Saturday, May 31, 2008

Beltway Boxing Update!

I have been bombarded with a lot of news items in the last 48 hours, so I decided to put them all in one post.

For those who could not hear the latest BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up, there is some news about the Friday, June 13 Baltimore Pro Boxing card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore. The main event is slated to be a rematch between undefeated Baltimore middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and Temple Hills, MD's Jason Champion. Nicklow defeated Champion by a six-round unanimous decision on December 7, 2006 in Pikesville.

Nicklow (17-0-1, seven KO's) is coming off a solid third-round TKO over Chad Greenleaf on April 18 in Pikesville. Champion (4-3, three KO's) lost to both Nicklow and Tim Coleman in consecutive outings before breaking his two-bout losing streak with a first-round KO over Kenneth Meeks on May 18, 2007 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

Also on the card, Middle River, MD's Tony "Cyclone" Cygan will battle Akron, OH's Anthony Little. Cygan (12-2, seven KO's) has not fought since participating in the 2007 Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year against John Mackey on December 7 in Pikesville. Cygan lost a six-round unanimous decision. This will be the third trip to Maryland for Little (7-10-1, one KO). Little lost twice to Nicklow by unanimous decision in Ocean City and Pikesville. Little will also be trying to break an eight-bout winless streak (0-7-1).

Clinton, MD super middleweight Demetrius Davis will also be on the card as he will battle undefeated Tommy Karpency of Adah, PA. Davis (18-14-4, seven KO's) is coming off a solid performance, winning an eight-round majority decision over Brian Norman on May 3 at the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD. Karpency (11-0, seven KO's) stopped veteran Etienne Whitaker in the third round on April 26 in Morgantown, WVA.

Also slated for this card are undefeated Eldersburg, MD cruiserweight Mark "TNT" Tucker and Ellicott City, MD cruiser Robert McConnell.

Also on June 13, "The Berlin Bomber" Joshua Snyder of Berlin, MD will battle the undefeated and aforementioned John "No Mercy" Mackey of Montgomery, AL, by way of DC at the Catholic Youth Center in Scranton, PA. The two co-feature bouts on this card are scheduled to be on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. The Snyder-Mackey bout is slated to be the main swing bout, meaning it stands at least a 50-50 chance of getting on TV.

Snyder (6-3, three KO's) has won four of his last five bouts, including a fourth-round TKO over Charles Norwood on February 23 in Winchester, VA. Mackey (9-0, three KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Alexander Mancera on February 8 in Dover, DE.

Let's go back a week to Friday, June 6, where the changes to the card at the Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia continue. DC super featherweight Ron "Teflon" Boyd will not participate on that card and he has been replaced by undefeated Laurel, MD super featherweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji. Orji (3-0, one KO) will take on fellow undefeated fighter Gerald Smith of Philadelphia (2-0, one KO).

And if that wasn't enough, we should mention that cruiserweight Harvey Jolley of Detroit, MI, who knocked out Jonathan Felton this past Thursday night at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, has been inserted into the main event bout on this card. Jolley (8-8-1, five KO's) will face undefeated Adam Harris of Worcester, MA (10-0, seven KO's) in a scheduled eight-round contest. Jolley replaces Elieser Castillo who broke his hand in training.

The co-feature remains Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore (9-2, five KO's) against Jules Blackwell of Phoenixville, PA (7-0-2, two KO's) in an eight-round contest. Baltimore featherweight Darrell Martin will also be on the card.

Baltimore cruiserweight Corey "Black Ice" Cummings won a six-round unanimous decision over John Douglas last night in Monticello, NY. So that sets the stage for his Friday, June 20th 10-round bout against former world champion Montell "Ice" Griffin in Chicago, IL. Cummings comes into the Griffin bout with a record of 16-2, 12 KO's while Griffin is 48-7, 30 KO's. There are bouts on the card that will televised on Telefutura, but we're not sure that Cummings-Griffin will be one of them.

However, there will be a Beltway Boxer on TV on Friday, June 20th. That will be Riverdale, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant. Grant (12-1, seven KO's) will make his national TV debut from the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas as he takes on Augusta, GA's Kevin "Big Man" Burnett (12-1-1, eight KO's). According to the schedule, this bout will be the co-feature on an ESPN2 doubleheader of heavyweight bouts. The main event matches Alonzo Butler and Friday "The 13th" Ahunanya.

To reiterate an earlier post, that means at least three Beltway Boxers will be on national TV during the seven-day period between June 20 and June 27: Grant on the 20th, Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan on June 25th from the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA (also on ESPN2) and Anthony Peterson on June 26 from Las Vegas on Versus. If Cummings makes the Telefutura broadcast on June 20, that will, of course, make four.

And add this information: One of our very own ring announcers, the one and only Henry "Discombobulating" Jones will be traveling to Houston, TX and the Reliant Center Complex to announce a Friday, July 18 card that will feature Perry Ballard taking on former world champion Hector "Macho" Camacho, Sr. The card is slated to appear on DirecTV.

Rahman Agrees to Toney Rematch in July!

ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that former two-time heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman and former three-division world titlist James Toney have agreed to a rematch of their March 2006 draw.

