CMC of Westfield’s Annual Boxing Night Raises $70,000 to Benefit Scholarship Fund
The College Men’s Club of Westfield (CMC) hosted another record-setting “Friday Night at the Fights” fundraiser to benefit the CMC Scholarship Fund. On Friday, February 7th, a sold-out crowd of more than 250 attendees assembled at the Kenilworth Veterans Center to watch 11 amateur bouts refereed by officials of the New Jersey Association of USA Boxing.
The evening generated gross proceeds of more than $70,000 benefiting the club’s scholarship fund from ticket sales, a 50/50 raffle, and sponsorships by three local businesses. The 2025 event’s results exceeded all 21 previous years’ gross and net totals.
CMC President Dave Germond shared that “We are energized watching these talented young athletes demonstrate their skill and training for such a worthy cause as expanding access to higher education.” Germond further noted that “the CMC is extremely grateful to our Platinum Sponsor, Ray Catena Mercedes Benz of Union and our two Gold Sponsors, Rumble Boxing of Westfield and The Isoldi Collection, for their generous support of this annual event, the CMC’s largest fundraiser.”
At the conclusion of the evening, Germond advised the crowd to “mark their calendars now, we will be back here at the Kenilworth VFW to hold the 23rd installment of Boxing Night on February 6, 2026 to set another fundraising record.”
The evening showcased 11 action-packed bouts spanning the 105-pound to 165-pound weight classes. Boxers assembled at the Kenilworth VFW representing gyms from across the Tri-State Area, including DORCA JFK Boxing Center of Newark, Ike & Randy’s of Paterson, Park Elite Boxing of Roselle Park, Brunswick Boxing Stars, and World Class MMA. The Champion Boxer of the evening was awarded to Erik Mendez, who defeated Alessandro Jaucian in the 132-lb bout.
The College Men’s Club of Westfield was established in 1922 and for over a century has helped hundreds of Westfield young men by providing college tuition assistance and funding standardized test preparatory courses. Since its founding, the CMC has raised and distributed over $1.4 million in higher education assistance to young men of the Westfield community to attend over 130 institutions of higher learning. In 2024 the CMC awarded a total of $75,900 in four-year scholarships and one-time grants.
Scholarship applications are currently available online at the CMC’s website and are evaluated by a committee of CMC Trustees in late Spring. This year’s application deadline is May 1, 2025. Funds for scholarships are generated from fund-raising events like the annual Boxing Night, donations, membership dues, endowment investment income and legacy bequests.