Five fighters volunteer at Clear Path for Veterans before Friday Night Fight

By Lauren Young

Staff Writer

Before two heavyweight fighters faced off Friday night in a bloody battle for the World Heavyweight Title at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, main-event fighters Bryant Jennings and Oscar Rivas, along with three other fighters on Friday’s card, traded their gloves for serving spoons on Wednesday, Jan. 16, when they volunteered their time at Clear Path for Veterans in Chittenango to meet local veterans and serve them lunch.

“[Clear Path for Veterans] is incredible, and I know this is something the Top Rank [Boxing] family will take with them for a long time,” said Mark Shunock, Host of Top Rank Boxing. “We’re truly blessed to do what we do, but we couldn’t do what we do without the sacrifices [these veterans] have made.”

On Friday, Jan. 18, Bryant Jennings put his IBF International and NABO heavyweight belts on the line in a 12-round battle against unbeaten NABF champion Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas in the Turning Stone ring.

In the evening’s co-feature, undefeated featherweight sensation and 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson faced Jessie Cris Rosales, from the Philippines, in a 10-rounder for the IBF Intercontinental and WBC Continental Americas featherweight belts. Lightweight boxer Vikas Krishan, from India, also made his professional boxing debut that night.

But two days before the fight, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., the five fighters volunteered their time at 1223 Salt Springs Rd. to greet over 50 local veterans and serve them pastas, salads and other dishes, which was an “honor” to do, said Bryant Jennings, heavyweight boxer from Philadelphia, PA.

“It’s a great honor to serve those who have served,” said Jennings.

“I wanted to give back to the people who helped this country,” echoed Oscar Rivas, heavyweight boxer from Montreal, Canada. “It’s the least we can do.”

“I’m glad that I got to come here to serve those who served us,” said Shakur Stevenson, featherweight boxer from Newark, NJ. “It’s great that we’re able to help them too.”

For veteran Seamus Hartigan who grew up watching “Friday Night Fights” and became versed in boxing after his father “made a point” to train him to defend himself, he did not recognize the current fighters, but recognized what remains the same.

“I guessed all their weight classes down the table,” said Hartigan, who served six years in the National Guard. He visits Clear Path every Wednesday and said it has become his “cup of tea.”

“It’s been a wonderful experience, and I’ll certainly remember this,” he said. “They’re enjoying this and I’m enjoying this; [the fighters] are all handling this very well.”

To extend their appreciation, Shunock said they also offered free tickets to veterans interested in attending the fight.

“For us to be here, break bread and have lunch with [the veterans], it is truly something special,” said Shunock. “We’re excited for Turning Stone; it’s going to be an unbelievable evening.”