The two will meet in a scheduled 12-around contest on Saturday, July 16 at the Pechanga Resort in Temecula, CA. Rahman (45-6-2, 36 KO's) has not fought since stopping Zuri Lawrence in the 10th round on November 15 in Reading, PA. This will be the first bout for Toney (70-6-3, 43 KO's) since winning a 10-round split decision over Danny Batchelder on May 24, 2007. Toney spent much of that time on suspension for testing positive for steroids after that bout. Batchelder was also on suspension after the bout for the same infraction.

"I think they're both marquee names, but they are at a crossroads in their careers," Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank, which promotes Rahman, told Rafael. "It's all or nothing in a division that has suffered terribly with lackluster performances lately. The winner of the fight should be given the opportunity to fight for one of the titles."

"Top Rank and I and the fighters have agreed to the fight," Toney promoter Dan Goossen said. "It's a very tough division to have a high-profile fight in without it being for a world championship, but the winner of this fight will have another opportunity to fight for another championship."

UPDATE: Goossen has announced that the Rahman-Toney Rematch will be shown on Fox Sports Net during the "Best Damn Sports Show Period."

Friday, May 30, 2008

Rivera Stopped in Fourth in Pennsylvania!

George "Wartime" Rivera was stopped in the fourth round by Latif Mundy tonight in Monroeville, PA. Rivera did have a welt under his left eye, but it looked like Rivera may have had rib issues. The doctor stopped the bout at the end of the fourth.

Rivera's record falls to 8-2, three KO's. Mundy remains undefeated at 8-0, three KO's.

'Wartime' Rivera Tips Scales in Monroeville!

Charlottsville, VA junior middleweight George "Wartime" Rivera and his opponent, Latif Mundy of Philadelphia weighed in at the junior middleweight limit of 154 pounds today for their nationally televised eight-round matchup tonight at the Expo Mart in Monroeville, PA.

The bout will be the opening matchup on the Telefutura network at 8 PM ET.

Results From Glen Burnie!

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

Pasadena, MD super middleweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall put on a strong performance in winning an eight-round unanimous decision over veteran Larry "The Laser" Marks of New Castle, DE. Paschall controlled the action in the ring throughout and showed solid ring generalship that frustrated Marks. Judges Don Risher and Malik Waleed scored a shutout for Paschall, 80-72 while judge John Gradowski had it 78-74. Paschall is now 17-0-1, four KO's while Marks is 29-10-1, 16KO's.

Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell scored a crushing second-round technical knockout over Alexis Cruz Medina of Science Hill, KY. Mitchell was all business from the opening bell and eventually landed a crushing right hand that had Medina bouncing off the ropes onto his knees and out. Referee Gary Camponeschi stopped the bout immediately at 1:23 of the second. Mitchell is now 3-0-1, two KO's while Medina is 0-4-1.

Debuting Baltimore heavyweight Kevin Johnson registered a fourth-round TKO over Glen Burnie's Danny Kisner. During the bout, Kisner suffered a injury to his right shoulder. The shoulder started to really hurt in the third round but Kisner was able to finish it. But Johnson put Kisner away with a right hand that dropped Kisner. Referee John Gradowski stopped the contest at 20 seconds of the fourth. Kisner was taken to a nearby hospital and was unable to be in the corner to coach Paschall. Kisner now has a record of 1-1, one KO.

Also on the card, Adrian, MI cruiserweight Harvey "Candy Man" Jolley scored a crushing first-round TKO over "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA. Jolley used great hand speed and two crushing right hands to drop Felton twice before the bout was stopped at 1:14 of the round. Jolley is now 8-8-1, five KO's while Felton is 5-10, five KO's.

Brooklyn, NY light heavyweight William Jeter knocked out debuting Calvin "Shotgun" Aughtry of DC in the third round. Jeter almost knocked out Aughtry with the first punch he threw in the bout, but Aughtry was game before being stopped by a Jeter right hand at 2:02 of the third. Jeter is now 2-0, one KO.

The co-feature of the card saw Carney "The Fireman" Bowman of York, PA remain undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Edward Valdez of Brooklyn, NY. Bowman looked sharp throughout the contest using solid rights against Valdez, who fought primarily to survive the contest. Bowman is now 10-0, four KO's while Valdez falls to 3-5-2, two KO's.

Here is the complete BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up which includes interviews and late-breaking news about upcoming Beltway Boxing events.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #109 - Post-Fight From the Ballroom!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I discuss the results of tonight's card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Included are interviews with Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall and Ballroom Boxing Promoter Scott Wagner.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Scale Watch from Glen Burnie!

Here are the weights for tomorrow night's Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD:


Mike Paschall 166 vs. Larry Marks 171 1/4

Seth Mitchell 243 1/4 vs. Alexis Cruz Medina 241 1/4

Danny Kisner 231 1/4 vs. Kevin Johnson 201 1/4

Jonathan Felton 224 3/4 vs. Harvey Jolley 196

Carney Bowman 131 3/4 vs. Edward Valdez 131

William Jeter 173 1/4 vs. Calvin Aughtrey 171 1/4

The "rematch" between Felton and Baltimore's Askia Snyder will not take place because Snyder suffered injured ribs reportedly while sparring with Tony Thompson. Jolley of Adrian, MI (7-8-1, four KO's) is a fill-in who has fought twice before in the Ballroom, losing by first-round knockout to Horace Grant in November 2007 and stopping Richard Gingras in the third round on the April 3 Ballroom card. Eight days later, Jolley lost a four-round unanimous decision to Kasim Howard in Miami Florida.

