The children here know they've got someone in their corner.

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For years, Tony Bell, a former D.C. police officer, has used his boxing gym to mentor under-privileged kids.

"If they don't have anyone else to follow, they're going to follow the drug dealers on the street, they're going to follow the robbers on the street, they're going to follow the prostitutes and the drug addicts on the street,” Bell says.

It hasn't been easy though. Money is tight. Bell calls it a labor of love.

"They got their pants hanging down, they got to pull 'em up. If you got low grades in school you got to get 'em up. I want to see your next report card,” Bell says.

They gain confidence and courage and learn to be responsible and respectful.

For Bell and his team of coaches, every kid is worth fighting for.

Quaeshan Lewis is just one of the young men here on his way to a better future.

"This is kind of like a second home to me, my coach is like my dad here you know,” Quaeshan says. “I have problems at home sometimes and I come here to escape."

And they know coach Bell is always there for them.

"If I save one, I will have accomplished something,” Bell says.