CTV Montreal's head security guard Sylvain Paradis turned a downward spiral in the wake of tragedy around after finding a passion in boxing.

Paradis lost both his parents when he was 17, and his life was starting to go down a precarious slope before being introduced to the sport.

"I started to hang out on the street," he said. "I just discovered boxing by a friend, and that literally changed my life."

Paradis started as a security guard at CTV 16 years ago and pushed his passion for amateur boxing to the side.

That's changed and he will now hang up his radio and security card to pursue career coaching hopeful sluggers in the ring.

"I want to make the difference in the life of people because boxing is a great sport to be in shape," he said. "You work every aspect of the body."

He will begin coaching at Academie Frontenac Boxing Gym where there are more than 200 members of all ages, genders and abilities.