Jeter, a native of Brooklyn, NY, is undefeated (1-0, one NC) and won his last bout --a four-round majority decision over Corey Washington on May 3 in District Heights, MD.

Catch my Youcastr.com show TONIGHT at 10 PM ET for my thoughts on the Paschall-Marks matchup and a lot more!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Martin Added to June 6 Blue Horizon Card in Philadelphia!

Baltimore featherweight Darrell Martin has been added to the Friday, June 6 card at the Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, PA. Martin (2-3) will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak when he faces Paul Fernandez of Philadelphia (2-1-1, two KO's) in a four-round bout.

If everything holds to plan, then there will be three Beltway Boxers on this card. Baltimore featherweight Tyrell "Da Show Shock 'A" Samuel is still scheduled to be in the eight-round co-feature when he takes on undefeated Jules Blackwell. Both Martin and Samuel are trained by former IBF Junior Middleweight champion Vincent "The Ambassador" Pettway. Also, DC super featherweight Ron "Teflon" Boyd will take on Gerald Smith in a four-round bout.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Guerrero Wins in First-Round; Barnett Opponent Pulls Out!

Another win, another knockout for Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero. The undefeated rookie scored a first-round TKO over Chuck Orso of McIntosh, AL on an outdoor card at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS on May 24. Guerrero stopped Orso at 2:41 of the opening stanza. This was the third straight time Orso has been stopped in the first round. Both James Moore and John Duddy stopped Orso in the first.

Speaking of first-round knockouts, this is the fourth time that Guerrero has registered a first-round knockout in his young pro career as he raises his record to 7-0, seven KO's.

Here's a description of the action from Michael Sheffield from Memphisboxing.com:

Emerging fan favorite Fernando Guerrero (7-0) made short work of Chuck Orso (4-7 3 KOs) in a scheduled 4 Round Middleweight bout. In typical Guerrero fashion, the fighter circled Orso like prey before unleashing a pair of lethal hooks that dropped him twice in 45 seconds. Guerrero dropped Orso twice more before referee Randy Phillips stopped the fight at 2:41 of the first round.

Undefeated DC junior welterweight Ty Barnett was slated to be on this card, but his opponent, Hector Baltran, pulled out of the bout at the last minute. Barnett (13-0-1, nine KO's) is reportedly scheduled to be on a card in the Cayman Islands on Friday, June 20. Barnett will reportedly take on Pavel Miranda of Tijuana, Mexico (15-1, eight KO's). This is the same card where former WBC Bantamweight champion Wayne McCullough is slated to make his return.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Barnett, Guerrero In Action Tonight in Mississippi!

Undefeated Beltway Boxers Ty Barnett and Fernando Guerrero will be involved in a card at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS tonight.

DC lightweight Barnett (13-0-1, nine KO's) will take on "Handsome" Hector Beltran (11-1-1, 10 KO's) of Dallas, TX in a six-round bout. Barnett is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over veteran and former world title contender John "The Eastern Beast" Brown on January 26 in Tunica. Beltran's lofty record is, frankly, somewhat deceiving. Beltran has only fought two boxers with winning records and he didn't beat either of them. One of Beltran's victories was against a fighter who had 99 losses going into the bout.

Salisbury, MD middleweight Guerrero (6-0, six KO's) will be in a four-round contest against Chuck Orso (4-7, three KO's) of McIntosh, AL. Guerrero is coming off a third-round TKO over Anthony Bowman on April 26 in Tunica. Guerrero will be the third straight undefeated boxer Orso has faced. Orso lost by first-round knockout to James Moore and John Duddy in his last two outings.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Mayes Loses By Split Decision!

Baltimore light heavyweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes lost a six-round split decision in his rematch against Joe McCreedy of Lowell, MA on the undercard of the ESPN2 card in Lincoln, RI tonight.

No details on the bout yet but Fightnews.com reports that one judge saw the bout for Mayes at 58-57 while McCreedy won on the other two cards, 60-56 and 58-56.

Mayes's record falls to 7-6-1, four KO's while McCreedy's record is now 8-2, five KO's.

Mayes Tips the Scales in Rhode Island!

Baltimore light heavyweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes tipped the scales at 174 1/2 for his rematch against Joe McCreedy tonight at the Twin Rivers Event Center in Lincoln, RI. McCreedy weighed in at 171 1/2.

This card is an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights event, but no word yet on whether this bout will make TV. Mayes (7-5-1, four KO's) will try to make it two straight against McCreedy (7-2, five KO's) tonight. The telecast begins at 9 PM ET.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Bouts Added to May 29 Ballroom Card!

The Ballroom Boxing card slated for Thursday, May 29 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD is starting to fill out. Here are some bouts that have been added to the card.

