Here is another rememberance of Boxing Along The Beltway.
BEST BELTWAY BOXING STABLE: The HARD CORPS
The HARD CORPS represented the identity of the Beltway Boxing scene during the early-to-mid nineties. Four young undefeated boxers who were managed and trained by the same people. If you're an old-school pro wrestling fan, it was reminiscent of the "Four Horsemen" in the NWA/WCW.
For a short time, Derrell "Too Sweet" Coley, Reggie "Showtime" Green, Rueben "Ratman" Bell and Gerry "Rock" Payne were ready and poised to take over the sport. Their manager was Barry Linde, a self-made millionaire who didn't seem to be afraid to spend that money. They also had three of the top trainers around in Leonard Langley, Al Scott and Vardell McCann. How could they lose?
Unfortunately, it didn't turn out exactly the way we wanted it to. The best the group could manage was three NABF titles (two for Coley and one for Green) and two IBC titles (one for Coley and one for Payne). The group broke up in the midst of inability to move successfully to the world championship level, personal problems and untimely death (the murder of Bell in February 1998). Despite this, no local boxing camp has come close to this type of organized success.
gary, i remember them well.. it was just another case of not be able to reach the next level. it is not surprising for this area though. in boxing you realize that not everyone is championship caliber.
ReplyDeletei will say that coley had some tough breaks i.e that oba carr fight in 93 or 94 which i thought he won; that fight set him back. then he got that shot at oscar, that was a disaster for him, but he looked good in the first few rounds and actually had oscar hurt in the fifth round i believe. i remember talking to him after that fight and he told me, oscar was on a different level then all the other fighters he fought. understandably so, he was a great champion. bell and green same thing, get the shot and can't rise to that next level...
You're absolutely right. It was tough for all of them to reach the championship level.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be a trend in the area. I may talk about this too.
They were pretty good.....I need to get in contact with Leonard langley though......there is a hot new boxer that needs to change trainers soon....if Langley gets him heWILL BE THE NEXT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD STAY TUNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTHEY ALL TURNED UP TO BE A BUST NONE WON WORLD TITLES EVEN THOUGH THEY GOT THERE GETTING THERE IS HAVE THE BATTLE PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER THE GUY WHO FOUGHT FOR THE TITLE THEY REMEMBER THE GUY WHO WON IT.THEY ARE JUST LIKE MOST OF THE DC FIGHTERS GET THERE AND CANT WIN IT. THEY ALL WHERE B CLASS FIGHTERS
ReplyDeleteLocker shot the right person, it was no mistake. There is also an innocent person in jail doing time for Bell' murder.
ReplyDelete