stay in the gym, stay out of trouble. So that's why I tell these kids the same thing and I love to see them come back. I have one come back, and she's a police officer now, a Cleveland police officer. I had another one come back and he's a diesel mechanic now. So yeah, it is a lot of great stories.
The boxer nick-named Da-Da is writing his next chapter - and hoping to head to the Olympics.
"He's a complete package. He really is," said Wilson.
The now 17-year-old Daquan agrees.
“I believe in myself too, as much as coach Fred does. I believe if I really set this goal to be up there, I could achieve it. I feel like I really could.