The "rematch" between heavyweights "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA and Baltimore's Askia Snyder will be on this card in another four-round bout. Back on January 31 at Michael's, the two men made national press when they brawled before the bell even rang. Felton comes in with a record of 5-9, five KO's. Snyder was making his pro debut on the January 31 card and has one no contest on his record.

Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell (2-0-1, one KO) makes his Ballroom Boxing debut as he faces Alexis Cruz Medina (0-3-1) of Science Hill, KY in a four-round matchup.

Glen Burnie heavyweight Danny Kisner (1-0, one KO) returns to ring action as he takes on debuting Kevin Johnson of Baltimore.

Baltimore junior middleweight Cecil McCalla makes his pro debut against "The Capitol Punisher" Spencer Harsley of DC (1-6-2). Also middleweight Shelly Seivert of Severna Park, MD (2-1, one KO) will make her Ballroom debut against an opponent to be named.

In the six-round co-feature, undefeated super featherweight Carney "Beeper" Bowman of York, PA (9-0, four KO's) returns to the Ballroom to take on New York's Edward Valdez (3-5-2, two KO's). Also, undefeated Denver, CO's Terrence Crawford (2-0, two KO's) will return against an opponent to be announced.

The main event for this card remains the same: Undefeated Pasadena, MD super middleweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall (16-0-1, four KO's) steps up in competition against former world title contender Larry "The Laser" Marks of New Castle, DE (29-9-1, 16 KO's) in a bout that will be scheduled for either eight or 10 rounds.

I will have a detailed preview on this card this weekend.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Beltway Amateur Update!

This late congratulatory note from the recent National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, Michigan:

DC's Kevin Rivers was awarded the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award at the competition for his weight class (119 pounds). Rivers reached the semifinals of the event. Working with Rivers in his corner were Beltway legend Andrew Council and Robert Matney, the president of the Virginia Association of USA Boxing LBC #12.

The next major amateur event will be the 2008 Junior Olympic National Championships in Marquette, MI on June 17-21.

Once again, the Beltway will be well represented at the nationals by virtue of performances at the East Central Regional Junior Olympics that were held on May 16 and 17 in Wilmington, DE. Courtesy of Coach Matney, here are the winners from the competition:

Junior:
65 pounds: Devonte Jefferson
75 pounds: Zimmie Dickinson
85 pounds: Mykal Fox
90 pounds: Raquil Hayes
95 pounds: Lamont Roach
119 pounds: Kareem Martin

Intermediate:

75 pounds: Lawrence Singh
85 pounds: Malik Jackson
90 pounds: Gervonta Davis
101 pounds: Daquan Love
106 pounds: Romelo Webster
110 pounds: Elijah Mack
119 pounds: Parris Chisholm
125 pounds: Kevin Harris
138 pounds: Justin Hurd
145 pounds: Karran Richardson

Senior: (These boxers will be going to the Nationals in Michigan)

106 pounds: Anthony Burgin
110 pounds: Miguel Cartegena
114 pounds: Tavon Frazier
119 pounds: Shadeed Floyd
125 pounds: Damon Allen
132 pounds: Sultahn Staton
138 pounds: Alantez Fox
145 pounds: Chris Warden
154 pounds: D'Mitrius Ballard
165 pounds: Jerry Odom
189 pounds: Lamar Richards

'Sugar Poo' Buchanan Heads to Playboy Mansion June 25!

For the second straight year, a Beltway Boxer will be part of the annual boxing card at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA.

Capitol Heights, MD super middleweight Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan (14-1, 11 KO's) will be in the co-feature bout at the annual invitation-only event on Wednesday, June 25. Buchanan will be in the 10-round co-feature that will be part of the ESPN2 telecast. His opponent is slated to be Derrick "Superman" Findley of Gary, IN (11-2, six KO's).

In February of 2007, Tony "The Tiger" Thompson was in the main event of this card and captured the WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Timor Ibragimov.

By the way, this means we have confirmed that six Beltway Boxers will make TV appearances this summer. This includes three during the seven-day period from June 20-27 (Corey Cummings - June 20, Buchanan and Anthony Peterson - June 26)

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Orji Wins Majority Decision in Delaware!

Laurel, MD junior welterweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji won a four-round unanimous decision over Juan Oscar Vasquez of Newark, DE at the "Battle at the Beach" card at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DE.

Here's how my Fightnews.com colleague Rick Scharmberg saw the bout from ringside:

Orji, a southpaw, and Vasquez are both speedsters, and they engaged in a chessmatch for the first three rounds. Vasquez (1-1) narrowly took the opener with several right-left combinations, as Orji (3-0, one KO) studied him.

The second and third rounds were also very close, as Orji used his jab, and Vasquez worked his straight right. Action finally heated up in the final round with several heated exchanges. Orji sealed his victory by winning this round landing several straight left hands that Vasquez had no answer for.

The final scores were 40-36 and 39-37 for Orji, and 38-38. Fightnews also saw it even at 38-38.


What makes Orji's record interesting is that after he won his pro debut by second-round TKO on November 9 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD, he has won his last two bouts by close decision (one split and one majority) on the road, in other boxers's hometowns. Orji's last bout was a split-decision against the debuting Juan Gonzalez of Chicago, IL in nearby Villa Park, IL on April 11.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Beltway Pros Begin Active Summer!

