Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Jargal To Face Former IBF Champ Aiken At Fight Night!

Arlington, VA lightweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal now has an opponent for Thursday night's Fight Night battle.  The opponent will be the former IBF Featherweight champion and DC's own Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken.  The bout will be an eight-round contest for the "Fight For Children" title at the Washington Hilton Hotel and Towers in DC.

Aiken (16-9-1, 12 KO's) last fought on May 5 and was stopped in the first round by former world champion Rafael Marquez in Tijuana, Mexico.  Jargal (16-3-3, 10 KO's) just fought on October 13 and won a six-round majority decision over Luis Rodriguez in Westbury, NY.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Jargal, Newby to Appear on Fight Night Card Thursday Night!

Despite the challenges of Hurricane Sandy, the annual Fight Night charity boxing card will go on as scheduled Thursday night, November 1 at the Washington Hilton Hotel in DC.  Two local boxers are slated to be on the three-bout boxing card.

Arlington, VA lightweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal is in the feature bout -- the eight-round "Fight For Children" title bout.  However, Fightnews.com recently reported that his scheduled opponent -- Lonnie Smith -- is AWOL and a new opponent is being sought.  Matchmaker Eric Bottjer (who cut his boxing teeth here in the Beltway region as a reporter and created a newsletter that is a forerunner of this very blog) told Fightnews that Jargal will remain on the card.

DC light heavyweight Greg Newby will be in action on this card taking on the debuting Tacuna Farmer of Baltimore, MD.  Newby (1-0, one KO) won his pro debut on August 25 with a first-round knockout of Gavin Hume at the Washington Convention Center in DC.

Newport News, VA heavyweight Jerry "Slug" Forrest also will appear on the card in a bout against Brice Ritani-Coe of Las Vegas, NV.  Forrest (1-0, one KO) won his pro debut by first-round TKO over Keon Graham on August 4 at the Renaissance Hotel in DC.  Ritani-Coe (3-0-1, three KO's) is a native of New Zealand who last fought to a four-round draw against Kourtney Boden on July 20 in Laughlin, NV.

Among the legends scheduled to appear at the card are Sugar Ray Leonard, Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, Michael Spinks, Aaron "The Hawk" Pryor, James "Buster" Douglas, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, "The Easton Assassin" Larry Holmes and "Gentleman" Gerry Cooney,

'Too Sharp' Johnson Featured in This Month's Ring!

International Boxing Hall of Famer and three-time world champion Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson is the latest boxer to be featured in The Ring Magazine's section called "Best I've Faced" where former boxers are asked who their best opponents are in a number of categories including strongest, best jab and many others.

In the latest issue (December 2012), The Ring's Lem Satterfield asked Johnson those types of questions.  Many of the answers brought back fond memories for me in covering Johnson's career.  I won't give you all the details because I want you to pick up the magazine, but I have to relate a special memory based on one of Johnson's answers.

When asked about who his strongest opponent was, Johnson told about an opponent named Ancee Gedeon, a super flyweight originally from Haiti who fought out of California. Gedeon had a great backstory since he spent a good portion of his young life homeless.

Since Johnson's boxing base was in California at the time (he had signed a contract with Forum Boxing), it was thought the bout would be somewhere in that state.  Somehow, though, the bout ended up on a card at the DC Armory on April 23, 1994 and I had the pleasure of calling the tremendous bout for my local TV series, Boxing Spotlight.  The bout went 10 solid rounds with Johnson winning a decision.

Eventually, both men would get world title shots within a month of each other.  Gedeon would win his next six bouts and a USBA Bantamweight title after the loss to Johnson and earn a bid for the IBF Bantamweight title on April 2, 1996 in Providence, RI.  However, champion Mbulelo Botile would stop Gedeon in the 11th round.  Gedeon would retire two bouts later with a record of 15-9-1, five KO's.

One month later on May 4, 1996, Johnson would win the first of his three world titles, stopping Francisco Tejedor in the first round at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA to capture the IBF Flyweight crown.  Interesting bit of trivia:  At 40 years old, Johnson is the youngest inductee in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Corley Loses Unanimous Decision in The Ukraine!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley lost a 12-round unanimous decision to undefeated Viktor Postol Saturday night at Club Sportlife in Kiev, Ukraine.  Corley lost by scores of 118-110 (twice) and 117-113. 

Corley's record falls to 39-20-1, 23 KO's while Postol is 20-0, nine KO's.

Recap from Fairfax, VA!

Here's the recap from the Ice Promotions/Jimmy Lange Boxing card at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.

Stevensville, MD's Tony "Mo Better" Jeter wins a 10-round split decision over Jimmy Lange of Great Falls, VA.  Jeter wins the bout despite a knockdown in round two and four points taken away by referee Steve Smoger for low blows.  Jeter won by scores of 94-91 and 93-92.  The third judge scored the bout 94-91 for Lange.  Jeter is now 15-3-1, 10 KO's.  Lange falls to 38-5-2, 25 KO's.

Centreville, VA's Zain "Tiger" Shah suffered a first-round TKO from "Lightning" Harry Joe Yorgey of Bridgeport, PA.  After suffering a low blow, Shah was dropped midway through the first round by a solid straight right.  Yorgey swarmed afterwards and the bout was stopped at 2:48 of the first.  Shah loses for the first time in his career and he is 5-1, one NC, three KO's.  Yorgey is 25-1-1, 12 KO's.

Alexandria, VA's Brandon Quarles and Birmingham, AL's John "No Mercy" Mackey battled to a spirited six-round majority draw.  Each boxer scored a knockdown, with Quarles knocking down Mackey in the last 10 seconds of the contest. Mackey won the bout on one judge's card, 57-55.  The other two judges saw the bout even at 56-56.  Quarles is now 9-0-1, two KO's while Mackey is 13-8-4, six KO's.

The middleweight contest between Reston, VA's Lawrence Jones and DC's Ivan "King Shango" Ziglar ended in a no-contest in the second round after a clash of heads caused a gash over Jones's left eye that could not be closed by the doctor.  Jones's record is 4-6-1, one NC, one KO while Ziglar is now 7-2-1, one NC, four KO's.

DC super middleweight "The Honorable" Mark Baltimore lost a four-round unanimous decision to Immanuwel Aleem of Richmond, VA. Aleem showed exceptional hand speed in the first two rounds that Baltimore could not keep up with.  By the time, Baltimore got his rhythm, it was a little too late.  Scores were 39-37 twice and 40-36.  Aleem is 3-0, two KO's.  Baltimore is 1-1, one KO.

DC super middleweight "The King's Son" Jerry Odom made his pro debut a successful one with a first-round stoppage of the equally debuting Darryl Fields of Akron, OH.  Odom swarmed Fields throughout the contest before the bout was stopped at 1:11.

Reston, VA welterweight Joseph "Raw Talent" Rector lost by first-round TKO to the dangerous David Warren Huffman of Milwaukee, WI.  Huffman stunned Rector with a straight right hand and was able to finish him at 1:08 of the round.  Rector is 1-1, one KO while Huffman is 2-8, one KO.

Burke, VA super middleweight Antoine "Action" Douglas scored a first-round TKO in his pro debut stopping Valdez Eason with body shots to end Eason's night at 1:30 of the round.  Eason is 0-7.

DC cruiserweights Andre Ward and Mario "Bazooka" Flores fought to a hard-hitting, four-round majority draw.  Both young cruiserweights landed powerful shots but neither man could get a real edge.  Flores did get one decision on a judge's card, 39-37 while the other two judges scored the bout 38-38.  Ward is 1-1-2, one KO while Flores is 1-1-1, one KO.

Akron, OH journeyman middleweight Damon Antoine won a four-round unanimous decision over Shakir Ashanti of Greensboro, NC.  Antoine, whose bout was a late addition to the card, looked strong and was dominant over Ashanti, winning by scores of 40-35 twice and 40-36. Ashanti had one point taken away for low blows.  The win breaks a five-bout losing streak for Antoine and is his second in his last 17 bouts.  Antoine is 11-42-1, five KO's while Ashanti is 16-14, four KO's.

Here is a lengthy BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up that contains an interview with Tony Jeter and some rather coarse language--listener discretion is advised.



Jeter Defeats Lange Despite Point Deductions!

Tony "Mo Better" Jeter wins a 10-round split decision over Jimmy Lange despite four point deductions during the bout.
Despite the deductions -- coming in the second for a flash knockdown and two points for low blows, one point lost for another low blow in the fourth and another in the seventh -- Jeter rose to this one and -- yes I say it -- dominated Lange.  Jeter did deserve the win.
Jeter, however, needs to thank referee Steve Smoger for NOT disqualifying him.  Most other refs would have.  The scores were 94-91 and 93-92 for Jeter and 94-91 for Lange.
Post-fight coming up!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Jeter Muscling Lange, But..

