Champions Crowned at USA Open Amateur Tournament!

In front of a packed house at Tony's Gym in Southeast, DC, seven open champions and two novice titlists were crowned during the second and final day of the USA Open Amateur Championships.

Here are the Novice Champions:

152 pounds: Marquis Taylor (Tony's Gym) defeated Kwame Ritter (Unattached)

201+ pounds: Danny Kelly ( Benning Park) defeated Mike DeSantos (Old School Boxing)

There was also a matched bout in the 65 pounds/8-9 year age group as Gregory Burton (Langdon Recreation Center) defeated Malcolm Lowery of Benning Park.


Now to the Open Championship Bouts with the winners heading to the East Central Regional Tournament in Charleston, WVA on February 13-15.

119 pounds: Marcus Gaddis (Sugar Ray Leonard Center) defeated Antonio Magruder (Headbangers) by disqualification in the third round. Magruder lost three points for holding in the third round. Three points deducted in any round is an automatic disqualification.

125 pounds: Kevin Rivers (Headbangers) defeated Joel Young (Keystone Boxing)

132 pounds: Elvis Modrano (Old School Boxing) defeated Joseph Rector (Books and Boxing)

141 pounds: Gary Allen Russell (Keystone Boxing) defeated Demarcus Wiley (Sugar Ray Leonard) by disqualification in the third round. Wiley lost three points in the final round for holding.

152 pounds: Alantez Fox (Dream Team) defeated Marquis Moore (Keystone Boxing)

165 pounds: Eric Gowan (Jeff Gordon) defeated Mark Baltimore (Sugar Ray Leonard).

178 pounds: Thomas Williams (Cherry Lane) defeated Sulieman Harrington (Hillcrest)

There are also four unopposed Open Champions:

112 pounds: Erick Cruz (Lime Lite)

112 pounds -- Female: Maria Cash (Headbangers)

165 pounds -- Female: Franchon Crews (Keystone Boxing)

201 pounds -- Charles Johnson (Sugar Ray Leonard)

For the first time, we have a BATB Post-Fight Wrap-up for an amateur card. My Fightnews.com colleague "Priceless" Steve Price joins me to analyze the great bouts on this card.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #145 - Post-Fight From USA Open Amateur Tournament!

"Priceless" Steve Price and I recap the second and final night of great amateur action at the USA Open Tournament at Tony's Gym in Southeast, DC!

Borteye Loses Unanimous Decision in Virgin Islands!

Silver Spring, MD lightweight Benjamin Borteye lost a four-round unanimous decision to undefeated Ryan Kielczewski of Quincy, MA last night in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

According to Fightnews.com colleague Boxing Bob Newman, Kielczewski used his standout amateur pedigree to his advantage,Pot-shotting, combination punching and slick movement helped him cruise to an easy 40-36 victory across the boards.

Borteye is now 0-3 while Kielczewski is 3-0.

Local Amateurs Profiled in Maryland Independent!

There is a nice article in the Maryland Independent concerning the Beltway amateur scene. Reporter Tammy Showalter looks at many of the boxers who will be heading to Independence, MO for the National Silver Gloves tournament in early February.

Here is the link:

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Shayla Mitchell Loses Battle With Cancer!

Sad news to report to you. Shayla Marie Mitchell, the 18-year-old daughter of Centreville, VA boxer "Tattoo" Tom Mitchell passed away on January 28 following her almost two-year battle with Stage 3 Hodgkin's Disease.

One of the great Beltway Boxing images of 2008 took place on November 1 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA as Shayla Mitchell led her father to the ring for his bout with Yieta Johnson. Mitchell used the bout as a way to raise money for treatment for young cancer patients. Mitchell lost the bout, but gained a lot of support and money for that cause.

The Mitchell Family is asking that, in lieu of flowers, please show your support by sending contributions to:

Growing Hope
PO Box 151
Fairfax Station, VA 22039

Services for Shayla Mitchell will be held on Monday, February 2 at 11 AM at Pierce Funeral Home, 9609 Center Street in Manassas, VA. The interment will follow at Stonewall Memory Gardens in Manassas.

BATB sends its deepest condolences to the Mitchell Family.

Borteye Weighs 134 1/2 For Bout in US Virgin Islands!

Silver Spring, MD welterweight Benjamin Borteye will look for his first pro win tomorrow night when he faces undefeated Ryan Kielczewski of Quincy, MA at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

Borteye (0-2) has fought two tough bouts in his first two outings against Lenwood Dozier and against Juan Rodriguez in the 2008 Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year on November 7 in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Kielczewski (2-0) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Luis Rosario on September 6 in Boston, MA.

Borteye weighed in at 134 1/2 while Kielczewski tipped the scales at 132 pounds. Borteye has to lose two pounds before the bout.

This is an interesting card that features the pro debuts of John and Julius Jackson, two sons of former world middleweight champion and Virgin Islands native Julian "The Hawk" Jackson. The card also features a female matchmaker in Lesley Commissiong.

Best Wishes to Virginia Amateur Boxer!

BATB sends best wishes for a speedy recovery to Virginia boxer Roger Belch III of Virginia Beach, VA. The 17-year-old Belch was involved in a very serious automobile accident on January 19. Belch III received multiple serious and life threatening injuries including broken legs, pelvis, a blown diaphragm and many more.

According to his father and coach, Roger Belch II, "The car he was in lost control and flipped, throwing little Roger through the sun roof and the car came to rest on top of him. It had to be lifted off of him with a crane before he could be transported to Nofrolk General Hospital. After one week, he is finally out of the intensive care unit and the doctors say he will be in arduous rehabilitative care for more than a year."

"Little Roger" Belch had accomplished much in his amateur career, winning the state championship and the Virginia/North Carolina Golden Gloves in 2008. Belch lost in the regional Golden Gloves to Kevin Rivers. Belch graduated three weeks early from high school to enter the Army and join the Army boxing team.

If you would like to send a card or donation to the family, here is the address:

1403 South Highway 32
Hobbsville, NC 27946

'Mayhem' Mitchell Added to Feb. 20 Card in Westminster, MD!

Undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell has been added to the Maryland Boxing Club card on Friday, February 20 at the Shipley Arena at the Carroll County AG Center in Westminster, MD.

Mitchell (9-0-1, six KO's) is coming off a fifth-round knockout over Jason Bergman on Januaray 23 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD. Mitchell's opponent is to be determined.

Some matchups are already set for this card. We've mentioned the main event -- undefeated light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker of Eldersburg, MD (6-0, five KO's) will take on veteran Richard Stewart of New Castle, DE (14-7-2, eight KO's) in Tucker's first eight-round encounter.

Also, Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae is scheduled to take on Andrew Jackson of Crossett, AK (3-3, two KO's.)

Another bout slated for the card will be a four-round encounter matching Cumberland, MD junior middleweight Dontre King (1-2-1) against Jamar Freeman of North Carolina (1-0).

Other Beltway Boxers slated to appear on this card are Dean "Pit Bull" White, Antonio Walls and Askia Snyder.

Results and Bout Sheet for USA Open Tournament!

I finally received the results from last Saturday's USA Open Amateur Tournament at Tony's Gym in Southeast DC.

In the Novice category:

141lbs Jose Murphy (Benning Park) deafeated Thomas Soto (Books & Boxing)

152lbs Kwame Ritter (Unattached) defeated Adam Mitchell (DNDR)

152lbs Marquis Taylor (Tony's Gym) defeated Robert Keegan (Unattached)

In the Open category:

119 lbs Marcus Gaddis (SRL) defeated Angelo Rector (Books & Boxing)

132 lbs Elvis Modrano (Old School) won by walkover Russell Gaskins (Keystone)

141 lbs Gary Allen Russell (Keystone) defeated Edwin Reyes (Rd 1) RSC-1

141 lbs Demarcus Wiley (SRL) won by walkover Traon Bynum (Headbangers)

152 lbs Marquis Moore (Keystone) defeated David Grayton (Headbangers)

152 lbs Alantez Fox (Dream Team) defeated Marlon Bolen (Cherry Lane)

178 lbs Thomas Williams (Cherry Lane) defeated Mario Murphy (SRL)

Here is a partial bout sheet for this Saturday's competition:

Novice:
152 lbs: Kwame Ritter (Unattached) v Marquis Taylor (Tony's Gym)

Open:

119 lbs: Marcus Gaddis (SRL) v Antonio Magruder (Headbangers)

132 lbs: Elvis Modrano (Old School) v Joseph Rector (Books & Boxing)

141 lbs: Gary Allen Russell (Keystone) v Demarcus Wiley (SRL)

152 lbs: Marquis Moore (Keystone) v. Alantez Fox (Dream Team)

178 lbs: Thomas Williams (Cherry Lane) v Sulleman Harrington (Hillcrest)

There will be other bouts added to the card that begins at 7 PM. I've been told it was standing room only last Saturday so get there early. Tony's Gym is located on 2201 Shannon Place, SE.

