Sunday, September 25, 2005

Ballroom Boxing Card on Sept 29!

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.

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