Championship Boxing Coach Turned 40 Yr Old Rookie Boxer: Help Me Fight For Our Inner City Youths

LOS ANGELES - Nov. 4, 2015 - PRLog -- “If you can learn how to take a punch in the ring, the punch in life is not as hard,” said Darnell Walker, a championship boxing coach who became a rookie professional boxer at the age of 40, the age before most boxers retire. Because of his violent past with the gangs and losing friends to gang violence, he is now fighting to champion at-risk youths in his neighborhood, one of the worst parts in Compton

He is working with local charity Youth Mentoring to open a boxing/MMA oriented youth center to serve the at-risk youths in his South Central Los Angeles neighborhood. Currently he is putting together a team, “Champions of the Inner City”, to raise funds and participate in Youth Mentoring and 102.7 KIIS FM’s “Miles of Music 5K” charity run on November 15th. And he will be announcing his youth center and charity onstage during the event.

Orphaned at just several months old, Darnell grew up a foster kid in South Central LA. He took many wrong turns in life as he joined the gangs and was in and out of jails. It wasn’t until he fathered his eldest son at 21 and had to raise the child by himself that Darnell cleaned up his act and found solace in boxing and MMA, and dedicated his life to training and coaching others. Among his accolades, he has coached local boxer Rico Ramos to a world title in 2011, before Ramos signed with another coaching team.

Darnell became a fighter to keep his family afloat financially, while pursuing his life mission to open a youth center to serve his neighborhood. His family is also fighting by his side. His wife Danielle is a massage therapist and an amateur MMA fighter trying to turn pro, and his 12 year old son J’son fights in junior competitions.

Darnell wants his story to be a testament to the youths that there are better paths to embark in life than joining the gangs. He also voiced his frustrations at the ongoing gang violence and tragedies of youth lives. “Everybody needs help, and I’m trying to open a community center to help. I’m tired of seeing these kids sag, and I’m tired of seeing these kids die.” He intends to educate at-risk youths about discipline, hard work, and accountability through boxing and MMA.

However, opening a youth center has proved to be a challenge. The lack of commitment from potential partners led Darnell to reach out to local nonprofits in hopes of collaboration. Youth Mentoring embraced Darnell’s vision with open arms and loved the idea of working together. Currently both Youth Mentoring and Darnell are working to make Darnell’s youth center a reality.

A documentary of the same name "Champions of the Inner City" (teaser trailer) follows Darnell's journey. It is produced by Wayfare Films and will be completed by early 2016.



About Champions of the Inner City

About Youth Mentoring (http://youthmentoring.org/)

About Miles of Music 5K (http://milesofmusic5k.com/)