Corley Added to Feb. 3 Card in New Jersey!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley has been added to the rescheduled boxing card at the Meadowlands Sheraton Hotel in East Rutherford, NJ.

Corley (32-10-1, 18 KO's) is slated to battle in a 10-round bout against an opponent to be determined. Corley is looking to turn his fortunes around after a rough 2008 in which he lost a 12-round unanimous decision to highly-touted prospect Devon Alexander and two eight-round unanimous decisions to Ashley Theophane and, in a rematch, to former WBO champ Randall Bailey. Corley ended the year on a good note with a first-round knockout over Donnell Logan on December 13.

I'm looking for 2009 to be one of the best years of my career," said Corley in a press release. "I want to fight 6 or 7 times and then win another world title. It will be a great opportunity for me to fight on the East Coast again. I'm looking to put on an exciting fight for the fans. I will do my best to score a knockout."

Two other Beltway Boxers were slated to be on this card when it was originally scheduled in mid-January: Heavyweights "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae of Laurel, MD and Hannibal Otey of Baltimore. No official word on whether they will still be on the card.

Virginia Boxers Head To Staunton January 31!

Three Virginia prospects will headline the Pro-Am Boxing Classic on Saturday, January 31 at the Staunton Armory in Staunton, VA.

Charlottsville, VA junior middleweight George "War Time" Rivera will take on "Mean" Rodney Green of Wilson, NC in a six-round contest. Rivera (9-3, three KO's) has not fought since his eight-round unanimous decision victory over Jessie Nicklow on November 1 at the GMU Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. Green (6-5-1, two KO's) is coming off a fourth-round TKO loss to David Lemieux on May 3 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Also on the card, Waynesboro, VA cruiserweight "El Guero" Juan Carlos Robles will battle veteran Ed "The Iron Man" Gutierrez of Oakland, CA in another six-round encounter. Robles (10-2, five KO's) stopped Tommy Washington, Jr. in the third round in his last outing on September 19 at the Maryland Sportsplex in Millersville, MD. Gutierrez (15-6, six KO's) has lost six straight, but has fought solid competition including two bouts against JD Chapman and one each with David Tua and Matt Godfrey.

Bedford, VA light heavyweight Scott "Cujo" Sigmon (3-1) will take on Alex "Superman" Dill (5-5, two KO's) of Virginia Beach, VA in another six-round battle.

There will also be a women's title match as Durango, CO's Thaddine "Swift Eagle" Johnson will defend her Women's Professional Boxing Association Intercontinental Lightweight title against Amie Iwasaki of New York City.

Five amateur bouts will round out the Major League Boxing-promoted card. The bouts are slated to begin at 6:15 PM.

Martin, Hayes Lose By TKO in Minnesota!

Two Beltway Boxers lost by fifth-round TKOs to undefeated boxers in bouts at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, MN last night.

Baltimore, MD super featherweight Darrell "Tupac" Martin lost to Wilton "The Pretty Warrior" Hilario of St. Louis Park, MN. This was the first time that Martin has been stopped in his young pro career. Martin's two-bout winning streak was snapped and his record falls to 4-7, one KO. Hilario is now 10-0-1, eight KO's.

Also, middleweight Johnny Hayes, now fighting out of Woodbridge, VA, was stopped by Caleb Truax of Osseo, MN. Hayes also lost his two-bout winning streak and he is now 6-4-1, four KO's. Truax's record rises to 10-0, seven KO's.

Peterson Battles Cherry on Televised Undercard; Russell, Jr Returns to Action February 14!

Top Rank Promotions has announced that undefeated lightweight Anthony Peterson of DC will indeed be on the televised PPV card on February 21 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This is the part of the twin PPV that features Miguel Cotto.

The opponent for Peterson (28-0, 19 KO's) will be title contender Edner "Cherry Bomb" Cherry of Wauchala, FL (24-6-2, 12 KO's) in a 10-round contest. Cherry's last outing was a 12-round unanimous decision loss to Timothy Bradley for Bradley's WBC Junior Welterweight title on September 13 in Biloxi, MS.

Also, ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that the next outing for Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Gary Russell, Jr. will be on Saturday, February 14 in Sunrise, FL on the Ricardo Mayorga/Nate Campbell card. The bout for Russell will be a non-televised bout.

Jargal Remains Undefeated With First-Round TKO in Vegas!

Arlington, VA lightweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal remained undefeated with a first-round TKO over late sub Walberto Gaxiola of Mexico last night at the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

The time of the knockout was 1:56 of the round. This was Jargal's debut bout under the Let's Get It On Promotions banner.

Jargal is now 10-0-1, seven KO's while Gaxiola is 7-6, three KO's and his three-bout winning streak was snapped.

Mayes, Williams Battle to Draw...Again!

After two bouts and 14 rounds, nothing has been settled between Baltimore light heavyweights Henry "Hurricane" Mayes and Willie "For Real" Williams. The two evenly-matched rivals battled to a spirited eight-round draw in front of a packed house at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.

This was a rematch of their six-round majority draw on October 3 in Salisbury, MD. It was indeed a fierce battle that is the first candidate for 2009 Beltway Bout of the Year.

The scores were John Gradowski, 77-75 for Mayes; Gary Camponeschi, 78-74 for Williams and Kenny Chevalier, 76-76. BATB scored the bout 78-76 for Mayes with the last two rounds even.

Williams kept his East Coast Light Heavyweight title and now sees his record as 12-3-2, three KO's. Mayes's record is now 7-6-3, four KO's.

The co-feature saw Baltimore junior middleweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson remain undefeated with an easy second-round TKO over Darrett Crockett of Rock Hill, SC.

Stevenson dominated from the opening bell and eventually blasted Crockett across the ring with a devastating right hand. Crockett crumpled in his own corner. Referee Camponeschi immediately halted the bout at 1:20 of the second.

Other quick results from the card:

Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell remained undefeated with a fifth-round stoppage over Adah, PA's Jason Bergman. Mitchell busted Bergman's nose forcing him to quit at the end of the fifth. Mitchell is now 9-0-1, six KO's. Bergman is 8-8-2, five KO's.

Randallstown, MD middleweight Cecil "Too Sharp, Too Fast" McCalla earned a future ESPN2 TV date with a four-round unanimous decision over DC's Antonio "The Dream" Walls. The bout seemed a little closer than the shutout scores (40-35 on all three cards) indicated but McCalla sealed the victory with a solid straight right hand that dropped Walls to the canvas in the third. McCalla is now 4-0, one KO while Walls loses for the first time as a pro and he is 2-1, one KO.

Catonsville, MD light heavyweight "Irish" Glenn Williams won by second-round TKO when opponent John "The Baptist" Terry of Portsmouth, VA had to retire due to a broken hand. Williams is now 6-4-1, five KO's while Terry is now 2-13-3, one KO.

In the opening bout, Ellicott City, MD cruiserweight Robert "The Mac Attack" McConnell scored his first pro knockout stopping Eddie "Lightning Diablo" Otts of Salisbury at 2:00 of the third round. McConnell landed a vicious combination that dropped Otts. Otts got up but was in no condition to continue.

McConnell is now 3-2, one KO while Otts is 0-5-1.


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

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #144 - Post-Fight From Woodlawn!

I recap a spirited card of Baltimore Pro Boxing from a packed house at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD!

Weights for Woodlawn!

Here is the scale watch for tomorrow night's Baltimore Pro Boxing card at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD:

Willie Williams 176 vs. Henry Mayes 175

James Stevenson 154 1/4 vs. Darrett Crockett 151 1/4

Seth Mitchell 247 1/4 vs. Jason Bergmann 255 1/4

Cecil McCalla 159 1/2 vs. Antonio Walls 159 1/2

Glenn Williams 173 vs. John Terry 171

Robert McConnell 195 1/2 vs. Eddie Otts 194

Martin Looks For Third Straight Win Saturday in Minnesota!

Baltimore, MD super featherweight Darrell Martin will look for his third straight victory on Saturday, January 24 at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, MN.

Martin (4-6, one KO) will battle undefeated Wilton "The Pretty Warrior" Hilario of St. Louis Park, MN by way of the Dominican Republic (9-0-1, seven KO's) in a six-round encounter.

This will be Martin's second straight bout against an undefeated opponent. Martin stopped Jules Blackwell in the third round on December 5 in Philadelphia. Hilario is coming off a six-round unanimous decision victory over Jose Alfonso Rodiguez on October 11 in Hinckley.

In the co-feature on this card, middleweight John Hayes of Woodbridge, VA (6-3-1, four KO's) will take on undefeated Caleb Truax of Osseo, MN. (9-0, six KO's)

McRae, Otey New Jersey Bouts Postponed Until Feb. 3!

The card that was slated to be held at the Meadowlands Sheraton Hotel in East Rutherford, NJ tomorrow night has been postponed until Tuesday, February 3.

