The BATB 'Digital's Choice' Awards!

Here are my personal choices in the Boxing Along The Beltway Year-End Excellence Awards!

Digital’s choice for Rookie of the Year is…

Jessie “The Beast” Nicklow

The 19-year old middleweight from Severn, MD had an outstanding rookie campaign going 8-0, three KO’s. Nicklow registered good performances in wins over veterans like Anthony Osbourne (a six-round unanimous decision on October 20 and solid prospects like his last performance against Jason Champion (another six-round unanimous decision on December 7). Despite my thought that Nicklow lost the bout against Champion, he showed good improvement, as he did throughout every bout. “Discombobulating” Jones describes Nicklow as having an “old soul” when it comes to his boxing ability. Nicklow seems to show boxing skill that belies his age. He will be one to watch.


Others Deserving Consideration:

Thomas “KO” Snow -- The featherweight from Capitol Heights, MD could be a major player by the end of 2007. Snow has scored knockouts in his last four bouts but has been facing guys who are also at rookie level except in his last outing against 2-9 Mike Salyers. Will need to step up his competition.

Andrew “Doo Man” Farmer – Another 19-year-old who has solid skills. The junior welterweight from Front Royal, VA has good power which helped him in his first four bouts. His first loss in his most recent contest (December 9 against Ken Humphreys) was a minor setback, but with more preparation he can become a major player.


Digital’s choice for Prospect of the Year is…

Tyrell Samuel

One of the most underrated prospects along the Beltway, the 24-year-old featherweight from Baltimore is one of the most exciting boxers in the area. Trained by former world champion Vincent Pettway, Samuel has shown solid knockout power scoring KO’s in five of his last six bouts. His last win (a six-round split decision in a second bout against Carlos Vinan on Sept. 28) was a tough contest against a guy who knew him well. Samuel’s ability to survive that contest showed growth in his career. If he can get some more bouts, look for Samuel to challenge for a regional title in 2007.

Others Deserving Consideration:

Tim Coleman – One of the better young pure boxers in the area, the 22-year-old junior middleweight from Baltimore is only a good power shot away from being a major player in his division by the end of the year. Coleman’s boxing skills will take him far. He scored two solid unanimous decision victories over tough prospects Marquis McConnell and Mushin Correbrey which allowed fans to see what kind of heart he has.

Thomas Snow – See rookie information


Digital’s choice for Performance of the Year is…

Tony Thompson wins NABO and WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight championships with unanimous decision over Dominic Guinn on June 28.

No heavyweight prospect made a bigger move to contender rankings than the 35-year-old from Silver Spring, MD. On June 28, Thompson became a solid player by totally dominating a boxer considered at that time as the best American heavyweight prospect. Dominic Guinn lost that distinction by succumbing to a better boxer’s overall skills. Unfortunately, Thompson’s victory has made him a feared man in the heavyweight division. Hopefully, someone will step up to the plate and face "The Tiger" in 2007.

Others Deserving Consideration:

Emmanuel Nwodo wins USBA Cruiserweight championship with third-round TKO over Chris Thomas on July 1 – Nwodo became a household name in the cruiserweight division with his solid knockout performance over Thomas at the ABC Sports Complex. Like Thompson, the win put Nwodo in the top 10 among the major governing bodies, but has also made him a feared man.

Eric Aiken defeats former IBF Bantamweight champion Tim Austin by six-round TKO on April 1 – Aiken became a household name bouncing back from a tough loss to beat a formidable name in Austin, once regarded as one of the best champions in the world. The win helped Aiken prepare for his eventual world title shot.


Digital’s Choice for Card of the Year is…

December 9 at the Patriot Center

No card had as much buzz before, during and after than the Major League Boxing card at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. The card had four legitimate drawing cards in Jimmy Lange, Andrew Farmer, Boone Pultz and, yes, JP Flaim of the Junkies. Add three more growing fan favorites in Dean White, Juan Carlos Robles and Jaime Palma as well as two of the better bouts of the year in Lange-Fontaine Cabell and White-Dorin Spivey and you have a card that was truly unmatched this year.

