Golden Gloves Recap from Maryland Independent!

Tammy Showalter of the Maryland Independent provides a nice recap of last Friday's Washington Golden Gloves finals with an emphasis on boxers in Southern Maryland. Here's the link:

"http://somdnews.com/stories/03312010/indytop170206_32258.shtml">

We Interrupt Our Boxing Coverage for This Shameless Plug!

I just wanted to briefly mention that I am honored to be working as one of the public address announcers for an outstanding high school basketball tournament that will be taking place starting tomorrow, April 1 at the Coppin State University Physical Activities Center in Baltimore, MD and continuing through Saturday, April 3.


It is the National High School Invitational and it will feature some of the best high school teams in the country, including four that are ranked in USA Today's Top 25 -- Number 2 Findlay Prep (Nevada), Number 6 Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, VA), Number 11 Winter Park of Florida and Number 14 Christ School of North Carolina. Also, Montrose Christian of Rockville, MD will be a part of this tournament.

Every game of the tourney will be televised. The four games I will work on Thursday will be on ESPNU beginning at 2 PM ET. There will be four games on Friday that I will miss because of the boxing card in DC. The two boys semifinal games will be on ESPN2 beginning at noon ET and the two girls games will be on ESPNU starting at 4:30 PM.

I will work the finals on Saturday, April 3. The Girls Final will be on ESPN2 at 11:30 AM and the Boys Final will be on ESPN at 1:30.

Again, I am honored to be a part of this tourney and I look forward to seeing many of you there.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled boxing coverage.

Friday's DC Card Gets Internet Press!

Two nice articles are available for readers concerning the Babie Girl Productions card on Friday, April 2 at the Washington Convention Center.

Tri Nguyen of SecondsOut.com has a preview of the card that can be found here:

"http://www.secondsout.com/usa-boxing-news/usa-boxing-news/from-prospects-to-contenders-in-washington-dc">

Also, Jeff Stoyanoff and Mike Zepeda of RingsideReport.com have a revealing interview with Jessup, MD middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter on this link:

"http://www.ringsidereport.com/?p=1880">

Kisner, Contreras added to Friday Ballroom Boxing Card!

Ferndale, MD heavyweight "The American Child" Nick Kisner has been added to this Friday's Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

No official word on who the undefeated Kisner (2-0, one KO) will face. Kisner scored his first pro knockout on March 20 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, stopping Kevin Johnson in the third round.

Also slated to be on the card is Irvington, NJ junior welterweight Francisco Contreras (13-0, 12 KO's). This will be Contreras's second trip to the Ballroom. On June 18 of last year, Contreras scored a devastating first-round knockout over Gustavo Meija.

Davis Loses Majority Decision in California!

Another close loss for DC light heavyweight Demetrius Davis. This past Saturday, Davis lost an eight-round majority decision to Gayrat Ahmedov of Andijan, Uzbekistan at the Karma Club in Victorville, CA.

This report comes from Fightnews.com's Francisco Salazar:

Davis’ awkward style worked well for him in the first couple of rounds. Davis was able to work the body of Ahmedov with left hooks, eventually following it up with occasional hook to the head.

Ahmedov began to stalk Davis around the ring, attacking the body as well. Ahmedov began to mix in an occasional right hand to the head during the middle rounds.

Davis would switch back and forth from a conventional to a southpaw stance, using any angles to land to the body as well. It was in the fifth round that Ahmedov landed vicious shots to the head, which Davis seemed to take well.

The best round of the fight was the eighth round as Davis was busier, probably sensing he was down on the cards. Although Davis was busier, Ahmedov landed the harder punches. Both traded heavy punches in the middle of the ring. Davis looked as though he scored a knockdown with a left hand, but referee Jack Reiss ruled it a slip as he pointed out that both fighters’ feet were tangled.

One judge scored the bout 76-76, while the remaining judges scored the fight 77-75 for Ahmedov. Fightnews.com scored the bout 77-75 in favor of Ahmedov.

Davis has now lost seven straight and his record falls to 19-21-5, seven KO's while Ahmedov is now 14-0-1, nine KO's.

Rahman Wins By First-Round TKO in Kansas City!

As expected, former heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman made short work of Clinton Boldridge on Friday night at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City, MO. Rahman (46-7-2, 37 KO's) scored a first-round TKO over Boldridge (9-16-1, seven KO's), stopping him at 2:50 of the first.

A. Peterson Cheated Out of Title Shot!

The politics of boxing strike their ugly head once again. ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that promoter Bob Arum has had a change of plans and will not match undefeated and number one contender Anthony Peterson in a title shot against newly-crowned WBC Lightweight champ Humberto Soto on June 5 at Yankee Stadium in New York that was scheduled to be televised on HBO.

"It isn't going to be Soto-Peterson on that card," Arum told ESPN.com. Apparently, Soto wants to fight in Mexico and is looking to go that route.

That will do it from Waldorf. Don't forget the Regional championships are Friday, April 16 back here in Waldorf. Good night from Southern Maryland!

Old School Boxing wins the overall team trophy as they had seven champions during the tournament.

In the 201+ pound championship, the winner is: Danny Kelly, who defeated Jerrell Reeves.

The final bout of the evening -- 201+ pounds championship: Danny Kelly (Headbangers) vs. Jerrell Reeves (Old School).

The 178 pound championship goes to: Jerry Odom, who defeats Eric Govan.

In the ring now -- The 178 pound male championship: Jerry Odom (No Xcuse) vs. Eric Govan (Sugar Ray).

The 178 pound female champion is: Tori Nelson, who defeats Dominque McGlotten.

Next is the 178 pound female title bout -- Tori Nelson (Old School) vs. Dominique McGlotten (UMAR).

The 165 pound champion is: Demitrious Ballard, who defeats Demond Nicholson.

Now in the ring: The 165 pound open title bout: Demond Nicholson (Cherry Lane) vs. Demitrious Ballard (No Xcuse).

The 152 pound open title goes to: David Grayton, who defeats Jacey Thompson.

Now up: The 152 pound open title bout -- David Grayton (Headbangers) vs. Jacey Thompson (Sugar Ray).

In a great bout, The 141 pound open title goes to Gary Allan Russell, who defeated Michael Reed.

Action continues with 141 pound title bout -- Michael Reed (Dream Team) vs. G. Allan Russell (Keystone).

Sportsmanship awards went to Stephon McDonald (Young Titans) and Gregory Wright (Baltimore Boxing).

132 pound open champion is: Kevin Rivers, Jr., who defeated Joseph Rector.

There is now a 10-minute intermission.

Next up: 132 pound open final: Joseph Rector (Books and Boxing) vs. Kevin Rivers (Headbangers).

Nice technical bout in our first open encounter.

The 123 pound open champion is: Shadeed Floyd who defeats Glen Dezurn.

Open division underway. 123 pound title bout: Glen Dezurn (UMAR) vs Shadeed Floyd (Langdon).

Crazy stat of the night: Seven of the nine bouts in the novice division were won by the boxer in the blue corner.

201+ Novice championship goes to: Jeremy Williams, who defeats Jarmar Johnson.

Final Novice bout of the evening -- 201+ pound championship: Jarmar Johnson (Sugar Ray) vs. Jeremy Williams (Keystone).

The 201 pound novice title goes to: Kelvin DeLao who defeats Andre Ward.

Now in the ring: 201 pound novice championship: Kelvin DeLao (Round One) vs. Andre Ward (Young Titans)

178 pound novice title goes to: Brevan Woyzdain who defeats Patrick Coye.

