Detroit Boxing Program Offers Mentorship to Teens

The Matrix Center's boxing program is hosting its first amateur fight on May 2, featuring 15 bouts for competitors aged 8 to 30.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 3:37pm

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A bold, colorful silkscreen print featuring a repeated image of a boxing glove in a grid pattern, representing the energy and discipline of the Matrix Center's youth boxing program.The Matrix Center's boxing program is empowering Detroit youth through mentorship and competitive outlets, transforming the city's recreational landscape.Today in Detroit

The Matrix Center, a nonprofit organization in Detroit, is hosting its first amateur boxing event on May 2, featuring 15 bouts for competitors ranging from 8 to 30 years old. The program has grown into a space where young people receive mentorship and a place to channel their energy, with some days seeing as many as 50 kids participate in the summer sessions.

Why it matters

The boxing program at the Matrix Center provides a positive outlet for youth in the Detroit area, offering mentorship and a safe space for them to develop important life skills like grit, perseverance, and discipline. This is especially crucial as the city has seen the closure of many recreational programs, leading some young people to turn to the streets and get into trouble.

The details

The Matrix Center's boxing program, led by Coach Terry Canty, has become a hub for young people in the Detroit area. Some days see as many as 30 students come through the doors, with summer sessions drawing nearly 50 kids at a time. The program has grown to offer mentorship and a place for youth to channel their energy, with Coach Canty starting the program after his own son was killed in the early 2000s.

  • The Matrix Center's first amateur boxing event will be held on May 2, 2026.
  • The program has seen a significant increase in participation, with some days drawing as many as 30 students and summer sessions reaching nearly 50 kids.

The players

Tikilah Turner

The director of youth services for the Matrix Center organization.

Terry Canty

The coach who started mentoring at the Matrix Center after his son was killed in the early 2000s.

Brandon Colston

A Triple T boxing coach who points to the closure of city programs as a turning point that led some young people to get into trouble on the streets.

Devon Dorsey

A 16-year-old who joined the Matrix Center's boxing program less than a year ago and plans to potentially go pro in the future.

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What they’re saying

“We want this to be a teen takeover; we want our youth to show up in numbers. And to see how other youth have been channelling their time.”

— Tikilah Turner, Director of youth services, Matrix Center

“These kids done been through a lot, but when they come here, they can release and take out that anger on these bags.”

— Terry Canty, Coach, Matrix Center

“When they [the city] started closing down all the programs, we started hanging in the streets and getting in trouble. That's why I'm here, so kids don't make the same mistake as I did.”

— Brandon Colston, Triple T boxing coach

“Grit showing up, perseverance, all of these skills, they're going to leave it in that box.”

— Tikilah Turner, Director of youth services, Matrix Center

“You should focus on your studies. Do something proactive like this. You can do something way better with your time. It helps me get out more, and meet new people and do a lot of things I didn't think I'd be doing.”

— Devon Dorsey, 16-year-old participant

What’s next

The Matrix Center's first amateur boxing event on May 2 will feature 15 bouts with competitors ranging from 8 to 30 years old. The first 25 kids who sign up will receive free admission.

The takeaway

The Matrix Center's boxing program is providing a vital mentorship and recreational opportunity for young people in Detroit, offering them a positive outlet to develop important life skills and avoid the pitfalls of street life that have emerged as the city has closed down other youth programs.