Washington DC lightweight contender Anthony Peterson raised his record to 15-0, 10 KO's with a second round TKO over Manuel Bocanegra (9-8-2, 5 KO's) of Juarez, Mexico in the main event at Fitzgerald's Casino in Tunica, MS on January 28.
According to published reports, Peterson punished his opponent for the two rounds and Bocanegra's corner threw in the towel before round three.
Anthony Peterson is scheduled to appear on ESPN2 on February 17, at the FedExForum in Memphis, TN. His brother, Lamont (15-0, seven KO's) will also be on that card, fighting in the main event for the WBC Americas Junior Welterweight title against Jose Leo Moreno.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Davis Legacy Continues in Springfield February 4!
The following story can be placed in the "Boy, this makes me feel old" department:
If you know anything about Boxing Along The Beltway, you know the name and the success of the Davis family. For those who don't, Adrian Davis has been a successful trainer for many years, working with the likes of William Joppy, Sharmba Mitchell, Hasim Rahman and Johnny Tapia. Wife Brenda is regarded across the country as the "First Lady of Amateur Boxing." Brenda Davis was the first woman to be inducted into the USA Boxing Hall of Fame.
Their sons, Victor and Demetrius, were solid professionals during the late 80's and early 90's. Victor was famous for one of the greatest bouts ever seen on cable television when he scored a ninth-round TKO over Baltimore's Vincent Pettway at the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia in April of 1990. USA Network, who televised the bout, placed it in its top 10 of all the bouts shown on the network. Victor Davis finished his career with a record of 25-12-1, 15 KO's.
Demetrius' biggest win was a 10-round unanimous decision over then-highly regarded contender Joseph Kiwanuka in April of 1998, ironically, also at the Blue Horizon. Demetrius's final record was 17-11-4, 7 KO's.
Now comes word from Han Kim, the promoter for the boxing card on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA that the legacy will continue when Victor Davis, Jr. will make his pro debut on his card.
Recently, Kim told me that he thought Victor Davis, Sr. was "the best fighter to come out of this area, next to Sugar Ray Leonard and the best fighter to never become a world champion." Kim said he is excited to have Victor, Jr. on his card.
We will have more on this card later this week.
If you know anything about Boxing Along The Beltway, you know the name and the success of the Davis family. For those who don't, Adrian Davis has been a successful trainer for many years, working with the likes of William Joppy, Sharmba Mitchell, Hasim Rahman and Johnny Tapia. Wife Brenda is regarded across the country as the "First Lady of Amateur Boxing." Brenda Davis was the first woman to be inducted into the USA Boxing Hall of Fame.
Their sons, Victor and Demetrius, were solid professionals during the late 80's and early 90's. Victor was famous for one of the greatest bouts ever seen on cable television when he scored a ninth-round TKO over Baltimore's Vincent Pettway at the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia in April of 1990. USA Network, who televised the bout, placed it in its top 10 of all the bouts shown on the network. Victor Davis finished his career with a record of 25-12-1, 15 KO's.
Demetrius' biggest win was a 10-round unanimous decision over then-highly regarded contender Joseph Kiwanuka in April of 1998, ironically, also at the Blue Horizon. Demetrius's final record was 17-11-4, 7 KO's.
Now comes word from Han Kim, the promoter for the boxing card on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA that the legacy will continue when Victor Davis, Jr. will make his pro debut on his card.
Recently, Kim told me that he thought Victor Davis, Sr. was "the best fighter to come out of this area, next to Sugar Ray Leonard and the best fighter to never become a world champion." Kim said he is excited to have Victor, Jr. on his card.
We will have more on this card later this week.
Team USA Battles Belarus in Glen Burnie!
There is a big amateur card that will take place at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie on Tuesday, Jan 31. Representatives from the United States Boxing Team will take on a team from Belarus.
The local representative on the US team will be Cockeysville, MD's Marcus Henry. Henry is the number two-rated heavyweight in the country according to USABoxing.org.
One of the coaches for the US team is also from the Beltway. That would be Barry Hunter of the Headbangers boxing program. Hunter, of course, trains Anthony and Lamont Peterson.
Team USA and Team Belarus have been training at the Naval Academy for the past week and both teams were guests at the last Ballroom Boxing card on January 26.
The local representative on the US team will be Cockeysville, MD's Marcus Henry. Henry is the number two-rated heavyweight in the country according to USABoxing.org.
One of the coaches for the US team is also from the Beltway. That would be Barry Hunter of the Headbangers boxing program. Hunter, of course, trains Anthony and Lamont Peterson.
Team USA and Team Belarus have been training at the Naval Academy for the past week and both teams were guests at the last Ballroom Boxing card on January 26.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Angel McNamara, Part 2!
In part two of my interview with Angel McNamara, she gives her opinions on what the future holds for women's boxing.
Angel McNamara Talks About All-Female Card Feb. 10!
In part one of a two-part interview, Cambridge, MD lightweight Angel "Saumnice" McNamara talks about headlining the all-female card on Friday, February 10 at BXF Gym.
Olakanye Loses on Gatti-Damgaard Undercard!
For the second straight time, Silver Spring heavyweight Adele "Super Bad" Olakanye appeared on a major boxing card. And for the second time, he has lost. Olakanye lost a four-round unanimous decision to undefeated Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach (6-0, 2 KOs) on the Arturo Gatti-Thomas Damgaard undercard at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Scores: 40-36, 40-36, 40-35.
In October of 2005, Olakanye lost to Shane Cameron by fourth-round TKO on the James Toney-Dominick Guinn undercard in Reno, NV.
Olakanye's record is now 6-5-2, with four KO's and he is 0-3-1 in his last four outings.
Also on that card, DC light heavyweight Edward Hempfield lost a four-round majority decision to Wayne "Lights Out" Johnsen. Hempfield is now 3-2 with one KO. Johnsen is 10-1, five KO's.
In October of 2005, Olakanye lost to Shane Cameron by fourth-round TKO on the James Toney-Dominick Guinn undercard in Reno, NV.
Olakanye's record is now 6-5-2, with four KO's and he is 0-3-1 in his last four outings.
Also on that card, DC light heavyweight Edward Hempfield lost a four-round majority decision to Wayne "Lights Out" Johnsen. Hempfield is now 3-2 with one KO. Johnsen is 10-1, five KO's.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Thompson Wins Maryland State Heavyweight Title!
I was unable to attend last night's Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie. I thank my Fightnews.com colleagues Julian Burgower and "Priceless" Steve Price for filing the following report:
Ballroom Boxing at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD, last night kicked off its first show of the New Year with almost every fighter on the card hailing from either Philadelphia, PA or the Washington, DC and Baltimore areas, making it a showdown for supremacy with these two traditionally prideful boxing cities.
The main event pitted Tony “The Tiger” Thompson, 26-1 (16), against Brandon “The Beast” Cabell, 8-2-1 (2), for the right to be introduced as the Maryland State Heavyweight Champion.
Thompson, with over twice as many fights on his resume as Cabell, let his experience shine early, fighting out of a southpaw stance and connecting with almost every follow up shot thrown in conjunction with the jab.
Thompson was able to hit a very game Cabell with everything but the kitchen sink in the first three rounds, and in the fourth, threw that in as well, finding the missing ingredient for victory in the body shot. As Thompson cornered and was able to trap Cabell along the ropes, he unleashed a short four-punch combination, mixing the shots both upstairs and down, before Cabell dropped to all fours in a delayed response knockdown.
Cabell was able to beat the count, but did not respond to referee Malik Waleed’s repeated instructions, resulting in a TKO and perhaps changing Thompson’s nickname from “The Tiger” to “The Beastmaster,” now the Maryland State Heavyweight Champion at 2:41 of the fourth round.
The most impressive performance of the evening was undefeated prospect Derek Ennis, of Philadelphia, quickly knocking out usually tough Martinus Clay, a regular in the Ballroom Boxing series.
Ennis came out strong but controlled in picking his shots and finding the right moment to strike upon Clay, Wilson, NC., which took only a little under two minutes. Ennis dropped Clay with a short combination of punches that Clay was unable to recover, not being able to rise in time to beat referee Bill Holms’ count of ten. The official time was 1:55 of the first round. Ennis may be a name to look for in the future, having improved his record to 8-0 (5). Clay drops to 11-11-1 (3).
Junior lightweight Tyrell Samuel also looked good in improving his professional record to 5-0 (3) in punching his way to a fourth round TKO over Raul Rivera in a scheduled four-round bout.
Samuel took control early on in the first three rounds of the fight and in the fourth, twice dropped Rivera with a left hook and right hand, respectively. Rivera rose on both knockdowns, but was given mercy by referee Kenny Chevalier at :32 after being pummeled into the ropes shortly after rising from the second knockdown.
The much anticipated professional debut for Travis Kauffman, the multi-titled and top ranked amateur super heavyweight, almost took a turn in the wrong direction for the Reading, PA native. Jerome Boyers, of Sharon, PA, apparently had no ideas about coming in to be the opponent to showcase to Kauffman, and made his statement early in the first round of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.
Halfway through the first round, Boyers connected with a barrage of punches that forced Kauffman to reel back into the ropes. As Boyers looked to take advantage of his situation, referee John Gradowski stopped the action and issued Kauffman a standing eight-count, apparently because the ropes saved Kauffman from going down. Kauffman was able to finish the round, although he took a few more hard shots that made him look uneasy on his feet. Boyers looked as though he had spent all his breath at the rounds end after trying to finish Kauffman off.
In the second round, a still tired Boyers lay on the ropes and allowed Kauffman back into the fight, choosing to cover up and let Kauffman bang away at him. Then, with Boyers still against the ropes, Referee John Gradowski stepped in and called a halt to the contest, much to the displeasure of Boyers and especially the crowd watching the fight, who began chanting their vehement and abrasive discontent of the decision. The official time of the stoppage was 1:49 of the second round.
Also in action were two four-round preliminaries, in which Taurus Corbbery out-pointed Anthony Abrams, 39-36 (twice), 38-37 and Carlos Jones decisioned Lamont Cooper by scores of 39-36 (twice) and 38-37.
In attendance for the event was former two-time world champion Sharmba Mitchell and former two-time champion Vincent Pettway.
The USA Boxing team and the Belarus National Boxing team, who will be facing off in a tournament at Michael’s Eighth Avenue on Tuesday, January 31st, was also in attendance.
Ballroom Boxing is promoted by Michael and Scott Wagner of Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.
Ballroom Boxing at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD, last night kicked off its first show of the New Year with almost every fighter on the card hailing from either Philadelphia, PA or the Washington, DC and Baltimore areas, making it a showdown for supremacy with these two traditionally prideful boxing cities.
The main event pitted Tony “The Tiger” Thompson, 26-1 (16), against Brandon “The Beast” Cabell, 8-2-1 (2), for the right to be introduced as the Maryland State Heavyweight Champion.
Thompson, with over twice as many fights on his resume as Cabell, let his experience shine early, fighting out of a southpaw stance and connecting with almost every follow up shot thrown in conjunction with the jab.
Thompson was able to hit a very game Cabell with everything but the kitchen sink in the first three rounds, and in the fourth, threw that in as well, finding the missing ingredient for victory in the body shot. As Thompson cornered and was able to trap Cabell along the ropes, he unleashed a short four-punch combination, mixing the shots both upstairs and down, before Cabell dropped to all fours in a delayed response knockdown.
Cabell was able to beat the count, but did not respond to referee Malik Waleed’s repeated instructions, resulting in a TKO and perhaps changing Thompson’s nickname from “The Tiger” to “The Beastmaster,” now the Maryland State Heavyweight Champion at 2:41 of the fourth round.
The most impressive performance of the evening was undefeated prospect Derek Ennis, of Philadelphia, quickly knocking out usually tough Martinus Clay, a regular in the Ballroom Boxing series.
