Could Taylor Face Broner In September? YES!!

This has been going back and forth for a week or so, but it does indeed look like Baltimore, MD junior welterweight Emanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor will indeed get an opportunity to face former three-time world champion Adrian "The Problem" Broner.  The bout will take place on a Golden Boy Promotions card on Saturday, September 6 at the US Bank Arena in Broner's hometown of Cincinnati, OH.

The scheduled 12-round bout will be part of a tripleheader that will include contests featuring Lucas Matthysse and Andre Berto.  Showtime will televise.

Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya said Taylor will be a test for Broner.

"Emanuel Taylor is no easy test for Broner," said De La Hoya. "He's fast and talented. This is a life-changing fight for him, which makes him particularly dangerous."

Petersons, Ballard Hold Open Workout!

The Peterson Brothers and D'Mitrius Ballard held an open workout in preparation for their bouts on Saturday, August 9 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

We have interviews with all three.  First, IBF Junior Welterweight champion Lamont Peterson:



Then, his brother Anthony:



Finally, D'Mitrius Ballard, who will be in an all-Beltway bout on August 9 against veteran Barry Trotter of Columbia, MD:

Beltway Boxers Successful On First Day of Ringside Championships!

A number of Beltway amateurs had successful first days at the Ringside World Championships in Independence, MO on Wednesday.

Tyreek Williams of Washington, DC won his opening bout in the Boys Bantam Open, 11 -12, 66-70 pound division defeating Gabe Sandoval of Las Cruces, NM.

Maximus Garland of Waldorf, MD started well by winning his first bout in the Boys Bantam Open 11-12, 81-85 division with a victory over Johann Zavala of Greeley, CO.

DC's Nasheed Smith started strong in the Boys Intermediate Novice, 13-14, 126-132 class with a win over Axel Alvarez of Oklahoma City, OK.

Another DC boxer, Damien White, Jr, advanced in the Boys Intermediate Novice 13-14, 139-145 division.

Chamar Flowers of Accokeek, MD moved into the next round in the Boys Intermediate Open 13-14, 102-106 class with a win over Darren Kinamore, Jr. of Chattanooga, TN.

Also advancing in that same division is Kavon Robertson of Staunton, VA who defeated Terrence Williams of New Port Richey, FL.

Ameer Brown of Upper Marlboro, MD moved into the second round of the Boys Junior Open, 15-16 Blue, 120-125 class by defeating Axel Alvarez of Rock Springs, WY.

Also winning on Wednesday were Mark Duncan of Clarksburg, MD (Men's Senior Novice, 19-40 Blue), Salisbury, MD's Nigel Fennell (Men's Senior Open, 19-40 Red, 142-152) and Phillip Hooker of DC (Men's Senior Open, 19-40 Red, 153-165).

The Ringside World Championships continue until Saturday, August 2.

Happy Ninth Anniversary to BATB!

Today is the ninth anniversary of Boxing Along The Beltway!  I decided to keep the celebration low key this year for a number of reasons that I talk about in this special brief podcast!  Thanks again for all your support as we head into our 10th year of this blog.

Trussell Stopped In Second In Philadelphia!

The struggles for Baltimore middleweight Jeremy "The Truth" Trussell continue as he was stopped in the second round Tuesday night against Fred Jenkins, Jr. of Philadelphia, PA at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

According to noted boxing writer Jack Obermayer, Jenkins nailed Trussell with a body shot in the first round then dropped him with a left hook.  In the second, Jenkins punished Trussell against the ropes where Trussell fell again. Trussell beat the count but he was in no condition to continue.  The bout was stopped at 2:52 of the second.

Trussell is now winless in his last three contests and his record is 8-2-1, six KO's.  Jenkins is now 8-1, three KO's.

Trussell Travels To Philadelphia Tuesday!

Baltimore, MD middleweight Jeremy "The Truth" Trussell returns to action on Tuesday, July 29 in a six-round contest at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.  Trussell (8-1-1, six KO's) will take on Fred Jenkins, Jr. of Philadelphia (7-1, two KO's).

Trussell will look to get back on the winning side of the ledger after a draw and a knockout loss in his last two contests.  Trussell looked tentative in a four-round majority draw against David Rohn on June 28 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.  Jenkins has won his last two bouts.  However, Trussell is the most accomplished boxer Jenkins has faced to date.

Busy August On Tap In and Out of the Beltway!

August will be a very busy month as we have a couple of cards in the area and many locals will be competing on cards all around the country.

Let's start at home where there are two pro cards and one amateur card during the month.

On the pro side, Jeter Promotions and RBA Promotions are teaming up for a Pro-Am card that will be held on Saturday, August 9 in a brand new location -- North Hall at Eastern Market located at 225 7th Street in Southeast DC.  The pro side is loaded with big guys including local heavyweights "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae, Stan Williamson, Albi Sadikaj and the returning Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm. Also slated to be on the card is Eric "The Inferno" Govan.

Then on Saturday, August 23, boxing returns to the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore, MD with a Hardwork Promotions card scheduled to feature a number of locals including Demond Nicholson, Nuwan Jayakody, Travis Reeves, Edwin Reyes, Alexandru Marin, Shaborn Ryals and debuting boxers Malik Hawkins and Jeremy McCalla.

On the amateur side, we have a card held at the home of the Goodman Summer Basketball League -- The BF (Barry Farms) Coliseum located on 1230 Sumner Road in Southeast DC -- on Friday, August 8 at 6 PM.  This is a free outdoor event and there are 15 bouts scheduled for the card.

Now, let's talk about the out-of-town schedule for the month, which seems to get busier with every passing day.

We've already told you about Thomas "Top Dog' Williams, Jr. headlining an ESPN2 card on Friday, August 1 at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, WA.  Williams will face off against former world champion Gabriel Campillo in a 12-round IBF light heavyweight eliminator contest.

What we can now tell you that Williams may not be the only local that will make the televised portion of the card.  Three other Beltway Boxers are scheduled to be on the card and one may sneak onto the telecast.

Landover, MD super middleweight "The Real Deal" Phil Jackson Benson is the only one of the three that has an opponent for this card.  Benson (13-1, 12 KO's) will take on Junior Moar of Richmond, British Columbia (11-3, two KO's).  No word yet on how many rounds the bout is scheduled for.

