2/25/2017 In a Champions Corner, a Real Coach Who Inspired One on The Wire - The New York Times

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SPORTS

InaChampionsCorner,aRealCoach
WhoInspiredOneonTheWire
ByFINNCOHEN FEB.24,2017

BALTIMORETheFedExpackagecontainingthejuniorlightweightchampionship
belt,intendedforGervontaDavis,arrivedatthegymtooearlyintheday.

Davisoftentrainslateintothenight,runningthestreetsofBaltimore,and
sleepsuntilmidday.SoitwashiscoachCalvinFordhesleepsmuchless,
sometimesjustanhouranightwhofoundtheattempteddeliverynotewhenhe
gottoUptonBoxingCenter,agyminoneofthecitysmostblightedneighborhoods.

Ford,alongwithKennyEllis,anotherofDavisscoaches,runsthetraining
sessionsatUptonfivenightsaweek,showingyoungpeopletheanglesofthetrade
andkeepingthemoffthesamestreetsthatDavismakeshistrainingground.

Thecoacheshavebeeninvolvedwithfighting,inonewayoranother,formostof
theirlives.Ellis,49,isabeardedformeramateurboxerwhohascoachedatUpton
since2005.AndFord,52,wasonceaviolentlieutenantintheBoardleyBurrows
drugorganization,whichcontrolledpartsofWestBaltimoreinthe1980s.

IfIhadtoshootyou,Idshootyou,Fordsaid.IfIhadtostabyou,Idstabyou.IfI
hadtobeatyouupwithmyhands,Idbeatyouupwithmyhands.

In1988,Fordwasconvictedofracketeeringandconspiracy.Heserved10yearsina
federalprison,wherehelearnedtobox.Hestartedcoachingafterhewasreleased,
eventuallycultivatinganationalamateurchampion.

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ThatattractedtheattentionofEdBurns,apolicedetectivewhohadinvestigated
FordandwhobecameoneofthecreatorsoftheHBOseriesTheWire.Heused
FordasamodelforthecharacterknownasCutty,anexconwhoopenedagymafter
realizingthatthestreetshereturnedtohadgrownharderthanhecouldhandle.

Today,Fordisasoftspokenmanwhowearstracksuitsandreadingglasses
securedbyabejeweledchain,ajarringlyendearingdetailforsomeonewhoteaches
othershowtoinflictpainefficiently.Andheisafatherfiguretodozensofchildren
whohavebeencomingtohimfornearlytwodecadesforlessonsthatreachfar
beyondathreeminuteround.Davis,hisfirstworldchampion,andtheyoungest
livingprofessionaltitleholder,hasbeencalledthefutureofboxingbynolessan
authoritythanFloydMayweatherJr.

WhenDavis,22,enteredthegymafewhourslatertofindaheavilytaped
cardboardboxonthereceptiondesk,itwasFordwhohandedhimthescissors.

InsidewasadeepredbeltwithalargegoldlogooftheInternationalBoxing
Federation,earnedwithaseventhroundknockoutofJosPedraza,whowasheavily
favored,inBrooklynonJan.14.

Strapmeup,Davissaidthroughastifledgrin.

Ford,wearingabeaniewith#STRAPSEASONprintedonthefront,putthebelt
onthe5foot6,130poundDavis.Thenewchampionposedforapictureunder
bannersthatincludedAngeloWard,whotrainedherebeforehewasshottodeathin
2012,andascowlingversionofDavissyoungerself,drapedinbeltsandmedalsa
decadeago.

Now,withanewbeltoverhisshoulder,Davisglowed.

Imightwalkupanddowntheavenue,hesaid,gesturingtothestreetoutside.

MeanStreets
Lastyear,318peoplewerekilledinBaltimore,thesecondhighesthomicidetotalfor
thecityonrecord2015wasworse.Sofarthisyear,thecityisaveragingnearlya
murderaday.

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FordandEllisknowchildrenwhowereandstillarelinkedtothose
troublingstatistics.Children,forcedtofendforthemselvesafterthekillingofa
parent,slippingintothecurrentofincarceration.Youngmenwithnoprospects
otherthantheeasiestoneavailabletheeconomyofaddiction.

