Derrick
Durr (3-0, 3 KOs) is fighting for change in
his community. To show troubled youngsters a
better way, and that getting help for mental
health issues is not a sign of weakness.
And on
April10, at the Hammond Civic Center, just outside
Chicago, he will be fighting for the Universal
Boxing Organization™ (UBO) All-America
Light Heavyweight title, and to bring awareness
to his causes.
Growing
up in Englewood, known as the “murder capital of
Chicago”, raised by a single mother alongside
eleven
siblings,
Durr (32) experienced a
lot of bad things in the streets.
He saw ten of
his friends get killed before he was sixteen,
and in
2014 his younger
brother lost his life to gun violence, right in front
of Derrick´s
eyes.
As a result,
he suffered from depression and post-traumatic
stress disorder. He got help, and boxing helped
him, and now he wants to help others.
Help them
understand there is a better alternative to
violence and crime, and that there is help out
there for those who are struggling mentally.
“I
grew up idolizing people I could touch. The
murderers
and the dope-dealers”, says Durr.
“I
couldn't touch Michael Jordan, but the guy
making 5000 Dollars a day selling dope, he would
talk to me.
“So
I want to show these kids something else, be
someone positive to look up to”.
Besides doing
different
things to help his community, Durr has started“Guns Down,
Gloves Up”,
a boxing program he
hopes will inspire something constructive and
encouraging, and help
reduce
gun violence.
He is also
planning
to open a PTSD clinic in Englewood.
“At
nine years of age I saw a man get shot with a
shotgun. Someone tried to kill me on prom-night,
but hit another guy.
There are just too many incidents to count, and
we have to make a change!”
Durr only started
boxing at 23, but had natural talent and went on
to win three Golden Gloves tournaments and represent
the USA in the Olympic Qualifiers, before
turning pro.
Winning the
UBO title on April10 will hopefully give him
an even bigger platform to get his message
across.
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