The other two locals on this card are DC welterweight David "Day-Day" Grayton and "The Chosen One' Immanuwel Aleem of Richmond, VA who does a good portion of his training in the area.  Both are undefeated and looking for opponents.

On Saturday, August 2, we've mentioned that the "Pride of Alexandria (VA)," Brandon Quarles will be in an eight-round junior middleweight contest.  However, the opponent for Quarles (13-2-1, five KO's) has changed -- Corey "Collateral Damage" Rodriguez of St. Anthony, MN replaces Cerresso Fort for the card at the Black Bear Casino in Carlton, MN.   Rodriguez (11-3-3, four KO's) is coming off a seventh-round stoppage of Stephen Watt on June 13 in Minneapolis, MN.

Also on August 2, Baltimore, MD veteran light heavyweight Cory "Black Ice" Cummings takes on Issac "Golden Boy" Chilemba of Johannesburg, South Africa by way of Malawi in a 10-round contest at the Revel Resort in Atlantic City, NJ.  This bout is the co-feature on the Sergey Kovalev-Blake Caparello card.  However, the bout will not be shown on the HBO telecast because the network is also showing another bout in another location.

Cummings (17-6-1, 13 KO's) is coming off a eight-round unanimous decision loss to Azea Augustama on June 7 in Miami, FL.  Chilemba (22-2-2, nine KO's) has won his last two contests including a 10-round unanimous decision over Denis Grachev on March 15 in Bethlehem, PA.

Now, let's look at the weekend of Friday, August 8 where we could have as many as four Beltway Boxers make appearances on national TV.

Two locals are assured of being shown before a national television audience because they are either in main event or co-feature contests.

On Friday, August 8, undefeated Baltimore welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson (21-0, 14 KO's) will challenge for the vacant USBA Welterweight championship against fellow undefeated boxer Sammy "The Who Can" Mexican" Vasquez of Monessen, PA (15-0, 11 KO's) in a 12-round contest that will be the main event shown on Fox Sports 1.

Of course, you know by now that IBF Junior Welterweight champion Lamont Peterson will defend his title against veteran Edgar Santana on Saturday, August 9 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.  That bout will be shown on Showtime Championship Boxing.   Since Showtime is carrying this card, there is a good possibility that Anthony Peterson and D'Mitrius Ballard will have their bouts carried on the Showtime Extreme channel.  Neither one has an opponent yet for this card.

By the way, the deadline is coming up for purchasing tickets for the bus trip heading up to Brooklyn for the card.  Call 202-528-7694 for details.

We also hear word that undefeated Forestville, MD junior middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox is slated to be on a card at BB King's Bar and Grill in New York City on Tuesday, August 12.  No word yet on the opponent.

There is also word (not official yet) that two locals -- Danny Kelly and Kareem Martin -- will appear on the Friday, August 22 ESPN2 card in Temecula, CA.  That's the Friday Night Fights season finale headlined by former world champion Austin Trout facing Daniel Dawson.

That's a very busy August -- which will be followed by an even BUSIER September!  There are events happening in September that I can't even talk about in full right now.  Some info has leaked out about one out-of-town bout in particular but I have been asked to hold off on talking about it officially until a later time.

However, the next two months will provide many opportunities to throw your support for these Beltway Boxers and the Beltway Boxing scene!

Harrison Wins Eight Round Unanimous Decision in New York City!

DC welterweight Dusty Hernandez Harrison remained undefeated tonight with an easy eight-round unanimous decision over Wilfredo 'El Zurdo" Acuna of Nicaragua at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

According to Matt Richardson of Fightnews.com, Harrison had no trouble with Acuna as he had him hurt in the fourth and fifth rounds.  Harrison, however, could not put the journeyman away before the eighth round ended.

Harrison is now 23-0, 12 KO's while Acuna falls to 15-15, 12 KO's.

Malcolm Brothers Win Titles At Ohio State Fair!

Congratulations to local amateurs Lawrence and Lonzo Malcolm who traveled to the prestigious Ohio State Fair Amateur Boxing tournament in Columbus, OH and earned championships.

Eleven-year old Lawrence won a decision to capture the 85 pound championship while 10-year old Lonzo won the title in the 65 pound division by first-round TKO.  The Malcolm Brothers train at Keystone Boxing.

Douglas Battles Soro To Majority Draw!

Burke, VA middleweight Antoine "Action" Douglas may have let a possible win slip away but managed to get a 10-round majority draw with Michel Soro of France in the ShoBox main event in Verona, NY.

Douglas was in control of the contest through the first half as he landed good left hands.

However, in the eighth round, Soro rocked Douglas with a combination that turned the bout completely.  Soro could not Rubio what he started, however.

One judge scored the bout 96-95 for Soro, however, two judges saw the draw at 95-95.

Douglas's record is now 14-0-1, nine KO's.  Soro is now 23-1-1, 13 KO's.

Dezurn Scores First-Round Knockout in Verona!

In a non-televised bout earlier tonight at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY, Baltimore's Glenn Dezurn, Jr. scored a first-round knockout over Andre Canada of New York.

According to Boxing Bob Newman of Fightnews.com, Dezurn wasted no time as he landed a series of head and body shots.  Eventually, Canada succumbed to Dezurn's power and dropped to his hands and knees, taking the entire 10-count.

Dezurn is now 4-0, three KO's.  Canada is 0-2.

Odom Scores Seventh-Round TKO To Win Interim Fecarbox Title!

Surviving a mid-bout cut, Bowie, MD super middleweight "The King's Son" Jerry Odom scored a gutsy seventh-round technical knockout over Vilier Quinonez in Verona, NY.

Odom dropped Quinonez in the fourth round with a right hand.  However, Quinonez, who suffered a cut along his right eye in the second round, bounced back to make the fight close.  Odom was cut along his left eye in the sixth round and that seemed to spur him on into the seventh when he rocked Quinonez and dropped him with two rights before referee Charlie Fitch stopped the bout at 2:25.

Odom captures the interim WBC Fecarbox Super Middleweight title and remains undefeated at 12-0, 11 KO's.  Quinonez loses for the first time and he is now 8-1, five KO's.

McCalla Wins Dominant Unanimous Decision!

