Is boxing good for kids?

First topic message reminder :

I have been watching the excellent HBO show the wire of late and I am currently in season three. I will not give away any spoilers but one storyline involves a character setting up a boxing gym for some local youths from very disadvantaged and deprived backgrounds. This is a common storyline, rough kids come good through boxing, in film and TV but is there any basis for the theory in real life? I would be interested to hear from those of you who post on here who have experience of setting up such a project or maybe have examples of where this has worked.

I would also be interested to hear some opinions on why boxing might provide a better sport to employ in such projects compared to other sports. Or do even the boxing fans feel uneasy about introducing violence, albeit controlled, into a situation where all forms of violence are already present.

I can see that the discipline of the training regime might give structure to people who otherwise have very little structure in their life’s but is that any different to other sports?

What is it about boxing?

Sounds like you're talking from experience.

Any sport that can focus a troubled childs mind away from that which will see them in prison is a good thing.

i thought the klitschkos came from a well off family

jay-z wrote:Just out of interest, has there ever even been a great boxer that's made it from an upper class? or not had a rough upbringing?

Even today, Mayweather, Pacquiao, and even say Klitchskos that are smart, don't think they had rich parents did they?

The Klitschkos came from a middle class family. Their Dad was some sort of officer in the Army and under Communist rule they are very well paid.