Jeter has thrown a lot of the harder punches through six but the point deductions may be a huge difference.  Jeter would possibly be ahead on points, without the deductions.

Jeter Loses Two Points For Infractions!

After two rounds, Tony Jeter is in a big hole.   Jimmy Lange scored a flash knockdown early in the second, then Jeter lost two points in the second for low blows, then another in the third.  Jeter is toying with a DQ.

Lange and Jeter are Heading to the Ring!

The time is finally here.  Both Tony Jeter and Jimmy Lange are making their entrances.  Steve Smoger will be the referee for the contest.

Yorgey Stops Shah In First!

"Lightning" Harry Joe Yorgey scores a first-round TKO over Zain "Tiger" Shah.  Yorgey landed a solid left hand that dropped Shah in the neutral corner.  Yorgey then finished the job at 2:47 of the first.

Yorgey caught Shah with a low blow early in the round.  Shah was able to continue but ran into those heavy shots.  Shah loses for the first time and is now 5-1, one NC, three KO's.  Yorgey is now 25-1-1, 12 KO's.

Intermission..then the main event Lange vs. Jeter!!

Quarles-Mackey Battle to Superb Draw!

We've seen the best bout along the Beltway so far in 2012. Brandon Quarles and John "No Mercy" Mackey fought to a spirited, exciting, powerful six-round majority draw.  Incredible action.  Quarles suffered a flash knockdown in the first round.  However, Quarles battled strong throughout.  Mackey's experience shone through greatly, but didn't stop him from getting dropped in the last 10 seconds of the contest.

Scores were 57-55 for Mackey and 56-56 twice.  Quarles is now 9-0-1, two KO's.  Mackey is now 13-8-4, six KO's.

Co-feature now.  Zain Shah battles Harry Joe Yorgey.

Jones-Ziglar Bout Ends In No-Contest!

The bout between Lawrence Jones and Ivan Ziglar ended in a no-contest midway through the second round. The two boxers collided in a nasty headbutt, that left a gash on Jones that couldn't be closed.

Brandon Quarles versus John Mackey is next.

Aleem Wins Unanimous Decision Over Baltimore!

In what was a very competitive bout, Immanuwel Aleem won a four-round unanimous decision over "The Honorable" Mark Baltimore.  Tough fight with Aleem showing great hand speed, but Baltimore being able to slow Aleem at times.  Aleem is 3-0, two KO's.  Baltimore is 1-1, one KO.

Up next:  Lawrence Jones vs. Ivan Ziglar.

Odom Scores Knockout In Pro Debut!

"The King's Son" Jerry Odom has scored a first-round TKO over the equally debuting Darryl Fields.  Odom had to face a charging Fields but kept his poise and swarmed Fields until referee Vic DeWysocki stopped the bout at 1:11.

Next, Mark Baltimore battles Immanuwel Aleem.

Huffman Stops Rector In First!

We called David Warren Huffman the best 1-8 fighter we had seen.  He's now 2-8 with one KO.  Huffman stopped Joseph "Raw Talent" Rector with a jab that stunned Rector.  Then Huffman jumped all over Rector, forcing referee Gene Del Bianco to stop the contest at 1:08 of the first round.  Rector is now 1-1, one KO.

Jerry Odom makes his pro debut against Darryl Fields.

Douglas Scores TKO In First Round!

Antoine "Action" Douglas makes short work of Valdez Eason using strong body shots to drop and stop Eason at 1:30 of the first in his pro debut.  Eason is 0-7.

Joseph Rector takes on David Warren Huffman next.

Ward and Flores Battle to Majority Draw!

In what was a hard-hitting bout, local cruisers Andre Ward and Mario Flores fought to a four-round majority draw.  Great bout and both men were allowed to work in close.  Ward is 1-1-2, one KO.  Flores is 1-1-1, one KO.
Quick footnote about Damon Antoine:  Originally, Antoine was only here to work the corner of his cousin Darryl Fields, who will face Jerry Odom. 

He took advantage of his situation.

Antoine Douglas makes his pro debut against Valdez Eason

Antoine Wins Unanimous Decision!

Damon Antoine wins a four-round unanimous decision over Shakir Ashanti.  Ashanti was penalized one point for low blows.  Antoine is now 11-42-1, five KO's.  Ashanti is now 16-14, four KO's. 

Battle of two local cruisers -- Andre Ward and Mario Flores.

Interesting Group of Referees Tonight!

A very interesting quartet of referees are working tonight's card.  Steve Smoger returns to the area for the second time this month.  Also working tonight are Vic DeWysocki, Chris Wollensen and Gene DelBianco.
This means this is the first Jimmy Lange main event where Joe Cooper will not be the third man in the ring.
Shakir Ashanti and Damon Antoine coming to the ring shortly.

Good Evening From The Patriot Center!

Hi again everyone from Fairfax, VA for tonight's 10-bout card.  This is a card that is being called simply stacked.  Here is the order of bouts:

Four rounds, middleweight -- Damon Antoine vs. Shakir Ashanti.

Four rounds, cruiserweight -- Andre Ward vs. Mario Flores.

Four rounds, super middleweight -- Antoine Douglas vs Valdez Eason.

Four rounds, welterweight -- Joseph Rector vs. David Warren Huffman.

Four Rounds, super middleweight -- Jerry Odom vs. Darryl Fields.

Four Rounds, super middleweight -- Mark Baltimore vs. Immanuwel Aleem.

Six rounds, middleweight -- Lawrence Jones vs. Ivan Ziglar.

Six rounds, middleweight -- Brandon Quarles vs. John Mackey.

Co-Main Event, six rounds, middleweight -- Zain Shah vs. Harry Joe Yorgey.

Main Event, 10 rounds, middleweight -- Jimmy Lange vs. Tony Jeter.

We'll be recording a pre-fight show on the BATB Spreaker page that you can hear shortly.  Please send any comments that you have!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Fernando Guerrero to Face JC Candelo November 3 in Humble, TX; Cochran Also on Card!

Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero will return to action on Saturday, November 3 when he takes on veteran and former world title challenger Juan Carlos (J.C.) Candelo at the Humble Civic Center in Humble, TX.  The 10-round bout will be televised by Fox Sports Net and Fox Deportes.

Guerrero (24-1, 18 KO's) is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Jose Medina on July 14 in Las Vegas, NV. Guerrero has won three straight since his only loss to Grady Brewer in June of 2011 in Austin, TX.

Candelo (32-11-4, 21 KO's) once challenged Winky Wright for the IBF Junior Middleweight title in 2003 and lost a 12-round unanimous decision.  Candelo, a native of Colombia who now fights out of Baytown, TX, is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Raul Casarez on March 17 in Pharr, TX.

Another Beltway Boxer is slated to be on this card.  Undefeated Alexandria, VA super featherweight Jerren "Hardknocks" Cochran (6-0, three KO's) will battle veteran Julio Valadez (4-22-1) in a four-round bout.  Cochran, who is originally from Houston, TX, won a six-round unanimous decision over David Green on October 4 in Houston.  Valadez is from San Antonio, TX and will be trying to break a 13-bout losing streak.

Corley Weighs 135 1/2 for Ukraine Bout!

DeMarcus Corley weighed in at 135 1/2 pounds for his scheduled 12-round contest on Saturday in Kiev, Ukraine.  Corley's opponent, Viktor Postal, hit the scales at 140 pounds.

Weights From Fairfax, VA!



(Photo by Juan Marshall, ProAm Fight Talk)



Here is the scale watch for Saturday's Ice Promotions/Jimmy Lange Boxing card at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA:

Jimmy Lange 154 vs. Tony Jeter 158

Brandon Quarles 157 vs. John Mackey 157

Lawrence Jones 155 vs. Ivan Ziglar 157

Zain Shah 160 vs. Harry Joe Yorgey 162

Mark Baltimore 167 vs. Immanuwel Aleem 165

Antoine Douglas 160 vs. Valdez Eason 164

Jerry Odom 168 vs. Darryl Fields 167

Andre Ward 195 vs. Mario Flores 195

Joseph Rector 139 vs. David Warren Huffman 138

Shakir Ashanti 161 vs. David Antoine 158

Both BATB and ProAm Fight Talk will be blogging live throughout Saturday evening beginning at 6:45 ET with results and photos from the Patriot Center..  Also please check for exclusive commentary and interviews on the BATB page at Spreaker.com. Once again, the card is slated to begin at 7 PM ET.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

RIP Emanuel Steward!

 (Courtesy of USAToday.com)

 
There is not much more I can add to the legacy of Emanuel Steward that many of you don't already know. The 68-year-old Steward trained 41 world champions and not too many trainers can say that trained the variety of boxers that Mr. Steward did.

