'Battle in the Desert' in Cathedral City will see officers face off in the boxing ring
Law enforcement officers from the Coachella Valley and beyond will be going head to head in the boxing ring next month during an annual “Battle in the Desert” in Cathedral City.
The event will feature matches between officers from throughout Southern California and even Texas. Jesus Gonzalez, a Cathedral City police officer, has been organizing Battle in the Desert since 2016 — only taking a pause in 2020 due to the pandemic.
“It brings the whole community out together,” Gonzalez said. “Everybody interacts with each other and gets to talk to each other, so it's pretty exciting.”
Gonzalez started boxing when he was around 14 years old. Though he doesn’t anymore, citing his age and the stress of fighting while simultaneously organizing an event, he has previously competed in Battle in the Desert and a similar event called the SoCal Battle of the Badges in Rancho Mirage.
Having participated in the other boxing matches, Gonzalez said he always felt like putting a better event together.
“I like to run it a little bit more pro-style,” he said. “We have ring girls, we have (a) DJ production with smoke and lights and the whole thing.”
Gonzalez said he also lets fighters choose the music they walk out to and gives them complimentary tickets, T-shirts, custom belts and trophies.
“We spend a lot of money on this show, and I think it's starting to pay off,” he said.
Law enforcement from several agencies are participating, including the Palm Springs Police Department, Beaumont Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, U.S. Marines, United States Border Patrol, Houston Fire Department and Houston Police Department.
One of the matches will be between the Beaumont Police Department and Palm Springs Police Department, Gonzalez said. El Monte Police Department Officer Sergio Machado will be fighting in memory of his co-workers Sgt. Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana, who died in the line of duty.
Many organizations and businesses were involved in putting the boxing event together. Gonzalez said he collaborates with the Joel Diaz Training Camp in Indio, which allows the event to use their ring and fighters to use their gym to train.
Other businesses and organizations at the event include the Adrian Cordova Foundation, which will sell beer; Santa Fe Restaurant, which will sell food; and Side Action Apparel, which will sell merchandise like T-shirts.
Battle in the Desert will be held on October 1 at the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and matches will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40 and will be sold at the door, but kids ages 10 and under can enter for free.
Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City. Reach her at ani.gasparyan@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Cathedral City boxing event will see police officers face off
