Ballard Wins 'Four-Round Beatdown' in Brooklyn!

Temple Hills, MD super middleweight D'Mitrius Ballard remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Lekan Byfield of Yonkers, NY tonight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Here is the report from Matt Richardson of Fightnews.com who called the bout an "easy four-round beatdown."

D’Mitrius Ballard won his third professional fight with an easy four-round beatdown of Lekan Byfield. All three judges submitted identical scores of 40-36 for the unbeaten Ballard. Byfield started the fight by sprinting out to the center of the ring but was soon met with a combination that put him in a backward direction.

That would be the way the lanky Byfield was forced for the remainder of the bout as Ballard seemingly landed any punch he wanted to, wobbling his opponent regularly. Byfield came out aggressively in the final round, seeming to know he needed a knockout to secure a victory. He actually connected with some decent shots in the corner but Ballard was able to slip his way out of the predicament and was soon punching back himself to secure the shut-out decision. Ballard is now 3-0 with two wins via stoppage while Byfield dropped to 3-6-2 overall.

Ballard Weighs 167 For Brooklyn Bout!

D'Mitrius Ballard weighed in at 167 pounds for his four-round contest Monday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

We are now learning that Ballard's opponent will be Lekan Byfield of Yonkers, NY (4-4-2). Byfield has won his last two bouts.  Earlier reports given to BATB by other news sources were erroneous.

Beltway Females In High Profile Bouts in November!

BATB caught up with three female Beltway Boxers at the Pataspco Arena on Saturday night.  Two of these ladies have big bouts coming up in November.

On the right is undefeated three-belt, two-division world champion Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson of Ashburn, VA.  In her last bout, Nelson (7-0-3) won her third title -- the WIBA Welterweight championship -- with a 10-round unanimous decision over Aleksandra Lopes on September 13 in Lincoln, RI. Nelson will defend that title on Thursday, November 7 at Martin's Valley Mansion in Cockeysville, MD during the Jonathan Ogden Foundation Benefit boxing card.

On the left is undefeated Baltimore-based prospect Tyrieshia "Lady Tiga"Douglas, who last fought on July 20 at Coppin State University and won a four-round unanimous decision over Marisol Miranda.  Douglas (3-0, one KO) will compete on the Fight Night Fight For Children card on Thursday, November 14 at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC.  No word yet on her opponent.

In the middle is rising amateur standout Amelia Moore who boxes out of Club One Fitness in Millersville, MD.  On Saturday, I announced part of the Fight For Life amateur boxing card at the University of Maryland Cole Field House in College Park.  Moore participated on that card and won her bout.  It was very surprising to see her at Patapsco Arena where she helped work the corner for a number of the out-of-town boxers who participated on that card.  Moore told BATB that she would like to turn pro at some point but she wants to make an attempt at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

July Wins Foulfest Main Event After Seven Rounds!

Suitland, MD cruiserweight Venroy "Hardwork" July won a seventh-round technical decision over Joell Godfrey of East St. Louis, IL in the main event of Saturday's card at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore.

Godfrey hit July numerous times with low blows causing the bout to be momentarily halted.  The bout ended in the seventh round with both boxers clashing heads and causing cuts on both men.

The bout went to the scorecards and July won by scores of 57-56 and 59-54 twice.  July is now 15-1-2, six KO's while Godfrey falls to 16-10-1, six KO's.

Here is the BATB Post Fight Wrap Up where Juan Marshall and I are joined by the Chief Scribe of FightKings.com, Michael Amakor.

Stevenson Scores Fourth-Round TKO!

James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson has scored a fourth-round TKO over James Hope.

Fighting for the first time as a junior welterweight, Stevenson gradually wore down Hope before stopping at 1:53 of the fourth.

Stevenson is now 20-0, 13 KO's and is the first Baltimore Boxer since Hasim Rahman to win his first 20 bouts.  Hope is now 7-12-1, four KO's.

The main event is here -- Venroy July vs. Joell Godfrey in an eight-round contest.

Reyes Scores Third-Round TKO over Faust!

Edwin Reyes has scored a third-round TKO in what was, at times, a wild contest against Greg Faust.

Overall, Reyes fought very well inside as he looked to land a home run shot. Reyes landed one in the second round and dropped Faust.  However, Reyes, for whatever reason, couldn't stop punching.  Referee Dave Braslow counted the knockdown but also took a point away from Reyes.  In my opinion, a good call and Reyes was fortunate he was not disqualified.

Reyes finally did land the shot he was looking for in the third round -- a right hand that sent Faust crashing to the canvas for good.  The bout was stopped at 2:47.

Reyes is 2-0, two KO's.  Faust is 1-2.

Co-feature is next:  James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson taking on James Hope of Rock Hill, SC in a six rounder.

Nicklow Wins Close Six-Round Unanimous Decision!

Jessie Nicklow wins a very close six-round unanimous decision over a very tough Timothy Hall.  The bout really could have gone either way as both men had their moments.

Hall landed some very solid shots but the judges said Nicklow landed even more and won by scores of 58-56 across the board.

Nicklow, in his first bout since December of 2011, raises his record to 23-3-3, eight KO's.  Hall falls to 7-14, four KO's.

Up next, lightweight Edwin Reyes of Rockville vs. Greg Faust of Atlanta, GA.

Flores Wins Unanimous Decision!

In a fight fought at close proximity, Mario Flores has won a four-round unanimous decision over Santos Martinez . 

This was a phone booth bout throughout as each man did not use much of the jab and slugged away.  Flores landed the more telling blows and won by shutout (40-36) across the board.

Flores raises his record to 3-1-1, two KO's while Martinez is now 2-4, two KO's.

We are through an intermission I ended up hosting.  Now, we have the return of Baltimore middleweight Jessie " The Beast" Nicklow in a six-rounder against Timothy Hall of Athens, GA.

McRae Wins Unanimous Decision!

We have our first distance bout of the evening. Dwayne McRae has won a four-round unanimous decision over the always-game Willie Chisolm.  McRae was very good using his jab and his right to the body.  However, Chisolm landed some shots of his own but not enough to win the contest. McRae scored a shutout of 40-36 across the board.

McRae is now 11-3, six KO's while Chisolm is 7-17, four KO's.

Next, cruiserweight Mario Flores, now fighting out of Annandale, VA taking on Santos Martinez of Adrian, MI.  Another four-rounder.

Quigley Wins Debut With First-Round TKO!

Gerome Quigley has scored a first-round TKO over Allen Williams in his pro debut.  Actually, Williams got off to a good start in the contest as he landed solid jabs against Quigley, who was trying to land a left jab of his own. 