Beltway heavyweights "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae of Laurel, MD and Hannibal Otey of Baltimore were slated to appear on the show in separate bouts. Darwish Brothers Promotions said that the show was jeopardized by the inability of a key fighter to make weight and an injury to another.

No word yet on whether McRae or Otey will still be on the card.

Jargal Battles McNickols on Jan. 23 in Las Vegas!

Undefeated Arlington, VA lightweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal makes his first 2009 appearance this Friday, January 23 at the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Jargal (9-0-1, six KO's) will take on Gulfport, MS's Carl McNickols (5-2, five KO's) in a six-round encounter. This will be Jargal's first outing under the Let's Get It On promotional banner. For McNickols, this will be his second straight step up in competition. McNickols was stopped in the fourth round by undefeated prospect Mark Davis on Sept. 27 in Tunica, MS.

McCalla-Walls Added to Jan. 23 Card in Woodlawn.

A matchup between two undefeated members of the 2008 Beltway Boxing rookie class has been added to the Baltimore Pro Boxing card on Friday, January 23 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.

Baltimore middleweight Cecil McCalla (3-0, one KO) will take on DC's Antonio Walls (2-0, one KO) in a four-round encounter. McCalla was originally scheduled to take on Keith Gross, but that has been changed.

And there is added incentive for this bout. The winner is slated for a televised bout on February 20th in Fort Lauderdale, FL that will open up an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights telecast.

In other updates on the card, Catonsville, MD light heavyweight "Irish" Glenn Williams (5-4-1, four KO's will take on John "The Baptist" Terry of Portsmouth, VA (2-12-3, one KO) in a four-round bout.

Also, Baltimore middleweight Emmanuel Taylor will not make his pro debut on this card.

The rest of the card remains the same with Willie "For Real" Williams defending his East Coast Light Heavyweight title against fellow Baltimore boxer Henry "Hurricane" Mayes in a rematch. Also, Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell of Brandywine, MD takes on Jason Bergman in a six-round heavyweight bout and James "Keep 'em Sleepin' Stevenson will go up against Darrett Crockett in a six-round welterweight battle.

Davis Wins Unanimous Decision in Kissimmee!

BATB receives word that DC super middleweight Demetrius Davis scored a big upset by winning a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Rowland Bryant of Altamonte Springs, FL on Saturday night in Kissimmee, FL.

A representative from the promoters -- Final Forum Boxing -- emailed me to say that the bout was the best of the entire card.

Davis raises his record to 19-14-5, seven KO's and is unbeaten in his last three bouts, two of those bouts were against undefeated prospects. Bryant is now 14-1, nine KO's.

Bout Sheet for USA Open Tournament on January 24!

Courtesy of DC Amateur Boxing.com, here is the preliminary bout sheet for the USA Open Tournament that begins on Saturday, January 24 at Tony's Gym, 2201 Shannon Place S.E., Washington, D.C.

NOVICE
141lbs Jose Murphy (Benning Park ) v Thomas Soto (Books & Boxing)
141lbs Ricky Smith (Headbangers) v Johnny Desilva (Rd 1)
152lbs Adam Mitchell (DNDR) v Kwame Ritter (Unattached)
152lbs Robert Keegan (Unattached) v Marquis Taylor (Tony's Gym)

OPEN
119lbs Marcus Gaddis (SRL) v Angelo Rector (Books & Boxing) - Bye Antonio Magruder (Headbangers)
132lbs Russell Gaskins (Keystone) v Elvis Modrano (Old School) - Bye Joseph Rector (Books & Boxing)
141lbs Gary Allen Russell (Keystone) v Edwin Reyes (Rd 1)
141lbs Demarcus Willey (SRL) v Traon Bynum (Headbangers)
152lbs David Grayton (Headbangers) v Marquis Moore (Keystone)
152lbs Marlon Bolen (Cherry Lane) v Alantez Fox (Dream Team)
178lbs Thomas Williams (Cherry Lane) v Mario Murphy (SRL) - Bye Sulleman Harrington (Hillcrest)

CHAMPIONSHIPS (Saturday, January 31st)
125lbs Kevin Rivers (Headbangers) v Edwin Reyes (Rd 1)
165lbs Eric Gowan (Jeff Gordon) v Mark Baltimore (SRL)
Other divisions TBD


UNOPPOSED OPEN CHAMPIONS
MALE
112lbs Eric Cruz (Limelite)
201+ Charles Johnson (SRL)

FEMALES
112lbs. Maria Cash (Headbangers)
165lbs. Franchon Crews (Keystone)

'TNT' Tucker Headlines Card in Westminster, MD February 20!

Undefeated Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Ticker will headline the Maryland Boxing Club's first pro show on Friday, February 20 at the Shipley Arena located at the Carroll County AG Center in Westmnister, MD.

Tucker (6-0, five KO's) is slated to battle Richard Stewart of New Castle, DE (14-7-2, eight KO's) in a bout that is scheduled to be Tucker's first scheduled eight-round encounter. Tucker last fought on November 1 in Las Vegas, winning a six-round unanimous decision over Terrence Wilson. Stewart is winless in his last four (0-3-1) and he was stopped by Andre Hemphill in the third round in his last outing on September 19 in Hockessin, DE.

Also scheduled to appear on this card are undefeated Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McCrae and Baltimore, MD heavy Askia Snyder, who may actually get his pro debut in this year. You'll remember Snyder has a no-contest on his record for his involvement in the bout before the bout with Jonathan Felton last year in Glen Burnie.

Other boxers slated for this card are Dean "Pit Bull" White and Dontre King.

The Maryland Boxing Club should not be confused with the University of Maryland Boxing Club which is strictly an amateur organization.

Big Stretch of Beltway Amateur Boxing Events!

There is a huge stretch of major amateur boxing events coming to the area between now and mid-April. The stretch actually began on January 16 with the Paschall Promotions show at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Although I was unable to attend the show, many people have said that the show was VERY well attended.

Here is the schedule for this great time for Amateur Boxing Along The Beltway:

Saturday, January 24 and Saturday, January 31 -- the 2009 USA Open Tournament at Tony's Gym, 2201 Shannon Place in Southeast Washington. Bouts will begin at 7 PM on both nights. This will be a fund raiser to help raise money for travel expenses.

February 5-7 Silver Gloves National Championships, Independence, MO -- 25 Beltway Amateurs will participate in the tournament.

Washington Golden Gloves Championship Tournament

Begins on Saturday, February 21 at the Sugar Ray Leonard Community Center, 7707 Barlowe Road in Palmer Park, MD.

The tournament will run for the next three Saturdays (February 28, March 7 and March 14) all at SRL.

The semi-finals will also be at SRL on Saturday, March 21. All cards at SRL begin at 7:30.

The Washington Golden Glove Championship Finals will be on Friday, March 27 at the Waldorf Jaycees Community Center, 3090 Crain Highway in Waldorf, MD, beginning at 8 PM.

The Golden Glove Regional Championships -- Pitting the Washington/Maryland Championships against the winners from Virginia/North Carolina will be Friday, April 17 also at the Waldorf Jaycees at 8 PM.

And if that wasn't enough, the National Collegiate Boxing Championships will be held at the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum in College Park, MD on Friday-Sunday, April 2, 3 and 4.

Amos Stopped in First Round in Minnesota!

Tough outing for Dumfries, VA heavyweight Derek Amos. Amos was stopped in the first round by Joey "Minnesota Ice" Abell last night in St. Paul, MN. No details on the card yet.

Abell is now 21-4, 20 KO's. Amos is now 15-27, nine KO's.

Seal Stops Roy; Rodriguez Crushes Anderson in Springfield!

Two crushing stoppages were the highlights of the Left Hook Boxing card tonight at the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA.

In the main event, Caroline, VA cruiserweight Adam "The Real Deal" Seal scored a punishing second-round TKO over Terry "T-Brick" Roy of Front Royal, VA.

Seal started the damage late in the first round as he sent Roy stumbling back into Seal's corner with a blistering right hand. Roy was trying to keep Seal off of him with his jab but Seal proved to be too powerful By the end of the first, Seal had busted Roy's nose.

With less than a minute to go in the second round, Seal landed a glancing left followed by a powerful right that dropped Roy hard to the canvas. Referee Billy Johnson immediately stopped the contest at 2:12 of the second.

Seal is now 6-1, five KO's while Roy suffered his second straight defeat and falls to 7-2-2, six KO's.

The co-feature saw 18-year-old welterweight Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez of Haymarket, VA score a devastating first-round TKO over veteran Edward "Nucky" Anderson of Richmond.

Normally, the 47-year-old Anderson is a strong test for his opponents having gone the distance with the likes of Bayan Jargal, Todd Wilson and Dorin Spivey, but Rodriguez started the damage quickly, pressuring him before landing a solid left hand that sent Anderson spiraling down to the canvas. Anderson got up from the knockdown but the finish was a done deal moments later as referee Rick Ellis stopped the contest at 1:28 of the first.

Rodriguez is now 2-0, two KO's while Anderson is 4-14, three KO's.