Davis,whosemotherstruggledwithdrugabuseduringhisyouthandwhose
fatherspenttimeinprisonforsellingdrugs,isoneofthefortunateones.Others
havenotbeensolucky.

Kidsfalloutofschoolbecausetheysawthekidthattheyhangwithgetgunned
downinthestreet,Ellissaid.Afterwitnessingamurder,yougottogotoschoolthe
nextday!headded.Howcanyoudoatest?Howcanyoupass?

Thekidswhocomethroughthegymsdoorsatleasthaveachancetolearnhow
tocopewiththehopelessnessoutside,where,Ellissaid,violenceclaimsabody
everyday.

Sometimesyouheargunshots,youlookaroundthegym,like,Wegotsomein
herethataintgettingshot,hesaid.

UptonisnotfarfromwhereFreddieGraywasarrestedin2015,leadingtothe
rideinapolicevanthatlefthimwithaspinalcordinjurythatkilledhimaweek
later.Thedrugstorethatwaslootedandburnedduringtheriotsafterhisfuneralis
sixblocksaway.

Theneighborhoodhasthelargestpercentageofreturningcriminaloffendersin
thestate,saidNickMosby,aformermayoralcandidateandCityCouncilmember
whoisnowastatelegislator.

Anybarometerofsuccessofacommunity,unfortunatelyinthatZIPcode,will
typicallytilttowardsaveryunhealthycommunity,saidMosby,whosewife,
Marilyn,wasthestatesattorneywhoprosecutedtheBaltimorepoliceofficers
chargedinGraysdeath.(Nonewereconvicted.)Povertylevel,educationlevel,
unemploymentrate,healthdisparities,younameit.

Mosbysaidthechildrenherewerefacingadultissues.Attheageof7,8,9,10,
theyretakingcareofthemselves,theyretakingcareofyoungersiblings,theyre

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goingout,figuringoutwhattheyregoingtoeateveryday.

Upton,whereitcosts$65ayeartotrain,isarefuge.

Thecityfundsthegym,thoughformanyyearsFordhelpedoutofhisown
pocketincludingpayingfortripstooutoftowncompetitions.

YoudontknowhowmanycarsIranthrough,Fordsaid,laughing.

Suchsacrificehashelpedgenerategoodwillinthecommunity.Uptonstands
apart.

Younoticewhenyouwalkeduponthecorners,youaintseenobodystandin
onmycorners,Fordsaid.Theyaintgonnahavethatnonsensearoundus.That
showyouthatthepeoplecity,streetpeoplecaresaboutwhatwearedoing.

EvenwithDavisssuccess,andthenationalattentionithasbroughttoUpton,
thelossofpreviousfightersthosewhothecoachessaiddecidedtogoleftand
giveintothestreetsweighsheavy.

RayDavis,afighterEllistrainedasateenager,isinjailafterendinguponhis
ownwhenhisfatherwasshotatacornerstore.RonaldGibbs,a17yearold
nationallyrankedamateur,wasstabbedintheheartin2012inadisputedefending
hissister.Thatsameyear,Ward,thefighterunderwhosebannerGervontaDavis
hadhispicturetaken,wasshotninetimes.Hewastwofightsintohisprofessional
career.

Everyday,hisfriendswouldcomehereandwaitforhimtofinishtrainingso
theycouldrunthestreets,EllissaidofWard.Isaid,Man,youcanthaveonefoot
inthestreetsandonefootinthegym.Itsnotgonnawork.

ThedaythatWardwaskilled,Ellissaid,hewasinhiscarwhenhereceivedthe
text.AndwherehegotkilledwaslikethreeminutesfromwhereIwasdriving,soI
drovearoundthere.Andtheyhadtheyellowtapearoundhim.

HistoryofFighting

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Afterlockinghisbeltinitscase,Gervonta(pronouncedJerVONtay)Davis
droveafewblocksnorthwestandstoodinfrontofthehomeheoncesharedwithhis
motherandgrandmother,abitterwindtunnelofablockdottedwithabandoned
rowhouses.Garbagespilledintoanalleyframedbyarowhousewithnoroof.An
openBiblelayonastoop,itspagesfluttering.

Davispointedoutacactusafewdoorsdown.Heusedtotouchiteverydayashe
walkedtoandfromtheelementaryschoolattheendoftheblock,achildspersonal
challengetohimselfaheadofacareerofstinginghands.

