As the bell rang at the prestigious York Hall on Sunday 3rd May, professional boxer and Fight for Peace coach Dylan Adebisi delivered another commanding performance against Jordan Grannum across six rounds of skill, composure and pure entertainment. With his sharp movement and quick jab on full display, Adebisi secured his fourth professional victory and maintained his undefeated record.

But for the young people he coaches at Fight for Peace, Dylan’s success means far more than titles and unbeaten records. It represents what is possible through discipline, self-belief and the support of positive role models.

At Fight for Peace, sport is about far more than athletic achievement. It’s about helping young people build confidence, resilience and positive futures both inside and outside of the ring. 

Having first joined Fight for Peace as a young member himself, Dylan now stands as a powerful example of that journey in action. As both a coach and rising professional boxer, he is helping shape the next generation not only as athletes, but as young people learning the value of consistency, humility and self-worth through mentorship and guidance.

For Dylan, that responsibility is something he doesn’t take lightly. “Someone told me recently that often a boy’s first male role model is a PE teacher if they don’t have a father figure around, and I thought that was really interesting because I related to that,” he explains. “I like to think of myself as that person for some of the young people here.”

That understanding comes from lived experience, with Dylan’s own journey with Fight for Peace beginning at 16 years old when he first walked through the doors to train in muay thai. “Becoming a professional boxer was never part of the plan,” he shared. “I didn’t come here wanting to be a professional fighter, I just wanted to learn the skills and train, like a lot of young people who come to Fight for Peace.”

What started as a place to train quickly became something much bigger. Coaches recognised Dylan’s potential early and encouraged him to transition into boxing, giving him not only technical guidance, but belief in himself as an athlete.

At 18, Dylan stepped into the ring for his first amateur bout at a Fight for Peace home show. He won. That night marked the beginning of an impressive amateur career that saw him win three London regional titles and a national title. More importantly, it marked the beginning of a major shift in his confidence and mindset.

“Getting to the London finals was a massive moment for me because I genuinely didn’t think I would win,” Dylan explains. “I just wanted to see how far I could stay in the tournament for.” Going on to win the national title soon after became another defining moment, giving him the confidence needed to take his boxing career to new heights.

Now, as a coach himself, Dylan recognises that same journey in many of the young people he works with every day. He understands how transformative the right support, encouragement and environment can be because he experienced it firsthand through the mentors around him at Fight for Peace, particularly long-time coach and Fight for Peace Sports Manager Silvino.

“Silvino had, and still has, a huge impact on me,” Dylan says. “He bought me my first pair of boxing shoes because I wore Air Forces for my first fight. He’s done so much for me both in and outside of the gym.”

That sense of care and guidance is something Dylan now works hard to pass on. Alongside training for his professional career, he dedicates huge amounts of time to coaching and mentoring young people, many of whom see him as someone they can trust, relate to and open up to.

“I love boxing, I love coaching and I do a lot of it when I’m not in the gym training myself,” he says. “I’ve had loads of kids open up to me about what they’re going through and asking for advice. I think they relate to me and see me as someone they can confide in.”

For the young people at Fight for Peace, seeing one of their own coaches succeed on the professional stage sends a powerful message. Through his example, mentorship and honesty about his own journey, he is helping young people at Fight for Peace believe in themselves and understand what is possible with the right support around them.

Dylan will be embarking on his next professional bout on July 12th at the Brentwood Centre, where he will be competing for his first professional title as Commonwealth International Super Welterweight Champion. Go get it Dylan, we’re all in your corner!

To find out more about our free boxing sessions, check out our timetable here.