Fight Night 2011 Round #2: Gals Knock them out.

Welcome to Knock Out Abuse

by contributor Brendan Kownacki

It was an evening of glitz and glamour for the best of causes when women from across the D.C. area gathered for the 18^th annual Knock Out Abuse Gala at the Ritz Carlton.

The gala, paired yearly with the DC Fight Night, was a ravishing success with a packed house of socialites, business leaders, philanthropists and supporters. The signature female event was full of fun while ‘the boys’ were down the street raising money for children and education with the long-time boxing fundraiser.

Hosted by WUSA9 personality Andrea Roane, the evening was a Saint-Tropez themed wonderland full of island décor and cabana boys to escort every piece of the evening.  Among honorees for the evening were Westin Reinhart Group co-founder Jaci Reid who chaired the evening and Lt. Governor for the State of Maryland, Anthony Brown.

Event founders Jill Sorensen and Cheryl Masri pumped up the crowd, as well as former Redskin’s running back Clinton Portis who was on hand to lend support and entertain; actually stripping off his clothes when he addressed the crowd of eager ladies. 

Crime Novelist and former prosecutor Linda Fairstein received a massive trophy at the peak of the program as the 2011 Legend Award recipient; she was formerly the head of the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and has been a longtime advocate against abuse.

At the close of the evening, once the fighting was over and their cigars had burned out, the men made their way down the street to join the Knock Outs for cocktails and dancing to celebrate another successful year.

We caught up with Anthony Brown to get his reaction to being honored: