Boxing Tribune Features 'Heidi' Curtis!

When people mention names of the great boxers that have come through the Beltway area, the name Louis "Heidi" Curtis doesn't come up as often as it should.

A member of the famed 1976 United States Olympic team that featured fellow Beltway Boxers Sugar Ray Leonard and SGT. Charles Mooney (as well as Michael and Leon Spinks, Howard Davis, Davey Armstrong and Leo Randolph among others), Curtis was a very talented flyweight boxer who fell just short of winning a world title.

Ken Hissner of Boxingtribune.com has been doing nice interviews with all the surviving members of the 1976 US team, regarded by many as the greatest Olympic boxing team ever assembled. Mr. Hissner has given me permission to post a link to his interview with Curtis.

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Recap From the Ballroom!

Here are the quick results from the Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD:

"The Persecutor" Mike Paschall remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Randy Pogue of Atlanta, GA. Judges scores were 60-54 (twice) and 59-55. Paschall is now 14-0-1, two KO's. Pogue falls to 8-8-2, two KO's.

Akron, OH's Robert Wilder scored a first-round TKO over Carson "Skippy" McCourry. Time of the knockout was 1:05. McCourry falls to 9-4, six KO's. Wilder scores the first knockout of his career and is now 2-2, one KO.

Alexander "The Great" Johnson won a four-round unanimous decision over Zefferino Albino of Philadelphia. Johnson scored one knockdown in the first round but went the four-round distance for the first time in his pro career. Scores were 40-35, 39-36 and 40-36. Johnson is now 4-0, three KO's while Albino is 2-3, one KO.

Horace "The Reason" Grant registered a first-round knockout over Harvey Jolly of Detroit, MI. The bout was stopped at 2:10 of the first. Grant has won nine bouts in a row and is now 10-1, seven KO's. Jolly is now 6-7-1, three KO's.

Scott "Duke" Buchanan remained undefeated with a four-round majority decision over Mike Miller of Akron, OH. Buchanan went past the first round for the first time in his pro career and also went the full four-round distance for the first time as a pro. Judge Kenny Chevalier saw the bout a draw at 38-38 while judges Gary Camponeshi and Malik Waleed scored the bout in Buchanan's favor, 39-37. Buchanan is now 4-0, three KO's. Miller is 2-8-1, two KO's.

Carlos "The Headbanger" Jones got off the canvas after the first round to score a stunning second-round TKO over Gary "The Hitman" Lavender of Wilson, NC. The bout was stopped at 2:52 of the second after Jones landed a thunderous right hook. Jones's record is now 6-12, four KO's while Gary Lavender is 4-10, four KO's.


Here is the latest BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show:
Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #93 - Post Fight from the Ballroom!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I discuss a very interesting Ballroom Boxing card from Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD!

Ballroom Scale Watch!

Here are the weights for tomorrow night's Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Note there are some notable changes to the card.


Horace Grant 245 vs. Harvey Jolly 195 3/4

Mike Paschall 174 1/4 vs. Randy Pogue 175 3/4

Carson McCourry 178 vs. Bob Wilder 177 1/2

Alexander Johnson 170 1/2 vs. Zeferino Albino 174 1/2

Scott Buchanan 221 1/2 vs. Mike Miller 255

Carlos Jones 180 1/2 vs. Gary Lavender 185 1/2


Harvey "Candy Man" Jolly (6-6-1, three KO's) is from Adrian, MI and has lost his last four bouts to relatively decent competition (Joey Abell, Zuri Lawrence, Alfredo Escalera, Jr. and Bowie Tupou)

Undefeated DC heavyweight Scott "Duke" Buchanan (3-0, three KO's) and Landover, MD cruiserweight Carlos "The Headbanger" Jones (5-12, three KO's) were late additions to the card when bouts for Thomas "KO" Snow and Earl "Mighty Mouse" Cole fell through.

Buchanan's opponent, Mike Miller of Cleveland, OH (2-7-1, two KO's), is winless in his last seven bouts. Jones will try to snap a five-bout losing streak against Gary Lavender of Pine Level, NC (4-9, four KO's) who stopped Kishawn Davis in the first round in his last outing on November 17 in Wilson, NC.

Danny Kisner is also off this card because he suffered a rib injury in training a few days ago. Emily Klinefelter, the amateur champion from Iowa, is also apparently off this card.

Change in December 7 Baltimore Card!

There will be a slight change to the "Bombs Away on Pearl Harbor Day" card on Friday, December 7 at the Pikesville National Guard Armory.

Baltimore light heavyweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes now has a new opponent. Mayes was scheduled to face New Castle, DE's Richard Stewart in a six-round contest. However, according to Fightnews.com's Rick Scharmberg, Stewart has decided to fight on a Hockessin, DE card on Saturday, December 8. I've just learned that Mayes will take on John "The Baptist" Terry of Portsmouth, VA. Terry (2-7-1, one KO). Terry is coming off a six-round draw against undefeated Sergey Kravchenko on November 17 in Wilson, NC.

Stewart's change is somewhat noteworthy because he was originally scheduled to fight a rematch against Philadelphia's Jameel Wilson. That has now changed and Stewart will now take on another Beltway Boxer, Andre "Da Heat" Hemphill of Woodbridge, VA (6-6-2, three KO's). Hemphill last fought in August when he had a four-round draw against Simon Carr in Philadelphia. This contest is scheduled for eight rounds. This is Hemphill's second scheduled eight-round bout, but Hemphill has never gone past six rounds in his career. In his first scheduled eight-round contest, Hemphill was knocked out in the first round.

Opponent Named for Corley on November 30!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley has an opponent for his bout on Friday, November 30 in Tampa, FL. Corley (31-6-1, 17 KO's) will take on veteran Dairo Jose Esalas of Brea, CA by way of Colombia (29-10, 24 KO's) in an eight-round bout.

Corley has lost his last two bouts -- a WBC Junior Welterweight title bout against Junior Witter in September of 2006 and his last outing, an eight-round TKO loss to Jose Alfaro on May 12 in Managua, Nicaragua.

Esalas has lost five in a row, including a fifth-round technical decision to Jesus Rodriguez on Sept. 13 in San Jose, CA.

Truman Tuttle Passes Away at 81!

One of the true legendary and important names of Beltway Boxing passed away yesterday.

Truman E. Tuttle died in Lanham, MD at the age of 81. Anyone who came through the amateur ranks in this area over the past 40 years definitely should know the name. At the time of his passing, Mr. Tuttle served as president of the Washington, DC region chapter of Golden Gloves. During his career, Mr. Tuttle also served as president of Golden Gloves of America for a total of six years. According to the Gazette newspaper, Mr. Tuttle was the head coach of Hillcrest Boxing during the 1970's and 1980's.

Mr. Tuttle's involvement with boxing took him to every state in the union and to 17 foreign countries. Three of his sons -- Fred, Billy and Charlie -- were amateur champions and boxed professionally.

My condolences to the Tuttle family. I met Mr. Tuttle about 15 years ago covering one of Fred's pro bouts. He was truly dedicated to the sport and its growth of boxing in this area. He will truly be missed.

The viewing for Mr. Tuttle will be on Wednesday, November 28 from 2-4 PM and from 7-9 PM at the Beall Funeral Home, 6512 Crain Highway (Route 301) in Bowie, MD. The funeral service will also be at Beall Funeral Home on Thursday, November 29 at noon with the internment to follow at Cheltenham Veterans National Cemetery at 2 PM.