A number of Beltway Pros are slated for action in the next three months. Some of the contests are scheduled for national television.

As of now (with bouts subject to change without notice), here is how the schedule looks (national tv dates in bold and italic)

Saturday, May 17 , Lewes, DE -- Laurel, MD junior welterweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji (2-0, one KO) vs. Oscar Vasquez (1-0).

Friday, May 23, Lincoln, RI -- Baltimore super middleweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes (7-5-1, four KO's) vs. Joe McCreedy (7-2, five KO's). This is a rematch from an April 4 bout that Mayes won by six-round unanimous decision.

Thursday, May 29, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD -- I will get a full preview of this card for you next week but so far the card has "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall vs. Larry "The Laser" Marks as well as the "rematch" between "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton and Askia Snyder. Also, Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell has reportedly been added to the card.

Friday, May 30, Monroeville, PA --Charlottsville, VA junior middleweight "Wartime" George Rivera (8-1, three KO's) vs. Latif Mundy (7-0, two KO's) in an eight-round co-feature on the Telefutura Network.

Friday, May 30, Monticello, NY -- Baltimore cruiserweight Corey "Black Ice" Cummings (15-2, 12 KO's) vs. John Douglas (6-12, three KO's). Scheduled for six rounds.

Friday, June 6, Philadelphia, PA -- Baltimore featherweight Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel (9-2, five KO's) vs. Jules Blackwell (7-0-2, two KO"s) in a scheduled eight-round bout at the Legendary Blue Horizon. Also slated for this card is DC super featherweight Ron "Teflon" Boyd (5-3, two KO's) taking on undefeated Gerald Smith (2-0, one KO) of Philadelphia.

Friday, June 13, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD -- No official word on matchups but Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow is slated to headline.

(JUST ADDED) Friday, June 20, Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL -- Corey Cummings is slated to take on former WBC Light Heavyweight champion Montell Griffin in a nationally televised 10-round bout on Telefutura. Which "ICE" will melt in this one: "Black Ice" Cummings or "Ice" Griffin?

Thursday, June 26, Las Vegas, NV -- Anthony Peterson (26-0, 19 KO's) vs. TBA on the Versus Network.

Saturday, June 28, Henderson Hall, Arlington. VA -- No official word yet on who will be on this card, but reportedly "JC Superstar" Juan Carlos Robles and Todd "White Lightning" Wilson are slated to appear.

Saturday, July 5, Las Vegas, NV -- Lamont Peterson (24-0, 11 KO's) vs. Henry Bruseles (27-3-1, 15 KO's). A victory for Peterson in this Showtime bout could mean a world title shot against the winner of the main event on this card, either Ricardo Torres or Kendall Holt.

Saturday, July 12, Hamburg, Germany -- Tony "The Tiger" Thompson (31-1, 19 KO's) vs. Wladimir Klitschko (50-3, 44 KO's). Thompson's challenge for Klitschko's IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles. HBO will televise.

Notes: Boxrec has the Petersons's scheduled listed with opposite dates (Lamont on June 26, Anthony on July 5) but I have talked to the Peterson camp and they assured me that it is the way I have it listed.

I am trying to confirm the Samuel bout. The press release on the bout has been filtering through many boxing sites.

There are also reported TV appearances scheduled for undefeated Beltway prospects Fernando Guerrero (two ESPN dates) and Ty Barnett (Showtime). No dates have been officially scheduled.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Beltway Pros Lose in Tri-State Bouts!

Two Beltway Boxers lost bouts in Philadelphia and New Jersey on Friday night.

Baltimore, MD junior lightweight Darrell Martin lost a four-round unanimous decision to Anthony Flores of Philadelphia at the New Alhambra in Philadelphia. According to written accounts, Martin was game but outgunned as he lost 40-36 on all three judges's scorecards. Martin's record is now 2-3 while Flores rises to 2-0, one KO.

At Bally's in Atlantic City, NJ, Woodbridge, VA super bantamweight Andre "Clockwork" Nichols was stopped in the sixth round by Jae-Sun Lee of Seoul, South Korea. According to reports, Nichols hung in the bout early but when he stayed in front of Lee, he was pressured until the referee stopped the contest. Nichols's record is now even at 3-3, two KO's while Lee now has a record of 9-1-1, six KO's.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Russell Jr. Returns with Victory in USA Boxing Invitational!

US Olympian Gary Russell, Jr. of Capitol Heights, MD returned to action with a victory at the first USA Boxing Invitational in Bridgeport, CT last night.

Normally a bantamweight, Russell fought as a featherweight and defeated Robson Conceicao of Brazil by a 27-8 final decision. The bout was Russell's first since the world championships last October in Chicago. Russell has been nursing a shoulder injury since that time.

