Pan Am Boxing Club fights to keep young men off the street with fundraiser on Saturday

Young fighters put up their gloves at Pan Am Boxing Club on Saturday evening, all in the name of charity.

"We're here today to watch, spectate, participate in Take it Outside, which is an annual fundraising event for Pan Am Place, which is a residence that we developed for young men that are homeless," said Harry Black, head coach and president of the club.

According to Black, men who live in Pan Am Place use the discipline of the sport — and their hands — to get back on their feet.

"By them participating in the sport, the training, the daily grind, I think that helps them get through their daily grind, which is much more oppressive," he said.

The young men in the program go to school, work and according to Black, train like fighters.

"They're in the ring, shadow boxing, skipping, technical sparring. We're on the heavy bags. The typical training of a fighter is what we put our men at Pan Am Place through," he said.

On Saturday, dozens of people crammed into the humid, sticky basement boxing club to gather around the ring and watch young fighters, all while donating to the cause. 

According to Black, the result of the support is obvious day in and day out.

"The fact that [these young men are] living with us, go to regular day-to-day school, work; they get up, out of bed with a purpose, those are our success stories," he said.