Amateur Shows in Virginia and Maryland!

There will be two amateur shows along the Beltway in December. The Annandale Boxing Club will have a show on Saturday, December 15 at the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA.

Also, Julius "Juice" Gatling is hosting a two-day event on Friday and Saturday, December 14 and 15 at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD. For more information on this show, call (240) 353-0564.

More information on these shows as they become available.

Info on Final Three Beltway Cards of 2007!

Here is some information on the final three Beltway-area pro cards of 2007:


Ballroom Boxing returns to Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD on Thursday, November 29. Scheduled to appear on the show will be Riverdale, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant (9-1, six KO's), undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Thomas "KO" Snow (9-0, seven KO's) and undefeated Pasadena, MD light heavyweight "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall (13-0-1, two KO's).

UPDATE: Grant will face Darrell Madison of Islip, NY (7-1, three KO's) in a six-round bout. Grant is coming off a six-round split decision victory over Michael Rhodes on November 9 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD. Madison won a four-round unanimous decision over Ryan Thompson on November 17 in Atlantic City. Madison last fought in the area on May 18 at Rosecroft when he knocked out Kevin Thompson in the first round.

Paschall will battle Randy Pogue of Norristown, PA (8-7-2, two KO's) in a six-round bout. Paschall is coming off his East Coast championship victory over Richard Stewart on August 25 in Ocean City, MD. Pogue is winless in his last six bouts including a four-round draw against Rafael Jastrzbeski on June 27 in New York City.

Two bouts are in place for this card. Glen Burnie heavyweight Danny Kisner (1-0, one KO) is slated to take on the debuting Kevin Johnson from Baltimore. Also, undefeated light heavy Alexander "The Great" Johnson of Oxon Hill, MD will battle Zeferino Albino of Philadelphia (2-2, one KO) in a four-round contest. Johnson is coming off a crushing first-round knockout over Kevin Sutton on November 9 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD. Albino lost a six-round unanimous decision to Manuel Lopes on October 12 in Lincoln, RI.

Also slated to fight on this card are Baltimore super middleweight Carson McCourry (9-3, six KO's) and Baltimore welterweight Earl "Mighty Mouse" Cole (2-1, one KO). UPDATE: McCourry faces Bob Wilder of Akron, OH (1-2). McCourry will be trying to bounce back from an April 19 first-round TKO loss to John Owens at Michael's. Wilder will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak.

Also just added to this card will be the debut of 126-pound national and world amateur champion Emily Klinefelter. A native of Iowa City, IA, Klinefelter won a gold medal at the 2006 Pan American Games, the Golden Gloves in 2005 and is a two-time US champion. Klinefelter was also the valedictorian of her class at the University of Iowa and is currently studying for her masters in accounting here. Her younger sister, Katy, is also a promising amateur boxer.


The final Maryland card of 2007 will take place on Friday, December 7 at the Pikesville National Guard Armory. It is the third annual Baltimore Pro Boxing "Bombs Away on Pearl Harbor Day" card. Barring last-minute injuries, the entire card is set.

The main event will be a scheduled 10-round contest for the East Coast Welterweight championship. Undefeated Tim "The Pit Bull" Coleman of Baltimore will battle veteran "Magnificent" Martinus Clay of Wilson, NC.

Coleman (14-0, three KO's) is coming off a devastating first-round knockout victory over Scott Ball at the Jonathan Ogden Foundation benefit card in Cockeysville, MD on November 1. This contest will be the first scheduled 10-round bout of Coleman's career and his ninth bout of 2007.

Clay (12-18-2, four KO's) has lost his last five bouts and is winless in his last seven. However, all seven of those bouts came against boxers who were undefeated at the time Clay faced them, including the likes of Andre Berto, Jason LeHoullier and in his last outing, Harry Joe Yorgey, who won a 10-round unanimous decision over Clay in Clay's last outing on October 12 in Philadelphia, PA. Clay drew with Yorgey in their first meeting in November of 2006. Coleman will be the eighth straight undefeated fighter Clay has faced. Clay is still capable of pulling off an upset, as he did against Matt Vanda, defeating him by majority decision in May of 2006.

Another undefeated boxer Clay faced in that seven-bout stretch will also be on this card -- Severn, MD junior middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow (Nicklow won a six-round unanimous decision over Clay at Du Burns Arena on June 22). Nicklow (13-0-1, five KO's) will battle Anthony Little of Akron, OH in a rematch of an August 25th battle in Ocean City, MD. Nicklow won an eight-round unanimous decision over Little in the first contest. This bout is slated for six-rounds. Nicklow has not fought since August 25, but Little (7-9, one KO) has, losing a six-round unanimous decision to Ed Parades on September 28 in Miami, FL.

There will be another rematch on the card as Takoma Park, MD cruiserweight Willis "The Prophet" Lockett will battle Baltimore's Willie "For Real" Williams in a six-round encounter. Last time these two met, Lockett won a six-round majority decision on September 27 at Michael's Eighth Avenue. Since that contest, both men have fashioned winning streaks. Lockett (10-4-4, four KO's) is currently in a four-bout winning streak. Lockett stopped Calvin Riley on October 6 in McLean, VA at the Diego Corrales benefit show. Williams (8-2, two KO's) has won his last two bouts, beating Ray Ruiz in both of those outings in Baltimore and Cockeysville, MD.

In what will be an interesting light heavyweight matchup, "Hurricane" Henry Mayes of Baltimore will match up against New Castle, DE's Richard Stewart in a six-round contest. Mayes (6-4, four KO's, 2 NC) will try to bounce back from a six-round technical knockout loss to Tony "Cyclone" Cygan on October 12 at Du Burns Arena. Stewart (14-4-2, eight KO's) is coming off an eight-round draw against Jameel Wilson on October 19 in Philadelphia. Last time Stewart faced a Beltway Boxer it was on the August 25 Ocean City card where he lost an eight-round decision to Mike Paschall for the East Coast Light Heavyweight title.

Speaking of Cygan, the resident of Middle River, MD will also be on the December 7 card as he takes on undefeated John "No Mercy" Mackey of Montgomery, AL (by way of DC) in a six-round contest. Cygan (12-1, seven KO's) has not fought since the win over Mayes. Mackey (7-0, three KO's) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision victory over Charles Norwood on November 17 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA. This will be Mackey's first scheduled six-round battle.

Also on this card, two of the Beltway's top rookie prospects go head-to-head in a four-round contest as "The Golden Greek" Elias Bouloubassis of Reisterstown, MD takes on DC's Lawrence "Bad to the Bone" Jones. Bouloubassis (3-0-3, three KO's) will try to remain undefeated and build on his last outing, a second-round knockout over Jessie Horton on October 6 in Cockeysville, MD. Jones (2-1, one KO) will be looking to come back after suffering his first pro loss -- a four-round unanimous decision to George Rivera -- on August 25 at Lee High School in Springfield, VA.

Horton (0-2) will also be looking to bounce back from his knockout loss to Bouloubassis as the DC native faces the returning Tony "Mo Better" Jeter (4-2-1, four KO's) of Columbia, MD. Jeter (pronounced JET-er) has not fought since December of 2005.


The final Beltway card of 2007 will be on Saturday, December 15 at the All-Star Legacy Gym in Ashburn, VA. This will be the "Dogs of War" card, the maiden voyage promotion for AfterShock Events Promotions.