We of course know about the likes of Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko.  But how about names like Hilmer Kenty, Oscar De La Hoya, Naseem Hamed, Michael Moorer, Jimmy Paul and James Toney?  That is a varied group as there has ever been.  Not only did Mr. Steward lend his boxing expertise, but the class and dignity that went along with it.

The class and dignity was something I always admired about Emanuel Steward.  He wasn't always yelling and screaming at his boxers.  This was a trait I felt helped him later on as a boxing commentator, where that class and dignity could shine through.

This has been a rough year for boxing because of some of the legends that we have lost.  In fact, the year 2012 has seen three trainers associated with three of the "Four Kings" (as the late writer George Kimball called them) of boxing, leave us.  Goody Petronelli, who trained Marvelous Marvin Hagler, died in January.  Angelo Dundee, who guided Sugar Ray Leonard, passed away in early February.  Now, Emanuel Steward, who led Thomas Hearns, has passed.  Ray Arcel, who worked with Roberto Duran, died in 1994.

Our deepest condolences to the Steward Family.

Suspension of USA Boxing Is Lifted!

Just hours after an AIBA-imposed suspension of all USA Boxing activities, the suspension has been lifted, allowing amateur boxing activities to proceed.  This announcement came after a letter by the current president of USA Boxing, Dr. Charles Butler, to the administration of AIBA, the international governing body of amateur boxing.   The following is the letter to all representatives of USA Boxing announcing the lifting of the suspension:

Dear Friends in Boxing,

I have just spoken with Mr. Ho Kim, Executive Director of AIBA. Mr. Kim has communicated with Dr. CK Wu over USA Boxing's letter, sent by me earlier today, on the sanctions imposed against USA Boxing by AIBA yesterday.


Mr. Kim stated that both he and Dr. Wu are fully supportive of the athletes, coaches, and membership of USA Boxing, and we are pleased to report that all boxing activity, at all levels, is free to proceed.  We have also received confirmation from our insurance carrier that USA Boxing's coverage remains in effect.


Notwithstanding Dr. Wu's and Mr. Kim's support of USA Boxing and its membership, AIBA and the USOC remain extremely concerned about USA Boxing's governance.  The USA Boxing Board of Directors has previously agreed, in principle, to a governance restructure. As your president, I am fully committed to addressing our governance issues.  Dr. Wu and Mr. Kim have asked me to express their high regard for the membership of USA Boxing, and they also request the support of all members in the reorganization process that will make us a model for the world.  Now is the time for all members to rally and support organizational change for the betterment of Olympic style boxing.


It is obvious that the reputation of our members and the good they have done through the years is what will see USA Boxing through.  You have given your time to our athletes without prejudice. You have aided all who come through our doors. Boxing is good to go!!!


Yours in boxing,


Charles

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

AIBA Places Three-Month Suspension on USA Boxing!

It looks like we will see no amateur boxing either along the Beltway or anywhere else in the United States for the next three months.  AIBA, the governing body of amateur boxing worldwide, has placed USA Boxing on suspension until January 19, 2013.

The suspension means that all amateur boxing activities in the United States are immediately suspended. The suspension cancels all sanctioned competitions; coach and official clinics; boxing club activities; membership registrations; and insurance coverage.


According to the official statement, AIBA's actions are a result of USA Boxing's not acting to remove former president Hal Adonis from the board of directors after some controversial comments concerning the involvement of females in Olympic Boxing.  Adonis was removed as president of USA Boxing but remained on the board of directors.  The following comes from the AIBA's Disciplinary Committee: 

“By failing to remove Mr. Adonis from the USA Boxing Board of Directors when it had the chance to do so, USA Boxing, in essence, endorsed Mr. Adonis’ statements and sent out a message that such behavior was acceptable. The action (or lack thereof) and the very serious and harmful nature of Mr. Adonis statements, has jeopardized boxing and the Panel finds it appropriate to impose a suspension upon USA Boxing. This suspension must reflect the severity of the offence.”


October 27 Patriot Center Card Complete!

The Ice Promotions/Jimmy Lange Boxing card slated for Saturday, October 27 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA is complete.  There are nine bouts slated for the card.   Here's the bout sheet:

Main Event -- 10 Rounds Middleweight -- Jimmy Lange (38-4-2, 25 KO's), Great Falls, VA vs. Tony "Mo Better" Jeter (14-3-1, 10 KO's), Stevensville, MD

Co-Feature -- Six Rounds Middleweight -- Zain "Tiger" Shah (5-0, three KO's, 1 NC), Chantilly, VA vs. "Lightning" Harry Joe Yorgey (24-1-1, 11 KO's), Bridgeport, PA

Six Rounds Middleweight -- Brandon Quarles (9-0, two KO's), Alexandria, VA vs. John "No Mercy" Mackey, (13-8-3, six KO's), Washington, DC

Six Rounds Middleweight -- Ivan "King Shango" Ziglar (7-2-1, four KO's), Washington, DC vs. Lawrence Jones (4-6-2, one KO), Washington, DC

Four Rounds Super Middleweight -- Immanuwel Aleem (2-0, two KO's), Richmond, VA vs. "The Honorable" Mark Baltimore (1-0, one KO), Washington, DC

Four Rounds Super Middleweight -- "The King's Son" Jerry Odom (pro debut), Washington, DC vs. Darryl Fields (pro debut), Akron, OH

Four Rounds Junior Welterweight -- Joseph "Raw Talent" Rector (1-0, one KO), Fairfax, VA vs. David Warren Huffman (1-8), Milwaukee, WI

Four Rounds Super Middleweight -- Antoine "Action" Douglas (pro debut), Washington, DC vs. Valdez Eason (0-6), Cincinnati, OH.

Four Rounds Cruiserweight --  Mario "Bazooka" Flores (1-1, one KO), Washington DC vs. Andre Ward (1-1-1, one KO), Washington, DC

The weigh-in will be open to the public on Friday, October 26 at the Greene Turtle Sports Bar and Grille at Fairfax of Old Town located on 3950 University Drive, Suite 209 in Fairfax, VA.  The weigh-in begins at noon.  The card on Saturday is scheduled to begin at 7 PM. 







Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Beltway Boxing 'SuperFan' Helman in 'Sparring Session' with Dusty Harrison!

Last week, the Washington Post ran an article about a gentleman who has been a fan of University of Maryland Athletics for 30 years and is well respected by the athletes.  This got me to thinking..

If the Beltway Boxing community has a "SuperFan," he would be 23-year-old Benjamin Helman.  I first met Ben at a Jimmy Lange boxing card at the Patriot Center and he is as gracious and enthusiastic as any fan I have ever met.  Ben is truly well respected by the Beltway Boxing Community and what's more, he doesn't let his disability -- he has Cerebral Palsy -- stop him from accomplishing anything he wants.  This is including a sparring session he participated in against Dusty Harrison this week.  Here is the video of that event courtesy of Juan Marshall.



Ben will be ringside this Saturday for the Jimmy Lange-Tony Jeter card at the Patriot Center and he will also be at the November 3 card at the Washington Convention Center.  Stop by and say hi to him!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Peterson Now Must Face Kendall Holt, Not Judah!

There has been a major shift in opponents for IBF Junior Welterweight champion Lamont PetersonRing Magazine's Lem Satterfield is reporting that the previous mandatory challenger -- former world champion Zab Judah -- is now out of the picture and the next in line is another former world champion, Kendall "Rated R" Holt.

IBF Championships Chairman Lindsay Tucker told Satterfield that Judah had from this past Friday until noon today to sign a contract for a Peterson-Judah contest.  Judah did not sign the contract.

"They didn't sign the contract at 12 o'clock, so we went to the next available guy, and that's Kendall Holt. So right now, Holt has been ordered to start negotiations with Peterson as the leading, available contender," Tucker told Satterfield.

Satterfield also says that Judah expressed that he didn't get the contract in a timely enough fashion, in part, because he believed Peterson (30-1-1, 15 KO's) wanted to fight current WBO champion Timothy Bradley in a rematch of their December 2009 contest that Bradley won.

 "Zab's people came up with a technicality on the contract, and after our legal people reviewed it, they said that there was nothing wrong with the contract, so we gave Zab until 12 noon today to sign the contract," Tucker said.


Headbangers Promotions, who won the purse bid to promote a potential Peterson-Judah contest, now will be working with Holt's promoter Gary Shaw to bring a Peterson-Holt bout together between now and November 22.

Holt (28-5, 16 KO's) won the WBO title in December of 2008 and lost the title to Bradley in April of  2009. Holt lost a 12-round split decision to current WBA and WBC champ Danny Garcia, who may make his next defense against Judah.  Holt's last outing was a second-round TKO of Tim Coleman on March 16 in Cabazon, CA.

