A Clarification:

On the previous post, I made it seem as if the District of Columbia Government was involved in the April 27th card in DC from the very beginning. I have since been told that was not the case.

According to a representative from the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission, the promoters contacted the city in the last few days prior to the card taking place. That was when Mayor Fenty and Councilmember Brown was called in to try to be a part of the press conferences that neither could attend.

Expecting a response from the other side of this table, I say thanks for the clarification.

Observations from DC and Fisherville!

In Charles Dickens’s classic book “A Tale of Two Cities,” the author writes, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”

If you reverse the order of that familiar opening line, you have a good description of this past weekend’s Beltway Boxing action.

It was as contrasting a boxing weekend as I have ever been a part of. Two cards in a 24-hour period that showed the true highs and lows of this business.

Washington, DC showed how NOT to put on a boxing show on April 27. Credit should be given to the boxers themselves for keeping that show from being more of an unmitigated disaster than it already was.

Please read Thom Loverro’s column in the April 28 Washington Times “ESPN2 Shows Mess of an Event” to get a true and accurate description of what took place. I truly cannot dispute what Loverro said, nor is there too much I can add except for this:

If the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission do not put some true and knowledgeable boxing people on its team, boxing in the Nation’s Capital will be in more trouble than it already is.

The biggest mistake the Commission made was not advising Ron Remus Promotions to put more Beltway Boxers on the card. Yes, ESPN made the Darling Jimenez-Mike Anchondo bout. Yes. Vernon Paris is a Ron Remus fighter. But they would have been better off matching Paris against a local fighter instead of Alain Hernandez. At least the fans would have heard of one of the two fighters.

But that wasn’t the biggest mistake the promoters made. Their biggest mistake was trying to rely on a government that has NEVER, EVER outwardly supported boxing. DC Mayor Adrian Fenty – A former DC athlete – couldn’t clear his schedule enough to come to the press conference. City Councilmember Kwame Brown – the person most associated with the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission – did not attend the conference.

But in almost 20 years of covering the Beltway, the DC Government has not made a big deal of supporting its Beltway Boxers. To go that route was a criminal mistake for the promotion and they dearly paid for it.

If you saw the card on TV, you know about the mistakes that were made during the card (the two-minute round during the main event, referee Kenny Chevalier wearing no gloves, Chevalier’s very quick stoppage, etc.) The sad part about this is that these are situations that have happened before in DC and no one seems to know what to do about it.

Remus told me personally that he will not have his scheduled October date in DC. The question that now remains is – will ESPN honor the May 25th show at the Armory featuring Tony Thompson and the Peterson Brothers? My assumption is yes because these are boxers that Beltway fans know and support and want to see. But I think that the possibility exists that ESPN could change its mind, based on what they saw this weekend.

To see how a boxing card should be put on, I had to take a three-hour trip to Fisherville, VA on Saturday. I entered the Augusta Expoland 20 minutes after the weigh-in was scheduled to begin at noon. Twenty minutes later, the weigh-in was over, with everything that to be done completed. There were no arguments, no complaining. All the boxers were on time with all their paperwork and the process ran smoothly.

Where in DC there were only a few boxers anyone knew, the Fisherville card was loaded with Virginia fan favorites. The excitement came along with those boxers as well. Juan Carlos Robles came to the ring led by four Harley Davidson motorcycles. “White Lightning” Todd Wilson entered to the sounds of live bagpipers. “War Time” George Rivera was led to the ring by his fan base “La Familia.” The crowd may have been small in number (about 500 – more than DC had at the Armory the night before) but it was huge in enthusiasm and all of those boxers and others performed well on the card.

This card had no true controversies and where there seemed to be an army of DC commission members running about, Virginia had everything under control with just a few people who knew what they had to do and they did it. The days of the problems the Virginia Commission had in the past are long gone. This commission, led by David Holland, has everything under control and I predict they will do some great things in the very near future.

So we have Virginia in good shape and Maryland is continuing its excellence in holding boxing matches. However, when people think about what happens along the Beltway, they think of DC first, because it is the Nation’s Capital. That is why it is absolutely paramount that the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission get its act together. My suggestion is that the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission take the Boxing Commission over and fill it up with the JD Browns, Paul Artissts and Gilbert Wares of the area. Those are the type of people that need to be a major part of whatever boxing takes place in DC.