Ennis came out strong but controlled in picking his shots and finding the right moment to strike upon Clay, Wilson, NC., which took only a little under two minutes. Ennis dropped Clay with a short combination of punches that Clay was unable to recover, not being able to rise in time to beat referee Bill Holms’ count of ten. The official time was 1:55 of the first round. Ennis may be a name to look for in the future, having improved his record to 8-0 (5). Clay drops to 11-11-1 (3).
Junior lightweight Tyrell Samuel also looked good in improving his professional record to 5-0 (3) in punching his way to a fourth round TKO over Raul Rivera in a scheduled four-round bout.
Samuel took control early on in the first three rounds of the fight and in the fourth, twice dropped Rivera with a left hook and right hand, respectively. Rivera rose on both knockdowns, but was given mercy by referee Kenny Chevalier at :32 after being pummeled into the ropes shortly after rising from the second knockdown.
The much anticipated professional debut for Travis Kauffman, the multi-titled and top ranked amateur super heavyweight, almost took a turn in the wrong direction for the Reading, PA native. Jerome Boyers, of Sharon, PA, apparently had no ideas about coming in to be the opponent to showcase to Kauffman, and made his statement early in the first round of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.
Halfway through the first round, Boyers connected with a barrage of punches that forced Kauffman to reel back into the ropes. As Boyers looked to take advantage of his situation, referee John Gradowski stopped the action and issued Kauffman a standing eight-count, apparently because the ropes saved Kauffman from going down. Kauffman was able to finish the round, although he took a few more hard shots that made him look uneasy on his feet. Boyers looked as though he had spent all his breath at the rounds end after trying to finish Kauffman off.
In the second round, a still tired Boyers lay on the ropes and allowed Kauffman back into the fight, choosing to cover up and let Kauffman bang away at him. Then, with Boyers still against the ropes, Referee John Gradowski stepped in and called a halt to the contest, much to the displeasure of Boyers and especially the crowd watching the fight, who began chanting their vehement and abrasive discontent of the decision. The official time of the stoppage was 1:49 of the second round.
Also in action were two four-round preliminaries, in which Taurus Corbbery out-pointed Anthony Abrams, 39-36 (twice), 38-37 and Carlos Jones decisioned Lamont Cooper by scores of 39-36 (twice) and 38-37.
In attendance for the event was former two-time world champion Sharmba Mitchell and former two-time champion Vincent Pettway.
The USA Boxing team and the Belarus National Boxing team, who will be facing off in a tournament at Michael’s Eighth Avenue on Tuesday, January 31st, was also in attendance.
Ballroom Boxing is promoted by Michael and Scott Wagner of Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Weights for Ballroom Boxing Jan. 26!
Here is the scale watch for tomorrow night's Ballroom Boxing show at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie. The Beltway Boxers are listed in bold.
MARYLAND STATE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
Tony Thompson 253 3/4 vs. Brandon Cabell 253 3/4
Tyrell Samuel 128 1/2 vs. Raul Rivera 123 3/4
Muhsin Corrbrey 150 1/2 vs. Anthony Abrams 150
Derek Ennis 150 vs. Martinus Clay 150
Jerome Boyers 227 1/4 vs. Travis Kauffman 242
Carlos Jones 193 1/4 vs. Lamont Cooper 187 3/4
Samuel and Jones are late additions to the card.
MARYLAND STATE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
Tony Thompson 253 3/4 vs. Brandon Cabell 253 3/4
Tyrell Samuel 128 1/2 vs. Raul Rivera 123 3/4
Muhsin Corrbrey 150 1/2 vs. Anthony Abrams 150
Derek Ennis 150 vs. Martinus Clay 150
Jerome Boyers 227 1/4 vs. Travis Kauffman 242
Carlos Jones 193 1/4 vs. Lamont Cooper 187 3/4
Samuel and Jones are late additions to the card.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Eric Aiken Interview, Part 2!
In part two of our interview with the NABA Featherweight champion, Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken, we discuss some of the champions and contenders in the featherweight division.
Exclusive Eric Aiken Interview!
The newly crowned NABA Featherweight champion Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken talks exclusively to Boxing Along The Beltway about his championship victory in Columbus, OH.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Full Ballroom Boxing Preview!
The vacant Maryland State Heavyweight championship will be on the line when Ballroom Boxing opens its 2006 schedule on Thursday, January 26 at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.
In the 10-round main event, Tony “The Tiger” Thompson of Silver Spring will battle Brandon “The Beast” Cabell of Baltimore.
Thompson (25-1, 15 KO’s) has one of the longest winning streaks of anyone in the Baltimore-Washington area. Thompson has won his last 21 bouts, with 12 of his wins coming by knockout. Thompson has not lost since a July 2000 four-round decision loss to Eric Kirkland. Thompson did have an unofficial loss in 2002 when he participated in the Thunderbox “Fistful of Dollars” tournament. Thompson lost in the finals to Maurice Harris, but that loss did not go against his official record.
Thompson’s wins however, have come against low and mid-level competition. Thompson’s most notable win came against former contender Vaughn Bean. Thompson won a 10-round unanimous decision over Bean in September of 2004. In his last outing, Thompson scored a fifth-round KO over Willie Perryman on September 30, 2005 in Brooks, CA.
Cabell (8-1-1, two KO’s) captured the vacant WBE (World Boxing Empire) Intercontinental title on August 30, 2005, scoring a third-round KO over Ronald Bellamy in Winston-Salem, NC. The win was Cabell’s second straight.
Cabell recently received a sterling endorsement from one of his sparring partners. Another Baltimore heavyweight, Jed Phipps, credited Cabell with helping to turn his career around. Phipps has won two straight by knockout, including an explosive one against David Cleage on January 20 in Pikesville, MD.
“Working with Brandon has modified both our games,” Phipps said. “And you’ll see that in Brandon when he faces Tony ‘The Tiger’ on the 26th.”
The only issue with this card is that the Maryland State title bout is the ONLY bout featuring Beltway Boxers.
In the co-feature bout, undefeated junior middleweight prospect Derek Ennis of Philadelphia, PA will take on “Magnificent” Martinus Clay of Wilson, NC. This bout is scheduled for six rounds.
Ennis (6-0, four KO’s) is coming off a third-round TKO over Joshua Smith on April 15 in Philadelphia. Clay (10-10-1, three KO’s) won a six-round majority decision over Matt McKart on December 17 in Auburn Hills, MI.
In another six-round junior middleweight contest, undefeated New York prospect Jose Angel Rodriguez (4-0 1, KO) will take on James Shedrick of Philadelphia (3-4, two KO’s).
Rodriguez won a four-round unanimous decision over Esteban Cordova on January 13 in Monticello, NY. Shedrick broke a three-bout losing streak by scoring a fourth-round KO over Tony Jeter on December 2 at BXF in Millersville, MD.
Three four-round bouts will round out the card. In a welterweight contest, Muhsin Corbbrey of Hilton Head, SC (1-1-1) will face Philadelphia’s Anthony Abrams (1-3). A featherweight bout will pit James Frank of Newport News, VA (1-1, one KO) against Raul Rivera of Chicago, IL (0-1). In a heavyweight bout, highly-touted amateur Travis Kauffman of Reading, PA (now fighting out of Chicago) will take on Jerome Boyers of Philadelphia.
In the 10-round main event, Tony “The Tiger” Thompson of Silver Spring will battle Brandon “The Beast” Cabell of Baltimore.
Thompson (25-1, 15 KO’s) has one of the longest winning streaks of anyone in the Baltimore-Washington area. Thompson has won his last 21 bouts, with 12 of his wins coming by knockout. Thompson has not lost since a July 2000 four-round decision loss to Eric Kirkland. Thompson did have an unofficial loss in 2002 when he participated in the Thunderbox “Fistful of Dollars” tournament. Thompson lost in the finals to Maurice Harris, but that loss did not go against his official record.
Thompson’s wins however, have come against low and mid-level competition. Thompson’s most notable win came against former contender Vaughn Bean. Thompson won a 10-round unanimous decision over Bean in September of 2004. In his last outing, Thompson scored a fifth-round KO over Willie Perryman on September 30, 2005 in Brooks, CA.
Cabell (8-1-1, two KO’s) captured the vacant WBE (World Boxing Empire) Intercontinental title on August 30, 2005, scoring a third-round KO over Ronald Bellamy in Winston-Salem, NC. The win was Cabell’s second straight.
Cabell recently received a sterling endorsement from one of his sparring partners. Another Baltimore heavyweight, Jed Phipps, credited Cabell with helping to turn his career around. Phipps has won two straight by knockout, including an explosive one against David Cleage on January 20 in Pikesville, MD.
“Working with Brandon has modified both our games,” Phipps said. “And you’ll see that in Brandon when he faces Tony ‘The Tiger’ on the 26th.”
The only issue with this card is that the Maryland State title bout is the ONLY bout featuring Beltway Boxers.
In the co-feature bout, undefeated junior middleweight prospect Derek Ennis of Philadelphia, PA will take on “Magnificent” Martinus Clay of Wilson, NC. This bout is scheduled for six rounds.
Ennis (6-0, four KO’s) is coming off a third-round TKO over Joshua Smith on April 15 in Philadelphia. Clay (10-10-1, three KO’s) won a six-round majority decision over Matt McKart on December 17 in Auburn Hills, MI.
In another six-round junior middleweight contest, undefeated New York prospect Jose Angel Rodriguez (4-0 1, KO) will take on James Shedrick of Philadelphia (3-4, two KO’s).
Rodriguez won a four-round unanimous decision over Esteban Cordova on January 13 in Monticello, NY. Shedrick broke a three-bout losing streak by scoring a fourth-round KO over Tony Jeter on December 2 at BXF in Millersville, MD.
Three four-round bouts will round out the card. In a welterweight contest, Muhsin Corbbrey of Hilton Head, SC (1-1-1) will face Philadelphia’s Anthony Abrams (1-3). A featherweight bout will pit James Frank of Newport News, VA (1-1, one KO) against Raul Rivera of Chicago, IL (0-1). In a heavyweight bout, highly-touted amateur Travis Kauffman of Reading, PA (now fighting out of Chicago) will take on Jerome Boyers of Philadelphia.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Reid Battles Candelo To Draw!
According to published reports, Adelphi MD junior middleweight Teddy "Two-Gun" Reid (23-7-2, 17 KO's) battled JC Candelo (26-8-4, 18 KOs) to a ten round draw at the Foxwoods in Connecticut.
Fightnews.com is reporting that Candelo outboxed Reid early, but Reid came on late. Candelo survived a violent attack by Reid in the tenth. Reid was deducted points in rounds seven and ten, and it cost him. Scores were 97-91 Candelo, 95-93 Reid and 94-94.
Even though this wasn't a loss for Reid, this was probably a win he should have had.
Fightnews.com is reporting that Candelo outboxed Reid early, but Reid came on late. Candelo survived a violent attack by Reid in the tenth. Reid was deducted points in rounds seven and ten, and it cost him. Scores were 97-91 Candelo, 95-93 Reid and 94-94.
Even though this wasn't a loss for Reid, this was probably a win he should have had.
Aiken Captures NABA Title!
Forestville, MD featherweight Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken is the Beltway's newest titleholder. Aiken won the vacant NABA Featherweight championship with a seventh-round TKO over Darby Smart on January 20 at the Voinovich Center in Columbus, OH.
With the win, Aiken raises his record to 14-3 with 11 KO's. The NABA is affiliated with the WBA so hopefully, Aiken's win will mean at least a top 15 ranking in the WBA.
I am working on bringing you an audio interview with Aiken concerning this win sometime this weekend.
