Photo courtesy of Andrew Lepping, MSG Entertainment
Nearly 2,500 people packed the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday night as the FDNY Bravest boxing team hosted the third annual International Battle of the Badges.
The event brought together first responders from across the United States, Ireland, and the United Kingdom for a night of charity boxing.
The night began with the New York City Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums walking out to the ring, followed by the FDNY Bravest boxing team as they were introduced to the crowd.
Before the fights began, the Connolly Sisters — Rachael, Joanna, and Shannon — performed the United States national anthem for the third consecutive year. The national anthems of the United Kingdom and Ireland were also played to recognize the international fighters competing on the card.
A moment of silence was then held for fallen first responders. Ten bells were rung inside the theater as the crowd stood quietly in tribute.
Justin T. Manning served as the announcer for the night as the bouts commenced.
The opening fight featured two 14-year-olds competing in their first bout, as Chris Abernante of Champion Breed Boxing faced Axel Almazo of Park Hill Cops & Kids in a featherweight matchup.
The rest of the card featured fighters from a wide range of departments and agencies, including the FDNY, London Fire Brigade, Garda Siochana in Ireland, the Atlanta Police Department, and the Harris County Police Department in Texas.
All bouts were scheduled for three rounds, with each round lasting two minutes. The fights were contested under the 10-Point Must System, with judges awarding points based on clean punching and ring generalship. Knockdowns were counted as a single effective blow, and fighters received a mandatory count of eight before referees determined whether they could continue. Judges for the night were Diane Greening, Muhammad Daeisadeghi, and Cassie O’Connor.
The only scheduled female bout of the night did not take place. FDNY firefighter Nicole Malpeso was awarded the victory in the welterweight matchup after opponent Meg Kilroe of Boston Children’s Hospital was unable to compete due to medical reasons.
During intermission, FDNY boxing team President Bobby McGuire, Vice President Capt. Jack Kirrane, Head Coach Mike Reno, and Head Trainer Susan Reno were honored in the ring along with representatives from several event sponsors, including Budweiser, Phorm Energy, and IVB Boxing.
The charities benefiting from the night were also recognized. They included the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation, the FDNY Foundation, the New York Firefighters Foundation, the Fight for Firefighters Foundation, and the FDNY Fire Family Transport Foundation.
One of the biggest moments of the night came during a check presentation to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The FDNY Bravest club presented a $25,000 donation to Stephen Siller Jr., the son of fallen firefighter Stephen Siller, bringing the team’s total donations to the organization to $275,000 over the past three years.
United States Marine Corps E-5 Sergeant Matthew Christie Hannon was also in the ring during the presentation and accompanied Siller as he addressed the crowd after accepting the donation.
“Thank you guys so much for your continued support for the foundation. To see these guys out here serving our community every day, and then to come in the ring to risk themselves in raising money for these great organizations, it’s truly incredible. God bless all of you. Let’s go to FDNY,” Siller said.
Another moment came before the middleweight bout between Yonkers firefighter Chris Paladino and Harris County Police Department’s Carlos Sandoval.
In his introduction video, Paladino spoke about how much motivation he draws from his father, Charlie Paladino, and asked the crowd to rise and chant his name. The crowd responded, and the camera cut to his father in the stands, visibly emotional, before returning to the ring for the walkout.
Fighters from the United States, including FDNY members and New York City Department of Sanitation employees, as well as competitors from Ireland and the United Kingdom, competed throughout the night in multiple weight classes, representing their departments in a series of scheduled bouts.
The third International Battle of the Badges continued its tradition of bringing first responders together in the ring while raising funds for the event’s supported charities.
For more like this Battle of the Badges feature, visit AMNY.com
→ Continue reading at amNY