Hopefully, that would get us to a point where everything works according to plan all throughout the Beltway.

Post-Fight Wrap-Up From Fisherville!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #50 - Post-Fight Wrap-Up From Fisherville!

It was an exciting night at the Augusta Expoland in Fisherville, VA. "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I discuss the results.

Scale Watch for Fisherville, VA!

Here are the weights for tonight's Major League Boxing Rising Stars "Return to Burn" card at the Augusta Expoland in Fisherville, VA (Beltway Boxers in Bold):

Juan Carlos Robles 201 vs. James Johnson 195

Derek Amos 200 vs. William Bailey 194

George Rivera 153 vs. Shawn White 151

Todd Wilson 153 1/2 vs. Jay Watts 156

Terry Roy 214 vs. Moses Smalls 234

Patrick Budd 188 vs. Drew Wion 193

Post-Fight Wrap-Up From DC!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #49 - Post-Fight Wrap-Up From DC!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I discuss an interesting night of action from the DC Armory.

Washington Times Gives Good Coverage of Tonight's Card!

Kudos to The Washington Times for good coverage of tonight's DC Armory card in today's editions. Tim Lenke has an article about the City's renewed use of the Armory for sporting events on the bottom of the front page while Thom Loverro has a nice profile of former two-time world champion William Joppy in the sports section.

By the way, I will be on the "Doc Walker Show" today around 10:30 AM on WTEM Sportstalk 980.

Joppy Discusses Return and Future!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #48 - Joppy Discusses Return and Future!

Former two-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy discusses his return to the sport and why he should be considered a two-time not a three time world champion.




Here is the scale watch for tomorrow's show at the DC Armory(Beltway Boxers in Bold):

Mike Anchondo 137 vs. Darling Jimenez 134

Vernon Paris 137 1/2 vs. Alain Hernandez 137

William Joppy 179 1/2 vs. Virgil McClendon 175

Antwaan Davis 163 vs. Larry Brothers 157

Earl Cole 143 vs. William Wilson 148


The Cole-Wilson bout replaces the contest between Thomas Snow and Mike Salyers. Earl "Mighty Mouse" Cole of Baltimore made his pro debut in Pikesville last month.

I would advise fans coming to the card to TAKE THE METRO!! The Washington Nationals will be playing at RFK Stadium against the New York Mets and traffic will be terrible.

Rahman JR Headlines April 28 Amateur Show!

While this has been a busy time for the pros along the Beltway, the amateur scene is also heating up.

Jake "The Snake" Smith Promotions along with Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall is hosting a big amateur show on Saturday, April 28 at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD. Among the notable names on this card will be 15-year-old Hasim Rahman, Jr., the oldest son of the former two-time heavyweight champion. Rahman Jr. will be making his amateur debut on this card and Dad is slated to watch his son in action.

Other notable names slated for this card are Steve Wheeler, Dusty Harrison, Nick Kisner and Brady Sensibaugh. Twenty bouts are slated for this card, which will help send local amateurs to the Eastern Olympic Trials in Orlando, FL.

Also, Round One Gym in Bladensburg, MD has been hosting Junior Olympic bouts throughout the month and the finals will also be this Saturday at Round One.

One other note. This post is the 700th post I have made on this blog. Thanks again for your support.

We Interrupt The Boxing Talk for This Special Message!

In a previous post, you may have read that I have a new job. In order to be successful at this job I will need the help of you and your loved ones.

I recently became a Family Service Counselor at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood, MD. My job is to educate families and loved ones on the importance of pre-arranged services. To do that, I am asking for referrals from people who may be interested in discussing what services Fort Lincoln can provide for you.

If you or someone you know is interested in buying property either on a pre-need (prior to a loved one's passing) or at-need basis (when the death occurs), please give me a call at (301) 864-5090. Please ask for Gary Williams (they don't know me as "Digital" yet).

Thanks in advance for your assistance in this matter, Beltway Boxing fans!

Full DC Armory Preview!

Let's now take a look at the Friday, April 27 card at the DC Armory.

There will be three bouts featuring Beltway Boxers. Former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy will now face veteran and former title contender Virgil McClendon of Columbus, OH in a bout that will be scheduled for either eight or 10 rounds.