UPDATE: In a recent article on Boxingtalk.com, writer Kirk Lang had this to say about Russell's performance during this event:


"Bantamweight Gary Russell, Jr. took the American squad to 2-0, in front of an announced crowd of 3,473, with a dominant 27-8 points win over Brazil’s Robson Conceicao. Russell’s win was even more impressive considering he had stepped up to the featherweight division to take on Conceicao and hadn’t fought since the 2007 AIBA World Championships back in October. Russell’s incredible hand speed often had Conceicao in retreat mode - and that was just in the opening round. His rapid-fire bursts of leather made it tough for Conceicao to find opportunities to land. Although Russell likes to mix up his punches, he blasted Conceicao with the straight left hand four times in a row early in the third frame. The fourth and final round started off a little slow but Russell picked it up by the end of the stanza. He registered seven landed punches while Conceicao only got credit for three connects. Russell is definitely "one to watch." There was no trophy for "boxer of the night," but if there had been, Russell would have deserved it."


The story of the Russell Family was the subject of a very nice article by Chris Elsberry that appeared in the Connecticut Post. Here is the link:

"http://www.connpost.com/ci_9199485?source=most_emailed">

Rivers Falls in Semis at Golden Gloves!

Kevin Rivers of DC lost his semi-final bout to Roman Morales of California by decision at the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI.

Rivers was the last Beltway Boxer remaining at the event.

Results From Fredericksburg!

Caroline, VA cruiserweight Adam "The Real Deal" Seal stopped Derek "D-Mos" Amos of Dumfries, VA in the fourth round of the main event in front of a partisan crowd at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds in Fredericksburg, VA. The card was the maiden promotion for Counter Punch Promotions.

Seal was on the offensive throughout the contest, almost dropping Amos early. Amos was able to survive but by the second round, Amos's balance betrayed him. Amos lost a point in the third round for spitting out his mouthpiece to stop a Seal onslaught. In the fourth, Seal put Amos away with a flurry of punches that forced referee Joe Cooper to stop the bout at 41 seconds of the round.

Seal's record is 5-1, four KO's. Amos's record falls to 11-26, nine KO's.

In a battle of veteran journeymen, the co-feature saw Marcus Brashers of Wichita, TX win a six-round unanimous decision over Edward "Nucky" Anderson of Richmond, VA. Brashers dropped Anderson in the first round with a left hand, but the always-tough, 47-year-old Anderson came back and took everything Brashers could dish out and even returned the favor at times. Brashers, was the busier boxer and captured the decision. Judge Gail Carpenter scored the bout 60-53. Judge Bill Osterman saw it 59-55 while Judge Jerry Payne scored it much closer at 57-56.

Brashers's record rises to 5-9-1, two KO's. Anderson drops to 4-12, three KO's.

In other bouts on the card, the six-bout winning streak of Alexandria, VA's Jaime "The Punisher" Palma was stopped by Canada's Sebastian Hamel as Hamel won a four-round unanimous decision. Hamel knocked down Palma with a right hand late in the first round. Hamel is now 7-13-1, one KO while Palma falls to 13-11-1, three KO's.

Oxon Hill, MD's Alexander "The Great" Johnson remained undefeated with a solid four-round unanimous decision over the debuting Francois Ambang of Richmond, by way of Cameroon. Johnson's solid jab was a major key in this victory. Johnson is now 5-0, three KO's.

Light heavyweight Scott "Cujo" Sigmon of Bedford, VA made his pro debut a successful one with a fourth-round TKO over Abdul Gilliard of Richmond, who loses for the first time as a pro and he is now 2-1, one KO.

Welterweight Dwayne "Diesel" Shelton of Richmond won his pro debut, capturing a four-round split decision over DC's Arick Washington.

The start of the card was delayed about an hour because the originally-contacted EMT service could not come to the card. Another service was used.

Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up with myself and Joe Hensley:

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #108 - Post-Fight From Fredericksburg!

Not even a one-hour delay could stop the Counter Punch Promotions card from being a good one. Major League Boxing.com's Joe Hensley and I discuss it.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Rivers Remains In National Golden Gloves!

And then, there was one. Only one Beltway Boxer remains in the competition at the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI.

Kevin Rivers of DC advanced to the semi-finals of the 119-pound division with a decision over Christian Faz of Texas.

The other two Beltway Boxers remaining -- DC's Jarrett Hurd and Ferndale's Nick Kisner -- were both eliminated in tonight's competition. Hurd lost a decision to Charles Howard of Cincinnati in the 165-pound division whle Kisner lost by decision to Jeremiah Graziano of Kansas City in the 201-pound class.

'Clockwork' Nichols on Atlantic City ESPN2 Card!

Woodbridge, VA super featherweight Andre "Clockwork" Nichols will be on the undercard of the ESPN2 card tomorrow night at Bally's in Atlantic City, NJ.

Nichols (3-2, two KO's) will battle Jae-Sung Lee of Seoul, South Korea (8-1-1, five KO's) in a six-round bout. No word on whether the bout will make the ESPN2 telecast. Nichols has not fought since stopping Yieta Johnson in the third round on December 15 in Dulles, VA. Lee fought to a six-round draw with Jules Blackwell on March 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Nichols weighed in at 123 3/4 while Lee tipped the scales at 123 1/2.

Amateur Card Comes to Du Burns Arena May 16!

Baltimore Boxing Promotions will have an all-amateur card on Friday, May 16 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

One of the key bouts on the card will be a heavyweight contest between Baltimore's Steve Wheeler and Salisbury, MD's Alex Guerrero, the brother of undefeated pro Fernando Guerrero. There are 12 bouts slated for the card.