In the first of three Beltway Boxers to appear on ShoBox in Verona, NY, Baltimore welterweight Cecil McCalla was very impressive in winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Victor Godoy of California.

McCalla's jab was exceptional as he continually backed Godoy up during the contest.  McCalla also used a solid right hand during the bout..

Two judges scored a shutout for McCalla, 80-72.  The other saw the contest 79-73.

McCalla is now 19-0, six KO's while Godoy is now 16-3, six KO's.

Harrison Weighs 148 For MSG Battle Saturday Night!

Dusty Hernandez Harrison and his opponent, Wilfredo Acuna both weighed in at 148 pounds for their eight-round contest Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The bout will be on the non-televised portion of the card which features the Gennady Golovkin-Daniel Geale contest.

Beltway Boxers Have ShoBox History!

As you may know, tonight's edition of Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation is the 200th episode of the series.  Since the series began in 2001, Beltway Boxers have made an impact. With tonight's card, 16 locals have made 29 appearances on this series.

The first appearance for Beltway Boxers on ShoBox did not take place until five years after the series began.  On April 28, 2006, the Peterson Brothers fought on a card in New Town, ND. Lamont won a 10-round unanimous decision over Mario Ramos while Anthony stopped Jermaine White at the end of three rounds. Both Petersons would make one more successful appearance on ShoBox.

Three months later, on July 28, Henry Buchanan in the first of three high-profile appearances on the series, participated in the ShoBox Super Middleweight tournament in Las Vegas and won a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Lucas Green Arias.  Later in the year, Buchanan would lose in the semifinals to Jean Paul Mendy.

In February of 2009, Buchanan would lose to future world champion Andre Ward by a 12-round unanimous decision in Lemoore, CA.

With three appearances, Buchanan is tied with Fernando Guerrero and Gary Russell, Jr. for the most times a Beltway Boxer has competed on ShoBox.  One of Guerrero's appearances was an all-Beltway showdown with Jessie Nicklow in December of 2009 in Hickley, MN. Guerrero stopped Nicklow in the fourth round.

Guerrero is the only local to bring a ShoBox card to the Beltway region.  On April 16, 2010, Guerrero brought a packed house to the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury, MD to see him score a second-round TKO over Michael Walker.  Exactly three months later on July 16, Guerrero would win a tough 10-round unanimous decision over Ishe Smith in Southhaven, MS.

Russell, Jr. made his pro debut on a ShoBox card scoring a third round TKO over Antonio Reyes on January 16, 2009 in Tulsa, OK.  It would be three more years before Russell would reappear on the series.  Russell would score consecutive crushing third-round knockouts against Christopher Perez and Roberto Castaneda in June and November of 2012.

Joining the Petersons with two ShoBox appearances are Nicklow, Tim Coleman, Dominic Wade and with tonight's card, Antoine Douglas.  Nicklow's second appearance was a high-profile one in December of 2011 when he took on former world champion Jermain Taylor in Cabazon, CA.  Nicklow lost in a gutsy performance by eight-round TKO.

Locals who have made singular appearances on ShoBox are Tyrell Samuel, Seth Mitchell, Brandon Quarles, Alexander Johnson, Emmanuel Taylor, DeMarcus Corley and now, Jerry Odom and Cecil McCalla.

Beltway Boxers have a record of 16-9 going into tonight's action.

Douglas, Odom, McCalla, Dezurn Hit Scales in New York!

Here is the scale watch for the Beltway Boxers participating on the ShoBox card tonight at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.

Antoine Douglas 155 1/2 vs. Michel Soro 157

Jerry Odom 167 vs. Vilier Quinonez 167

Cecil McCalla 147 vs. Oscar Godoy 146

Glenn Dezurn 130 1/2 vs. Andre Canada 132

The ShoBox card begins at 10 PM ET

Top Rank Signs 'Yes, Indeed' Reed!

   (Photo by Juan Marshall)

What has been rumored for a few weeks is now official -- undefeated Waldorf, MD junior welterweight and 2013 Beltway Boxing Rookie of the Year Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed has signed a promotional contract with Top Rank Promotions.

Reed (10-0, six KO's) had what amounted to an audition for Top Rank in his last outing when he won a six-round unanimous decision over Alberto Morales on June 14 in Atlantic City, NJ.

In a press release, the 21-year-old Reed said, “I am delighted to sign with Top Rank. They’ve been successful for a long time, and have promoted the biggest names in boxing, from Muhammad Ali to Manny Pacquiao. I am excited to have the same opportunities as the legends that came before me. Top Rank clearly has an understanding of how to market their fighters and they know how to build pay-per-view superstars. Team Reed is looking forward to having a long, successful relationship with one of the most prestigious promotional companies in boxing."

Reed continued, "This is a huge opportunity for me, and I will continue to work hard. I have the right people on my team and now add the security of a powerful, promotional company to help me reach my goal of winning multiple world titles. I’m grateful to everyone that has played a part in helping me reach this level, but I’m just getting started. I’m looking forward to representing the elite class of fighters from the DMV and the Beltway region.”

Top Rank Vice President Carl Moretti speaks very highly of Reed and his abilities.

"He has a solid amateur background and his hand speed travels faster than bad news," Moretti told Rafael. "He's only 21 and has a terrific following from the D.C. area. We look forward to building him and eventually having him featured in TV fights in Washington, D.C., which is a great fight town."

Could Taylor Face Broner in September? Apparently Not!

Fighthype.com continues its reporting on who Adrian Broner's next opponent will be on September 6 and apparently it will not be Baltimore's Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor.

Taylor seems to be out of the mix now and former world champion Paul Spadafora seems to be the leading candidate. "The Pittsburgh Kid" (49-1-1, 19 KO's) suffered his first loss in November but rebounded with an eight-round decision win earlier this month.

No reason was given why Taylor is out of the running at this point.

Douglas, McCalla, Receive Press!

Two of the boxers appearing on Friday's ShoBox card received some nice press in recent days.

Headliner Antoine Douglas was the subject of a nice WJLA interview that you can see here:

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/07/young-southeast-d-c-native-overcomes-struggles-to-become-boxing-star-105174.html

Also, Cecil McCalla was featured in Fightnews.com (an article not written by me) as he prepares for his first national television appearance.

