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CMC
PROMOTIONS:
Boxing
with a
cause at
the
Lexus
Velodrome
By Micah
Cummings
Tell US
Detroit
Sports
DETROIT
-
Walking
into the
Lexus
Velodrome,
the
atmosphere
is
lively
with
lights
bouncing
off the
Velodrome
walls.
There
was
memorabilia
of some
of the
best
athletes
and
teams to
ever
play in
Michigan.
Also
there
was
music
playing,
people
were at
the bar,
a banked
bicycle
track,
and the
main
attraction
of the
night, a
boxing
ring. It
was a
Saturday
night to
remember
in
Detroit
for one
of
boxing’s
biggest
charity
events.
Detroit
is known
for its
rich
history
of
boxing.
There
are so
many
icons
like Joe
Louis,
Thomas
“The
Hitman”
Hearns,
Emanuel
Steward,
and
Alvin
“Blue
Lewis”
that
have
created
amazing
boxing
legacies
in the
heart of
Motown.
Entrepreneur,
founder
of Team
Hands-On
Boxing
Gym, and
President
of
Chances
Make
Champions
(CMC)
Promotions,
Dequan
Marion
is
looking
to make
his mark
on the
Detroit
boxing
scene.
But
Marion
isn’t
just
focused
on the
sport of
boxing,
he’s
looking
to
uplift
the
community.
According
to a
press
release,
This
championship
boxing
charity
event
featured,
“The
Ride
against
Human
Trafficking”.
This
professional
cycling
race
held
during
intermission
will
raise
funds to
support
the
Salvation
Army
anti-human
trafficking
initiative.
A
portion
of the
proceeds
will be
donated
to our
community
partner,
The
Salvation
Army to
support
the
fight
against
human
trafficking.
Marion
said:
“This
charity
event
means
the
world to
me,
we’re
actually
bringing
awareness
to one
of the
most
talked
about
subjects
in the
world
right
now.
This is
also our
first
kickoff
event
for the
promotion
company
so we
can
showcase
the
amateurs
and
professionals.
Detroit
is known
for
boxing
so the
goal is
to bring
boxing
back to
the city
and
highlight
it.”
Sharon
Tatom
Garcia,
Director
of
Communications
for the
Salvation
Army, a
first
time
visitor
at the
Lexus
Velodrome
expressed
how she
appreciated
the
support
from
Team
Hands On
Boxing.
“It’s
amazing
that
Team
Hands On
Boxing
chose
the
Salvation
Army and
the
cause of
supporting
anti-human
trafficking,”
said
Garcia.
“We are
so
grateful
for this
opportunity.”
“We have
never
been
involved
in this
event,
but it
was
Katrina
Turnbow
from
Team
Hands On
Boxing
that
attended
the
educational
event,
that the
Salvation
Army put
on in
March.
To
educate
people
on the
signs
and
statistics
around
human
trafficking
in
Michigan.
The
event
led them
to want
to do
more, so
they
invited
us to
participate
and be
the
beneficiaries
of some
of the
proceeds.”
Walking
throughout
the
venue,
it was a
sight to
see all
the
boxers
getting
prepared
for
battle.
Team
Buck’s
Davion
Wilkes
is a
featherweight
amateur
fighter,
that has
been
boxing
for over
six
years
now.
Wilkes
said he
loves
fighting
and
putting
on a
show for
the
fans.
“This
cause
means a
lot
because
I’ve
seen
news
coverage
of kids
being
sold and
missing
and I
don’t
like it.
I got a
kid of
my own,
so
anything
that
could
help
this
cause
I’m down
for
supporting.”
Another
significant
boxer is
professional
super
welterweight,
Antonio
Wade and
boxing
is in
his DNA.
“I’ve
been
boxing
all my
life,”
said
Wade.
“It’s a
family
thing
from my
grandad
on both
sides,
my dad,
my
uncles,
and my
brothers.
We all
fought,
I’m just
the one
that
stuck
with
it.”
Wade
said: “
I saw
this as
an
opportunity
for a
good
cause,
to get
back in
the ring
and I
hadn’t
fought
in about
a year
in a
half. I
feel
like
it’s not
enough
awareness
on human
trafficking,
especially
something
that is
way to
common
in the
United
States.
People
are
coming
up
missing
from
their
families
and I
feel
like it
has to
be
discussed
more.
Something
has to
change
and
thats
exactly
why I
support
CMC
Promotions
and this
cause.”
Wade has
a gym of
his own
with his
dad
Erskine
Wade
called
Norwayne
Boxing
gym.
Wade
made his
first
appearance
back in
the
boxing
ring
with a
victory
last
night as
the
co-main
event.
Boxing
fans
should
get
ready,
the
momentum
and
excitement
for
boxing
is back
on the
rise for
the city
of
Detroit.
Marion
said:
“Working
with the
youth
and
giving
these
kids a
chance
means
everything.”
“When
your
from the
inner
city,
kids
don’t go
across
eight
mile,
it’s a
stigma
about
going
across
eight
mile. So
when you
give
kids a
platform
to
travel
the
country
maybe
once a
month,
now you
really
changing
lives.
We have
some
kids in
our
program
thats
been to
more
states
than
their
parents.
We have
interns
that we
deal
from the
University
of
Michigan,
so we
like to
connect
with the
youth
and even
older,
to eight
years
old to
infinity.”
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