Joppy (37-4-1, 28 KO's) has not fought since July 8, 2006 when he knocked out Jonathan Corn in the fifth round in St. Louis, MO. McClendon (22-10, eight KO's) once fought for the IBF Junior Welterweight title in July of 1999, losing by 12th round TKO to Terron Millett. McClendon has lost his last seven bouts.

Also on the card will be DC super middleweight Antoine Davis, the grandson of legendary Beltway Boxing couple Adrian and Brenda Davis. Antoine Davis will participate in just the second bout of his career. Davis made his pro debut on February 4, 2006 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA and won a four-round split decision over Charles Mack.

Davis will face DC veteran Larry "The Gladiator" Brothers in a four-round contest. Brothers (6-24-3, four KO's) is winless in his last 10 bouts.

Also, as we announced earlier, undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Thomas "KO" Snow will take on Mike "Chico" Salyers.

The main event on this card will be a 10-round contest pitting former WBO Super Featherweight champion "The Powerful" Mike Anchondo of LaPuente, CA against Darling Jimenez of the Bronx, NY. Anchondo (27-1, 19 KO's) has won two straight since losing the WBO title to Jorge Barrios and subsequently moving up to lightweight. This will be Anchondo's first bout of 2007. Jimenez (22-2-2, 13 KO's) has won five straight and eight of his last nine but Anchondo looks like his toughest opponent to date.

The co-feature will have undefeated Detroit, MI junior welterweight Vernon "Ice Man" Paris taking on Alain Hernandez of Tijuana, MX in another 10-round bout. The 19-year-old Paris last fought on March 24, winning a four-round unanimous decision over David Maund in Kalamazoo, MI. Paris continues his boxing career despite suffering gunshot wounds during a recent murder assassination plot. Paris was shot three times, once in the back of the head. Hernandez (9-3-2, six KO's) has won four in a row, including a fourth-round KO over Guadalupe Arce on January 29 in Tijuana.

Also on the card, undefeated Puerto Rican junior welterweight Hector Sanchez will face his most experienced foe to date when he takes on former title contender John "The Eastern Beast" Brown of Atlantic City, NJ. Sanchez (9-0, three KO's) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Marcus Brashers on January 26 in Uncasville, CT. Brown is winless in his last seven bouts and has not fought since May 24, 2006 when he lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Herman Ngoudjo for the NABF and WBC International Junior Welterweight titles. Throughout his career, Brown challenged for world titles four times losing to Steve Forbes (twice), Diego Corrales and Shane Mosley.

Full Fisherville Preview!

Here is the full card for the Major League Boxing “Rising Stars” promotion “Return to Burn” on Saturday, April 28 at the Augusta Expoland in Fisherville, VA.

The main event features one of the brightest prospects in the state. Undefeated Waynesboro, VA cruiserweight “JC Superstar” Juan Carlos Robles will take on veteran “Gentleman” James Johnson of Shreveport, LA in a six-round contest.

Robles (8-0, four KO’s) has honed his craft by facing a number of veteran boxers. In his last three bouts, Robles has faced opponents that have competed in a combined total of 133 bouts. This includes Robles’s last victory— a six-round unanimous decision over former light heavyweight contender Lenzie Morgan on March 10 in Winchester, VA.

Robles will continue that trend against Johnson (20-27-2, 11 KO’s), who started his career in 1999 as a junior middleweight. Many of you remember Johnson's epic draw against Jimmy Lange at Michael's Eighth Avenue in May of that year. Johnson has lost his last six bouts, including a fifth-round TKO to Zach Walters on March 17 in Hinckley, MN.

The card will also see the return of Charlottesville, VA junior middleweight George “War Time” Rivera, who will try to bounce back from a shocking second-round knockout loss to Charles Norwood on February 17 in Winchester. Rivera (1-1, one KO) will face Shawn White of Lima, OH (0-4). White is not only looking to win his first pro bout, he will be looking to get out of the first round of a contest, something he has yet to do in his pro career.

