GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — From champions of the ring back in the day, to championing a path forward for kids in a Grand Rapids boxing gym, Michael Spinks and Tim Witherspoon made a stop at Blues Gym.
"They said we had some kids to talk to so I said, 'all right,'" Spinks said. "I didn't mind doing that. So, that's why I'm here."
There's a lot of hardware between the legendary boxers. A boxing hall of famer, Spinks was the heavyweight champ of the world from 1985 to 1988.
Witherspoon was a two-time heavy weight champ of the world himself.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom is a big supporter of Blues Gym and its creator Dino Newville.
Chief Winstrom said, "It's a real honor for Grand Rapids to have these legends in the boxing world here today [Saturday]."
Every week, Dino hosts kids from the community as a way to keep them busy and out of trouble. This Saturday was just a little more special.
"I called my friends to come to Grand Rapids to help me speak to the kids about denouncing violence, guns, drugs, and who better to have than the champion," he explained.
Dino put Spinks and Witherspoon front and center as a shining example for what hard work and staying on the right path forward can accomplish.
"These kids that we were talking to, we have to try to influence them to do the same," Witherspoon added. "Reach high as goals because you never know where you're going to end up. And that's what I tell all the kids when I go speak— do not quit, and don't be scared of bullies."
Those are just some of the many lessons taught at Blues Gym.
"We're talking about mentoring, we're talking about the academics, the physical activity that they do here, in getting these kids on a path for success in life," Chief Winstrom remarked.
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