By the way, our own Henry "Discombobulating" Jones served as ring announcer for this card.
With the win, Aiken raises his record to 14-3 with 11 KO's. The NABA is affiliated with the WBA so hopefully, Aiken's win will mean at least a top 15 ranking in the WBA.
I am working on bringing you an audio interview with Aiken concerning this win sometime this weekend.
By the way, our own Henry "Discombobulating" Jones served as ring announcer for this card.
Cygan Upset In Pikesville!
Adages become well known over time because they ring true most of the time. An example is the adage “speed kills.” While speed didn’t totally destroy Baltimore, MD middleweight Tony “Cyclone” Cygan, the hand and foot speed of Billy Lyell of Niles, OH proved to be the determining factor in Cygan suffering his first pro loss by a relatively easy eight-round unanimous decision in front of a raucous crowd of at the Pikesville Armory in Pikesville, MD.
Unlike Cygan’s previous bouts where he was able to get inside on his opponent and do damage, Lyell’s speed wouldn’t allow it. Lyell repeatedly beat Cygan to the punch throughout the contest. In the rare moments where Cygan was able to land first, Lyell took the shots very well.
Both men tried to fight in close and both men paid for their actions by suffering numerous cuts. Cygan was even cut on the top of his head by the slightly taller Lyell.
In the end, however, it came down to Lyell’s speed down the stretch where he was able to counter Cygan with right hands that gave Cygan little opportunity to get off first. Judges Don Risher and Malik Waleed said Lyell pitched a shutout, 80-72 while Judge John Gradowski scored the bout 79-73. I scored the bout a little closer at 78-74 for Lyell.
“I thought my speed was a little too much for him and also my boxing ability,” Lyell said. “He was a hell of a tough fighter and a strong fighter.”
When asked if it was difficult to come into Cygan’s backyard and pull out the victory, Lyell said, “It’s always tough to be on the road but I thought I could come in here and beat the kid. Sometimes you have to take a shot.”
Cygan said his loss came as a result of not being active enough during the contest.
“I made it a lot harder,” Cygan said. “I wasn’t busy enough and that was my problem. I was letting him get off and instead of ducking punches, I ate them.”
Lyell’s record is now 10-2, two KO’s while Cygan falls to 9-1, six KO’s.
In the co-feature, Baltimore heavyweight Jed “The Punisher” Phipps scored a devastating first-round knockout over David “The Body Snatcher” Cleage of Columbus, OH.
The round started off very even with both men trading shots. In the first minute, Cleage seemed to be getting a slight edge as he was catching Phipps with solid jabs.
But with about 30 seconds to go in the round, Phipps unleashed a crushing left hook that sent Cleage quickly to the canvas and the Pikesville Armory crowd leaping to its feet. Referee Malik Waleed immediately called a halt to the bout at 2:47 of the round.
“The jab set it up,” Phipps said of the knockout. “I said this guy came to fight. He had a good jab. I threw the hook just like the jab and it landed.”
The win was Phipps’ third straight and his second straight win by knockout. Phipps’ record is now 17-3 with 10 KO’s. Cleage’s record now drops to 3-9-1, one KO.
In other bouts on the card, Smithsburg, MD lightweight Dean “Pit Bull” White broke a two-fight losing streak by winning a close, six-round split decision over Marty “Too Sweet” Robbins of Crossville, TN.
White seemed to control the first half of the bout by showing good hand speed and his ability to push Robbins from one end of the ring to the other. By late in the third round, however, Robbins was able to make things interesting as he started to go successfully to White’s body.
By the end of the bout, White was able to regain his hold on the bout, throwing good power shots. Robbins showed a granite-like chin in the latter stages of the bout.
Judge John Gradowski scored the bout in favor of Robbins, 58-56 while Judges Kenny Chevalier and Don Risher saw the bout for White by respective scores of 58-57 and 58-56. My scorecard scored the bout for White at 59-56.
White raised his record to 12-4 with six KO’s while Robbins falls to 21-30-1, 15 KO’s. Robbins has now lost four straight bouts.
Two Baltimore-area boxers made their pro debuts on this show and both gained their first pro victory. Severn, MD junior middleweight Jesse “The Beast” Nicklow scored a four-round shutout (40-35 on all cards) over Lawrence Frisby of Philadelphia, PA (3-10, two KO’s).
In the curtain-raising bout, Bel Air, MD super middleweight Nick “The Flash” Collins registered a brutal first-round knockout over Eddie Otts of Waldorf, MD. Collins was able to land a series of punches that knocked Otts (0-2-1) through the ropes and almost to the floor. Referee John Gradowski stopped the contest immediately at 1:38 of the first.
The fight card was a benefit with proceeds from ticket sales and a silent auction going to help pay for the medical expenses of boxer “The American Dream” Mike Dietrich. The undefeated Dundalk, MD heavyweight prospect (7-0, three KO’s) suffered injuries from stab wounds acquired during a December altercation. Former world champion Vinny Paz was on hand to lend support.
The promoter was Jake Smith of Baltimore Pro Boxing. The matchmaker was Josh Hall.
Some random thoughts on the card:
1. Josh Hall did a magnificent matchmaking job. Even the normally stoic Hall couldn't hide his satisfaction over this card and he should be proud. A bout as competitive as the Dean White-Marty Robbins match was exhibit A of good matchmaking and knowledge of the sport. The records said that on paper, that bout should have been a cakewalk, but it was extremely competitive. Even the bouts that contained first-round knockouts were competitive until the knockouts took place.
2. Speaking of the knockouts, maybe -- just maybe -- Jed Phipps has turned the corner and will now be a legitimate heavyweight prospect. This is Phipps' second straight solid performance after what has been an inconsistent career for him. I asked Phipps what has been the difference in his last two fights and he gave me an interesting answer. Phipps credited his success to -- not a trainer -- but his sparring partner Brandon "The Beast" Cabell. Phipps said the two of them have modified their games since working with each other and Phipps added that we will see the change in Cabell on Jan. 26 when he fights Tony "The Tiger" Thompson for the Maryland State Heavyweight title at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie.
3. Solid pro debuts for Nick Collins and Jessie Nicklow. Collins, who is trained by former Baltimore cruiserweight prospect Courtney Bridget, showed explosive power. Nicklow also looked decent but needs to quickly find a jab and use it.
4. We definitely saw a flaw in Tony Cygan's execution of his gameplan. As he told me, he just couldn't get going and couldn't get off first. This was the first time that he has fought someone that quick outside of sparring. Right now, he has trouble with speedy boxers. That is something he has to and can correct.
5. The Pikesville Armory crowd needs to give itself a round of applause. The crowd was one of the most enthusiastic I've seen in a while. The explosion of emotion when Phipps knocked his opponent out was incredible to see.
The next card for Baltimore Pro Boxing will be on Thursday, Feb 23 at Martin's West.
Unlike Cygan’s previous bouts where he was able to get inside on his opponent and do damage, Lyell’s speed wouldn’t allow it. Lyell repeatedly beat Cygan to the punch throughout the contest. In the rare moments where Cygan was able to land first, Lyell took the shots very well.
Both men tried to fight in close and both men paid for their actions by suffering numerous cuts. Cygan was even cut on the top of his head by the slightly taller Lyell.
In the end, however, it came down to Lyell’s speed down the stretch where he was able to counter Cygan with right hands that gave Cygan little opportunity to get off first. Judges Don Risher and Malik Waleed said Lyell pitched a shutout, 80-72 while Judge John Gradowski scored the bout 79-73. I scored the bout a little closer at 78-74 for Lyell.
“I thought my speed was a little too much for him and also my boxing ability,” Lyell said. “He was a hell of a tough fighter and a strong fighter.”
When asked if it was difficult to come into Cygan’s backyard and pull out the victory, Lyell said, “It’s always tough to be on the road but I thought I could come in here and beat the kid. Sometimes you have to take a shot.”
Cygan said his loss came as a result of not being active enough during the contest.
“I made it a lot harder,” Cygan said. “I wasn’t busy enough and that was my problem. I was letting him get off and instead of ducking punches, I ate them.”
Lyell’s record is now 10-2, two KO’s while Cygan falls to 9-1, six KO’s.
In the co-feature, Baltimore heavyweight Jed “The Punisher” Phipps scored a devastating first-round knockout over David “The Body Snatcher” Cleage of Columbus, OH.
The round started off very even with both men trading shots. In the first minute, Cleage seemed to be getting a slight edge as he was catching Phipps with solid jabs.
But with about 30 seconds to go in the round, Phipps unleashed a crushing left hook that sent Cleage quickly to the canvas and the Pikesville Armory crowd leaping to its feet. Referee Malik Waleed immediately called a halt to the bout at 2:47 of the round.
“The jab set it up,” Phipps said of the knockout. “I said this guy came to fight. He had a good jab. I threw the hook just like the jab and it landed.”
The win was Phipps’ third straight and his second straight win by knockout. Phipps’ record is now 17-3 with 10 KO’s. Cleage’s record now drops to 3-9-1, one KO.
In other bouts on the card, Smithsburg, MD lightweight Dean “Pit Bull” White broke a two-fight losing streak by winning a close, six-round split decision over Marty “Too Sweet” Robbins of Crossville, TN.
White seemed to control the first half of the bout by showing good hand speed and his ability to push Robbins from one end of the ring to the other. By late in the third round, however, Robbins was able to make things interesting as he started to go successfully to White’s body.
By the end of the bout, White was able to regain his hold on the bout, throwing good power shots. Robbins showed a granite-like chin in the latter stages of the bout.
Judge John Gradowski scored the bout in favor of Robbins, 58-56 while Judges Kenny Chevalier and Don Risher saw the bout for White by respective scores of 58-57 and 58-56. My scorecard scored the bout for White at 59-56.
White raised his record to 12-4 with six KO’s while Robbins falls to 21-30-1, 15 KO’s. Robbins has now lost four straight bouts.
Two Baltimore-area boxers made their pro debuts on this show and both gained their first pro victory. Severn, MD junior middleweight Jesse “The Beast” Nicklow scored a four-round shutout (40-35 on all cards) over Lawrence Frisby of Philadelphia, PA (3-10, two KO’s).
In the curtain-raising bout, Bel Air, MD super middleweight Nick “The Flash” Collins registered a brutal first-round knockout over Eddie Otts of Waldorf, MD. Collins was able to land a series of punches that knocked Otts (0-2-1) through the ropes and almost to the floor. Referee John Gradowski stopped the contest immediately at 1:38 of the first.
The fight card was a benefit with proceeds from ticket sales and a silent auction going to help pay for the medical expenses of boxer “The American Dream” Mike Dietrich. The undefeated Dundalk, MD heavyweight prospect (7-0, three KO’s) suffered injuries from stab wounds acquired during a December altercation. Former world champion Vinny Paz was on hand to lend support.
The promoter was Jake Smith of Baltimore Pro Boxing. The matchmaker was Josh Hall.
Some random thoughts on the card:
1. Josh Hall did a magnificent matchmaking job. Even the normally stoic Hall couldn't hide his satisfaction over this card and he should be proud. A bout as competitive as the Dean White-Marty Robbins match was exhibit A of good matchmaking and knowledge of the sport. The records said that on paper, that bout should have been a cakewalk, but it was extremely competitive. Even the bouts that contained first-round knockouts were competitive until the knockouts took place.
2. Speaking of the knockouts, maybe -- just maybe -- Jed Phipps has turned the corner and will now be a legitimate heavyweight prospect. This is Phipps' second straight solid performance after what has been an inconsistent career for him. I asked Phipps what has been the difference in his last two fights and he gave me an interesting answer. Phipps credited his success to -- not a trainer -- but his sparring partner Brandon "The Beast" Cabell. Phipps said the two of them have modified their games since working with each other and Phipps added that we will see the change in Cabell on Jan. 26 when he fights Tony "The Tiger" Thompson for the Maryland State Heavyweight title at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie.