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/mccalla-looks-to-shine-on-shobox-this-friday-253549

Could Taylor Face Broner In September?

When Baltimore, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor lost to Chris Algeri in February, it turned out Taylor lost out on numerous future opportunities as Algeri was able to parlay that victory into winning the WBO Junior Welterweight title and a million-dollar date with Manny Pacquiao in November.

Now, after his big 10-round unanimous decision win over Karim Mayfield this past Friday in Huntington, NY, Taylor (18-2, 12 KO's) may have set himself up with a big date of his own.

FightHype.com is reporting that a bout is in the works for Taylor to face former three-time world champion Adrian Broner on September 6 in Broner's hometown of Cincinnati, OH.

Broner (28-1, 22 KO's) is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Carlos Molina on May 3 in Las Vegas, NV.

If the bout comes to fruition, Showtime might carry.  However, that is the same night that Andre Berto and Lucas Matthysee return to action at another venue.

We will keep you posted if this bout becomes a reality.

Harrison MSG Opponent Changes!

The opponent has changed for Dusty Hernandez Harrison's appearance at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, July 26.

Veteran Wilfredo "El Zurdo" Acuna of Nicaragua will replace Eli Addison in the scheduled eight-round contest.  Acuna (15-14, 12 KO's) is in a tough stretch, losing seven of his last eight.  However, six of those seven losses have come to undefeated boxers including newly-crowned world champion Chris Algeri and, in his last outing on April 24, Cletus Seldin. Acuna was stopped in the seventh round by Seldin in Huntington, NY.

According to Boxrec, the bout is still for Harrison's WBC Youth Silver title.  However, with Acuna being 32 years old, he hardly fits the criteria.  The bout will be on the undercard of the Gennady Golovkin-Daniel Geale main event.

Dezurn Added To Undercard Friday Night In New York!

There will be yet a fourth Beltway Boxer on the Friday, July 25 card at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.  Undefeated Baltimore, MD featherweight Glenn Dezurn, Jr. will be in a four-round undercard bout against NyCedric Ellis of Ohio.

Dezurn (3-0, two KO's) is coming off a second-round knockout victory over Cody Fuller on June 28 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.  Ellis (0-1) lost his pro debut on May 29 in Cincinnati, OH to Jayon Garnett via third-round TKO.

Dezurn's contest will not be televised but he will join Antoine Douglas, Jerry Odom and Cecil McCalla on the card.

Kisner Wins Decision; King Gets Stopped in Hanover, PA!

Two local boxers participated on a card at the Hanover Armory in Hanover, PA Friday night.

Baltimore, MD heavyweight "Slick" Nick Kisner won a four-round decision over Pedro Martinez of Philadelphia, PA.  Kisner is now 13-1-1, five KO's.

Also on the card, Cambridge, MD junior welterweight Dontre "Pound For Pound" King was stopped in the fourth round by Sammy Quinones of York, PA.  King's record drops to 7-17-2, three KO's while Quinones's record rises to 8-2, three KO's.

Recap From Rosecroft!

Here is a recap from the sellout, standing room only Keystone Boxing card on Friday night at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD:

"The Cuban Assassin" Larry Recio of Springdale, MD won a six-round unanimous decision over Grayson Blake of State College, PA in the junior middleweight main event.   Recio is now 7-0, five KO's while Blake is now 5-3-1, two KO's.

In the middleweight co-feature, Demond "D Best At It" Nicholson of Laurel, MD scored a first-round TKO over Jess "Thunder" Noriega of Lynchburg, VA.  The bout was stopped at 2:02 of the first.  Nicholson remains perfect at 8-0, eight KO's.  Noriega is now 2-12, two KO's.

Terron "Kid" Grant of White Plains, MD lost a six-round split decision to Jose Del Valle of Bayamon, Puerto Rico in a junior lightweight matchup.  Grant loses for the first time and is now 9-1, four KO's.  Del Valle is now 3-7-3.

Lightweight Patrick Harris of Hyattsville, MD stopped Michael Doyle of Prichard, AL at 49 seconds of the third round.  Harris is now 2-0, two KO's while Doyle is 2-10-1, one KO.

DC junior lightweight Joshua "Dynamite" Davis won a six-round split decision over Thomas "The Animal" Herrera of Hollywood, CA.  Davis's record improves to 7-1, three KO's.  Herrera is now 3-12-1.

Marq "The Monster" Johns of Fort Washington, MD scored a brutal second-round TKO over Luis Hernandez of Caguas, Puerto Rico in a super bantamweight bout.  Johns is now 4-0-1, four KO's while Hernandez is 0-5.

Junior welterweight Myke "The Professor" Fox of Forestville, MD stopped Mason Wickett of Little Rock, AR at 1:29 of the third round.  Fox is now 3-0, one KO while Wickett is 0-7.

Lightweight Emanuel "Jab" Johnson of Brandywine, MD won a four-round majority decision over Calvin Smith of Prichard, AL.  Johnson is 2-0 while Smith is 2-8.

Welterweight Stephon "Flash" McDonald of Laurel, MD won a four-round majority decision over James Gooding of Tampa, FL.  McDonald is 3-0, two KO's while Gooding is 1-7-1, one KO.

Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up of the card.  I am joined by local amateur boxer and incredible student of the game Don Hollingsworth.

Recio Captures Six-Round Unanimous Decision!

Larry Recio wins our main event with a gritty six-round unanimous decision over a very tough Grayson Blake.

For the second straight contest, Recio faced an opponent that he couldn't completely overpower.  Recio scored a knockdown in the third round because of pressure. However, Blake stayed in the bout and challenged Recio by landing solid left hands repeatedly.

In the end, Recio was able to do more than enough to get the win as he landed powerful rights from distance and in close.  Recio won by scores of 59-55 (twice) and 60-53. Recio goes six rounds for the first time in his career and is now 7-0, five KO's.  Blake's record drops to 5-3-1, two KO's.

A tremendous SRO crowd enjoyed definitely one of the best cards of the year!  Good night from Fort Washington!

Nicholson Stops Noriega In One!

Demond Nicholson stops Jess Noriega at 2:02 of the first round.

Nicholson dropped Noriega early in the first round with a body shot.  Later in the round, Nicholson pressured Noriega in a neutral corner but landed a shot below the belt as referee Kenny Chevalier moved in to stop the contest.