Norfolk, VA middleweight Jeremiah "Bounty Hunter" Wiggins won his pro debut by four-round unanimous decision over DC's Calvin "Shotgun" Aughtrey. All three judges scored a shutout for Wiggins as he battered Aughtrey around the ring. Aughtrey is now 0-5.

In the opening contest, Arlington, VA light heavyweight Otgonbayer Daivii won a four-round majority decision over Danny "Demon" Shull of Richmond. Daivii, a native of Mongolia, used strong body work throughout the contest to gain the victory.

Daivii is now 2-1-1, one KO while Shull is 0-5.


Here's the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up for this event:

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #143 - Post-Fight From Springfield!

Here's a recap of the first Beltway Boxing Card of 2009, coming from the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA. Included is an interview with promising undefeated rookie welterweight prospect Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez!

Update to Tonight's Card in Springfield!

There are a few changes to tonight's Left Hook Boxing card at the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield,VA.

The biggest change on the card is the fact that Front Royal, VA junior middleweight Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer will NOT be on the card. Farmer's scheduled opponent, Carlos "El Perro" Cisneros, pulled out of the card earlier this week and promoter (and father) Scott Farmer could not get a replacement bout.

So the main event for the card is now the very interesting six-round cruiserweight battle between Virginia prospects Terry "T-Brick" Roy of Front Royal and Adam "The Real Deal" Seal of Caroline.

Also on the card will be another interesting junior welterweight battle between rookie Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez of Haymarket, VA and Edward "Nuckie" Anderson of Richmond, VA.

Talk about youth vs. experience! Rodriguez (1-0, one KO) is 18 years old while Anderson (4-13, three KO's) is 47!

Rodriguez made his pro debut in the 2008 Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year, a stirring third-round stoppage over Benjamin Borteye on November 7 in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Anderson has lost five in a row against Virginia Beltway Boxers (twice to Jaime Palma and once each to Todd Wilson, Bayan Jargal and Andrew Farmer) Anderson has lost seven straight overall (losses to Marcus Brashers and Dorin Spivey in his last two outings), but has only been stopped twice (by Palma and Farmer) in the last two years, so he is still a tough opponent.

Three other bouts will be on the card tonight. Otganbayer Daivii of Arlington. VA (1-1-1, one KO) will take on Winchester, VA's Daniel Shull (0-4) in a cruiserweight bout while Richmond, VA junior welterweight Jeremiah Wiggins makes his pro debut against DC's Calvin "Shotgun" Aughtrey (0-4). Also on the card, Dustin Pague of Virginia makes his pro debut against Charles "Murdock" Norwood of Richmond (by way of DC) who is 3-3, one KO.

Russell Wins Pro Debut By TKO in Oklahoma!

Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Gary Russell, Jr. made his pro debut a successful one tonight as he scored a third-round TKO over Antonio Reyes in front of a nationally-televised ShoBox audience in Tulsa, OK.

Russell dropped Reyes in the second round and finished him off 21 seconds into the third. At the end of the ShoBox telecast, the announcers reported that Russell broke Reyes's jaw.

Reyes's record is now 3-3.

Wade To Make Pro Debut In Salisbury February 6; Guerrero's Opponent Now Confirmed!

After a delay, Largo, MD middleweight Dominic Wade will make his pro debut on the Friday, February 6 card at the Wicomico Youth And Civic Center in Salisbury, MD.

Wade was originally slated to make his debut in late December 2008 or early in January but that was put on hold because of illness. Wade's trainer, Barry Hunter informed BATB that Wade is in great shape for this contest. No word yet on who Wade's opponent will be.

This card will be interesting in that it brings together three former amateur middleweight standouts -- Wade, Fernando Guerrero and Shawn Porter -- who battled each other throughout the amateurs for a number of years.

Speaking of Guerrero, his opponent for the co-feature bout on this card will indeed be Gabriel "King" Rosado of Philadelphia, PA (10-2, six KO's). This will be an eight-round contest. Rosado is coming off a nice eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated James Moore on June 4 in Brooklyn, NY.

If you would like to see the last outings for both Guerrero and Porter, go to www.gofightlive.tv and click on the Fights at the Fitz poster to see Guerrero and Porter's bouts from November in Tunica, MS.

Davis Takes On Undefeated Prospect in Florida on Jan. 17!

The comeback continues for DC super middleweight Demetrius Davis. Davis will take on undefeated Rowland Bryant of Altamonte Springs, FL in a six-round bout this Saturday, January 17 at the Rock Church Auditorium in Kissimmee, FL.

Davis (18-14-5, seven KO's) has done well in his last two bouts, winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Brian Norman on May 3 in District Heights, MD and fighting to a disputed eight-round draw with then-undefeated Tommy Karpency on June 13 in Baltimore, MD. Davis is 1-4-1 since returning to the ring in May of 2007.

Bryant (14-0, nine KO's) has not fought since October of 2006 when he won a six-round unanimous decision over Billy Thompson in Tunica, MS.

Russell Jr. Weighs 127 For Nationally Televised Pro Debut!

(Photo by Tom Casino/Showtime)

Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Gary Russell, Jr. (right) weighed in at 127 pounds for his pro debut tomorrow night in Tulsa, OK. Russell's battle against Antonio Reyes will open the ShoBox telecast tomorrow night at 11 PM ET on Showtime. Reyes weighed in at 125 pounds.

Russell commented in a Showtime press release on the excitement leading up to his pro debut.

I am feeling good and ready to perform. I’m not nervous at all. I’m more excited than anything.

“I can’t wait to show the fans what they missed had I fought in the Olympics. Look for a lot of speed and a lot of power.

“I think the main difference I’ve noticed so far training as a pro is that I can take my time a little more and pick my spots. In the amateurs with its computer scoring, it actually made it more difficult for me.

I wasn’t able to do the types of free-style things I wanted to do. But in the pros, I can.’’

Reyes (3-2) said that Russell's choice of fighting him in his pro debut could be a mistake for the 2008 Olympian.

“I think quite possibly that they made a mistake fighting me for his first pro fight, but we all have to start somewhere. I believe all fighters should fight good fighters to get experience. You are only as good as the guys you fight.

“This is not an easy fight for either of us, but I know he is going to have to be at his best. Nobody wants to start his pro record with a loss, but this is my chance and I’m stoked, super excited and really looking forward to fighting on SHOWTIME.

“He was a great amateur champion and I know he has quick hands, but this is such a huge opportunity for me. I want to test him early and work his body because I’m not so sure he’s tasted real body shots before. He had better bring his “A” game because this is going to be a wonderful fight.’’

'Big Ticket' McRae Heads to New Jersey on Jan. 22!

Undefeated Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae heads to East Rutherford, NJ for a card at the Meadowlands Sheraton on Thursday, January 22.

McRae (3-0, three KO's) will battle Tyyab Beale of Jersey City, NJ (1-1, one KO) in a four-round encounter. McRae is coming off a first-round TKO over Jonathan Felton on December 20 at the Howard University Burr Gymnasium in Washington, DC. Beale scored a second-round TKO over Lamont Barnes on September 26 in Philadelphia, PA.

Baltimore heavyweight Hannibal Otey (0-1) is also slated to be on this card, taking on Elvin Sanchez (1-0, one KO) in a four-round bout.

The bout, as well as the entire card, is slated to be shown on www.gofightlive.tv.

Beltway Boxer Garrett Killed in Shooting!

Sad news to report. Beltway Boxer Steve Garrett was shot and killed near his home in Annapolis on January 6.

According to The Capital newspaper, police were called to Bowman Drive in Annapolis at about 9 p.m. on the sixth for the report of a car accident and found Garrett in a car suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

So far, police have not released any information about a suspect or motive and are seeking the public's help providing any information.

Garrett (2-6, one KO) fought off and on between 2000 and 2007. He served as the pro debut opponents for current IBF Light Heavyweight champ Chad Dawson and "Contender -- Season One" star Peter Manfredo, Jr. Garrett also battled current Beltway Boxers Mike Paschall, Jarell Mason Jackson and Joshua Snyder Garrett's last bout was on November 1, 2007 when he lost to Jimmy Lubash during a Jonathan Odgen Foundation benefit card at Martin's Valley Mansion in Cockeysville, MD.

Garrett was 39 years old. BATB sends its deepest condolences to the family.

Amos Battles Abell in St. Paul, MN January 17!

Dumfries, VA heavyweight Derek Amos steps back in the ring on Saturday, January 17 as he takes on former cruiserweight contender Joey "Minnesota Ice" Abell at the St. Paul Armory in St. Paul, MN.

Amos (15-26, nine KO's) has not fought since being stopped by Adam Seal on May 9 in Fredricksburg, VA. Amos, however, has fought a who's who of cruiserweight and heavyweight former champions and contenders including Chris Byrd, Razor Ruddock, Tony Thompson and Danny Williams.