Corley Back in The Ukraine This Saturday!

If this were the late 1960's, former WBO Junior Welterweight and current NABF Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley could probably lead a rousing chorus of "Back in the USSR."

Corley will make his sixth trip to a country in the former Soviet Union when he makes his second appearance in the Ukraine on Saturday, October 27 and faces undefeated hometown boxer Viktor Postol for the WBC International Silver Light Welterweight title at Club Sportlife in Kiev.  Corley has also been to Russia and Kazakhstan in the last three years.

Corley (39-19-1, 23 KO's) is coming off his 10th round TKO victory over Paul McCloskey on May 5 in Northern Ireland.  Postol (19-0, nine KO's) made the first defense of this title on June 27 when he won a 12-round unanimous decision over Yvan Mendy in Kiev.


Saturday, October 20, 2012

Stevenson Wins Unanimous Decision; Andrews Wins Strange TKO; Shull Stopped in Fourth!

Baltimore welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson remained undefeated tonight at the Winchester Sportsplex in Winchester, VA with a six-round unanimous decision over "The White Tiger" Angel Rios of the Bronx, NY.  According to Alec Kohut of MaxBoxing.com, Stevenson won by shutout on all three cards, 60-54.  Stevenson is now 17-0, 11 KO's while Rios falls to 9-15, six KO's and maintains his streak of having never been stopped.

Stuarts Draft, VA junior welterweight Richie "The Rock" Andrews won by second-round TKO over Harlem, NY's Curtis Morton when Morton hurt his arm while throwing a punch when the two were in a clinch.  Morton could not continue.  Andrews is now 5-2-3, two KO's while Morton is now 1-3-2.

Winchester light heavyweight Dan Shull lost a fourth-round TKO to undefeated Trevor McCumby of Glendale, AZ.  McCumby dropped Shull four times en route to the win.  Shull is 3-18-1, one KO while McCumby is 8-0, eight KO's.

July Scores Knockout in Winchester!

My thanks to Alec Kohut of MaxBoxing.com for providing some results from the United Boxers card in Winchester, VA.  Suitland, MD cruiserweight Venroy "Hardwork" July scored a fourth-round knockout over Cullen Rogers of Akron, OH.  Kohut said July pretty much dominated the contest and after a small combination in the fourth, Rogers took a ten count.

July is now 12-0-2, five KO's.  Rogers falls to 10-37-2, six KO's.

Weights From Winchester!

Here is the scale watch for the United Boxers card tonight at the Wells Fargo Multi-Purpose Arena inside the Winchester Sportsplex in Winchester, VA:

James Stevenson 147  vs. Angel Rios (will weigh-in later today)

Venroy July 200 vs. Cullen Rogers 200

Richie Andrews 143 vs. Curtis Morton 143 1/2

Trevor McCumby 176 vs. Dan Shull 180

Saul Rodriguez 128 vs. Qunicy Johnson 123

Ronald Ellis 168 vs. Tierre King 165


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Winchester VA Boxing Card Finalized!

The United Boxers card to be held on Saturday, October 20th in the Wells Fargo Multi-Purpose Center at the Winchester Sportsplex in Winchester, VA has been finalized.  There will be a mixture of Beltway Boxing talent and highly-regarded out-of-town prospects.

Undefeated Baltimore, MD welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson will headline the show in a six-round contest against "The White Tiger" Angel Rios of The Bronx, NY by way of Puerto Rico.  Stevenson (16-0, 11 KO's) made a successful return after a 13-month absence and scored a first-round knockout over Dontre King on September 22 in Millersville, MD.

Rios (9-14, six KO's), however, may prove to be one of Stevenson's toughest opponents, despite his under-.500 record.  Rios has fought many talented boxers in his career including Nate Campbell, Terrence Crawford, Dorin Spivey, Rod Salka and Juan Garcia.  Rios has never been stopped in his career.

The co-feature bout will have undefeated Suitland, MD cruiserweight Venroy "Hardwork" July who will square off against Cullen Rogers of Akron, OH in a scheduled four-round contest.  July (11-0-2, four KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Justin Howes on June 16 in Baltimore, MD.  Rogers (10-36-2, six KO's) will be trying to break a 10-bout losing streak.

Also on the card will be welterweight Richie "The Rock" Andrews of Stuarts Draft, VA who will battle Curtis Morton of Harlem, NY.  Andrews (4-2-3, one KO) will try to build off his August 25 split decision win over Harold Parker in Washington, DC.  Morton (1-2-2) fought in back-to-back draws in his last two bouts.

Three of the other bouts on the card will feature boxers that are trained by highly-regarded cornerman Robert Garcia.  All three are very busy boxers, having fought and won in bouts just last Saturday on the Donaire-Nishioka/Rios-Alvarado card at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA.

Glendale, AZ-based light heavyweight Trevor McCumby (7-0, seven KO's) scored a first-round TKO over Eliseo Durazo last Saturday and will face Winchester, VA's Dan Shull (3-17-1, one KO) in a four-round contest.

Lynn, MA super middleweight Ronald "Akeem" Ellis (4-0, three KO's) won a four-round unanimous decision over Katrell Straus in Carson, CA and now will face Akron, OH's Tierre King (0-6-1) in another four-rounder.

Also, Los Angeles, CA featherweight "Vicious" Vic Pasillas (3-0, one KO) will take on Quincy Johnson (0-6-1) in another four-rounder after winning a four-round unanimous decision over Jazzma Houge on the Carson, CA card.

In another welterweight bout, 19-year-old Andy Ruiz of Oxnard, CA (2-0, one KO) will face off with the debuting Tobias Molina.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

HBO Shows '2 Days' In the Career of Seth Mitchell!

On Saturday, October 27, HBO will premiere the last episode in their "2 Days" boxing show and the subject this time will be the Beltway's own Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell.

HBO cameras followed the Mitchell camp for 48 hours prior to his April 28 bout against Chazz Witherspoon at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.  The program will air at 10 PM ET on October 27.

Mitchell, the undefeated heavyweight from Brandywine, MD (25-0-1, 19 KO's) will face Johnathon Banks (28-1-1, 18 KO's), in a 10-round co-feature bout on Saturday, November 17 at Boardwalk Hall. The bout will be televised by HBO.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Legendary Writer Sares Takes a Trip Down Beltway Boxing Memory Lane!

One of the reasons why this blog was created was to give boxing fans in the Beltway Boxing region knowledge of how great the boxing has been in this area over many years.  I'm always encouraged when other writers -- in and outside of the Beltway -- realize this as well.

My good friend Ted Sares who is an author and contributor to Boxing.com, has listed some of the Beltway's best over a 60-year span in an article called Boxing Along I-495, the title of which I am personally honored by.  This is a wonderful capsule article featuring some of the best that have ever laced up the gloves in this area.  I hope you enjoy!

http://www.boxing.com/news/comments/boxing_along_i_495

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Presenting..Mr. And Mrs. Henry 'Discombobulating' Jones!




Saturday was a very busy day for many people in the Beltway Boxing Community, in and out of the ring.  On Saturday, DC Boxing Hall of Fame ring announcer Henry "Discombobulating" Jones married the lovely LaTonya A. Kyler at Allen Chapel AME Church in DC.  You may remember in March of 2012, Jones proposed to Kyler in the middle of the ring at the Washington Convention Center.  Yesterday, they made it official. 

BATB sends its fondest wishes and blessings to the lovely couple.

Also, best wishes to Arlington, VA junior welterweight Todd "White Lightning" Wilson who also got married on Saturday.

Jargal Wins Majority Decision in New York; Snyder Loses Unanimous Decision in New Jersey!

Arlington, VA lightweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal broke a three-bout losing streak with a six-round majority decision over Luis Rodriguez of New York City Saturday night at the NYCB Theater in Westbury, Long Island, NY.  This was the first time Jargal has been in the ring since November of 2011.  Jargal is now 16-3, 10 KO's.  Rodriguez is now 6-6-1, one KO.

In Newark, NJ, Berlin, MD super middleweight "The Berlin Bomber" Joshua Snyder lost a six-round unanimous decision to Ossie Duran of Paterson, NJ at Essex Community College.  Snyder was shutout on all three scorecards, 60-53.  Snyder's record falls to 9-7-1, three KO's while Duran is now 27-10-2, 10 KO's.

Ballard Wins Open Title; Hawkins, Ja. Bell and Countess Capture Junior Titles at National PALs!

Temple Hills, MD's D'Mitrius Ballard continues his memorable 2012 by capturing the 178-pound Open title at the National PAL Boxing Tournament at the Seagate Centre in Toledo, Ohio Saturday night. Ballard won a 26-19 decision over Steven Nelson of Fort Walton Beach, FL.  Ballard adds the PAL title to the National Golden Gloves championship he won earlier this year.  This is also Ballard's fourth consecutive open PAL Championship.

