BOXING champion Sam Soliman visited Swan Hill on Friday to share his own personal story with local male students and young men, and deter them from turning to a life of violence.
The former International Boxing Federation (IBF) World Middleweight Champion spoke to two separate groups at Swan Hill College’s FLO campus, as part of the Koori Choices anti-violence program.
The program is aimed at boys aged 15 to 17 years, specifically targeting students disengaged with school, with research showing them to have the highest risk of carrying weapons and coming into contact with the justice system.
Mr Soliman, who has a professional record of 44 wins to 11 losses, told the young men how he turned his life around after being convicted of an assault at a young age.
“You have choices in front of you at the time, and some of them look easy,” Mr Soliman told the boys.
“It’s a long way away to be at the top so you don’t think of that, you just see the choices in front of you – but by the time you get there, you’re glad you made all the right choices along the way.”
For more on this story, grab a copy of Monday’s paper (May 18).
