FDNY boxing team prepares to compete in matches to raise funds for Tunnel to Towers

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NYC first responders hold boxing match to raise money for Tunnel to Towers

FDNY boxing club fighters Sean Dillon and Julian Gonzalez joined Fox & Friends First to discuss why they decided to square up in Madison Square Garden and how they have prepared for the match-ups. 

New York’s Bravest will square up in the first-ever International Battle of the Badges Boxing Match at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

FDNY first responders Sean Dillon and Julian Gonzalez joined "Fox & Friends First" on Wednesday to preview the bout.

"Younger me would be extremely happy," Dillon said. "This is a dream of mine."

The FDNY Bravest Boxing Team will host opponents from all over the country and the U.K. for the event.

Boxers will square up against first responders from Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Yonkers and West Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. 

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"We meet up almost every day," Gonzalez told host Carley Shimkus. "We train for 2–3 hours a day."

The Battle of the Badges is a 14-Bout Charity Match to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Thursday's event aims to raise $50,000 for the Foundation.

"I work with them a lot," said Dillon. "It’s great raising money for an organization that helps so many families."

Sean Dillon

Dillon, 29, started boxing in 2008 as a workout. His goal was to make his high school basketball team.

He’s been training on-and-off ever since, picking it back up six years ago when he joined the FDNY. 

Gonzalez grew up as a wrestler. He started boxing with his brother nine years ago and says he fell in love with it.

He joined FDNY in 2020 and began boxing for the team the following year. 

"It’s the main reason why I was on this job," Gonzalez said. 

Julian Gonzalez

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Thursday marks his sixth fight with the team.

To date, the FDNY Bravest Boxing has donated over $100,000 to support Tunnel to Towers' mission to provide mortgage-free homes and mortgage payoffs to our nation’s catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children.

Dillon and Gonzalez will square up against George Dobbins and Faisal Khan from the United Kingdom Boxing Team. 

The 2024 International Battle of the Badges will take place at MSG on Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available now at fdnyboxing.org.

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