Here is the lineup for the Ballroom Boxing card on Sept. 29 at Michael's Eighth Avenue. I now can say who's headlining the show and it is a pretty big deal in my opinion.
The main event features former WBO Welterweight champion Kermit "Killer" Cintron! Despite his shocking loss to Antonio Margarito earlier this year, I think Cintron can still be a force to reckon with.
Here is the complete rundown as I wrote it for Fightnews:
Looking to bounce back after a devastating title loss, former WBO Welterweight champion Kermit “Killer” Cintron will headline the next Ballroom Boxing card on Sept. 29 at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.
Cintron, a native of Carolinas, Puerto Rico and now fighting out of Reading, PA, got his career off to one of the best starts in recent memory, winning 22 of his first 24 bouts by knockout. His biggest win was an eight-round TKO over Teddy Reid (editor's note: yes, our Teddy Reid) on July 17, 2004 in Houston, TX to win the WBO title.
But in his first title defense, Cintron and the boxing world were shocked when he was decimated by current champion Antonio Margarito on April 23 of this year in Las Vegas. Margarito scored a fifth-round TKO to win the title.
Cintron, who is ranked ninth in the world by the WBO, will take on Francisco “Panchito” Parra of Tijuana, Mexico in an eight-round bout. Parra (12-5, 10 KO’s) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision loss to Mario Jose Ramos on August 19 in Las Vegas.
The co-feature on the card brings the undefeated “Mensa with Muscle” Chazz Witherspoon back to the Ballroom for the third time. Witherspoon, (7-0, five KO’s) a heavyweight from Philadelphia, PA, returns to the ring after stopping Vernon Woodard in the third round on August 6 on the undercard of Jeff Lacy-Robin Reid in Tampa, FL.
Witherspoon will face Lincoln Luke (5-6, four KO’s) of Cedartown, GA in a six-round contest. Luke has lost his last four bouts over a three-and-a-half year period. Luke lost both his previous bouts in 2005, including his last outing, a four-round unanimous decision against Moultrie Witherspoon on June 18 in White Rock, SC.
In what could be an interesting bout on this card, junior middleweight Keenan Collins of Reading, PA will take on “Magnificent” Martinus Clay of Wilson, NC in a six-round encounter.
Collins (7-1, seven KO’s), a native of Brooklyn, NY, is looking for his fourth straight win and his fourth straight first-round knockout. Collins stopped John Mays in the first round on June 11 in Greensboro, NC in his last outing. Collins has not had to go past the second round in any of his seven victories. The only time Collins did go past the second round was in his only loss, a six-round unanimous decision to Michael Torres on December 3, 2004 in Atlantic City.
Clay (9-9, three KO’s, two NC’s) makes his second appearance in the Ballroom. His first outing was an eventful one. On June 16, 2005, Clay was stopped in the first round by highly-touted prospect Nick Casal. After the bout, Casal tested positive for cocaine. The Maryland State Athletic Commission suspended Casal and ruled the bout a no contest.
Since that bout, Clay broke a four-bout winless streak by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Kevin Carter on August 25 in North Charleston, SC.
In other bouts on the card, Riverdale, GA cruiserweight Calvin Dixon will face William “The Storm” Bailey of Chesapeake, VA in a four-round contest.
Dixon’s record of 1-0-1 is misleading because he has actually participated in five pro bouts. However, three of those bouts ended in no contests. Dixon’s last contest gave him the only draw on his record thus far. Dixon and Joseph Aiken fought to a four-round draw on April 30 in Savannah, GA.
Bailey (3-6-1, two KO’s) will make his 2005 debut on this card. Bailey’s last bout was a second round knockout loss to Joe Spina on June 12, 2004 in Mashantucket, CT.
Washington, DC lightweight Ron “Teflon” Boyd (2-1) will try to continue his winning ways against the debuting James Frank of Norfolk, VA in a four-round bout.
Boyd is coming off two nice victories early in his career. Boyd won by second-round disqualification over Joey Van Daniker on the undercard of Kevin McBride-Mike Tyson on June 11 in DC. Boyd then followed that victory with a four-round majority decision win over previously undefeated Mike Ricasa on July 21 in Woodlawn, MD.
Also on the card, DC welterweight Purcell Jackson will make his pro debut against Tyrone Hazzard (0-2) of Philadelphia in another four-round encounter. One more bout may be added to the card.
The promoter for the Ballroom Boxing series is Scott Wagner. The matchmaker is Chris Middendorf.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Friday, September 23, 2005
Leavander Johnson, 1969-2005
I know this is not a Beltway Boxing story, but every boxing fan should take a moment to honor the life of former IBF Lightweight champion Leavander Johnson.
Johnson died today at the age of 35 in Las Vegas. Johnson suffered injuries after losing his title to Jesus Chavez on Sept. 17.
I mentioned this in an earlier post (but I was actually off by one boxer), but Johnson battled and defeated four Beltway Boxers during his career: Lyndon Paul Walker, Floyd Favors, Anthony Suggs and, in one of his biggest wins, he gave Sharmba Mitchell his first loss.
He will be missed by all real boxing fans.
Johnson died today at the age of 35 in Las Vegas. Johnson suffered injuries after losing his title to Jesus Chavez on Sept. 17.
I mentioned this in an earlier post (but I was actually off by one boxer), but Johnson battled and defeated four Beltway Boxers during his career: Lyndon Paul Walker, Floyd Favors, Anthony Suggs and, in one of his biggest wins, he gave Sharmba Mitchell his first loss.
He will be missed by all real boxing fans.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Wilson Battles Tiring Foe!
This is an interesting situation involving one of our more popular Beltway Boxers.
A boxer faces many physical obstacles when preparing for a bout. Those obstacles may include: the opponent, physical injury and illness, among others.
A recent conversation I had with Silver Spring, MD cruiserweight Darnell “The Ding-A-Ling Man” Wilson adds another obstacle to the list: sleep deprivation.
Wilson said sleep deprivation was to blame for a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Vadim Tokarev in Kazan, Russia on August 18. Two of the judge’s scorecards for that evening said Tokarev pitched a shutout (100-90) while one scored a little closer (97-93).
In 2004, the National Sleep Foundation estimated that 40 million Americans suffer from some sort of sleep disorder. There are 90 diagnosed sleep disorders.
Wilson (18-2-3, 15 KO’s) explained that this condition may have been the cause behind some lackluster efforts he has had in his career.
“Sleep deprivation is a combination of a lot of things, including insomnia,” Wilson said. “It’s probably been a few of my fights where (people) have said, ‘what the hell is Darnell doing? He seems out of it, he doesn’t know what he’s doing or something’s wrong.’”
“I never have fear of a man, ever,” Wilson continued. “But when I went to Russia, it (the sleep deprivation) multiplied four times. The first two nights there, I slept really well. But the night before the weigh-in and the night before the fight, I stayed up the entire night. I was in a zone. I was in space. Both days, I went to sleep at 8 am for about an hour.”
“When I was in the ring, it was like I was almost sleeping,” Wilson added. I had no strength, no stamina. I was running 5-6 miles every day, doing hard road work and sprints, so I was in perfect shape. But the sleep deprivation killed it all. I talked to a neurologist and I couldn’t imagine that sleep deprivation would have that kind of effect on you. I was in tip-top shape but it took everything I had. I had no power and I was slower than Butterbean out there.”
