Thursday, December 26, 2013

Beltway Boxing 2013 -- The Year of Performance and Possibility!

We now begin our recap of the Beltway Boxing scene of 2013.  Starting today, we will bring you our Beltway Boxing Year-End Awards, bringing one to you every day.  Once again, for those new to what we do, we have six awards:


Rookie of the Year


Prospect of the Year


Knockout of the Year


Bout of the Year


Card of the Year


Boxer of the Year


We start, however, with an overview of what was a very busy and exciting year for Beltway Boxing.  Our theme this year -- “The Year of Performance and Possibility” -- is similar to last year’s theme of Possibility and Missed Opportunity.  However, this year, more local pros stepped up to the plate and made significant strides in their careers, positioning themselves for what should be a very interesting 2014.


A number of Beltway Boxers won regional awards.  Phil Jackson Benson captured two regional titles in back-to-back contests.  Dusty Hernandez Harrison won the WBC Youth Welterweight title.  Tony Jeter held on to his WBC Fecarbox middleweight championship while Seth Mitchell won back his NABO Heavyweight title before losing it to Chris Arreola.  Gary Russell, Jr. rose to the mandatory featherweight contender to the WBO title. 

Also, Tony Thompson continued his relevance in the heavyweight division at age 42 with two upset wins over David Price in England.  Only a unanimous decision loss to Kubrat Pulev kept Thompson from getting a third title shot at heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.  Fernando Guerrero lost his bid for a world title when he was knocked out by WBO Middleweight champ Peter Quillin in April.


Beltway prospects Antoine Douglas, Emmanuel Taylor and Thomas Williams, Jr. made numerous appearances on national television and positioned themselves for more notable TV appearances (some already scheduled) for early 2014.


Local ladies captured world titles in 2013.  Tori Nelson had four championship bouts during the year and was able to gain her third world title in September and defend that same title (WIBA Welterweight) in November.  Jennifer Salinas captured a world belt in Bolivia this year.


The Beltway Rookie Class for 2013 was the biggest in the BATB Era as 34 locals joined the pro ranks.  Their combined won-loss record: 65-9-2, 49 KO’s.


Beltway Boxing fans had numerous opportunities to catch local action in 2013. There were 29 pro cards along the Beltway;  DC hosted 10 cards, one more than 2012.  The big improvement was in Maryland where the state went from just four cards in 2012 to 17 in 2013.  Only Northern Virginia faltered as there was only two cards in that part of the Commonwealth, down from seven the previous year.


On the amateur side, Beltway Boxers continued their prominence on a national and international scale.  Locals claimed two more National Golden Gloves titles in Salt Lake City, UT as Gary Antonio Russell (123 Pounds) and Lamont Roach, Jr.(132 Pounds) won their respective weight classes.  Russell became the third member of his family to win a national Golden Gloves title but then improved on what his brothers (Gary Jr. and Allen) did by winning the “Golden Boy” award as the Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament.  This is the second straight year a Beltway Amateur has won the Golden Boy trophy following Jerry Odom in 2012.   Local boxers have now won eight Golden Gloves National titles in the past four years.


Amateurs won six titles at the USA Nationals this year in Spokane, WA.  Malik Jackson and Franchon Crews won Elite Division championships while Russell, Roach, Jr., Patrick Harris and Kareem Martin won titles in the Youth Division.  Roach, Jr. was named the Outstanding Youth Boxer for the tournament.

At the National Silver Gloves in Independence, MO, Lorenzo Simpson captured his third straight title.

 Also, Jackson, Crews, Martin, Roach and Jordan White made overseas trips representing the United States. Martin won a gold medal at the Klitschko Brothers Tournament in the Ukraine while Roach captured a bronze medal.


We also honor those who left us in 2013.  In Memoriam:


Sam Garrett, PVA Official
Harold “Twin” Jackson, local boxing trainer
Ray Klingmeyer, Maryland referee and judge
Lou Leavey, Maryland State Athletic Commission official
Bill McCaffrey, chair of the Maryland State Athletic Commission
Vardell McCann, local boxing trainer
Murray B. Smith, father of promoter Jake Smith


So that’s our brief overview of Beltway Boxing 2013.  Later today, we will have our first award -- Rookie of the Year!