3. Solid pro debuts for Nick Collins and Jessie Nicklow. Collins, who is trained by former Baltimore cruiserweight prospect Courtney Bridget, showed explosive power. Nicklow also looked decent but needs to quickly find a jab and use it.
4. We definitely saw a flaw in Tony Cygan's execution of his gameplan. As he told me, he just couldn't get going and couldn't get off first. This was the first time that he has fought someone that quick outside of sparring. Right now, he has trouble with speedy boxers. That is something he has to and can correct.
5. The Pikesville Armory crowd needs to give itself a round of applause. The crowd was one of the most enthusiastic I've seen in a while. The explosion of emotion when Phipps knocked his opponent out was incredible to see.
The next card for Baltimore Pro Boxing will be on Thursday, Feb 23 at Martin's West.
Friday, January 20, 2006
L. Peterson Opponent Changes for WBC Americas Title Bout!
Undefeated DC Junior welterweight Lamont Peterson will face a new opponent in his WBC Americas Junior Welterweight title bout on February 17 at the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis, TN.
Courtney Burton is out and Jose Leo Moreno is now in for this contest. Moreno is from St. Paul, MN and has a record of 12-1 with 10 KO's. Moreno suffered his first loss in his last contest, a first-round knockout at the hands of highly-touted undefeated prospect Mike Arnaoutis on December 9 in Kissimmee, FL.
Peterson has a record of 15-0, seven KO's.
Peterson's brother Anthony will also be on this card. Anthony Peterson's opponent will be James Wayka of Minneapolis, MN. Anthony Peterson's record is 14-0, 11 KO's while Wayka's record is 14-4, seven KO's.
But prior to that bout, Anthony Peterson has a contest on January 28 in Tunica, MS against Manuel Bocanegra of Mexico City (6-7, four KO's).
According to their promotional company, Prize Fight Promotions, The Petersons have been treated well in their boxing home base of Memphis. The brothers were honored at both Memphis Grizzles and University of Memphis basketball games.
Courtney Burton is out and Jose Leo Moreno is now in for this contest. Moreno is from St. Paul, MN and has a record of 12-1 with 10 KO's. Moreno suffered his first loss in his last contest, a first-round knockout at the hands of highly-touted undefeated prospect Mike Arnaoutis on December 9 in Kissimmee, FL.
Peterson has a record of 15-0, seven KO's.
Peterson's brother Anthony will also be on this card. Anthony Peterson's opponent will be James Wayka of Minneapolis, MN. Anthony Peterson's record is 14-0, 11 KO's while Wayka's record is 14-4, seven KO's.
But prior to that bout, Anthony Peterson has a contest on January 28 in Tunica, MS against Manuel Bocanegra of Mexico City (6-7, four KO's).
According to their promotional company, Prize Fight Promotions, The Petersons have been treated well in their boxing home base of Memphis. The brothers were honored at both Memphis Grizzles and University of Memphis basketball games.
Weights for Baltimore Boxing Card in Pikesville!
Here are the weights for tomorrow's Baltimore Boxing card at the Pikesville Armory.
Tony Cygan 159 vs. Billy Lyell 162
Jed Phipps 222 1/4 vs. David Cleage 245 3/4
Marty Robbins 136 1/4 vs. Dean White 133 1/2
Eddie Otts 173 1/4 vs. Nick Collins 167 3/4
Jesse Nicklow 156 1/2 vs. Lawrence Frisby 157 3/4
Remember, this card is a benefit with proceeds from the card as well as the silent auction going to help "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich pay for his hospital expenses.
My thanks to "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears for the information on the weights.
Tony Cygan 159 vs. Billy Lyell 162
Jed Phipps 222 1/4 vs. David Cleage 245 3/4
Marty Robbins 136 1/4 vs. Dean White 133 1/2
Eddie Otts 173 1/4 vs. Nick Collins 167 3/4
Jesse Nicklow 156 1/2 vs. Lawrence Frisby 157 3/4
Remember, this card is a benefit with proceeds from the card as well as the silent auction going to help "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich pay for his hospital expenses.
My thanks to "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears for the information on the weights.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Mark Johnson Talks History and Future!
In part two of my interview with Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson, the former three-time world champion talks about DC boxing, past, present and future.
Mark Johnson Prepares For Fourth World Title Quest!
In this exclusive audio interview, former three-time world champion Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson talks about preparations for his attempt at a fourth world title vs. WBO Bantamweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez on Feb. 25 in Las Vegas.
Springfield VA Hosts February Boxing Card!
After years of inactivity on the pro boxing scene, it looks like the Northern Virginia section of the Beltway is starting to heat up. We've already talked about the card on February 18th at the Patriot Center. But there will be a card exactly two weeks before that one.
The card will be Saturday, February 4 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA. For you long-time Beltway Boxing fans, that place was known as the ABC Auditorium in the old days. And back in the late 80's and early 90's, that place used to rock with boxing cards featuring the likes of Keith Holmes, Andrew Council and Andrew Maynard. Many people in and around the Beltway cut their boxing teeth on those shows, including a young promoter, reporter and matchmaker named Eric Bottjer, who now serves as matchmaker for Don King Productions. ABC was an important venue for the Beltway Boxing scene back then.
Another fixture on those cards is the man who will be promoting this card, the legendary former Virginia State Junior Middleweight champion Han "Sugar" Kim. Kim was one of the most popular boxers in this area and it is great to see him still a big part of the scene. I talked to Kim about this show and he says he plans to have a show at ABC every two months. I hope that will be the case.
Kim says the main event for this card is set. Takoma Park, MD heavyweight Willis Lockett (6-4-4, 1 KO) will face veteran Robert Marsh (9-37-4, four KO's) of Hickory, NC.
The card is also scheduled to mark the long-awaited debut of Fairfax, VA's "Money" Mike Sawyer (who told me about this card, thank you!). Sawyer's debut has been delayed because of injuries but he is ready to go for this card.
I hope to give you a full preview of this card in the next couple of weeks.
The card will be Saturday, February 4 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA. For you long-time Beltway Boxing fans, that place was known as the ABC Auditorium in the old days. And back in the late 80's and early 90's, that place used to rock with boxing cards featuring the likes of Keith Holmes, Andrew Council and Andrew Maynard. Many people in and around the Beltway cut their boxing teeth on those shows, including a young promoter, reporter and matchmaker named Eric Bottjer, who now serves as matchmaker for Don King Productions. ABC was an important venue for the Beltway Boxing scene back then.
Another fixture on those cards is the man who will be promoting this card, the legendary former Virginia State Junior Middleweight champion Han "Sugar" Kim. Kim was one of the most popular boxers in this area and it is great to see him still a big part of the scene. I talked to Kim about this show and he says he plans to have a show at ABC every two months. I hope that will be the case.
Kim says the main event for this card is set. Takoma Park, MD heavyweight Willis Lockett (6-4-4, 1 KO) will face veteran Robert Marsh (9-37-4, four KO's) of Hickory, NC.
The card is also scheduled to mark the long-awaited debut of Fairfax, VA's "Money" Mike Sawyer (who told me about this card, thank you!). Sawyer's debut has been delayed because of injuries but he is ready to go for this card.
I hope to give you a full preview of this card in the next couple of weeks.
Aiken Finally Gets NABA Title Shot!
Forestville, MD featherweight Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken will finally get a shot at the vacant NABA Featherweight championship. Aiken (13-3, 10 KO's) will take on Darby Smart (9-2, four KO's) of Chisholm, MN on Friday, January 20 at the Voinovich Center in Columbus, OH.
As I've said before, this is definitely a big opportunity for Aiken to prove he belongs in the major rankings for the featherweight division. Let's wish him well.
As I've said before, this is definitely a big opportunity for Aiken to prove he belongs in the major rankings for the featherweight division. Let's wish him well.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
BXF Hosts All-Female Card on February 10!
Friday, February 10 will be an interesting night of Boxing Along the Beltway. BXF will host an all-female boxing card.
Information about this card says that this will be the first all-female card held in the state of Maryland. I can't verify that, but I can say that this will be the first all-female card held along the Beltway since May 30, 2004, when there was an all-female show held at DC Tunnel.
That card did not have any local boxers, but it did have notable names including Melissa "Honey Girl" Del Valle and Aasa Sandell, a Swedish boxer who made her pro debut on that card and last month fought Laila Ali in Berlin, Germany.
The BXF card will have some local talent including Cambridge, MD's Angel "Saumnice" McNamara. The card is also scheduled to feature the pro debut of DC's Dominique Rice.
What is ironic, at least to me, is that some of the proceeds will benefit the House of Ruth, a shelter that helps victims of domestic violence. Women hitting each other to support battered women. Fascinating.
Anyway, hopefully this show will do very well. I'll bring you more information when it comes available.
Information about this card says that this will be the first all-female card held in the state of Maryland. I can't verify that, but I can say that this will be the first all-female card held along the Beltway since May 30, 2004, when there was an all-female show held at DC Tunnel.
That card did not have any local boxers, but it did have notable names including Melissa "Honey Girl" Del Valle and Aasa Sandell, a Swedish boxer who made her pro debut on that card and last month fought Laila Ali in Berlin, Germany.
The BXF card will have some local talent including Cambridge, MD's Angel "Saumnice" McNamara. The card is also scheduled to feature the pro debut of DC's Dominique Rice.
What is ironic, at least to me, is that some of the proceeds will benefit the House of Ruth, a shelter that helps victims of domestic violence. Women hitting each other to support battered women. Fascinating.
Anyway, hopefully this show will do very well. I'll bring you more information when it comes available.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Jimmy Lange Talks About Feb. 18 Card!
For the first time, Boxing Along the Beltway brings you an audio interview. I talked to Great Falls, VA middleweight Jimmy Lange about his upcoming battle against Contender rival Joey Gilbert. The bout is on February 18 at the Patriot Center.
Here is part 1 of the interview.
Here is part 1 of the interview.
Jimmy Lange Talks, Part 2
In the second part of my interview with Jimmy Lange, we talk about his fans and the team behind him.
Simon Brown Should Be in the Hall of Fame!
I'm still learning technology about this blog situation and I just learned that I can post audio on this blog. So now I will be doing most of my commentaries in this manner. Here is the first. Please let me know what you think about this idea.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
DC Has First 2006 Card on March 3 at Lincoln Theatre!
After an almost nine-month absence, Washington, DC will finally host a boxing card. This card, called "Fighting on the U" will be on Friday, March 3 at the historic Lincoln Theatre on U Street in DC.
Right now, this event looks loaded with solid Beltway Boxing names. The main event is set and it will be a matchup between two boxers from Capitol Heights, MD. Undefeated Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan will take on Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan in Bryan's first appearance along the Beltway in more than seven years. This bout is listed as a "championship title fight" but no one seems to know what title they will be fighting for.
Among the other notables scheduled for this card will be former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, who fights here for the first time since his 2004 victory over Darryll Tyson.
Also slated for this card are three boxers who are coming off of tough performances; Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller , Reggie "The Mechanic" Holly and Tony "Mo Better" Jeter. Miller fought to a six-round draw last November at the Show Place Arena in his first bout in five years. Both Holly and Jeter were knocked out in their last outings.
Also scheduled for this card is undefeated New York based female boxer Chika Nakamura. Nakamura, a junior welterweight, is 2-0, 1 KO.
The card is being promoted by a brand new face on the scene, Cassandra White and her company CW Promotions. White has been noticed at recent cards along the Beltway, taking notes and learning her trade. If she can keep this card as is, she will be off to a good start. Assisting her with this card is one of the legendary names along the Beltway, Julius "Juice" Gatling.