178 pound novice title bout in the ring; Patrick Coye (Old School) vs. Brevin Woydzain (Frederick Fight Club).

The 165 pound novice title bout was over in a hurry. Danny Cannaday (Club One) RSC-1 over Marshall Thompson (Keystone).

The 152 pound novice title goes to: Kevin Ottley, who defeats Allen Brown. Best bout of the night thus far.

In the ring now: The 152 pound novice championship: Allen Brown (Kentland) vs. Kevin Ottley (Down Under).

First stoppage of the night comes in the 141 pound novice title bout: Courtland Perkins RSC-2 over Malwak Dagoot.

Now in the ring, the 141-pound novice championship: Courtland Perkins (Upton) vs. Malwak Dagoot (Jeff Gordon's MMA).

132 pound Novice champ is: Jonathan Baxter, who defeats Davon Boone.

By the way, standing room only at the Jaycees Center.

In the ring: 132 pound title: Davon Boone (Keystone) vs. Jonathan Baxter (Tony's Athletic Club).

Herman Reynolds of Hillcrest wins the 119 Pound championship by walkover against Michael Barrett of Next Level.

125 pound Novice champ is: De'Queone Oates, who defeats Nygel Gass.

Dusty Harrison defeats David Coleman. Our first Novice bout in the ring -- 125 pound title -- Nygel Gass (BAA) vs. De'Queone Oates (Round One).

Quick change in the first bout. Demetrius Martin is not here. David Coleman of West Virginia is facing Harrison tonight.

Looks like we will start on time. First bout is in the ring. Junior Division 15-16 141 pounds -- Demetrius Martin (D-Block) vs Dusty Harrison (Old School).

As of now, all 21 bouts are accounted for. Action will get underway shortly after 8 PM. I can take questions and comments from ringside.

Good evening from the Waldorf Jaycees Community Center in Waldorf, MD for the Washington Golden Gloves Championship Finals!

Rahman Returns in Kansas City Tonight!

Former two-time world heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman returns to action tonight at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City, MO. Rahman (45-7-2, 36 KO's) will take on Clinton Boldridge of St. Joseph, MO (9-15-1, seven KO's) in a "special attraction" bout. No word on how many rounds the bout is scheduled for.

New Opponent For Buchanan on April 2 in DC!

Capitol Heights, MD super middleweight Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan has a new opponent for his April 2 WBF Super Middleweight championship title defense at the Walter E Washington Convention Center in DC.

Julius Fogle of Cary, NC will replace Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor for this eight-round bout. Fogle (15-2, 10 KO's, one NC) is coming off a first-round knockout loss to undefeated Maxim Vlasov on February 10 in Temecula, CA. Taylor cannot compete because he is recovering from surgery to repair a detached retina.

In other news on the card, the pro debut of DC light heavyweight Thomas Williams, Jr. will not take place on this card. No reason was given for this change.

Bowe-Lewis..at CAMDEN YARDS?

Frankly, this sounds like a very early April Fools joke. However, WBAL-TV in Baltimore is reporting that former heavyweight champions Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis will come out of retirement to face each other and the bout would be held at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 11.

Bowe has not fought at all since a bout in Germany in 2008 and has not fought in the United States since 2005. Bowe has not been able to get licensed in the US and quite honestly, I don't think he would be able to get a license in Maryland.

Lewis was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009 and has not stepped into a ring since 2003.

BATB will follow up on this but I will be surprised if anything comes of it.

Beltway Boxing Press!

There are a couple of nice Beltway Boxing articles out today. Hayley Peterson of the Washington Examiner conducts the "3-Minute Interview" with Buddy Harrison, the owner of Old School Boxing gym located at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD. That can be found here:

"http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/people/THE-3-MINUTE-INTERVIEW---Buddy-Harrison-88950177.html">

Also, Alec Kohut of MaxBoxing.com has a profile of undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell in the first of his "Next in Line" series. That profile can be located here:

"http://www.maxboxing.com/news/promo-lead/alec-kohuts-next-in-line-seth-mitchell">

Paul Williams To Appear in Exhibition on April 2 Card in DC!

BATB has learned that three-time world champion Paul "The Punisher" Williams will appear in an exhibition bout on the Babie Girl Productions card on Friday, April 2 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in DC.

Williams (38-1, 27 KO's) is in the Beltway area to prepare for his May 8 bout against Kermit Cintron, a bout that DC has an outside shot at getting. Williams will be working with Arlington, VA light heavyweight Otganbayer Daivii in the exhibition.

Bout Sheet For Washington Golden Glove Finals!

There are 21 bouts scheduled for the Washington Golden Gloves Championships that will take place on Friday, March 26 at the Waldorf Jaycees Community Center in Waldorf, MD. Here is the scheduled lineup:

Junior Division:

15-16, 141 pounds: Demetrius Martin (D-Block) vs. Dusty Harrison (Old School)

Novice Division:

119 pounds: Michael Barrett (Next Level) vs. Herman Renolds (Hillcrest Heights Gym)

125 pounds: Nygel Gass (Baltimore Athletic Association) vs. De'Queone Oates (Round One)

132 pounds: Davon Boone (Keystone Boxing) vs. Jonathan Baxter (Tony's Athletic Club)

141 pounds: Courtland Perkins (Upton) vs. Maiwak Dagoot (Jeff Gordon's MMA)

152 pounds: Allen Brown (Kentland) vs. Kevin Ottley (Down Under)

165 pounds: Marshall Thompson (Keystone Boxing) vs. Danny Cunnaday (Club One)

178 pounds: Patrick Coye (Old School) vs. Brevain Woyzdzain (Frederick Fight Club)

201 pounds: Kelvin Delao (Round One) vs. Andre Ward (Young Titans)

201+ pounds: Jarmar Johnson (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Jeremy Williams (Keystone Boxing)


Open Division:

123 pounds: Glen Dezurn (UMAR) vs. Shadeed Floyd (Langdon)

132 pounds: Joseph Rector (Books and Boxing) vs. Kevin Rivers (Headbangers)

141 pounds: Michael Reed (Dream Team) vs. Gary Allan Russell (Keystone)

152 pounds: David Grayton (Headbangers) vs. Jacey Thompson (Sugar Ray Leonard)

165 pounds: Demond Nicholson (Cherry Lane) vs. Demitrious Ballard (No Xcuse)

178 pounds (female): Tori Nelson (Old School) vs. Dominique McGlotten (UMAR)

178 pounds: Jerry Odum (No Xcuse) vs. Eric Govan (Sugar Ray Leonard)

201 pounds: Charles Johnson, Jr. (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Tahir Thomas (Main Street Gym)

201+ pounds: Danny Kelly (Headbangers) vs. Jerrell Reeves (Old School)

Winners advance to the Golden Gloves Regionals (DC/Maryland vs. Virginia/NC) on Friday, April 16 at the Waldorf Jaycees.

BATB will be blogging live from Waldorf on Friday night.

Results From Golden Gloves Semifinals!

