A KO Night for Local Charity

Heroes come in many forms.

If you look up the word in the dictionary you will find descriptions of “a person who is admired or idealized for courage and outstanding achievements,” “an illustrious warrior,” “one who shows great courage admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities,” etc.

Heroes are often brave souls willing to sacrifice all in helping others. Risking hazardous situations most people would run from, some of the best heroes come in the form of first responders dedicated to saving lives. Policemen, firemen, corrections officers, EMS workers, armed forces and more who step into battle on a daily basis. They are courageous men and women who are truly selfless in giving up their own safety to save the lives of strangers.

And these same heroes stepped into battle once again–this time walking into a boxing ring to battle each other to raise money for the nonprofit Cops 4 Kids & Communities (C4KC) based in Southern California. The bi-annual “Battle of the Badges” recently took place at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California in which amateur boxing and kickboxing matches took place–all in the name of charity. C4KC’s provides free athletic, scholastic, creative arts programs and more for the kids in the Hemet, Colton, Rialto, and surrounding areas.

Here’s my recap of the evening in this special report with exclusive snapshots from the function.

This first show in 2016 got off to a bang as the Grand Ballroom filled to capacity in another sell out for the Hemet C4KC crew. Fifteen bout were scheduled with both male and female warriors lacing up. The bash was hosted by C4KC’s Executive Director Jeff Penn with support from his Board of Directors, sponsors and team of volunteers. This January 30 fight night was presented in association with Pechanga Resort and Casino along with Fausto’s Bail Bonds, AMR Riverside County, Securitas, VIP Autos, VJ Graphics, The Shopper & Restaurant Guide and more.

The “Battle of the Badges” is always one of my favorite events to attend and this “Hero vs. Hero” installment did not disappoint. It’s always great catching up with Executive Director Jeff Penn (a former officer and amateur boxer) C4KC PR’s Richard Perry, and the always hilarious and witty Master of Ceremonies Ken Southern and Mark Blanton. Also ensuring the night was a success were Team C4KC including Jackie Penn, Becky Polk, Rick Thompsen, Dave O’Dowd, Mayzelle Rhoten, Chris Pendergrass, and more.

Making his first appearance at “Battle of the Badges” was celebrity guest judge Paul Banke. Paul is a multiple world champ who won titles as a professional prizefighter. He told me he really enjoyed seeing the fights and being part of this charitable organization. Other notable attendees were pro fighter Oscar “The Boxer” Muniz was there with his team of MVP Boxing Gym pugilists,
popular champion Travon Taylor (United Combat Association), Bill Dempsey Young (Golden State Boxers Association and National Boxing Hall of Fame) and National Anthem singer Marcella Sanchez. The ring card girls (and boy) were from Tilted Kilt and were a big hit as they announced each round of the fights.

Officials for the night were a hard-working trio of referees David Mendoza, Tom Taylor and Hondo Fontan. It was Fontan’s first time working this show; Mendoza and Taylor have worked many “Battle of the Badges” and are also very respected in the sweet science. Ensuring the safety of the fighters first, the three officials did a great job on the canvas.

And taking their positions center ring, the fighters were ready for action!

These officers are usually fighting crime and putting out fires, but this time they went face to face to fight each other. The men and women on the card came in packing heat and ready to rumble! There were fiery war of attritions in the ring with the combatants trading punches as their family and friends cheered them on. Some of these weekend warriors were fighting for the very first time while others had as many as nine bouts under their belt. The walkouts were exciting as these heroes strutted to their corners as DJ Nizzy Nizz blasted classic rock anthems like “Breaking the Law” and “Iron Man.” The fans hoisted homemade signs and sported T-shirts touting their favorite fighter. There were many back and forth battles, several standing-eight counts and a few stoppages during the night.

The main event was a female battle between Katherine “Kat” Proudfoot vs. Jasmine Isiodoria and the co-main between kickboxers Michael Wenger and Sam “Mall Cop” Morales. Proudfoot won the war against Isiodoria and Wenger bested his opponent Morales.

“Fight of the Night” honors went to kickboxers Mark Houston and PJ McGee. They say styles make fights and this matchup was an explosive one between a slugger and a kicker. The 2016 “FOTN” winners received gift cards and hotel stays courtesy of Pechanga. Female punchers Leslie Sanchez and Amber Sarkissian also mentioned as a contender for “Fight of the Night.” Sanchez (nicknamed “Mighty Mouse”) proved to be a petite powerhouse against Amber (known as “The Preacher’s Wife”). The crowd was on its feet cheering on the ladies and when the fight ended it was the “Mighty Mouse” Sanchez who was the victor. Leslie had a huge crew of support behind her including her brother, mom Martha and dad (who is a sheriff and also boxes). The petite Sanchez was almost dwarfed by the shiny championship belt awarded to all the victors. But don’t let her size fool you, this dynamo was all power in the boxing ring.

I enjoyed meeting many of these brave officers who showed courage and heart in the ring. They really give it their all, win or lose. Even in defeat (and perhaps nursing slightly bruised egos), the fighters told me it was an honor putting on the gloves to help Cops 4 Kids & Communities.

Besides the live fights there were also two moments during the gala that also captured everyone’s attention.

There was an emotional tribute to the victims of the tragic shooting in San Bernardino (December 2015) honoring the innocent people who lost their lives on that fateful day.

And on the other side of the spectrum, there was a moment of joy with a surprise marriage proposal from one of the fighters! Cody “Ironman” Anderson won his bout against Manuel Bustillos and immediately after his victory surprised his girlfriend by proposing to her in the ring! And yes, she said YES as the spectators roared its approval.

This Cops 4 Kids & Communities “Battle of the Badges” fundraiser is always a blast. And this 2016 “Hero vs. Hero” fundraiser held at Pechanga was a memorable one. Jeff Penn and his Board of Directors put in extraordinary efforts to make each “BOTB” the best it can be and their hard work and dedication shows. Penn and company are also true heroes in helping the at-risk kids. They do not take a salary and donate all the funds back into the nonprofit organization. The next event is planned for July…so don’t miss out on helping the C4KC youth!

Congrats to all of the “Hero vs. Hero” sluggers and see you next time.

Photos by Michele Chong