“Tokarev is normally a brawler, but he decided to just stand there and throw his jab because I was standing right there, I couldn’t move,” Wilson added.
Wilson said he is hoping to travel to Germany to face highly-touted cruiserweight contender “Hurricane” Paul Briggs on October 15. When asked if he has a fear of his sleep deprivation condition returning, Wilson emphatically said no.
“No way,” Wilson said. “That’s because I’m fixing myself. I’m getting plenty of rest. I’m ready to go. Come on, Paul. Let’s go!”
A boxer faces many physical obstacles when preparing for a bout. Those obstacles may include: the opponent, physical injury and illness, among others.
A recent conversation I had with Silver Spring, MD cruiserweight Darnell “The Ding-A-Ling Man” Wilson adds another obstacle to the list: sleep deprivation.
Wilson said sleep deprivation was to blame for a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Vadim Tokarev in Kazan, Russia on August 18. Two of the judge’s scorecards for that evening said Tokarev pitched a shutout (100-90) while one scored a little closer (97-93).
In 2004, the National Sleep Foundation estimated that 40 million Americans suffer from some sort of sleep disorder. There are 90 diagnosed sleep disorders.
Wilson (18-2-3, 15 KO’s) explained that this condition may have been the cause behind some lackluster efforts he has had in his career.
“Sleep deprivation is a combination of a lot of things, including insomnia,” Wilson said. “It’s probably been a few of my fights where (people) have said, ‘what the hell is Darnell doing? He seems out of it, he doesn’t know what he’s doing or something’s wrong.’”
“I never have fear of a man, ever,” Wilson continued. “But when I went to Russia, it (the sleep deprivation) multiplied four times. The first two nights there, I slept really well. But the night before the weigh-in and the night before the fight, I stayed up the entire night. I was in a zone. I was in space. Both days, I went to sleep at 8 am for about an hour.”
“When I was in the ring, it was like I was almost sleeping,” Wilson added. I had no strength, no stamina. I was running 5-6 miles every day, doing hard road work and sprints, so I was in perfect shape. But the sleep deprivation killed it all. I talked to a neurologist and I couldn’t imagine that sleep deprivation would have that kind of effect on you. I was in tip-top shape but it took everything I had. I had no power and I was slower than Butterbean out there.”
“Tokarev is normally a brawler, but he decided to just stand there and throw his jab because I was standing right there, I couldn’t move,” Wilson added.
Wilson said he is hoping to travel to Germany to face highly-touted cruiserweight contender “Hurricane” Paul Briggs on October 15. When asked if he has a fear of his sleep deprivation condition returning, Wilson emphatically said no.
“No way,” Wilson said. “That’s because I’m fixing myself. I’m getting plenty of rest. I’m ready to go. Come on, Paul. Let’s go!”
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Addition to Fall Boxing Schedule!
There is one more boxing card along the Beltway this fall. However, this is not for the general public. It's the annual "Fight Night" on Friday, November 11 at the Washington Hilton and Towers.
Quite frankly, the boxing card usually is not very good. The draw for this event is always the number of boxing legends that come to this show. Men like Joe Frazier, Carmen Basilio, Jake La Motta, Ken Norton and Earnie Shavers are usually fixtures at this event, that raises money for a number of children's charities.
This is one of those events where you have to be in a very rich loop to attend and if you haven't received a ticket yet, you're probably out of luck.
One other note: Silver Spring heavyweight Adele "Super Bad" Olakanye will be on the October 1 James Toney-Dominick Guinn card in Reno, NV. Olakanye (6-3-2, four KO's) will be looking for the upset when he faces undefeated New Zealand heavyweight "The Mountain Warrior" Steve Cameron (13-0, 12 KO's).
Quite frankly, the boxing card usually is not very good. The draw for this event is always the number of boxing legends that come to this show. Men like Joe Frazier, Carmen Basilio, Jake La Motta, Ken Norton and Earnie Shavers are usually fixtures at this event, that raises money for a number of children's charities.
This is one of those events where you have to be in a very rich loop to attend and if you haven't received a ticket yet, you're probably out of luck.
One other note: Silver Spring heavyweight Adele "Super Bad" Olakanye will be on the October 1 James Toney-Dominick Guinn card in Reno, NV. Olakanye (6-3-2, four KO's) will be looking for the upset when he faces undefeated New Zealand heavyweight "The Mountain Warrior" Steve Cameron (13-0, 12 KO's).
Joppy Denies Assault Charges!
Recently I wrote an article for both Boxing Along The Beltway and Fightnews.com concerning recent assault charges against former three-time middleweight champion William Joppy.
After the story ran on Fightnews (which was a rehash of what The Washington Post printed earlier that day), Joppy's lawyers contacted me claiming there were inaccuracies in both stories. I talked to both Joppy and his lawyer Sander Davidson and the following article is a result of that conversation. I tried to get a hold of someone from Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan's camp but was unable to do so. Hopefully, someone from Buchanan's camp will contact me and I can give equal time to this situation.
This is the story as it will also appear on Fightnews.com
JOPPY ADDRESSES ASSAULT CHARGES; SAYS THEY’RE NOT TRUE!
Recently, the Washington Post reported (in a story that also appeared in part on Fightnews.com) that former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy was charged with first-degree assault in an incident on Sept. 8 in Capitol Heights, MD.
The Post and Fightnews reported that the victim of the alleged assault was undefeated middleweight prospect Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capitol Heights.
However, in an exclusive Fightnews phone interview, Joppy and his attorney, Sander M. Davidson, said the report of the situation contained numerous inaccuracies and the charges are unfounded.
The Post, quoting a news release from the Prince George’s County Police Department, reported that on Sept. 8, Joppy approached an individual (reportedly Buchanan) around 5 pm at a traffic intersection. The release said the two began to argue and Joppy reached into the person’s vehicle and began to choke him before the person drove away. According to the release, Joppy then got into his own vehicle, chased the other car and hit it multiple times, causing it to spin out of control.
Joppy gave Fightnews a vastly different account of the situation, claiming he was the victim, not Buchanan.
“I was going over to look at Round One Gym (a recently closed gym in Capitol Heights where Joppy used to train). I was getting back into my car when Henry pulls up with three other guys in the car,” Joppy said. “Henry asked me, ‘what the ____are you doing around here looking for me?’”
“He struck me and hit me in my mouth and then he pulled off,” Joppy continued. “I jump into my car and he backed up into my car. He had a Navigator or Expedition, something like that. I guess he thought he wouldn’t damage the back of his car and he would damage the front of my car. He speeds off and I try to go to the side and tell him to get out of the car. He started to speed so fast, he loses control of his truck. When he lost control of his truck, I side swipe him, not purposely. He made it seem like I side swiped him purposely.”
“I was about to stop and get out of my car, but he had those guys with him. I didn’t know what they had. They could have had weapons. So I just kept going because if I had gotten out of the car, it would have really gotten ugly. So I went straight to the police station and pressed charges, but I got the warrant.”