Here are the results from the Golden Glove semifinals at Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD:

Novice Division:

132 pounds: Jonathan Baxter (Tony's Athletic Club) over Roger Williams (Keystone Boxing)

141 pounds: Courtland Perkins (Upton) over Stephon McDonald (Young Titans)

141 pounds: Maiwak Dagoot (Jeff Gordon's MMA) over Alex Olesker (Yates Boxing Club)

152 pounds: Allen Brown (Kentland) over Quinton Taylor (Tony's Athletic Club)

165 pounds: Danny Cunnuday (Club One) over Semaj Harrison (Dream Team)

178 pounds: Patrick Coye (Old School) over Duane Morrison (Down Under)

201 pounds: Andre Ward (Young Titans) over Daniel Carmack (Baltimore Boxing)

201+ pounds: Jarmar Johnson (Sugar Ray Leonard Center) over Roderick Porter (Nomis)

Open Division:

132 pounds -- Female: Asia Stevenson (Headbangers) over Kimberly Dolly (Tony's Boxing Gym)

132 pounds: Joseph Rector (Books and Boxing) over Zachary MacIntosh (Frederick Fight Club)

132 pounds: Kevin Rivers (Headbangers) over Joshua Davis (Headbangers)

141 pounds: Micheal Reed (Dream Team) over Kevin Womack, Jr. (Upton)

152 pounds: David Grayton (Headbangers) over Markest Moore (Keystone)

165 pounds: Demond Nicholson (Cherry Lane) over Lee Snow (Sugar Ray Leonard Center)

165 pounds: Demitrious Ballard (No Xcuse) over Reginald Lucas (Upton)

201+ pounds: Danny Kelly (Headbangers) over Joe Liles (Club One)

201+ pounds: Jerrell Reeves (Old School) over Tavon Sol (Next Level)

Yes, the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard was indeed in attendance along with brother Roger.

Post-Fight From Du Burns Arena!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #209 - Post-Fight From Du Burns Arena!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap a tense and exciting night from Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, including an interview with George "Wartime" Rivera!

Stevenson wins by unanimous decision, 98-93, 99-92, 96-94. Stevenson now 13-0, 10 KO's. Rivera now 11-5, four KO's. Post-fight will be on the site later.

Stevenson closes the show in solid fashion. Rivera shows heart but may not be enough.

Stevenson shows great offense in the ninth round, almost putting Rivera down.

Eighth round halted by Rivera receiving an accidental low blow and an altercation in the crowd. Eighth round now over.

Rivera showing offense and heart as the bout heads to round eight.

Stevenson got a little cocky in round six doing a little dance. Rivera found a little bit of offense in that round.

This is looking like a runaway after five. Stevenson's defense is superb and he is landing some brutal body shots.

Stevenson continues to be the aggressor in round four, backing Rivera up and finishing the round with a flourish.

Stevenson opens up in the third with body shots and hooks. Rivera is trying to find Stevenson with his jab, but Stevenson's defense is strong.

Stevenson takes slight advantage in round two, landing a couple of body shots.

First round -- a feeling out process. Neither man taking advantage.

James Stevenson-George Rivera is now in the ring.

Would Sigmon be too small for Ridgway or Jeter? I don't think so in Jeter's case. Jeter wants to be a middleweight anyway. Ridgway may be another story.

After the bout, Nicklow proposed to his girl friend in the ring. She said yes!

John Gradowski 97-93, Dave Greer 96-94,
Don Risher 99-91. All for Jessie Nicklow. Nicklow is now 20-2-2, seven KO's. Sigmon now 8-2, three KO's.

Crowd response throughout the battle was unbelievable!

Incredible 10th round. Nicklow starts fast but wears down in the final minute as Sigmon pushes him around. Scores will be VERY interesting!

Nicklow finds second wind in Round nine, landing solid right handsm. Final round will be a great one!

Round eight-Sigmon suffers cut along right eye. Unknown whether from head butt or punch. Nicklow picks up pace.

Both men flailing in round seven. Neither one taking a real advantage, although Sigmon landed harder punches.

Round six sees Sigmon starting to press the issue. Nicklow tries to fight from outside, but seems to be wearing down.

Best round for Sigmon thus far. He has made this a phone booth bout and he is successful going into round six.

Fourth round much better for Sigmon. He starts to land punches and the two go toe to toe for the final 20 seconds.

Third round is another solid one for Nicklow. Sigmon tries to pick up offense midway, but got caught by a Nicklow left for his troubles. No knockdown.

Through two rounds, Nicklow aggressive, Sigmon inaccurate. Nicklow landing solid shots.

Nicklow-Sigmon hitting the ring now.

During the intermission, a very nice 10-count in honor of Mike Dietrich. His brother gave a nice tribute and thanks for the community.

Taylor wins majority decision with scores of 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57. Taylor now 6-0, five KO's. Carrasquillo is 12-15-1, 10 KO's. Brief intermission now.

Taylor-Carrasquillo goes the six-round distance. Good bout for Taylor, but he did falter in the last two rounds. Decision coming up.

Emmanuel Taylor-Doel Carrasquillo in the ring. Former world heavyweight contender and Baltimore native Larry Middleton is sitting ringside.

Wilson wins four-round unanimous decision. All three judges score the bout 38-36. Wilson remains undefeated at 7-0, one KO. King is now 1-7-1.

Great bout between Wilson and King! Both men scored knockdowns -- King in the second, Wilson in the fourth. Will have the scores momentarily.

Dontre King-Todd Wilson heading to the ring.

Nick Kisner gets his first pro TKO -- stopping Kevin Johnson at 2:45 of the third round. Kisner now 2-0, one KO. Johnson 3-4, two KO's.

Don't forget, I'll be taking questions and we'll have a full BATB Post-fight Wrap after the show.

First bout in the ring shortly -- Nick Kisner vs. Kevin Johnson.

Couple of updated notes: The Taylor-Carrasquillo bout is now six rounds, not eight. The Maryland Commission would not approve eight-rounder.

We are here at Du Burns Arena in front of what should be a nice crowd. This reminder: Stevenson-Rivera is the last bout tonight, not Nicklow-Sigmon.

Beltway Boxers Getting TV Exposure!

Dan Rafael of ESPN.com is reporting that three Beltway Boxers will be seen on national TV in the next two months. Two of those appearances will happen on the same evening.

On Friday, April 16, DC heavyweight contender Tony "The Tiger" Thompson (33-2, 21 KO's) will take on Jason "Big Six" Estrada of Providence, RI (16-3, four KO's) in a 10-round bout that will appear on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. Thompson is coming off a ninth-round TKO of Chazz Witherspoon on December 5 in Atlantic City. This will be the fourth national TV bout for Thompson. Estrada lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Tomasz Adamek for the IBF International Heavyweight title on February 6 in Newark, NJ.

Later on the same night, undefeated Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero will headline a show at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury and his appearance will be on Showtime's "Shobox" series. Guerrero (17-0, 14 KO's) will battle Michael "Midnight Stalker" Walker of Chicago, IL (19-3-2, 12 KO's) in the 10-round main event.

Guerrero is coming off his fourth-round stoppage of Jessie Nicklow on his last ShoBox appearance on December 18 in Hinkley, MN. This will be Guerrero's fifth national TV appearance. Walker has lost his last two and three of his last four. Walker's last two bouts were eight-round unanimous decisions to Derrick Findley and Daniel Jacobs.

We'll have more on the Salisbury card, but slated to appear on the non-televised undercard are Alex Guerrero, Dominic Wade and Ty Barnett.

Then on Friday, May 7 in El Paso, TX, undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell is slated to face fellow heavyweight prospect Ashanti "The Boss" Jordan of San Francisco, California in a 10-rounder that will appear on ESPN2, Mitchell's second time appearing on the network.

As of now, Mitchell (15-0-1, nine KO's) is still scheduled to appear on the April 2 card at the Washington Convention Center in an eight-rounder against Ryan Thompson. We will check to see if that bout still holds.

Jordan (10-1, seven KO's) is coming off his first pro loss -- a six-round unanimous decision to undefeated Joe Hanks on August 27 in Irvine, CA.

Armenta Loses in First Round in Oklahoma!