The battling Haggler Brothers, now fighting out of Woodbridge, VA, will be involved in this card. Heavyweight Jonathan Haggler (18-1, 13 KO's) faces the returning Orion Sistrunk of Philadelphia in a six-round encounter. Haggler scored a first-round TKO over Alonzo Cutchins in his last outing on September 25 in Springfield, VA. Sistrunk (5-22-1, one KO) has not fought since April of 2003 and is winless in his last six.

Cruiserweight Joseph Haggler will try to bounce back from losing his pro debut to Terry Roy on July 14 in Winchester, VA by facing Robert Irizarry of Stamford, CT. Irizarry (1-4) lost a four-round unanimous decision to Phillip Miller on July 18 in Boston, MA.

Virginia cruiserweight prospect "Cold Blood" Patrick Budd returns to action as he faces veteran Johnny Walker of Winston-Salem, NC in a four-round contest. Budd (1-0) hasn't fought since winning his pro debut by unanimous decision against Drew Wion on April 28 in Fisherville, VA. Walker (3-18-2, two KO's) will be trying to break a 10-bout losing streak over a six-year period.

Woodbridge featherweight Andre "Clockwork" Nichols will also be on the card as he faces DC's Yieta Johnson Nichols (2-2, one KO) lost his last outing to Travis Mallin by four-round unanimous decision on September 15 in Springfield, VA. Johnson (0-1) has not fought since losing his pro debut to Eric Hunter in June of 2005 in Philadelphia.

Two Beltway Boxers will make their return to action on this card. Manassas, VA middleweight Orazio "The Razor" Robinson will return to action after an almost two-year absence. Robinson (5-3-2, four KO's) hasn't fought since losing a six-round majority decision to Jose Angel Rodriguez on March 9, 2006 in Glen Burnie, MD. Robinson will try to break a two-bout losing streak against John Scalzi of Altoona, PA. Scalzi (14-37, two KO's) hasn't fought in more than two years, losing his last outing to Eric Aiken by first-round TKO in Wheeling, WVA. Scalzi will look to snap an 11-bout losing streak.

Also returning will be Woodbridge heavyweight "Dangerous" Dana Dunston who will step back in the ring for the first time in more than seven years. Dunston (3-1, two KO's, two NC's) last fought in September of 2000 when he was stopped by Tony Thompson in the third round in Glen Burnie, MD. Dunston will take on Robert Monroe of Front Royal, VA
(0-3). Monroe will try to get his first win of his career and his first win against a fellow Beltway Boxer, losing twice to Terry Roy and once to Adam Bloom.

The main event will be an eight-round matchup of two out-of-town heavyweights. "The Italian Hitman" Paul Marinaccio of Cary, NC will take on Paris, AR's Stacy "Goodnight" Goodson.

Marinaccio (23-3-2, 10 KO's) is coming off a first-round TKO over Ron Johnson on November 3. Ironically, the knockout took place in Goodson's hometown of Paris, AK. Two of Marinaccio's losses have come to former world champion Chris Byrd and contender Timor Ibragimov.

Goodson (37-37-2, 20 KO's) has a career that stretches back to 1994. Goodson fought in every year of that period except 2006. Goodson has fought at numerous weights against the likes of former world champions Glen Johnson and Donny Lalonde as well as contenders like Larry Marks, Julian Letterlough and Rob Calloway. Goodson is looking to break a five-bout losing streak.

Petersons Win By Knockouts on Turks and Caicos!

The undefeated Peterson Brothers scored knockout victories on the island of Turks and Caicos on November 17.

Lamont Peterson registed a second round KO over Humberto Toledo to raise his record to 23-0, 11 KO's while Anthony Peterson stopped Oscar Leon by TKO in the fifth round to lift his won-loss mark to 25-0, 18 KO's.

Also, belated congratulations to Anthony Peterson, who was recently named the NABO (North American Boxing Organization) Fighter of the Year. Peterson is the current NABO Lightweight champion and the number one rated lightweight in the world by the NABO's parent governing body, the WBO. By the way, Lamont Peterson is the NABO Junior Welterweight titleholder.

Rivera Wins By First-Round KO in Harrisonburg, VA!

Charlottsville, VA junior middleweight George "War Time" Rivera scored a first-round technical knockout over Nathan Ward of West Portsmouth, OH at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds in Harrisonburg, VA.

The win is Rivera's fifth straight and raises his record to 6-1, three KO's. Ward's record evens to 1-1.

Prior to Rivera's victory, his trainer Bruce "The Hammer" Frank, made his pro debut on the card. The 47-year-old Frank fought to a four-round draw against Kenneth Carey of Wildwood, NJ. Carey's record is now 0-8-2. After his bout, Frank worked Rivera's corner.

Frank now joins Scott "Duke" Buchanan and Danny Kisner as top Beltway-area trainers who have decided to put on the gloves themselves.

Results from the ABC Sports Arena!

Here are the results from the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA:

Junior welterweight Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer of Front Royal, VA won a tough, six-round split decision over Curtis "KO" Smith of Atlanta, GA. Farmer got the win despite being knocked down in the sixth round. The win was Farmer's fifth straight and raises his record to 9-1, six KO's while Smith falls to 5-3, three KO's.

In the co-feature, undefeated Montgomery, AL middleweight John "No Mercy" Mackey won a relatively easy four-round unanimous decision over Charles "Murdock" Norwood. Mackey boxed beautifully throughout the contest and made what many (including myself) thought would be a difficult bout very simple. Mackey is now 7-0, three KO's while Norwood is 3-2, one KO.

Front Royal junior middleweight Warren "The Mack" Clatterbuck remained undefeated with a third-round stoppage over Kendrick Archer of Wilson, NC. Clatterbuck is 6-0, three KO's while Archer is 0-3.

Bristow, VA light heavyweight Stennis "Hard Banging" Floyd made his pro debut not only successful but explosive as he scored a wicked first-round knockout over Ed Edwards of Wilson, NC. The knockout came courtesy of two solid right hands that dropped Edwards for the count at 59 seconds of the round.

Undefeated Front Royal cruiserweight Terry "T-Brick" Roy had perhaps his finest performance to date, scoring a third-round knockout over Fort Washington, MD's "King" George Holder (now fighting out of Alexandria, VA. Roy used a solid jab to set up the knockout and finished Holder off with a blistering left hook to the body. Holder couldn't beat the count and the bout ended at 2:29 of the third. Roy's record rises to 7-0-1, six KO's while Holder, who was fighting for the first time since August 2001, falls to 8-8, seven KO's.

In the opening contest, Fairfax, VA's Travis "O.T.T" Mallin scored a solid first-round knockout over Elm City, NC's Elijah Harris. Mallin scored with a vicious right hand that had Harris looking for a place to fall. Harris did not get back up and the bout was stopped at 47 seconds of the first.

Here is the BATB Post Fight Wrap-Up Show from Springfield, VA:

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #92 - Post-Fight from ABC Sports Arena!

I wrap-up the knockout Left Hook Boxing card from the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA

Scale Watch for Tonight in Springfield!