Abell (20-4, 19 KO's) will also be trying to right himself after three straight losses to veteran journeyman Andrew Greeley, former IBF Cruiserweight champ Al Cole and a first-round disqualification to Jason Nicholson on November 28 when he was ruled for intentionally hitting Nicholson while Nicholson was on the canvas.

This may be a busy year for Amos, who is slated to battle in Kenya on February 28.

Russell Jr. Pro Debut To Be Carried By Showtime!

The pro debut for Capitol Heights, MD featherweight and 2008 Olympian Gary Russell, Jr. will now be a nationally televised event on ShoBox on the Showtime network on Friday, January 16 from the Million Dollar Elm Casino in Tulsa, OK. Russell will take on Antonio Reyes of Dallas, TX (3-2) in the undercard bout.

This means that three Beltway Boxers will be on national television in the first two months of the year. After the Russell bout, both Fernando Guerrero and Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan will be on TV on Friday, February 6. Guerrero will be the co-feature on ESPN2 from the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury, MD while Buchanan will be on ShoBox in the main event from the Tachi Palace in Lemoore, CA.

That number could stretch to four if Anthony Peterson's scheduled 10-round co-feature bout on the Miguel Cotto card on Saturday, February 21 at Madison Square Garden makes the pay-per-view telecast.

Beltway Amateurs Capture Team Title at Regional Silver Gloves!

Congratulations to the Maryland/DC Regional Silver Gloves Team! The Beltway squad captured the team title at the Southeast Regional Silver Gloves Tournament in Wilmington, NC. This squad will send 25 boxers to the National Silver Gloves Tournament in Independence, Missouri February 5-7. They will be a good portion of the Region 3 delegation at the Nationals.

Here are the Beltway's regional Silver Gloves champions for 2009:

10/11 year old division

50lbs. Jerome Williams (Headbangers)
60lbs. Dwayne Holmes (unattached)
65lbs. Jordan White (unattached)
70lbs. Zimmie Dickinson (Dream Team)
75lbs. Demetrius Young (Sugar Ray Leonard)
80lbs. Joey Veazey (Baltimore Boxing)
85lbs. Keegan Grove (Hagerstown)

12/13 year old division

70lbs. Devante Jefferson (Headbangers)
80lbs. Gary Antaunne Russell (Keystone)
85lbs. Aujee Tyler (unattached)
90lbs. Jalonte Cole (Headbangers)
95lbs. Carlton Gray (Dream Team)
125lbs. Demetrius Martin (Headbangers)
132lbs. Kareem Martin (Headbangers)
139lbs. DaQuan Johnson (No Xcuse)
201+ Jerome Rassool-Abdul Aiken (unattached)

14/15 year old division

80lbs. Greg Outlaw (Sugar Ray Leonard)
85lbs. Lawrence Singh (Headbangers)
90lbs. Marquell Tyler (Headbangers)
95lbs. Gervonta Davis (Upton)
125lbs. Eric Hernandez (Old School)
132lbs. Dusty Harrison (Old School)
147lbs. Ronald Gibbs (Upton)
165lbs. Dimitrius Ballard (No Xcuse)
178lbs. Jerry Odom (No Xcuse)

Once again, an incredible performance by our young boxers in the first big Beltway Boxing story of 2009. Best wishes to all in February and thanks to DC Amateur Boxing for the great coverage!

Bout Sheet for Tonight's Southeast Region Silver Gloves Championships!

The following Beltway Amateur Boxers will be competing tonight in championship Southeast Regional Silver Gloves championship bouts starting at 5:45pm ET in Wilmington, NC.

At stake: the opportunity to move on to the 2009 National Silver Gloves February 5-7 in Independence, Missouri. There they will face the other seven regional champions for the number one ranking in the United States in their divisions.

Here is tonight's bout sheet, courtesy of DC Amateur Boxing.com:

10/11 60lbs. Dwayne Holmes vs. Dedrick Wolfred (South Carolina)
10/11 65lbs. Jordan White vs. Marco Diaz (Florida)
10/11 70lbs. Zimmie Dickinson (Dream Team) vs. Israel Chavez (North Carolina)
10/11 75lbs. Demetrius Young (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Dshawn Street (South Carolina)
10/11 80lbs. Joey Veazey (Baltimore Boxing) vs. Shawn Gibson (West Virginia)
10/11 90lbs. Mack Allison (Upton) vs. Demarcus Alston (North Carolina)
10/11 95lbs. Keegan Grove (Hagerstown) vs. Genri Mack (Florida)

12/13 70lbs. Devonte Jefferson (Headbangers) vs. Joey Vargas (Florida)
12/13 80lbs. Gary Antaunne Russell vs. Justin Goodson (Georgia)
12/13 85lbs. Aujee Tyler vs. Tradeia Carptener (Virginia)
12/13 90lbs. Jalonte Cole (Headbangers) vs. Carlos Bernal (Georgia)
12/13 95lbs. Carlton Gray (MD/DC) vs. Wanya Sturdivant
12/13 106lbs. Lamont Roach (MD/DC) vs. Eric Lubin (Florida)
12/13 125lbs. Demetrius Martin (MD/DC) vs. Roberto Suarez (Florida)
12/13 132lbs. Kareem Martin (MD/DC) vs. Lou Grant (Florida)
12/13 139lbs. DaQuan Johnson (MD/DC) vs. Alberto Fundura (Florida)
14/15 90lbs. Marquell Tyler (Headbangers) vs. Ariel Vega (Florida)
14/15 95lbs. Gervonta Davis (Upton) vs. Steve Cross (Florida)
14/15 100lbs. Patrick Harris (Headbagners) vs. Victor Loera (Florida)
14/15 119lbs. Abdiel Rivera (MD/DC) vs. David Rios (Florida)
14/15 125lbs. Eric Hernandez (MD/DC) vs. Kashif El-Amin (North Carolina)
14/15 132lbs. Dusty Harrison (MD/DC) vs. Rashad Hayes (North Carolina)
14/15 147lbs. Ronald Gibbs (MD/DC) vs. Martin Laqunas (Florida)
14/15 156lbs. Desmond Nicholas (MD/DC) vs. Immanuwell Aleem (Virginia)
14/15 178lbs. Jerry Odom (MD/DC) vs. Keon Borough (Alabama)


Five Beltway representatives have already won unopposed championships:
10/11 50lbs. Jerome Williams (Headbangers)
12/13 201+ Jerome Rassool-Abdul Aiken
14/15 80lbs. Greg Outlaw (Sugar Ray Leonard)
14/15 85lbs. Lawrence Singh (Headbangers)
14/15 165lbs. Dimitrius Ballard (No Xcuse)

Update to January 23 Card in Woodlawn!

Some interesting bouts have been added to the Friday, January 23 Baltimore Pro Boxing card at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.

The opponent has been named for undefeated Baltimore, MD welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson (5-0, five KO's) in his first scheduled six-round contest. The opponent will be Rock Hill, SC veteran Darrett Crockett (6-21, four KO's) who will be trying to bounce back from a second-round TKO loss to Tony Jeter on November 14 in Millersville, MD.

There will also be a matchup of young, undefeated Beltway middleweights as Randallstown, MD's Cecil McCalla will take on Lusby, MD's Keith Gross in a four-round contest. Both men have identical records of 3-0, one KO.

The card is also slated to feature the pro debut of Baltimore amateur standout Emmanuel Taylor.

The main event for the card remains the same: Willie "For Real" Williams defends his East Coast Super Middleweight title against fellow Baltimore boxer Henry "Hurricane" Mayes in a rematch. Also, undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell takes on Jason Bergman as well as the rematch between Beltway cruiserweights Robert "The MacAttack" McConnell and Eddie "Diablo" Otts.

Eleven Beltway Amateurs Advance To Silver Glove Regional Finals!

Eleven of 14 Beltway Amateurs advanced to the finals of the Regional Silver Gloves in Wilmington, NC from last night's semifinal action. Here are the results from DC Amateur Boxing.com:

10/11 60lbs.
Dwayne Homes over Carie Wilkes - AL

10/11 65lbs.
Jordan White (Unattached) over Nicholas Sullivan - VA

10/11 70lbs.
Zimmie Dickinson (Dream Team) over Brennon Williams - FL

10/11 75lbs.
Demetrius Young (Sugar Ray Leonard) over Walter Williams - FL

10/11 80lbs.
Joey Veazey (Baltimore Boxing) over Doc Robinson - GA

10/11 85lbs.
Teofino Lopez - FL over Avery Anderson (Headbangers)

12/13 70lbs.
Devonte Jefferson (Headbangers) vs. Mikail Montgomery - GA

12/13 85lbs.
Aujee Tyler (Unattached) over Antonio Vargas - FL

12/13 90lbs.
Jalonte Cole (Headbangers) over Nathaniel King - AL

12/13 125lbs.
Demetrius Martin (Headbangers) over Jonathan Atkisson - VA

14/15 95lbs.
Gervonta Davis (Upton) over Rondarius Hunter - GA

14/15 106lbs.
Nicholas Torrance - GA over Gary Antonio Russell (Keystone)

14/15 125lbs.
Eric Hernandez (Old School) over Harron Sacarras - FL

14/15 139lbs.
Jonathan Ayala - FL over Mike Reed (Dream Team)

Other Beltway representatives went to the finals from action the night before. A full bout sheet should come in tomorrow morning.

