Diego Magdaleno, Joel & Antonio Diaz Guest Judges
There was plenty of fire in the ring at Saturday’s 2015 Battle of the Badges (BOTB) held at Agua Caliente Casino, Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
This charity fight night pits policemen, firemen, corrections officers, EMS, Armed Forces members and more in amateur boxing bouts benefiting the nonprofit organization. These bouts are always spirited ones (especially when braggin’ rights are involved) and this BOTB clash is always one of my favorites to attend.
And the weekend event lived up to all expectations.
This popular SoCal Battle of the Badges is organized by C4KC Executive Director (and former officer) Jeff Penn, Chairman Richard Perry, Dave O’Dowd, Mayzelle Rhoten, Chris Pendergrass, Becky Polk, Jackie Penn, Rick Thomsen, the C4KC Board of Directors and team of volunteers and supported by sponsors like AMR and Fausto’s Bail Bonds and more.
The Master of Ceremonies Mark Blanton and Ken Southern kept the crowd entertained between bouts. The comedic duo were also presented with their own championship belts in honor of their contributions to C4KC through the years. The referees for the night were Sherif Said and Ray Chavez and the National Anthem singer was Katelyn Walsh. Desert Showdown’s Ralph Romero (a longtime supporter of amateur boxing) was also there to take in the action.
Sitting ringside were a trio of celebrity guest judges: pro fighter Diego Magdaleno, former pro and current trainer Joel Diaz and former champion and current trainer Antonio “Toño” Diaz. The guys said they were having a great time and appreciated the efforts of the amateurs (some who were fighting for the very first time).
There were 15 bouts (boxing and kickboxing) with the fundraiser benefiting the Cops 4 Kids & Communities (C4KC) nonprofit organization which assists and mentors youth. The action was nonstop as the men and women set down their badges and let their fists fly. There were two female fights and four kickboxing matchups on the schedule and the attendees got their money’s worth with plenty of action center ring. There was also a spirited dance routine performed by Pugilist Gear’s ring card girls.
And the 30 fighters in the ring all donated their time to support this bi-annual charity bash. There were several close battles, grudge matches and all-out wars in the ring as the peace officers let their hands in the name of glory–and a shiny gold belt for the winners.
Some of the fighters and kickboxers were lacing up for the very first time. I spoke to several of the weekend warriors at the weigh-in and they expressed their excitement at trying something brand new. The age range of the amateur spanned from age 19 all the way to age 55. Some had trained for months, others a few weeks. But all were ready to rumble.
Their walkout entrances were accompanied by live tunes from the Little George Band. And the fans in the stands went wild when they saw their co-workers, friends and family members walking up the stairs–and into the Lion’s den.
Each fighter answered the bell ready for war. The 15 duels included several standing-eight counts and knockdowns.
The kickboxing bout between Riverside’s Corey Fletcher and Terrance Julian (U.S. Air Force) kept the spectators’ attention with a fury of punches and kicks. This contest made some new kickboxing fans of the crowd, many who had never seen live kickboxing before. The showdown also a special attraction fight between former pros 49-year-old Lorenzo Rodriguez and Robert Rios, 45 years old that had the crowd cheering and already clamoring for a rematch.
The main event saw Travon “T-Bomb” Taylor take on Jose Angel Carrillo in a good war that had both men caught in the crossfire. Using his jab and ring experience, the heralded Travon Taylor had his hand raised in victory when the decision was announced. Taylor adds one more glittering belt to his growing collection of championship straps.
Local fighter Alex Duran (hailing from Indio) and Chino’s Babak Izadseta also had the audience on their feet and yelling for their favorite fighter. Duran (with former Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Sabas Rosas in his corner) won his bout, which was the very first fight for Duran and Izadseta. It was a good back-and-forth battle with both pugs scoring knockdowns in the opening round–and their match was a close runner-up for “Fight of the Night” honors.
But at the end of the night, it was the ladies that stole the show.
I met both Ashley Powers (CDCR-Blythe) and Alexis Trinidad-Marquez (EMT) at the weigh-in. Both are brunette, petite and weighing in at just 125 pounds. And while the official bout sheet said each combatant had “zero” ring experience, each fought their heart out.
Raining punches down on each other, the women left it all in the ring in Bout 15, the evening’s final fight. Showing grit and determination, the ring rookies wowed the crowd. Fans screamed at the top of their lungs as each round got underway. When time was up, Ashley Powers was declared the victor. But both girls were applauded–and honored–with the prestigious “Fight of the Night” honors and a job well done.
Congrats to each and every officer who fought in this year’s Battle of the Badges!
Photos by Michele Chong
