My Favorite Beltway Boxing Bouts -- Part 1!

With all the activity around the Beltway in recent months, I haven't had an opportunity to go back into recent Beltway Boxing history. But I wanted to list my top 10 favorite Beltway Boxing Bouts. These are bouts that I personally witnessed over my almost 19-year career.

I don't claim that these are the greatest bouts of all-time, nor are they the most important bouts in our history. I list them because these bouts -- for many different reasons -- mean a lot to me.

To be honest, if you go to the August 2005 archive, you can read the one I listed as number one. However, I thought I would give the rest of my list. Of course, I welcome your thoughts.

Part one covers bouts 10, 9 and 8.

10. Reggie “Showtime” Green vs. Lyndon Paul Walker I, September 25, 1993, Novak Field House, Prince George’s Community College, Largo, MD.

WHY IT MAKES THE LIST: This bout holds special significance because it was one of the first “title” bouts I ever called. This was for the “Metro DC Junior Welterweight” title and it was a great bout featuring contrasting styles; Green was the slick boxer who could bang facing a straight ahead banger in Walker. It took Green quite a while to figure how to get Walker off him but Green managed to win a close unanimous decision.

The two would meet five months later at Martin’s West in Woodlawn, MD for the Maryland State title. Green had a much easier time in that bout, knocking down Walker en route to a lopsided unanimous decision.

AFTERMATH: Green went on to have a good career, winning two NABF, one USBA and one IBC title and earning two world title opportunities. Green lost to Sharmba Mitchell by majority decision for the WBA title on the “Triple Jeopardy” card in DC in April of 1999 and lost by 10th round TKO to Zab Judah for the IBF title in Uncasville, CT in January of 2001.

Walker never got his career on track after the two losses to Green. Walker lost bouts to great opposition including Sharmba Mitchell, Charles Murray (who also beat Green) and Ivan Robinson. His career ended in 1997 with an eight-round draw against Chuck “Pit Bull” Sturm in Baltimore.

9. Antonio “Starchild” Reese vs. “Dangerous D” Darryl Lattimore, May 20, 1994, DC Armory, Washington, DC

WHY IT MAKES THE LIST: One of the two controversial bouts on this list, the matchup was a classic between a rising star and a fading, yet still dangerous veteran.

This was a much anticipated crossroads bout. Reese was undefeated going into the contest (11-0, eight KO’s) and his unique and flashy antics clashed with the no-nonsense style of Lattimore whose career got off to a great start but was in the midst of a four-bout losing streak that included tough losses to Derrell “Too Sweet” Coley and Larry Barnes.

Lattimore was on his “A” game throughout this contest, pressuring Reese and seemingly beating him to the punch in most exchanges. Reese’s undefeated string looked to be coming to an end. However, the judges didn’t see it that way and awarded Reese the majority decision. The fans booed the decision vehemently. Reese did not spend time in the ring celebrating the victory as he was quickly ushered to the locker room. I called that bout for the Boxing Spotlight series and had to literally run back to the locker room to get the interview with Reese.

AFTERMATH: Neither boxer’s career flourished after this contest. Both men won bouts on “The Beltway Brawl” card at the USAir Arena in April of 1995, but it was pretty much downhill from there.

Reese lost a 10-round decision to Curtis “Dynamite” Peoples for the Metro Welterweight title in November of 1995 than lost two of his next five bouts. Reese returned to boxing after a five-year hiatus in December of 2004 losing an eight-round decision to Richard “Tiger” Lee Hall at the New DC Convention Center.

After the loss to Reese, Lattimore was stopped in the third round by future world champion Keith Holmes. Lattimore would win just three more times in his career. One of those victories was a 10-round decision over Robert “Boo Boo” Sawyer in November of 1995 at the Washington Convention Center. After losing to notable boxers like Adrian Stone, Mark Breland, and Mamadou Thiam, Lattimore would call it a career after being stopped in the fourth round by Emil Baku on December 1, 1999 at Martin’s West.

8. Darryll Tyson vs. Anthony Suggs, October 11, 1995, Washington Hilton Hotel and Towers

WHY IT MAKES THE LIST: A tremendous matchup of two solid punchers. The bout was for the IBC Junior Welterweight championship.

This bout will probably go down as one of the greatest bouts in the history of the “Fight Night” charity boxing series. Normally, the power brokers and movers and shakers who attend this event are not too interested in the actual boxing bouts that take place. They are there to see the legends of boxing that attend this event. This particular year (my first time attending this event), there were some big legends there including Floyd Patterson, Archie Moore and “The Greatest” himself, Muhammad Ali.

However, Tyson and Suggs made everyone in the building stop talking to each other and focus on the ring as these guys gave and took for 10 rounds before the veteran Tyson finally stopped the determined Suggs. Add to this the fact that both men gave it their all while fighting under a clearly visible and heavy cloud of cigar smoke, and you had a classic encounter. One of the clear moments I remember from that bout was Tyson collapsing in his corner from all the smoke.

AFTERMATH: Tyson was at the tail end of a career that saw him win two USBA titles, one NABF crown and a WBC Continental Americas title, but Tyson came up short in two chances for world titles against Jimmy Paul (a 15-round encounter) and Miguel Angel Gonzalez. After the Suggs win and another victory against David Taylor in November of 1995, Tyson lost four straight between 1996 and 1998, falling to Oscar De La Hoya, Shea Neary, Diosbelys Hurtado and Zab Judah (on Fight Night 1998). In 2000, Tyson surprised many by returning to the ring after a two-year layoff and winning an eight-round split decision over Emmanuel Clottey at DC Tunnel. Tyson won three straight before losing his last two, including his final bout, a 10-round unanimous decision to former WBO champ DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley On December 12, 2004 at the new Convention Center.

Suggs had one more minor title opportunity, losing by 12th round TKO to Reggie “Showtime” Green at Fight Night 1996 for the IBC Intercontinental Junior Welterweight crown. After that loss, Suggs had an undistinguished career that ended on February 7, 2001 with a fourth-round TKO victory over Kenny Baysmore at the Lincoln Theater.