Here are the weights for tonight's Left Hook Boxing card at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA:

Andrew Farmer 142 1/2 vs. Curtis Smith 142

John Mackey 158 vs. Charles Norwood 156

Warren Clatterbuck 153 vs. Kendrick Archer 139

Terry Roy 197 vs. George Holder 196 1/2

Travis Mallin 121 1/2 vs. Elijah Harris 128

Stennis Floyd 189 1/2 vs. Ed Edwards 165


Ladies and gentlemen..boxing fans of the Beltway...This post marks a milestone for me! This is post number 1,000 that I have made to this blog!! Thank you all for your continued support!!

Joppy Scores First-Round Stoppage on St. Lucia!

Former WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy stopped Etienne "ET" Whitaker with a crushing right hand at 1:58 of the first round on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia last night. With the win, Joppy raised his record to 39-4-1, 30 KO's. Whitaker's record falls to 32-28-2, 21 KO's.

Joppy Weighs in at 173 in St. Lucia; Petersons Tip Scales at 135 1/4 and 140 1/4 in Turks And Caicos!

Former WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy weighed in at 173 pounds for his bout against Etienne Whitaker tonight on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. Whitaker also tipped the scales at 173. This bout will be an off-TV contest for the ShoBox card featuring Andre Ward.

Meanwhile, on the Caribbean island of Turks and Caicos, the undefeated Peterson Brothers have weighed in for their bouts on Saturday. Anthony Peterson weighed in at 135 1/4 for his eight-round bout against Oscar Leon (138 pounds) while Lamont Peterson came in at 140 1/4 for his eight-round contest against Umberto Toledo (141). Reginald Taylor, who is also scheduled for this card, will weigh-in later today.

Rahman Stops Lawrence in 10th!

It wasn't easy under ANY circumstances but Hasim "The Rock" Rahman stopped a game Zuri Lawrence in the 10th round tonight in Reading, PA.

Rahman knocked Lawrence down and out of the ring in the sixth round, only to have Lawrence storm back and take a semblance of control.

However, in the 10th and final round, Lawrence ran completely out of gas and Rahman was able to stop his foe at 2:20 of the round. According to the Versus telecast, Rahman was leading on two of the scorecards going into the last round.

With the win, Rahman hangs on to his NABF Heavyweight title and raises his record to 45-6-2, 36 KO's. Lawrence, who took the bout on two days notice, falls to 23-13-4.

UPDATE: Fightnews.com is reporting that on Friday, hours after his bout with Lawrence, Rahman appeared and spoke at a Reading, PA children's home for troubled and abused boys. Rahman shared life experiences, signed autographs and posed with the teenagers for photos. Undefeated super middleweight Tarvis Simms also participated in the engagement.

'Chop Chop' Back in Action November 30!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley will be back in action on Friday, November 30 as he headlines the "Ballroom Brawl" at the Tampa Westshore Doubletree Hotel in Tampa, FL. The DC native Corley (31-6-1, 17 KO's) will be fighting for the first time since being stopped in the 8th round against Jose Alfaro on May 12 in Managua, Nicaragua.

Corley, who unsuccessfully challenged Junior Witter for the IBF Junior Welterweight title in September of 2006, is still awaiting word on his opponent for the November 30th bout.

Rahman to Battle Lawrence instead of Williams Tomorrow Night!

Former world champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman will have to face a new opponent for his nationally televised bout tomorrow night in Reading, PA. Rahman (44-6-2, 35 KO's) will now take on veteran Zuri Lawrence in a 10-round bout.

Lawrence (23-12-4) replaces Sherman Williams who came down with a bad sore throat and flu-like symptoms earlier this week. Lawrence, who fights out of Wappinger Falls, New York, has won his last three bouts, including an eight-round unanimous decision over Jermaine Woods on October 26 in Monticello, NY.

By the way, Lawrence's record is written correctly. If he stops Rahman in this bout, it will be his first career professional knockout.

Rahman weighed in at 243 pounds and Lawrence tipped the scales at 239 pounds.

Corrales Benefit Card Raises $5,170!

The October 6 benefit card at the Hilton McLean Tyson's Corner in McLean, VA that was co-promoted by Jimmy Lange Enterprises and Jackie Kallen's Ice Promotions raised $5,170 for the family of the late world champion Diego "Chico" Corrales.

I’m truly proud that we raised more than $5,000 to help Diego Corrales’ family,” said Lange of the program that combined entertainment and philanthropy with a live boxing card. “My fans have been extremely loyal and generous in support of everything I do. I’m extremely grateful for everyone that helped organize and participate in the event. I want to personally thank Gary Shaw, Chico’s promoter, who was instrumental in putting us in touch with Michelle (Diego’s wife) and her children. We hope our small token of appreciation helps the family during the holiday season.”

Lange is slated to defend his WBC Continental Americas Junior Middleweight title on Saturday, March 29 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA against an opponent to be determined.

November 17 Springfield Card Coming Together!

The Left Hook Boxing card coming to the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA on Saturday, November 17 is pretty much complete.

Front Royal, VA lightweight Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer will headline the show participating in a six-round contest against Curtis Smith of Columbia, SC. Farmer (8-1, six KO's) has won his last four bouts, including his last outing, a four-round unanimous decision over Jason Jordan on September 15 at the ABC Sports Complex. Smith (5-2, three KO's) is also on a winning streak as he has won three in a row. Smith won his last outing by disqualification over William Armstead on February 23 in Atlanta, GA. Some may remember that Smith appeared at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD on January 28, 1999 when he lost a four-round unanimous decision to Ernesto Rodriguez.

The co-feature bout should be an exciting one as undefeated John "No Mercy" Mackey of Montgomery, AL takes on Charles "Murdock" Norwood of Roanoke, VA in a four-round contest. Both men have two things in common: They are hard hitters and both were born in DC. Mackey (6-0, three KO's) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Damon Antoine on August 25 at Lee High School in Springfield. Norwood (3-1, one KO) won his last outing by four-round unanimous decision over Ron Reaves on October 6 in McLean, VA.

Also on the card, undefeated Front Royal cruiserweight Terry "T-Brick" Roy returns as he faces Fort Washington, MD's George Holder in a four-round bout. Roy (6-0-1, five KO's) has won his last four bouts, including his last three by knockout. Roy stopped Levi Jackson in the first round on September 15 at ABC Sports Complex. For Holder (8-7, seven KO's), this will be his first bout since August 31, 2001 when he was stopped by Russ Shifflett in the third round at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

Undefeated Front Royal junior middleweight Warren "The Mack" Clatterbuck will be back in action in a four-round contest against Kendrick Archer of Wilson, NC. Clatterbuck (5-0, two KO's) last fought on February 17 when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Billy Mitchem in Winchester, VA. Archer (0-2) hasn't fought since being stopped in the first round by Tommy Neal on the September 15 ABC show.

Fairfax, Virginia bantamweight Travis "O.T.T" Mallin is also on the card taking on Portsmouth, VA's Ernest Scott in a four-rounder. Mallin (1-0) made a successful pro debut on September 15 in Springfield, winning a four-round unanimous decision over Andre Nichols. Scott (0-6) is still looking for his first pro win. Last time out, Scott lost by second-round TKO to Jules Blackwell on February 9 in Philadelphia. Every bout Scott has had has been against an undefeated fighter.

This card will also mark the pro debut of Front Royal light heavyweight Stennis Floyd who will take on Ed Edwards of Wilson, NC. Edwards (0-2) last fought in the area on August 3 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD. Edwards was stopped in the first round by Alexander Johnson.