Right now, this event looks loaded with solid Beltway Boxing names. The main event is set and it will be a matchup between two boxers from Capitol Heights, MD. Undefeated Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan will take on Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan in Bryan's first appearance along the Beltway in more than seven years. This bout is listed as a "championship title fight" but no one seems to know what title they will be fighting for.
Among the other notables scheduled for this card will be former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, who fights here for the first time since his 2004 victory over Darryll Tyson.
Also slated for this card are three boxers who are coming off of tough performances; Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller , Reggie "The Mechanic" Holly and Tony "Mo Better" Jeter. Miller fought to a six-round draw last November at the Show Place Arena in his first bout in five years. Both Holly and Jeter were knocked out in their last outings.
Also scheduled for this card is undefeated New York based female boxer Chika Nakamura. Nakamura, a junior welterweight, is 2-0, 1 KO.
The card is being promoted by a brand new face on the scene, Cassandra White and her company CW Promotions. White has been noticed at recent cards along the Beltway, taking notes and learning her trade. If she can keep this card as is, she will be off to a good start. Assisting her with this card is one of the legendary names along the Beltway, Julius "Juice" Gatling.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Official Response to Peterson Training Situation!
One of the many great things about this blog is the ability to hear from the boxing fans along the Beltway. Recently, I put up some information concerning the Peterson Brothers. All I did was put up info about their upcoming bouts (which I have to update, by the way).
From that info, came a nice discussion generated by fans concerning the long-time trainer of the Petersons, Barry Hunter. Apparently, there has been some talk that Hunter may be replaced as trainer by their advisor Shelly Finkel in favor of a more well-known trainer.
I put that question to Nate Yoder, who handles the media relations for Prize Fight Boxing, the company that has been promoting the Petersons in the Gulf Coast area of the country. The following is Yoder's response:
"There is no truth to Shelly Finkel attempting to replace Barry Hunter as trainer of Lamont & Anthony Peterson. Barry and Shelly’s relationship is and always has been strong. Obviously, this had to of been someone who is jealous of what they have achieved. In our opinion, Barry Hunter is one of the best up and coming trainers in the sport today. Please tune in on February 17th as Lamont will be fighting on ESPN2 with Anthony on the card as well."
That should settle that debate.
Now here is the update on the Petersons in the ring. Lamont Peterson's battle against Courtney Burton on February 17 will be for the WBC Americas Jr. Welterweight title. A win for Peterson will more than likely mean a top 10 or top 15 ranking for him. Anthony Peterson will also box on that card and another DC boxer, undefeated lightweight Ty Barnett (6-0, four KO's), is scheduled to be on that card as well.
There's more. There is a SHOBox date in the works for the Peterson Brothers. That date will be April 28. Let's hope all goes according to plan.
From that info, came a nice discussion generated by fans concerning the long-time trainer of the Petersons, Barry Hunter. Apparently, there has been some talk that Hunter may be replaced as trainer by their advisor Shelly Finkel in favor of a more well-known trainer.
I put that question to Nate Yoder, who handles the media relations for Prize Fight Boxing, the company that has been promoting the Petersons in the Gulf Coast area of the country. The following is Yoder's response:
"There is no truth to Shelly Finkel attempting to replace Barry Hunter as trainer of Lamont & Anthony Peterson. Barry and Shelly’s relationship is and always has been strong. Obviously, this had to of been someone who is jealous of what they have achieved. In our opinion, Barry Hunter is one of the best up and coming trainers in the sport today. Please tune in on February 17th as Lamont will be fighting on ESPN2 with Anthony on the card as well."
That should settle that debate.
Now here is the update on the Petersons in the ring. Lamont Peterson's battle against Courtney Burton on February 17 will be for the WBC Americas Jr. Welterweight title. A win for Peterson will more than likely mean a top 10 or top 15 ranking for him. Anthony Peterson will also box on that card and another DC boxer, undefeated lightweight Ty Barnett (6-0, four KO's), is scheduled to be on that card as well.
There's more. There is a SHOBox date in the works for the Peterson Brothers. That date will be April 28. Let's hope all goes according to plan.
Pikesville Card Looks Promising!
Undefeated Baltimore super middleweight Tony “Cyclone” Cygan will headline the first Baltimore Pro Bouts card of 2006 on January 20 at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD.
Cygan (9-0, six KO’s) is coming off a solid 2005 where he went 5-0 with three KO’s, making him one of the prospects to watch from the Baltimore-Washington area. Cygan is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision win over James North on December 7 in Woodlawn, MD.
Cygan will get an early test this year as he will face Billy Lyell of Warren, OH in an eight-round contest. Lyell has the best won-loss record (9-2, two KO’s) of anyone Cygan has faced to date. Lyell has won his last two bouts, including a six-round unanimous decision over Daniel Neal on November 23 in Chester, WV.
Baltimore heavyweight Jed “The Punisher” Phipps (16-3 with nine KO’s) will be in the co-main event, coming off one of the most impressive victories of his career. Phipps defeated Dan Whetzel by sixth-round technical knockout on the December 7 Woodlawn card.
Phipps will battle David Cleage of Ohio in a six-round encounter. Cleage (3-8-1, one KO) will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak. Cleage lost a four-round majority decision to Otis Mills on December 16 in Cleveland, OH.
Also on the card will be super featherweight Dean “Pit Bull” White of Reston, VA who will face Marty “Too Sweet” Robbins of Crossville, TN in a six-round bout.
Both boxers will be trying to break losing streaks. White (11-4, six KO’s) is coming off of two straight tough losses, including his last bout, a six-round unanimous decision to Oronde Dawley on December 9 in Lancaster, PA. Robbins, a true veteran (21-29-1, 15 KO’s) has lost his last three, including an eight-round unanimous decision to Ray Narh on October 26 in Washington, PA. Robbins has faced many rising prospects during his career including Mike Arnaoutis, Emmanuel Lucero and Elio Rojas.
Two local Baltimore area prospects are scheduled to make their pro debuts on this card. Junior middleweight Jessie Niclow will take on veteran Lawrence Frisby of Philadelphia, PA. Frisby (3-9, two KO’s) was stopped by Tony Jeter in the second round in his last outing on October 7 in Millersville, MD.
Cruiserweight Nick Collins will also debut on this card, facing Eddie Otts of Salisbury, MD. Otts is coming of a four-round draw against Derek Sierra on December 7 in Woodlawn.
Proceeds from this card will help pay for the medical expenses of Baltimore heavyweight "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich, who is recovering from stab wounds suffered in an altercation in December. There will also be a silent auction during the card. Also, former world champion Vinny Paz is slated to make an appearance.
Jake Smith is the promoter for this card. The matchmaker is Josh Hall.
Cygan (9-0, six KO’s) is coming off a solid 2005 where he went 5-0 with three KO’s, making him one of the prospects to watch from the Baltimore-Washington area. Cygan is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision win over James North on December 7 in Woodlawn, MD.
Cygan will get an early test this year as he will face Billy Lyell of Warren, OH in an eight-round contest. Lyell has the best won-loss record (9-2, two KO’s) of anyone Cygan has faced to date. Lyell has won his last two bouts, including a six-round unanimous decision over Daniel Neal on November 23 in Chester, WV.
Baltimore heavyweight Jed “The Punisher” Phipps (16-3 with nine KO’s) will be in the co-main event, coming off one of the most impressive victories of his career. Phipps defeated Dan Whetzel by sixth-round technical knockout on the December 7 Woodlawn card.
Phipps will battle David Cleage of Ohio in a six-round encounter. Cleage (3-8-1, one KO) will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak. Cleage lost a four-round majority decision to Otis Mills on December 16 in Cleveland, OH.
Also on the card will be super featherweight Dean “Pit Bull” White of Reston, VA who will face Marty “Too Sweet” Robbins of Crossville, TN in a six-round bout.
Both boxers will be trying to break losing streaks. White (11-4, six KO’s) is coming off of two straight tough losses, including his last bout, a six-round unanimous decision to Oronde Dawley on December 9 in Lancaster, PA. Robbins, a true veteran (21-29-1, 15 KO’s) has lost his last three, including an eight-round unanimous decision to Ray Narh on October 26 in Washington, PA. Robbins has faced many rising prospects during his career including Mike Arnaoutis, Emmanuel Lucero and Elio Rojas.
Two local Baltimore area prospects are scheduled to make their pro debuts on this card. Junior middleweight Jessie Niclow will take on veteran Lawrence Frisby of Philadelphia, PA. Frisby (3-9, two KO’s) was stopped by Tony Jeter in the second round in his last outing on October 7 in Millersville, MD.
Cruiserweight Nick Collins will also debut on this card, facing Eddie Otts of Salisbury, MD. Otts is coming of a four-round draw against Derek Sierra on December 7 in Woodlawn.
Proceeds from this card will help pay for the medical expenses of Baltimore heavyweight "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich, who is recovering from stab wounds suffered in an altercation in December. There will also be a silent auction during the card. Also, former world champion Vinny Paz is slated to make an appearance.
Jake Smith is the promoter for this card. The matchmaker is Josh Hall.
BXF Card Lumbers to Conclusion!
Give the folks at BXF (Boxing Extreme Fitness) credit for sticking things out and trying to give Beltway Boxing fans a card. However, what looked like a promising card earlier in the week turned out to be a shell of itself by the end of the week.
Only three Beltway Boxers ended up on the main portion of the show. Silver Spring, MD light heavyweight Carlos "Headbanger" Jones, a VERY late addition to the card, scored a second-round TKO against Richard Moore of Newport News, VA. Jones is now 4-7 with two KO's. Moore falls to 0-4.
DC welterweight Pernell "Amazing" Jackson fought to a four-round majority draw against Hamilton Verano of Newark, NJ. Jackson was extremely tired by the end of the bout. Jackson is 1-0-1, one KO while Verano remains winless at 0-3-1.
Cruiserweight Derek Sierra of Laurel, MD picked up his first professional win, albeit against an opponent who weighed 13 pounds less than him. Sierra stopped John "JT" Terry of Portsmouth, VA in the third round with a vicious body shot. Sierra is now 1-3, one KO while Terry is 2-3, one KO.
The card opened with a four-round exhibition bout featuring USBA Junior Lightweight champion Lamont "Bay" Pearson and undefeated Baltimore prospect Tyrell Samuel. Pearson was getting ready for his title defense on February 18 at the Patriot Center. Samuel's scheduled opponent for the BXF card fell through.
In the main event, Jose Spearman of Indianapolis, IN registered a listless eight-round unanimous decision victory over Ron Boddie of Philadelphia, PA. Spearman's trainer, Gerald Reed, wasn't even happy with the performance.
By the way, the name Gerald Reed should be familiar to you. Back in May of 2002, Reed, a native of Georgetown, KY, fought Jimmy Lange at Constitution Hall. Reed gave Lange everything he asked for before losing a close, eight-round majority decision that many people (myself included) thought he won.
Reed also fought -- and lost -- to Beltway Boxers Vincent Pettway (twice), Reggie Green and Del Matchett during his career.
Check this space throughout the weekend for a preview on the big card at the Pikesville Armory on Friday, January 20 as well as an update on the February 18th card at the Patriot Center and news about the first card in DC for 2006.
Only three Beltway Boxers ended up on the main portion of the show. Silver Spring, MD light heavyweight Carlos "Headbanger" Jones, a VERY late addition to the card, scored a second-round TKO against Richard Moore of Newport News, VA. Jones is now 4-7 with two KO's. Moore falls to 0-4.
DC welterweight Pernell "Amazing" Jackson fought to a four-round majority draw against Hamilton Verano of Newark, NJ. Jackson was extremely tired by the end of the bout. Jackson is 1-0-1, one KO while Verano remains winless at 0-3-1.
