Boxing champ retires from CTA, plans to help children

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A CTA worker by day and a boxer by night, this former Golden Glove champ has a new mission. On Friday, a man who made us Chicago Proud got a sendoff fit for a champ.

"Luis thank you for giving, thank you for caring, thank you for making a difference and as they say in my neighborhood you da man," said Secretary of State Jesse White.

A party was on Friday morning for Luis Mateo, a former Golden Glove Champion, who has retired after 29 years with the CTA.

Now that Mateo is retired, he will have more time to devote to keeping kids off the street by teaching them boxing. Mateo was presented with a CTA championship belt for all his hard work, but Mateo said the real work is just beginning.

"I'm going back to the streets to help all the kids. I'm retiring. I talked to Jesse White because I want to do what he does, help the kids. That's my main thing," said Mateo, a former Golden Gloves Champ and CTA Worker.

In addition to the boxing Mateo will also be lending a hand with the Jesse White Foundation.