One other note that has been overlooked when people talk about this card: Promoter Joe Hensley learned from the curfew mistake made on the October 7 card. The December 9 card moved swiftly through the night and that helped many people get home at a decent hour.

Others Deserving Consideration:

September 28 at Michael’s Eighth Avenue – This Ballroom Boxing card was a major challenge to Beltway Boxers with three solid matchups; Darnell Wilson vs. Daniel Judah, Ishmail Arvin against David Toribio and the rematch of Tyrell Samuel and Carlos Vinan. Wilson’s bout ended with Judah suffering a separated shoulder, Arvin lost badly to Toribio and Samuel just got past Vinan. There was a lot of drama on this card, the best overall card for Ballroom Boxing in 2006.

September 14 at Martin’s West – Another challenging card for Beltway Boxers. This Baltimore Pro Boxing card included a good matchup between Corey Cummings and Barry Butler that resulted in Cummings’s first loss. Also on the card was the rematch between Mike Paschall and William Gill as well as Jessie Nicklow taking on veteran James Shedrick. Good bouts throughout the card.

August 19 at ABC Sports Complex – This Scott Farmer card had solid Virginia prospects on hand including Farmer’s son Andrew, Terry Roy and Jaime Palma. The fans enjoyed this card extremely well.

Digital’s choices for Promoter/Matchmaker of the Year are:

Jake Smith/Josh Hall (Baltimore Pro Boxing) and Joe Hensley/Nick Tiberi (Major League Boxing)

Both promoting companies gave the Beltway a lot of action in 2006. Baltimore Pro Boxing was able to use two area facilities and one outside location (Ocean City) to put together exceptional cards and showcase outstanding Maryland prospects. Smith and Hall were consistent and prepared their boxers well throughout the year.

Major League Boxing didn’t promote as many cards as their Baltimore counterparts but they should be credited for bringing sustained excitement and local star power to their cards, plus the October 7 and December 9 card brought the biggest crowds in the area.

Both promotional companies plan to be active in 2007 and that is good for the area.


Others Deserving Consideration:

Han Kim (SugarHan Productions) – Not too many promotions could bring a major regional title bout to a boys and girls club location, but Kim did that in 2006 with Emmanuel Nwodo. Kim could be a solid force in 2007.

Gene Molovinsky/Chris Middendorf (Keystone Boxing) – Yes they only promoted one card in 2006 but the February 18 card at the Patriot Center helped keep the growth in Virginia boxing growing. Keystone was the first promotional group to see the value of the Patriot Center (with the Lange-Ballard bout in 2005) and the Lange-Gilbert bout set the tone for the rest of the year in the Commonwealth.

Scott Farmer – This Virginia promoter deserves an A for effort. No promoter worked harder to put on cards than Farmer, sometimes to his detriment. However, Farmer should be credited for giving us a lot of possible Virginia prospects.


Digital’s choice for Rising Contender of the Year is…

Anthony Peterson

This choice was made before Peterson’s most recent performance because he solidified this selection when he won the NABO Lightweight title on June 16 against Adan Hernandez. The undefeated Peterson has already been tabbed as one of the top prospects of the last two years, but this predictor says 2007 is the year he brings a world title home. The power is there, the skill is there. Now it seems to be only a matter of time.

Others Deserving Consideration:

Tony Thompson – The WBO has him ranked third in their rankings. Hopefully this will force the champions or top contenders to look his way.

Lamont Peterson – Possibly has more boxing skill than his brother, but power may be an issue in the junior welterweight division.

Emmanuel Nwodo – Can make a major impact in the cruiserweight division, if he can get an opportunity.


Digital’s choice for Knockout of the Year is…

Jed Phipps KO 1 over David Cleage – January 20 at the Pikesville Armory

Unfortunately, Phipps’s career will be marked for being the recipient of big knockouts more than delivering them, but his last victory was his most dramatic. Phipps landed a classic right hand that dropped Cleage violently to the canvas and brought the Pikesville Armory crowd to his fight faster and louder than any knockout this year. It was a beautiful shot.