The bout changed when Quigley began to land a solid right hand lead.  Williams had no defense for it and was battered around the ring until referee Brent Bovell stopped the contest at 2:23.  Williams is now 0-3.

Coming up: Heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae of Columbia, MD vs. Willie "Blackout" Chisolm of Clearwater, FL.

Sadikaj Scores Second-Round KO Over Pugh!

Albi Sadikaj has stopped Alando Pugh at 20 seconds of the second round.  Sadikaj was in control throughout the contest landing solid shots. 

Early in the second, Pugh landed some crushing right hands that made referee Gary Camponeschi stop the contest as Pugh tumbled to the canvas.

Sadikaj is 2-0, two KO's.  Pugh is 0-2.

Next, the pro debut of Montgomery Village, MD junior middleweight Gerome Quigley as he takes on Allan Williams of Athens, GA.

Trussell Makes Short Work of Meadows!

Jeremy Trussell of Baltimore needed just 1:43 to stop Brian Meadows of Clearwater, FL.  Trussell stalked Meadows in the junior middleweight contest hammering him all over the ring until referee Dave Braslow stopped the contest.

Trussell is now 3-0, two KO's.  Meadows is now 0-4-2.

Up next: cruiserweight Albi Sadikaj of Fort Washington, MD takes on Alando Pugh of DC.

Good Evening From the Patapsco Arena!

Hi from Baltimore and the very brightly lit Patapsco Arena.  This place is a long building with a bingo hall connected to it.  Nice location as boxing returns for the first time since 1998.

We should be starting in a few minutes but it has already been an eventful evening as far as who is in attendance.  One of our top prospects in the area is here and he will be making his return to the ring in November. We are talking about former NABO Light Heavyweight champion Mark "TNT" Tucker. 

Tucker abruptly stopped boxing about two years ago when family illness and tragedy halted his progress.  Tucker will return to the place he made famous -- the Carroll County Agricultural Center in Westminster, MD on Friday, November 15.

First bout headed to the ring -- Jeremy Trussell vs. Brian Meadows.

Corley Quits in Corner in Turkey!

DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley lost his bout in Terkidag, Turkey tonight when he chose to stay in his corner after the fourth round against Selcuk Aydin.

According to reports, Corley got off to a good start in the contest, however, by the third round, Aydin seemed to take the bout over.  After the fourth round, Corley did not come off of his stool.  After the contest, the former WBO Junior Welterweight champion told reporters that he -- not his corner -- decided not to continue boxing.
Corley did not give any mention of any injury suffered in the contest.

Corley's record drops to 39-21-1, 23 KO's.  Aydin is now 26-2, 19 KO's and is the holder of the WBC Mediterranean Junior Welterweight title.

Weights From Baltimore!

Here is the scale watch from the Hardwork Promotions card at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore MD:

Venroy July 198 1/2 vs. Joell Godfrey 194 1/2

James Stevenson 140 1/2 vs. James Hope 141

Edwin Reyes 135 vs. Greg Faust 139 1/2 (will have to weigh in again)

Jessie Nicklow 165 1/2 vs. Timothy Hall 168

Mario Flores 192 vs. Santos Martinez 193

Dwayne McRae 232 1/2 vs. Willie Chisolm 231

Gerome Quigley 152 vs. Allen Williams 151 1/2

Albi Sadikaj 196 1/2 vs. Alando Pugh 213 1/2

Jeremy Trussell 155 vs. Brian Meadows 148 1/2

The card is slated to begin at 7 PM.  We will be at the amateur card at the University of Maryland in the afternoon and then at the Patapsco Arena in the evening.

'Yes, Indeed' Reed Profiled in Queensbury Rules!

Waldorf, MD junior welterweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed has received a lot of press after his sterling sixth-round TKO victory over Rameses Gil on September 7 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.  The undefeated rookie (5-0, four KO's) is preparing for his return on the next Keystone Boxing card at Rosecroft on Friday, October 18.

Recently, local writer Tim Starks, the founder of the boxing blog The Queensbury Rules, had a nice interview with Reed as they discussed Reed's dual track of boxing -- and accounting.  Here's the link:

Mike Reed -- By the numbers

Washington Times Profiles William Joppy -- The Budding Marathon Runner!

We've told you about what former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy has done since finishing his boxing career in March of 2011.  This includes his successful Breakfast With Boxers program.

Now, Thom Loverro, a recent returnee to the Washington Times, has written a nice column on Joppy and his newest endeavor -- marathon running.  Joppy's goal is to participate in the next New York Marathon on November 3.

Here's a link to the story:

DC fighter has new goal

Ballard Heads To Barclays Center September 30!

Temple Hills, MD light heavyweight D'Mitrius Ballard returns to action on Monday, September 30 in a four-round contest at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.   Ballard, who is a Golden Boy Promotions signee, makes his second straight appearance at the Barclays Center.  Last time out, Ballard scored a second-round TKO over Marcus Clay on April 27.

 The opponent for Ballard (2-0, two KO's) was originally scheduled to be Jess Noriega of Lynchburg.  However, sources tell BATB that Noriega, who just fought on September 21 in Greensboro, NC, will not be participating.

According to the Ballard camp, if Noriega does not compete, the opponent will be Taneal Goyco of Philadelphia, PA (5-6-1, two KO's).  Goyco is coming off a six-round majority decision victory over Frankie Filippone on August 2 in Newark, DE.

The card will be shown on Fox Sports 1.  No word on whether Ballard's bout makes the telecast.

Kenney Advances to Semis of Women's Junior/Youth Championships in Bulgaria!

Alexandria, VA lightweight Iesha Kenney has advanced to the semifinals of the 2013 Women's World Junior/Youth Championships in Albena, Bulgaria.

Kenney is competing in the junior division and defeated Kaysarat Khazikhanova 2-1 in her quarterfinal bout on Wednesday.  Kenney will take on Esra Yildiz of Turkey in the semifinals on Friday.

Harrison to Face 'Pitbull' Torres For WBC Youth Title On Golovkin-Stevens Undercard in New York City!

The website Southwest Fightnews is reporting that undefeated DC welterweight Dusty Hernandez Harrison will take on Josh "The Pitbull" Torres of Albuquerque, NM on the undercard of the Gennaday Golovkin-Curtis Stevens bout on Saturday, November 2 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 

The bout will be for the WBC Youth Welterweight World championship in Harrison's first title contest.

Harrison (17-0, 10 KO's) is coming off a fourth-round TKO over Guillermo Valdes on August 23 in Dover, DE.  Torres (12-2-1, five KO's) has won five in a row and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Marcus Brashers on March 31 in Albuquerque.  Torres was a pupil of the late Johnny Tapia.

