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Local fighters brawl to stop child hunger

February 23, 2014

The Original Heroes Bar Fight Night took the top fighters from different fraternities, bars and restaurants to fight for charity. The fighters got in the ring to benefit Original Heroes, a Lansing-based organization that fights child hunger in the city.

Photo by Geoff Preston | The State News

It was no Madison Square Garden or Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, but on Saturday night Chandler Crossings turned into a boxing venue that carried the excitement of a world-class fight night.

The Original Heroes Bar Fight Night took the top fighters from different fraternities, bars and restaurants to fight for charity. The fighters got in the ring to benefit Original Heroes, a Lansing-based organization that fights child hunger in the city.

The Club at Chandler Crossings its gym into a boxing arena complete with a ring, ringside seats and concessions that served beer, pizza and fries.

The fighters got in the ring for three rounds that lasted one minute each. There were 11 bouts total.

Mel Spencley of The Original Heroes said she was pleased with the turnout. Although the total funds raised has yet to be determined, Spencley said all donations are important.

“What we do is provide meals to Haven House,” she said. “Seventy-five percent of our kids are living in poverty. We provide them with one meal a day, so by doing events like this I can take the proceeds and give them back to those organizations.”

Spencley said Original Heroes hopes to do more events like the fight night.

Some of the fights were stopped before the final bell of the third round. Supply chain management senior Dan Jajo was part of the first round that saw him come out as the winner before the third round began.

Jajo said being able to compete is what brought him out and pushed him to train as hard as he did.

“I took some classes in it (boxing),” he said after his fight. “I was given an opportunity so I decided to take it.”

Six months of training went into preparing for the fight. Jajo said he trained 3 days a week at Crown Boxing in Lansing to get himself in shape to fight.

For Jajo, the spotlight of being front and center in the ring was the best part of the process for him.

“It felt good to get in the ring with the spotlight on me and throw a few punches,” he said. “It was really a great experience.”

Jajo said he hopes he can fight more if the opportunity presents itself.

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