According to Joppy and Davidson, this incident is the latest chapter in a two-year situation involving the two men. Joppy and Davidson claim the situation began in November of 2003 when Joppy was charged with assaulting James Ware at Round One Gym. Ware had come to the gym to repossess the car belonging to the gym owner’s wife. Joppy and Davidson say that it was actually Buchanan who hit Ware. At the time of this incident, Joppy was training at the gym getting ready for his December 13 contest against Bernard Hopkins.
On December 26, 2003, according to Davidson, Joppy was formally charged with assaulting Ware. In January of 2004, Ware filed a civil suit against Joppy. On August 12, 2004, Joppy was acquitted of all criminal charges. Ware’s civil suit against Joppy remains in litigation, but Davidson told Fightnews that in November of 2004, Ware filed another civil suit, this time against Buchanan because “all the evidence that came out in discovery pointed to Mr. Buchanan as the assailant.”
Davidson added that a Prince George’s County judge has combined the two civil suits and legal court proceedings will begin on the cases on October 25.
On June 16, 2005, Buchanan was scheduled to appear on a boxing card in Glen Burnie, MD. However, Buchanan did not participate in the weigh-in and was scratched from the card. Davidson and Joppy claim that Buchanan intentionally skipped the card because there was a warrant for his arrest because he failed to give a deposition concerning the civil suit.
On June 30, Buchanan gave a deposition in court in which he claimed the reason for his missing the weigh-in for the June 16th boxing card was that his scheduled opponent was injured and could not participate.
Representatives for Buchanan were unavailable to Fightnews for comment concerning these cases.
After the story ran on Fightnews (which was a rehash of what The Washington Post printed earlier that day), Joppy's lawyers contacted me claiming there were inaccuracies in both stories. I talked to both Joppy and his lawyer Sander Davidson and the following article is a result of that conversation. I tried to get a hold of someone from Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan's camp but was unable to do so. Hopefully, someone from Buchanan's camp will contact me and I can give equal time to this situation.
This is the story as it will also appear on Fightnews.com
JOPPY ADDRESSES ASSAULT CHARGES; SAYS THEY’RE NOT TRUE!
Recently, the Washington Post reported (in a story that also appeared in part on Fightnews.com) that former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy was charged with first-degree assault in an incident on Sept. 8 in Capitol Heights, MD.
The Post and Fightnews reported that the victim of the alleged assault was undefeated middleweight prospect Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capitol Heights.
However, in an exclusive Fightnews phone interview, Joppy and his attorney, Sander M. Davidson, said the report of the situation contained numerous inaccuracies and the charges are unfounded.
The Post, quoting a news release from the Prince George’s County Police Department, reported that on Sept. 8, Joppy approached an individual (reportedly Buchanan) around 5 pm at a traffic intersection. The release said the two began to argue and Joppy reached into the person’s vehicle and began to choke him before the person drove away. According to the release, Joppy then got into his own vehicle, chased the other car and hit it multiple times, causing it to spin out of control.
Joppy gave Fightnews a vastly different account of the situation, claiming he was the victim, not Buchanan.
“I was going over to look at Round One Gym (a recently closed gym in Capitol Heights where Joppy used to train). I was getting back into my car when Henry pulls up with three other guys in the car,” Joppy said. “Henry asked me, ‘what the ____are you doing around here looking for me?’”
“He struck me and hit me in my mouth and then he pulled off,” Joppy continued. “I jump into my car and he backed up into my car. He had a Navigator or Expedition, something like that. I guess he thought he wouldn’t damage the back of his car and he would damage the front of my car. He speeds off and I try to go to the side and tell him to get out of the car. He started to speed so fast, he loses control of his truck. When he lost control of his truck, I side swipe him, not purposely. He made it seem like I side swiped him purposely.”
“I was about to stop and get out of my car, but he had those guys with him. I didn’t know what they had. They could have had weapons. So I just kept going because if I had gotten out of the car, it would have really gotten ugly. So I went straight to the police station and pressed charges, but I got the warrant.”
According to Joppy and Davidson, this incident is the latest chapter in a two-year situation involving the two men. Joppy and Davidson claim the situation began in November of 2003 when Joppy was charged with assaulting James Ware at Round One Gym. Ware had come to the gym to repossess the car belonging to the gym owner’s wife. Joppy and Davidson say that it was actually Buchanan who hit Ware. At the time of this incident, Joppy was training at the gym getting ready for his December 13 contest against Bernard Hopkins.
On December 26, 2003, according to Davidson, Joppy was formally charged with assaulting Ware. In January of 2004, Ware filed a civil suit against Joppy. On August 12, 2004, Joppy was acquitted of all criminal charges. Ware’s civil suit against Joppy remains in litigation, but Davidson told Fightnews that in November of 2004, Ware filed another civil suit, this time against Buchanan because “all the evidence that came out in discovery pointed to Mr. Buchanan as the assailant.”
Davidson added that a Prince George’s County judge has combined the two civil suits and legal court proceedings will begin on the cases on October 25.
On June 16, 2005, Buchanan was scheduled to appear on a boxing card in Glen Burnie, MD. However, Buchanan did not participate in the weigh-in and was scratched from the card. Davidson and Joppy claim that Buchanan intentionally skipped the card because there was a warrant for his arrest because he failed to give a deposition concerning the civil suit.
On June 30, Buchanan gave a deposition in court in which he claimed the reason for his missing the weigh-in for the June 16th boxing card was that his scheduled opponent was injured and could not participate.
Representatives for Buchanan were unavailable to Fightnews for comment concerning these cases.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Full Fall Beltway Boxing Schedule!
If everything goes according to plan, the next three months will be busy ones for Boxing Along The Beltway. There are eight pro cards scheduled for the fall. Here is the schedule with all dates subject to change without notice.
Thursday, Sept 29, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD. There are some interesting plans for this Ballroom Boxing card and I hope to have concrete knowledge on this in the next couple of days.
Friday, Oct. 7, BXF Gym, Millersville, MD. This is the Boxing and Extreme Fitness Gym, run by Jim Crossen. They are starting a series of pro-am shows on the first Friday of every month. One of the boxing coaches there is Roger Leonard, brother of Sugar Ray Leonard.
Friday, Oct 14, Waldorf Jaycees, Waldorf, MD. This is the annual pro card promoted by the "Don King of Southern Maryland," Bobby Magruder.
Thursday, October 27, Martin's West, Woodlawn, MD. The next Baltimore Pro Boxing show promoted by Jake "The Snake" Smith. Undefeated Tony "Cyclone" Cygan and Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall along with Mike Ricasa, "Smokin'" Jay Krupp and Henry "Hurricane" Mayes are scheduled to appear on the card.
Friday, November 4, BXF Gym, Millersville, MD
Thursday, November 10, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD
Friday, December 2, BXF Gym, Millersville, MD
Thursday, December 7, Martin's West, Woodlawn, MD
So if you really love pro boxing, you have no excuse not to attend at least one of these shows. I assure you. You will have a great time! I will get you details on each show as they become available.
Thursday, Sept 29, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD. There are some interesting plans for this Ballroom Boxing card and I hope to have concrete knowledge on this in the next couple of days.
Friday, Oct. 7, BXF Gym, Millersville, MD. This is the Boxing and Extreme Fitness Gym, run by Jim Crossen. They are starting a series of pro-am shows on the first Friday of every month. One of the boxing coaches there is Roger Leonard, brother of Sugar Ray Leonard.
