From the BATB 'Where Are They Now' File.. Lionel 'L-Train' Butler!

As many of you know, I do work as a public address announcer for college basketball games at Coppin State University in Baltimore. Tonight was our final home game and it provided a Beltway Boxing "where are they now" moment.

One of the officials working tonight's game was none other than the former Virginia State Lightweight champion Lionel "L-Train" Butler! It seems that after his boxing days ended in 1999, Butler began a 15-year career as a referee. Currently he works Division I college games in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (which includes Beltway schools Howard, Coppin, Morgan State and the University of Maryland - Eastern Shore as well as southern Virginia schools Hampton University and Norfolk State) and the America East Conference (where the University of Maryland - Baltimore County resides. UMBC won the regular season conference title over the weekend, by the way)

Butler was a solid pro from 1990-1999, compiling a record of 21-4-2 with 14 KO's and winning his last seven bouts, six of those by knockout. Two of his losses came to perennial lightweight contenders "Mighty" Ivan Robinson and "The Eastern Beast" John Brown.

I had the privilege of doing play-by-play for the bout where he won the VA State Lightweight title on May 13, 1995 at the Charles Houston Recreation Center in Alexandria, VA. Butler scored a fourth-round TKO over Allan Osbourne in that bout.

Despite the winning streak at the end of his career, Butler told me that he fell victim to a combination of boxing politics and bad timing. He had been ranked among the top in the division by one of the governing bodies and was scheduled to meet Louie Leija (cousin of former world champ Jesse James Leija) for a vacant title. However, Leija lost a tune-up bout and Butler lost his opportunity.

By the way, Butler also earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Central Michigan University and is working on his doctorate.