Cruiserweight Derek Sierra of Laurel, MD picked up his first professional win, albeit against an opponent who weighed 13 pounds less than him. Sierra stopped John "JT" Terry of Portsmouth, VA in the third round with a vicious body shot. Sierra is now 1-3, one KO while Terry is 2-3, one KO.
The card opened with a four-round exhibition bout featuring USBA Junior Lightweight champion Lamont "Bay" Pearson and undefeated Baltimore prospect Tyrell Samuel. Pearson was getting ready for his title defense on February 18 at the Patriot Center. Samuel's scheduled opponent for the BXF card fell through.
In the main event, Jose Spearman of Indianapolis, IN registered a listless eight-round unanimous decision victory over Ron Boddie of Philadelphia, PA. Spearman's trainer, Gerald Reed, wasn't even happy with the performance.
By the way, the name Gerald Reed should be familiar to you. Back in May of 2002, Reed, a native of Georgetown, KY, fought Jimmy Lange at Constitution Hall. Reed gave Lange everything he asked for before losing a close, eight-round majority decision that many people (myself included) thought he won.
Reed also fought -- and lost -- to Beltway Boxers Vincent Pettway (twice), Reggie Green and Del Matchett during his career.
Check this space throughout the weekend for a preview on the big card at the Pikesville Armory on Friday, January 20 as well as an update on the February 18th card at the Patriot Center and news about the first card in DC for 2006.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Weights for Tonight's BXF Card!
Here is the scale watch for tonight's card at BXF Gym in Millersville, MD
Jose Spearman 170 vs. Ron Boddie 176
Derek Sierra 181 1/4 vs Richard Moore 182 3/4
Hamilton Verano 151 vs Pernell Jackson 144 1/2
John Terry 168 1/4 vs Henry Mayes 169 1/4
Apparently, something has happened to the bout featuring Tyrell Samuel. BXF Officials have said that there will be one more bout added to the card, but no word on who will be involved.
Jose Spearman 170 vs. Ron Boddie 176
Derek Sierra 181 1/4 vs Richard Moore 182 3/4
Hamilton Verano 151 vs Pernell Jackson 144 1/2
John Terry 168 1/4 vs Henry Mayes 169 1/4
Apparently, something has happened to the bout featuring Tyrell Samuel. BXF Officials have said that there will be one more bout added to the card, but no word on who will be involved.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
BXF Card has Major Changes!
The BXF card that will take place tomorrow has some big changes on it.
Let's start with the main event, because Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan is no longer on the card. No word has been given as to why.
Replacing Buchanan will be Indianapolis, IN super middleweight Jose Spearman (24-9-4, 10 KO's). Spearman is coming off a 10-round draw against Joe Spina on November 23 in Providence, RI.
Spearman will face veteran Ron Boddie of Philadelphia (15-31-4, seven KO's) in an eight-round matchup.
In a four-round matchup, DC welterweight Pernell Jackson (1-0, 1 KO)will take on Hamilton Verano of Newark, NJ (0-3). Jackson made his pro debut on October 14, 2005 when he stopped Tony Kinney in Waldorf, MD.
Also added to the card is Baltimore super middleweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes (4-1, three KO's) who will participate in a four-round bout against John "JT" Terry of Portsmouth, VA (2-2, one KO).
In his last bout, Mayes scored a first-round KO over Marvin Robinson on the October 14 Waldorf show.
This will be Terry's third trip to the BXF Gym, where he is 1-1. Terry's last BXF outing resulted in a decision loss to Rodney Green on December 12.
The co-feature matchup between Baltimore's Tyrell Samuel and Fred Fleming of Cincinnati (four-round lightweight) and the cruiserweight contest between Derek Sierra of Laurel, MD and Richard Moore of Virginia Beach, VA are still on.
Let's start with the main event, because Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan is no longer on the card. No word has been given as to why.
Replacing Buchanan will be Indianapolis, IN super middleweight Jose Spearman (24-9-4, 10 KO's). Spearman is coming off a 10-round draw against Joe Spina on November 23 in Providence, RI.
Spearman will face veteran Ron Boddie of Philadelphia (15-31-4, seven KO's) in an eight-round matchup.
In a four-round matchup, DC welterweight Pernell Jackson (1-0, 1 KO)will take on Hamilton Verano of Newark, NJ (0-3). Jackson made his pro debut on October 14, 2005 when he stopped Tony Kinney in Waldorf, MD.
Also added to the card is Baltimore super middleweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes (4-1, three KO's) who will participate in a four-round bout against John "JT" Terry of Portsmouth, VA (2-2, one KO).
In his last bout, Mayes scored a first-round KO over Marvin Robinson on the October 14 Waldorf show.
This will be Terry's third trip to the BXF Gym, where he is 1-1. Terry's last BXF outing resulted in a decision loss to Rodney Green on December 12.
The co-feature matchup between Baltimore's Tyrell Samuel and Fred Fleming of Cincinnati (four-round lightweight) and the cruiserweight contest between Derek Sierra of Laurel, MD and Richard Moore of Virginia Beach, VA are still on.
'Too Sharp' on Vargas-Mosley Pay-Per-View
It is official. Former three-time world champion Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson will go after his fourth world title when he challenges Jhonny Gonzalez for the WBO Bantamweight title February 25 at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas.
This bout will be part of the pay-per-view telecast headlined by the matchup between former world champions Fernando Vargas and Shane Mosley.
Johnson (44-4, 28 KO's) has not fought since losing his WBO Super Flyweight championship in September 2004 to Ivan Hernandez. He has suffered arm injuries during this layoff. One fight that was postponed was a matchup against Gonzalez for the vacant WBO Bantamweight title.
Gonzalez (31-4, 27 KO's) went on to win the WBO Bantamweight title with a seventh-round TKO over Ratanchai Sor Vorapin in October 2005. Ironically, Johnson beat Vorapin in April 1999 for the vacant IBF Junior Bantamweight title in DC on the "Triple Jeopardy card at MCI (soon to be Verizon) Center.
This will probably be Johnson's last shot to win a fourth title. Only one other Beltway boxer has done that: Sugar Ray Leonard. Only Leonard, Johnson, Simon Brown and William Joppy have won three world titles.
This bout will be part of the pay-per-view telecast headlined by the matchup between former world champions Fernando Vargas and Shane Mosley.
Johnson (44-4, 28 KO's) has not fought since losing his WBO Super Flyweight championship in September 2004 to Ivan Hernandez. He has suffered arm injuries during this layoff. One fight that was postponed was a matchup against Gonzalez for the vacant WBO Bantamweight title.
Gonzalez (31-4, 27 KO's) went on to win the WBO Bantamweight title with a seventh-round TKO over Ratanchai Sor Vorapin in October 2005. Ironically, Johnson beat Vorapin in April 1999 for the vacant IBF Junior Bantamweight title in DC on the "Triple Jeopardy card at MCI (soon to be Verizon) Center.
This will probably be Johnson's last shot to win a fourth title. Only one other Beltway boxer has done that: Sugar Ray Leonard. Only Leonard, Johnson, Simon Brown and William Joppy have won three world titles.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Petersons Back in Action!
The undefeated Peterson Brothers of DC are looking to build on a busy and successful 2005.
In 2005, Anthony and Lamont Peterson were a combined 21-0 with 12 KO's. This year, the Petersons will try to take it to the next level.
According to their long-time trainer Barry Hunter, Lamont (overall record: 15-0, seven KO's) will make the first big test of the year as he faces veteran Courtney Burton of Benton Harbor, MI (21-5, 11 KO's) on February 17 at the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis, TN. This will be an ESPN2 telecast. Burton has lost his last three bouts to solid competition including Ebo Elder, Rolando Reyes and, in his last outing, the "Hispanic Causing Panic" Juan Lazcano.
It will be Anthony who chronologically will fight first in 2006, however. Anthony (overall record: 14-0, 10 KO's) will fight on January 28 in Tunica, MS against an opponent to be named.
In 2005, Anthony and Lamont Peterson were a combined 21-0 with 12 KO's. This year, the Petersons will try to take it to the next level.
According to their long-time trainer Barry Hunter, Lamont (overall record: 15-0, seven KO's) will make the first big test of the year as he faces veteran Courtney Burton of Benton Harbor, MI (21-5, 11 KO's) on February 17 at the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis, TN. This will be an ESPN2 telecast. Burton has lost his last three bouts to solid competition including Ebo Elder, Rolando Reyes and, in his last outing, the "Hispanic Causing Panic" Juan Lazcano.
It will be Anthony who chronologically will fight first in 2006, however. Anthony (overall record: 14-0, 10 KO's) will fight on January 28 in Tunica, MS against an opponent to be named.
Monday, January 09, 2006
January 13 BXF Card Preview!
Here is a preview of the January 13 card at BXF in Millersville:
BXF (Boxing Extreme Fitness) Gym in Millersville, MD will host the first Washington, DC-Baltimore area card of 2006 on Friday, January 13 starting at 8 PM.
Undefeated super middleweight Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan (12-0, 10 KO’s) of Capitol Heights will be in the main event, an eight-round contest against veteran Ron Boddie of Philadelphia, PA (15-31-4, seven KO’s).
Buchanan is looking to build on a solid 2005 in which he was 5-0 with three KO’s. After winning his first 10 bouts by knockout, Buchanan has faced slightly tougher competition and has won his last two by eight-round unanimous decisions. In his last outing, Buchanan won impressively over Dhafir Smith on November 26 in Upper Marlboro, MD, scoring a shutout on all three judges’ cards.
Boddie is trying to break a three-bout losing streak. His last two losses have come against undefeated competition. Boddie lost a six-round unanimous decision to Saeed Hawkins on June 24 in Philadelphia and lost by third-round TKO to Chad Dawson on August 6 in Tampa, FL.
The co-feature bout will involve undefeated junior welterweight Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore, MD (4-0, two KO’s) in a four-round contest against Fred Fleming of Cincinnati, OH (0-2).
Ironically, both boxers’ last appearance in a ring was against a common opponent. Samuel won by fourth-round TKO over James Franks on December 12, 2005 at BXF. A month earlier, Fleming lost by fourth-round KO to Franks on November 4, also at BXF.
Also on the card, heavyweight Wayne “Hammerhead” Hampton of Capitol Heights (2-1, two KO’s) will take on Willie McGee of Reidsville, NC (1-1, one KO) in another four-rounder.
Hampton is coming off a second-round TKO over Scott Meehan on December 9 in Lancaster, PA. McGee will be trying to get back on the winning track after suffering a second-round technical knockout loss to Daniel Saulsberry on November 5 in Winston-Salem, NC.
In a four-round cruiserweight contest, two boxers will be looking for their first career victory when Derek Sierra of Laurel, MD (0-3-2) will battle Richard Moore of Virginia Beach, VA. (0-3)
Sierra fought to a four-round draw against Eddie Otts on December 7 in Woodlawn, MD. Moore has not fought since April of 2004 when he lost a four-round unanimous decision over Bobby Rooney in Philadelphia.
Portsmouth, VA light heavyweight John Terry (2-2, one KO) will try to stop the undefeated string of Richard Pearson of Paterson, NJ. (2-0, 1 KO) in yet another four-round contest. This will be Terry’s third straight appearance at BXF going 1-1. Terry is coming off a tough six-round decision loss to Rodney Green on December 2. Pearson won a four-round unanimous decision over Curtis Jones on November 23 in White Plains, NY.
Two professional debuts are also scheduled. Brenton Artis of Virginia Beach, VA will face off against Chris Edmond (0-1) of Cleveland, OH and Marcus Key of Virginia Beach, VA battles Ron Lewis (0-1) of Syracuse, NY.
BXF (Boxing Extreme Fitness) Gym in Millersville, MD will host the first Washington, DC-Baltimore area card of 2006 on Friday, January 13 starting at 8 PM.