Friday, Oct 14, Waldorf Jaycees, Waldorf, MD. This is the annual pro card promoted by the "Don King of Southern Maryland," Bobby Magruder.
Thursday, October 27, Martin's West, Woodlawn, MD. The next Baltimore Pro Boxing show promoted by Jake "The Snake" Smith. Undefeated Tony "Cyclone" Cygan and Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall along with Mike Ricasa, "Smokin'" Jay Krupp and Henry "Hurricane" Mayes are scheduled to appear on the card.
Friday, November 4, BXF Gym, Millersville, MD
Thursday, November 10, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD
Friday, December 2, BXF Gym, Millersville, MD
Thursday, December 7, Martin's West, Woodlawn, MD
So if you really love pro boxing, you have no excuse not to attend at least one of these shows. I assure you. You will have a great time! I will get you details on each show as they become available.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Corley Conquers in Coushatta!
Congratulations to former WBO Junior Welterweight champion and DC native DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley who scored a ninth round technical knockout over Johnny "Live Wire" Walker on Sept. 17 in Coushatta, LA.
According to GulfCoastBoxing.com, Corley controlled the first seven rounds before finally dropping Walker in the eighth round. Finally in the ninth, Corley walked in and landed a straight right hand that dropped Walker for a second time. The referee finally stopped the bout at :48 seconds of the round. Walker has now lost 15 straight bouts and is now 18-18 with 12 KO's.
Corley's record now rises to 31-4-1 with 17 KO's.
According to GulfCoastBoxing.com, Corley controlled the first seven rounds before finally dropping Walker in the eighth round. Finally in the ninth, Corley walked in and landed a straight right hand that dropped Walker for a second time. The referee finally stopped the bout at :48 seconds of the round. Walker has now lost 15 straight bouts and is now 18-18 with 12 KO's.
Corley's record now rises to 31-4-1 with 17 KO's.
More Battle of Virginia Notes!
More information from the Battle of Virginia!
There were a couple of interesting sightings at the Patriot Center. I ran into two men who have not been in the ring in quite some time, but are planning to make in-ring returns soon.
Columbia, MD junior middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter (pronounced JET-er) will be making his return either on Oct. 7 in Millersville, MD or Oct. 14 in Waldorf, MD. Jeter has not been in the ring since October of 2001 when he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Kwame Bumphus in Philadelphia. His record is 3-1, 1 NC with three KO's.
And DC junior middleweight Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller will be making his return after a five-year hiatus. Miller was one of the most exciting prospects along the Beltway in the mid to late 90's and he definitely had the best ring entrance in the area as he was accompanied by a full scale brass band as he walked down the aisle. Miller also had loads of talent but has not fought since April of 2000 when he lost a majority decision to Robert "Push Up" Frazier. Miller's record is 21-3, 17 KO's. The only other losses came to perennial contenders Carl Daniels and Raul Frank.
It will be interesting to see what these exciting competitors still have after all these years.
Meanwhile, I also heard some very disturbing news about a boxer in a recent bout. Remember when Luther Smith was stretched in an ESPN bout in Connecticut last month? Well, a very reliable source whom I will not name told me that Smith walked into the ring that night LEGALLY BLIND!
The source told me that there were some questions raised during gym sessions because Smith had trouble avoiding the right hand. Smith said that he was all right. Somehow, Smith faked the eye exam and was allowed to box that night. This is just plain ridiculous!! Hopefully Smith will not try this again.
In happier news, Smith's cousin, featherweight Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken, told me he will be fighting for the NABF title against undefeated NABF champ Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero on Dec. 2 in California. The bout will be on ShoBox on Showtime. This looks like a tough one for Aiken because Guerrero has knocked out his last five opponents.
I also had a nice talk with Silver Spring cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson. Wilson talked to me about his recent loss to Vadim Tokarev in Russia. I plan to print the interview in its entirety later this week, but Wilson said his loss had to do with a sleep deprivation condition he has been battling. I will go into detail when I print the interview.
One other note. I will be talking this week with William Joppy's attorneys concerning this situation with Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan. Joppy's attorneys claim there are some inaccuracies in the Washington Post article as well as the article I wrote for this site and for Fightnews.com (which was basically a rewrite of the Post article). We'll see what happens after the conversation.
There were a couple of interesting sightings at the Patriot Center. I ran into two men who have not been in the ring in quite some time, but are planning to make in-ring returns soon.
Columbia, MD junior middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter (pronounced JET-er) will be making his return either on Oct. 7 in Millersville, MD or Oct. 14 in Waldorf, MD. Jeter has not been in the ring since October of 2001 when he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Kwame Bumphus in Philadelphia. His record is 3-1, 1 NC with three KO's.
And DC junior middleweight Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller will be making his return after a five-year hiatus. Miller was one of the most exciting prospects along the Beltway in the mid to late 90's and he definitely had the best ring entrance in the area as he was accompanied by a full scale brass band as he walked down the aisle. Miller also had loads of talent but has not fought since April of 2000 when he lost a majority decision to Robert "Push Up" Frazier. Miller's record is 21-3, 17 KO's. The only other losses came to perennial contenders Carl Daniels and Raul Frank.
It will be interesting to see what these exciting competitors still have after all these years.
Meanwhile, I also heard some very disturbing news about a boxer in a recent bout. Remember when Luther Smith was stretched in an ESPN bout in Connecticut last month? Well, a very reliable source whom I will not name told me that Smith walked into the ring that night LEGALLY BLIND!
The source told me that there were some questions raised during gym sessions because Smith had trouble avoiding the right hand. Smith said that he was all right. Somehow, Smith faked the eye exam and was allowed to box that night. This is just plain ridiculous!! Hopefully Smith will not try this again.
In happier news, Smith's cousin, featherweight Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken, told me he will be fighting for the NABF title against undefeated NABF champ Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero on Dec. 2 in California. The bout will be on ShoBox on Showtime. This looks like a tough one for Aiken because Guerrero has knocked out his last five opponents.
I also had a nice talk with Silver Spring cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson. Wilson talked to me about his recent loss to Vadim Tokarev in Russia. I plan to print the interview in its entirety later this week, but Wilson said his loss had to do with a sleep deprivation condition he has been battling. I will go into detail when I print the interview.
One other note. I will be talking this week with William Joppy's attorneys concerning this situation with Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan. Joppy's attorneys claim there are some inaccuracies in the Washington Post article as well as the article I wrote for this site and for Fightnews.com (which was basically a rewrite of the Post article). We'll see what happens after the conversation.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Battle of Virginia Recap!
Before I start, let me send my prayers to former IBF Lightweight champion Leavander Johnson, who is fighting for his life after suffering injuries in his title loss to Jesus Chavez Sept. 17 in Las Vegas.
Johnson may be familiar to Beltway Boxing fans, because he gave Sharmba Mitchell his first professional loss (by knockout) back in March of 1994. Johnson also stopped Virginian Anthony Suggs in the third round in February of 2002 and scored a first round TKO over DC's Floyd Favors in June of 2002. I wish him well.
Now as far as the Battle of Virginia is concerned, lots to talk about. Let's start with the card itself, which was a fine one.