Baltimore Boxing is also working on the next pro card, which is scheduled for Friday, June 13, also at DuBurns. Three bouts are already signed for the card. Undefeated Arlington,VA welterweight Bayan Jargal is slated to take on Carlos Cisneros of Riverdale, MD. Tony "Mo Better" Jeter of Baltimore is scheduled to take on Ohio veteran Don "The Wildman" Shrock while John Terry of Portsmouth, VA will take on Pennsylvania light heavy Jimmy Lubash. Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and Mark "TNT" Tucker are also scheduled to be on the card.

Beltway Boxers Have Tough Time at National Golden Gloves!

As the competition gets stronger at the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI, the Beltway representatives are having a tougher time of it. Only three Beltway Boxers remain in the competition.

Wednesday's action saw Kevin Rivers of DC advance in the 119-pound division with a decision over Shavez Peters of New York. Also, Jarrett Hurd of DC won his bout in the 165-pound class with a decision over Celso Campoverde of California. Ferndale, MD's Nick Kisner also advanced with a decision over Robert Jekabsons of Chicago.

Four Beltway Boxers lost bouts last night. Francis Taylor lost his 112-pound bout to Oscar Cantu of Texas by decision. Cordaro Simpkins of Virginia dropped a decision to Omar Pena of New England in the 132-pound division. Marquis Moore of Fort Washington fell to Daniel O'Connor of New England in the 141-pound class. Also, Jeremiah Wiggins of DC lost a decision to Noel Esqueda of the Kansas/Oklahoma team in the 152-pound division.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

May 17 Winchester Card Postponed!

The Left Hook Promotions boxing card that was slated for Saturday, May 17 has been postponed. Injuries to key boxers on the card forced the postponment of the card. Front Royal lightweight Andrew "Doo Man" Farmer is nursing a shoulder injury while Front Royal cruiserweight Terry "T-Brick" Roy has an arm injury.

No new date has been announced for the card.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Beltway Has Even Day at National Golden Gloves!

Today's action at the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI saw Beltway Boxers win two bouts and lose two.

In the 119-pound class, Kevin Rivers of DC stopped Fernando Parks of Knoxville, TN in the third round. Jeremiah Wiggins of DC also won his first bout in the 152-pound class, capturing a decision over Juan Gonzalez of Nevada.

Meanwhile, Thomas Williams of Laurel, MD lost his first bout in the 178-pound class, dropping a decision to J'Leon Love of Detroit, MI. Also, Andre Brickhouse of DC lost a decision to Chean Chess of Cincinnati, OH in the 201+ pound class.

Moore, Hurd, Kisner Victorious on First Day of Golden Gloves Competition!

Beltway Boxers won three bouts on the first day of the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI yesterday.

In the 141-pound class, Marquis Moore of Fort Washington won his first bout by decision over Lance Williams of Iowa.

Jarrett Hurd of DC won his first contest in the 165-pound class as he decisioned Dane Henry of Omaha, NE.

And Ferndale, MD's Nick Kisner won his opening bout in the 201-pound division, defeating Michael Bissett of Knoxville, TN by decision.

One Beltway Boxer did not win his opening bout yesterday. Traon Bynum of DC lost his first bout in the 125-pound class to Salvador Ruiz of Toledo, OH by decision.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Photos From District Heights!

CD Brown from DC Urban Sports has some great photos from the Keystone Boxing card at the District Heights Municipal Center. Here is the link:

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Results From District Heights!

Clinton, MD super middleweight Demetrius Davis won a hard-fought and somewhat bizarre eight-round majority decision over Brian "The Assassin" Norman of Lithonia, GA in the main event of the Keystone Boxing card at the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD.

Davis dropped Norman in the second round with a solid right hand that weighed heavily on two judges scorecards. Davis also benefitted from Norman having a point deducted in the seventh round for repeatedly spitting out his mouthpiece. Norman lost his mouthpiece six times during the contest, at some points when he seemed to have the offensive advantage. Judge John Gradowski saw the draw at 75-75 while Judge Kenny Chevalier scored the bout 78-73 and Judge Don Risher scored it 78-72 for Davis.

The win breaks a four-bout losing streak for Davis, who raises his record to 18-14-4, seven KO's. Norman falls to 16-7, four KO's.

In the co-feature, Riverdale, MD based Carlos "Perro" Cisneros scored a stunning second-round TKO over Laurel, MD's Norman "The Shadow" Allen.

Cisneros came out very strong landing looping left and right hand shots. Cisneros dropped Allen twice, one with each hand before Chevalier stopped the contest at one minute of the second round.

Cisneros raises his record to 9-15-1, six KO's while Allen suffers his first defeat as a pro and he is now 3-1, two KO's.

The pro debut of Ellicott City, MD cruiserweight Robert McConnell, Jr. was spoiled by a second-round TKO courtesy of the equally debuting Garrett Wilson of Philadelphia. In the second, Wilson dropped McConnell with a picture-perfect counter left hook. McConnell got to his feet, but referee Gradowski stopped the contest at 2:38 of the round.

