Family, Fight, and Faith: How DBNO Helped Jaylen Find His Way

When Jaylen Beckwith first walked into Coach Alphonso Bailey’s makeshift gym, he was searching for more than just a place to box. He was looking for direction, consistency, and someone to believe in him. What he found was a second family—and a mission he would eventually come to call his own.

“I used to watch YouTube videos and try to teach myself how to box,” Jaylen said. “Then Coach Alphonso showed up at our school, and everything changed.”

Jaylen trained with DBNO before it had a name or a home—just a garage with a few heavy bags and a lot of heart. Coach Alphonso didn’t just offer technique—he taught life. “He talked to us about who we are, about how to treat people, how to carry ourselves. That changed me,” Jaylen said.

Coach’s belief in him was unshakable. “He told me, ‘You’re mine now—you’re with me,’” Jaylen said. “That stuck with me. He became a second father to me.”

As Jaylen grew, he took on more responsibility—supporting younger kids, helping keep the space in order, and showing up even when things were hard. “Coach never gave up on me,” he said. “Now I want to do the same for others.”

Today, Jaylen is helping Coach prepare the new gym for opening day. “I’ve got that fire again,” he said. “I want to help build this, grow this, and make sure other kids have what I had.”