In heavyweight action on the card, two Front Royal, VA prospects will do battle in a four-round contest. Terry “T-Brick” Roy (2-0-1, two KO’s) will battle the debuting Moses “Biggie” Smalls. Roy fought to a four-round draw with Chris Brown on February 17 in Winchester. Smalls is a veteran of the Virginia Toughman circuit, winning the Virginia Championships in Fisherville recently.

Also, veteran Charlottesville heavyweight Alonzo “Lonnie C” Cutchin will battle Washington, DC’s Cecil “Smith and Wesson” Smith in another four-round contest. Cutchin (7-16, six KO’s) is coming off a first-round knockout loss to Jonathan Felton on February 3 in Fisherville, VA. On that same February 3 card, Smith (1-1) lost a four-round unanimous decision to Gary Campbell. That was Smith’s last outing.

In other bouts on the card, two veteran cruiserweights will face off in an interesting six-round battle. Dumfries, VA’s Derek “D-Mos” Amos will take on Portsmouth, VA’s William “The Storm” Bailey.

Throughout his 14-year career, Amos (14-24, nine KO’s) has alternated between heavyweight and cruiserweight and has fought quality opponents in each weight class. Among the opponents Amos has faced during his career are Chris Byrd, Tony Thompson, Monte Barrett, Kelvin Davis and Eric Kirkland. Amos’s last two fights were unanimous decision losses to Juan Carlos Robles. Bailey (6-12-2, three KO’s) is coming off a third-round TKO over Adam Seal on February 3 in Fisherville.

Three other boxers will be making pro debuts on this card. Welterweight “White Lightning” Todd Wilson, a graduate of Virginia Military Institute (VMI), will be battling “The American Dream” Jay Watts of Virginia Beach, VA. Watts (2-8, two KO’s) has not fought since his first-round TKO over radio talk show host turned boxer JP Flaim on December 9 in Fairfax, VA.

And two debuting cruiserweights will make pro debuts against each other. Dumfries, VA’s “Cold Blood” Patrick Budd will take on “The Polish Warrior” Drew Wion of Sydney, OH.

Another 'Spring Spectacular' Update!

Here's updated news from the Beltway Boxing "Spring Spectacular":

Undefeated Capitol Heights featherweight Thomas "KO" Snow has reportedly been added to the Friday, April 27 card at the DC Armory. Snow (8-0, six KO's) is scheduled to take on Mike Salyers of Ashland, KY for the second straight time. Snow stopped Salyers in the ninth round on the December 9 card at the Lincoln Theatre.

Since that bout, Salyers (2-11, two KO's) moved up in weight to face another Beltway Boxer -- Andrew "Doo Man" Farmer -- on February 17 at the Winchester Sportsplex in Winchester, VA and lost a six-round unanimous decision.

As far as the May 25 show in DC, I can now confirm that the matchup between Lamont Peterson and Dorin Spivey is a done deal! The only question will be what title the two will be fighting for. Originally, I was told that the bout would be for Peterson's WBC US Junior Welterweight title. However, there's a good possibility that the bout will now be for the vacant NABO Junior Welterweight title.

As far as the main event for that card is concerned, NABO Heavyweight champ Tony "The Tiger" Thompson is slated to defend his title. Two of the names being thrown about are veterans Duncan Dokiwari and Cisse Salif. Apparently Davarryl Williamson is not in the picture.

Look for a upcoming feature on Thompson in the Washington Post by noted boxing and horse racing writer John Scheinman in the very near future.

By the way, there is still no official word on where the May 25 card will be in DC, however the Armory seems to be the top choice.

We are also starting to learn possible details about the final card in the "Spring Spectacular" -- Thursday, May 31 back at Michael's Eighth Avenue. There may be another boxing comeback in store as Upper Marlboro super middleweight Alfonso "Too Good For You" Daniels plans to appear on the card. Daniels (23-5, seven KO's) was a very popular boxer along the Beltway in the 90's and he told me personally he is back in training and looking to appear on the May 31 card.

Daniels was a Ballroom Boxing fixture, appearing at Michael's 13 times. He has not fought since losing to Syd Vanderpool in October of 1999.

Also we could have a father-son duo boxing on the May 31 card. Danny Kisner is scheduled to participate on the pro side, while his son, Nick will box on the amateur side.

I plan to have complete previews on the April 27 and 28 cards by Thursday of this week. The preview for the April 28th show in Fisherville will come first because that card is complete.

