Boxing’s unified welterweight champion honored at organization’s 45th annual event, joining Steve Spurrier, Larry Bird, Tommy LaSorda, and the late Roy Halladay as award’s recipients.
Keith Thurman receives the "Champion For Youth" award from Brian Aungst Sr., the former Mayor of Clearwater, Florida and Chairman of the Board for Clearwater For Youth, on Saturday, February 24, 2018.
CLEARWATER, Florida — Keith Thurman, the current unified WBA and WBC Welterweight World Champion, received the thirty-third annual “Champion for Youth” award by the Clearwater for Youth organization this past Saturday. Thurman was presented the award for his “virtue, character and athletic contributions” for the area’s youth. He joins past “Champion for Youth” recipients Steve Spurrier, Tommy LaSorda, Larry Bird, Joe Maddon, the late Roy Halladay and others.
Thurman was presented the J. Warren Hughes Champion for Youth Award by Brian Aungst Sr., former Mayor of Clearwater and Chairman of the Board for Clearwater for Youth. He and Spurrier both were in attendance, with Spurrier winning the “Outstanding Achievement in Sports” award and local businessman John Thomas recieving the Humanitarian award. The organization also presented 12 scholarships in the 45th year of the awards.
In his acceptance speech Thurman emphasized how important the Clearwater for Youth programs and the Clearwater Parks and Recreation programs were to him and his career.
“If it wasn’t for those programs for kids like me, I would never have entered the sport of boxing,” Thurman said. “I met Ben Getty through these programs and it was the time spent at the centers that first trained me. It gave me an outlet after school that turned into my profession.
“These programs were and still are instrumental to our youth and giving them a purpose and outlet for their future. I respect all of you that reached out to help one of these kids to grow because you didn’t have to, yet you did.”
For a closer look at Keith Thurman, check out his fighter page.
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