Following several delays, the Arkansas State Junior Olympics Boxing Tournament is now officially underway at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Fighters as young as 8 will be competing for a chance to advance to the coveted USA National Junior Olympic Championships next month.
Pine Bluff was selected over cities such as Texarkana, Harrison and Mena just to name a few.
There will be young scrappers from 20 different Arkansas boxing centers going head-to-head with several interesting match-ups on the agenda.
The event is being hosted by Gloves Not Guns, a non-profit organization that offers an alternative to the violent streets for underprivileged kids aged 8-17 by increasing their self-confidence, utilizing their skill set and self-awareness in the form of boxing.
The group's founder, Arthur Brewer, believes that giving these kids an alternative to what is going on around them on a daily basis will prove vital to making sure they stay on the straight and narrow.
"I want to change the image of Pine Bluff as a whole," Brewer said. "We are not the solution, but we are trying to do what we can."
One of his own was tragically slain as a result of gunfire earlier in the year, so the program has an even deeper meaning to Brewer. His story reads like a dramatic autobiographical novel.
An amateur boxer himself at 22, Brewer's life took a turn for the worse when his boxing coach relocated to Louisiana, prompting him to do the same. Shortly thereafter, a short stint of selling drugs landed him behind bars for a few years.
Upon his release, Brewer returned to his hometown of Pine Bluff and got married but soon returned to his old ways and landed himself in jail again.
This time, Brewer channeled his love for boxing into something positive for his community when he teamed up with friend Scott Ladd to start the Pine Bluff Boxing Club in hopes of staying on track.
"When I started Guns Not Gloves, I would not have believed all the success this club has brought to me with a little effort on my part and a whole lot of God," said Brewer. "Along with some young kids who have totally changed my life around. And parents who have allowed me to be a part of their children's lives. For that I am eternally grateful."
August 10th will mark a special anniversary in Brewer's life as he will realize his 10th year of sobriety. Gloves not Guns has played a key role in maintaining that success.
When he was offered a job as manager of a drug-infested Motel in Pine Bluff called the Crown, it would be the final time Brewer has taken a drink or used drugs of any kind, he said.
"I have been to treatment centers three different times and nothing seemed to work," Brewer said. "I couldn't kick the habit and I knew God didn't want any part of me. But when I went in to sign this historic contract for our event here (at the Convention Center), I had to remind myself that God is not through with me yet. I could never have imagined that the same place where I used to be the janitor is now hosting my event -- the Arkansas State Junior Olympic Boxing Championships."
The bouts will began promptly at 7 p.m. on Friday and will start today at 4 p.m. with general admission prices beginning at $10. Kids 17 and under will be charged $5 to view the fights and children under 6 will be admitted free.
Those interested in sponsoring the organization or who need additional information on the program were asked to contact Brewer at (870) 329-3875.