In the rubber match of a 25-year-old rivalry, the police and fire departments’ best fighters will square off in Brooklyn Friday night in a storied annual boxing match.

After suffering a narrow defeat last year, the fire department is looking to bounce back and take the lead for the most total wins in the Battle of the Badges, an event that will take place in front of thousands at Floyd Bennett Field.

“It has been 24 years and it’s tied at 12 apiece,” the fire department’s head trainer, Robert McGuire, said. ‘This is for bragging rights.”

Riding momentum from last year’s victory, the police department’s team will rely heavily on its powerful middleweight, Officer Gregory “The Flash” Waithe, to win his three-round bout.

Officer Waithe, who works in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn, started boxing only two years ago and is undefeated in his short career, with two consecutive wins against the fire department.

“He was 98 pounds before he started training with us,” the police department’s head trainer, Lieutenant David Siev, said with more than a hint of sarcasm. “We’ve nurtured him into a fighter.”

In order to claim the annual title, a team must win the majority of the 12 scheduled matches. Most of the bouts are three rounds, although experienced boxers that have fought in more than 10 matches compete for four rounds in what are known as open bouts, Mr. McGuire said.

One open bout that promises to be a slugfest will pit Officer Hector Lopez against the fire department’s Michael Reno.

Both fighters competed in the city’s prestigious Golden Gloves tournament; Mr. Lopez won the tournament in the 132-pound weight class in 2000. Mr. Reno continued his boxing success after joining the fire department, winning the gold medal this year at the World Police and Fire Games in Adelaide, Australia.