A beautiful left hook to the body by undefeated Edwin Rodriguez knocked out Silver Spring, MD's George "El Gallo" Armenta after just 47 seconds at the Choctaw Gaming Resort in Durant, OK in front of a nationally-televised ESPN2 audience.

This was the first time Armenta has been knocked out in his career and his record now stands at 13-6, 11 KO's. Rodriguez is now 14-0, 10 KO's.

Weights From DuBurns Arena!

Here is the scale watch for tomorrow's "Who's The Man" card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore:

James Stevenson 153 1/2 vs. George Rivera 154

Jessie Nicklow 161 vs. Scott Sigmon 163

Emmanuel Taylor 145 1/2 vs. Doel Carrasquillo 146 1/2

Todd Wilson 146 1/2 vs. Dontre King 149

Nick Kisner 200 1/2 vs. Kevin Johnson 220

Nicklow and Sigmon got into an altercation during the weigh-in. The Zain Shah-Omar Sims bout has been scratched.

BATB blogs live from Du Burns Arena. We can take comments and questions and I will do my best to answer them.

'El Gallo' Armenta Tips the Scales in Oklahoma!

George "El Gallo" Armenta weighed in at 166 pounds for his bout against Edwin Rodriguez tonight at the Choctaw Gaming Center in Durant, OK. Rodriguez tipped the scales at 167 pounds.

The bout is scheduled to be the televised co-feature on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. The telecast begins at 10 PM ET.

Press Coming for 'Who's The Man!'

Andrew Wake and Tri Nguyen of SecondsOut.com have put together a column that talks to Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and Scott "Cujo" Sigmon about their East Coast Middleweight title bout this Saturday on Baltimore Pro Boxing's "Who's The Man" card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

Here is the link to the column:

"http://www.secondsout.com/columns/andrew-wake/fighting-for-respect-in-baltimore">

White, Buchanan, Jeter Guest on NC8's 'Sportstalk!'

More press for Babie Girl Productions President Cassandra White. She, along with boxers Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan and Tony "Mo Better" Jeter, will be guests on "Sportstalk with Glenn Harris" tonight at 8 PM on NewsChannel 8.

If you would like to call in, call (703) 387-1020.

Richmond VA Wants to Do Boxing Business!

This story is technically a little out of our territory, but if all goes according to plan, this development could help many Beltway Boxers and promoters expand their territories.

First, a little historical significance: The date was February 24, 1996 and the place was the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, VA. On that date, there was a Don King-promoted and Showtime-televised boxing card in which former IBF Junior Middleweight champion Vincent Pettway challenged currently IBF and WBC Junior Middleweight titleholder (and future hall of famer) Terry Norris. Norris won by eighth-round TKO.

In all, the card featured 10 former world champions including Orlin Norris, Oleg Maskaev, Oliver McCall, Tim Austin and Christy Martin. The Virginia Union Marching Band played. Yes, prices were significantly reduced to get people in the building, but many considered it a successful night of boxing.

The card was also the last one to be held at the Richmond Coliseum. In fact, according to BoxRec.com, there has not been a boxing card held in the city of Richmond since 1998. There have been complaints from potential promoters that the cost of the Coliseum, when combined with commission fees, have made the asking price just too high. Richmond lost an opportunity to host a UFC card when promoters realized how much they would have to pay.

BATB has learned that the Richmond Coliseum has heard the comments of the promoters and has responded. While sources did not say what the asking price would be, they did say that the price to rent the building has been reduced by more than $10,000. That's a substantial reduction to say the least. It looks like Richmond wants to be a player in both the boxing and mixed martial arts world and this looks like a significant first step.

Cassandra White Featured on 'Ringside Report!"

My very good friend "Bad" Brad Berkwitt, the CEO/publisher of Ringside Report, has conducted a wonderful interview with Babie Girl Productions President Cassandra White. It is definitely quality reading. Here's the link:

"http://www.ringsidereport.com/?p=1672">

Bout Sheet For Washington Golden Glove Semis!

Here are the scheduled bouts for the semifinals of the Washington Golden Gloves, which will take place this Saturday, March 20 at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD.

Novice Division:

132 pounds: Jonathan Baxter (Tony's Athletic Club) vs. Roger Williams (Keystone Boxing)

141 pounds: Stephon McDonald (Young Titans) vs. Courtland Perkins (Upton)

141 pounds: Alex Olesker (Yates Boxing Club) vs. Maiwak Dagoot (Jeff Gordon's MMA)

152 pounds: Allen Brown (Kentland) vs. Quinton Taylor (Tony's Athletic Club)

165 pounds: Semaj Harrison (Dream Team) vs. Danny Cunnuday (Club One)

178 pounds: Duane Morrison (Down Under) vs. Patrick Coye (Old School)

201 pounds: Andre Ward (Young Titans) vs. Daniel Carmack (Baltimore Boxing)

201+ pounds: Jarmar Johnson (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Roderick Porter (NOMIS)

Unapposed champions:

152 pounds (female): Hanna Sanford (Frederick Fight Club)

178 pounds (female): Cara Vargas (Old School)

201+ pounds (female): Lauren Nobles (Tony's Gym)


Open Division:

123 pounds: Nathaaniel Worky (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Glen Dezurn (UMAR)

132 pounds (female-Championship): Asia Stevenson (Headbangers) vs. Kimberly Dolly (Tony's Gym)

132 pounds: Joseph Rector (Books and Boxing) vs. Zachary MacIntosh (Frederick Fight Club)

132 pounds: Joshua Davis (unattached) vs. Kevin Rivers (Headbangers)

141 pounds: Kevin Womack, Jr. (Upton) vs. Micheal Reed (Dream Team)

141 pounds: Chris Warden (Old School) vs. Gary Allan Russell (Keystone)

152 pounds: David Grayton (Headbangers) vs. Markest Moore (Keystone)

152 pounds: Adam Mitchell (Diamonds N Da Ruff) vs. Jacey Thompson (Sugar Ray Leonard)

165 pounds: Demond Nicholson (Cherry Lane) vs. Lee Snow (Sugar Ray Leonard)

165 pounds: Reginald Lucas (Upton) vs. Demitrious Ballard (No Xcuse)

178 pounds: Jerry Odom (No Xcuse) vs. Mario Murphy (Sugar Ray Leonard)

178 pounds: Mark Baltimore (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Eric Govan (Sugar Ray Leonard)

201+ pounds: Danny Kelly (Headbangers) vs. Joe Liles (Club One)

201+ pounds: Jerrell Reeves (Old School) vs. Tavon Sol (Next Level)

Unopposed champion: 114 pounds (female): Marita Gumbs (Supreme Defense)

Tickets will be on sale this Saturday for the Washington Golden Glove Championships which will take place on Friday, March 26 at the Waldorf Jaycees Community Center in Waldorf, MD.

L. Peterson Returns to Action In Vegas April 10!

DC's Lamont Peterson returns to action for the first time since his title shot loss to Timothy Bradley on Saturday, April 10 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Cafe in Las Vegas. Peterson (27-1, 13 KO's) will be in a 10-round co-feature against Damian Fuller of of Detroit, MI (30-6-1, 14 KO's). The bout will be shown on Fox Sports en Espanol. This is an important bout for Peterson with a possible big-money bout against former WBC Lightweight champ Edwin Valero in the fall.

Beltway Boxing fans may remember Fuller's outstanding performance at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA in May of 2007 when he stopped Dean White in the third round. Fuller has lost his last two, including a bid for the USBA Lightweight title in his last outing in October of 2008. Fuller was stopped in the ninth round by Tyrone Harris.

