Detroit youth boxers hoping for uniforms for nationals

On the bag in the ring with the coaches, the young boxers at the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program have a lot of heart and talent.

What they don't have are uniforms having paid nearly $3,000 to Adriana Pavon at the Detroit Fashion Collective more than six months ago.

Pavon provided us with the following statement:

"I accept full responsibility for this and never had any intention of not delivering the uniforms or using their funds for purposes other than getting the uniforms created.  I am very sorry for what has happened. I value my relationship with the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program just as I value all my other clients. I have worked with several other companies/organizations in the past that have been more than happy with my work and services, and this is simply an unfortunate situation. I promise to pay back the $2,700 as soon as I am able to, even if another organization is able to provide them with uniforms."

"We went to all these tournaments and shows, and we were supposed to have our uniforms," said boxer David Davis.  "We were promised that we were going to get (them), and then we're sitting here looking out for our uniforms and (they're) not here, so I think something should be done about it."

"(Other gyms would have) jogging suits, nice shoes, nice gear, and we (would) just go in there with a beater, some basketball shorts," said boxer Christion White.

The kids have been competing in whatever ragtag outfits they can pull together.

Now the national competition is coming up in October, and they know the other teams are going to be looking good.  They're ready to get into the ring, but they would sure like to look like the champs that they are.

The coaches are so proud of the kids.  They study hard in the gym's tutoring center.  They box hard for the Police Athletic League, and they deserve to have nice uniforms.

"There were going to be some custom made warm-ups for the team and the coaches, and they were going to have some pretty nice stuff, and here we are now," said Coach Khali Sweeney.

Now the all-volunteer Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program is scrambling to find somebody who can help with uniforms in time for that October competition.  They don't have money.  There are about twelve boxers and four coaches to outfit.  Anyone who can help is asked to contact the Fox 2 Problem Solvers.

UPDATE 8/23/2012: The Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program tells us Fox 2 viewers have donated all the money needed to pay for new uniforms.