Post-Fight Wrap-Up from Glen Burnie!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #47 - Post-Fight Wrap-Up from The Ballroom!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap the startling events from last night's Ballroom Boxing show from Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie.



My apologies for getting this up so late. Between starting a new full-time job and very limited access to working email, this has been a rough one.

BATB is Featured Gabcast Channel!

I am very pleased to announce that Gabcast.com has chosen the audio channel for Boxing Along The Beltway as its featured Channel of the Month.

This came as a great and happy surprise. They didn't tell me it was going to happen but I am very proud and encouraged by this. Thanks to you, the channel has received close to 3,000 hits since I started using Gabcast in December of 2005.

The audio channel will be getting a lot of use in the next few weeks and because of limited space, I may be deleting some of the earlier posts.

'Spring Spectacular' News and Notes!

There are reports that the May 25 DC card may feature a tremendous matchup as undefeated Lamont Peterson will defend his WBC US Junior Welterweight championship against "The Pride of Portsmouth" Dorin Spivey.

The scheduled 12-round bout is not officially a done deal, but I'm being told that both men have agreed to the bout and it is a matter of dotting some I's and crossing some T's.

If and when this bout becomes official, you will be the first to know.

There is also a change in the "Spring Spectacular" schedule. The Keystone Boxing card slated for Friday, May 4 at Rosecroft Raceway has been postponed until Friday, May 18 at the same location.

That means there will be a serious stretch of cards in May with bouts on May 11, 12, 18, 25 and 31. Five cards in 20 days in May!

Joppy Opponent Announced for April 27 Card!

Former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy will face Ted Muller of Moline, IL on the April 27 card at the DC Armory.

Joppy (37-4-1, 28 KO's) has not fought since July 8, 2006 when he knocked out Jonathan Corn in the fifth round in St. Louis, MO.

Muller (19-10-2, nine KO's) has lost his last three bouts
-- all to name competition (Bronco McKart, Carlos DeLeon, Jr and Elvir Muriqi).

By the way, you may have seen posters or heard information that claim Joppy is the main event for this card. He is not. The bout between out-of-town lightweights Mike Anchando and Darling Jimenez will headline the show. I will highlight Joppy on the blog for obvious reasons, but in reality, Anchando and Jimenez will be the ESPN2 main event.

My Beltway Boxing Appeal!

Please listen to my post appealing for your fan support for our Beltway Boxers and promoters during our six-week Beltway Boxing "Spring Spectacular!


Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #46 - My Beltway Boxing Appeal!

Please listen to this appeal for fan support throughout the area during our six-week Beltway Boxing "Spring Spectacular!




Once again, here is the schedule for the Beltway Boxing "Spring Spectacular":

Thursday, April 19 -- Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD

Friday, April 27 -- DC Armory, Washington, DC (ESPN2)

Saturday, April 28 -- Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, VA (featuring Beltway Boxers Juan Carlos Robles, Andrew Farmer, Derek Amos, Terry Roy, Mike Carrigan and others

Friday, May 4 -- Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD

Friday, May 11 -- DuBurns Arena, Baltimore, MD

Saturday, May 12 -- George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA

Friday, May 25 -- Washington, DC (location TBA -- ESPN2. This is the correct date, not the 27th)

Thursday, May 31 -- Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD

Please answer the new poll question concerning the "Spring Spectacular."

Update on April 19 Ballroom Boxing Card!

Here is how the Ballroom Boxing card on Thursday, April 19 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD is shaping up. Remember, this is the first bout in our six-week, eight-card, Beltway Boxing "Spring Spectacular."

Undefeated Baltimore featherweight Tyrell "Da Show Shock A" Samuel will be in the eight-round main event against Jose "Papi Zurdo" Hernandez of Atlanta, GA.

Samuel (9-0, six KO's) has not fought since February 17 when he won a six-round unanimous decision over Jorge Lara at Suitland High School in Suitland, MD. Samuel was scheduled to appear on the March 8 Ballroom Boxing show, but his opponent didn't meet state requirements.

This will be the first appearance of 2007 for the Mexican-born Hernandez (9-6, three KO's). Hernandez won a six-round majority decision over Carlos Rivera on December 2, 2006 in Tampa, FL. The win broke a four-bout losing streak for Hernandez, who has now fought undefeated boxers in seven of his last eight bouts.

