Southwest Florida boxing gym teaching life lessons to local youth

A boxing gym in Southwest Florida that produced countless world champions now has its focus on teaching life lessons to the local youth.

There’s no wall space to spare in the SJC Boxing Club on Winkler Avenue. Inch after inch is covered in countless champions who once trained here in Fort Myers.

Steve Canton is a boxing Hall of Famer that saw a need to help troubled and at-risk youth become successful adults.

“It’s great to be good in pro boxing but that’s all secondary to me, what’s the most important thing to me is helping kids that never will box, they came in here with problems whether it’s school, discipline and they came in here and learned determination, dedication, hard work that will bring success,” said Canton.

Canton hopes to keep his doors open as long as possible, because he knows it has positive impacts on the kids that come through the doors, despite where they come from.

“Bringing kids into the gym…many pay $0 and he doesn’t turn anyone away,” said Christina Samuels.

Samuels is a member of the club and says it’s not just the life lessons that help the kids, but making the life long friends as well.

“I love the comradely because you come in and there’s people from all walks of life and everybody is quick to say hello and it’s kind of like a little family and it feels good to belong somewhere,” Samuels said.

Canton said when he opened the gym 30 years ago, the desire was never to produce the numerous title holders that have come out of the gym, but instead to make a positive impact on the community, and there is no doubt he has succeeded at that.

“Steve Canton to me is a tremendous role model he’s not only a boxing legend he’s a tremendous role model and he’s a life coach,” said retired police officer Bob Urtis.