Check Out “Battle of the Badges” at MSG on Nov. 22

New York, NY, October 17, 2013 – A 31-year rivalry is set to continue when the NYPD takes on the FDNY in the annual “Battle of the Badges Presented by Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey.” The action-packed night of boxing is scheduled for Friday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m. in The Theater at Madison Square Garden with proceeds from the event benefiting both the Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Program and the Building Homes for Heroes Organization.

Tickets for the “Battle of the Badges Presented by Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey” are priced at $65.00, $50.00, and $30.00 and are currently on-sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets or online at www.thegarden.com.

“The Garden is thrilled to host another exciting night of boxing when the men and women of New York City’s police and fire departments step into the famed Garden ring on November 22,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, MSG Sports. “With bragging rights on the line, the true winners are the wonderful charities the NYPD and FDNY continue to support each year.”

“Although the NYPD has 40,000 members, and the FDNY has 8,000, an advantage of more than a 4-1, we still plan on showing up,” said Bobby McGuire, head boxing coach, FDNY. “As anyone with boxing knowledge knows, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog – and we’ll be there with plenty of fight.”

“Please come out and support New York City cops and firefighter's fighting to give New York City youth a place to go to be champs in the ring as well as in the community,” said Pat Russo, executive director, NYPD boxing. “Proceeds from this event will go towards opening a brand new boxing program in Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY, and will continue to support the Atlas Cops and Kids program.”

“Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey is thrilled to be a part of the 31^st annual Battle of the Badges, and to back the FDNY and NYPD's efforts to raise money for their outstanding causes,” said Cindy Wang, senior brand manager, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey. “Tullamore D.E.W. was built upon the Irish true spirit of its founder, Daniel E. Williams, and we can't imagine a finer showcase of courage and optimism in New York City to support.”

The FDNY boxing team has, once again, teamed up with Building Homes for Heroes and will donate proceeds from the event to help support the brave men and women of the military who have returned home from the Iraq or Afghanistan wars with severe wounds and disabilities, with the goal to build homes for families in dire need.

The NYPD will continue to support Atlas Cops and Kids with proceeds from the event. Atlas Cops and Kids runs three community boxing gyms in Berry Houses and Park Hill, Staten Island and Flatbush Gardens, Brooklyn, which offer tutoring, resume, and career assistance free of charge to youths from 12-21 years old.

The NYPD currently has over 400 registered youths participating in the three gyms, including heavyweight champion Earl “Flash” Newman, 21, of Flatbush, Brooklyn, who learned piano in church, and says he hears music in the ring, and lightweight “Africa” Hitchens, an eleventh grader at Science Skills High School. Marcus Browne, Olympic athlete and professional boxer, also got his start in the Atlas NYPD Cops and Kids program

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