The other Beltway Boxer on this card will be Severna Park super middleweight Carson McCourry, who will participate in the second bout of his comeback. McCourry (9-2, six KO's) will take on Travis Biechler of Denver, CO in a four-round bout.

McCourry scored a second-round TKO over Clinton Bonds on the last Ballroom show. McCourry will face an opponent who has made strides to turn his career around. Biechler (2-4, two KO's) has scored two knockout victories after losing his first four bouts.

The co-feature bout will be an interesting eight-round encounter between undefeated New York City junior middleweight Jose Angel "Silver Boy" Rodriguez and "Magnificent" Martinus Clay of Wilson, NC.

Rodriguez (10-0, two KO's) is coming off a third-round TKO over Cesar Valentin on February 10 in Las Vegas. This is Rodriguez's fourth trip to the Ballroom and his first since winning a six-round unanimous decision over Carlos Pena on September 28, 2006.

In his last outing, Clay (12-14-2, four KO's) lost an eight-round unanimous decision to undefeated Jason LeHoullier on March 16 in Salem, NH in front of a nationally televised ESPN2 audience (the same card as Eric Aiken's draw against Cruz Carbajal).

This will be Clay's sixth time in the Ballroom. The last Ballroom outing saw Clay lose an eight-round unanimous decision to Arturo Morales on May 4, 2006.

Also returning to the Ballroom will be undefeated Reading, PA heavyweight Travis Kauffman (9-0, seven KO's). Kauffman will face veteran Dan Whetzel of Toledo, OH (8-9-1, five KO's) in a six-round bout.

Kauffman is coming off a second-round knockout over Kevin Hood on March 30 in Phoenixville, PA. Kauffman made his pro debut in the Ballroom on January 26, 2006 when he stopped Jerome Boyer in the second round.

Whetzel lost a four-round majority decision to Mujaheed Moore on March 31 in Warren, OH. This will be Whetzel's first trip to Glen Burnie since June 17, 2004 when he was knocked out in the first round by Taz Titan. Whetzel also fought at Martin's West on December 7, 2005 when he was stopped by Jed Phipps.

Also on the card will be lightweight Carney "Beeper" Bowman of York, PA. Bowman (6-0, three KO's) is returning to boxing after an almost two-year hiatus. His opponent is to be determined.

This Ballroom show will be a pro-am card. Three amateur bouts are scheduled to be on the card.

Virginia Boxers Added to May 12 Patriot Center Card!

A slew of Virginia boxers will be featured on the Saturday, May 12 boxing card at the George Mason University Patriot Center.

The resurgent Alexandria junior welterweight Jaime "The Punisher" Palma is scheduled to take on Philadelphia, PA's Lenny "The Hitman" DeVictoria for the Tri-State Junior Welterweight title. Palma has won his last four bouts to raise his record to 11-10-1, two KO's. DeVictoria (8-8, two KO's) has lost five in a row.

Also scheduled to be on the show are undefeated Alexandria junior welterweight Kay Koroma and Vienna junior middleweight "Irish" Mike Carrigan (both 3-0, two KO's)

Quick note about the Carrigan Family: Mike's brother Sean, was a boxer who stopped to become an actor. Sean Carrigan won NBC's reality series "The Next Action Star" and now can be seen in the popular GEICO "Caveman" ad campaign.

Also on this card will be two Virginia super middleweights who will make their pro debuts against each other. Tim Scache of Alexandria will battle Tracey Brewer of Arlington.

Former IBF Light Heavyweight champ William Guthrie will also battle on this card. Guthrie (35-4-2, 28 KO's) is now fighting as a cruiserweight and is trying to bounce back from a loss in January.

Guthrie, who lives in Jupiter, FL, has never fought here before, but he did co-promote a card at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro in 2000. Guthrie is in the same training camp as Jimmy Lange, who faces Fontaine Cabell in a rematch for the WBC Continental Americas Junior Middleweight title in the main event on the May 12 card.

Rahman Returns in Rochester June 14!

Former two-time heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman returns to the ring in Rochester, NY on Thursday, June 14. Rahman will take on Taurus "The Bull" Sykes of Brooklyn, NY (25-3-1, seven KO's) in a 10-round bout that will be televised on the Versus Network.

