John Brown: Fighting for Good

John Brown grew up on the mean streets of South St. Louis. He learned quickly to face his bullies with his fists, often finding himself in trouble with the law. His life changed dramatically when one police officer introduced him to the boxing gym, where he could channel and release his fury productively. But getting off the street was just a start.  Boxing motivated him to take school more seriously and after graduating from college he founded Ringside Boxing. For the past 50 years Brown has coached over 18,000 at-risk youth at the Turner Boxing Academy, teaching them not only how to survive inside the ring, but how to take on life outside the ring as well. One such boxer Brown trained was the great Tommy “The Duke” Morrison. Brown helped him ascend to win the WBO World Heavyweight Championship against George Foreman.  Join us this week for a fascinating look inside the life of a man who has turned anger into action and dedicated himself to helping others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.