UPDATE: AOL Boxing Fanhouse's Lem Satterfield is reporting that promoter Bob Arum says "the ideal place for [Valero-Peterson] would be in Washington, DC. But we'll have to see. And, as far as when, probably in July."

Tavon Sol over Thomas Willson in our final bout. Next Saturday, we're live from Du Burns Arena in Baltimore! We'll talk then! Good Night from SRL Center!

Demond Nicholson over Andre Thomas. Final Bout of the night in the ring--201+: Tavon Sol (Next Level) vs. Thomas Willson (Hagerstown).

G.Allan Russell wins over Terron Grant. 165 pounds up next: Demond Nicholson (Cherry Lane) vs. Andre Thomas (UMAR).

Michael Reed RSC-1 over Terence Beatty, Jr. Up next: 141 pound--Gary Allan Russell (Keystone Boxing) vs. Terron Grant (Dream Team).

141-pounds: Michael Reed (Dream Team) vs. Terence Beatty, Jr. (Next Level). Winner to face Womack.

Kevin Womack,Jr. with a nice win over Seth Billups RSC-3. Both were tall 141- pounders.

First of three 141-pound bouts: Seth Billups (Old School) vs. Kevin Womack, Jr. (Upton).

123 pound open: Shadeed Floyd over Edgar Llivichuzhca.

Open Division begins with a good one--123 pounds: Shadeed Floyd (Langdon) vs. Edgar Llivichuzhca) (Baltimore Boxing)

Jeremy Williams wins over Kenneth Campbell. Open division begins in just a moment.

Final Novice bout in the ring: 201+ Kenneth Campbell
(Books and Boxing) vs. Jeremy Williams (Keystone Boxing)

Kelvin Deda-O RSC-2 over Greg Wright. Deda-O put a solid combination to knock Wright down in the second.

Brevan Woydziah wins over Ryan Watson in the 178-pound bout. 201-pound bout in the ring--Kelvin Deda-O (Round One) vs. Glen Wright (Baltimore Boxing).

178 pound bout in the ring -- Brevian Woydziah (Frederick Fight Club) vs. Ryan Watson (Main Street Gym).

165 pounds in the ring: Gregory Campbell (BAA) vs. Marshall Thompson (Keystone)...And it just ended! Thompson RSC-1.

Kevin Ottley wins 152-pounds over Kevin Thompson.

152 pound bout now in the ring: Kevin Ottley (Down Under) vs. Kevin Thompson (Upton).

141 pounds: Stephon McDonald defeats Gregory Wright.

Davon Boone wins RSC-2 over Terrance Smith. 141 pound Novice bout in the ring: Gregory Wright (Balt. Boxing) vs. Stephon McDonald (Young Titans).

132 pound bout in ring: Davon Boone (Keystone Boxing) vs. Terrance Smith (Baltimore Boxing)

First stoppage of the night--DeQueone Oates RSC-2 over Omar Barnes. Postscript to the Harrison-Daly bout: That was just Daly's second bout. He held his own!

First Novice bout is in the ring: 125 pounds-Omar Barnes (Club One) vs. De'Queone Oates (Round One).

Dusty Harrison wins over Kalonni Daly. Daly is the son of former pro Kelvin Daly, who worked his corner along with Antonio "Starchild" Reese.

15-16, 141 pound bout in the ring: Dusty Harrison (Old School) vs Kalonni Daly (Round One)

Night gets off to a great start with an action-packed battle. Daquan Love wins the 14-15, 125 pound title over Jason Bell of D-Block.

First bout scheduled for tonight will be the 14-15 years, 125 pound championship: Jason Bell (D-Block) vs. Daquan Love (Charm City). Bout is in the ring.

As of now, there are 11 bouts that we know will take place. Two junior, five novice and four open bouts. That number could increase by the time we get started

BATB is live from the quarterfinals of the Washington Golden Gloves at Sugar Ray Leonard Center in Palmer Park. They are running a little behind.

Peterson Secures World Title Shot With Third Round KO!

DC's Anthony Peterson has nailed a chance for a world title by stopping Juan Ramon Cruz in the third round tonight in Grapevine, TX.

Fightnews.com reports that Peterson dropped Cruz once in the second round and twice in the third before the bout was stopped at the 1:11 mark.

Peterson, who is ranked number one by the WBC, now awaits the winner of tomorrow's bout for the vacant WBC Lightweight title between Humberto Soto and David Diaz tomorrow at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX. If Soto wins, then the plan is for Peterson and Soto to meet June 5 in Yankee Stadium in New York, with the bout to be shown on HBO. Should Diaz win, Peterson would face Diaz, but HBO would not be interested in a Diaz-Peterson bout.

A. Peterson Weighs 137!

Anthony Peterson and his opponent, Juan Ramon Cruz both weighed in at 137 pounds for their 10-round matchup tonight at the Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX. A world title shot could be in the offering for Peterson if he wins.

Peterson could get the winner of the Interim WBC Lightweight title bout between Humberto Soto and David Diaz which will be Saturday night on the Pacquiao-Clottey undercard.

Bouts from this card will be shown on Fox Sports en Espanol, but no word on whether Peterson's bout will be on the telecast. If anyone has this channel, please let us know.

THIS JUST IN: ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that if Soto and Peterson win their bouts, then Soto would defend his WBC Lightweight title against Peterson on June 5 at Yankee Stadium in New York on the co-feature to Miguel Cotto-Yuri Foreman. Both those bouts would be shown on HBO.

Rafael also reports that Showtime has an interest in the proposed matchup between Lamont Peterson and former WBC Lightweight champ Edwin Valero and that bout could happen in July.

April 2 Has Two Beltway Cards!

The 2010 Edition of the "Awesome April of Beltway Boxing" begins with not one, but two cards on Friday, April 2.

Babie Girl Productions will have their card at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in DC and the card will feature Capitol Heights, MD super middleweight Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan, who is scheduled to take on veteran Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor of Wilmington, DE in the eight-round main event.

Buchanan (18-2, 12 KO's) fought his last bout at the Convention Center on October 24 and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Bobby Jordan. Taylor (14-24-4, seven KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision loss to undefeated Jonathan Nelson on January 30 in Tunica, MS.

The co-feature has undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell in another eight-round contest against Ryan Thompson of East Cleveland, OH. Mitchell (15-0-1, nine KO's) won an eight-round unanimous decision over Zack Page on December 20th at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD. Thompson (9-8, six KO's) was stopped in the second round by Donnell Holmes on May 16 in Raleigh, NC. Beltway Boxing fans may remember the last time Thompson was in the area. That was in September of 2007 when he knocked out Ernest Mazyck in the fourth round in Glen Burnie, MD.

Undefeated Oxon Hill, MD light heavyweight Alexander "The Great" Johnson (8-0, three KO's) returns to action in what could be a tough six-round matchup against Toms River, NJ's William Gill. Johnson is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Otganbayer Daivii on October 24 in DC. Gill doesn't have the best won-loss record (9-24, seven KO's) but has given some solid prospects trouble, including Mike Paschall (two tough losses) Richard Stewart (Gill stopped him in the sixth round) and Carlos DeLeon, Jr. (lost an eight-round unanimous decision). Gill, however, has lost seven of his last eight.

Columbia, MD middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter is also on the card in a four-round contest against York, SC's Vincent Robbins. This will be the first bout for Jeter (8-2, seven KO's) since registering the 2009 Beltway Boxing Knockout of the Year -- a first-round decimation of Keith Gross on September 26 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. The win was Jeter's fourth straight. Robbins (3-8-2, three KO's) has lost four straight by knockout,with his last three being stopped in the first round.