Sykes's biggest moment was a bout against Samuel Peter for the NABF, NABA and USBA Heavyweight titles in July of 2005. Sykes was knocked out in the second round.

Nwodo vs Wilson June 22!

One of the dream matches along the Beltway apparently is now a reality. Baltimore-based Emmanuel "Chukwu" Nwodo will defend his USBA Cruiserweight championship against Silver Spring, MD's Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson. The bout will take place on Friday, June 22.

The bad news is the bout will not take place along the Beltway. The bout will be at the CYC Youth Center in Scranton, PA; the same location where Wilson scored perhaps his best victory -- the third-round knockout over Kelvin Davis on February 23. The contest will be televised on ESPN2. I know there were attempts to bring this bout to the area, but ESPN2 and Duva Boxing were very impressed with the crowd reaction in Scranton and ESPN especially wanted the bout there.

Some personal observations about this bout: Is this a dangerous bout for both men? No question about it! This is a potentially great bout featuring two great knockout artists.

Nwodo could be at a disadvantage since he has not fought since he won the USBA title last July 1 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA. Wilson, on the other hand, put himself back in championship contention with three great knockout performances over Davis, Dale Brown and, to a lesser extent, Daniel Judah.

The major question is: why would two men -- seemingly on parallel paths toward world titles -- fight now? Well, Nwodo has had difficulty finding opponents. For Wilson, winning a top regional title at this point in his career with Duva Boxing's machine behind him would put him very close to a world title shot.

There is a LOT on the line on this one and it will be very interesting!

Russell III Wins Midwestern Trials Championship!

The Russell legacy continues in amateur boxing. Capitol Heights, MD lightweight Gary Russell III (also known as Gary A. Russell and Allen to his close friends) won the lightweight championship at the Midwestern Trials on April 7 in Cincinnati, OH.

Russell defeated Miguel Gonzalez of Cleveland OH, 27-15 to win the title and advance to the US Championships in Colorado Springs, CO in June. Russell won a silver medal in the 2006 Junior Olympics.

Russell's older brother -- Gary Russell, Jr. -- is the top-ranked bantamweight in the country and is a favorite to make the 2008 United States Olympic team.

Congratulations also to Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero, who advanced to the US Championships by winning the middleweight title defeating 2006 Under-19 National Champion Shawn Porter of Cuyahoga Falls, OH, 29-19.

Another Beltway amateur -- Abodurin Akinyanju of DC -- lost in the super heavyweight final to 2006 National Golden Gloves Champion Felix Stewart of Columbus, OH, 21-18.

Farmer, Smith, Roy Added to Fisherville, VA Card!

Front Royal, VA lightweight Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer, Front Royal heavyweight Terry "T-Brick" Roy and DC heavyweight Cecil Smith have been added to the Major League Boxing Rising Stars "Return To Burn" card on Saturday, April 28 at the Augusta Expoland in Fisherville, VA.

Farmer (5-1, four KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Mike Salyers on February 17 in Winchester, VA. Farmer will be participating in a six-round bout against an opponent to be determined.

Roy (2-0-1, two KO's) fought Chris Brown to a four-round draw on the February 17 Winchester card. Roy will battle the debuting Moses Smalls of Front Royal on the April 28 card.

Smith (1-1) also returns to face off against "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA (3-7, three KO's) in a four-round matchup.

Undefeated Waynesboro, VA cruiserweight "JC Superstar" Juan Carlos Robles (8-0, four KO's) will take on "Gentleman" James Johnson of Shreveport, LA in the six-round main event.

Also on the show, Dumfries, VA cruiserweight Derek "D-Mos" Amos will be in a tough battle against William "The Storm" Bailey of Chesapeake, VA.

Lexington, VA welterweight "White Lightning" Todd Wilson, a graduate of Virginia Military Institute, will be making his pro debut against "The American Dream" Jay Watts of Virginia Beach, VA. Wilson has moved his training to the Annandale Boxing Club. Watts (2-8, two KO's) won his last outing -- a first-round technical knockout over JP Flaim on December 9 at the George Mason University Patriot Center.