In the Female Open 165-pound championship, Baltimore's Franchon Crews lost a 30-19 decision to Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields of Flint, MI.  Also, Tiara Brown, who trains in DC at the Headbangers Gym but is from Lehigh Acres, FL, won the 125-pound female Open title with a close 23-22 decision over Virginia Fuchs of Kemah, TX.

Beltway Boxers won three more Junior Division titles on Saturday, bringing the overall total to six for the tournament.  Malik Hawkins of Baltimore won the 154-pound title with a 15-9 decision over Alexis Rocha of Santa Ana, CA.  Jason Bell of District Heights, MD scored a 22-9 decision over Javonte Bell of Gary, IN to win the 165-pound title and Calvin Countess of Abingdon, MD won the 201-pound title by walkover.  Countess won the Junior Olympics title in this weight class earlier this year.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Nelson Battles Perozzi to a Draw in Bermuda; Salinas Wins Unanimous Decision!

This news just coming in:  The Bermuda Sun is reporting that The "All or Nothing" main event in Southampton, Bermuda between WIBA Female Middleweight champion Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson of Ashburn, VA and WBA titleholder and local favorite Teresa Perozzi has ended in a 10-round majority draw.  Both ladies's belts were on the line along with the vacant WBC Middleweight title.

According to the Sun, the card was held in front of a sell-out crowd at the Fairport Southhampton. The Sun was updating the bout round-by-round up through the fourth round but then stopped until posting the result a few minutes ago.  The Sun posted the scores and one judge (the one from Bermuda) scored the bout 98-92 for Perozzi.  The other two judges saw the bout even at 95-95.

Nelson remains undefeated and this is the second draw of her career.  She is now 6-0-2.  Perozzi is now 9-4-2, one KO.

In the co-feature bout, Manassas, VA featherweight "The Bolivian Queen" Jennifer Salinas won a six-round unanimous decision to Karen Dulin of Mystic, CT.  Salinas won by shutout on all three cards (60-54).  Salinas is now 13-3, four KO's while Dulin falls to 2-12, one KO.

Nelson, Salinas Hit The Scales in Bermuda!

                               (Photo by Kaegaki Smith, Bermuda Sun)

 WIBA Middleweight champion Tori Nelson (right) weighed in at 156 1/4 pounds for her three-belt world title bout against WBA champion Teresa Perozzi that will be held tonight in Southampton, Bermuda.  Perozzi came in at 157 pounds.  The 10-round bout, in which the vacant WBC Female Middleweight title will also be on the line -- will be refereed by Steve Smoger, who worked the RBA Promotions card in Arlington, VA just one week ago.

The bout is BIG news in Bermuda as evidenced by these two articles.  The first is from the Bermuda Sun Newspaper:

http://bermudasun.bm/main.asp?SectionID=8&SubSectionID=117&ArticleID=61084

Also this one from the Royal Gazette:

http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20121013/SPORT19/710139993

                     (photo by Akil Simmons, The Royal Gazette)


There is also good coverage of one of the bouts on the undercard that features Jennifer Salinas (left) who weighed in at 127 3/4 for her six-round contest against Karen Dulin.  Dulin tipped the scales at 129 3/4.  Once again, this comes from The Royal Gazette:

http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20121013/SPORT19/710139991


Taylor Wins Majority Decision in Philadelphia!

Edgewood Arsenal, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor returned to his winning ways with a six-round majority decision victory over George Sosa of New Jersey Friday night at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, PA.  No word yet on the scores.

With the win, Taylor is now 15-1, 10 KO's while Sosa loses for the first time in his career and he is now 6-1, six KO's.

Russell Jr. Headlines 'Night Of Olympians' Card Nov. 9 in Indio, CA!

Undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. returns to action on Saturday, November 9 as he headlines a card called "The Night of The Olympians" at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA. 

Russell (20-0, 12 KO's) will take on Vyacheslav Gusev of Prokopyevsk, Russia (20-2, five KO's) in the 10-round main event contest, which will headline a ShoBox telecast on Showtime.  Both men are ranked among the contenders in the featherweight division.  The WBA places Russell at number four and Gusev at number 11. The WBO has Gusev (the WBO European champion) at number eight and Russell at nine.

Russell, a member of the 2008 US Olympic team, is coming off a third-round TKO over Christopher Perez on June 30 at Fantasy Springs Casino.  Gusev is on a four-bout winning streak with his last win -- a 12-round unanimous decision over Padjai Yonyuthgym on April 30 in Moscow -- earning him the European title and the PABA Featherweight title.

The card will also have the pro debuts of members of the 2012 US Olympic team including Russell's 2008 teammate and three-time Olympian Rau'shee Warren.  Also scheduled to make their maiden voyage into the pro ranks are Dominic Breazeale, Errol Spence, Marcus Browne and Terrell Gausha.

Snyder Weighs 157 1/2 For Newark Battle; Jargal Weighs 137 for NY Contest!

Joshua Snyder weighed in at 157 1/2 for his six-round contest with Ossie Duran tonight at Essex County College in Newark, NJ.  Duran tipped the scales at the middleweight limit at 160.

On Long Island in New York, Bayan Jargal hit the scales at 137 pounds for his six-round bout against Luis Rodriguez tonight at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury.  Rodriguez weighed in at 140 pounds.

Simpson, Isley, Robertson Win Junior Titles at National PAL Tourney; Shen Stopped By Olympian Shields!

On the penultimate day of the National PAL Tournament in Toledo, OH, three Beltway Boxers walked away from the Seagate Centre with championships in the junior division.

Baltimore, MD 110-pounder Lorenzo "Truck" Simpson won the 11-12 division in his weight class by defeating Harley Maderos of Brooklyn, NY 19-11.  Also, Troy Isley of Alexandria, VA captured the 13-14, 110-pound championship in an all-Beltway final as Isley defeated Ivan Franco Calixto of Delmar, MD, 16-12.  Calixto's brother, Rudy, lost a 15-8 decision to Otha Jones of Toledo in the 13-14, 85 pound championship bout.

In the 11-12, 75 pound title bout, Kavon Robertson of Staunton, VA won a 9-4 decision over Ty'shaun Humphrey of Cleveland, OH.

In the semi-final round, Malik Hawkins of Baltimore advanced to the finals of the 15-16, 154 pound
division with a 10-4 decision over Jafet Medrano of Columbus, OH.  Hawkins will face Alexis Rocha of Santa Ana, CA in the finals.

In the Female Open Division, Alexandria, VA 165-pounder Dara Shen had a tough time with Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields of Flint, MI.  Shen was stopped (RSC-3) in the third round.   Shields now will face another Beltway Boxer in former national champion Franchon Crews of Baltimore in the finals.  Crews has won national titles at 165 and 178 but drops back to 165 for this title contest, a rematch of their meeting at the US Olympic Trials.  Crews defeated Danyelle Wolf of San Diego, CA by a 24-16 score.

In Men's Open action, Antwan Robinson of Baltimore lost a 25-14 decision to Dennis Galarza of Orlando, FL in the 123-pound class semi-finals.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Local Boxers Head Out of Town This Weekend!

Three Beltway Boxers head to the Tri-State area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York this weekend for separate bouts.

Edgewood Arsenal, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor returns to action for the first time since November of 2011 when he faces George Sosa of New Jersey in a six-round contest tonight at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, PA.  Taylor (14-1, 10 KO's) will try to bounce back from his first pro loss, an eight-round split decision to Prenice Brewer on November 10 at Fight Night in Washington, DC.  Sosa (6-0, six KO's) is taking a big step up in competition as he has taken on competition with a combined won-loss record of 3-59-2.  Sosa, who has fought all of his bouts in the Dominican Republic, is battling in the United States for the very first time.

Taylor weighed in today at 143 1/2 while Sosa tipped the scales at 146 1/2.

We've already talked about Joshua Snyder's contest versus veteran Ossie Duran on Saturday night at Essex County College in Newark, NJ.  Now comes word that "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal of Arlington, VA will return to action on Saturday on a co-feature bout at the NYCB Theatre in Westbury, NY.  Jargal (15-3-3, 10 KO's) will face veteran Luis Rodriguez of New York City (6-5-1, one KO) in a six-round encounter.  Jargal will be looking to break a three-bout losing streak.

D'Mitrius Ballard Advances to PAL Semis!

D'Mitrius Ballard of Temple Hills, MD has moved into the semi-finals of the Open Division at the National PAL Championships at the Seagate Centre in Toledo, OH.

Ballard, who also captured a national Golden Gloves title this year, won by retirement in the third round over Anthony Sims, Jr. of Plainfield, IN in the 178-pound division.