'Festival of Fists' Amateur Card in Baltimore October 12!

There will be an amateur card coming back to the William Myers Pavilion on Saturday, October 12.  Jake "The Snake" Smith and Baltimore Boxing will bring the "Festival of Fists" beginning at 7 PM.

Scheduled on the card is a rematch between Baltimore-based middleweight Kevin Ottley and Jerome Featherstone, also out of Baltimore.  Ottley, originally from Salisbury, MD, defeated Featherstone in the last Baltimore Boxing promotion on August 31 at Myers Pavilion.

Also, Baltimore junior welterweight "Bazooka" Joe Veazey will return to action along with heavyweight Sam Crossed of Baltimore who will face DC's Darnell Daniel.  Crossed stole the show on August 31 with this four-second knockout over Adrian Bean.



Bleacher tickets starting at $15 are available by calling 410-375-9175. In addition, floor seats are $35, individual VIP seats are available for $50, VIP mini tables of 4 at $200, reserved tables of 10 for $350 and first row VIP tables priced at $500 are currently on sale.

World Golden Gloves Comes to Waldorf October 25-26!

A busy fall Beltway Boxing season is even busier with the formal announcement that the World Golden Gloves amateur tournament is coming to the Waldorf Jaycees Community Center in Waldorf, MD on Friday and Saturday, October 25-26.  Bobby Magruder Productions is hosting the card.

There are boxers scheduled to participate from the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Ireland among other countries.  There will be 20 slated bouts on Friday night, October 25 beginning at 6 PM.  Tickets for that night will be $25 in advance for General Admission, $35 for Reserved and $45 for Ringside.  Tickets will be five dollars more in each section at the door.

Championship night will be on Saturday, October 26 at 8 PM with 10 title bouts.  Tickets on Saturday will be $30 for General Admission, $40 for Reserved and $50 for ringside.

There is a special two-night fight package that offers tickets to both night's action for $50 General Admission, $60 Reserved and $80 ringside. Those packages must be purchased in advance.  Call 301-843-6165 for more information.

Corley Battles In Turkey on Thursday; October 4 DC Card Postponed; Kelly, Douglas Added to October 5 Virginia Card!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley returns to action on Thursday, September 27 when he faces "The Turkish Warrior" Selcuk Aydin in Istanbul, Turkey.

Corley (39-20-1, 23 KO's) hasn't fought since losing a 12-round unanimous decision to Viktor Postol on October 27 in Kiev, Ukraine.  Turkey will be the ninth country other than the US that Corley has competed in.

Aydin (25-2, 18 KO's) is a native of Trabazon, Turkey but now fights out of Germany.  Aydin last competed on July 27 and stopped Aaron Herrera in the eighth round in Niedersachen, Germany.

This contest will be a 12-round contest for the vacant WBC Mediterrean Junior Welterweight title.  That's a new belt, I think.


Closer to home, the weekend bouts on October 4th and 5th have been altered.  First, BATB has learned that the Friday, October 4 Babie Girl Productions card at the DC Armory has been postponed.  No word yet on when the card will be rescheduled.

The Saturday, October 5 Sugar Han Promotions card at the ABC Sports Complex been enhanced by the addition of DC heavyweight Danny "Smooth" Kelly and Burke, VA middleweight Antoine "Action" Douglas.  Kelly (4-0-1, four KO's) will try to bounce back from his four-round draw against Jamal Woods on September 13 in Newark, NJ.  Douglas (9-0, six KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Edgar Perez on August 23 in Verona, NY.  No word yet on the opponents for either men.

Jones, McDonald Make Successful Pro Debuts in Greensboro, NC!

Two locals started their pro careers in quick fashion scoring first-round TKO's on a card on Saturday, September 21 in Greensboro, NC.

Temple Hills, MD light heavyweight Joe Jones III scored his first pro TKO against Vashon Allen (0-3) of Wilson, NC.  Jones is a former DC and regional Golden Gloves champion.  Here is a photo of Jones and his camp:

(left to right) Trainer Danny Akers, manager Chris Cosper, Jones, and cutman Rick Marsh.  Photo by Heidi Tufte, courtesy of Gar1680 North Carolina Boxing Talk

Also, DC welterweight Stephon "The Flash" McDonald won his bout against Tevin Parker of Wilson (1-2).  Here is McDonald with his team from the Young Titans Gym. (courtesy of Stephon McDonald)

Arnie Dansicker Named MSAC Chair!

BATB has learned that Arnold "Arnie" Dansicker will serve as the new chair of the Maryland State Athletic Commission.  Dansicker was elected to the position Thursday night during a commission meeting.

Dansicker succeeds Bill McCaffrey, who passed away on September 6.  Dansicker has been a member of the commission for five-and-a-half years.  Prior to joining the commission, Dansicker was a successful promoter of boxing cards in the Baltimore area along with his brother, Casey.

Amateur Boxers 'Battle Against Cancer' September 28 at University of Maryland's Cole Field House!

There will be an amateur boxing show on Saturday afternoon, September 28 at the University of Maryland's Cole Field House in College Park, MD.  Proceeds from the event will go to raising funds for cancer research.

The "Battle Against Cancer" will begin at 3 PM.  Tickets are $15 for adults and five dollars for children 10 and under.  The event supports the S. Nikki Harrison Cancer Awareness Group, a non-profit organization.  Tickets are tax deductible.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call (240) 353-0564 or (301) 518-3138.

Former Heavyweight Champ Ken Norton, Sr. Passes!

He will be forever known as the man who broke Muhammad Ali's jaw.  He should also be known as a classy fighter in and out of the ring. The boxing world is learning that former heavyweight champion Ken Norton, Sr. passed away today at the age of 70.

Norton began boxing in the Marine Corps before turning pro in 1967.  On March 31, 1973, Norton set the boxing world on its ear when he broke Ali's jaw en route to winning a 12-round split decision in San Diego, CA.  The two would meet twice more with Ali winning both bouts.  The third bout would have Norton challenging Ali for the title and dropping a close and controversial 15-round decision in Yankee Stadium in New York on September 28, 1976.  Norton also lost a title opportunity to George Foreman on March 3, 1974 but was knocked out in the second round.

Two fights prior to the third bout with Ali, Norton would fight for the only time in the Beltway region, winning a fifth-round TKO over Ron Stander at the Capital Centre on April 30, 1976.  Norton's next bout before facing Ali for the third time would be against Baltimore's Larry Middleton in San Diego on July 10, 1976.  Norton won by 10-round TKO.