Others Deserving Consideration:

Derek Amos TKO 1 over Jason Waller – July 1 at ABC Sports Complex

A true “blink and you missed it” knockout, many people were at the concession stands when this one took place. Everyone felt these two long-time veterans would plod through a six-rounder but Amos made short work of Waller with a solid right hand that Waller did not get up from.

Emmanuel Nwodo TKO 3 over Chris Thomas – July 1 at ABC Sports Complex

Nwodo started this knockout with a picture-perfect right hand that sent Thomas down in the first round. If Thomas had stayed down, this probably would have been the knockout of the year. However, Thomas showed heart and it took two more rounds before another right hand sent Thomas to the canvas for good.

Tyrell Samuel KO 1 over Fred Fleming – May 4 at Michael’s Eighth Avenue

Samuel showed the best use of a double left hook seen all year as he crumpled Fleming in the first round with shots to the head and body.


Digital’s choice for Bout of the Year is…

Maxell Taylor vs. Derek Ennis (six-round draw) – March 9 at Michael’s Eighth Avenue

With all the great bouts that did take place later in 2006, many may have forgotten a bout earlier in the year that many people (myself included) think was the best bout in Ballroom Boxing’s 12-year history. In what was a dangerous bout from its signing, Baltimore’s Taylor matched up with Ennis, an undefeated prospect from Philadelphia, and went six hard rounds with him. Both men were knocked down; Taylor in the third, Ennis TWICE in the fourth. Ennis showed tremendous heart fighting back to get the draw. They say a draw is like kissing your sister, but no one complained about the draw on that night.

Others Deserving Consideration:

Dean White vs. Dorin Spivey (White wins eight-round unanimous decision) – December 9 at the George Mason University Patriot Center

This was a bout that many people are STILL talking about and debating weeks after its conclusion. It was the bout that took a lot of the thunder from the main event and made Dean White a household name in this area. Add the fact that it was a rematch that White wanted badly and the drama was there. The bout lived up to everything people thought it would be.

Juan Carlos Robles vs. Derek Amos (Robles wins four-round unanimous decision) – October 7 at the Patriot Center

Yes, it was the opening bout on the card, but not too many bouts started a card better than this one between a solid rookie and a tough veteran. Many didn’t think Amos stood a chance against the highly regarded youngster Robles, especially after having just one round of action in four years. But the tough Amos fought hard and gave Robles everything he had, only to come up short.

Corey Cummings vs. Barry Butler (Butler wins 10-round split decision) – September 14 at Martin’s West

This was a very interesting cruiserweight matchup between a highly-touted local and a resurgent outsider. Cummings was just getting back into the swing of his career and was undefeated at the time of this matchup, but Butler, who has been a major thorn in the sides of Beltway Boxers for many years, kept Cummings off-balance and didn’t give him a chance to unleash the power he was famous for. Many people thought Cummings won the bout, but Butler deserved the decision.


Digital’s choice for Beltway Boxer of the Year is….

Eric “Mighty Mouse” Aiken

The year that just past did not end the way Aiken wanted, but the featherweight from Forestville, MD had one of the most unique years of any boxer in Beltway Boxing history. In 2006, Aiken went from prospect to also-ran to contender to world champion in a span of just five months.

Aiken started his year on an up note with a seventh-round TKO over Darby Smart on January 20 for the NABA Featherweight title. A non-title loss to Johnnie Edwards in March was a major setback that could have been tough for Aiken to recover, but his stoppage of former world champion Tim Austin on April 1 helped prepare him for what was to come. Because of another boxer’s injury, Aiken was able to gain a world title shot against Valdemir Pereira on May 13 in Boston. Aiken surprised the boxing world by dropping Pereira twice and forcing him to get himself disqualified in the eighth round to win the IBF Featherweight title, becoming the 14th Beltway Boxer to win a world title since 1986.

Although Aiken lost his title to Robert Guerrero on September 2, his accomplishments and the short span of time in which he accomplished them makes him the choice for Beltway Boxer of the Year.

Others Deserving Consideration:

Tony Thompson – Winning two regional titles marked a great year.

Anthony Peterson – Has decimated all opponents and holds the NABO Lightweight title.

Emmanuel Nwodo – One of the rising cruiserweight prospects and holds the USBA title.


And those are the Digital’s Choice Awards!