Undefeated super middleweight Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan (12-0, 10 KO’s) of Capitol Heights will be in the main event, an eight-round contest against veteran Ron Boddie of Philadelphia, PA (15-31-4, seven KO’s).
Buchanan is looking to build on a solid 2005 in which he was 5-0 with three KO’s. After winning his first 10 bouts by knockout, Buchanan has faced slightly tougher competition and has won his last two by eight-round unanimous decisions. In his last outing, Buchanan won impressively over Dhafir Smith on November 26 in Upper Marlboro, MD, scoring a shutout on all three judges’ cards.
Boddie is trying to break a three-bout losing streak. His last two losses have come against undefeated competition. Boddie lost a six-round unanimous decision to Saeed Hawkins on June 24 in Philadelphia and lost by third-round TKO to Chad Dawson on August 6 in Tampa, FL.
The co-feature bout will involve undefeated junior welterweight Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore, MD (4-0, two KO’s) in a four-round contest against Fred Fleming of Cincinnati, OH (0-2).
Ironically, both boxers’ last appearance in a ring was against a common opponent. Samuel won by fourth-round TKO over James Franks on December 12, 2005 at BXF. A month earlier, Fleming lost by fourth-round KO to Franks on November 4, also at BXF.
Also on the card, heavyweight Wayne “Hammerhead” Hampton of Capitol Heights (2-1, two KO’s) will take on Willie McGee of Reidsville, NC (1-1, one KO) in another four-rounder.
Hampton is coming off a second-round TKO over Scott Meehan on December 9 in Lancaster, PA. McGee will be trying to get back on the winning track after suffering a second-round technical knockout loss to Daniel Saulsberry on November 5 in Winston-Salem, NC.
In a four-round cruiserweight contest, two boxers will be looking for their first career victory when Derek Sierra of Laurel, MD (0-3-2) will battle Richard Moore of Virginia Beach, VA. (0-3)
Sierra fought to a four-round draw against Eddie Otts on December 7 in Woodlawn, MD. Moore has not fought since April of 2004 when he lost a four-round unanimous decision over Bobby Rooney in Philadelphia.
Portsmouth, VA light heavyweight John Terry (2-2, one KO) will try to stop the undefeated string of Richard Pearson of Paterson, NJ. (2-0, 1 KO) in yet another four-round contest. This will be Terry’s third straight appearance at BXF going 1-1. Terry is coming off a tough six-round decision loss to Rodney Green on December 2. Pearson won a four-round unanimous decision over Curtis Jones on November 23 in White Plains, NY.
Two professional debuts are also scheduled. Brenton Artis of Virginia Beach, VA will face off against Chris Edmond (0-1) of Cleveland, OH and Marcus Key of Virginia Beach, VA battles Ron Lewis (0-1) of Syracuse, NY.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Joppy Wins, Bryan, Wilson Lose at MSG!
Three of the early bouts from tonight's card at Madison Square Garden featured Beltway Boxers.
Fightnews.com is reporting the following:
Former three-time WBA champion William Joppy (36-4-1, 27 KOs) dropped Erik Howard (11-10-1, 6 KOs) in round four and finished him off at 2:12 of round five.
IBF #1 cruiser Steve Cunningham (19-0, 10 KOs) scored a fifth round stoppage of former world title challenger Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan (21-12, 9 KOs). Time was 1:10.
Heavyweight contender Owen "What The Heck" Beck (25-2, 18 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson (18-3-3, 15 KOs). Scores were 78-74 on all cards.
Fightnews.com is reporting the following:
Former three-time WBA champion William Joppy (36-4-1, 27 KOs) dropped Erik Howard (11-10-1, 6 KOs) in round four and finished him off at 2:12 of round five.
IBF #1 cruiser Steve Cunningham (19-0, 10 KOs) scored a fifth round stoppage of former world title challenger Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan (21-12, 9 KOs). Time was 1:10.
Heavyweight contender Owen "What The Heck" Beck (25-2, 18 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson (18-3-3, 15 KOs). Scores were 78-74 on all cards.
Ballroom Boxing Announces Main Event!
Ballroom Boxing Promoter Scott Wagner has announced the main event for its first show of 2006. The show will be held on Thursday, Jan. 26 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie.
The main event will be a battle for the vacant Maryland State Heavyweight title between Tony "The Tiger" Thompson of Silver Spring and Brandon "The Beast" Cabell of Baltimore.
This is an interesting matchup that, on paper, looks like a mismatch. Thompson's record is 25-1 with 15 KO's while Cabell's is just 8-1-1 with two KO's.
But then you look at their records. While neither boxer has fought any major competition, Thompson's resume contains the likes of Marion Wilson, Vaughn Bean and Joe Lenhart, all trialhorses. In fact, Thompson's claim to fame is that he finished second in promoter Cedric Kushner's "Fistful of Dollars" Thunderbox heavyweight tournament in 2002. Thompson did beat Jeremy Williams and Derrick Jefferson in the tournament and lost to Maurice Harris in the finals. None of the bouts counted for or against his won-loss record.
Cabell has not fought anyone of note going into this bout, but he did win the vacant WBE Intercontinental Heavyweight title in his last bout on August 13, 2005, scoring a third-round KO over Ronald Bellamy in Winston-Salem, NC.
Neither boxer has fought a lot along the Beltway lately. Thompson last fought in the area in December 2003 when he beat Onebo Maxime by second round TKO at the Pikesville Armory. Cabell hasn't fought here since June of 2004 when he won a four-round split decision over Dominic Jenkins at Michael's. This will be the good aspect about this bout, that we will get to see homegrown talent back in the area.
I hope, though, that this will be a better bout than it looks. There is an interesting variable. This will be a 10-round bout. Cabell has never gone 10 while Thompson has only gone 10 rounds once and that was against Vaughn Bean.
I also hope that whoever wins this bout will actually DEFEND the title. Most state titles are never defended in Maryland. But with guys like Jed Phipps, Adele Olakanye, Adam Bloom and hopefully, down the road, Mike Dietrich in the area, it would be interesting to see them battle for this title.
The main event will be a battle for the vacant Maryland State Heavyweight title between Tony "The Tiger" Thompson of Silver Spring and Brandon "The Beast" Cabell of Baltimore.
This is an interesting matchup that, on paper, looks like a mismatch. Thompson's record is 25-1 with 15 KO's while Cabell's is just 8-1-1 with two KO's.
But then you look at their records. While neither boxer has fought any major competition, Thompson's resume contains the likes of Marion Wilson, Vaughn Bean and Joe Lenhart, all trialhorses. In fact, Thompson's claim to fame is that he finished second in promoter Cedric Kushner's "Fistful of Dollars" Thunderbox heavyweight tournament in 2002. Thompson did beat Jeremy Williams and Derrick Jefferson in the tournament and lost to Maurice Harris in the finals. None of the bouts counted for or against his won-loss record.
Cabell has not fought anyone of note going into this bout, but he did win the vacant WBE Intercontinental Heavyweight title in his last bout on August 13, 2005, scoring a third-round KO over Ronald Bellamy in Winston-Salem, NC.
Neither boxer has fought a lot along the Beltway lately. Thompson last fought in the area in December 2003 when he beat Onebo Maxime by second round TKO at the Pikesville Armory. Cabell hasn't fought here since June of 2004 when he won a four-round split decision over Dominic Jenkins at Michael's. This will be the good aspect about this bout, that we will get to see homegrown talent back in the area.
I hope, though, that this will be a better bout than it looks. There is an interesting variable. This will be a 10-round bout. Cabell has never gone 10 while Thompson has only gone 10 rounds once and that was against Vaughn Bean.
I also hope that whoever wins this bout will actually DEFEND the title. Most state titles are never defended in Maryland. But with guys like Jed Phipps, Adele Olakanye, Adam Bloom and hopefully, down the road, Mike Dietrich in the area, it would be interesting to see them battle for this title.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Local Weights for New York Card!
Here are the weights for the Jan. 7 bouts featuring Beltway Boxers at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan weighed in at 185 1/2 pounds compared to IBF number one cruiserweight contender Steve "USS" Cunningham's 189 1/4. This bout is scheduled to open the card at five PM.
William Joppy came in at 170 pounds for his contest with Erik "Hurricane" Howard. Howard weighed in at 168 1/2.
Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson came in at the heaviest of his career, weighing 210 pounds for his heavyweight bout with Owen "What the Heck" Beck. Beck is still a lot heavier, coming in at 246 pounds.
Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan weighed in at 185 1/2 pounds compared to IBF number one cruiserweight contender Steve "USS" Cunningham's 189 1/4. This bout is scheduled to open the card at five PM.
William Joppy came in at 170 pounds for his contest with Erik "Hurricane" Howard. Howard weighed in at 168 1/2.
Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson came in at the heaviest of his career, weighing 210 pounds for his heavyweight bout with Owen "What the Heck" Beck. Beck is still a lot heavier, coming in at 246 pounds.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Reid Battles Candelo in Foxwoods January 20!
Thanks to a reader for this tip.
Junior middleweight contender Teddy "Two-Gun" Reid of Palmer Park, MD has a big bout coming up on Friday, January 20 at The Foxwoods casino in Mashantucket, CT. Reid (23-7-1, 17 KO's) is scheduled to face former junior middleweight title contender J.C. Candelo (26-8-3, 18 KO's). This is an ESPN telecast, but I don't know if this bout will be part of it. It sounds like a good TV matchup.
Candelo, a native of Colombia now fighting out of Denver, CO, has fought some quality competition including former world junior middleweight champion Winky Wright and current contender Kassim Ouma. Some may also remember that Candelo fought another Beltway Boxer, Gary "Fast Hands" Jones, in March of 2000 and won by ninth round KO in Denver.
For Reid, ranked number 13th by the IBF, this is a crossroads bout. Reid needs a convincing win to move up in the rankings. The native of Jamaica has won five regional titles from junior welterweight to junior middleweight in his career, but has only one world title shot (an interim title shot against Kermit Cintron in July 2004) to show for it. Reid has had tough losses at inopportune times against the likes of Cintron, Golden Johnson and Ben Tackie. Candelo is very similar to those boxers. Reid needs to win to take his career to the next level.
Junior middleweight contender Teddy "Two-Gun" Reid of Palmer Park, MD has a big bout coming up on Friday, January 20 at The Foxwoods casino in Mashantucket, CT. Reid (23-7-1, 17 KO's) is scheduled to face former junior middleweight title contender J.C. Candelo (26-8-3, 18 KO's). This is an ESPN telecast, but I don't know if this bout will be part of it. It sounds like a good TV matchup.
Candelo, a native of Colombia now fighting out of Denver, CO, has fought some quality competition including former world junior middleweight champion Winky Wright and current contender Kassim Ouma. Some may also remember that Candelo fought another Beltway Boxer, Gary "Fast Hands" Jones, in March of 2000 and won by ninth round KO in Denver.
For Reid, ranked number 13th by the IBF, this is a crossroads bout. Reid needs a convincing win to move up in the rankings. The native of Jamaica has won five regional titles from junior welterweight to junior middleweight in his career, but has only one world title shot (an interim title shot against Kermit Cintron in July 2004) to show for it. Reid has had tough losses at inopportune times against the likes of Cintron, Golden Johnson and Ben Tackie. Candelo is very similar to those boxers. Reid needs to win to take his career to the next level.
Bryan, Wilson, Joppy ALL ON January 7 NY Card!
Anybody who knows anything about boxing knows that bouts on a card change all the way up to fight time. All we can do is keep up with the changes.
With that in mind, here is the latest news (I think) on three local boxers scheduled to be on the January 7 Zab Judah-Carlos Baldomir card at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden.
