Randy Cheek

Randy Cheek is trying his hand(s) at the sweet science.

On Friday, Cheek, a lieutenant with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, will box against another area first responder for an annual charity event in Kansas City called Guns N’ Hoses.

The event raises money for the families of first responders who were killed in the line of duty, Cheek said.

“It’s a great cause,” he said. “That’s what it’s really all about, to support the families and spouses of those that made the ultimate sacrifice.”

All told, there will be 12 fights Friday night, Cheek said. Typically the bouts will be between law enforcement and firefighters — an age-old rivalry — but there will also be a few corrections officers and medical responders in the mix as well.

The cause is one Cheek believes so strongly in that he’s willing to get punched in the face. Or perhaps he’ll be the one doing the punching.

Cheek said he started training in July and he’s been taking it seriously, working hard to compete.

Cheek said he may well be the oldest person at the competition.

“I’m 59 years old,” he said. “And if I can get out and get in shape and compete it might inspire the officers in my agency and show them they could do it as well.”

Since he started training, Cheek said he has lost about 25 pounds and has spent a lot of time doing cardiovascular exercise.

All Cheek wants to do is compete. He’s less concerned about the outcome of the fight.

“We had a dinner before the fight where we had a chance to meet our opponents,” he said. “You converse with them and they’re all in it for the right reasons.”

“There are no winners and no losers in this,” he said. “It all goes to the families and spouses.”

And despite the fact that his son has been trying to get him to enter the ring with the boxing classic “Gonna Fly Now” from Rocky, he went instead with the Elvis song “Trouble.”

“If you’re looking for trouble, you came to the right place.”

The doors for Guns N’ Hoses open at 6 p.m. at the Kansas City Convention Center Grand Ballroom, 1502 Wyandotte St. The fights start at 7 p.m.

General admission tickets are $25 at the door or on ticketmaster.com.

I report on crime and courts for the Journal-World. I can be reached by email at cswanson@ljworld.com, by phone at (785) 832-7284 or on Twitter @Conrad_Swanson.