The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and St. Johns County Fire Rescue do their part daily to keep residents safe, but now they are also preparing to give back to the community in another way with a charity boxing event.
St. Johns County Fight Night is scheduled for Thursday Feb. 13 and will feature deputies and firefighters as they leave it all in the ring with several boxing matches to benefit Diamond of Dreams and the St. Johns County Police Athletic League.
Diamond of Dreams is a new build project providing a ball field and a playground for children with special needs, while St. Johns PAL is an organization that provides youth an opportunity to play a variety of sports in the county.
The event will start with the first match’s bell ringing at 6 p.m. with doors opening at 5 p.m. The night will kick off with teenagers in the ring that are a part of the St. Johns PAL boxing program.
According to organizers, the children participating are tough and have dedicated their time to the team and deserve to be awarded a legit fight in front of a real audience.
The main events will consist of members of St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, St. Johns County Fire Rescue and St. Augustine Fire Department, as they battle for the belt and annual title while raising money for a larger cause.
The fighters have shown commitment and devotion to the event by training during their off time while still serving the community in a variety of ways.
The fights will each be three one-minute rounds with a one-minute interval.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office held its first boxing event last year on a smaller scale and it was a huge success, and they expect and even bigger showcase with it being held at The St. Augustine Amphitheater.
The boxing ring will be placed in the pit area, so every seat will be close to the action. There will also be special guest judges, food and drinks, and event merchandise for all those in attendance to purchase.
“I’ve fought in amateur boxing matches,” Fight Night promoter and SJSO deputy Krissie Padgett said. “It takes a lot of courage to get in that ring, especially in front of a large crowd. I’m so excited for this group of fighters to experience the exhilarating feeling of entering The Amp with their walk-out song blaring and hearing the fans cheer, there’s nothing like it. Whether you win or lose, it feels amazing to represent your agency in such a positive light to ultimately help the children of our community.”
Anyone interested in purchased tickets to the boxing event can go to www.theamp.com and search the events tab. Those looking to sponsor the event can contact Padgett via email at kpadgett@sjso.org or by calling 904-907-2892.
