Get Ready For The 'Awesome April of Beltway Boxing'!

If you heard the latest BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show, then you have heard this information. But I thought I should post for those who missed the info.

Let me reiterate that in 20-plus years of covering boxing in this area, I can't remember one month being as busy as what will happen in April. We've had periods of action that overlap from one month to the next. We've had two televised cards in a single week. But I can't remember a 30-day period with so many cards involved.

This is why we call April 2009 -- the "Awesome April of Beltway Boxing."

We will begin the month on Thursday, April 2 with two cards, one pro and one amateur. Ballroom Boxing will have its first card of 2009 on that evening at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD and it will be the first official collaboration between Ballroom Boxing and TKO Promotions of Houston, TX.

The main event is slated to feature Baltimore super middleweight "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall (18-1-1, four KO's) in a bout against a true veteran -- "The Punching Policeman" Sam Hill of St. Louis, MO (17-10-1, 10 KO's). Paschall has not fought since his six-round unanimous decision win over James Johnson on the last Ballroom card on November 20. Hill has faced some of the best in the business including former world champions David Reid and Jermain Taylor as well as contenders Tarvis Simms, Rico Hoye, Sebastien Demers and Peter Quillin.

Also on April 2 and continuing until Saturday, April 4, are the 2009 National Collegiate Boxing Championships at the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum in College Park, MD. The first round on April 2 has an afternoon session at 3 PM and an evening session at 7 PM. On Friday and Saturday, the bouts begin at 7 PM.

A number of colleges from around the country will send representatives. As a matter of fact, the competition from the three regions -- Eastern, Midwest and Far West -- are competing over the next week. The Eastern Regionals begin today at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD and continue through Sunday afternoon.

There is a possibility that www.gofightlive.tv will be showing parts of the National tournament. I mention this for two reasons: One, they are looking for people to buy the pay-per-view internet broadcast at $12.99 for the entire weekend. Also, if you buy the pay-per-view broadcast, you will hear the voices of "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and yours truly as we will be calling the action.

Then on Friday, April 10, Baltimore Pro Boxing returns to Du Burns Arena in Baltimore for a card known as "The Third Time's The Charm." The main event will be the third meeting between Baltimore super middleweights Henry "Hurricane" Mayes and Willie "For Real" Williams. The two men went to a six-round draw in Salisbury, MD last October and an eight-round draw in January at Woodlawn, MD. This bout will be a 10-round encounter for the Maryland State Light Heavyweight title.

That won't be the only rematch on the card. Baltimore welterweight Tim "Pit Bull" Coleman will face rugged Carlos "El Perro" Cisneros of Bladensburg, MD. Coleman (14-1-1, three KO's) will be boxing for the first time since losing a 10-round unanimous decision to James De La Rosa on October 3 in Salisbury. Coleman defeated Cisneros (9-16-1, six KO's) in May of 2007 at Rosecroft Raceway (not Martin's Valley Mansion as I said in the post-fight show). Also scheduled to appear on this card are James Stevenson, Shelly Seivert, Emmanuel Taylor and Rob McConnell. McConnell will donate his purse to the United States Armed Forces.

Also on April 10, Paschall Promotions will have another amateur card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie.

We move to Friday, April 17 for the Regional Golden Gloves Championships at the Waldorf Jaycees Community Center in Waldorf, MD. This will feature boxers from DC and Baltimore taking on competitors from Virginia and North Carolina.

Then on Friday, April 24, Beltway Boxers return to the Shipley Arena in Westminister, MD for a TNT Promotions card that will include undefeated light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker.

The Beltway-area cards conclude on Thursday, April 30 at Martin's West in Woodlawn for another Baltimore Pro Boxing card. This card will have special personal meaning because it will be the 100th pro card that BATB has covered in its almost five-year history.

Also, there is talk -- and I emphasize TALK -- of a card coming to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, April 18. I originally heard word that it would not happen. Now comes word that there are still entities trying to get this card together. If it happens, we will surely let you know.


And if that wasn't enough, there are out-of-town cards that feature Beltway Boxers in prominent bouts.

Saturday, April 11: Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin vs. Derek "Pooh" Ennis for the vacant USBA Junior Middleweight title at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.

Saturday, April 11: Darrell Martin and Bernard Brown on a card at the Woodlands Resort in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Martin(4-7, one KO) vs. Antonio Espinosa (9-0) and Brown (6-5-2, three KO's) vs. Jason Gavern (16-5). UPDATE: Baltimore lightweight Raymondo Elliott (0-1) has just been added to this card. Elliott will face Clinton B. Douglas of Philadelphia, PA (2-2-2) in a four-round contest.

Saturday, April 11: Scott "Cujo" Sigmon, "El Guerro" Juan Carlos Robles and George "War Time" Rivera all on a Major League Boxing card at the Lynchburg Armory, Lynchburg, VA.

Friday, April 24: Willis "The Prophet" Lockett takes on Larry Marks in a six-round bout at Dover Downs in Dover, DE.

Saturday, April 25: Lamont Peterson challenges Willy Blain for the interim WBO Super Lightweight title at Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez, Bayamon, Puerto Rico on a HBO telecast.

To say the least, it will be quite a month indeed. Stay with BATB for any late-breaking developments.