Former NABF champions Derrell "Too Sweet" Coley and Reggie "Showtime" Green are two of the selections in the Professional Boxers category. Coley, Green, Reuben "Ratman" Bell and Gerry "Rock" Payne comprised the "Hard Corps" group of the early-mid 90's that was led by manager Barry Linde and trained by Leonard Langley, Al Scott and Vardell McCann.
Coley (38-2-2, 27 KO's) fought out of Capitol Heights, MD and first came to prominence with a first-round TKO over former world champion Saoul Mamby in August of 1993 at Prince George's Community College in Largo, MD. Coley captured the NABF Welterweight championship on July 5, 1994 with a thrilling 11th round TKO over Terrence Alli in front of a nationally-televised (USA Network) audience at the Washington Convention Center.
Coley lost the title to Oba Carr by a very controversial 12-round unanimous decision on August 12, 1995 in Las Vegas. Coley regained the NABF title in another thrilling contest, winning by 11th round TKO over Kip Diggs on March 25, 1997 in Oxnard, CA.
Coley became the first Beltway Boxer since Sugar Ray Leonard to fight for a million-dollar purse in his battle against Oscar De La Hoya on February 26, 2000 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Coley started well in the bout but eventually was stopped in the seventh round. Coley finished his career winning his last four bouts.
Green (33-5, 15 KO's) won his first title -- the Maryland State Junior Welterweight title -- in the second of two contests with fellow local Lyndon Paul Walker. After winning his first 16 contests, Green faced Beltway Boxing legend Darryll Tyson in a 12-round contest for the NABF and USBA 140-pound titles on September 20, 1994 at the DC Armory. Green would lose by a 12-round split decision in one of the most thrilling contests in Beltway Boxing history.
Green would return to the Armory and capture the USBA title on January 31, 1995 with a 12-round split decision over Jaime Balboa. However, he would lose another opportunity to win the NABF title in a second-round knockout loss to Charles Murray on October 10, 1995 in Murray's hometown of Rochester, NY. Green would eventually win the NABF title with a unanimous decision over Ray Oliveira on August 5, 1997 in Mashantucket, CT.
Green would receive his first world title shot against Beltway Boxing legend Sharmba Mitchell for Mitchell's WBA Junior Welterweight championship in the main event of the "Triple Jeopardy" card at the MCI (now Verizon Center) in DC on April 24, 1999. Green would drop a 12-round majority decision. In his next bout, Green fought another tough bout against Micky Ward on October 1, 1999 in Salem, NH and would be stopped in the 10th round. Green would end his career with another world shot against IBF Junior Welterweight champ Zab Judah on January 13, 2000 in Uncasville, CT but would lose by 10th round TKO.
Joining Coley and Green in the Professional Boxers category are "Dangerous D" Darryl Lattimore and "Joltin'" Joe Fitzpatrick.
Lattimore (24-20, 10 KO's) fought some very notable names in the welterweight division throughout his 13-year career. Lattimore's most notable win was an eight-round unanimous decision over then-undefeated Romallis Ellis on July 8, 1992 in New York City. Lattimore fought fellow locals Coley, Antonio Reese, Keith Holmes, Robert Sawyer and Emil Baku as well as former world champion Mark Breland during his career.
Fitzpatrick (14-4, 10 KO's) was a fan favorite in the lightweight division who won his first 10 bouts. Fitzpatrick fought for only five years as a pro.
The Amateur Boxers category is led by 2000 Olympic Bronze medalist Clarence Vinson. Vinson was the United States Amateur Flyweight champion in 1997 and 1998 then won the US Amateur Bantamweight title in 1999.
Vinson would go on to win a bronze medal in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia before turning pro in 2001. Vinson compiled a pro record of 17-2, seven KO's before retiring in 2009.
Also in the amateur category will be Tom Quinn, a former NCAA Eastern Heavyweight champion from Georgetown University. Quinn would later have a successful acting career appearing in such movies as And Justice For All and Enemy of the State as well as playing Detective Patrick Mahon on the HBO drama The Wire. Quinn, who passed away in January of this year at the age of 79, is a member of the Georgetown Athletic Hall of Fame and will be posthumously inducted in the DC Boxing Hall of Fame.
Joining them will be Ray Furmage, Jr. and Anthony Hamilton. Furmage fought out of the Oakcrest Gym and Lanham Boys and Girls Club and compiled an amateur record of 70-4 while winning eight Junior Golden Gloves and four AAU titles. Hamilton, a former Marine, was a Regional Golden Gloves champion in 1997 and has gone on to coach numerous amateurs in the Beltway area.
(photo courtesy of StiffJab.com)
Four Outstanding Contributors will be inducted including the patriarch of the boxing Russell Family, Gary Russell, Sr. A former boxer, Russell has trained four of his sons and made history with them. Gary, Jr. Allan, Antonio and Antuanne became the first group of four brothers to win National Golden Gloves championships. As a pro, Gary, Jr. competed in a world title bout earlier this year.
(courtesy of the Salisbury Independent)
Also in this category is noted Salisbury, MD coach Hal Chernoff. Chernoff is the founder of the Main Street Boxing Gym that has produced numerous amateur champions. The most noted boxer to come out of the gym was world title challenger Fernando Guerrero.
Manager and promoter Sharif Salim will be inducted into this class. Salim managed two of the more prominent young heavyweights to come out of the Beltway region -- Corey "T-Rex" Sanders and Seth Mitchell. Salim also promoted a number of cards in DC including an outdoor card in October of 1995 at Eastern High School featuring Eastern alum and future hall of famer Mark Johnson. The card took place the weekend before the Million Man March. Salim will join his brother, legendary trainer Adrian Davis, in the DC Boxing Hall of Fame.
Longtime amateur official Rosemarie Trindle has been an official with USA Boxing for more than 30 years, starting in the Beltway region. Trindle continues to serve as an ABF Official in Mercer, PA.
Also, undefeated Waldorf, MD junior welterweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed will receive the James Balukevich Outstanding Boxer award this year. Reed won a National Golden Gloves title in 2011 and is 10-0, six KO's as a pro going into his bout on October 4 in Atlantic City, NJ.
The honorees will be formally inducted at the DC Boxing Hall of Fame Awards and Induction Banquet on Friday, November 21 at Martin's Crosswinds, 7400 Greenway Center Drive in Greenbelt, MD beginning at 8 PM. Tickets for the banquet are $55 per person and reservations must be received by November 14. Call 301-843-6165 for reservations and details.
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Congratulations to all the 2014 DC Boxing Hall Of Fame Induction Class. Also to the ones that will be receiving award honors that night!
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