According to reports from the event, the result in the Gary Antonio Russell bout was just a terrible decision.

The finals will be tomorrow evening.

Buchanan Slated to Battle Olympic Gold Medalist Ward on ShoBox Feb. 6!

Boxingtalk.com is reporting that Capitol Heights, MD super middleweight Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan will take on 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Andre Ward on Friday, February 6 at the Tachi Palace in Lemoore, CA.

The bout will be a 12-round bout for the NABO Super Middleweight championship and will be a nationally televised ShoBox matchup on Showtime.

The two boxers have almost identical won-loss records. Buchanan is 17-1, 12 KO's and is coming off a ninth-round TKO over Brian Norman on June 25 in Beverly Hills, CA. Ward, a resident of Oakland, CA, is undefeated at 17-0, 12 KO's. Ward has knocked out his last seven opponents.

Ring Magazine Places Petersons Among Boxing's Best Prospects!

In an online column for The Ring, Doug Fischer places the undefeated Peterson Brothers among the sport's best prospects.

Junior welterweight Lamont (26-0, 12 KO's) seems to be further along on the course to a world title than brother Anthony (28-0, 19 KO's), according to Fischer.

In ’08, Peterson was at his methodical best as he shutdown undefeated (34-0) Antonio Mesquita, wore-down tough Rogelio Castaneda Jr. (TKO 9), and outclassed Lanardo Tyner (W 10).

Fischer said Top Rank is currently negotiating a box-off for L. Peterson with undefeated Willy Blain, a two-time Olympian that Peterson beat in the amateurs, for the “interim” WBO belt sometime in the first quarter of the year. Trampler said Peterson would be willing to travel to Europe to beat the Germany based Frenchman.

Meanwhile, Anthony began ’08 with an exciting stoppage of Jose Antonio Izquierdo (TKO 8) and then got quality rounds from tough journeyman Fernando Trejo (W 10) and former titlist Javier Jauregui (W 10). According to Fischer, Top Rank believes A. Peterson is close to being ready to challenge for a title, but still needs some quality rounds against a competitive veteran or two. It looks like he will be added to the undercard of one of the two shows that Top Rank is televising on its Feb. 21 remote pay-per-view broadcast, possibly the one from New York that includes the Miguel Cotto main event.

Bout Sheet for Today's Regional Silver Gloves Action!

Courtesy of DC Amateur Boxing.com, this is the Day Two Bout List for the Beltway Boxers competing today at the Regional Silver Gloves in Wilmington, NC. All winners will advance to championship finals tomorrow evening.

10/11 60lbs.
Dwayne Homes vs. Carie Wilkes - AL

10/11 65lbs.
Jordan White (Unattached) vs. Nicholas Sullivan - VA

10/11 70lbs.
Zimmie Dickinson (Dream Team) vs. Brennon Williams - FL

10/11 75lbs.
Demetrius Young (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Walter Williams - FL

10/11 80lbs.
Joey Veazey (Baltimore Boxing) vs. Doc Robinson - GA

12/13 70lbs.
Devonte Jefferson (Headbangers) vs. Mikail Montgomery - GA

12/13 85lbs.
Aujee Tyler (Unattached) vs. Antonio Vargas - FL

12/13 90lbs.
Jalonte Cole (Headbangers) vs. Nathaniel King - AL

12/13 125lbs.
Demetrius Martin (Headbangers) vs. Jonathan Atkisson - VA

14/15 95lbs.
Gervonta Davis (Upton) vs. Rondarius Hunter - GA

14/15 106lbs.
Gary Antonio Russell (Keystone) vs. Nicholas Torrance - GA

14/15 125lbs.
Eric Hernandez (Old School) vs. Harron Sacarras - FL

14/15 139lbs.
Mike Reed (Dream Team) vs. Jonathan Ayala - FL

Beltway Amateurs Off to Good Start At Silver Glove Regionals!

Day one of the Regional Silver Gloves in Wilmington, NC saw Beltway Amateurs win eight of nine bouts. Here are the first-day results courtesy of DC Amateur Boxing.com:


10/11 75lbs.
Demetrius Young (SRL) defeated Ramsey Knox - NC

12/13 75lbs.
Terrance Green GA defeated Anthony Stuckey (Main Street Gym)

12/13 95lbs.
Carlton Gray (Dream Team) defeated Jacoby Mack - GA

14/15 95lbs.
Gervonta Davis (Upton Boxing) defeated Rondarius Hunter - GA (rescheduled for Friday)

14/15 106lbs.
Gary Antonio Russell (Keystone) defeated Derricke Choice - VA

14/15 132lbs.
Dusty Harrison (Old School) defeated Carlos Ouero - FL

14/15 178lbs.
Jerry Odom (No Xcuse) defeated Marcus Figuero - FL

12/13 80lbs.
Gary Antaunne Russell defeated Joshua Gimenez - FL

Wilson Eliminated From 'The Contender!'

Takoma Park, MD cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson was eliminated from The Contender in last night's telecast. Wilson lost a five-round unanimous decision to Ehinomen 'Hino' Ehikhamenor during the taping in Singapore.

For the last two weeks of the show, Wilson faced questions about his weight. In week four of the show, Wilson's trainer for the show, John Bray, checked his weight and found out that Wilson was at 210 pounds -- 10 pounds over the cruiserweight limit.

Wilson put on a sauna suit and tried to work off the excess poundage. Wilson was successful -- he did get down to 200 pounds -- but it cost him in the bout. Wilson was fatigued and did not have the normal spark, nor could he land his famed power punches. Ehikhamenor won by scores of 50-44 (twice) and 50-45.

The loss is included in Wilson's record and he falls to 23-8-3, 20 KO's and he has lost three of his last four. Ehikhamenor, a native of Benin who now fights out of Queens, NY, now has a record of 13-3, seven KO's.

Paschall Promotions Brings Amateurs to Michael's Eighth Avenue January 16!

Amateur boxing returns to Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD on Friday night, January 16. Paschall Promotions, led by "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall plans to have a card that will include up to 15 bouts.

One of the key bouts on the card will be for the Maryland Novice Youth Super Heavyweight championship. Ron Gamble of Club One Fitness in Millersville, MD will take on Ryan McGowan of the new Ground Control Gym in Baltimore.

Beltway Amateurs Continue Rise in World Rankings!

For the second consecutive month, a number of Beltway amateur boxers are ranked among the world's best -- according to Michael Smith, a gentleman out of the United Kingdom who has taken the time to rank the world's best amateurs in his independent rankings.

In the Junior (formerly Cadet) rankings, the big mover was 154-pounder Dimitrius Ballard who jumped from 10th to number seven.

At 106 pounds, Gary Antonio Russell moved up two places to number 11. At 119 pounds, Antonio Magruder remained in the 11th spot while Alantez Fox drop one position to number seven at 139 pounds.

In the Youth (formerly Junior) world rankings, both Gary Allen Russell and Emmanuel Taylor dropped a notch in the 141-pound class. Russell is now at 13 while Taylor is at 15. Nick Kisner held steady at number eight in the 201-pound class.

In a separate posting, Smith labeled boxers who he feels will be future champions once they turn 16 and enter the Youth rankings. Included on that list are Beltway Boxers Dusty Harrison and Gervonta "Tank" Davis.

Guerrero Profiled as 'New Face' in Ring Magazine!

The latest issue of The Ring Magazine has a nice profile of Salisbury, MD middleweight prospect Fernando Guerrero in its "New Faces" section.

Ring Managing Editor Joseph Santoliquito talks about Guerrero's humble upbringing in the Dominican Republic and how he got involved in boxing.

This issue has former cruiserweight champ David Haye on the cover and is on newsstands now.

Beltway Boxing 2008 -- The Year of Controversy!

Although the Beltway Boxing Scene saw great performances in 2008, The 2008 Beltway Boxing year may be best remembered for the number of controversial situations that took place. Four Beltway-area cards contained some sort of controversial bout and a fifth situation made world-wide news. BATB takes a chronological look back at the strange situations that took place.

January 31 – Michael’s Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD

This situation became known as “The Bout Before the Bout.” Heavyweights Askia Snyder of Baltimore and "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA were slated to meet in a four-round contest. However, when Felton entered the ring, he began to move toward Snyder and began to taunt him. One of Snyder's cornermen tried to move Felton away with a little push. Felton pushed back, Snyder jumped in and a full-scale two-man brawl ensued with both men ending up on the mat. The bout never happened and was ruled a no contest.

A rematch was slated for May 29 in the Ballroom, but Snyder was injured in sparring against Tony Thompson. Felton was knocked out by Harvey Jolly in the first round. Snyder did not fight for the rest of the year.