On November 5, 1977, Norton defeated Jimmy Young at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas via 15-round split decision to become the number one contender for the WBC championship, then held by Leon Spinks.  However, Spinks decided to defend his title in a rematch against Ali.  The WBC stripped Spinks and awarded the title to Norton.

Norton would lose the title in a classic battle against Larry Holmes at Caesar's on June 9, 1978. Holmes would win by 15-round split decision.  Norton's career would end via first-round knockout loss to Gerry Cooney in Madison Square Garden on May 11, 1981.  Norton had a record of 42-7-1, 33 KO's.

Post-boxing, Norton became an actor, starring in two movies of the so-called "Blaxploitation" era -- "Mandingo" and the sequel, "Drum." Norton also made numerous TV show guest appearances.

In 1986, Norton was involved in a near-fatal car accident that eventually slowed and slurred his speech.  Norton had been battling strokes in the last years of his life.  In 1992, Norton was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Survivors include Norton's son, Ken, Jr., a former all-pro linebacker with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers who is now the linebackers coach with the Seattle Seahawks.

A personal note:  Norton was indirectly involved in what I think was one of the most embarrassing moments on a network TV boxing broadcast.  On May 11, 1977, Norton faced Olympic silver medalist Duane Bobick in an NBC broadcast from Madison Square Garden.  Norton was in his first bout since losing his title shot to Ali and Bobick was the rising young prospect.

NBC had devoted a three-hour prime time block of time to just THAT ONE BOUT.  No prelims or co-features shown on that night.  I was 13 at the time and I was up in my bedroom getting ready to watch the bout.  Just before the bout started, I ran down to the basement where my father was to tell him the bout was getting ready to begin.

By the time I got back to my bedroom, THE FIGHT WAS OVER!!
Norton knocked out Bobick in 58 seconds of the first round!  NBC, with nothing else to show for the night, showed a seemingly endless number of replays of the mismatch!  Network and later, cable, I believe, learned from that night.

Norton was also a fixture at the annual Fight Night charity event in DC where, even when his health was poor, was a very gracious man.  He will truly be missed.

Reed, Hurd, Bates, Nicholson and Coye Scheduled to Compete on October 18th Card at Rosecroft!

Coming off an outstanding card on September 7, Keystone Boxing Promotions goes back to work with another card on Friday, October 18 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.  Boxing is moved to Friday nights while Rosecroft is having their live racing season.

Two bouts have been signed for this card and they look like nice step-up bouts for the locals involved.  Undefeated Waldorf, MD junior welterweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed will face fellow undefeated boxer Randy Fuentes of McAllen, TX in a six-round encounter.  Reed (5-0, four KO's) will try to build on his impressive six-round knockout win over Rameses Gil on the September 7 Rosecroft card.  Fuentes (4-0-1) has not fought since September 29 of 2012.  However, his last win was a six-round split decision over then-undefeated Fernando Mata (7-0-1 at the time) in Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Also, Accokeek, MD junior middleweight "Swift" Jarrett Hurd returns to also face an undefeated boxer in Frank Gedeon of West Palm Beach, FL in another six-round contest.  Hurd (8-0, five KO's) is coming off a third-round TKO victory over Issa Coulibaly on August 10 in Washington, DC.  Gedeon (4-0-2, three KO's) has never faced a boxer with an under-.500 record and recorded a first-round TKO win in 2011 over Antonio Infante, who was 6-0 at the time.

Also slated to be on the card are Laurel, MD middleweight Demond Nicholson (2-0, two KO's), DC super bantamweight Marcus "KO" Bates (2-0, two KO's) and Alexandria, VA light heavyweight Patrick Coye (1-0, one KO).

Making his pro debut on this card will be Waldorf, MD super middleweight "The Karate Kid" Josh Elkins.  Elkins is the son of Keith Elkins, founder and owner of Elkins Karate School in Waldorf.  Josh Elkins is a fifth-degree black belt in Karate and trains in boxing with Dusty Harrison, who will be in Elkins's corner along with his father, Buddy.

Sharmba Mitchell, Anthony Bell Among Honorees At Arnold McKnight Memorial Event!

(Photo courtesy of Sharmba Mitchell)

Former two-time world junior welterweight champion "The Little Big Man" Sharmba Mitchell and local boxing trainer and gym owner Anthony Bell, Sr. were among the honorees at the third annual Dr. Arnold W. McKnight Amateur Boxing, Kickboxing Invitational and Mixed Martial Arts Exhibition Event held at the Takoma Community Center in NW DC.

Mitchell received his award for his excellence in amateur and pro boxing.  Mitchell had an amateur record of 157-7 before going on to win two world pro titles.  Mitchell received the award in the shadows of his old neighborhood.

Mitchell's father, Charles Dave Mitchell, Jr., (pictured with Sharmba) was also honored for his service in the community. "Mitch," as he was known to many in the area, recently retired from the US Postal Service after a 46-year career.  After his retirement, Mitchell became an active member of the Prince George's County chapter of Concerned Black Men, an organization that mentors young black boys in the communities and schools.  Mitchell brought his son to Round One Gym in Hyattsville at the age of eight to begin what would eventually be his son's championship career.

Bell, the owner of Tony's Boxing and Fitness, was a patrol officer with the DC Metropolitan Police Department.  After retiring, Bell began work as the owner and operator of the Metropolitan Fitness and Safety Academy and has taught life skills and physical training for the American Community Partnership, a community-based construction apprenticeship school.  Bell also does training in law enforcement and police procedures for special police and security agencies.

Also honored at the event was Harold Lee Valentine, a community activist who helped get the MCI/Verizon Center and the Washington Convention Center to establish apprenticeship programs and hire residents of the Shaw neighborhood.

A posthumous honor went to Lionel Franklin Taylor, Sr., who helped establish Bando Kickboxing programs in the city.  Taylor was a Bando National Kickboxing champion from 1970-1972 and was the founder of the Amateur Kickboxing Federation where he produced numerous kickboxing and martial arts tournaments in the area.  Taylor was also the director of the Langley Recreation Center, now known as the Harry Thomas, Sr. Community Center.

Quarles Loses Decision; Odom Wins Again in First Round; Kelly Gets Draw in New Jersey!

Beltway Boxers had mixed results Friday night during a card at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, NJ.

Alexandria, VA middleweight Brandon Quarles lost an eight-round unanimous decision to John "Apollo Kidd" Thompson of Newark.  Quarles was dropped twice during the contest in the sixth and seventh rounds and lost an 80-70 decision across the board.  Quarles is now 10-2-1, three KO's.  Thompson remains undefeated at 13-0, four KO's.