In the only other open bout featuring a Beltway Boxer on Thursday, Lamont Roach, Jr. of Upper Marlboro, MD lost a 22-15 decision to Kenneth Sims, Jr. of Chicago, IL.

In the Intermediate Division, Jason Bell of District Heights, MD won a 17-6 decision over Sharif Rahman of Las Vegas, NV in the 15-16, 165-pound division.  Rahman is the younger son of former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.

Also in the intermediate class, Corey Moore of Salisbury, MD lost to Dallas Holden of Atlantic City, NJ by an 18-9 decision.

In the junior division, Kavon Robertson of Staunton, VA defeated Chamar Flowers of Accokeek, MD, 12-4 in the 11-12, 75-pound division.

There will be an interesting contest slated for today's bout sheet.  Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields is competing in the PALs this year.  After receiving a walkover win on Thursday, Shields will battle Alexandria, VA's Dara Shen today.



Ringside Report Interviews Lange and Jeter!

My long-time colleague "Bad" Brad Berkwitt who heads Ringside Report, sat down with both Jimmy Lange and Tony "Mo Better" Jeter for interviews as they prepare for their Saturday, October 27 showdown at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.  There is also a poll attached to the articles so you can make your pick on who you think will win.  Here are those interviews:

Jimmy Lange:

http://ringsidereport.com/?p=23185


Tony Jeter

http://ringsidereport.com/?p=23192


Thursday, October 11, 2012

Roach, Ballard Advance To Quarterfinals of National PAL's!

Beltway amateurs Lamont Roach, Jr. and D'Mitrius Ballard have advanced to the quarterfinals of the National PAL Boxing Tournament in Toledo, OH. 

Roach, who hails from Upper Marlboro, MD, won a 37-9 decision over Titus Williams of Elmont, NY, 37-9 in the Open 132-pound division while Ballard of Temple Hills, MD scored a 21-11 decision over Xavier Hayden of Las Vegas, NV in the Open 178-pound class.

On the female side, Tiara Brown, a Florida native who trains at the HeadBangers gym in DC, won a 32-12 decision over Jen Hamann of Seattle, WA.

In other Open action, Glen Dezurn of Baltimore, MD lost in the 132-pound class to Lavisas Williams of Rochester, NY by a 23-15 score.  Also, Marquis Moore of Fort Washington, MD fell to Peter Reyes of Long Island City, NY, 23-21.

The Junior and Intermediate Boxers have reached the semi-finals and Rudy Calixto of Delmar, MD has advanced to the semis.  Calixto moved on to the next round of the 13-14 year old,  85 pounds division by winning a 15-4 decision over Rayvon Williams of Toledo, OH.

Kyron Curry of Baltimore lost an 8-4 decision to Niasheen Williams of Rochester, NY in the 11-12 year old, 80 pound division.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Day Two Of National PAL's A Tough One for Beltway Amateurs!

The second day of competition at the National PAL Boxing Tournament in Toledo, OH was a rough one for local boxers, but there were still a number of quality victories.

Fort Washington, MD's Marquis Moore won a 27-10 decision over Jermaine Howlett of Chicago, IL in the Open Male 165 pound division.  Moore is the 2012 Armed Forces champion.

Also in open competition, Antwan Robinson of Baltimore won a 17-14 decision over Kevin Ford of St. Louis, MO at 123 pounds.  However, Gary Antonio Russell of Capitol Heights, MD lost in the same weight class by a 14-10 decision to Emmanuel Folly of Philadelphia, PA.

In the Open 141-pound division, Montell Prudgett of Baltimore lost by RSC-3 to Evander Lamourt of Tampa, FL.  At 152 pounds, Kareem Martin of Clinton, MD lost by tiebreaker 15-15 (52-50 in punch count) to Samuel Valentin of Land O'Lakes, FL while Shawn Woodford of Salisbury, MD lost by RSC-3 to William Hill of Detroit, MI.

In the Open 165-pound class, Demond Nicholson of Laurel, MD lost a 9-5 decision to Christopher Galeano of the Bronx, NY.

In intermediate action, Jason Bell of District Heights, MD won his bout in the 15-16 year old/165 pound class by a 17-3 score over Raquil Hayes of Warminster, PA.  In the Junior Division, Lorenzo Simpson of Baltimore won his bout in the 11-12, 110 pound division by a 9-4 score over Chavon Davis of Mansfield, OH.  Juan Jenkins of Baltimore lost by tiebreaker 8-8 (22-21) to Davis Paris of Rochester, NY.

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Beltway Boxers Compete in First Round of National PAL Championships!

On the first day of competition at the National PAL Boxing Championships in Toledo, OH.  A number of Beltway amateurs advanced to the next round of competition.

In the open division:  Antwan Robinson of Baltimore, MD won a 19-9 decision over Eduardo Vasquez of Englewood, CO.  Also at 123, Gary Antonio Russell of Capitol Heights, MD scored an RSC-2 over Xavier Griffin of Minneapolis, MN.

Lamont Roach, Jr. of Upper Marlboro, MD won a 14-11 decision over Hakeem Watkins of Columbus OH at 132 pounds.  Also at 132, Glen Dezurn of Baltimore, MD scored an RSC-2 over Carlos Arce of Fort Myers, FL.  Another local product, Gary Riley of Temple Hills, MD, lost his bout in the same weight class falling to Luis Cortez of Henderson, NV, 21-14 and Patrick Harris of Hyattsville, MD lost a close, 13-12 decision to Tommy Logan of Winter Haven, FL.

At 178 pounds, 2012 National Golden Gloves champion D'Mitrius Ballard of Temple Hills, MD is moving up in weight (he won the Golden Gloves at 165).  However, Ballard was successful in his first round contest, defeating Reyes Marquez of Colorado Springs, CO, 14-11.

In the female division, Tiara Brown stopped Amber Swift of Trotwood, OH, RSC-2.  Brown is from Lehigh Acres, FL but trains in the DC at the Headbangers Boxing Gym.

In Junior Division competition, Juan Jenkins of Baltimore, MD won a 13-5 decision over Zachary Bram of West Palm Beach, FL in the 11-12 year old, 80 Pounds division.  Also in the Junior Division, Donte Baytop of Baltimore lost a 13-5 decision to Luis Ibarra of Colorado Springs, CO in the 11-12, 85 Pounds Division

In the Intermediate Division, 13-14 year old, 85 Pounds division, Rudy Calixto of Delmar, MD won a 19-6 decision over Patrick Fair of Columbus, OH.

Also in the Intermediate Competition, Denzel Jones of Edgewood, MD lost a 28-4 decision to Michael Dutchover of Midland, TX. in the 13-14, 119 Pound class.  In the 15-16, 119 pound division, Mack Allison of Baltimore, MD lost a 23-7 decision to Efren Lopez of Fresno, CA.



Monday, October 08, 2012

Snyder Faces Duran October 13 in Newark, NJ!

An interesting matchup that, according to one of the participants, is two years in the making, will take place on Saturday, October 13 at Essex County College in Newark, NJ.   "The Berlin Bomber" Joshua Snyder of Berlin, MD will take on "The Ghanaian Gladiator" Ossie Duran of Paterson, NJ in a six-round contest.

Snyder (9-6-1, three KO's) told BATB that this is a bout he's wanted for that two-year period.  It has been almost a year since Snyder was last in the ring.  Snyder won an eight-round split decision over Maxell Taylor on November 3 in Cockeysville, MD.  Duran (26-10-2, 10 KO's) hasn't been in the ring since December 18 when he lost a 12-round majority decision to Avtandil Khurtsidze for the vacant WBC Silver Middleweight title in the Ukraine.  Some in the area may remember Duran when he lost a 10-round majority decision to Fernando Guerrero in Salisbury, MD back in October of 2009.

Jimmy Lange Talks About October 27!

ProAmFightTalk's Juan Marshall has a conversation with Great Falls, VA junior middleweight Jimmy Lange about his Saturday, October 27 showdown with Stevensville, MD's Tony "Mo Better" Jeter at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.  The video was shot by Brant Powell of 4th Street Films.  Here's the video:



In related news, with his WBC Fecarbox Middleweight title win in September, Jeter is now ranked number 30 in the WBC rankings.

Sunday, October 07, 2012

Hall of Famer Johnson To Join Sporting Legends at Chantilly Card Show This Weekend!

This has been an incredible year for Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson.  First, his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame followed by an appearance as a analyst on Showtime Championship Boxing.  Now comes word that Johnson will join other sporting legends at the Collectors Showcase of America event on Friday, October 12-14 at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA. Johnson will be signing autographs during this event.

Johnson's appearances will be on Saturday, October 13 from 1:15 to 2:45 PM and on Sunday, October 14 from 12:45 to 2:15 PM.  Johnson will join many other famous athletes, many of whom have ties to the Beltway area.