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rookie of the Year =Jarret Hurd


Prospect of the Year=Dusty Harrison



Knockout of the Year-Jarret Hurd



Bout of the Year-Phil Jackson-Scott Sigman



Card of the Year-Keystone



Boxer of the Year-Jarret Hurd

Gary Digital Williams said...

Hurd started his career in September of 2012. He isn't eligible for rookie of the year.

Anonymous said...

Rookie of the year should be Terran Grant. He not only won all of his fights, but each and every fight he has had was tough as nails.

Anonymous said...

Bout of the year should be Lange VS Jeter.

Anonymous said...

Is Baltimore and Viginia included is these awards?

Gary Digital Williams said...

Terron Grant started his career in September of 2011. He is not a rookie.

Jeter-Lange was in October of 2012, one of the reasons Jeter was named Boxer of the year last year.

Baltimore and Northern Virginia are both included.

Anonymous said...

Manny Taylor should get something!!!

Anonymous said...

Rookie of the year , my brother Jeremy Trussell.

Anonymous said...

Rookie- Mike Reed
Prospect- Dusty Harrison
Knockout- Jarrett Hurd ko George Armenta or Jess Noriega ko Eric Govan
Bout- Marq Johns-Stephon McIntyre or Josh Elkins-Brandon Priest
Card- September 7th Keystone Boxing at Rosecroft
Boxer- Dusty Harrison, Tony Thompson, Phil Jackson Benson, or Mike Reed

Anonymous said...

Mike Reed can get be a part of every category. His knockout vs Gil could be argued. That bout alone could be fight of the year

Brian said...

Rookie of the Year: Mike Reed

Prospect of the Year: Jarrett Hurd

Knockout of the Year: Hurd-Armenta

Bout of the Year: Reed-Gil

Card of the Year: September 7th Keystone Card

Boxer of the Year: Dusty Harrison

There are many fighters, bouts and KO's worthy of these awards. All in all a great year in the DMV


Anonymous said...

Knockout of the year should without any question go to Jarrett Hurd for George Armenta or Issa Coulibaly knockout. He earned it!

Anonymous said...

KO of the year should be 1st ko of David Price by Tony Thompson

Anonymous said...

Not as impressive, actually not even close, look at the tape and you see but great accomplishment for Tony.

Anonymous said...

This is about the most accurate list out off all of them!

Anonymous said...

ROTY - mike reed
POTY-Jarret Hurd
BOTY-dusty harrison
KOOTY-Tony thompson
COTY not the last keystone card but the one before
bout of the year- marq johns pro debut, charlie natal-kevin womack, mike reed-gil, josh elkins-brandon prest

Anonymous said...

many Taylor should have gotten more props from you Mr. Williams.
This man and his crew made statements on national TV where it really counts. He also seems to be a very respectful individual
and is probably the most under rated fighter in the DC area.
It is of course your blog and I know you put a lot of time in it and there are a lot of us who appreaciate your time and effort but I feel like you missed this one my friend.
SF.

Gary Digital Williams said...

Manny is no longer a prospect. He is a contender. He is ranked number 4 by the IBF . That is why he was not chosen in the Prospect.

Don't worry, he'll be heard from.

Anonymous said...

I am not arguing that point with you. Just saying your blog is well read and he should be getting more ink.
Thanks Digital

Gary Digital Williams said...

Taylor was inactive the last nine months of the year. There was nothing to write about him after March. I have been on top on every scheduled bout he has had and I am the only one who has mentioned his bout on February 14 against Chris Algieri.

Anonymous said...

Just looked at danny kelly's KO of marshall on 2/22/13 has to be considefed for ko of the year. Those of you said hurd only saying that because hurd's ko was not that long ago.

Anonymous said...

OK then, you the man

Gary Digital Williams said...

If you look at my previous selections for Knockout of the Year, they have been all over the calendar.

When they take place does not weigh into my selections in any way.

Anonymous said...

it puts the lotion on the skin or gets the water hose again

Wayne Ritz said...

David Allen is set to take on David Price in a domestic Heavyweight fight this July. Here's what you need to watch David Price vs Dave Allen Live Online.