On May 23rd, sixteen amateur boxers stepped into the ring to not only fight for themselves, but more importantly to fight for the youth at the Pinball Clemons Ambassador School Program. People often asked our boxers “why they fight”, and the answer is simple… to fight for those who shouldn’t have to!
By the end of the 5-month training sessions, all of our boxers were collectively motivated to help bring the Pinball Clemons Ambassador School youth from the margins to mainstream.
“The stories of the young adults you work with provided me with a lot of motivation over the past few months. Their bravery and courage inspired me to push my limits and achieve something I never thought possible".
- Adam Stapley, Victory Charity Ball Boxer
We were lucky enough to hear from Breanna, a student from the Ambassador school, tell her story. The audience was moved to tears by her powerful and heart-wrenching journey from the streets to the Ambassador School. It is stories like Breanna’s that demonstrate the impact the Ambassador School can have in changing the lives of at-risk youth in our community.
The event took place at CBC Studio 40, which was once again transformed from the set of Dragon’s Den to a stunning boxing venue that transported guests to the floor of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Unlike most Las Vegas boxing matches, most of our boxers had little to no boxing experience. Our Fighters traded their laptops and suits for a set of boxing gloves, in support of the Pinball Clemons Ambassador School Program.
The event was hosted by CTV etalk’s Laura Ward, Canadian and platinum recording artist Kardinal Offishall and professional boxing announcer Yvette Raposo.
Guests were also treated to internationally acclaimed rapper, the legendary Rob Base, who brought style, swag, and a plethora of hits into the ring. He brought the crowd to their feet with a few of his mega singles such as “It Takes Two” and “Joy and Pain”.
We want to say a heartfelt thank you to all of our Boxers who worked so hard to put on a great show for us. Thank you to our amazing sponsors and partners who make this special night happen.
To everyone who donated or bought a ticket/table - Thank you! To the incredible people behind the scenes who fed us and built the stage and lights and screens and cameras, we are so grateful for your hard work. Thank you to Chris Amendola for his vision and to the team behind him for making our 5th annual event a success! Thank you to our family at the Pinball Clemons Foundation.
If words aren’t enough for you to understand the impact becoming a boxer makes, check out this incredible video from Stature Films.