According to a press release that appeared on Fightnews.com, Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan of Capitol Heights, MD IS indeed scheduled to face the IBF number one-ranked cruiserweight Steve "USS" Cunningham. The undefeated Cunningham is in line to face the winner of the co-feature cruiserweight unification bout between WBA/WBC champion Jean-Marc Mormeck and IBF titleholder O'Neil Bell.
There was a report that Bryan would not take this bout and Silver Spring, MD cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson was in line to face Cunningham. The press release is not saying that, but it IS saying that Wilson will be on the card against former heavyweight contender Owen "What the Heck" Beck. I am not sure if Wilson will move up to heavyweight for this bout or will Beck move down to cruiserweight. Wilson comes into the bout with a record of 18-2-3 with 15 knockouts. Wilson's last bout was a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Vadim Tokarev in Kazan, Russia in August 2005. Beck is 24-2 with 18 KO's. Beck's two losses came in his last two bouts, a ninth-round knockout at the hands of Monte Barrett in a WBC/IBF title elimination bout and a split decision loss to Ray Austin in September of 2005.
Meanwhile, former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy will be on this card. Joppy (35-4-1, 26 KO's) will be facing Eric "The Hurricane" Howard of Crossville, TN. Howard, (11-9-1, six KO's) has lost his last two bouts and will be stepping into the ring for the first time in almost a year. Joppy last fought in July of 2005, scoring a third-round TKO over Rashaan Abdul Blackburn in Charleston, SC.
If this changes, I'll let you know.
With that in mind, here is the latest news (I think) on three local boxers scheduled to be on the January 7 Zab Judah-Carlos Baldomir card at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden.
According to a press release that appeared on Fightnews.com, Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan of Capitol Heights, MD IS indeed scheduled to face the IBF number one-ranked cruiserweight Steve "USS" Cunningham. The undefeated Cunningham is in line to face the winner of the co-feature cruiserweight unification bout between WBA/WBC champion Jean-Marc Mormeck and IBF titleholder O'Neil Bell.
There was a report that Bryan would not take this bout and Silver Spring, MD cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson was in line to face Cunningham. The press release is not saying that, but it IS saying that Wilson will be on the card against former heavyweight contender Owen "What the Heck" Beck. I am not sure if Wilson will move up to heavyweight for this bout or will Beck move down to cruiserweight. Wilson comes into the bout with a record of 18-2-3 with 15 knockouts. Wilson's last bout was a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Vadim Tokarev in Kazan, Russia in August 2005. Beck is 24-2 with 18 KO's. Beck's two losses came in his last two bouts, a ninth-round knockout at the hands of Monte Barrett in a WBC/IBF title elimination bout and a split decision loss to Ray Austin in September of 2005.
Meanwhile, former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy will be on this card. Joppy (35-4-1, 26 KO's) will be facing Eric "The Hurricane" Howard of Crossville, TN. Howard, (11-9-1, six KO's) has lost his last two bouts and will be stepping into the ring for the first time in almost a year. Joppy last fought in July of 2005, scoring a third-round TKO over Rashaan Abdul Blackburn in Charleston, SC.
If this changes, I'll let you know.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Bryan Off January 7 Card; Wilson May Be On!
The website 15rounds.com has been doing a great job in keeping up with this story. Marc Abrams of 15rounds.com is reporting that Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan is now off this Saturday's card at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Bryan was scheduled to face the IBF number one ranked cruiserweight Steve "USS" Cunningham on the undercard of the Zab Judah-Carlos Baldomir card.
Abrams is also saying that one rumored opponent is Silver Spring, MD cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson. I am trying to get a hold of Wilson's representatives to see whether that is or will be the case. Hope to get an answer by the end of the day.
Abrams is also saying that one rumored opponent is Silver Spring, MD cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson. I am trying to get a hold of Wilson's representatives to see whether that is or will be the case. Hope to get an answer by the end of the day.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Beltway Boxing 2006 Schedule Outlook!
First of all, I hope everyone had a great holiday season and is looking forward to a prosperous and peaceful New Year!
Beltway Boxing fans have a lot to look forward to in 2006. The area has no less than five cards planned for the first 60 days of the year alone. Let’s take a look at the early schedule.
Friday, January 13—BXF of Millersville, MD will have its first show of 2006. Undefeated super middleweight Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capitol Heights (12-0, 10 KO’s) is slated to headline the show and undefeated junior welterweight prospect Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore (4-0, two KO’s) is scheduled to be in the co-feature.
Friday, January 20 – Baltimore Pro Boxing will have their first show of the year at the Pikesville Armory. Promoter Jake Smith and matchmaker Josh Hall have announced two bouts for that card already. Undefeated super middleweight Tony “Cyclone” Cygan (9-0, six KO’s) of Middle River, MD will take on Warren, OH’s Billy Lyell (9-2, two KO’s) in an eight-round main event. There will also be a heavyweight rematch between Baltimore’s Jed “The Punisher” Phipps and Dan Whetzel. Phipps (16-3, nine KO’s) won the last bout between the two on December 7 at Martin’s West by scoring a sixth-round TKO. But Whetzel’s cornermen protested vehemently, with one of his cornermen being asked to leave the facility. So the stage is set for the rematch.
Thursday, January 26 – Ballroom Boxing kicks off their 2006 season with what I have been told again will be a solid card. No word yet on who will appear.
Friday, February 10 – Back at BXF for the Valentine’s Day weekend. There is talk that this show will be an ALL-FEMALE card.
Saturday, February 18 – Keystone Boxing (who are also involved with the BXF shows) is promoting what I think will be one of the biggest and best attended shows we’ve had along the Beltway in some time. This is the card that will be at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA and will feature the matchup between “Contender” stars Jimmy Lange (of Great Falls, VA) and Joey Gilbert. This bout will be for the vacant NABO Middleweight title. Also, Lamont "Bay" Pearson of Capitol Heights is slated to defend his USBA Super Featherweight title on this card.
So that is how we START our year! That is quite a beginning, huh? Keep in mind with BXF, Baltimore Boxing and Ballroom Boxing already having their 2006 schedules in place, we will have AT LEAST 20 boxing cards along the Beltway this year. Then you add the possible five cards that Keystone Boxing plans for the Patriot Center and ANYTHING that DC may put out this year, there could be close to 30-35 cards along the Beltway in 2006!
Now that we have talked about what will happen in 2006, let’s look at what we HOPE will happen.
You may have heard that the Beltway is in the running for two interesting bouts in March. DC has been mentioned as a possible site for the March 11 rematch between former world champions Roy Jones, Jr. and Bernard Hopkins. You may remember that the first bout between these two future hall-of-famers took place here in DC at RFK Stadium in 1993. The bout, won by Jones, was the co-feature to the Riddick Bowe-Jesse Ferguson bout.
It is because the first bout was held here, that I think DC is a long shot to get the rematch. If you remember the first bout, it was deadly dull. That was because both men were nowhere close to being the superstars they turned out to be. It would be ironic if DC did get the rematch because now we would be seeing these two well past their superstar status.
Having said that, Hopkins does enjoy boxing in this area. Except for the loss to Jones, the DC area has been very good to “The Executioner.” Hopkins won his middleweight title in this area, defeating Segundo Mercardo at USAir Arena in the co-featured bout on “The Beltway Brawl.”
Meanwhile, March 18 is the date for Hasim Rahman’s defense of his WBC heavyweight championship against James Toney. Baltimore is one of the sites being mentioned for that one. That has possibilities if Toney doesn’t mind coming to Rahman’s hometown. It would be interesting to see if promoters would want to chance having the bout outdoors at either Oriole Park at Camden Yards or M&T Bank Stadium or would they want to use the 1st Mariner Arena. That would probably be the best places to have the bout in Baltimore. I would say Baltimore has a 50-50 shot at getting this one.
If the Beltway could pull off this daily double to add to what will happen by March that would make our year right there!
We indeed have a lot to look forward to in 2006!
Beltway Boxing fans have a lot to look forward to in 2006. The area has no less than five cards planned for the first 60 days of the year alone. Let’s take a look at the early schedule.
Friday, January 13—BXF of Millersville, MD will have its first show of 2006. Undefeated super middleweight Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capitol Heights (12-0, 10 KO’s) is slated to headline the show and undefeated junior welterweight prospect Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore (4-0, two KO’s) is scheduled to be in the co-feature.
Friday, January 20 – Baltimore Pro Boxing will have their first show of the year at the Pikesville Armory. Promoter Jake Smith and matchmaker Josh Hall have announced two bouts for that card already. Undefeated super middleweight Tony “Cyclone” Cygan (9-0, six KO’s) of Middle River, MD will take on Warren, OH’s Billy Lyell (9-2, two KO’s) in an eight-round main event. There will also be a heavyweight rematch between Baltimore’s Jed “The Punisher” Phipps and Dan Whetzel. Phipps (16-3, nine KO’s) won the last bout between the two on December 7 at Martin’s West by scoring a sixth-round TKO. But Whetzel’s cornermen protested vehemently, with one of his cornermen being asked to leave the facility. So the stage is set for the rematch.
Thursday, January 26 – Ballroom Boxing kicks off their 2006 season with what I have been told again will be a solid card. No word yet on who will appear.
Friday, February 10 – Back at BXF for the Valentine’s Day weekend. There is talk that this show will be an ALL-FEMALE card.
Saturday, February 18 – Keystone Boxing (who are also involved with the BXF shows) is promoting what I think will be one of the biggest and best attended shows we’ve had along the Beltway in some time. This is the card that will be at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA and will feature the matchup between “Contender” stars Jimmy Lange (of Great Falls, VA) and Joey Gilbert. This bout will be for the vacant NABO Middleweight title. Also, Lamont "Bay" Pearson of Capitol Heights is slated to defend his USBA Super Featherweight title on this card.
So that is how we START our year! That is quite a beginning, huh? Keep in mind with BXF, Baltimore Boxing and Ballroom Boxing already having their 2006 schedules in place, we will have AT LEAST 20 boxing cards along the Beltway this year. Then you add the possible five cards that Keystone Boxing plans for the Patriot Center and ANYTHING that DC may put out this year, there could be close to 30-35 cards along the Beltway in 2006!
Now that we have talked about what will happen in 2006, let’s look at what we HOPE will happen.
You may have heard that the Beltway is in the running for two interesting bouts in March. DC has been mentioned as a possible site for the March 11 rematch between former world champions Roy Jones, Jr. and Bernard Hopkins. You may remember that the first bout between these two future hall-of-famers took place here in DC at RFK Stadium in 1993. The bout, won by Jones, was the co-feature to the Riddick Bowe-Jesse Ferguson bout.
It is because the first bout was held here, that I think DC is a long shot to get the rematch. If you remember the first bout, it was deadly dull. That was because both men were nowhere close to being the superstars they turned out to be. It would be ironic if DC did get the rematch because now we would be seeing these two well past their superstar status.
Having said that, Hopkins does enjoy boxing in this area. Except for the loss to Jones, the DC area has been very good to “The Executioner.” Hopkins won his middleweight title in this area, defeating Segundo Mercardo at USAir Arena in the co-featured bout on “The Beltway Brawl.”
Meanwhile, March 18 is the date for Hasim Rahman’s defense of his WBC heavyweight championship against James Toney. Baltimore is one of the sites being mentioned for that one. That has possibilities if Toney doesn’t mind coming to Rahman’s hometown. It would be interesting to see if promoters would want to chance having the bout outdoors at either Oriole Park at Camden Yards or M&T Bank Stadium or would they want to use the 1st Mariner Arena. That would probably be the best places to have the bout in Baltimore. I would say Baltimore has a 50-50 shot at getting this one.
If the Beltway could pull off this daily double to add to what will happen by March that would make our year right there!
We indeed have a lot to look forward to in 2006!