The result was better for rookie Laurel, MD lightweight L. Dwayne Martin as he scored a second-round TKO over Ahmed Poskovic of Akron, OH in his pro debut. Martin punished Poskovic for the entire two-round period until Poskovic, on advice of ringside physicians, did not come out for the third round. Poskovic is 0-3.

Another Akron product, junior middleweight James "The Problem" Denson, was a big problem for DC's Kendrick "Holy Hands" Walker. Denson used a crushing left hand to drop Walker in the third round and went on to a TKO victory at 2:38. Denton is now 3-1, two KO's. Walker is now 0-2-1.

In the opening contest, Brooklyn, NY light heavyweight William Jeter won a four-round majority decision over Corey "Wolverine" Washington of Louisville, KY. Jeter is now 1-0, one NC while Washington is 1-1, one KO.

Seth Mitchell's bout was taken off the card when his scheduled opponent, Jamal Terry, did not show for the weigh-in.

Here is the full BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up show featuring an interview with Demetrius and Adrian Davis after their big win.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #107 - Post-Fight From District Heights!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and Del "The Hatchet" Matchett join me to recap a sprited night of boxing from the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD. During the show, Demetrius and Adrian Davis talk about Demetrius's big win in the main event.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Wilson Loses By Unanimous Decision in Stuttgart!

Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson lost a 12-round unanimous decision to WBA Cruiserweight champion Firat Arslan in Stuttgart, Germany this evening.

According to Fightnews.com's Wolfgang Schiffbauer, Arslan pressed the action from the opening bell, but both were cautious early on. Wilson upped the output in round two and Arslan did likewise in round three. Arslan's pressure pushed Wilson back as he appeared to be imposing his will. Rounds five and six were dominated by the champion, as Wilson mostly had no answers. With chances of a points win seemingly disappearing, the "Ding-A-Ling Man" started looking for a KO as the bout progressed, winging big shots in the eighth. Arslan responded in a punishing ninth round. Arslan landed almost at will in the tenth and went on to win handily by scores of 117-111, 117-111, 117-111.

With the loss, Wilson's record drops to 23-7-3, 20 KO's. Arslan's record rises to 29-3-1, 18 KO's.

Friday, May 02, 2008

Wilson,Arslan Tip the Scales in Stuttgart!



(Photo by Eroll Popova)

Both Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson and Firat Arslan weighed in at 199 1/2 for their WBA Cruiserweight championship match tomorrow night in Stuttgart, Germany.

Scale Watch For District Heights!

Here are the weights for Saturday night's Keystone Boxing card at the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD:

Demetrius Davis 168 3/4 vs. Brian Norman 168 1/4

Norman Allen 148 1/4 vs. Carlos Cisneros 148

Robert McConnell, Jr. 191 vs. Garrett Wilson 192

Dwayne (Lawrence) Martin 132 3/4 vs. Ahmed Poskovic 134

Cory Washington 176 3/4 vs. William Jeter 175 3/4

Seth Mitchell 247 1/2 vs. Jamal Terry (slated to weigh-in tomorrow)

Kendrick Walker 155 1/2 vs. James Denson (scheduled to weigh-in tomorrow)

Cisneros (8-15-1, five KO's) is a late sub for Dustin Gullimen. Cisneros, a native of El Salvador but now fighting out of Maryland, split with two other Beltway Boxers in his last two bouts. Cisneros stopped Reggie Holly in December of 2006 at the Lincoln Theatre in DC. In his last outing, Cisneros lost a six-round unanimous decision to Tim Coleman in May of 2007 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Changes to District Heights Card!

Unfortunately, the word "complete" never means the same in the boxing world as it does in other venues. There are wholesale changes to the Saturday, May 3 card at the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD.

The biggest change comes in the main event. The featherweight bout between Thomas "KO" Snow of Capitol Heights, MD and Eric Hunter of Philadelphia has been called off. Snow reportedly took ill earlier this week, fainting after a training session. Doctors wanted him to see a neurologist, who has told him he cannot fight.

The main event will now feature veteran DC super middleweight Demetrius Davis in an eight-round contest against Brian "The Assassin" Norman of Decatur, GA. Davis (17-14-4, seven KO's) will be trying to break a four-bout losing streak. Three of those losses have come during Davis's comeback after an eight-year absence. Davis last fought on October 5 in Philadelphia, losing a six-round split decision to Omar Pittman.

Norman (16-6, four KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision victory over Timothy Hall on April 4 in Douglasville, GA. Prior to that victory, Norman lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Jean Pascal in December of 2007 for the NABA, NABF and NABO Super Middleweight title in Montreal, CA. Davis will be the third Beltway Boxer Norman has faced. Norman lost by third-round TKO to Henry Buchanan in September of 2004 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD and lost by six-round majority decision to Reginald Taylor in October 2005 in Lula, MS.

In other changes on the card, Lenwood Dozier will not be on the show, so Kendrick Walker of DC (0-1-1) will now face James Denson of Akron, OH (2-1, one KO). Denson was originally scheduled to take on Norman "The Shadow" Allen . Allen will now take on Dustin Guillimen of Nebraska (1-4).

Also, Hyattsville, MD junior lightweight Lawrence Martin will now make his pro debut against Akron's Ahmed Poskovic (0-2), who replaces Mel Crossty.