A young Bermudian boxer, Dejon Benjamin, represented the island with distinction in the ring on Friday night at the Battle of the Badges II charity fight in Canada.

Mr Benjamin, 23, attended the fight in Burlington, Ontario on behalf of Police Gym, a Bermuda Police Service spokesman said.

He outboxed his more experienced opponent, John McMullan, who represented the Halton Regional Police Service.

Judges unanimously awarded the fight to Mr Benjamin, bringing the crowd of more than 1,200 to their feet — including the HRPS Chief of Police, Stephen Tanner, with his two Deputy Chiefs, Roger Wilkie and Nishan Duraiappah, along with 11 BPS officers and other Bermudian supporters.

Mr Benjamin’s introduction into the ring included a Bermuda Tourism Authority video highlighting Bermuda and the Making Bermuda Safer BPS video presentation.

After the fight, the Halton Police Senior Command joined the BPS winning team and were saluted with a round of Gosling’s Dark and Stormy drinks.

The BPS will be having a similar function in Bermuda in October 2020.

The charity fight is held to support the Canadian Critical Incident Stress Foundation’s Camp Faces, or Families And Children of Emergency Services.

The camp, which offers a support network for families who have lost a loved one in the line of duty, by suicide or sudden death, raised more than $55,000.

Calvin Smith, the BPS Staff Officer to the Commissioner of Police, as well as Sergeant Michael Butcher, chairman of the BPS Boxing Section, praised those that contributed to the event.

Mr Benjamin got special commendations, along with Charles Wade and Kevin (Manix) Simmons, his trainers.

Special thanks also went to the BPS Boxing Section, as well as Bermuda Blueprinting, John Stephens, BPS officers, and Bermudian supporters, along with the Halton Regional Police Service.

Nathan Dill, the Bermuda Boxing Federation president, said: “It was an extremely good match-up. He did Bermuda proud.”

Benjamin won his previous bout in Bermuda, defeating Eduardo González, of Controversy Gym, by a unanimous decision at the Fairmont Southampton in November.