UPDATE: Travis Mallin will now be going up against Elijah Harris of Elm City, NC. Harris (0-3) has not fought since being stopped by Kiel Shuler on May 4, 2006 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Aiken Stopped in IBO Title Bout!

Former IBF Featherweight champion Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken was unsuccessful in his bid to win the IBO Featherweight crown. Aiken was stopped in the ninth round against Thomas Mashaba today in Gauteng, SA.

According to Ron Jackson of Fightnews.com, the South African Mashaba was in severe trouble early on and was down for a count in the sixth round but hammered away at the American in the eighth round before sending him to the canvas with a copy-book left hook at 1 minute 51 seconds in the next round. Referee Terry O'Connor did not even take up the count as Aiken's assistants rushed to his side.

Aiken's record falls to 16-6-1, 12 KO's. Mashaba improved to 20-2-4, 12 KO's in making the fourth defense of his belt.

Collins Loses in Wildwood, NJ!

Bel Air, MD super middleweight Nick "Flash" Collins was stopped in the first round by undefeated Patrick Majewski of Atlantic City, NJ during a card in Wildwood, NJ last night.

According to Kurt Wolfheimer of Fightnews.com, Majewski was in control right from the opening bell, using combinations upstairs. Collins began to cover up, which allowed Majewski to connect with a perfect liver shot that forced Collins to the canvas.

He was unable to recover, as referee Alan Huggins reached the ten count at 1.48 of the opening round.

The loss evens Collins's record at 4-4 with all four wins by knockout. All four of Collins's losses have also been by knockout as he has been defeated by boxers who were undefeated at the time Collins faced them. Majewski is now 6-0, four KO's.

New Beltway Boxing Poll: Who is the 2007 Rookie of the Year?

I've decided not to do a full-scale year-end excellence awards like last year. But I did want to get the opinion of Beltway Boxing Fans in a few categories, like this one:

Who is the 2007 Beltway Boxing Rookie of the Year?

There are 10 boxers who started their career between November 2006 and November 2007 that I feel deserve consideration for this award. Here is the list in alphabetical order:

"The Golden Greek" Elias Bouloubassis (3-0-3, three KO's)

Earl "Mighty Mouse" Cole (2-1, one KO)

Bayan Jargal (4-0-1, two KO's)

Alexander "The Great" Johnson (3-0, three KO's)

Lawrence Jones (2-1, one KO)

Danny Kisner (1-0, one KO)

Travis "O.T.T." Mallin (1-0)

"War Time" George Rivera (5-1, two KO's)

Edgar "The Tiger" Torres (2-0, two KO's)

"White Lightning" Todd Wilson (3-0, one KO)


Since I was able to place 10 boxers in this poll, there is no room for the "other" category on the poll. However, that doesn't mean, you can't vote for another boxer that isn't listed -- as long as he started his pro career between November 2006 and November 2007. If I find that someone you voted for doesn't fall into that criteria, that vote will be thrown out.

You have until Sunday, December 9 to make your choice before I take the poll down. Keep these facts in mind as you vote:

Travis Mallin is slated to be part of the Saturday, November 17 card at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA.

George Rivera will be on the Saturday, November 17 card in Harrisonburg, VA. Rivera also holds a victory over Lawrence Jones.

Danny Kisner is scheduled to be on the Ballroom Boxing card on Thursday, November 29 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Elias Bouloubassis is slated to matchup against Lawrence Jones on the Friday, December 7 card at the Pikesville Armory in Pikesville, MD.

I expect this to be a very spirited debate. Please try to refrain from name calling and stick to good, thoughtful boxing debate. Thank you.

Beltway Boxers Traveling All Over the World!

This coming week will be a fascinating one for Beltway Boxers, because a number of our fighters will be taking interesting trips.

On Monday, November 12, former IBF Featherweight champion Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken of Forestville, MD (16-5-1, 12 KO's) will be in Gauteng, South Africa as he challenges Thomas "The Rock" Mashaba (19-2-4, 11 KO's)for the International Boxing Organization (IBO) Featherweight title.

On Thursday, November 15, former world heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman (44-6-2, 35 KO's) will take on veteran Sherman "The Tank" Williams (33-10-2, 19 KO's) at the Soverign Center in Reading, PA. This will be a nationally televised matchup on the Versus Network.

Friday, November 16 marks the return of former WBA Middleweight champ William Joppy (38-4-1, 29 KO's). Joppy travels to the island of St. Lucia to face Etienne "ET" Whitaker (32-27-2, 21 KO's). This will be Joppy's first bout under the Goossen-Tutor banner.

Then on Saturday, November 17, the undefeated Peterson Brothers will be back in action on the isle of Turks and Caicos. Anthony Peterson (24-0, 17 KO's) will battle Oscar Leon in an eight-round contest. Lamont Peterson (22-0, 10 KO's) will take on Humberto "Bam Baby" Toledo (32-4, 19 KO's) in another eight-round contest.

Also appearing on this card will be undefeated DC light heavyweight Reginald Taylor (7-0, four KO's). This looks like Taylor's biggest step to date as he faces undefeated Alexander Santana of the Dominican Republic (6-0, three KO's). The bout will also be Taylor's first scheduled eight-round contest.

On December 8, undefeated DC junior welterweight Ty Barnett (11-0-1, eight KO's) will be headlining a card in Tunica, MS.

Also on December 8, Baltimore junior middleweight Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin (14-1-2, six KO's) makes his return as he takes on undefeated Jose Angel "Silver Boy" Rodriguez (12-0, two KO's) of New York at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas on the Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton undercard. This will be Arvin's first bout since losing a majority decision to David Toribio on September 28, 2006 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. That was Arvin's 12th appearance in the Ballroom. Rodriguez made three appearances (all decision victories) at Michael's during his career, most notably winning a six-round majority decision over Orazio Robinson on March 9, 2006.

Notes from Rosecroft!

In lieu of the audio post-fight wrap-up, here's my take on last night's card at Rosecroft Raceway:

Horace "The Reason" Grant, in my opinion, got a gift last night in the main event against "Big" Mike Rhoades. Rhoades came in at 336 pounds -- 91 pounds heavier than Grant (245 1/2) -- and he used that weight and leaned on Grant throughout. Grant had his moments, especially in the third round, but Grant could not find a jab to save his life and it almost cost him the bout. Grant couldn't keep the big man Rhoades off of him.

This was not the same Horace Grant who dismantled Mike Sheppard earlier this year. Hopefully the win will be a learning experience for Grant, who is slated to have a tough bout coming up on November 29 against Ryan Thompson at Michael's Eighth Avenue.

The Alexander Johnson-Kelvin Sutton bout almost didn't happen. Sutton had some issues with medicals, but thanks to some quick movement from Rosecroft officials, Sutton was able to get medicals done that evening and salvage the fight.

Johnson, however, made sure the bout didn't last long. Sutton looked somewhat intimidated and Johnson landed some vicious combinations that dropped Sutton for the count. Johnson is very talented and definitely one to keep an eye on.

One of the better and more overlooked stories along the Beltway has been Scott "Duke" Buchanan. Like Danny Kisner on the Baltimore-area side of Maryland, Buchanan has a solid reputation as a great trainer in the DC-PG County side of the Beltway. Now that Buchanan is also an active boxer, he has been devastating with three first-round knockouts. Jamal Terry had no chance against Buchanan. Whispers started around Rosecroft about a 2008 matchup between Buchanan and Grant. That would be interesting.