In the main event, Jimmy Lange showed how to make a no-win situation a positive one. In winning the lightly-regarded WBE Junior Middleweight title at the George Mason University Patriot Center, Lange beat a guy in Perry Ballard who didn't have the talent nor the experience that Lange had. The no-win situation was if Lange won, he was supposed to. If Lange lost, it probably meant finis to his career.
Therefore, Lange had to win convincingly. Lange did exactly that. The former "Contender" from Great Falls, VA did an outstanding job using the left jab. Lange used his left so well, I really thought there was something wrong with his right hand. When Lange finally landed the right in the third, he dropped Ballard. Then in the fourth, Lange dropped Ballard twice with shots to the head and the body and put him away.
When I talked to Lange a month ago when this card was announced, he looked like if he could be anywhere else in the world than this press conference, he would be there. Lange was very smart from a mental aspect in this fight. He knew that it would be tough getting up for this bout, so he said he turned the preparation for this bout into a mental exercise with the goal of staying focused for this bout. He succeeded with honors last night.
To Ballard's credit, he was very gracious in defeat, calling Jimmy a "first-class act." Ballard proved to be one as well. Ballard did make one interesting point. This bout was originally scheduled to be fought at 147 pounds and was supposed to be for Ballard's World Boxing Empire Welterweight title. Somewhere along the line, the bout turned into a contest for the WBE vacant 154-pound title. Ballard seemed to have been forced to fight for this title. Ballard weighed in at 147 pounds. Lange came in at 150, so the pounds didn't play as big a part. But I can vouch for the fact that the bout was originally announced as a 147-pound bout.
The bout was a great one for Northern Virginia. The card brought out a lot of people who probably arent boxing fans, or at the very least, never been to a boxing card. Hopefully, either Lange or Ballard (or both, in separate bouts) can continue to be a part of Keystone Boxing's Virginia promotions.
Meanwhile, if there was a fighter of the night award for this card, my vote would go to Lamont "Bay" Pearson. The Capitol Heights native looked dominant in his fifth-round knockout over Shamir Reyes. Pearson looked like the Pearson who received a world title shot a few years ago, before he had trouble with his hands.
Pearson broke down Reyes gradually in this bout. By the third round, Reyes could offer NO offense. Pearson finally finished Reyes with a solid body shot and Reyes could not recover before the count of 10.
By winning his third career regional title (two USBA, one NABA), I think Pearson put himself right back in the world Super Featherweight title picture. When he is on (as he was tonight) no one is more talented along the Beltway than Lamont Pearson.
For me, the biggest disappointment of the night was the non-performance of Orazio "The Razor" Robinson. The junior middleweight from Manassas, VA was stopped early by Jesse Orta of Dallas, TX. Robinson suffered two crushing right hands in the first round of the bout and was put away. I know it's early but that loss was a major setback for Robinson.
In the first two bouts, Alexandria, VA junior welterweight Kay Koroma made his pro debut a successful one with a four-round unanimous decision over Terrell Davis. Koroma has talent but right now, he can't crack an egg. He has no power at this stage.
Also, Tim Coleman of Baltimore scored an easy victory over DC's Spenser Harsley, stopping him in the third round.
Still to come, some news and sightings from the Battle of Virginia!
Johnson may be familiar to Beltway Boxing fans, because he gave Sharmba Mitchell his first professional loss (by knockout) back in March of 1994. Johnson also stopped Virginian Anthony Suggs in the third round in February of 2002 and scored a first round TKO over DC's Floyd Favors in June of 2002. I wish him well.
Now as far as the Battle of Virginia is concerned, lots to talk about. Let's start with the card itself, which was a fine one.
In the main event, Jimmy Lange showed how to make a no-win situation a positive one. In winning the lightly-regarded WBE Junior Middleweight title at the George Mason University Patriot Center, Lange beat a guy in Perry Ballard who didn't have the talent nor the experience that Lange had. The no-win situation was if Lange won, he was supposed to. If Lange lost, it probably meant finis to his career.
Therefore, Lange had to win convincingly. Lange did exactly that. The former "Contender" from Great Falls, VA did an outstanding job using the left jab. Lange used his left so well, I really thought there was something wrong with his right hand. When Lange finally landed the right in the third, he dropped Ballard. Then in the fourth, Lange dropped Ballard twice with shots to the head and the body and put him away.
When I talked to Lange a month ago when this card was announced, he looked like if he could be anywhere else in the world than this press conference, he would be there. Lange was very smart from a mental aspect in this fight. He knew that it would be tough getting up for this bout, so he said he turned the preparation for this bout into a mental exercise with the goal of staying focused for this bout. He succeeded with honors last night.
To Ballard's credit, he was very gracious in defeat, calling Jimmy a "first-class act." Ballard proved to be one as well. Ballard did make one interesting point. This bout was originally scheduled to be fought at 147 pounds and was supposed to be for Ballard's World Boxing Empire Welterweight title. Somewhere along the line, the bout turned into a contest for the WBE vacant 154-pound title. Ballard seemed to have been forced to fight for this title. Ballard weighed in at 147 pounds. Lange came in at 150, so the pounds didn't play as big a part. But I can vouch for the fact that the bout was originally announced as a 147-pound bout.
The bout was a great one for Northern Virginia. The card brought out a lot of people who probably arent boxing fans, or at the very least, never been to a boxing card. Hopefully, either Lange or Ballard (or both, in separate bouts) can continue to be a part of Keystone Boxing's Virginia promotions.
Meanwhile, if there was a fighter of the night award for this card, my vote would go to Lamont "Bay" Pearson. The Capitol Heights native looked dominant in his fifth-round knockout over Shamir Reyes. Pearson looked like the Pearson who received a world title shot a few years ago, before he had trouble with his hands.
Pearson broke down Reyes gradually in this bout. By the third round, Reyes could offer NO offense. Pearson finally finished Reyes with a solid body shot and Reyes could not recover before the count of 10.
By winning his third career regional title (two USBA, one NABA), I think Pearson put himself right back in the world Super Featherweight title picture. When he is on (as he was tonight) no one is more talented along the Beltway than Lamont Pearson.
For me, the biggest disappointment of the night was the non-performance of Orazio "The Razor" Robinson. The junior middleweight from Manassas, VA was stopped early by Jesse Orta of Dallas, TX. Robinson suffered two crushing right hands in the first round of the bout and was put away. I know it's early but that loss was a major setback for Robinson.
In the first two bouts, Alexandria, VA junior welterweight Kay Koroma made his pro debut a successful one with a four-round unanimous decision over Terrell Davis. Koroma has talent but right now, he can't crack an egg. He has no power at this stage.
Also, Tim Coleman of Baltimore scored an easy victory over DC's Spenser Harsley, stopping him in the third round.
Still to come, some news and sightings from the Battle of Virginia!
Complete Battle of Virginia Commentary All This Week!
Let me just say that I will have complete results and commentary on the Battle of Virginia Card all this week. I want to congratulate Lamont Pearson on his USBA title victory and Jimmy Lange on his WBE championship win.
I will give you details and commentary about this card this week, because there is a LOT to talk about for this card, not only in the ring but outside it as well. There were some VERY surprising sightings in the crowd and some info about a boxer that I can ONLY share here.