Super middleweight "The King's Son" Jerry Odom of Bowie, MD scored another first-round TKO, this time against Antonio Liles of North Carolina.  Odom needed just 45 seconds to put away Liles.  Odom is now 5-0, five KO's, one NC.  Liles is 1-3, one KO.

Also, DC heavyweight Danny "Smooth" Kelly fought to a four-round majority draw with Jamal "Knockout" Woods of Forrest City, AK.  Kelly won on one scorecard, 39-37, but the other two judges saw the draw at 38-38.  Kelly is now 4-0-1, four KO's while Woods is now 3-8-1, three KO's.

This was a GH3/Greg Cohen Promotions card.  GH3 is slated to have a card on Friday, October 25 at the Charles Houston Recreation Center in Alexandria, VA.  Odom, Kelly, Antoine Douglas and Glen Dezurn are all slated to be on that card.  Quarles is scheduled to return on Saturday, October 26 on the RBA Promotions card at the Smith Gymnasium at Fort Myer/Henderson Hall in Arlington, VA.

Nelson Wins Third World Title With 10-Round Unanimous Decision in Rhode Island!!

(photo courtesy of James Hogan)

Congratulations to Ashburn, VA's Tori "ShoNuff" Nelson who is now a three-time world champion!  The undefeated Nelson dropped down in weight and won a 10-round unanimous decision over Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes of Marshfield, MA to capture the vacant WIBA (Women's International Boxing Association) Welterweight title Friday night at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI.

According to the scorecards, Nelson was dominant in the contest, scoring shutouts on two of the cards (100-90).  The third judge scored the bout 98-92.

Nelson adds this title to the WBC Middleweight and WIBA Middleweight titles she already owns.  Nelson is now 7-0-3. Lopes falls to 10-2, one KO.  Nelson has added new people in her corner -- Baltimore trainers James Hogan and Mack Allison have joined Craig Fladeger in Nelson's camp.

Highlight Package From Reed-Gil Bout!

There has been a lot of positive feedback from the Saturday, September 7 Keystone Boxing card at Rosecroft Raceway.  A good portion of the feedback centered around the six-round contest between Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed and Rameses Gil.

Thanks to Brant Powell of 4th Street Films for this outstanding highlight package of one of the best bouts of 2013.

Quarles, Odom, Kelly Hit Scales in New Jersey!

Brandon Quarles, Jerry Odom and Danny Kelly all weighed in for their bouts on Friday, September 13 at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, NJ.

Quarles tipped the scales at 153 pounds for his eight-round main event contest against John Thompson, who tipped the scales at 154.

Odom weighed in at 169 pounds for his four-round bout against Antonio Liles.  Liles came in at 177 pounds.

Kelly tipped the toledos at 231 pounds while his opponent, Jamal Woods was 250.

The entire card can be viewed on an internet pay-per-view by going to www.pandafeed.tv.  The cost is $9.99.  However, I just found out that the card will NOT be carried live.  It will be a tape-delayed broadcast.

September 28 'United Nations' Card Heads to Baltimore!

The Hardwork Promotions "United Nations" Card scheduled for Saturday, September 28 at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore, MD is complete.  Boxing is returning to the Patapsco Arena -- located at 3301 Annapolis Road in Baltimore -- for the first time since 1998.

Headlining the show will be the card's promoter -- Suitland, MD cruiserweight Venroy "Hardwork" July who will take on veteran Joell Godfrey of East St. Louis, IL in a scheduled eight-round contest.

July (14-1-2, six KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Rayford Johnson on June 22 in Frederick, MD. Godfrey (16-9-1, six KO's) last fought on July 26 and won a four-round majority decision over Willie Chisolm.  Godfrey has bounced back and forth between cruiserweight and heavyweight throughout his career.

In the co-feature contest, Undefeated James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson of Baltimore drops to junior welterweight for his six-round encounter with James Hope of Rock Hill, SC.  Stevenson (19-0, 12 KO's) scored a second-round TKO over Joshua Robertson on August 3 in Millersville, MD.  Hope (7-11-1, four KO's) won a six-round split decision over Scott Burrell on May 18 in Charlotte, NC in his last outing.  Burrell was 7-1 going into the contest.

This card also marks the return of one of the more exciting Beltway Boxers in recent memory -- Baltimore's Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow -- who will face Timothy "The Boss" Hall, Jr. of Athens, GA in a six-round contest.

Nicklow (22-3-3, eight KO's) was the 2007 Beltway Boxing Rookie of the Year and was part of the Nicklow-(Scott) Sigmon- (Julius) Kennedy trilogy of bouts that was named Beltway Bout of the Year for 2010.  Nicklow won a 10-round unanimous decision over Sigmon and had a 10-round draw with Kennedy.  Sigmon defeated Kennedy by 10-round unanimous decision in the trilogy.  Nicklow also fought on national television in bouts against Fernando Guerrero and, in his last contest, former world champion Jermain Taylor, who stopped Nicklow in the eighth round in December of 2011 in Cabazon, CA.

Hall (7-13, four KO's) hasn't fought since dropping a six-round unanimous decision to Derrick Samuels in September of 2012 in Tampa, FL.

Also on the card, Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae returns for a four-round bout against the afore-mentioned Willie "Blackout" Chisolm of St. Petersburg, FL.  McRae (10-3, six KO's, one NC) will try to see some action this time after his last outing against Dennis Benson on May 11 in Millersville ended in a no-contest when both boxers were disqualified for holding.

Chisolm (7-17, four KO's) has fought once since his loss to Godfrey, dropping a four-round unanimous decision to Alfredo Escalera, Jr. on August 31 in Orlando, FL.  This will be Chisolm's fourth trip to Maryland dropping previous decisions to July, Russ Shiflett and Nick Kisner.

DC cruiserweight Mario Flores returns to action in a four-round contest against Santos Martinez of Adrian, MI.  Flores (2-1-1, one KO) scored a first-round knockout over Rodney Dews on June 22 in Frederick, MD.  Martinez (2-3-1, two KO's) makes his second straight trip to Maryland after battling to a four-round draw with Devon Mosley on July 13 in Fort Washington, MD.

Frederick, MD lightweight Edwin Reyes returns to action in a four-round bout against Greg Faust of Georgia.  Reyes (1-0, one KO) made his pro debut on June 22 in Frederick scoring a second-round TKO over Jarrett Robinson.  The debut came one day after his wife delivered a child.  The last outing for Faust (1-1) came in March of 2012 when he won a four-round unanimous decision over George Hayes in Atlanta, GA.