The draw between Kendrick "Holy Hands" Walker and "The Capitol Punisher" Spencer Harsley was one of the best bouts of the year. The fourth and final round of the bout was a true round of the year candidate. Both guys gave and took throughout. In the third, Walker walked into a big right hand from Harsley that truly helped Harsley get the draw. I thought Walker did enough to win the bout, but I am not upset about the draw at all and look forward to a rematch.

Nice pro debut from Laurel, MD's Ikem Orji. The guy is very strong and wore down Jamal Tribbett of Philadelphia en route to the second round TKO. Orji's debut comes too late to go into the 2007 rookie of the year conversation, but he could be strongly considered for 2008's rookie discussion.

The Carlos Battle-Raul Rivera matchup was a spirited exhibition. Battle also seems to be starting his career with a strong fan base.

The amateur card was exceptional with some very strong performances. I was very impressed with Elvis Medrano of LA Boxing, as well as Rock Warden from Old School Boxing. Warden, by the way, showed a lot of guts by coming into a ring wearing Dallas Cowboys colors especially when former Redskins offensive lineman Ron Saul was sitting at ringside.

The Warden-Russell Gaskins bout seemed to be the one everybody was looking forward to seeing because it was a rematch from a recent card. Both guys did not disappoint. It was a great contest.

As usual, Old School's Dusty Harrison looked steady but he was challenged by Shawn Simpson of Chicago, IL. Harrison was pressured at times but maintained his composure. Harrison is going to be one of the leaders along the Beltway amateurs as we look towards 2012.

All the boxers on the amateur show performed very well and the crowd truly enjoyed both sides of the event at Rosecroft Raceway.

Which leads to a quick note I must pass on to you. The State of Maryland has become a trend setter across the country as far as putting on Pro-Am Boxing cards. Maryland will have 17 pro cards this year (for the fourth year in a row) and 13 of them have been or will be Pro-Am shows.

As I write this, Maryland State Athletic Commission Executive Director Patrick Pannella is heading to Mesquite, TX for the USA Boxing Annual Convention. Pannella will give a presentation that will in part talk about how the Maryland State Athletic Commission works successfully hand-in-hand with the Potomac Valley Association and the South Atlantic Association of USA Boxing in putting together Pro-Am shows. This is a great honor for the state!

So if you see or hear about more pro-am shows throughout the country, you can truly say it started along the Beltway!

Results From Rosecroft!

Here are the results from the Keystone Boxing Pro-Am Boxing card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD:

Pro Bouts:

Riverdale, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant won his eighth straight bout with a close, controversial six-round split decision over Michael Rhoades of Philadelphia, PA. Grant is now 9-1, six KO's. Rhodes fell to 3-2-3, one KO.

Light heavyweight Alexander "The Great" Johnson of Oxon Hill, MD scored a devastating first-round TKO over Kelvin Sutton of Wilson, NC. Johnson is 3-0, three KO's, Sutton is 0-2.

DC heavyweight Scott "Duke" Buchanan remained undefeated with a first-round TKO over Jamal Terry of Wilmington, DE. Buchanan is 3-0, three KO's while Terry is 3-8, two KO's.

DC welterweights Kendrick "Holy Hands" Walker and "The Capitol Punisher" Spencer Harsley battled to a spirited four-round draw. Walker is now 0-1-1 while Harsley is now 1-4-2.

Laurel, MD lightweight Ikem Orji made his pro debut a successful one as he scored a second-round TKO over the debuting Jamal Tribbett of Philadephia.

The featherweight bout between Carlos Battle of Silver Spring, MD and Philadelphia's Raul Rivera became an exhibition bout because both boxers had difficulty with weight.

Amateur bouts:

138 pounds: Rock Warden (Old School Boxing) defeated Russell Gaskins (Hillcrest Boxing)

95 pounds: Dusty Harrison (Old School Boxing) defeated Shawn Simpson of Chicago, IL.

125 pounds: Elvis Medrano (LA Boxing) over Angelo Goldstein (Keystone Boxing)

132 pounds: Mark Johns (Old School Boxing) over Glen Dezurn (UMAR)

132 pounds: Nate Davis (Old School Boxing) defeated Josh Davis (Laurel Boxing)

75 pounds: Brady Sensibaugh (Old School Boxing) defeated Greg Outlaw (Sugar Ray Leonard Center)


Due to technical difficulties, I am unable to put together a post-fight wrap-up for this card. I will be back later today with a full recap of the card and some interesting Beltway news.

Weights for Rosecroft!

Here is the scale watch for tonight's Keystone Boxing card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD:

Horace (Ray) Grant 245 1/2 vs. Michael Rhoades 336

Alexander Johnson 172 vs. Kelvin Sutton 166 1/4

Kendrick Walker 148 vs. Spencer Harsley 152 3/4

Harold (Ekem) Orji 136 vs. Jamal Tribbett 132 3/4

Carlos Battle 124 1/4 vs. Raul Rivera 125 1/2

Scott Buchanan 218 1/2 vs. Jamal Terry (will weigh-in today)

Results From Fight Night!

Here are the results from the Fight Night "Fight for Children" event at the Washington Hilton and Towers Hotel in Washington, DC:

Leo "The Lion" Martinez of Columbus, OH registered an eight-round unanimous decision over Smithsburg, MD's Dean "Pitbull" White. Judges Tammye Jenkins and Wendy Richardson scored the bout 79-73 while Judge Steve Rados had the bout, 78-74. The win was the fourth straight for Martinez, who is now 12-9, five KO's. The loss is the fourth in a row for White, who falls to 14-9-1, seven KO's.

Arlington, VA's Bayan Jargal won the "Fight For Children Title" bout with a workmanlike six-round unanimous decision over DC's Reggie "The Mechanic" Holly. Jargal dropped Holly in the first round with a solid right hand and went on to the relatively easy decision in his first professional six-round bout. Judge Richardson saw the bout, 58-54. Judge Rados scored it 59-54 while Judge Jenkins witnessed a 59-53 bout. Jargal remains undefeated at 4-0-1, two KO's. Holly is now 7-3, two KO's. Jargal was also named the fighter of the night and earned an extra 500 dollars.

In a non-beltway heavyweight bout, Florida heavyweight Wilmer Vasquez remained undefeated with a six-round majority decision over Winston-Salem, NC's Corey Winfield. Vasquez dropped Winfield twice in the contest. Despite the two knockdows, however, Judge Richardson mysteriously scored the bout a draw, 57-57. Judge Jenkins saw the bout 59-53 while Judge Rados said Vasquez pitched a shutout at 60-54. Vasquez is now 4-0, two KO's while Winfield is 2-3, two KO's.

Due to time constraints, the bout between Larry "The Gladiator" Brothers and Breon Smiley did not take place.

Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show for this event:

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #90 - Post Fight From Fight Night!

Henry "Discombobulating" Jones and noted boxing and horse racing writer John Scheinman of the Washington Post join me to recap the boxing card at the Fight Night "Fight For Children" event from the Washington Hilton and Towers in Washington, DC.

Ernest 'Sonny Boy' Williams: 1935-2007!

They say bad news comes in threes. This is an example.

Former DC lightweight boxer Ernest "Sonny Boy" Williams passed away on Thursday, November 1 at the age of 71. No cause of death was given.