The card will also feature the pro debut of DC light heavyweight Thomas Williams, Jr. The son of former heavyweight contender Thomas "Top Dawg" Williams was an amateur standout, winning the regional Golden Gloves last year.

There will also be a six-round matchup for the vacant WBF Female Welterweight title. Molly McConnell of Portland Oregon (10-1, five KO's) will take on Hartford, CT's Adelita Irizarry (6-4, two KO's).

Also, there will be a special exhibition bout featuring two ladies who forged a special bond of friendship while participating in boxing workouts. Marlow Prado-Blankenship and Barbara Bartolomeo were featured in a Washington Post article by Les Carpenter in December of 2009. The link to this article can be found here:

"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/29/AR2009122901450.html">

Meanwhile, Ballroom Boxing's April 2 show at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD has, so far, a number of six-round contests. Undefeated Baltimore middleweight Cecil McCalla returns quickly to action, as he takes on Asheboro, NC veteran Marcos "The Terminator" Primera.

McCall (11-0, four KO's) just fought on March 6 in Charlotte, NC and won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Gary Lynch. Primera (20-20-2, 13 KO's) has lost five of his last six, but his last six opponents have a combined won-loss record of 85-2-1. The one win in that stretch was an eight-round TKO over then-undefeated Curtis Stevens in July of 2006.

There is a cruiserweight rematch on this card between Suitland, MD's Venroy July and Fred McClinton of Winston-Salem, NC. The two fought at Fight Night at the Washington Hilton and Towers in DC and fought to a four-round draw. Both have won bouts since their first encounter. July (3-0-1, two KO's) scored a second-round TKO over Kevin Johnson on the last Ballroom card on January 29. McClinton (2-1-1, one KO) won by first-round disqualification over DC's Kareem Wilson on January 23 in Winston-Salem.

(Local aside: Wilson is now 0-4 and has been disqualified in three of those losses.)


The card also marks the return of Glen Burnie, MD junior middleweight Lenwood "Mr. Composure" Dozier who will face Devarise Crayton of Orlando, FL in another six-round bout.


Dozier (5-1-1, two KO's) has not fought since suffering his first pro loss -- a third-round TKO against Ken Dunham on June 5 in Westminster, MD. Crayton (6-8-2, two KO's) battled to a four-round draw against Roberto Lopez on December 4 in Miami, FL.

Also on the card will be undefeated York, PA super featherweight Carney "Beeper" Bowman (14-0, six KO's) who will face Jason Rorie of Winston-Salem (5-6-2, two KO's). Bowman stopped Delvin Placencia in the third round on August 1 in York. Rorie will try for a better result this time at Michael's. On the last Ballroom Boxing card on January 29, Rorie lost a tough six-round split decision to Thomas Snow.

Former MD Commission Member Feaster Passes!

BATB has learned that former Maryland State Athletic Commission member Phillip Feaster passed away on March 7 at the age of 70. Mr. Feaster lived in Fort Washington, MD.

Mr. Feaster was a long-time member of the commission during the late 80's into the 90's and was a well-known and well-respected member of the Maryland commission. A very nice man as well.

Mr. Feaster's Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, March 12 at Mount Enon Baptist Church, located at 9832 Piscataway Road in Clinton, MD. No word on the time of the service.

Stevenson Talks About East Coast Title Tilt!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #208 - 'Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson Talks About East Coast Title Bout!

Undefeated Baltimore boxer James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson talks to BATB about his March 20th East Coast Junior Middleweight title bout against Fluvanna, VA's George "Wartime" Rivera at Du Burns Arena!

Bout Sheet for Golden Glove Quarterfinals!

Here is the scheduled bout sheet for the Washington Golden Gloves Quarterfinals at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD:

Junior Division:

14-15 years, 125 pounds (championship): Jason Bell (D-Block) vs. Daquan Love (Charm City)

15-16, 141 pounds: Dusty Harrison (Old School) vs. Kalonni Daly (Round One)

Unopposed Champions:

8 years, 75 pounds: Cyrus Murphy (Main Street Gym)

15 years, 106 pounds- Female : Ronisha Moore (Benning Park)

15 years, 132 pounds-Female: Talanee Tillery (Keystone)

13 years, 145 pounds-Female: Yadiry Bejar (Main Street Gym)


Novice Division:

125 pounds: Omar Barnes (Club One) vs. De'Queone Oates (Round One)

132 pounds: Davon Boone (Keystone Boxing) vs. Terrance Smith (Baltimore Boxing)

141 pounds: Gregory Wright (Baltimore Boxing) vs. Stephon McDonald (Young Titans)

152 pounds: Kevin Ottley (Down Under) vs. Kevin Thompson (Upton)

165 pounds: Gregory Campbell (BAA) vs. Marshall Thompson (Keystone Boxing)

178 pounds: Brevan Woydziah (Frederick Fight Club) vs. Ryan Watson (Main Street Gym)

201 pounds: Kelvin Deda-O (Round One) vs. Glen Wright (Baltimore Boxing)

201 pounds: Daniel Carmack (Baltimore Boxing) vs. Thomas Sims (Old School)

201+ pounds: Kenneth Campbell (Books and Boxing) vs. Jeremy Williams (Keystone Boxing)

Unopposed Champions:

152 pounds-Masters Class: Daniel Garrfolo (Club One)

201 pounds-Masters Class: Robert Harvey (Old School)


Open Division:

123 pounds: Nathaniel Worky (Sugar Ray Leonard Center) vs. Marq Johns (Old School)

123 pounds: Shadeed Floyd (Langdon Recreation) vs. Edgar Llivichuzhca (Baltimore Boxing)

132 pounds: Emmanuel Johnson (Old School) vs. Zachary Macintoch (Frederick Fight Club)

141 pounds: Seth Billups (Old School) vs. Kevin Womack, Jr. (Upton)

141 pounds: Michael Reed (Dream Team) vs. Terence Beatty, Jr. (Next Level)

141 pounds: Gary Allan Russell (Keystone Boxing) vs. Terron Grant (Dream Team)

152 pounds: Markest Moore (Keystone Boxing) vs. Alexander Garner (UMAR)

165 pounds: Demond Nicholson (Cherry Lane) vs. Andre Thomas (UMAR)

201+ pounds: Tavon Sol (Next Level) vs. Thomas Willson (Hagerstown)

BATB blogs live from the Golden Gloves this weekend. Action scheduled to get underway at 7:30 PM ET.

Results From Day Three of Washington Golden Gloves!

Here are the results from the third day of competition at the Washington Golden Gloves tournament at Sugar Ray Leonard Center in Palmer Park, MD:

Junior Division

9 years, 60 pounds (championship): Chamar Flowers (Headbangers) over DeJon Corley (Kenilworth)

9-10 years, 75 pounds (championship): Gregory Burton (Langdon Recreation) over Shadid Bond (Charm City)

14-15, 152 pounds (championship): Da'Quan Johnson (Kentland) over Carl Harper (Sugar Ray Leonard Center)

16 years, 152 pounds (championship): Xavier Ward (Supreme Defense) over Brian Rodriguez-Lopez (Down Under)

Jason Bell (14-15, 125 pounds) and Demetrius Martin (15-16, 141 pounds) both of D-Block won by walkovers.