In other bouts on the card, Charlottsville, VA junior middleweight "War Time" George Rivera (1-1, one KO) looks to bounce back from his second-round knockout loss on February 17 in Winchester by taking on Warren, OH's Kenyon "King Kong" Kellum (0-1).

And in what might be the bout of the night, undefeated Norfolk, VA super middleweight Bobby Jordan, Jr. will take on Reuel Williams of Wilmington, DE in a four-round bout. Both out-of-town guys have fought along the Beltway and performed very well. Jordan (2-0-1, one KO) won a four-round unanimous decision over Willie "For Real" Williams in his last outing on April 21 in Pikesville, MD. Reuel Williams (4-1, two KO's) has all of his victories in Maryland defeating Beltway Boxers Nick Caroleo and Henry Mayes by knockout in his last two outings.

Update on April 27 DC Armory Show!

Here is some information about the Friday, April 27 ESPN2 show at the DC Armory. In the interest of full disclosure, I did not write this press release. I found it on Fightnews.com. You know as much as I do.

Carlos Llinas’s CLIP Boxing and Ron Remus Productions are kicking off a series of boxing events in Washington DC with a bang. The first show will take place in association with DRL Promotions and be broadcast live on ESPN on April 27, at the DC Armory. The night’s main event will feature California’s Mike "The Powerful" Anchondo (27-1, 19 KOs) vs. New York’s Darling Jimenez (22-2-2, 13 KOs).

The co-main event will showcase 19-year-old super lightweight prospect Vernon "Iceman" Paris (13-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder vs. TBA. Also scheduled to appear that night will be former world middleweight champion William Joppy (37-4-1, 28 KOs) and Philadelphia knockout artist Tyrone "Young Gun" Brunson (15-0, 15 KOs), who will try and continue his consecutive first-round knockout streak. Both will face opponents that are TBA. The second show is scheduled for October 5.

Beltway Boxers in Junior Middleweight History Books!

As part of The Ring Magazine's preview of the May 5 bout between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, "The Bible of Boxing" took a look at the 10 greatest moments in junior middleweight history.

Two of the moments involved Beltway Boxers and one was involved in both moments.

Former three-time world champion Simon Brown made the list for his stunning fourth-round KO over future hall of famer Terry Norris on December 18, 1993 in Puebla, Mexico. The Ring called this upset "the 154-pound equivalent of Hasim Rahman-Lennox Lewis I."

There is an interesting irony in that statement. Legendary trainer Adrian Davis was in Rahman's corner the night Rahman knocked out Lewis. Davis was ALSO in the corner the night Simon Brown knocked out Terry Norris!

Adrian Davis was not in Brown's corner the other time Brown appears on the list. That night took place on April 29, 1995 in Landover, MD. The night of "The Beltway Brawl" when Vincent Pettway scored the knockout of a lifetime in the sixth round against Brown.

By the way, this list was done in chronological order.

If you want to read more about Simon Brown, check out my good friend and Fightnews.com colleague Julian Burgower's article that lists the top 10 fighters from the island of Jamaica in the latest issue of Boxing Digest Magazine.

One other note. Apparently, the phone number given to me for the Rockland Trust Fund for the Childs Family is incorrect. On the original posting about the family, there is an address listed in the comment section. Please use that address if you want to send donations. Thank you!

How You Can Help the Childs Family!

The Childs Family is receiving a lot of support from their friends and neighbors. However, every little bit helps!

There has been a trust fund that has been set up for the Childs Family in their hometown of Rockland, MA. For more information on the Rockland Trust Fund, call:

(781) 878-6700.

Thoughts and Prayers with the Childs Family!

Some sad news to report. The family of videographer Rudy Childs lost just about everything in a four-alarm fire at their home in Rockland, MA earlier this week.

Fortunately, Rudy, his lovely wife, Lori and their four young daughters all got out of the house safely, thanks to a smoke alarm.

Rudy is an integral reason why I am where I am today. He was the technical genius behind the TV series I worked on, "Boxing Spotlight." He also helped Ballroom Boxing reach the level of respect it has had by being the producer of its TV series for a number of years. He has also helped other promoters in the area by providing videos of their cards. Rudy has won numerous awards for his work over the past 20 years.

I send my thoughts and prayers to the Childs family.