I also had an interesting conversation with Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson that I will share here and on Fightnews.com
Let me say off the bat, though, that Thom Loverro of the Washington Times was wrong!! Keystone Boxing, led by Gene Molovinsky, did an OUTSTANDING job in promoting this card. An estimated 5,100 were at the George Mason University Patriot Center for this card. That's a great total. Based on that, it looks like Virginia may indeed have a promising boxing future.
I also want to send my best wishes to "Money" Mike Sawyer. Sawyer was supposed to make his pro debut last night, but he collapsed 90 minutes before showtime. He was taken to a local hospital where doctors said he was suffering from dehydration.
The word is that he is doing fine and did want to box, but doctors and officials wisely ruled against that.
More to come on this card and the people involved, coming soon, because I have a lot to say about this show.
I will give you details and commentary about this card this week, because there is a LOT to talk about for this card, not only in the ring but outside it as well. There were some VERY surprising sightings in the crowd and some info about a boxer that I can ONLY share here.
I also had an interesting conversation with Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson that I will share here and on Fightnews.com
Let me say off the bat, though, that Thom Loverro of the Washington Times was wrong!! Keystone Boxing, led by Gene Molovinsky, did an OUTSTANDING job in promoting this card. An estimated 5,100 were at the George Mason University Patriot Center for this card. That's a great total. Based on that, it looks like Virginia may indeed have a promising boxing future.
I also want to send my best wishes to "Money" Mike Sawyer. Sawyer was supposed to make his pro debut last night, but he collapsed 90 minutes before showtime. He was taken to a local hospital where doctors said he was suffering from dehydration.
The word is that he is doing fine and did want to box, but doctors and officials wisely ruled against that.
More to come on this card and the people involved, coming soon, because I have a lot to say about this show.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Joppy Charged with Assault on Sugar Poo!
It was tough waking up to the following story:
The Washington Post is reporting that former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy has been charged with first degree assault in a Washington, DC suburb. The charge comes from an incident that took place on Sept. 8.
The Post says the victim of the alleged assault is undefeated middleweight prospect Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capital Heights, MD according to representatives for both Joppy and Buchanan. The Post quoted a news release issued by the Prince George’s County Police Department. The release did not mention Buchanan by name, but said Joppy approached an individual around 5 pm at Ritchie Road and Walker Mill. The release said the two began to argue and Joppy reached into the person’s vehicle and began to choke him before the person drove away.
According to the release, Joppy then got into his own vehicle, chased the other car and hit it multiple times, causing it to spin out of control.
Joppy turned himself into police earlier this week and was released on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 12.
The Washington Post is reporting that former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy has been charged with first degree assault in a Washington, DC suburb. The charge comes from an incident that took place on Sept. 8.
The Post says the victim of the alleged assault is undefeated middleweight prospect Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capital Heights, MD according to representatives for both Joppy and Buchanan. The Post quoted a news release issued by the Prince George’s County Police Department. The release did not mention Buchanan by name, but said Joppy approached an individual around 5 pm at Ritchie Road and Walker Mill. The release said the two began to argue and Joppy reached into the person’s vehicle and began to choke him before the person drove away.
According to the release, Joppy then got into his own vehicle, chased the other car and hit it multiple times, causing it to spin out of control.
Joppy turned himself into police earlier this week and was released on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 12.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Weights for Battle of Virginia!
Here are the official weights for tomorrow night's "Battle of Virginia" card at the George Mason University Patriot Center:
Jimmy Lange 150.5 vs. Perry Ballard 147(WBE jr. middleweight title)
Shamir Reyes 131 vs. Lamont Pearson 127.5(USBA jr. lightweight title)
Orazio Robinson 154.5 vs. Jesse Orta 154.5
Tim Coleman 144.5 vs. Spencer Hansley 142
Kay Keroma 138.5 vs. Terrell Davis 138.5
Mike Sawyer 154.5 vs. Chris Govan 154.5
Jimmy Lange 150.5 vs. Perry Ballard 147(WBE jr. middleweight title)
Shamir Reyes 131 vs. Lamont Pearson 127.5(USBA jr. lightweight title)
Orazio Robinson 154.5 vs. Jesse Orta 154.5
Tim Coleman 144.5 vs. Spencer Hansley 142
Kay Keroma 138.5 vs. Terrell Davis 138.5
Mike Sawyer 154.5 vs. Chris Govan 154.5
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Former DC Boxing Official Runs for Mayor!
If you live in the Beltway Boxing area, you probably know about this. I made it a more boxing-friendly article.
Michael A Brown, former vice chair of the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission, has officially announced his intention to run for mayor of the Nation’s Capital.
The 40-year-old Brown served on the commission from 1996 until April of this year, when current DC Mayor Anthony Williams decided not to reappoint him to the position.
In recent years, Brown became the most visible figure on the commission, especially during the city’s attempts to give a boxing license to Mike Tyson in 2003 and to bring the Tyson-Lennox Lewis bout to DC in 2003. Brown’s efforts helped land Tyson in DC on June 11 of this year when Tyson lost to Kevin McBride.
Some reports speculated that it was the increased visibility Brown received that led to Brown’s removal from the commission by Mayor Williams, who has not ruled out the notion of seeking a third term.
Brown, son of the late Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown, is the managing partner of a government and public affairs firm that specializes in legislative and regulatory affairs, communications, government marketing and procurement.
This will be interesting to watch and I wonder how many times will Brown's willingness to bring Tyson to DC come up in debate situations. Brown will be facing folk during the campaign like current Ward 4 councilmember Adrian Fenty, who was totally against bringing Tyson here.
DC has had government outsiders become Mayors before (Sharon Pratt Kelly is the big example). Even though I am no political analyst, I think Michael Brown has a tough road ahead.
Michael A Brown, former vice chair of the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission, has officially announced his intention to run for mayor of the Nation’s Capital.
The 40-year-old Brown served on the commission from 1996 until April of this year, when current DC Mayor Anthony Williams decided not to reappoint him to the position.
In recent years, Brown became the most visible figure on the commission, especially during the city’s attempts to give a boxing license to Mike Tyson in 2003 and to bring the Tyson-Lennox Lewis bout to DC in 2003. Brown’s efforts helped land Tyson in DC on June 11 of this year when Tyson lost to Kevin McBride.
Some reports speculated that it was the increased visibility Brown received that led to Brown’s removal from the commission by Mayor Williams, who has not ruled out the notion of seeking a third term.
Brown, son of the late Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown, is the managing partner of a government and public affairs firm that specializes in legislative and regulatory affairs, communications, government marketing and procurement.
This will be interesting to watch and I wonder how many times will Brown's willingness to bring Tyson to DC come up in debate situations. Brown will be facing folk during the campaign like current Ward 4 councilmember Adrian Fenty, who was totally against bringing Tyson here.
DC has had government outsiders become Mayors before (Sharon Pratt Kelly is the big example). Even though I am no political analyst, I think Michael Brown has a tough road ahead.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Corley's Louisiana Opponent Named!
According to Fightnews. com, the opponent for former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley in his Sept. 17 appearance in Kinder, LA will be journeyman Johnny "Livewire" Walker of St. Petersburg, FL.
Walker (18-17, 12 KO's) has not been a live wire of late, having lost his last 14 contests. Corley (30-4-1, 16 KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Kevin Carter on July 29 in North Charleston, SC.
