Clash of the Contenders Weigh-in Open to Public!

The official weigh-in for the February 18 "Clash of the Contenders" card at the Patriot Center will be held on Friday, February 17 at Champps Restaurant and Bar located in the Fair Oaks Mall. The weigh-in begins at 5 pm and the public is invited.

Here's what I know of the card so far:

The main event is still intact: Jimmy Lange vs. Joey Gilbert, 12 rounds for the vacant NABO Middleweight title.

Derek Ennis vs. Jesse Orta, six round junior middleweight bout. This should be a very good contest. The Philadelphia, PA-based Ennis (7-0, 5 KO's) fought on the Michael's Eighth Avenue card on January 26 and knocked out Martinus Clay in the first round. You may remember Orta scored a stunning first round TKO over Orazio "The Razor" Robinson on the Lange-Perry Ballard undercard on September 17, 2005.

Since that bout, Orta (6-7-1, four KO's) has fought three times and was 1-2 during that stretch. One of the losses came in a five-round unanimous decision to "Contender" participant Juan De La Rosa during the big "Contender" rematch card in Los Angeles on October 15.

Robinson will try to bounce back from the loss to Orta when he faces Edward Paredes in a six round junior middleweight contest. Robinson, a native of Manassas, VA, is 5-2-2, four KO's. Paredes, a native of Lawrence, MA who fights out of Hollywood, FL, has a record of 6-1, three KO's and has won his last five bouts including a six-round unanimous decision over Rodney Tappin on February 10 in Huntington, NY.

In women's action, British boxer Jamie "Rocky" Johnson will battle Tonya Gallegos in a six-round contest. Johnson, who hails from Royal Turnbridge Wells, England, has fought very sparingly as a pro in the past. In fact, Boxrec.com has her listed for just three bouts between 1992-1995. The contests came against serious competition; two losses to Deidre Gogarty and one loss to Jane Couch.

In a 2002 interview with the Women's Boxing Archive Network, Johnson said she fought 16 non-sanctioned bouts that she described as "semi-pro." Johnson has been training in the same Florida-based camp as Jimmy Lange and Lange told me she is very talented.

Gallegos, a native of Denver, CO, will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak. Gallegos (3-5, two KO's)lost a four-round unanimous decision to Tricia Turton on January 20 in Temecula, CA.

Also on the card, Fairfax, VA's "Money" Mike Sawyer will face an opponent to be determined. Saywer is coming off a rib-breaking first-round KO over LaGene Richardson in his pro debut on February 4 in Springfield, VA.

Making his pro debut will be superfeatherweight Andre Nichols, who is the son of noted Northern Virginia trainer Asim Hanif. Nichols is a graduate of Woodbridge, VA.

There is a 10-round co-feature bout still being finalized for this card. It looks like USBA Super Featherweight champ Lamont "Bay" Pearson will not be on this card, unless it is a 10-round non-title contest. Pearson was slated to defend his title on this card, but promoters had a tough time finding an opponent.