Ring of Hope

In an old U.S. Armory, five days a week, about 50 youths train at the Montebello Police Activities League Boxing Club under the watchful eye of Andy Placencia, a former amateur fighter, and four other trainers. “Most of the kids are young, 16 and under,” Placencia says. “We have a lot of the tough street kids.” Still, he has high expectations. “Boxing is good, but it’s secondary,” he says. “I would love to see them all become outstanding members of their communities. . . . A lot of them have come a long way. They’ve come from gangs and we’ve seen them turn their lives around.”