Baltimore middleweight Jeremy Trussell will be in a four-round contest against Brian Meadows of Owensboro, KY.  Trussell (2-0, one KO) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Adam Mays on August 23 in Morgantown, WVA.  Meadows (0-3-2) returns for the first time since May of 2012 when he lost by second-round TKO to Skender Halili in Franklin Square, NY.

Fort Washington, MD cruiser Albi Sadikaj will face Hawley, PA's Lamont Capers in a four-round bout.  Sadikaj (1-0, one KO) made his pro debut on August 3 in Millersville and scored a third-round TKO over Damion Reed.  Capers (1-2) will try to bounce back from two four-round unanimous decision losses, one of them against Mario Murphy on January 12 in Fort Washington.

Frederick welterweight Gerome Quigley makes his pro debut on this card facing Allen Williams of Georgia (0-2).

Wilson, Davis Highlight October 5 Card in Springfield!

The first weekend of October will bring us a lot of boxing.  We've already told you about the October 4 card in DC.  There's another card on Saturday, October 5 as pro boxing returns to the ABC (Annandale Boxing Club) Sports Complex located on 6728 Commercial Drive in Springfield, VA.

Also returning to the promotional duties is Beltway Boxing legend "Sugar" Han Kim.  The former Virginia State Welterweight champion is bringing a card that features undefeated Alexandria, VA junior welterweight Todd "White Lightning" Wilson in his first bout of 2013.  Wilson (14-0, four KO's) hasn't fought since his six-round unanimous decision over John Willoughby on June 23, 2012 in Arlington, VA.  No word yet on Wilson's opponent.

Also slated to be on this card will be undefeated Baltimore, MD featherweight Gervonta "Rambo" Davis.  The 2012 National Golden Gloves champion (4-0, four KO's) scored a dominant second-round TKO over Rafael Casias in front of his home fans at the Coppin State University Physical Education Complex on July 20.
Ironically, we also saw Davis's scheduled opponent for this four-round encounter -- Marquise Pierce of Phillipsburg, NJ -- on that same July 20th card.  Pierce (1-2) lost a four-round unanimous decision to Glen Dezurn.  Pierce has fought once since that contest and he lost to Ronell Green by third-round TKO on August 16 in Wheeling, WVA.

Also slated to be on the card are two Springfield, VA boxers -- undefeated junior welterweight Edgar "The Tiger" Torres (3-0-1, two KO's) and debuting middleweight Shawn Carter.

Johnson, Snow, Scott and Title Bout Highlight 'Salute to Military' Card October 4 at DC Armory!

There will be a "Salute to the Military" card appropriately held at the DC Armory on Friday, October 4.  Babie Girl Productions will be promoting the card.

In one of the main event contests, Oxon Hill, MD light heavyweight Alexander "The Great" Johnson will be in action in an eight-round contest against Julius Fogle of Cary, NC.  Johnson (14-1, six KO's) is coming off a second-round TKO over Simon Ruvalcaba on August 10 at the Washington Convention Center.  Fogle (16-9, 11 KO's) has lost eight of his last nine contests.

The co-feature bout has Capitol Heights, MD bantamweight Thomas "KO" Snow facing veteran Lorenzo "Explosivo" Trejo of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico in an eight-round bout.  Snow battles for the first time in 2013 having last fought on June 23 of 2012.  Snow scored a fourth-round TKO over Ernie Marquez in Hollywood, FL.  Trejo (33-27-1, 20 KO's) is coming off a first-round knockout loss to undefeated Roman Morales on July 20 in Sacramento, CA.

Also on the card, undefeated Temple Hills, MD cruiserweight Zakki Scott will take on the returning Orlando Pugh of DC.  Scott (3-0, one KO) last fought on March 23 and won a four-round majority decision over Travis Reeves in Frederick, MD.  Pugh (0-1) returns after a five-year absence.  Pugh made his pro debut and lost by stoppage to Keith Gross in June of 2008 in Baltimore.

The second main event on the card will be a 10-round battle for the WBC Continental Americas Cruiserweight championship.  Olanrewaju "God's Power" Durodola of Kansas City, KS will defend the title against Mitch "King Kamm" Williams of Jackson, MI.

 Durodola, a native of Nigeria, (16-1, 15 KO's) is making the second defense of his title that he won over Victor Barragan on April 20 in St. Joseph, MO.  Duradola scored a third-round TKO over Harvey Jolly in his last outing on August 10 in Wichita, KS.  Williams (8-3-2, five KO's) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Geovanni Sarran on August 9 in Montebello, CA.

The card will pay tribute to military personnel and will honor DC heavyweight and world title contender Tony "The Tiger" Thompson.

DC Hosts Arnold McKnight Amateur Boxing and Kickboxing Invitational Saturday, September 14 at Takoma Community Center!

The third annual Dr. Arnold W. McKnight Amateur Boxing and Kickboxing Invitational and MMA Exhibition event on Saturday, September 14 at the Takoma Community Center located at 300 Van Buren Street, NW in DC.

This event is in honor and memory of Dr. McKnight, who was the longest-tenured chair of the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission, serving from 1993 until his passing in July of 2007.  Dr. McKnight's vision was to create a higher platform for mixed martial arts and kickboxing in DC while maintaining the high standard for boxing in the city.  This will be a free event that will have food, games and fun for the whole family.  The event will get underway at 9 AM and run until 6:30 PM.

Sponsors of the event include the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, the Amateur Kickboxing Federation, the Yamasaki Academy and the Potomac Valley Association of USA Boxing.

Quarles Battles 'Apollo Kidd' Thompson Sept. 13 in Newark, NJ; Odom, Kelly also on the Card!

Beltway Boxers Brandon Quarles, "The King's Son" Jerry Odom and Danny "Smooth" Kelly return to action on a GH3/Greg Cohen Promotions card on Friday, September 13 at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, NJ.

Quarles, a middleweight from Alexandria, VA, will be in the eight-round main-event against undefeated John "Apollo Kidd" Thompson of Newark.  Quarles (10-1-1, three KO's) is coming off a second-round stoppage of Jimmy LeBlanc on August 10 in DC.  Thompson (12-0, four KO's) won an eight-round unanimous decision over Geovanny Rodriguez on May 10 in Miami, OK.  Thompson scored three knockdowns en route to the win, which was broadcast live on Showtime's ShoBox series.

DC light heavyweight Odom (4-0, four KO's, one NC) will be in a four-round contest against Antonio Liles of Wilson, NC (1-3, one KO).  Odom has yet to get out of the first round in any of his contests.  Liles won his pro debut in June of this year but has since lost his last three.  However, he has already fought and gone the distance in six-round contests.

