End-Of Year Cards Taking Shape!

Two of the three Beltway Boxing cards that will end 2005 are starting to take shape and they look like solid events.

Boxing fans in the Washington-Baltimore area will have something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving weekend; a quality boxing card that will be held on Saturday, November 26 at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Headlining the card will be the newly crowned USBA Super Featherweight champion Lamont “Bay” Pearson of Capitol Heights, MD. This will be Pearson’s first bout since winning the title on September 17 in Fairfax, VA with a six-round technical knockout over Shamir Reyes.

Pearson (22-3-1, 12 KO’s) will face Pascal “El Gato” Adorno in an eight-round non-title bout. Adorno (9-3-2, four KO’s) is a native of Morovis, Puerto Rico who has not fought since March 4 when he scored a six-round TKO over Rafael Sierra in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. Pearson will be Adorno’s most noted opponent since his eight-round unanimous decision loss to “Kid Diamond” Almazbek Raiymkulov in November 2003 in Glen Burnie, MD.

The card, promoted by Keystone Boxing of Marlow Heights, MD, features three undefeated local prospects. Light heavyweight Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capitol Heights (11-0, 10 KO’s) will be in the co-feature bout as he takes on Dhafir “No Fear” Smith of Upper Darby, PA (13-12-2, three KO’s) in an eight-round contest.

In his last contest, Buchanan saw his 10-bout knockout streak snapped as he scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Tyrone Glover on July 21 in Woodlawn, MD.

Smith makes his second straight trip to the Washington, DC area this month. On November 4, Smith lost an eight-round unanimous decision to James McAllister in Millersville, MD. The loss was Smith’s sixth straight.

Washington, DC welterweight Reggie “The Mechanic” Holly (5-0, two KO’s, 1 NC) returns to action for just the second time in 2005. Holly will face Sheldon Rudolph of Patterson, NJ (3-3, two KO’s) in a bout scheduled for six rounds. This will be Holly’s first scheduled six-rounder.

Holly’s last bout was a four-round unanimous decision win over Terrence Watson on March 10 in Glen Burnie. Rudolph lost a four-round majority decision over Philip McCants on October 13 in Atlantic City. Rudolph will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak.

Also rookie cruiserweight prospect Nick Caroleo of La Plata, MD (1-0) will face Albert Bankivicious (0-2) in a four-round bout.

After two recent bouts fell out, Washington, DC middleweight Purcell “Hard Rock” Miller (22-3, 17 KO’s) is scheduled to participate in a six-round bout against an opponent to be determined.

Six professional bouts are scheduled for this card. There will also be a live performance by the music group Atmosphere and a live movie shoot for a local movie production company.

Meanwhile, Jake Smith's Baltimore Boxing will have what looks like a solid card on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.

The main event gives fans another look at the continued development of undefeated super middleweight Tony "Cyclone" Cygan. Cygan (8-0, six KO's) will be in a scheduled eight-round bout against James North of Weston, WVA.

Cygan is coming off a stunning second-round knockout over Larry Brothers on October 27 in Woodlawn. But,despite his under .500 record (7-8-1, two KO's), North may be the toughest foe Cygan has faced because of his quality of opposition. North has faced the likes of undefeated Joe Spina, Jaidon Codrington and, in his last contest, "Contender" participant Joey Gilbert. In that bout, North lost a six-round unanimous decision.

In the co-feature, undefeated Dundalk, MD heavyweight "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich will battle Mike "Mini Van" Van Meer of Des Moines, IA in a six-round contest. Dietrich (6-0, two KO's) scored a second round TKO over Glen Williams in his last contest on July 21 in Woodlawn. Van Meer (1-1, one KO) lost a four-round majority decision to Albert Newberry on October 8 in Oskaloosa, IA.

Newberry (3-1, two KO's), a native of Ottumwa, IA, will also be on the December 7 card as he battles 2004 United States Olympic Team captain Devin Vargas of Toledo, OH in another six-round heavyweight contest. Vargas (6-0, three KO's) is coming off a four-round split decision win over David Cleage in Warren, MI on October 19.

In another six-round heavyweight bout, Baltimore, MD's Jed "The Punisher" Phipps will battle Taunton, MA's Harold Rodriguez. In Phipps's last outing, he won a six-round unanimous decision over Joseph Harris on February 5 in Washington, DC. Phipps (15-3, eight KO's) has won five of his last six bouts. Rodriguez is coming off a four-round unanimous decision loss to Tyrone Smith on November 18 in New Haven, CT.

This bout is a rematch of a June 26, 2004 bout in Washington, DC that Phipps won by six-round unanimous decision.

Also on the card will be undefeated Baltimore light heavyweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall, who will take on Middleton, OH's Don Shrock. Paschall (6-0, two KO's) won a tough four-round unanimous decision over Carlos "The Headbanger" Jones on October 27 in Woodlawn. After losing his first two bouts, Shrock (2-2, one KO) will be trying to keep a two-bout winning streak intact. In his last contest, Shrock scored a first-round knockout over Nick Hyde on October 15 in Rising Sun, IN.

As far as the BXF card on Friday, December 2, no word on the complete card, but I have heard that Tony Jeter will headline.