Downtown Boxing Gym shines bright in Tommy Hilfiger advertisement

DETROIT (FOX 2) - If you look closely at this global Tommy Hilfiger ad, you'll notice Detroit pride being worn proudly on the sleeves of the fashion icons's campaign.

While the gym has gotten national headlines, this latest feather in the cap isn't about boxing, per se. Look deeper and you'll understand it's bigger than that.  

"It wasn't even about the grit, the boxing, it wasn't about that. It's about the work we do in the community. Building strong women and men for our community, we're not looking for the next super athlete. We're looking for the next genius, the next Einstein. When you do work like that, people recognize it," said Khali Sweeney.

Sweeney, who heads up the gym, is proud of the young men and women who have come through, but it takes a village - one that he's thankful for. 

"It's a great day to be a Detroiter right now. You have the community coming together, in and out of the city, the suburbs, everybody understands that education is key and supporting these men and women on the path they want to be on," he said.

The Hilfiger ad has been viewed thousands of time on social media. It's titled 'Make Opportunity Possible.' Sweeney and coaches like Benji have been working to make their community a better place. It starts with the kids.

"They're doing what they're supposed to do, they're being upstanding members of society and they're doing the work that needs to be highlighted. So when you do the right thing, you get highlighted for the right thing," Sweeney said.

Sophomore Kamarion Smith is proud of the man he's becoming and the work he's done at the gym. Being featured in a national ad is something more to be proud of.  

"It was exciting, it was very exciting because I had never been in anything globally so I was really excited," he said.

But one day when the ad fades away, Smith's twin brother has this reminder that remains.  

"The lesson I learned is every action has a consequence so watch out what you do," said Omarion Smith.

The lessons that I've learned in being part of this organization was being responsible for my actions, learning how to control the things that I do and always focus on school," Kamarion said.