DC heavyweight Kelly (4-0, four KO's) will also be in a four-round bout against veteran Jamal Woods of Forrest City, AK (3-8, three KO's).  Kelly scored a third-round TKO over Rayshawn Myers on June 15 in DC.  Woods is coming off a six-round unanimous decision loss to undefeated Darlington Agha on June 20 in Houston, TX.

Burke, VA middleweight Antoine "Action" Douglas was slated to be on this card but is now off the show.  Douglas is slated to be on GH3's next card on Friday, October 25 at the Charles Houston Recreation Center in Alexandria, VA.  Kelly and Odom are also slated to be on the October 25th card.

Information For McCaffrey Service!

The services for Maryland State Athletic Commission Chair Bill McCaffrey have been announced.  The visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 11 from 3-5 PM and from 7-9 PM at Singleton Funeral and Cremation Services located at 1 Second Avenue, SW in Glen Burnie, MD.

The funeral will be held at Harundale Presbyterian Church, 1020 Eastway in Glen Burnie beginning at 10 AM.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the Special Olympics of Maryland, 3701 Commerce Drive, Suite 103, Baltimore, MD 21127

Mitchell Falls in First in California!

Saturday, September 7 was a night where we may have seen two Beltway Boxing careers end.  One we knew about; the other we knew could end but hoped -- maybe against logic -- wouldn't.

We knew Scott Sigmon was calling it quits win or lose after his bout with Phil Jackson Benson at Rosecroft Raceway.  Sigmon said that before the bout and the beating he took made that point abundantly clear.

However, it should also be time for Seth Mitchell to call it a career as a heavyweight boxer.  His crushing first-round defeat at the fists of Chris Arreola Saturday night in Indio, CA proved that seemingly beyond any doubt.

Frankly, Mitchell should be given a whole lot of credit for what he has accomplished.  He made a smooth transition from football to pro boxing maybe better than anyone in the history of the game.  Even more successful football players like Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Mark Gastineau, Alonzo Highsmith and Craig Woffley did not reach the level of legitimacy that Mitchell earned.  Those four and others liked them were only names to sell tickets because of their fame on the gridiron.  Mitchell, because of his athletic ability and maturity, achieved much more -- a legitimate top five ranking, a signing with a major promotional company and respect from many in the boxing world.

However, Mitchell has hit a ceiling and his recent performances (namely against Chazz Witherspoon, the two bouts with Johnathon Banks and Arreola) proved that it will be virtually impossible to break through.  Mitchell simply does not have the chin to advance against the harder punchers in the division.

Golden Boy did not do a lot of promotion for Mitchell's bout against Arreola.  One lone representative from Golden Boy's media department showed up at his media workout in Clinton, MD and nothing was done in California until the week of the bout and that was hastily put together.  This gave the impression that Golden Boy was not completely behind their fighter going into this contest. Now that it's over, it's hard to fathom that Golden Boy will be able to market Mitchell at this stage.  To quote the legendary basketball philosopher Michael Ray Richardson, "the ship be sinking."

In fact, the Mitchell voyage has already gone down.  It didn't go down without a fight, however, and Mitchell's achievements in the sport should be honored.

Recap From Rosecroft!

Here is the recap from the Keystone Boxing "Rumble at Rosecroft" at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD:

Landover, MD's "The Real Deal" Phil Jackson Benson captured the vacant WBC USNBC Super Middleweight title with a sixth-round TKO over a game but overmatched Scott "Cujo" Sigmon of Lynchburg, VA.  Despite hurting his right hand in the second or third round, Jackson Benson was in complete control throughout the contest before the bout was stopped at 2:45. The victory gives Jackson Benson his second consecutive regional title adding to the Fecarbox title he won in May.

Jackson Benson is now 13-1, 12 KO's while Sigmon, in his final pro contest, falls to 22-5, 12 KO's.

In one co-feature bout,  Forestville, MD junior middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox won a workmanlike six-round unanimous decision over Centreville, VA's Zain "Tiger" Shah.  Fox used a great long jab and solid foot movement to keep Shah at bay and win a shutout (60-54) on all three judge's cards.  Fox remains undefeated at 12-0-1, four KO's while Shah falls to 5-2, three KO's.

The other co-feature saw Waldorf, MD junior welterweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed end his first scheduled six-round contest in dramatic and explosive fashion with a brutal six-round knockout over a very determined Rameses Gil of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  Reed scored knockdowns in the second and fifth rounds but was the victim of a knockdown in the sixth when his gloves touched the canvas after he slipped following a Gil right hand.

Seconds later, Reed exploded with two vicious right hands, the second sending Gil crashing to the canvas.  Referee Bill Clancy stopped the bout without a count at 1:23.  Reed is 5-0, four KO's.  Gil is 8-7-5, five KO's.

Two locals took tough losses on this card.  DC lightweight Joshua Davis dropped a four-round unanimous decision to Aaron Chavez of Melbourne, FL.  Davis was dropped in the second round and, although he finished the contest, was never a real factor the rest of the way.  Davis loses for the first time as a pro and is now 4-1, two KO's.  Chavez is now 4-3-1.

Also, Cheverly, MD light heavyweight Eric "The Inferno" Govan was stopped in the first round by Jess "Thunder" Noriega of Lynchburg.  Noriega dropped Govan with a brutal right hook.  Govan got up but was in no condition to continue.  The bout was stopped at 2:50 of the first.  Noriega is now 2-5, two KO's.  Govan is now 2-1.

DC featherweight Marcus Bates scored a fourth-round TKO over a very game Carlos Alcala of Hillside, IL.  The two men were very easily matched.  Bates finally landed some blistering combinations that ended the contest at 1:40.  Bates is 2-0, two KO's while Alcala is 0-2.

In the opening contest, Benjamin "Wildcat" Olinga of Silver Spring, MD won a four-round split decision over "Showtime" Tyrone Wright of DC.  Olinga was the slightly busier fighter in this contest and won his first pro bout.  His record is now 1-2.  Wright evens his record at 1-1.


Here is the call of the Jackson-Benson bout followed by the Post-Fight Wrap-Up.




 Followed by my News and Notes podcast that normally is heard exclusively on Spreaker.com.

Now, The Call of The Fox-Shah Contest!

Here is the call of the Alantez Fox-Zain Shah bout.

Here is the call of Mike Reed -Rameses Gil Contest!

Here is the call of the Mike Reed- Rameses Gil contest!