Also slated to attend are:

Legendary Washington Redskins players Larry Brown, Darrell Green and Art Monk

New Washington Capitals head coach and former player Adam Oates

Legendary Baltimore Orioles players Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer and Frank Robinson

Hall of Fame cornerback and DC native Willie Wood will lead a contingent of Green Bay Packers legends including Bart Starr, Herb Adderley, Willie Davis, Paul Hornung and Jerry Kramer

Also slated to participate are NBA Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler, Rick Barry, Lenny Wilkens and Dominique Wilkins along with baseball great Frank Thomas and two-time US Olympic Women's Soccer gold medalist Hope Solo, along with others.

For a full list as well as information on prices to attend and times when your favorites will be there, go to this link:

http://csashows.com/?page_id=124








Recap From Arlington, VA!

Here is the recap from the RBA Promotions card at the Smith Gymnasium on the campus of Fort Myer/Henderson Hall in Arlington, VA:

Heavyweight Duane Mobley of Upper Marlboro, MD remains undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Dennis Benson.  Mobley came very close to knocking Benson out in the third and sixth rounds but Benson managed to hang on and stay upright.  Mobley won by scores of 59-55 (twice) and 58-56.  Mobley is now 6-0, four KO's while Benson loses for the second time to Mobley and is now 1-4, one KO.

Haymarket, VA junior welterweight Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez won a four-round unanimous decision over Damon Antoine of Akron, OH.  Rodriguez scored a knockdown in the first round and battered the durable Antoine all over the ring for the rest of the contest.  Rodriguez won all three scorecards by 40-35.  The win breaks a three-bout winless streak for Rodriguez, who is now 5-2-1, four KO's.  Antoine falls to 10-41-2, five KO's.

White Plains, MD lightweight Terron "The Kid" Grant won a close four-round split decision over Stephon Alexander of Norfolk, VA.  Grant survived a first-round knockdown and faced a really competitive Alexander who hit Grant with some solid shots.  Grant fought back very well, however and eeked out the win. Judges Scott Howard and John Gradowski saw the bout 38-37 and 39-37, respectively while judge Brian Costello scored the bout for Alexander 39-37.  Grant remains undefeated with a record of 4-0, two KO's.  Alexander is now 4-5, four KO's.

The opening bout saw Fairfax, VA junior welterweight Joseph Rector make a thunderous pro debut, stopping the equally-debuting Samson Townes of Richmond, VA at 1:03 of the first round.  Rector dropped Townes twice -- the first time with a blistering left-right combination.

Dr. Richard Ashby heads RBA Promotions.  The matchmaker is Jay Pittman.  The referee for the bouts was noted New Jersey referee "Double S" Steve Smoger.


Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show:






We also had an opportunity to interview undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell about his November 17th bout against Johnathon Banks as well as another HBO project he is involved with.



I also had an opportunity to go back in Beltway Boxing History with a boxer who helped me start my boxing career.  The first main event that I ever called for a television program featured a boxer by the name of Gerry "Rock" Payne.  This was a rather unique main event in which Payne was also making his pro debut and the bout (which was held on March 24, 1990 at Coolidge Senior High School in Washington, DC) was a six-round contest.  Payne, who was an alternate on the 1988 US Olympic Team, had a brief career of just 14 bouts (13-1, five KO's), but a number of them were memorable as he was a member of the famed "Hard Corps" stable of pro boxers that also included Derrell Coley, Reggie Green and the late Reuben Bell. I caught up to Payne tonight to see what he is doing now.  Here's that interview, the first of what I hope will be an occasional series looking back at the recent history of Beltway Boxing.







Saturday, October 06, 2012

Mobley Wins Unanimous Decision!

Duane Mobley wins a six-round unanimous decision over Dennis Benson in a rematch of Mobley's pro debut.  Mobley had Benson out on his feet in the third and sixth rounds but couldn't finish him. 

Mobley remains undefeated at 6-0, four knockouts.  Benson falls to 1-4, one KO.

Post-fight wrap coming up, until then, good night from Arlington!

Rodriguez Wins Unanimous Decision!

Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez wins a four-round unanimous decision over the durable Damon Antoine.  Rodriguez scored a knockdown in the first round and battered Antoine throughout the contest en route to an easy victory.  All three judges scored the bout 40-35.  Rodriguez is 5-2-1, four KO's. Antoine is 10-41-2, five KO's.

Main event coming up -- Duane Mobley vs. Dennis Benson, a rematch.

Rodriguez vs. Antoine In Ring!

Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez taking on Damon Antoine in the ring.  They are through one and Rodriguez has one knockdown.

Grant Wins Tough Split Decision!

Terron Grant wins a four-round split decision over Stephon Alexander in an extremely close fight.  Alexander scored a knockdown on Grant in the first, although it did look like a slip from ringside.  The knockdown made no real difference, however.

The scores were 39-37 and 38-37 for Grant and 39-37 for Alexander.  Grant is 4-0, two KO's.  Alexander is now 4-5, four KO's.

Brief intermission now.

Forrest Bout Off Card!

We have received late word that the Jerry Forrest-Wayne Hampton bout has been scrapped.  No official word on what happened. 

Possible upset in the making in the Grant-Alexander bout.  Grant was knocked down in the first.  They are in the fourth now.

Rector Wastes No Time in Pro Debut!

Joseph Rector makes short work of Samson Townes, knocking him down with a blistering left-right combination then finishing Townes off with an accumulation of punches until the bout was stopped at 1:03 of the first round.  Both boxers were making pro debut.

Up next, a change in the order as Terron Grant takes on Stephan Alexander.

Special Guest Referee in Arlington!

All of the bouts tonight are being refereed by noted New Jersey ref "Double S" Steve Smoger.  The first bout -- Joseph Rector vs. Samson Townes -- is in the ring.

Good Evening From Arlington!

Hi everyone from the Smith Gymnasium on the Fort Myer/Henderson Hall Joint Military Base in Arlington, VA.  We are here for the RBA Promotions card.

My apologies for not getting the weights out, but there were some last-minute changes to this card and I never received those changes.

Before I tell you who is on the card, let me say who is not.  We will not see locals Greg Newby or Zakki Scott. Apparently, their bouts fell out.

So here is the lineup for tonight: 

Bout 1: Joseph Rector (Fairfax, VA) 141 pounds vs. Samson Townes (Richmond, VA) 144.  Both boxers making pro debuts.

Bout 2:  Jerry "Slug" Forrest (1-0, one KO, Newport News, VA) vs. Wayne "Hammerhead" Hampton (5-6, three KO's, Cheverly, MD)

Bout 3:  Terron "The Kid" Grant (3-0, two KO's, Upper Marlboro, MD) 133 vs. Stephan Alexander (4-4, four KO's, Norfolk, VA) 135.

Bout 4: Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez (4-2-1, four KO's, Haymarket, VA) vs. Damon Antoine (10-40-2, five KO's, Akron, OH).

Bout 5:  Duane Mobley (5-0, four KO's, Upper Marlboro, MD) vs. Dennis Benson (1-3, one KO, Norfolk, VA.)

Only the Mobley-Benson bout is six rounds.  All others are four rounders.

Kevin Rivers Jr. Featured on Fox 5!

Fox 5's Dave Ross -- who has done an outstanding job of profiling many of our local boxers -- has another great interview.  This time Ross talks to Palmer Park, MD featherweight Kevin "Smoov" Rivers, Jr.  They talk about Rivers's family boxing legacy and the switch from amateur to professional.  Rivers won his pro debut last Saturday in DC.

Here's the interview:  My suggestion is go to the link to see a better version of the interview.

http://www.myfoxdc.com/video?clipId=7801158&autostart=true

Friday, October 05, 2012

Salinas Joins Nelson on October 13 Boxing Card in Bermuda!

There will be two Virginia-based female boxers participating on a Saturday, October 13th card in Southhampton, Bermuda.  We already know that WIBA Middleweight champion Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson of Ashburn, VA will defend her title and go after the WBA and WBC championships when she battles Teresa Perozzi on that card.

Now comes word that Manassas, VA featherweight "The Bolivian Queen" Jennifer Salinas has been added to the card and Salinas will face Karen Dulin of Mystic, CT.  Salinas (12-3, four KO's) made a successful return to boxing after having a baby on July 28 as she won a five-round unanimous decision over Angel Gladney in Charlotte, NC.  Dulin (2-11, one KO) will be trying to break a five-bout losing streak.


Thursday, October 04, 2012

October A Big Month For Beltway Amateurs!

We already know that there are a number of area pro cards, primarily in Virginia in October, but this month is also a big month for the amateur scene as well.  There are cards almost every weekend around the Beltway.  Here's what we know so far.

