A fighting chance out of the ring
Three young boxers who went from hitting the speed bag to hitting college textbooks will be getting a special boost thanks to the NYPD and NYC Cops & Kids Boxing.
The Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation distributed $8,000 in scholarship money to fighters Amadou Dao, 17; Henry Clare, 19, and Marco Cruz, 22, Wednesday at 1 Police Plaza.
“It’s great,” said Clare, who will be receiving $2,500 from the George Horowitz Scholarship, named after the Everlast CEO. “I’m going to be using it on everyday things — books and school supplies.”
Clare’s been boxing since age 10 and has 18 victories and five loses under his belt. Last year, he won the Daily News Golden Gloves Championship in the 141-pound novice category, becoming one of the last fighters to win the coveted Golden Gloves necklace.
He’s now attending the College of Staten Island and working toward a degree in business administration, although his dre join the NYPD.
The biggest winner of the Horowitz scholarship is Dao, who couldn’t participate in Wednesday’s event because he was at Alfred State College taking classes. Dao received $3,000. Cruz, who is expected to take classes in Brooklyn College in January for sports medicine, received $2,500.