A Tarneit mum hopes a new program in the western suburbs will get troubled youth off the streets and into the boxing ring.
Rebellious Boxing, which operates out of Lester Ellis Fitness Academy in Taylors Hill, was founded by Sophie Zammit in response to the issues of violence on the streets in the western suburbs.
“My son, Dillon, was going through major issues, involved in gangs, violence and alcohol,” she said. “It got to the point where I thought I might end up burying him, so I did something about it.”
She contacted five-time world boxing champion Lester Ellis, who took her son under his wing, and later formed Rebellious.
Dillon has since turned his life around and Mrs Zammit hopes to help others in the same situation.
“We’re offering a legitimate program that will help kids in our local community,” she said. “They can box in a controlled environment, instead of out on the street, where they’ll end up in a fight and then later cop adult sentences.
“Not only does Lester train these kids but he gets in their heads and mentors them.”
The program also has the support of boxers Dino Wells and Vinnie Curto.
Mrs Zammit said Rebellious Boxing had received such a positive response that the team was now on the hunt for new premises and local businesses to throw their support behind the program.
It has also attracted the attention of television producers looking to feature it in a documentary and a reality television series.
Details: www.facebook.com/rebelliousboxing
