Days before his first professional fight, Pryce Sparrow, along with boxing legend Roy Jones Jr., spoke to kids at West End School. "I feel like it's helping out the kids," said Sparrow. "It's just giving the kids an outlet to be like, you know, somebody else do it. I can do it. Give them confidence. "The Hardin County 18-year-old's boxing journey began because of how he was being treated in school."I was getting picked on and bullied. You know, I wanted something to fall back on in case something hit the fan. Like, in case it was to get physical. I'd be able to defend myself," said Sparrow.And that fueled his passion for boxing. Through a mutual friend, Sparrow would get introduced to Roy Jones Jr. and get the opportunity to spar in front of him. Jones Jr. saw something in Sparrow and took him under his wing. "When I saw him in the beginning, he was a very mature kid, which is what drew me to him," said Jones. Jr. "Now. to see him take the things that I started to implement in him and use in the ring. It'll just be a growing process that keeps me happy, yet eager to train him and teach him more." Their relationship has been full of lessons."He taught me things that I never knew because, you know, he's a veteran. He's a legend. So he knows a lot more than I know. He told me, like, it's just little things with defeat that change the fight game, totally," said Sparrow. The lessons aren't just physical either, Jones Jr. has been helping Sparrow with the mental aspect of the sport."Roy being more mental in his corner. Really just having him to take in the moment of what's about to happen," said Pryce's father, Kelvin Sparrow. "What his skills have already got him to on the standpoint of the notoriety. Now, Roy just trying to be the coach on the mental side of it, like this is how you handle the pressure. You got the skills, but this is how you deal with it."Pryce Sparrow has excelled in his amateur career, winning multiple national championships. But now he's ready for the next step in his journey. Making his professional debut in front of his hometown crowd. "I'm going to be nervous just a little bit because it's a lot of pressure on me. I'm gonna be nervous, but I'm gonna, you know, take it and put it in the ring and it goes away," said Sparrow. "Louisville is pretty much is the capital. Home of the greatest of all time, of course, Muhammad Ali. We're just, like, 30 minutes out of Hardin County. And, we thought the best place to start his career is Louisville, Kentucky. And we're here," said Kelvin Sparrow. Sparrow kicks off his pro career Saturday night in a six-round super lightweight bout against Gabriel Triminio (1-1) from South Carolina.