Novice Division:

141 pounds: Cortland Perkins (Upton) over Johnny DaSilva (Round One)

141 pounds: Stephen McDonald (Young Titans) over Emmanuel Rodriguez (Down Under)

152 pounds: Kevin Thompson (Upton) over Austin Plummer (Supreme Defense)

165 pounds: Marshall Thompson (Keystone) over Charles Burgess (Round One)

178 pounds: Duane Morrison (Down Under) over Marcus Nureni (Unattached)

201 pounds: Kelvin Deda-O (Round One) over JC Arggri (Frederick Fight Club)

201+ pounds: Kenneth Campbell (Books and Boxing) over Andre Watson (Baltimore Boxing)

Winners by Walkover:

152 pounds: Allen Brown (Kentland)

152 pounds: Kevin Ottley (Down Under)

178 pounds: Brevan Woyziah (Frederick Fight Club)

178 pounds: Ryan Watson (Main Street Gym)

201 pounds: Glen Wright (Baltimore Boxing)

201 pounds: Andre Ward (Young Titans)

201+ pounds: Jamar Johnson (Sugar Ray Leonard Center)


Open Division:

123 pounds: Shadeed Floyd (Langdon Recreation) over Angelo Rector (Books and Boxing)

132 pounds: Kevin Rivers (Headbangers) over Joel Young (Keystone)

141 pounds: Michael Reed (Dream Team) over Edwin Reyes (Round One)

141 pounds: Terron Grant (Dream Team) over Nathaniel Davis (Old School)

141 pounds: Chris Warden (Old School) over Jonathan Burrs, II (Hagerstown)

165 pounds: Reginald Lucas (Upton) over Jacob Schaper (Hagerstown)

Winners by Walkover:

141 pounds: Terence Beatty, Jr. (Next Level)

152 pounds: David Grayton (Headbangers)

'Freight Train Byarm Makes Blue Horizon Debut April 2!

Undefeated DC heavyweight Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm will compete at the Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, PA for the first time on Friday, April 2.

Byarm, who was born in Philadelphia, is still looking for an opponent. Byarm is 6-0, four KO's and is coming off a first-round knockout over Maurice Winslow on January 31 in Fort Washington, MD.

McCalla, Taylor Win in North Carolina!

Undefeated Baltimore prospects Cecil McCalla and Emmanuel "Transformer" Taylor posted victories on a card at the Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center in Charlotte, NC.

McCalla won a six-round unanimous decision over Gary Lynch of Albermarle, NC. McCalla dropped Lynch twice during the contest and raised his record to 11-0, four KO's. Lynch loses his first pro bout and he is now 4-1, two KO's.

Taylor scored another quick knockout, stopping Michael Taylor of Greenville, NC in 49 seconds of the first round. Emmanuel Taylor is now 5-0, five KO's and has yet to get out of the second round. Michael Taylor is now 2-5.

BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #207 - Patriot Center Recap!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap an exciting and surprising night from the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA!



A postscript to the wrap-up. The harshest critic after the bout may have been Jimmy Lange's father, who said that his son "stunk up the joint" tonight. Mr. Lange was asking for a rematch which, if it happens, would be in Houston, TX, Shields's hometown.

Chase Shields is the new WBC USNBC Junior middleweight champion, winning a 12-round unanimous decision over Jimmy Lange.

Main event halted in ninth round. Lights blew out. Looking to restart and will do so.

Phone is dying. May not last this bout. will still have post fight though.

The Ambang-kovalev bout was not close. Kovalev is good.

Jimmy Lange and Chase Shields are in the ring. The main event begins shortly.

Bayan Jargal makes short work of Louie Leija. TKO 2:52 of the first. Jargal is 15-0, 10 KO's. Leija 21-14-1, 15 KO's. Intermission now. I'll take questions

Co-feature in the ring: Bayan Jargal-Louie Leija.

Farmer is 13-2, 7 KO's. Both losses have been at the Patriot Center.

Ikem Orji scores solid 4th round TKO over Andrew Farmer in 1:01. Orji drops Farmer with a solid right hand and stops him shortly after. Orji is 6-2, two KO's.

Andrew Farmer-Ikem Orji headed to the ring.

Juan Rodriguez wins by TKO 2:10 of the first round over Damian Butler. Rodriguez 4-0, four KO's, Butler, 0-3. Rodriguez, 19 years old.

Juan Rodriguez-Damian Butler now in the ring.

Lawrence Jones wins a tough split-decision over Vincent Batteast. Good bout that could have gone either way. Jones is now 3-2-1, one KO. Batteast is 1-2-1.

Jones-Batteast in the ring. Any comments?

Patrick Budd and Robert McConnell fight to a four-round majority draw. Budd 2-1-1, 1KO, McConnell 4-3, 2 KO's

Cruisers in the ring. Robert McConnell vs.Patrick Budd.

Dwayne McRae wins six-round split decision over Theron Johnson. Scores: 59-55 twice for McRae, 58-56 for Johnson. McRae now 6-2, three KO's. Johnson is 3-3.

Second bout--McRae versus Johnson--headed to the ring.

First bout ends in brutal KO fashion. Sergey Kovalev knocks out Francois Ambang at 2:23 of the second round. Kovalev now 6-0, six KO's. Ambang 2-6-1.

Our first bout--Ambang vs.Kovalev is headed to the ring.

We also have this note: Former champ William Joppy lost a 10-round majority decision to Sebastien Demers in Montreal today. Details on the BATB Post-Fight.

We are live from the Patriot Center. Action will start a little later than 7:30. Eight bouts on tap this evening.

Samuel Challenges Spivey for NABA Title in Norfolk April 3!

Baltimore's Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel will try to win his first major regional title when he challenges "The Pride of Portsmouth (VA)" Dorin Spivey for the NABA Lightweight title on Saturday, April 3 at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, VA.

Samuel, the Maryland State Super Featherweight champion (14-3, six KO's), fights for the first time at 135 pounds. This will be his first bout since winning two bouts in the trilogy with Gustavo Dailey in 2009. Spivey (36-6, 29 KO's) will be making the first defense of his title that he won on November 6 with a fourth-round TKO over Meacher Major in Buffalo, NY.

Joppy Weighs 169 1/2 for Canadian Clash!

Former WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy is in Montreal, Canada getting ready for a 10-round matchup against Sebastian "Double Trouble" Demers tomorrow night at the Montreal Casino.

Joppy (39-5-1, 30 KO's) weighed in at 169 1/2 for this super middleweight bout and it is the second straight time Joppy has fought in Montreal. On February 29, 2008, Joppy lost a bid for the IBF Super Middleweight title when he was stopped by Lucian Bute in the 10th round. Demers (30-2, 11 KO's) weighed in at 169 1/4 and has won five in a row including capturing the vacant NABF Super Middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Nicholson Poulard on November 7 at the Montreal Casino.

Dietrich Benefit Saturday in Dundalk!

Tomorrow night, there will be a benefit gathering at Jimmy's Seafood located at 6526 Holabird Avenue in Dundalk beginning at 7 PM. Admission is $15 and all proceeds will go to the family of Mike Dietrich. Free food will be available.

Weights For The Patriot Center!

Here is the scale watch for the ICE Promotions card at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA:

Jimmy Lange 150 vs. Chase Shields 151

Bayan Jargal 141 1/2 vs. Louie Leija 143

Andrew Farmer 138 1/4 vs. Ikem Orji 138

Juan Rodriguez 143 vs. Damian Butler 145

Lawrence Jones 152 vs. Vincent Batteast 150

Patrick Budd 187 vs. Robert McConnell 189

Dwayne McRae 253 vs. Theron Johnson 221

Francois Ambang 176 vs. Sergei Kovalev (will weigh in tomorrow)

A lot of sound from the weigh-in today at Tyson's Corner Center as a number of folks talked about tomorrow's card.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #200 - Andrew Farmer Talks Patriot Center!