In an interesting bit of Beltway Boxing information, Corley is currently being trained by former Beltway Boxer Andrew Council, one of the more popular boxers to come out of the area.
Walker (18-17, 12 KO's) has not been a live wire of late, having lost his last 14 contests. Corley (30-4-1, 16 KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Kevin Carter on July 29 in North Charleston, SC.
In an interesting bit of Beltway Boxing information, Corley is currently being trained by former Beltway Boxer Andrew Council, one of the more popular boxers to come out of the area.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Public Workout, Weigh-in for 'Battle Of Virginia!'
As the days wind down towards the “Battle of Virginia” on Saturday, Sept. 17, fans in the Washington, DC metropolitan area will have an opportunity to have an up-close look at some of the participants involved with the card.
On Thursday, Sept. 15, there will be a free public workout for some of the boxers at George Mason University during the school’s Patriot Day celebration. The Patriot Day celebration is a free outdoor festival with food, games and live music. The workout will be from 11 am to 2 pm and will be held in front of the Johnson Center clock tower on the main campus. Jimmy Lange, Perry Ballard, Lamont Pearson, Shamir Reyes and George Mason University alumnus “Money” Mike Sawyer are scheduled to participate. George Mason students can compete to become a guest ring announcer for the card.
The weigh-in will also be free and open to the public. The weigh-in will be held on Friday, Sept. 16 from 1-3 pm at PJ Skidoos, 9908 Lee Highway in Fairfax, VA.
Tickets for the card, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, will be on sale at both events.
On Thursday, Sept. 15, there will be a free public workout for some of the boxers at George Mason University during the school’s Patriot Day celebration. The Patriot Day celebration is a free outdoor festival with food, games and live music. The workout will be from 11 am to 2 pm and will be held in front of the Johnson Center clock tower on the main campus. Jimmy Lange, Perry Ballard, Lamont Pearson, Shamir Reyes and George Mason University alumnus “Money” Mike Sawyer are scheduled to participate. George Mason students can compete to become a guest ring announcer for the card.
The weigh-in will also be free and open to the public. The weigh-in will be held on Friday, Sept. 16 from 1-3 pm at PJ Skidoos, 9908 Lee Highway in Fairfax, VA.
Tickets for the card, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, will be on sale at both events.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Pearson Tries for Vacant USBA Title!
There will now be two title bouts on the “Battle of Virginia” card on Saturday, September 17 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. One bout will feature former USBA and NABA Super Featherweight champion Lamont “Bay” Pearson of Capitol Heights, MD. Pearson will try to win the USBA title again as he faces Shamir Reyes of Brooklyn, NY for the vacant title.
Pearson (21-3-1, 11 KO’s) is appearing in just his second contest since his August 2003 loss to now-IBF Super Featherweight champ Robbie Peden. Pearson’s bout with Peden was also for the USBA title. In his last outing, Pearson scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Ivan Alvarez on January 27 in Glen Burnie, MD. A win over Reyes may move Pearson closer to a second try at a world title. Pearson lost a title bid to former WBA champion Yodsanan Sor Nanthanchai in May of 2002 in Thailand.
Reyes (18-3-2, seven KO’s) is coming off a stunning first-round TKO over Luis Antonio Arceo on July 22 in Las Vegas. However, Reyes has been stopped twice in tries for regional titles. Former WBA Super Bantamweight and Featherweight champion Antonio Cermeno scored a 10th round TKO against Reyes in a bout for the vacant WBA Fedalatin Super Featherweight title in May of 2002 and Reyes lost by 12th round TKO to Gairy St.Clair for the WBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight crown in February of this year.
The other title bout will be for the vacant World Boxing Empire (WBE) Junior Middleweight title. Jimmy Lange of Great Falls, VA (25-2-1, 17 KO’s) against Perry Ballard of Martinsburg, WVA by way of Leesburg, VA. (17-0, 13 KO’s)
Other boxers appearing on the card include Woodbridge, VA junior middleweight Orazio "The Razor" Robinson(5-1-2, four KO's), debuting junior welterweight Kay Koroma of Alexandria, VA and debuting junior middleweight “Money” Mike Sawyer of Fairfax, who is a graduate of George Mason University. As mentioned earlier, Sawyer recently announced that he is donating half his purse to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Noted Washington, DC-area trainer Adrian Davis is also donating part of his purse.
Pearson (21-3-1, 11 KO’s) is appearing in just his second contest since his August 2003 loss to now-IBF Super Featherweight champ Robbie Peden. Pearson’s bout with Peden was also for the USBA title. In his last outing, Pearson scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Ivan Alvarez on January 27 in Glen Burnie, MD. A win over Reyes may move Pearson closer to a second try at a world title. Pearson lost a title bid to former WBA champion Yodsanan Sor Nanthanchai in May of 2002 in Thailand.
Reyes (18-3-2, seven KO’s) is coming off a stunning first-round TKO over Luis Antonio Arceo on July 22 in Las Vegas. However, Reyes has been stopped twice in tries for regional titles. Former WBA Super Bantamweight and Featherweight champion Antonio Cermeno scored a 10th round TKO against Reyes in a bout for the vacant WBA Fedalatin Super Featherweight title in May of 2002 and Reyes lost by 12th round TKO to Gairy St.Clair for the WBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight crown in February of this year.
The other title bout will be for the vacant World Boxing Empire (WBE) Junior Middleweight title. Jimmy Lange of Great Falls, VA (25-2-1, 17 KO’s) against Perry Ballard of Martinsburg, WVA by way of Leesburg, VA. (17-0, 13 KO’s)
Other boxers appearing on the card include Woodbridge, VA junior middleweight Orazio "The Razor" Robinson(5-1-2, four KO's), debuting junior welterweight Kay Koroma of Alexandria, VA and debuting junior middleweight “Money” Mike Sawyer of Fairfax, who is a graduate of George Mason University. As mentioned earlier, Sawyer recently announced that he is donating half his purse to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Noted Washington, DC-area trainer Adrian Davis is also donating part of his purse.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
One Beltway Boxer Replaces Another!
According to Fightnews.com, the September 17 boxing card at the Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, LA (located in southwestern Louisiana and not affected by Hurricane Katrina) will go on as planned, but without former three-time WBA middleweight champ and DC native William Joppy. Joppy suffered an injury that will knock him off the card.
The main event at "Knockouts at Coushatta IX" will now feature another DC native --flamboyant former WBO jr welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley.
"We are fortunate to have secured "Chop Chop" Corley as our new main event fighter—he's fast, he's flashy, and he fights like a tiger in the ring. It's going to be a super exciting show," said Nora Popillion, the casino's events & promotions manager.
The last time Joppy and Corley were in a ring was when they appeared on a card in Charleston, South Carolina on July 28. Both men posted easy knockout victories.
The main event at "Knockouts at Coushatta IX" will now feature another DC native --flamboyant former WBO jr welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley.
"We are fortunate to have secured "Chop Chop" Corley as our new main event fighter—he's fast, he's flashy, and he fights like a tiger in the ring. It's going to be a super exciting show," said Nora Popillion, the casino's events & promotions manager.
The last time Joppy and Corley were in a ring was when they appeared on a card in Charleston, South Carolina on July 28. Both men posted easy knockout victories.
Another Beltway Boxing Recollection!