Nicholson remains perfect at 8-0, eight KO's.  Noriega is now 2-12, two KO's.

Intermission followed by the main event,  "The Cuban Assassin" Larry Recio of Springdale, MD vs Grayson Blake of State College, PA.  Six rounds, junior middleweights.

Grant Drops Split Decision!

Jose Del Valle has won a six-round split decision over Terron Grant. 

Del Valle dropped Grant with a left hook late in the first round.  From there, Grant at 5'7" had a tough time getting inside on the 6'2" Del Valle who used his height extremely well.

Grant was dangerously close to losing points for low blows and just didn't have enough power to keep Del Valle away.

Don Risher and Paul Wallace scored the bout for Del Valle, 58-55 and 57-56. John Gradowski saw the bout for Grant, 58-55.

Del Valle is now 3-7-3.  Grant loses for the first time and is now 9-1, four KO's.

Next, co-feature, Demond "D Best At It" Nicholson of Laurel, MD takes on Jess "Thunder" Noriega.  Six rounds, middleweights.

Harris Earns Third-Round Stoppage!

Patrick Harris was dominant in his contest, stopping Michael Doyle at 49 seconds of the third round.

Harris was extremely accurate, especially to the body. Referee Kenny Chevalier was looking for opportunities to stop the contest. Harris finally gave him that chance after a couple of straight rights at the end.

Harris is now 2-0, two KO's.  Doyle is now 2-10-1, one KO. 

Next up: Terron "Kid" Grant of White Plains, MD takes on Jose Del Valle of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.  Six rounds, lightweights.

Davis Wins Split Decision!

Joshua Davis wins a six-round split decision over an extremely games Thomas Herrera.

Both men traded punches extremely well throughout the contest.  Davis more than likely won the contest in the last two rounds when he landed solid right hands that made Herrera start to take backward steps.

Judge John Gradowski scored the bout for Herrera, 58-56.  However, both Paul Wallace and Don Risher saw the bout for Davis, 58-56 and 59-55 respectively.

Davis is now 7-1, three KO's.  Herrera is now 3-12-1.

Next up, Hyattsville, MD lightweight Patrick Harris takes on Michael Doyle of Prichard, AL. Four rounds.

Johns Scores Brutal Second-Round TKO!

The list of Beltway Boxing Knockout of the Year candidates got a little longer tonight as Marq Johns stopped Luis Hernandez at 21 seconds of the second round.

In the first round, Johns landed some brutal body shots.  In the second, Hernandez started to land some solid shots very early and challenged Johns to come forward.  That turned out to be a mistake as Johns came forward with a vicious right hand that leveled Hernandez and brought the sellout crowd to its feet. 

Hernandez beat referee Dave Braslow's count but was unfit to continue.

Johns remains undefeated at 4-0-1, four KO's.  Hernandez is now O-5.

Joshua "Dynamite" Davis of DC is in the ring in a six-round encounter against Thomas "The Animal" Herrera of Las Vegas, NV.  Junior lightweights.

Taylor Wins By Unanimous Decision!

Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor has won a 10-round unanimous decision over Karim Mayfield tonight in Huntington, NY.

Taylor was in control throughout the contest except the eighth round when he got caught by a Mayfield right hand and was dropped.

Despite that, however, Taylor won by scores of 97-92 and 95-94 (twice).

Fox Wins By Third-Round TKO!

Myke Fox has scored his first pro knockout stopping Mason Wickett at 1:29 of the third round.

Fox looked solid throughout landing a solid right jab.  Fox dropped Wickett with a right hook early in the third and then followed up seconds later with a solid combination that forced referee Brent Bovell to stop the bout.

Fox is now 3-0, one KO while Wickett is 0-8.

Next up:  Marq "Monster" Johns of Fort Washington battles Luis Hernandez of Puerto Rico in a four-round contest.

Johnson Also Wins Majority Decision!

I was a little ahead of myself in the last headline, however, Emanuel Johnson did indeed win a four-round majority decision over Calvin Smith.

It was not the prettiest bout you could see.  Johnson stayed closer to his nickname than he did in his pro debut as he used his jab a little more and that was the difference in the contest.

Johnson won by scores of 38-36 and 39-37. One judge scored it a draw at 38-38.

Johnson is now 2-0 while Smith is now 2-8.

Coming up: Myke "The Professor" Fox of Forestville, MD takes on Mason Wickett of Little Rock, AR. Four rounds, junior welterweights.

McDonald Wins Majority Decision!

Back here at Rosecroft, Stephon "Flash" McDonald has won a spirited four-round majority decision over James Gooding.

Both guys winged punched throughout the contest but Johnson landed the harder punches throughout the contest.

One judge saw the draw at 38-38. However, the other two saw the shutout at 40-36.

McDonald is now 3-0, two KO's.  Gooding is now 1-7-1, one KO's.

Up next: Emanuel "Jab" Johnson of Brandywine, MD in a four-round lightweight bout against Calvin Smith of Prichard, AL.

Jargal-Seldin Bout Declared No Contest!

Bayan Jargal's bout against Cletus Seldin tonight at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY has been declared a no-contest after three rounds.

Midway through the contest, Jargal suffered a nasty cut near his right eye as a result of an accidental headbutt.  Since the scheduled eight-round bout did not reach the halfway point, the bout was a no-contest.

Jargal's record is 17-5-3, 10 KO's, one NC.  Seldin is 13-0, 10 KO's.

Action Underway in Fort Washington!

Laurel, MD junior middleweight Stephon McDonald opens up the action tonight at Rosecroft as he makes his Maryland debut in a four-round bout against James Gooding of Tampa, FL.

Good Evening From Rosecroft!

Hi again, everyone from Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD for the Keystone Boxing card.  As you may know, this is a very busy night because we are also keeping tabs on what is taking place in New York with Emmanuel Taylor and Bayan Jargal tonight on ESPN2. The telecast is underway but neither man is in the ring yet.

We will have all the results throughout the evening.

Taylor, Jargal Hits Scales In New York!

(Photos courtesy of Star Boxing)

Emmanuel Taylor and Bayan Jargal weighed in for their nationally-televised contests tonight at The Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY.

