Folsom cop, corrections officer to box Friday

If James Dorris torments his opponents like an angry phantom, there's a reason.The 6-foot-tall Folsom police officer and ranked amateur boxer has spent the last several months honing the art of ghost boxing, an approach trainer Shon Moore credits with taking the already formidable fighter to the proverbial "next level."Dorris, 34, will be looking to cement his status as a multi-faceted pugilist in a Friday title fight for Sacramento's second Badge vs. Badge contest.The popular event is returning to the Sacramento Radisson Hotel after the inaugural contest in May ended in a near-scuffle between opposing camps of heavyweight contenders Larry Ward and Casey Johnson. The International Association of Boxing temporarily banned the Oakland Police Department from participating in sanctioned IAB events following the ruckus. At that time, commission president Steve Fossum cited "a few bad apples" within Oakland's department for causing the May 21 disruption after their fellow police officer, Johnson, lost to Ward of the California Medical Facility in Vacaville.Friday's card is set to feature five title matches, including the battle for the super cruiserweight US title between Dorris and Stanislaus County Sheriff's Deputy Jesse Ruelas.The 5-10 Ruelas won his first amateur boxing match in May, when he survived a split decision against California State Prison, Sacramento employee Chris McElroy.The two fighters each received the Gladiator Award for participating in what event founder Tom Gaffney deemed the "best fight of the night."While this will only be Ruelas' second time in a boxing ring, Gaffney said Ruelas is a talented kickboxer and mixed martial artist."He's not new to one-on-one combat," Gaffney added. "Don't take (him) for granted."As for Dorris, Gaffney called the Folsom cop a humble fighter other boxers respect. After defeating Folsom State Prison Correctional Officer Chad Nelson in a non-title fight at the last Badge vs. Badge, Gaffney said the two former opponents became "buddies."Moore said his fighter's strategy entering this fight will be to maintain position at the center of the ring and make Ruelas pay for hasty miscalculations."Typically, heavyweights do not move like hummingbirds," Moore observed. "This was my style as a top kickboxing contender in the 1990s. James has this same ability and together we will nurture it."Friday's contest will feature at least three other local peace officers stepping onto the canvas, with Folsom State Prison employees Nelson and James Davis and Folsom Prison firefighter Duke Juanitas scheduled to contend in separate bouts.On its website, Badge vs. Badge bills itself as the only organization offering California public safety employees the chance to fight for sanctioned state and national titles and be ranked by the IAB. At press time, ringside admission tickets and VIP passes had sold out, but $25 general admission tickets were still available.For the 32 fighters scheduled to box next week, only one thing is certain: Friday the 13th will be unlucky for someone. * * *KNOW AND GOBadge vs. BadgeWhat: Super cruiserweight U.S. title fightWhen: 7 p.m. Friday Where: Radisson Hotel, 500 Leisure Lane, SacramentoCost: $25Info: badgevsbadge.com