Fort Valley, VA junior welterweight Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer talks about his matchup with Laurel, MD's Ikem "The Warrior" Orji tomorrow night at the Patriot Center!




Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #201 - 'Cold Blood' Budd Weighs-In on McConnell Matchup!

Dumfries, VA cruiserweight "Cold Blood" Patrick Budd talks about his matchup with Ellicott City, MD's Robert "MacAttack" McConnell!




Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #202 - 'MacAttack' McConnell Talks About Patriot Center Cruiserweight Matchup!

Here's Robert McConnell as he gives his thoughts about his matchup with Patrick Budd!



Now for the main event:


Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #204 - Jimmy Lange Gives Insight on Main Event!

Great Falls, VA junior middleweight Jimmy Lange talks about defending his WBC USNBC Junior Middleweight title against Chase Shields at the Patriot Center!



Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #206 - 'White Tiger' Shields Talks About His Bout With Lange!

"The White Tiger" Chase Shields of Houston, TX talks to BATB about his title shot against Jimmy Lange!



And two DC Boxing Hall of Famers weigh in on the card:

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #203 - ICE Promotions Matchmaker JD Brown Talks About His Card!

DC Boxing Hall of Famer JD Brown talks about putting together the Patriot Center card!




Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #205 - Ring Announcer Jones Weighs In on..The Weigh-in as well as the Card!

DC Boxing Hall of Famer Henry "Discombobulating" Jones talks about the unique weigh-in at Tyson's Corner Center and gives his thoughts on tomorrow's card!



This reminder: We hope to (barring a bad connection) be blogging live with results from the Patriot Center and we'll have a full BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show later in the evening.

Mike Dietrich Passes!

(Photo by Linda "Great Shot" Siadys)

This one is really tough and very sad. Baltimore heavyweight boxer “The American Dream” Mike Dietrich died suddenly Tuesday in Baltimore, MD. Dietrich was 26 years old. No word was given on the cause of death.

Dietrich was a five-time national amateur boxing champion and was 12-1, six KO’s as a pro. Dietrich was in training for a bout on the March 20th boxing card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

Dietrich made his pro debut on November 19, 2004 with a four-round unanimous decision over Victor James in Baltimore then followed that with his first pro knockout on December 3, 2004 at the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, PA. Dietrich knocked out Jermaine Livingston in the first round.

Dietrich’s career was momentarily derailed by an incident in December of 2005 when he was stabbed during an altercation. Dietrich returned to action in May of 2007 with a four-round unanimous decision victory over Jonathan Felton at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

After two straight knockout wins, Dietrich suffered his only loss – a third-round knockout to Wes Taylor on April 18, 2008 in Pikesville, MD. Ironically, Dietrich was scheduled to meet Taylor in a rematch on March 20. Dietrich’s last bout was a first-round knockout over Kevin Johnson on November 25 at Du Burns Arena.

Funeral arrangements have been completed for Dietrich. The viewing will be held on Sunday, March 7 at Connelly Funeral Parlor, 7110 Sollers Point Road, Dundalk, MD. The times will be 3-5 PM and 7-9 PM. The funeral will be held on Monday, March 8 at 10 AM, also at Connelly Funeral Parlor.

There will be a repast at Baltimore Boxing and Fitness, 506 1/2 S. Broadway in Baltimore after the funeral.

BATB sends its deepest condolences to the Dietrich Family as well as to everyone who enjoyed watching Mike Dietrich box. This video is on the Baltimore Boxing website and it is a fitting tribute to this young man who was a true fighter -- in and out of the ring.




.

Nicklow Responds to Sigmon!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #199 - 'Beast' Nicklow Responds to 'Cujo' Sigmon!

The war of words continue as the battle for the East Coast Middleweight championship gets closer. Here, Baltimore's Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow responds to his opponent Scott "Cujo" Sigmon with a prediction!

Bout Sheet for Day Three of Washington Golden Gloves!

The Open Division of the Washington Golden Gloves Tournament kicks off this Saturday, March 6 at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD. at 7:30 PM. There will be Junior and Novice Division bouts as well. Here is the scheduled bout sheet:

Junior Division:

9 Years, 60 pounds (championship): Dejon Corley (Kenilworth) vs, Chamar Flowers (Headbangers)

9-10 Years, 75 pounds (championship): Shadid Bond (Charm City) vs. Gregory Burton (Langdon Recreation)

14-15 Years, 125 pounds: Jason Bell (D-Block) vs. William Flowe (Hillcrest)

15-16 Years, 141 pounds: Demetrius Martin (D-Block) vs. Christian Burton (Old School)

14-15, Years, 152 pounds (championship) : Carl Harper (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Da'Quan Johnson (Kentland)

16 years, 152 pounds (championship): Brian Rodriguez-Lopez (Down Under) vs Xavier Ward (Supreme Defense)

We have one unopposed champion this week: 8 years, 75 pounds : Cyrus Murphy (Main Street Gym)

Novice Division:

141 pounds: Cortland Perkins (Upton) vs. Johnny DaSilva (Round One)

141 pounds: Emmanuel Rodriguez (Down Under) vs. Stephen McDonald (Young Titans)

152 pounds: Calvin Rowe (Hillcrest) vs. Allen Brown (Kentland)

152 pounds: Dennis Monroe (Benning Park) vs. Kevin Ottley (Down Under)

152 pounds: Austin Plummer (Supreme Defense) vs. Kevin Thompson (Upton)

165 pounds: Charles Burgess (Round One) vs. Marshall Thompson (Keystone)

178 pounds: Marcus Nureni (Cherry Lane) vs. Duane Morrison (Down Under)

178 pounds: Chaka Balamani (Old School) vs. Brevan Woyziah (Frederick Fight Club)

178 pounds: Ryan Watson (Main Street Gym) vs. Willie Cooper (Old School).

201 pounds: Kelvin Deda-O (Round One) vs. JC Arggri (Frederick Fight Club)

201 pounds: Glen Wright (Baltimore Boxing) vs. Michael Johnson (Old School)

201 pounds: Andre Ward (Young Titans) vs. David Ridley (Old School)

201+ pounds: Travis Torain (BAA) vs. Jamar Johnson (Sugar Ray Leonard)

201+ pounds: Kenneth Campbell (Books and Boxing) vs. Andre Watson (Baltimore Boxing)


Open Division:

123 pounds: Angelo Rector (Books and Boxing) vs. Shadeed Floyd (Langdon Recreation)

132 pounds: Kevin Rivers (Headbangers) vs. Joel Young (Keystone)

141 pounds: Michael Reed (Dream Team) vs. Edwin Reyes (Round One)

141 pounds: Terence Beatty, Jr. (Next Level) vs. Nate Davis (Old School)

141 pounds: Terron Grant (Dream Team) vs. Nathaniel Davis (Old School)

141 pounds: Jonathan Burrs, II (unattached) vs. Chris Warden (Old School)

152 pounds: David Grayton (Headbangers) vs. Jonathan Williams (Benning Park)

165 pounds: Reginald Lucas (Upton) vs. Jacob Schaper (Hagerstown)

Due to my commitment to attend the card in Fairfax, VA, I will not be able to blog live from Palmer Park. If all goes well, I will be blogging live from the Patriot Center this Saturday night.

'Cujo' Sigmon Talks About March 20th Battle!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #198 - 'Cujo' Sigmon Discusses March 20 Battle!

Bedford, VA middleweight Scott "Cujo" Sigmon talks about his March 20th East Coast Championship battle against Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and has some pointed words for another Beltway Boxer!