Williams was a lightweight boxer from 1954-1959 with his bouts taking place either here in DC or in the state of New York. His record was 21-8-1 with 11 KO's.

The viewing for Mr. Williams will be on Friday, November 9, 6 to 9 p.m. at Stewart Funeral Home, 4001 Benning Rd., NE Washington, DC. The Homegoing service will be on Saturday, November 10 with the viewing at 9 a.m. and the service at 10 a.m.., St. Paul Christian Community Church, 414 Tennessee Ave NE.

My condolences to the Williams Family.

Weights for Fight Night!

Here is the Scale Watch for tonight's Fight Night "Fight For Children" card at the Washington Hilton and Towers Hotel:


Dean White 133.8 vs. Leo Martinez 134.8

Bayan Jargal 140.2 vs. Reggie Holly 140.6

Larry Brothers 162.2 vs. Breon Smiley 165.2

Wilmer Vasquez 290.6 vs. Corey Winfield 276.6


Larry Brothers was a late addition to the card replacing Nazyir Bell of Philadelphia.

Goossen Comments on Joppy and Thompson!

In an interview with Boxingtalk.com, Goossen-Tutor Promotions President Dan Goossen, talked about the up-to-date movements of two Beltway Boxers he has under contract -- former WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy and the WBO's number one heavyweight contender Tony "The Tiger" Thompson.

Here is what Goossen told reporter Greg Leon:


GL: You recently signed William Joppy, when will he be making his GTP debut?

DG: "Joppy was added to the St. Lucia event (Friday, November 16), just making it bigger and better for the fans in St. Lucia, since it will be an off-TV bout. As I mentioned earlier, we really believe that in the super middleweight division there's plenty of opportunities for a 3-time world champion. From Middleweight to Lightheavyweight, big things are happening. With a good mix of world champions and the young, fast rising stars of tomorrow such as Andre Ward, William Joppy fits perfectly to jump right into the equation. He's got a lot of fight left in him. I expect this to be a new lease on his boxing life, giving him the ability to make one last stand trying to become a four time world champion. We're really happy to be working with William and our old friend, JD Brown."

GL: What's the story with the Tony Thompson's mandatory?

DG: "(Wladimir) Klitschko and (Sultan) Ibragimov are of course trying to put the unification bout together. If that doesn't happen, we have a commitment from Ibragimov's promoter that they will fight Tony next. To me, it would be a much smarter move for Ibragimov to fight Tony Thompson first because obviously if he beats Thompson, his negotiating leverage goes up tremendously with Klitschko. Ibragimov not having beaten anyone the ilk of Thompson gives Klitschko all the negotiating shots. Sultan needs that one defining fight against a respected challenger to show that he has to be considered at the same level of Klitschko, and Tony can give that to him if Sultan was successful. The money from what I understand is not a great deal for Ibragimov's end, especially to fight someone as dangerous as Klitschko. You beat Thompson, and all of a sudden you have an even playing field with Klitschko on the negotiating table. We'll just have to wait and see where it all goes."

GL: Wouldn't it be better for Tony to wait for the winner?

DG: "The sooner we fight for the heavyweight championship of the world, the better it is for everyone. Tony Thompson is ready to show the world who he is."

Memorial Service for Jeffrey Arnold, Brother of Derrell Coley, November 10!

The memorial service for Jeffrey Arnold, the brother of Derrell "Too Sweet" Coley will be held on Saturday, November 10 at New Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church, 4417 Douglas Street, NE in DC. The viewing begins at 9 AM, the service starts at 11 AM.

The guest book for Jeffrey Arnold can be found here:

"http://www.legacy.com/washingtonpost/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=97462527">

Beltway Trainer Correa Leads Bika to Contender Title!

Another champion of sorts for Beltway trainer Jose "Pepe" Correa. Correa guided Cameroon's Sakio Bika to an eighth-round TKO victory over Queens, New York's Jaidon Codrington to win the "Contender" title tonight in Boston, MA. Bika captured $750,000 with the victory.

In what was an incredible bout, both fighters traded knockdowns in the very first round and went on to exchange power shots throughout the contest before Bika finally wore down Codrington and stopped him at 2:18 of the eighth round.

Throughout the nationwide telecast, Correa repeatedly said that Bika trained in the area at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD.

Bika's record is now 25-3-2, 15 KO's. Codrington falls to 18-2, 14 KO's.

November 9 Rosecroft Card Coming Together!

The Keystone Boxing card taking place on Friday, November 9 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD is taking shape.

Riverdale, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant will headline the card, participating in a six-round contest against Michael Rhodes of Philadelphia, PA.

Grant (8-1, six KO's) has won his last seven bouts and is coming off an explosive second-round knockout over Mike Sheppard on September 27 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Rhodes (3-1-3, one KO) is fighting for the first time in almost exactly a year. Rhodes lost a six-round unanimous decision to Kevin Johnson on November 10, 2006 in Whippany, NJ.


Undefeated Oxon Hill, MD light heavyweight Alexander "The Great" Johnson will head the undercard in a four-round bout against Philadelphia's Charles Kirby. Johnson (2-0, two KO's) last fought on the Sept. 27 Michael's card and scored a fourth-round knockout over Brandon Singleton. Kirby (1-2) is fighting for the first time since October of 2005 when he was stopped by Andre Hemphill in Philadelphia.

Also on the card will be undefeated DC heavyweight Scott "Duke" Buchanan who will take on the debuting James Holder of Indiana. Buchanan (2-0, two KO's) scored a first-round knockout over Justin Reid on August 25 at Lee High School in Springfield, VA.

DC welterweight Kendrick Walker returns to action when he takes on another DC product, "The Capitol Punisher" Spencer Harsley in a four-round contest. Walker (0-1) will try to bounce back from losing to Norman Allen by four-round unanimous decision in his pro debut on the last Rosecroft show on August 3. Harsley has not fought since September 17, 2005 when he was stopped by Tim Coleman in the third round at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.

There will also be two bouts feature debuting Beltway Boxers. DC featherweight Carlos Battle will make his pro debut against Chicago, IL's Raul Rivera (0-2). This will be Rivera's first outing since January 26, 2006 when he was stopped in the fourth-round by Tyrell Samuel at Michael's Eighth Avenue. Also, Maryland featherweight Ekem Orki will make his pro debut against another debuting fighter, Jemal Tribbets of Philadelphia.

There will also be amateur bouts on this card.

Alton Rice Memorial Service on November 7!

The memorial service for Alton Rice will be held on Wednesday, November 7 at 11 AM at Henry S. Washington Funeral Home located at 4925 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE in DC. The interment after the service will be private.

The Washington Post has set up a guest book where you can leave your condolences and tributes for the Rice Family. The link is here:

"http://www.legacy.com/washingtonpost/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=97236809">

'WarTime' Rivera, 'Real Deal' Seal Return in Harrisonburg, VA November 17!

Two popular Virginia boxers will be part of a boxing/mixed martial arts card put on by Squared Circle Promotions on Saturday, November 17 at the Rockingham Fairgrounds in Harrisonburg, VA.

Charlottesville, VA junior middleweight George "War Time" Rivera returns to action in a four-round bout against Nathan Ward of West Portsmouth, OH. Rivera (5-1, two KO's) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision victory over John "JT" Terry on October 6 in McLean, VA. Ward (1-0) won his pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Jason Bragg on July 21 in Cowen, WVA.

