The Fight to End Cancer is a growing initiative incorporating sport and fundraising in amateur, fun and friendly bouts. In addition to their annual gala which features ‘White Collar’ men and women with no prior boxing experience, the Fight To End Cancer was showcased at the first ever Friday Night Fights ‘To End Cancer’ as part of this years Gentlemen’s Expo.
On Friday November 24th, fighters squared off at the Gentlemen’s Expo held inside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to fight for the good cause in ending cancer. The sanctioned Olympic boxing matches were hosted by ‘Showdown Joe’ Ferraro and our Official FTEC Ring Announcer, Barry ‘Bad Boy’ Pletch. The event featured such Canadian provincial and national title holders as Sara Haghighat-Joo (Canadian Champion), and Mark Smither and Kassandra O’Reilly who both fought on the inaugural Fight To End Cancer card in 2012.
Photo Credit: Spencer Wynn Photography | Sara Haghighat-Joo winds up for a right cross. The main event, featuring Kassandra O’Reilly vs. Sara Haghighat-Joo, was celebrated with a win by Haghighat-joo.
The annual Gentlemen’s Expo delivers the pinnacle of gentlemanly content, retailers, brands, and experiences. The Friday Night Fights ‘To End Cancer’ proved to be a knockout addition, captivating hundreds of spectators with five Olympic-style boxing matches featuring some of Canada’s top boxers. The event commenced with an energetic performance by the Inner Truth Taiko drummers, setting an electrifying tone for the night. The packed audience was treated to five action-packed matches, each a showcase of skill and athleticism.
“The Gentlemen’s Expo has been going on for five years and it keeps growing every year and we wanted to add a new element to it this year. We noticed last year our main attraction was mixed martial artist George St-Pierre. We noticed a lot of ticket sales and buzz about him, so we kept going on along that fight world and our founder Luca del Rosso approached a company called Fight to End Cancer. The executive director Jennifer Huggins organizes these gala fights a few times a year and it was the perfect fit because she had fighters wanting to fight and we had a venue ready to host.”
~ Vice-President of marketing Jon Sinden
Photo Credit: Chris Small | The Friday Night Fights ‘To End Cancer’ hosts, ‘Showdown Joe’ Ferraro (right) and our Official FTEC Ring Announcer, Barry ‘Bad Boy’ Pletch (left)
The main event showcased Kassandra O’Reilly against Sara Haghighat-Joo, culminating in a victory for Haghighat-Joo. The Co-Main event, featuring Mark Smither vs. Thad Ridsdill, earned the title of Fight of the Night, with Smither securing a hard-earned split decision victory. The undercard bouts included Robert Serrano vs. Aden Djama, Jessica Burgess vs. Amanda Galle, and Moe Zawadi vs. James Hughes.
Ringside, the Fight To End Cancer team actively raised funds through t-shirt sales, raffles, and a 50/50 draw. Prior to the ring action, some Gentlemen’s Expo attendees who made a small donation were treated to 5 minutes of boxing instruction in the ring from three-time Canadian Champion Rodolfo “Latin Heat” Velasquez.
Photo Credit: Chris Small | Canadian Champion Rodolfo “Latin Heat” Velasquez poses for some selfies with some of The Gentlemen’s Expo guests who tried throwing a few punches before the boxers took to the ring.
The main event showcased Kassandra O’Reilly against Sara Haghighat-Joo, culminating in a victory for Haghighat-Joo. The Co-Main event, featuring Mark Smither vs. Thad Ridsdill, earned the title of Fight of the Night, with Smither securing a hard-earned split decision victory. The undercard bouts included Robert Serrano vs. Aden Djama, Jessica Burgess vs. Amanda Galle, and Moe Zawadi vs. James Hughes.
Ringside, the Fight To End Cancer team actively raised funds through t-shirt sales, raffles, and a 50/50 draw. Prior to the ring action, some Gentlemen’s Expo attendees who made a small donation were treated to 5 minutes of boxing instruction in the ring from three-time Canadian Champion Rodolfo “Latin Heat” Velasquez.
“This was an incredible step in the next leg of the journey with our Fight To End Cancer Family. To be able to showcase the sport we love for a cause so important to everyone was a dream come true! Thank you to the team at The Gentlemen’s Expo for joining the fight and taking FTEC to the next level”
~ Virgil Barrow, Fight To End Cancer Head Coach and Director
The Friday Night Fights To End Cancer was a resounding success, effectively raising both awareness and funds for cancer research. We extend our gratitude to our partners at the Gentlemen’s Expo for their valuable support.
About The Fight To End Cancer
The Fight To End Cancer (FTEC) is a year-round initiative carried out by ambassadors, sponsors and volunteers worldwide. Nearly $3 million has been donated to date, since our inaugural year, in 2012. Funds raised by FTEC are donated directly to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. Each year we celebrate the incredible hard work and dedication of our FTEC family with a black-tie charity boxing gala. This gala showcases ten men and women who represent our Official Fight Team. Our goal is to raise funds for cancer research year-round with the support of the local community and business owners. Let’s make a difference now in the fight to end cancer, for a long and successful future for everyone. This is an event like no other and has quickly become one of the most anticipated events in Toronto. www.fighttoendcancer.com
About The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation at University Health Network raises funds for breakthrough research, exemplary teaching and compassionate care at Princess Margaret Hospital and its research arm, the Ontario Cancer Institute, which now includes The Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute and The Campbell Family Breast Cancer Research Institute. More information about the Foundation can be found at www.thepmcf.ca