Taylor (left) weighed in at 141 1/2 pounds while his opponent, Karim Mayfield came in at 143.

Both Jargal (right) and his opponent, Cletus Seldin, hit the scales at 141.

The ESPN2 broadcast begins at 8 PM ET.

Weights From Rosecroft!

Here is the scale watch for the Keystone Boxing Promotions card tonight at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD:

Larry Recio 149 1/2 vs. Grayson Blake 150

Terron Grant 129 1/2 vs. Jose Del Valle 129 1/2

Patrick Harris 135 1/2 vs. Michael Doyle 131 1/2

Joshua Davis 131 1/2 vs. Thomas Herrera 132

Marq Johns 122 1/2 vs.  Luis Hernandez 122 1/2

Emmanuel Johnson 136 1/2 vs. Calvin Smith 133 1/2

Stephon McDonald 151 1/2 vs. James Gooding 157 1/2

Demond Nicholson 165 vs. Jess Noriega 165 1/2

Myke Fox 137 1/2 vs. Mason Wickett 139 1/2 Wickett (0-5) is a last-minute substitution who fought his last bout at Rosecroft on June 13, dropping a four-round unanimous decision to Emmanuel Johnson.

We will be blogging live from Rosecroft and keeping tabs with what goes on with Emmanuel Taylor and Bayan Jargal tonight in Huntington, NY.   Tonight's card is also being shown over GoFightLive.TV for a cost of $14.99.  However, it will be a tape-delayed contest.

Lineup Is Complete For Friday At Rosecroft!

Here is the entire Keystone Boxing card for Friday, July 18 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD:

There are four six-round contests -- "The Cuban Assassin" Larry Recio (6-0, five KO's) of Landover, MD takes on Grayson Blake of State College, PA (5-2, two KO's) in a welterweight contest.

Laurel, MD middleweight Demond "D Best At It" Nicholson (7-0, seven KO's) battles Jess "Thunder" Noriega of Lynchburg, VA (2-10, two KO's).

Lightweight Joshua Davis of Washington, DC (6-1, three KO's) will face Thomas "Animal" Herrera of Hollywood, CA (3-11-1, one KO).

White Plains, MD lightweight Terron "Kid" Grant (9-0, four KO's) takes on Jose Del Valle of Corozal, Puerto Rico (2-7-3).

In four-round contests, Mykal "The Professor" Fox (2-0) of Forestville, MD will be in a lightweight battle against Shannon Kelley of Columbus, OH (0-1).

Hyattsville, MD junior welterweight Patrick Harris (1-0, one KO) will take on veteran Michael Doyle of Prichard, AL (2-9-1, one KO)

Featherweight Marq "Monster" Johns of Fort Washington, MD (3-0-1, three KO's) battles Luis Hernandez of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico (0-4).

Emmanuel Johnson of Brandywine, MD (1-0) will be in a lightweight contest against Calvin Smith of Prichard, AL (2-7).

Baltimore, MD welterweight Stephon McDonald (2-0, two KO's) will take on James Gooding of Tampa, FL (1-6-1, one KO).

One other note -- Gerome Quigley will not be on the card because he suffered a rib injury in training.

The card gets underway at 8 PM.

Beltway Boxing Coach John Sneed Passes!

Sad news to report.  Long-time DC-area boxing coach John F. Sneed passed away on July 10 of congestive heart failure.  He was 89 years old.

A native Washingtonian, Mr. Sneed started coaching boxing in 1952 at the Number 2 Boys and Girls Club on 3rd and K Streets, NW. His teams won numerous local and national championships in the 1960's.  Among his talented boxers were Sherman Williams, who was the All-Air Force champion in 1961 and 1962 and Calvin Woodland who was a National Golden Gloves champion in 1963 and 1964.

Mr. Sneed was inducted into the Jabbo Kenner Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Washington, DC Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.

Survivors include his daughter Cassandra Sneed Ogden as well as his grandsons -- Pro Football Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden and former Howard University and NFL player Marques Ogden.

The funeral for Mr. Sneed will take place on Wednesday, July 16 at Florida Avenue Baptist Church located at 623 Florida Avenue in Northwest DC.  The viewing begins at 10 AM and the funeral starts at 11 AM.

BATB sends its deepest condolences to the Sneed and Ogden families as well as to the many boxers who were touched by his greatness.

Quarles Battles Fort August 2 in Minnesota!

"The Pride of Alexandria" Brandon Quarles returns to action on Saturday, August 2 in an eight-round contest against "Sir" Cerresso Fort of St. Paul, MN at the Black Bear Casino in Carlton, MN.

Quarles (13-2-1, five KO's) is riding a three-bout winning streak including a six-round unanimous decision over Norman Allen on April 26 in Springfield, VA.  Fort (17-3-1, 11 KO's) has lost his last two bouts by TKO against Vitaliy Kopylenko and Caleb Truax whose combined won-loss records are 44-1-1.

Stevenson Battles For Vacant USBA Welterweight Title August 8 in Pittsburgh!

Baltimore, MD welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson will have the biggest bout of his career on Friday, August 8 when battles fellow undefeated boxer Samuel "The Who Can Mexican" Vasquez of Monessen, PA for the vacant USBA Welterweight championship at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Stevenson (21-0, 14 KO's) is coming off a third round TKO victory over Andre Baker on March 1 in Lynchburg, VA.  Stevenson has knocked out his last three opponents.

However, Vasquez (15-0, 11 KO's) is on a six-bout knockout streak with those knockouts coming against some very quality opponents including previously undefeated boxers Juan Rodriguez, Jr. and Berlin Abreu.  In his last outing, Vasquez scored a third-round TKO over Jay Krupp on June 6 in Verona, NY.

Womack Battles To Draw In New Jersey!

Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. of Baltimore, MD battled to a four-round split draw against Anthony Prescott of Cherry Hill, NJ Saturday night at Riverwinds Community Center in West Deptford, NJ.

According to reporter JR Jowett, Womack used the jab from long range to take the first round. Prescott upped the pressure and landed some good overhand rights to take rounds two and three. Round four was very close, Prescott pressuring but not landing too cleanly with Womack did score some counters.

Womack won on one scorecard by shutout, 40-36.  One judge scored for Prescott, 39-37 and one judge saw the draw at 38-38.
Womack is now 4-5-2, two KO's while Prescott is now 3-3-2, one KO.

