CINCINNATI — The threat of gun violence is impacting areas across Ohio, but some coaches are using boxing as a tool for change. They’re giving young people an alternative to the streets, and a sense of purpose.

What You Need To Know

  • Gun violences and shootings involving teens have some boxing coaches stepping up to keep teens on the right path 

  • It's all a part of Oasis Elite Boxing Club in Cincinnati, where coaches said teens are training and learning skills in and out of the ring

  • Every year, the club hosts fundraisers and events to encourage people to put down guns and come to the ring

Da’Trier Roberts is getting ready for his first boxing match, and he’s just 14.

“I’m training every day — blood, sweat and tears in the gym every day," said Roberts. 

What he’s doing is not only for his training, but it’s part of a program to help teens combat gun violence. It's something that, for him, hits close to home.

“My friend, just a couple days ago, he ended up getting killed in gun violence. Seeing that, it like shows me how easy it is that you could leave this earth. That just motivates me to push harder," said Roberts.

It’s part of the reason, his coach, Darryl “P-man” Jones, a former boxer himself is helping to run the program called the Oasis Elite Boxing Club in Cincinnati.

“Why pick up a gun when you can come here and pick up some gloves,” said Jones. “Sometimes you have to go down on their level and reach down to them and talk to them, that way they can feel that structure and positive mode coming from your head," he said.

It’s a technique that he said he and his partner, program director Andrew Williams, use to get teens off the streets and build them up in and out of the ring.

“They’re not using the sport to be violent; they’re learning discipline. We're teaching them health, good health, nutrition,” said Williams. 

He estimates they’ve helped more than 100 teens with the free boxing club. Sometimes he said it’s led to championship titles.

“If you take a look around the room, you'll see all these events that have been put on and these were the same kids that I came in ’03 that actually went on to become world champions," said Williams .

On the wall of achievements is another reminder: a young boxer shot and killed. It's a reminder of the reason they’ve been running fundraisers to keep the club going. It's to give teens like Roberts a fighting chance to be the next one to win.

“I hope to take it the long way, to the pros," said Roberts. 

The Oasis Elite Boxing Club’s next anti-gun violence fundraiser, called "Put down the guns, pick up the gloves," will be held in October.