Also scheduled to appear will be Caroline, VA cruiserweight Adam "The Real Deal" Seal who will take on Portsmouth, OH's Derrick Holsinger in another four-round bout. Seal (2-1, one KO) has not fought since being stopped in the third round by William Bailey on February 3 in Fisherville, VA. Holsinger (3-9) is coming off a second-round stoppage loss to Richard Gingras on August 10 in Lincoln, RI.

The card will also feature the pro debut of Staunton, VA light heavyweight Bruce "The Hammer" Frank as he faces winless (0-8) Ken Carey of Wildwood, NJ.

Washington Informer Profiles 'Mayhem' Mitchell!

The Washington Informer has a profile of Brandywine, MD amateur heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell. Mitchell discusses his current amateur career and his plans to turn pro next year.

Also, read carefully for a quote from one of boxing's living legends as he discusses Mitchell's potential.

The article can be found here:


"http://www.washingtoninformer.com/SPSethFight2007Nov1.html">

Russell Jr. Drops Quarterfinal Bout at World Championships!

Gary Russell Jr.'s trip through the World Championships is over. Russell dropped a 16-6 decision to Sergei Vodopyanov of Russia yesterday at UIC Pavilion.

According to USABoxing.org, Russell fell behind by a four point deficit early, with Vodopyanov moving out to a 4-0 lead after the first round. Russell came out swinging in the second, but the result was the same as Vodopyanov took a 9-4 lead at the midway point. The trend continued in the third round with Russell connecting with clean punches but not denting Vodopyanov’s advantage as the Russian boxer began to circle the ring. Russell stalked the moving Vodopyanov in the fourth round, even sending him to the canvas but the scoreboard didn’t change and he lost the final decision. Russell claimed a spot in the 2008 Olympic Games with his top eight finish.


UPDATE: Russell was one of five US boxers to qualify for the 2008 Olympics from this tournament. Flyweight Rau'shee Warren and welterweight Demetrius Andrade became the first Americans since 1999 to win a gold medal at the World Championships. Warren also becomes the first American boxer to qualify for two straight Olympiads since Davey Armstrong accomplished the feat in 1972 and 1976. Light flyweight Luis Yanez and featherweight Raynell Williams also joined Russell in qualifying for the Beijing games.

Alton Rice: 1963 -2007!

On the heels on what has happened to the brother of Derrell Coley (please listen to the Post-Fight Wrap-Up from Martin's Valley Mansion), comes word that former DC super middleweight Alton Rice has died at the age of 44.

On October 27, a CVS store in Seat Pleasant, MD was closed when workers found a body in the store's air conditioning duct. The body was later identified as Rice.

Rice had a relatively short boxing career, fighting sporadically between 1990 and 2005. Rice's record was 3-4, one KO and one no contest.

The no contest was originally thought of as his best performance when he knocked out Henry Mayes in the first round on May 24, 2005 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD. The result was later changed to a no contest because Rice tested positive for a banned substance.

But Rice was well known in gyms in the area, helping train young boxers. I had wonderful conversations with him at times including one very nice conversation at the Mayor's Cup a few weeks after the bout with Mayes.

My condolences to the family of Alton Rice.

Results From Cockeysville!

Here are the results from the Jonathan Ogden Foundation benefit boxing card at Martin's Valley Mansion in Cockeysville, MD.

Baltimore welterweight Tim "Pitbull" Coleman remained undefeated with a first-round knockout over Scott Ball of Rochester, MN. Coleman dropped Ball twice with explosive left hands before referee Malik Waleed stopped the contest at 2:20 of the first. Coleman is now 14-0, three KO's. Ball is 8-6, six KO's.

"The Golden Greek" Elias Bouloubassis of Reisterstown, MD also stayed undefeated with a second-round knockout over Jessie Horton of DC. Bouloubassis dropped Horton with a left hand in the first round, then put him away with a vicious right hand at 11 seconds of the second round. Bouloubassis is 3-0-3, three KO's while Horton is 0-2.

Baltimore light heavyweight Willie "For Real" Williams scored a four-round unanimous decision over Ray Ruiz of Philadelphia. This was the second time in a row that Williams has defeated Ruiz, this time a little more convincingly. Williams is now 8-2, two KO's while Ruiz falls to 6-8-3, four KO's.

DC heavyweight Bernard "Bad Ass" Brown made his return after a nine-year absence a successful one as he scored a third-round TKO over Jerry "Ruffhouse" Simpson, now fighting out of Cedar Rapids, IA. Brown raised his record to 4-1-2, two KO's. Simpson is 2-11-1, one KO.

In a strange bout, Annapolis, MD super middleweight Steve Garrett was stopped at 55 seconds of the first round by undefeated Pittsburgh, PA prospect Jeremy Lubash. Garrett fell back after Lubash threw a punch, but many folks around ringside had differing opinions on where the punch actually landed. Some said the punch landed on the top or on the back of Garrett's head. Wherever it landed, it caused Garrett to fall backwards violently, causing a stoppage of the bout. Garrett was able to leave under his own power. Garrett is 2-6, one KO while Lubash is 3-0, two KO's.

The opening contest had Baltimore, MD's Henry Goss and Felton, DE's Michael Denby fight to a spirited four-round draw. Goss is now 1-2-2, one KO, while Denby draws in his pro debut.

Here is the full (and I do mean FULL) BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show. Please stay tuned for the news segment because there are some items that "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I talk about that I have not posted yet.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #89 - Post-Fight Wrap-Up From Martin's Valley Mansion!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap an explosive benefit boxing card to raise money for the Jonathan Ogden Foundation. Included are interviews with Baltimore Pro Boxing Promoter Jake Smith and undefeated Baltimore Welterweight Tim Coleman.

'Digital' Visits 'The Sports Groove' Tonight!

I will be a guest on "The Sports Groove" with Mark Gray tonight on WOL-AM 1450 in DC and WOLB-AM 1010 in Baltimore.

We'll be talking about Gary Russell, Jr. qualifying for the Olympics and I'll preview tonight's card in Hunt Valley as well as the Fight Night card in DC next Thursday.

The segment is slated to air about 9 PM Eastern Time. You can hear it online by going to this link:

"http://www.wolam.com/home.asp"

Weights For Tonight in Hunt Valley!

Here is the scale watch for tonight's Jonathan Odgen Foundation benefit card at Martin's Valley Mansion in Hunt Valley, MD:

Tim Coleman 148 vs. Scott Ball 151

Willie Williams 175 3/4 vs. Ray Ruiz 177

Elias Bouloubassis 160 vs. Jessie Horton 163

Steve Garrett 174 vs. Jeremy Lubash 168 3/4

Henry Goss 138 vs. Mike Denby 138

Bernard Brown 243 vs. Jerry Simpson 226

Jessie Nicklow will not be appearing on the card. No opponent could be found.

Baltimore Sun Profiles Nick Kisner!

This story was actually in yesterday's print editions of the Baltimore Sun, but reporter Stefan Lovelace has a nice interview with 16-year-old amateur boxing champion Nick Kisner.

It is better to actually get the story online at www.baltimoresun.com, because there is also a nice video interview with Kisner as well as footage from one of his recent battles, the Sept. 27 matchup against Dashawn Lucas at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Here is the link to the story:


"http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/boxing/bal-va.kisner31oct31,0,3572463.story"