Friday and Saturday, October 5 and 6 -- Diamonds N the Rough along with Beltway Boxing legend Victor Davis are having a two-day card at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center, 7707 Barlowe Road in Palmer Park, MD.  Bell time for Friday's action will be 7 PM and Saturday's boxing begins at 3 PM.

Saturday, October 13 -- The Hagerstown Boxing Club will have an all-female boxing card at their gym located at 245 Prospect Avenue in Hagerstown, MD.  Scheduled to appear on the card will be 12-year-old Mia "Killer Bee" Ellis of Baltimore.  There are also boxers slated to come in from DC, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Tennessee.  The card begins at 1 PM and some of the proceeds will go to breast cancer research.

Saturday, October 13 -- The DC Department of Parks and Recreation is sponsoring "The Brawl at the Market" at 225 7th Street, SE in DC.  The card is slated to begin at 6 PM.

Saturday, October 20 -- Baltimore Boxing is hosting a card to bring awareness to the problem of bullying in our communities.  The "Bully Beatdown" will take place at Du Burns Arena, 1301 Ellwood Avenue and Boston Street in Baltimore beginning at 6:30 PM.  There is an East Coast Amateur Middleweight title bout scheduled for this card as Baltimore's Jerome Featherstone takes on DC's Keith Samuels.

Saturday, October 20 -- The Potomac Valley Association of USA Boxing hosts the "Battle of the LBC" as the PVA boxers take on boxers from Virginia.  This event will be at Rosecroft Raceway located at 6336 Rosecroft Drive in Fort Washington, MD.  The event will begin at 1 PM.

Also, a number of locals will be participating in the 38th Annual National PAL Boxing Championships in Toledo, OH from October 6-13.  As soon as we get a list of who is going to be there, we will pass it along.

Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Mitchell to Face Banks (Finally) November 17 in Atlantic City!

We've said this before but it looks like NABO Heavyweight champion Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell will face Detroit, MI's Johnathon Banks in a nationally-televised (HBO) 12-round contest on Saturday, November 17 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.

The NABO title will not be on the line for the undefeated Mitchell (25-0-1, 19 KO's) from Brandywine, MD, but the bout is listed as a "WBC Semi-Final Elimination" contest.  In the most recent WBC rankings, Banks (28-1-1, 18 KO's) is ranked fourth while Mitchell is seventh.

This is the third time this bout has been scheduled.  The first time the bout was postponed after Mitchell suffered a hand injury in his win over Chazz Witherspoon also in Atlantic City.  The second postponement took place when another bout slated for the same night was cancelled.

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Best Wishes to Tracy Thorpe!

BATB sends best wishes and prayers to one of the leading ladies of the Beltway Boxing scene -- Tracy Thorpe of the South Atlantic Association of USA Boxing.

Thorpe recently suffered a stroke and is now in St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore.  Thorpe serves as the South Atlantic Association Registration Chairperson and has refereed a number of amateur bouts throughout the region..  Thorpe was the first female and first African-American to win the Harry Jaffra award from Ring 101 in Baltimore.

Get well soon, Tracy!


Virginia Continues 'Battleground' Mentality in Boxing with October 20 Card in Winchester!

As we head into the homestretch of the Presidential Election, the Commonwealth of Virginia is one of nine "battleground" states that both candidates will be trying to acquire.

But in October, Virginia has another version of the "battleground" mentality-- and this version will make the governing body of boxing in the state a very busy one.  Virginia will be hosting three boxing cards this month!

We've already talked about this Saturday's RBA Promotions card at the Fort Myer/Henderson Hall in Arlington.  We've also mentioned the Saturday, October 27th Jimmy Lange Boxing Promotions card at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax.

Now comes the United Boxers card that will take place on Saturday, October 20th at the Winchester Sportsplex in Winchester, VA.  Scheduled to appear on this card is undefeated Baltimore, MD welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin' Stevenson (16-0, 11 KO's).  Stevenson returned to the ring after a year's absence and scored a first-round KO over Dontre King on September 22 in Millersville, MD.

Also slated for the card will be undefeated Suitland, MD cruiserweight Venroy "Hard Work" July (11-0-2, four KO's).  July is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Justin Howes on June 16 in Baltimore.

Other locals slated to be on the card are the returning Baltimore lightweight Raymondo Elliott (1-1, one KO), Stuarts Draft, VA welterweight Richie "The Rock" Andrews (4-2-3, one KO) and rookie female flyweight Tyrieshia "Baby Girl" Douglas of DC (1-0, one KO).  There are also a number of bouts featuring world class national prospects.

 We'll have more information on this card as it develops.

Peterson-Judah Costs $50,000 For Headbangers!

HeadBangers Promotions won a purse bid for the rights to promote the championship bout between IBF Junior Welterweight titleholder Lamont Peterson and mandatory challenger Zab Judah.  In reality, HeadBangers was the only promotional company to bid on the bout and the winning bid was $50,000.

HeadBangers now has 90 days from today -- until January 2, 2013 -- to make the bout take place.

Monday, October 01, 2012

Quarles Faces Mackey on October 27 Patriot Center Card!

Another solid matchup has been added to the Jimmy Lange Boxing Promotions card on Saturday, October 27 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.  This will be a classic battle of youth versus experience.

Undefeated Alexandria, VA middleweight Brandon Quarles will face veteran John "No Mercy" Mackey of Montgomery, AL by way of Washington, DC in what should be a quality six-round encounter.  Mackey is trained and managed by Virginia boxing legend Han "Sugar" Kim.

Quarles (9-0, two KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Ike Ezeji on April 28 in Wilson, NC. Quarles scored two knockdowns enroute to the win.  Quarles also scored a six-round unanimous decision over Omar Sims on February 25 in Millersville, MD.

But Quarles will face his most experienced opponent in Mackey (13-8-3, six KO's) who has fought a number of quality opponents in and out of the Beltway region.  In December of 2007, Mackey participated in the Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year, defeating Tony Cygan by six-round unanimous decision.  Among the other Beltway foes Mackey has faced are Jessie Nicklow (an eight-round majority draw in June of 2009), Cecil McCalla (an eight-round majority decision loss in April of 2009) George Rivera (a fourth-round TKO victory in November of 2010) and two bouts against Joshua Snyder (a nationally-televised [ESPN] four-round majority decision loss in June of 2008 and a six-round draw in November of 2008).  Mackey has also been in the ring against the likes of Tarvis Simms, James McGirt, Jr. and Derek Ennis.


Boxing Returns to Fort Myer/Henderson Hall on October 6!

RBA Promotions will be hosting a boxing card on Saturday, October 6 at the Smith Gymnasium of the campus of the Fort Myer/Henderson Hall Joint Military Base in Arlington, VA.  Here are some of the bouts scheduled.

Headlining the card will be undefeated Upper Marlboro, MD heavyweight Duane Mobley in a six-round rematch against Norfolk, VA's Dennis Benson.  Mobley (5-0, four KO's) is coming off a second-round knockout of Dave Fleming on September 22 in Millersville, MD.  The win was Mobley's fourth straight knockout win.  Mobley defeated Benson in his pro debut via four-round unanimous decision on February 11 in Fairfax, VA.  Benson (1-3, one KO) will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak.

In another heavyweight contest, Newport News, VA's Jerry "Slug" Forrest will take on Capitol Heights, MD heavyweight Wayne "Hammerhead" Hampton in a four-round contest.  Forrest, made a successful pro debut in his last outing with a first-round TKO over Keon Graham on August 4 in Washington, DC. Hampton  (5-6, three KO's)  has fought sporadically over the last three years, competing just once since 2009.  That last contest saw Hampton lose by third-round TKO to Patrick Ferrell on August 18 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Undefeated White Plains, MD lightweight Terron "The Kid" Grant faces Stephan Alexander of Norfolk in a four-round contest.  Grant (3-0, two KO's) scored a first-round knockout over Devirous Sanders on August 4 in DC.  The win was Grant's second straight first-round knockout victory.  Alexander (4-4, four KO's) has lost two straight and four of his last five.

DC light heavweight Greg Newby will be in a four-round contest against Jess Noriega of Lynchburg, VA.  Newby (1-0, one KO) won his pro debut on August 25 in DC with a first-round knockout over Gavin Hume.  Two of the last three losses for Noriega (0-3) have come to light-heavyweight prospects Thomas Williams, Jr. and Immanuwel Aleem by first-round knockout.

Another bout sees Temple Hills, MD cruiserweight Zakki Scott take on DC's Kareem Wilson in a four-round bout.  Scott (2-0, one KO) last fought on March 10 in DC and won a four-round unanimous decision over Andre Ward.  Wilson (0-6) has been disqualified in four of his six bouts.