Whenhewas7,Davisandoneofhisolderbrothersmovedinwithhis
grandmother,afterbouncingbetweenagrouphomeandtheiruncleshouse.Being
newtoWestBaltimore,theboyswerequicklyforcedtodefendthemselves.

Davissmother,KenyaBrown,saidschoolofficialswhohadcontactedherabouthis
frequentfightinghadtoldherthathewasamenacetosociety,butsheinsistedhe
wasnotaninstigator.AfterherbrothertookDavistoUpton,andhetooktothe
sport,peoplereallystartedtryinghimmore,shesaid.

Hewaslightskinned,alwaysbeenshort,saidBrown,43.Hehadtoget
staplesbecausesomebodyhithiminthehead.

Athisgym,Fordhasapolicy:Ifoneofhisfightersdisrespectsateacheror
startsafightatschool,thefighterhastosparwitheveryoneinthegymthatnight.
ForDavis,itwaslessastickandmoreacarrot.

Helovedit,Fordsaid.Iusedtohavetobringguysfromdifferentcitiescome
downherethatwasbiggerthanhim,justtopunishhim,andthenhewasbeatin
themup.

Davissfather,Garrin,saidUptonallowedhissontoavoidthelureofthestreets
thatensnaredsomanyothers.Butittookwork.

Hemadealotofsacrifices,saidGarrinDavis,whogotcleanafterhislaststint
inprison.Alotofthefriendsthathehad,becausehemadethechoicetocomehere,
hedidntendupwheretheyat.

RewardsEarned
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RewardsEarned
GervontaDavissdefensiveinstinctsinthering,andhiscalmdemeanor,hewto
thestyleofMayweather,whohastakenonthedualroleofDavisspromoterand
mentor.Heisundefeatedin17professionalfights.Allbutoneofhisvictorieswasby
knockout.

Hissuccesspresentsnewchallenges:thethornyworldofprofessionalboxing,
andtherigorsofgroomingandmarketinghimselfasapayperviewstar.Andthen
therearethemyriadvoicesinhisear.BetweenroundsatthePedrazafightin
January,Davishadinformationcomingathimfromthecoachesinhiscornerand
fromMayweather,whowasvociferouslydispensingadvicefromringside.

Ivebeennavigatinghimforyears,Fordsaid,sohesalwaysgonnahearmy
voice.ButFloydsbeentothatlandIhaventbeento.Sohehavetolistentohim.

Withthosechallenges,however,comeopportunity.Davissaptitudeforboxing
isinexorablylinkedtohistroubledbackground:Thereisnotmuchintheringthat
canhurthimmorethanthetentaclesofhiscitysdrugtradealreadyhave.Andthat
giveshimanauthenticitythatringstrueforhiscommunity.

Hiswholestance,hiswholeposture,hiswholedemeanorisBaltimore,saidMosby,
whohastakenDavistoschoolsandjuvenileprisonsforoutreachtalks.Andthese
kidsrecognizethat.YoungfolkswillgetbehindanindividuallikeGervonta,moreso
thananypolicythatwereabletocreate,moresothananyotherpublicservice
announcement,anyotherpotentialopportunity.

WhenDaviswonhistitleinBrooklyninJanuary,FordandMosbysaid,a
surprisinglylargecontingentinthecrowdseemedtohavemadethetriptosupport
him.

YoucouldnthavetoldmewewerentinBaltimore,Mosbysaid.

TheenthusiasmfromthecityforoneofitsownisnotlostonDavis.Heand
FordwanthisnextfighttobeinBaltimoreitwouldthefirsttitleboutherefora
worldchampionfromthecity.

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DavishaschosentoremaininBaltimore,ratherthanuproothimselftoLas
VegastobeinMayweathersimmediatecircle.Bystaying,hebelieves,hecanhonor
thepeoplewhohelpedraisehimFordandEllis.

Morethanmyself,theydeservethebelt,Davissaid.Theygothroughalot.
Yougottolookatit.Thepeoplebeforeme,theboxersthattheylost.Peoplethatthey
puttheirblood,sweatandtearsinto.Andthefightersthatgoleft,itsnotrightfor
CalvinandKenny.

2017TheNewYorkTimesCompany

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