Samuel Drops Eight-Round Unanimous Decision in Oxnard!

Baltimore, MD lightweight Tyrell "Da Show Shock 'A" Samuel lost an eight-round unanimous decision to David Rodela Friday night at the Performance Arts Center in Oxnard, CA.

According to Francisco Salazar of Boxingscene.com, Rodela, a native of Oxnard, was the busier fighter throughout and was very successful with left hooks to the head and body early in the contest.

Rodela stunned Samuel with combinations in the fifth and sixth rounds but almost let the bout get away in the final round when Samuel hurt him with a right hand in the last 30 seconds of the contest. Samuel could not follow up in time, however.  Samuel lost by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74.

Samuel's record drops to 15-6-1, six KO's while Rodela is now 17-9-3, seven KO's.

Womack Weighs 147 For Four-round Contest in New Jersey!

Kevin Womack, Jr. and Anthony Prescott both weighed 147 pounds for their four-round contest tonight at the Riverwinds Community Center in West Deptford, NJ.

Womack (4-5-1, two KO's) will be looking to break a six-bout winless streak.  Prescott (3-3-1, one KO) has won two of his last four.

Amateur Show In Southeast DC Cancelled!

We are hearing word that that the amateur boxing card scheduled for this afternoon at the DC Gateway Pavilion in Southeast DC has been cancelled.

However, Sunday's amateur card at the Washington Monument Grounds is still on and will begin at 2 PM.

Mayweather-Maidana Press Tour Hits DC Monday!

Washington, DC will be part of a five-city tour to promote Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s September 13 rematch with Marcos Maidana.  The two boxers will be at DAR Constitution Hall on Monday, July 14 at 6:30 PM.  The event is free and open to the public on a first come, first serve basis.  There will also be a free concert by DC native Wale after the main event.

Random Updates: McCalla Opponent Changed; Amateur Boxing on Washington Monument Grounds; Minor Makes Final of Women's National Golden Gloves!

The Friday, July 25 opponent for Baltimore, MD junior middleweight Cecil McCalla has changed.  Instead of Chris Van Heerden, McCalla (18-0, six KO's) will take on Oscar Godoy of Watsonville, CA in the eight-round nationally televised (Showtime ShoBox) bout at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY.

Godoy (13-2, six KO's) will be fighting on the east coast for the very first time in his career. Godoy is coming off a six-round majority decision win over Victor Fonseca on March 14 in Tustin, CA.

There is a lot of amateur boxing in the area this weekend.  We have the show at DC Gateway Pavilion in Southeast DC on Saturday, July 12.  Now comes word that there will be amateur boxing on the grounds of the Washington Monument on Sunday, July 13 at 2 PM.  Both shows are free.

Congratulations to Beltway amateur Donielle Minor who has reached the finals in the Senior Novice Division of the Women's National Golden Gloves tournament in Fort Lauderdale, FL.  Minor will face Joy Rothstein of New York in the championship bout.  Earlier in the week, Amelia Moore lost her first round contest.

Hernandez Harrison To Defend WBC Youth Silver Title July 26 in Madison Square Garden!

DC welterweight Dusty Hernandez Harrison will make the first defense of his WBC Youth Silver Welterweight title on Saturday, July 26 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Harrison (22-0, 12 KO's) will face Eli Addison of Winston-Salem, NC in an eight-round contest.  Harrison stopped veteran Roberto Valenzuela in the fourth round in his last outing on May 17.

Addison (11-3, four KO's) has only fought once since 2007.  However, Addison won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Meegal Harper on May 2 in Atlanta, GA.  The biggest name on Addison's record was a loss to future world champion Timothy Bradley in March of 2006.  Addison lost an eight-round unanimous decision for the very title that he will be competing for on July 26.

Douglas, Odom July 25 Bouts Are Now For Regional Titles!

Undefeated Beltway Boxers Antoine "Action" Douglas and "The King's Son" Jerry Odom now have more to battle for in their nationally-televised (Showtime ShoBox) appearances on Friday, July 25 at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY.

The 10-round bout for Douglas (14-0, nine KO's) against Michel Soro of France (23-1, 13 KO's) will be for the vacant WBA International Middleweight title.  Douglas will be vying for his second regional title, winning the interim WBC Fecarbox Middleweight title in January.

The eight-round contest for Odom (11-0, 10 KO's) against Vilier Quinonez of Miami, FL (8-0, five KO's) is for the interim WBC Fecarbox Super Middleweight title -- a title most recently held by fellow Beltway Boxer Phil Jackson-Benson.

This will be the 200th episode of Shobox.

Amateur Boxing Action Comes to Southeast DC July 12!

There will be a free amateur boxing card and concert at the Gateway DC Pavilion located at 2700 Martin Luther King Avenue in Southeast DC on Saturday, July 12 at 2 PM.

There are 10 scheduled bouts on the card and a concert by local artist V.I.C. as well as music by DJ Flava. The food is also free for this event.

The event is being put together by Babie Girl Productions and the matchmaking for the boxing is by DC Boxing Hall of Famer Julius "Juice" Gatling.  For more information, call 202-365-5021.

'Smooth' Kelly Is Latest Haymon Guy!

(Photo courtesy of Luke Runion)

Add yet another Beltway Boxer to the growing Al Haymon Family.  BATB has learned that undefeated DC heavyweight Danny "Smooth" Kelly has signed a contract with the uber boxing promoter.

Kelly (6-0-1, five KO's) is coming off a solid first-round TKO over Eric Newell on June 5 in Boston, MA in front of a nationally televised (Fox Sports1) audience.  There is a possibility that Kelly may be added to the Saturday, August 9 card at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, but nothing is set yet.  If the bout takes place, Kelly would join other Beltway Boxers on the card such as The Peterson Brothers, D'Mitrius Ballard and Lamont Roach, Jr..

The Beltway Division of the Haymon Family continues to grow as Kelly joins The Petersons, Gary Russell, Jr., Thomas Williams, Jr., Dominic Wade, Gervonta Davis, Kareem Martin, David  Grayton and Phil Jackson-Benson.

Kelly's head trainer is former world title contender and Beltway Boxing Legend Andrew Council (shown with Kelly in the above picture). Tim Valentine is his chief second and Kelly's manager is his long-time mentor Daryl Brown.

