MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com)— Joe Willie DeMyers is a 5-time boxing champ who grew up during a time when African American boxers couldn't fight in a ring, much less take on a white boxer, but he won boxing titles, traveled the world, and even trained in the same gym as Joe Louis.
DeMyers fought the first integrated boxing match in Memphis in 1948. The fight took place in the basement of a home on South Parkway in South Memphis. After winning that fight ,he was forced to flee Memphis because of death threats.
After a lifetime of making history, the 77-year-old now wants to give back. He's starting a boxing program in South Memphis to help at-risk kids stay out of trouble.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office and the Memphis Police Department are getting involved too.
DeMyers hopes his life long passion will help kids find their own.
"I want to help kids. If you don't check these kids now, they'll jump on you, they'll run over you," DeMyers told abc24.com.
