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.