April 3 – Michael’s Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD

If this were an episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E, this situation would be known as “The Liniment Spray Affair.”

Two promising Beltway featherweights – Tyrell “Da Show Shock ‘A” Samuel of Baltimore, MD and Thomas “KO” Snow of Capitol Heights, MD – were scheduled to meet for the Maryland State Featherweight title. All was going according to plan during the card, until there was a longer than usual break between the co-feature bout and the main event.

Moments before the contest, Snow put on a spray that he says he has used before every bout without incident. In this case, however, Samuel’s trainer, former world champion Vincent “The Ambassador” Pettway, smelled the spray and said it smelled like liniment and was afraid that the spray could get into their boxers's eyes. Snow tried to wash the spray off, but there was some still on his body, enough to force Maryland State Athletic Commission members to cancel the bout.

There was a rematch planned for District Heights, MD on May 3 but Snow took ill, fainting after a training session. The bout has never taken place. Snow, who was undefeated in May, lost his first bout by second-round KO to Teon Kennedy in July. Samuel went on to win the Maryland State Super Featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Ron Boyd on November 20.


August 8 – Beijing, China

The Olympic Dream is dashed for Gary Russell, Jr. of Capital Heights, MD. Russell was considered one of the best American hopes for an Olympic gold medal. However, on the evening of August 8, Russell was disqualified for being one pound over the 119-pound bantamweight limit. Later, Russell was found unconscious and severely dehydrated by one of his teammates, Luis Yanez. According to NBC, medical personnel were able to rehydrate him after he made a final attempt to make weight.

"We became alarmed a couple of days ago when we saw he wasn't sweating like he should," now-former US Head Coach Dan Campbell told NBC after the Olympic draw. "When these kids try to make weight, sometimes they cut corners. What we believe is he did not increase his fluid intake after we told him to."

Russell weighed 121 pounds prior to the weigh-in and was trying to get to the required 119 before the weigh-in at 6 a.m. the next day. Russell went running to get the last two pounds off and collapsed after returning to the Olympic Village. His father, Gary Russell Sr., said that his son passed out after resting from the run. He was treated with fluids by doctors at his dormitory but was not hospitalized.

To his credit, Russell was very honest and forthright about what happened and talked freely about his disappointment in classy media interviews. Russell is slated to make his pro debut on January 16.

August 15 – Ibiza Nightclub, Washington, DC

The night an ESPN announcer does a Warner Wolf imitation and this reporter is accused of having a financial stake in a local boxer.

This was a nationally-televised bout for the vacant United States Boxing Organization Middleweight title featuring Baltimore’s Ishmail “The Arsenal” Arvin and Anthony “The Messenger” Thompson of Philadelphia. The card was promoted by a new promotional group (Heavy Hitter Promotions) in a new location and was the first card regulated by new DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission chair Jason Turner.

The controversy began in the third round when the heads of the two boxers collided unintentionally. Although Thompson suffered a nasty gash and lump over his left eye, he dropped Arvin twice in the same round.

To his credit, Arvin fought back bravely and managed to gain ground in the bout. Along the way, Thompson's eye got progressively worse. In the last two rounds of the bout, both ringside doctors Dawne Carroll and Greg Banks took close looks at Thompson's cut.
Finally after the sixth round, Doctor Banks decided that Thompson's cut had suffered enough and advised referee Malik Waleed to stop the contest.

Here's where the controversy comes in. ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore did his best Warner Wolf impression by saying “Let’s Go to the Videotape” to referee Waleed, actually putting a monitor into the ring and showing him the replay. Replays clearly showed there was a headbutt, although Waleed, in real time, gave no signal that the cut was a result of a head butt, which means the cut came as the result of a punch. Since instant replays can't be used to officially overturn a decision in DC (or anywhere else for that matter, the scorecards did not come into play and Arvin won by technical knockout. The DC Commission denied a protest by the Thompson camp while the USBO acknowledged the Arvin victory, but stripped him of the title.

Months later, I discovered an interview where Anthony Thompson accused me of having a financial stake in Arvin’s career and that I somehow influenced the decision. For the record, that is untrue and I did not speak to any official during that evening. In fact, I watched that bout from the balcony area of the Ibiza Nightclub.

September 5 – Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD

A crazy Beltway Bout garners more hits on BATB than any other bout in four years.

It was supposed to be a quality bout between two rising middleweight prospects. The result became the most talked-about bout in recent Beltway Boxing history. Jessie “The Beast” Nicklow of Baltimore faced Charlottsville, VA’s George “War Time” Rivera in an eight-round contest.

Nicklow was in complete control of the contest early on in the bout, using very effective inside work to break Rivera down. Nicklow scored a knockdown in the fourth with a beautiful uppercut to the body. Nicklow's continued good work inside forced Rivera to grab and hold, which led to referee Kenny Chevalier taking a point away from Rivera in the sixth round.

As the eighth round began, Chevalier sent both men back to their corners to get a fair start. The bell rang but Rivera was still heading to his corner and had his back partially turned to Nicklow. Nicklow ran across and clocked Rivera, knocking him down. Chevalier did not rule an official knockdown, but the hit seemed to wake up Rivera and set off a small melee that caused arena security to rush in.

Once security cleared the ring, the bout resumed, but it was Rivera that did the charging, catching Nicklow with solid shots that dropped him to the canvas, not once but twice. After the second knockdown, Chevalier halted the action, and after a long period of time, found that Rivera's mouthpiece had been missing. The bout was stopped again later in the round because of a cut in the middle of Rivera's forehead. After the round resumed, Nicklow hung on for the victory.

The controversy surrounding the bout caused the most hits on any single post in the four-year history of BATB – 177 in a seven-day period.

A rematch was in order and it did take place on November 1 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. Rivera won a clear-cut eight-round unanimous decision.

Now here are some 2008 Stats:

Beltway Boxers made 25 nationally-televised appearances in 2008. The won-loss record was 13-11, six KO's, one NC.

Nine of those appearances were on ESPN2, followed by:

Showtime: six times

Telefutura: two times

Versus: two times

PPV: two times

HBO: two times

NBC: one.

Fox Sports Net: one

Lamont Peterson made the most national TV appearances with three, followed by Fernando Guerrero, Anthony Peterson and Hasim Rahman each with two. The other Beltway Boxers on TV were:

Eric Aiken, DeMarcus Corley, Darnell Wilson (not counting his Contender appearance), George Rivera, Joshua Snyder, Horace Grant, Henry Buchanan, Tony Thompson, Gary Russell, Jr. (in a taped NBC appearance prior to the Olympics), Mike Paschall, Ishmail Arvin, Alexander Johnson, Emmanuel Nwodo, Daniel Attah, Bayan Jargal and Tim Coleman.

We should also mention that Mark Tucker and Ty Barnett made appearances on Yahoo Sports.com in undercard bouts prior to a pay-per-view card, as did Nwodo on ESPN 360 and Darrell Martin made two appearances on www,GoFightLive.tv. Also, Thomas Snow made a regional appearance on CN8.

As far as cards in the Beltway area, Maryland led the way once again with 17 cards, marking the fifth straight year that Maryland has had 17 or more cards in a calendar year. Among the 17 cards were new locations in District Heights and Millersville and a return to Salisbury for the first time in 12 years.

Virginia had 10 total cards, with six of thse being in the Beltway region. There were cards in Danville and Norfolk that used mostly Tidewater area boxers.

DC had three cards this year in the first full year under Jason Turner's leadership as commissioner. All three were very eventful cards.


That concludes BATB's look back at 2008. Coming up later this week: some of the top questions that we will take into 2009!

Beltway Boxing Year-In-Review: Micellaneous!

Here are some other BATB Awards to hand out for 2008:

Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year--Juan “Savior” Rodriguez vs.Benjamin Borteye, November 7 – Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, MD

This was an incredible bout that featured two guys VERY young in their careers.

Debuting Haymarket, VA junior welterweight Juan "Savior" Rodriguez scored a heart-pounding third-round knockout over a very game Benjamin Borteye of Silver Spring, MD.

Both boxers opened their arsenals from the opening bell and traded brutal shots. Rodriguez was able to land left hands with regularity, while Borteye effectively used uppercuts that bloodied Rodriguez's nose.

In the third round, Rodriguez used a short right uppercut and caught Borteye coming in. The impact made Borteye do the splits as he crashed to the canvas. Borteye beat referee Kenny Chevalier's count but shortly after, Rodriguez landed a left-right combination that dropped Borteye to the canvas face first. Chevalier waved off the bout at 58 seconds of the third.

Since Rodriguez made his pro debut in November of 2008, he qualifies for the rookie class of 2009. Rodriguez is slated to be back in action on January 17 at the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA.


Special Recognition -- Todd “White Lightning” Wilson vs. Mike Denby –September 19, Maryland Sportsplex, Millersville, MD

Undefeated junior welterweight Todd "White Lightning" Wilson of Fairfax, VA put on a gutsy performance in winning his first six-round contest by unanimous decision over an equally tough "Strictly Business" Mike Denby of Felton, DE. After the first four rounds, it was Wilson who finished extremely strong, picking up the pace in the final two rounds to earn the decision.