Samuel Faces Rodela July 11 in Oxnard, CA!

Baltimore lightweight Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel returns to action on Friday, July 11 as he travels to the Performing Arts Center in Oxnard, CA for an eight-round contest against hometown hero David Rodela.

On May 9, Samuel (15-5-1, six KO's) returned to action after an almost two-year absence and won a six-round unanimous decision over Joey Tiberi in Dover, DE.  Rodela (16-9-3, seven KO's) will be looking to break a four-bout losing streak and will be making his return to the ring after an 11-month hiatus.  Rodela has faced some quality opponents during his career including Terrence Crawford and Ronny Rios.

Jargal Added To July 18 Card in New York!

Yet another Beltway Boxer will be on television this month.  Arlington, VA junior welterweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal will participate in the co-feature bout on the Friday, July 18 card at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY.

Jargal (17-5-3, 11 KO's) will take on undefeated Cletus "Hebrew Hammer" Seldin of Brooklyn, NY (13-0, 10 KO's) in the eight-round contest.  Jargal will try to break a two-bout losing streak that includes a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Zahir Raheem on January 10 in Tacoma, WA for the NABO Junior Welterweight title. Seldin is coming off a seventh-round TKO win over Wilfredo Acuna on April 24 at the Paramount.  This will be Seldin's fifth straight appearance at the Paramount and ninth in the last 10 bouts.

The bout will air on ESPN2 as will the main event that features another Beltway Boxer.  Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor of Baltimore, MD (17-2, 12 KO's) will face Karim "Hard Hitta" Mayfield of San Francisco, CA (18-1-1, 11 KO's) in the 10-round feature.

As of right now, five locals will be on TV in July -- Taylor and Jargal on the 18th followed by Antoine Douglas, Jerry Odom AND Cecil McCalla on the Showtime ShoBox card on Friday, July 25.

'Hell-Rell' Harris Travels To Benin For Minor Title July 26!

(photo by Juan Marshall)

In a month where Beltway Boxers will be in many different locations, no one will travel further for a bout in July than undefeated DC welterweight Jerrell "Hell-Rell" Harris.

On Saturday, July 26, the 19-year-old Harris (4-0, four KO's) will be in Cotonou, Benin for a 10-round battle for the vacant International Boxing Union (IBU) welterweight title.  Harris has had a unique start to his young pro career -- he reportedly won a minor title in just his second pro bout facing an 0-1 opponent.  Harris has never been past the second round.  In his last outing, Harris scored a second-round TKO over Anthony Dave on March 28 in Weirton, WVA.

Harris's opponent will be a far cry from the opponents he has been facing as well. His opponent will be Anges Adjaho, a native of Cotonou who had been fighting out of Buffalo, NY.  Adjaho (25-7, 14 KO's) has not fought since losing by fifth-round TKO to Ronald Cruz in Atlantic City in November of 2011.  Adjaho has fought some very quality opponents during his career including losing a 10 round unanimous decision against future world champion Shawn Porter in Salisbury, MD in February of 2011.  Adjaho has also lost to former world champion Joel Julio and undefeated boxer Brad Solomon.

Bus Trips Available To New York To See Beltway Boxers Live!

There are two bus trips planned to see Beltway Boxers participate on separate cards in New York City.  Here is the information on both of them.

Dusty Hernandez Harrison will be on a card at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, July 26.  The bus trip costs $60 and the tickets to the boxing card range from $50 to $500. Deadline to purchase your tickets is July 11.  Call 301-437-3293 for more details.

Then on Saturday, August 9, there will be another trip to New York to see a number of Beltway Boxers including the Peterson Brothers, D'Mitrius Ballard and Lamont Roach, Jr. in action at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  The price of this bus excursion begins at $91 which includes a general admission ticket to the bout.  If you want to buy your own bout ticket ($31 to $256), than the bus ride is $60.  Call 202-528-7694 or 301-675-2003 for more info on this trip.

Boxing Returns To Rosecroft July 18!

Bouts are being finalized for the next Keystone Boxing card on Friday, July 18 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

One of the featured contests on the card involves undefeated Springdale, MD junior middleweight "The Cuban Assassin" Larry Recio who will step into a six-round bout for the first time in his young career when he faces Grayson Blake of State College, PA.

Recio (6-0, five KO's) will be looking for his sixth straight knockout victory.  In his last outing, Recio stopped Daniel Gonzalez in the second round on May 31 at the Washington Convention Center.  Blake (5-2, two KO's) has not fought since February of 2013 and will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak.

In another six-round contest, White Plains, MD lightweight Terron "Kid" Grant will take on Jose Del Valle of Bayamon, Puerto Rico in a bout where the won-loss records will not tell the whole story.

Grant (9-0, four KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Alberto Candelaria on April 18 at Rosecroft.  Del Valle (2-7-3) will be facing his fourth undefeated opponent in his last six outings and he will have one distinct advantage over Grant -- height. Del Valle is 6'2" and will have a seven-inch height advantage over Grant at 5'7".

Also on the card, DC lightweight Joshua Davis returns to action in another six-round encounter when he faces Thomas "The Animal" Herrera of Las Vegas, NV.  Davis (6-1, three KO's) won a tough six-round split decision over Joel Flores on March 7 at Rosecroft.  Herrera (3-11-1, one KO) makes his first trip to the East Coast and looks to break a four-bout losing streak. Herrera is a durable opponent who has never been stopped in a pro bout.

In four-round bouts already signed, undefeated Germantown, MD junior middleweight Gerome Quigley will battle Alfred Hall of Jackson, MI.  Quigley (4-0, three KO's) is coming off a third-round TKO of Damon Antoine on May 17 in Annandale, VA.  Hall (3-4-2, two KO's) has lost his last three.

Also, Forestville, MD junior welterweight Myke "The Professor" Fox will take on Shannon Kelley of Columbus, OH.  Fox (2-0) won a four-round majority decision over Benjamin Olinga on the last Rosecroft card on June 13.  Kelley (0-1) competes for the first time since losing his pro debut in November of 2012.

Also slated to participate on this card are Demond Nicholson, Patrick Harris, Marq Johns, Emanuel Johnson and Stephon McDonald.