This recollection talks about what could have been.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: Jemal Hinton
If you ask long-time Beltway Boxing experts about who was the most talented boxer never to win a world title, many people would mention the name of Jemal Hinton.
From 1988 to 1992, the boxer out of District Heights, MD was the hottest prospect going in the junior featherweight and featherweight division. He had speed and solid power. He was 16-0 with 12 knockouts and had already picked up the WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight title. A world championship seemed just a few fights away.
Then suddenly, it all stopped. Hinton decided he had enough of the sport and promptly retired. Not even his father and trainer, Junious Hinton, could change his mind. No one but Jemal Hinton knows the real reason. Some speculated that Hinton adopted the Islamic faithand would not fight because of religious convictions. Whatever the reason was, Hinton's decision left a void in Beltway Boxing that took a long time to fill.
Recently, the name Jemal Hinton popped up again in the form of Jemal Hinton, Jr. He was scheduled to box at the Mayor's Cup last month but couldn't get an opponent. I'm assuming this was Jemal's son.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: Jemal Hinton
If you ask long-time Beltway Boxing experts about who was the most talented boxer never to win a world title, many people would mention the name of Jemal Hinton.
From 1988 to 1992, the boxer out of District Heights, MD was the hottest prospect going in the junior featherweight and featherweight division. He had speed and solid power. He was 16-0 with 12 knockouts and had already picked up the WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight title. A world championship seemed just a few fights away.
Then suddenly, it all stopped. Hinton decided he had enough of the sport and promptly retired. Not even his father and trainer, Junious Hinton, could change his mind. No one but Jemal Hinton knows the real reason. Some speculated that Hinton adopted the Islamic faithand would not fight because of religious convictions. Whatever the reason was, Hinton's decision left a void in Beltway Boxing that took a long time to fill.
Recently, the name Jemal Hinton popped up again in the form of Jemal Hinton, Jr. He was scheduled to box at the Mayor's Cup last month but couldn't get an opponent. I'm assuming this was Jemal's son.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Sawyer, Davis Donate Purse Portions to Hurricane Relief!
I just confirmed an anonymous tip that Fairfax, VA welterweight "Money" Mike Sawyer and legendary trainer Adrian Davis will donate half their purse money from the September 17th boxing card to relief efforts necessary in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Well done, gentlemen!!
Chris Middendorf, the matchmaker for the Sept 17th "Battle of Virginia" at George Mason University, is checking to see if other boxers on the card will follow suit. Sawyer is making his pro debut on that card, so that is a wonderful gesture.
Chris Middendorf, the matchmaker for the Sept 17th "Battle of Virginia" at George Mason University, is checking to see if other boxers on the card will follow suit. Sawyer is making his pro debut on that card, so that is a wonderful gesture.
Teddy Reid Update!
Felix Dialosio, the manager of junior middleweight Teddy "Two-Gun" Reid of Adelphi, MD, has informed me that he is looking over a contract that would send Reid into the ring against undefeated "Tremendous" Travis Simms on Oct. 1 in Tampa FL. That would put Reid on the HBO PPV card that features the bout between James Toney and Dominick Guinn.
Reid (23-7-1, 17 KO's) is a former NABF Junior Welterweight and USBA Welterweight champ who has fought some solid performers over his career. The majority of his losses have been against tough people (Golden Johnson, Kermit Cintron and Rodney Jones to name a few). This one should be another toughie. Simms (24-0, 18 KO's) is a former WBA Junior Middleweight champ who was recently stripped of the title. Simms' twin brother, Tarvis, is also undefeated.
Reid will probably be the toughest boxer Travis Simms has faced in his career. Simms is coming off a win over Bronco McKart, but McKart is past his prime. This should be an interesting matchup if it comes off.
Another one of Dialosio's boxers, middleweight Maxell "The General" Taylor of Baltimore is going back into the ring on Sept. 29 in Martinsburg, WVA. Taylor (12-2, five KO's) is coming off a tough eight-round unanimous decision loss to "Contender" participant Ahmed Kaddour on July 22 in Santa Ynez, CA.
Reid (23-7-1, 17 KO's) is a former NABF Junior Welterweight and USBA Welterweight champ who has fought some solid performers over his career. The majority of his losses have been against tough people (Golden Johnson, Kermit Cintron and Rodney Jones to name a few). This one should be another toughie. Simms (24-0, 18 KO's) is a former WBA Junior Middleweight champ who was recently stripped of the title. Simms' twin brother, Tarvis, is also undefeated.
Reid will probably be the toughest boxer Travis Simms has faced in his career. Simms is coming off a win over Bronco McKart, but McKart is past his prime. This should be an interesting matchup if it comes off.
Another one of Dialosio's boxers, middleweight Maxell "The General" Taylor of Baltimore is going back into the ring on Sept. 29 in Martinsburg, WVA. Taylor (12-2, five KO's) is coming off a tough eight-round unanimous decision loss to "Contender" participant Ahmed Kaddour on July 22 in Santa Ynez, CA.
Cummings, Petersons Post Victories!
Three of the Beltway's brightest stars posted solid victories in the past few days.
Undefeated cruiserweight Cory "Black Ice" Cummings of Baltimore scored a 10th round TKO over Tim Bowe on September 3 in Cincinnati. According to the Fightnews report, Cummings put Bowe down in the fifth and seven rounds before finishing him off in the 10th. It was the first time Cummings going 10 rounds. Cummings is now 14-0, 11 KO's and has won his last seven by knockout. As I said before, this guy has been under the radar, but he is legitimate. Cummings is a real solid prospect.
More well-known prospects are the undefeated Peterson Brothers of DC. Both posted dominating victory on a card in Little Rock, AR on Sept. 1. Junior welterweight Lamont scored an easy eight-round unanimous decision over late sub Ron Frankel. All three judges said Peterson pitched a shutout (80-72 on all cards) to raise his record to 14-0, six knockouts. Lightweight Anthony blasted Jorge Alberto Reyes, stopping him 1:38 into the second round. Anthony is now 13-0, eight KO's.
I like both Peterson brothers, but while Lamont was the more notable amateur, I think, while they will both be solid pros, Anthony has something special about him. He has been truly dominant recently.
Undefeated cruiserweight Cory "Black Ice" Cummings of Baltimore scored a 10th round TKO over Tim Bowe on September 3 in Cincinnati. According to the Fightnews report, Cummings put Bowe down in the fifth and seven rounds before finishing him off in the 10th. It was the first time Cummings going 10 rounds. Cummings is now 14-0, 11 KO's and has won his last seven by knockout. As I said before, this guy has been under the radar, but he is legitimate. Cummings is a real solid prospect.
More well-known prospects are the undefeated Peterson Brothers of DC. Both posted dominating victory on a card in Little Rock, AR on Sept. 1. Junior welterweight Lamont scored an easy eight-round unanimous decision over late sub Ron Frankel. All three judges said Peterson pitched a shutout (80-72 on all cards) to raise his record to 14-0, six knockouts. Lightweight Anthony blasted Jorge Alberto Reyes, stopping him 1:38 into the second round. Anthony is now 13-0, eight KO's.
I like both Peterson brothers, but while Lamont was the more notable amateur, I think, while they will both be solid pros, Anthony has something special about him. He has been truly dominant recently.
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