Page 54 - FOP May 2019 Magazine

WORTH FIGHTING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53 Join us for a little blow by blow:
Bout 1 – Officer Liz Campos vs. Fire- fighter Denise Toscano: In the first of three matches featuring female fight- ers, Campos came out throwing a flurry of lefts and rights. She never stopped burrowing into Toscano and unleash- ing punches. Even though the bout was awarded to Toscano, Campos heard that the judges might have made a mistake. “I appreciate that,” she noted. “Everybody else did, too. But, hey, it’s up to the judg- es.”
Bout 2 – Calixto vs. Chevas: After scor- ing the eight-count in the first round, Calixto landed a right in the third round to force another. A large contingent of his family and friends roared as the bout ended with Calixto pounding his chest. “I just kept on pushing,” he said. “That knockdown don’t mean nothing until that last bell.”
Bout 3 – Officer Rod Hummons vs. Firefighter Dakota Pisarek: Hummons did his best to slip punches, but Pisarek landed just enough blows to win the bout.
Bout 4 – Officer Sal Cano vs. Firefight- er Tiego Hudson: Cano ducked under the reach of the taller Hudson success- fully until the second round. A couple of
Hudson’s punches connected in the sec- ond round and the fight was stopped.
Bout 5 – Bianchini vs. Firefighter Jose Perez: Bianchini charged out of his cor- ner at the bell, determined to get CPD back into the battle. He didn’t even sit between rounds, and he landed a right cross in the second round that snapped his opponent’s head back. It was all over at this point but the post-bout hugs be- tween fighters. “Getting all the first re- sponders together for charity purposes just felt great,” Bianchini emphasized.
Bout 6 – Officer Carmen Maldonado vs. Firefighter Reva Acevado: Maldona- do chased Acevado around the ring but couldn’t get any punches to land on her taller opponent. Acevado’s reach was too much to overcome, even though Maldo- nado put her on the ropes at the end of the third round.
Bout 7 – Officer Miguel Vasquez vs. Firefighter Aaron Sniff: The first punch knocked down Vasquez. So did the sec- ond. Sniff scored the only knockout of the night.
Bout 8 – Miller vs. De La Rosa: Down 5-2 in matches, CPD had to win the rest of the fights to force a tie. “I think I caught him with a left hook and the right hand right behind it,” explained Miller of the combination that started the comeback.
Bout 9 – Sanchez vs. Firefighter Ivan Hernandez: The trading of punches in the first round underscored two gladia- tors battling like heavyweights. Sanchez put his opponent on the ropes in the second round, and yelled to himself, “dig deep” to start the third round. “It was a dream come true. I gotta pinch my- self right now,” Sanchez charged. “I still can’t believe I got it done. It was about a month of hard work. Late nights, early mornings, but I’m glad I did it for every- one.”
Bout 10 – Officer Roberta Chapa vs. Firefighter Betsy Michna: Wearing CPD socks and blue shoes, Chapa was decked out for the moment. She punched until the end but couldn’t land enough to pull out the victory.
The night ended with a flurry of ap- plause and cheers. When CPD and CFD fighters rushed into the ring for a final photo op, it inspired a group hug. Such a finishing touch left a lasting perspective.
“Even though we’re in that ring, fire’s on one side, police on one side, at the end of the day, we’re all brothers and sis- ters,” Calixto concluded. “That’s all that counts.”
54 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ MAY 2019