Knockout of the Year: Seth Mitchell TKO2 over Alexis Cruz Medina, May 29, Michael’s Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD

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. The knockout has become a hit on YouTube, thanks ironically to Medina, who posted the knockout on YouTube.

Special Recognition: Joe Gardner TKO1 over Donavan Toles, October 18, ABC Sports Arena, Springfield, VA

Landover, MD heavyweight Joe Gardner made his pro debut a successful one and caused an hour-long delay of this card in the process. Gardner scored a first-round TKO over Warren, OH's Donavan Toles. Gardner used an almost 60-pound weight advantage early as he leveled Toles with a brutal three-piece combination that ended with a crushing left that stretched Toles at forty seconds of the round. Toles had to be taken to a nearby hospital for observation.


Card of the Year: October 18, ABC Sports Arena, Springfield, VA.

This was the card of the year for a lot of reasons.

1. Enthusiasm. The enthusiasm surrounding the main event on the card -- The NABC US Middleweight Title bout between John Mackey and Jesse Williams -- was unlike any other that I saw in 2008. I have never seen line dancing celebrate a boxer's victory before.

2. Solid undercard. The minor upset Darrell Martin had over Andre Nichols in the co-feature may have helped give Martin the confidence to score an even bigger upset in Philadelphia later in the year. There was a good matchup between Lenwood Dozier and Benjamin Borteye and a solid performance by Norman Allen. Also the Joe Gardner knockout of Donavan Toles was on this card.

3. Co-Promotion. This card was a co-promotion with After Shock Events and Sugar Han Productions, continuing to show the unity that seems to prevail among the Virginia promoters.

4. Nice assistance by Beltway Boxing Legends. A number of former Beltway-area pros worked the card as trainers during the evening. Former IBF Junior Middleweight champion Vincent "The Ambassador" Pettway worked the corner of Darrell Martin. Former USBA Light Heavyweight champ Tim "Da Bamma" Hillie was in the corner of Norman Allen. Former middleweight contender Victor Davis guided Joe Gardner while Willie "The Heat" Taylor was in the corner of Daivii Otgonbayer. All four trainers led their charges to victory.

Other cards deserving of recognition:

September 19, Maryland Sportsplex, Millersville, MD

This was a nice maiden voyage card for Better Promotions. The card had the great bout between Todd Wilson and Mike Denby, a controversy in a female bout between Shelly Seivert and Carinne Hamlett. Also, the card saw Mark "TNT" Tucker go four rounds for the first time in his career, stopping veteran Carlos "The Headbanger" Jones and a great bout between Ikem Orji and Raymondo Elliott.

March 1, Pikesville National Guard Armory, Pikesville, MD

This card is on this list because it was so bizarre. This was perhaps the shortest night of boxing action ever seen in the Beltway -- Six bouts, six first-round knockouts -- a total of 7 minutes and 39 seconds of actual ring time.

Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow scored a crunching knockout over veteran Richard "Tiger" Lee Hall. The bout ended at 2:06 of the first.

Mark "TNT" Tucker scored a knockout in his pro debut over Walter Edwards of Wilson, NC. Edwards could not come out for the second round, making the knockout at the end of the first.

Shelley Seivert scored the first knockout of her pro career, stopping Leslie Lubaczewski of Bramwell, West Virginia in 34 seconds.

Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell celebrated his signing with Golden Boy Promotions by knocking out Maurice Winslow of Wilson, NC in 46 seconds. Mitchell is 2-0, one KO. Winslow is 1-5-1, one KO.

Lenwood "Mr. Composure" Dozier stopped Wilson's Louechie Wiggins in 27 seconds.

In an all-Florida matchup, undefeated welterweight Richard "El Tigre" Abril of Naples (by way of Cuba) stopped Marcos Hernandez of Miami (by way of the Dominican Republic in 46 seconds.

These were all legitimate knockouts. The opponents came to fight, they just got hammered by the victors.

Special Recognition: October 3, Wicomico Youth and Civic Center, Salisbury, MD.

Probably, this card would be the card of the year -- if I actually witnessed the card in person. The card does deserve special recognition because of the crowd numbers as well as the apparent enthusiasm before, during and after the card. It put Salisbury on the boxing map and garnered an ESPN2 date in February.


I have two more items to mention in our year-in-review that I will bring to light no later than Monday.

BATB Year-In-Review: Beltway Boxer of The Year!

To say this was a tough decision is an understatement. As some have said, each candidate really made some good strides this year.

However, the decision came down to two and, although the two took divergent paths to get this recognition, there was not enough distinction between the two to give it to just one Beltway Boxer.

Therefore, BATB’s choices for Beltway Boxers of the Year are:

Lamont Peterson, junior welterweight, Washington, DC, 26-0, 12 KO’s and “The OC Bomber” Joshua Snyder, middleweight, Ocean City, MD, 8-3-1, three KO’s.

Lamont Peterson was able to maintain his present course en route to a world title, winning three bouts and an interim NABF junior welterweight title. Peterson started 2008 with a solid 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated (34-0) Antonio Mesquita on January 10 in Biloxi, MS. While Mesquita had more in-ring experience, Peterson handled his foe easily winning by shutout on one judge’s card and by a 99-90 score on another.

Peterson also made two visits to Las Vegas, winning his bout in July over Rogelio Castaneda, Jr. by ninth-round TKO and a 10-round unanimous decision over Lanardo Tyner in November.

Peterson has been able to not only upgrade his competition, but also change the perception of some in the sport who started 2008 believing that he had not reached world championship-caliber status. With three quality wins, Peterson has officially reached that level. Peterson is scheduled to get an interim WBO title shot in the first quarter of 2009, but a full-scale world title shot should be in his future by the middle of this year.


But in 2008, no one Beltway Boxer made a bigger move from virtual obscurity to prominence than the “OC Bomber” Joshua Snyder.

Snyder’s rise really started in November of 2007 when he pinned the first (and so far, only loss) on rising Pittsburgh, PA prospect Jimmy Lubash. In retrospect, the victory over Lubash was a sign of things to come.

Snyder’s four opponents in 2008 had a combined won-loss record of 37-2-1. The year started with a tough eight-round majority decision loss in January to then-undefeated Jessie Nicklow at the Pikesville Armory. To that point, no boxer had given Nicklow that much difficulty.

The next month, Snyder raised some eyebrows with a fourth-round TKO over tough Charles Norwood in Winchester, VA. This was the first time Norwood had been stopped in his six-bout career.

In June, Snyder received an opportunity to fight on national television (ESPN2). His opponent -- John Mackey – was undefeated going into the contest and had been boxing very well. The bout impressed those at the Catholic Youth Center in Scranton, PA as well as the national TV audience. Snyder knocked Mackey down twice in the bout, including a solid fourth-round knockdown that gave Snyder the four-round majority decision victory.

Snyder and Mackey would meet again in November at Fight Night 2008 in DC. The two battled hard once again – this time for six rounds. This time, however, judges couldn’t decide on a winner and the bout was declared a draw.

Snyder sealed his claim to this award in December with his eight-round split decision victory over previously undefeated Aaron Pryor, Jr. in Pryor’s hometown of Cincinnati, OH. That victory is one of those where a boxer who has become a champion can look back and see where the ascension to the next level began.

It was fun seeing Snyder sneak up on the boxing world. It will also be fun seeing Snyder continue his rise to the next level of the sport.


Others deserving consideration:

Anthony Peterson, lightweight, Washington, DC, 28-0, 19 KO’s

Peterson was able to win a NABF Interim title but was stymied by the politics of the sport. Without a substantial break in action, Peterson dropped from number one to number three in the WBO rankings. Look for Peterson to finally break through and earn a title shot once the logjam at the top finally breaks.

“The Persecutor” Mike Paschall, super middleweight, Baltimore, MD 18-1-1, four KO’s.

Paschall took a nice step up in competition, facing foes that had a lot more in-ring experience. After his relatively easy victory over Gary Lavender in January, Paschall put in an outstanding effort in April, scoring a fourth-round TKO over Bruce Rumbolz followed by a dominating eight-round unanimous decision in May over former world-title contender Larry Marks.

The Marks victory led to a nationally-televised (Showtime) bout against highly-touted prospect Andre Dirrell in Tacoma, WA in August. Paschall more than held his own during the bout before Dirrell opened up a nasty cut on the bridge of Paschall’s nose. The bleeding could not be stopped by the ringside official and the bout was stopped in the fourth. Paschall showed his heart by wanting to continue the bout.

Paschall bounced back with a rather lackluster six-round unanimous decision win over James Johnson in November.

Paschall’s goal for 2009 is to get back to the level where can get another Dirrell-like opportunity.

Fernando Guerrero – see Rookie of the Year


Bayan Jargal – see Prospect of the Year.