Change of Plans -- We Are Going Tape Delay!

We do apologize for the issues with the live broadcast tonight.  We are having too many problems to continue at this point.

So here's what we are going to do now that we are at intermission.  We will record the three featured bouts on a tape delayed.  We will put the contests up as soon as we can.  Again we are very sorry for not being able to bring this great card to you live.

Here is what has happened so far and we have had some minor upsets.

Aaron Chavez of Melbourne, FL won a four-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Joshua Davis of DC.  Chavez dropped Davis with a right-left combination and managed to keep his advantage throughout.  Chavez won by scores of 40-35, 38-37 and 39-36.  Chavez is now 4-3-1 while Davis is 4-1, two KO's/

Lynchburg, VA's Jess "Thunder" Noriega scored a first-round TKO over previously undefeated Eric "The Inferno" Govan of Cheverly, MD.  Noriega dropped Govan with a wicked right hand that dropped to his canvas.  Govan did not get up very well and was stopped by referee Bill Clancy.

So once again, we will record the calls for our three feature bouts.

We Go Live at 9 PM ET!

We will be going live with our broadcast in just a few minutes.  The link to the Spreaker page is on the Weights From Rosecroft post and also in the other boxing links section.  Thanks for listening.

Wright-Olinga to Start Card!

We are underway from Rosecroft.  Two Beltway Boxers battle in our opening contest.  "Showtime" Tyrone Wright takes on Benjamin "Wildcat" Olinga. Four rounds.

Good Evening From Rosecroft!

We are indeed here at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD for Keystone Boxing's Rumble at Rosecroft.

  We are still a few minutes from getting underway which may mean that more bouts may get on the live broadcast when we get underway at 9 PM ET.  Hope you can join us then.

Weights From Rosecroft!

Here is the scale watch for the Keystone Boxing "Rumble at Rosecroft" card Saturday night at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD (photos by Juan Marshall):

Phil Jackson Benson 166 1/2 vs. Scott Sigmon 166

Alantez Fox 156 vs. Zain Shah 156 1/2

Mike Reed 140 1/2 vs. Rameses Gil 140

Joshua Davis 134 vs. Aaron Chavez 134 1/2

Eric Govan 173 vs. Jess Noriega 169 1/2

Marcus Bates 123 vs. Carlos Alcala 122

Ty Wright 135 vs. Benjamin Olinga 140 1/2

The card begins at 7:30 ET.  ProAm Fight Talk will have results of the undercard bouts.

The BATB live audio broadcast will begin at 9 PM ET on Spreaker.com (http://www.spreaker.com/show/boxing_along_the_beltway) as we bring you the final three bouts (Jackson Benson vs. Sigmon, Fox vs. Shah and Reed vs. Gil) on the card.

Mitchell, Arreola Weigh The Same For Saturday!

(Photo by Esther Lin/Showtime)

Both Seth Mitchell and Chris Arreola weighed in at 242 pounds for their 12-round contest Saturday night at the Fantasy Springs Casino and Resort in Indio, CA.

The bout is the main event on the Showtime Championship Boxing broadcast that will begin at 10:30 ET.

MSAC Chair Bill McCaffrey Passes!

BATB is sorry to report that Maryland State Athletic Commission Chair Bill McCaffrey has passed away at the age of 79.

Mr. McCaffrey served on the Maryland Commission for 14 years and was also known for a long-standing commitment to all levels of all sports in the state of Maryland through his newspaper columns and long-running Prince George's Community Television series "Inside Sports."  As we reported a few days ago, Mr. McCaffrey suffered a stroke and was recently moved back home where he was under hospice care.  He passed away early this morning.  Funeral arrangements are pending.

Mr. McCaffrey also served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1975-1990 and he is a member of the Greater Washington Boxing Hall of Fame, the Slow-Pitch Softball Hall of Fame and the Volunteers Hall of Fame.

There may not be another person who was as dedicated to sports in the community as Bill McCaffrey.  Bill loved all sports, supported all sports and was a friend to all those who worked around sports.  Bill was as nice a gentleman as there ever could be.  Bill was my friend and I wish I could spend one more time on the set of his TV show.  I loved talking sports with him. I send my deepest condolences to Bill's wife, Bettie, his family, the staff of Inside Sports, the Maryland State Athletic Commission and all of us who had the privilege to know Bill McCaffrey.

Busy Fall Schedule Awaits Beltway Boxing Fans!

The Saturday, September 7 card at Rosecroft Raceway is just the beginning of what will be one of the busiest schedules of Beltway Pro Boxing that we can remember in a long time.  There will be a break between this Saturday's card and the next pro show we have.  However, by the end of September (if this schedule holds), we will be fully fully entrenched in local boxing for an almost six-week period.

Here's a look at the schedule after this Saturday's card:

Saturday, September 28 -- Hardwork Promotions will have a card at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore.  According to Boxrec, this will be the first time boxing has been held at this facility since December of 1998.  The promoter -- Venroy July -- will headline the card known as "United Nations" and Kevin Rivers, Jr. is slated to be on the card.

Friday, October 4 -- Babie Girl Promotions will put on a card at the DC Armory in Washington, DC.  So far, Thomas Snow is slated to headline the card.

Saturday, October 5 -- This date marks the return of "Sugar" Han Kim to promoting as he will bring boxing back to the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA.  Todd Wilson is scheduled to participate in the main event.

Friday, October 18 -- Keystone Boxing has its first Friday night date at Rosecroft as the Raceway will have begun its racing season. 

Friday, October 25 -- GH3 Promotions of New Jersey will have its first Beltway-area card at the Charles Houston Recreation Center in Alexandria, VA.  All three of the local GH3 signees -- Antoine Douglas, Jerry Odom and Danny Kelly -- are slated to be on the card as is Baltimore's Glen Dezurn.

Saturday, October 26 -- Two cards are slated for this date.  Top Flight Promotions are scheduled to have a card at the Washington Convention Center, headlined by the promoter, Ty Barnett.  Also, RBA Promotions is slated to have a card at Fort Myer/Henderson Hall in Arlington, VA.  The card is scheduled to feature Brandon Quarles.

Again, this is, as many things are in boxing, scheduled to change.  However, it could prove to be a very exciting fall season!

FightKings.com Gives Report on Baltimore Amateur Card!

I was unable to attend the Baltimore Boxing amateur card on Saturday, August 31 at William Myers Pavilion.  So I thank the Chief Scribe of FightKings.com, Michael Amakor for his great review of the night's action.  This includes a video recap as well.

Here is the link:  http://www.fightkings.com/boxing/featured-slides/maryland-local-club-scene/