McCalla Loses Unanimous Decision In Las Vegas; Snyder Stopped In Indio!

Tough night for Beltway Boxers as two lost nationally-televised contests.

Cecil McCalla dropped a 10-round unanimous decision to former world champion Ishe Smith at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, NV on ESPN2. McCalla fell behind early in the contest and was outgunned throughout by the former member of the first season Contender cast.  McCalla lost by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 (twice).

McCalla loses his second straight bout and is now 20-2, seven KO's.  Smith is now 27-7, 12 KO's.

At the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA,  Joshua Snyder was stopped early in the second round in his bout against undefeated Jason Quigley on Fox Sports 1.  Quigley landed a devastating right-left-right combination to drop Snyder at 44 seconds of the second round.   Snyder falls to 9-12-1, three KO's while Quigley remains perfect at 6-0, six KO's.

Trainer Hunter Dissects Mayweather-Pacquiao!

The Washington Post's Gene Wang has a video online with Headbangers head trainer Barry Hunter showing what Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao need to do to be victorious on May 2.

Hunter gets assistance in his demonstration from Beltway Boxers Anthony Peterson and Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed.  The video is packaged with a Rick Mease article on Mayweather.

Here's the link:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/boxing-mma-wrestling/is-floyd-mayweather-boring-only-when-hes-inside-the-boxing-ring/2015/04/30/f2e729aa-ef76-11e4-8050-839e9234b303_story.html

Snyder Weighs 160 For Nationally Televised Six-Rounder In California!

Berlin, MD middleweight "The Berlin Bomber" Joshua Snyder weighed 160 pounds for his six-round contest against undefeated Jason Quigley of Woodland Hills, CA tonight at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA.  Quigley weighed 161 pounds.

Snyder (9-11-1, three KO's) is coming off a first-round TKO loss to Travell Mazion on March 12 in San Antonio, TX.  Quigley, a native of Ireland, (5-0, five KO's) scored a second-round TKO over Tolutomi Agunbiade on March 20 at the Fantasy Springs Casino.

The bout is slated to open tonight's Fox Sports 1 telecast at 10 PM ET.  Remember, Cecil McCalla is in the main event of tonight's ESPN2 broadcast against Ishe Smith beginning at 9 PM ET.  This will mean 11 Beltway Boxers have been on television in the first four months of the year.

Baltimore Boxing Community Continues To Fight For Peace!

There was a very nice article in Thursday's USA Today about members of Baltimore's boxing community using the sport to help change things for the better in their community.


Chris Korman focuses on the Upton Boxing Gym in Baltimore as a gym "fighting for the city's soul."  This is a powerful article.


Here's the link:  http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/04/a-boxing-school-in-baltimore-is-fighting-for-the-citys-soul

McCalla, Smith Weigh 155 For Vegas Battle!

Cecil McCalla and former world champion Ishe Smith both weighed 155 pounds for their 10-round nationally-televised bout Thursday at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV.

The bout is the main event of a special Thursday night edition on Friday Night Fights.

Beltway Boxing Community Responds To Issues in Baltimore!

The turmoil that took place Monday in Baltimore obviously affected many in and around the city, including the Beltway Boxing Community.

The UMAR boxing gym in Baltimore is located right in the area where the epicenter of much of the turmoil took place, right on West North Avenue.  No word on whether the gym suffered any issues during this tragic situation.

Meanwhile in the Fells Point section of the city, Jake Smith, a native of Baltimore who owns the Baltimore Boxing and Fitness Gym was very adamant in a published statement.

“In my forty-plus years in Baltimore, this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen,” said Smith, whose promotional efforts have helped many local organizations through raffles and donations. “We are all aware that there are issues with police brutality throughout the country and while I am extremely disappointed with the lack of prosecution following specific incidents, rioting only makes everything worse. 

"I truly understand that emotions are at all-time highs in Baltimore and people want their voices to be heard but this is not the way to do it. Having worked with people from all walks of life, I wholeheartedly respect everybody’s point of view but I am pleading with the community as a whole to schedule peaceful and civilized meetings with city officials. This is the only way for everybody to get their thoughts and opinions out while hearing what the other side has to say. Riots are only going to tear apart and create further distance between police and citizens in this great city. I pray that everything calms down quickly and a resolution is met.”

BATB shares that prayer.

Reed Battles Vazquez May 8 In Newark, NJ!

Undefeated Waldorf, MD super lightweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed returns to action on Friday, May 8 when he takes on Osenohan Vazquez of Newark, NJ in an eight-round contest at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

Reed (13-0, seven KO's) is coming off a second-round TKO over Eddie Soto on March 14 at the Sphinx Club in Washington, DC.  Vazquez (8-3-1, three KO's) will try to bounce back from a first-round TKO loss to Clarence Booth on February 28 in Tampa, FL.

The bout is part of a card that will be televised on TruTV.  No word on whether Reed's bout will make the telecast.

Results From Regional Golden Gloves!

The 2015 Regional Golden Gloves champions in the Open and Novice Divisions were crowned Saturday night in front of a large crowd at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

The DC Region will send a solid group of Open Division boxers to Las Vegas, NV for the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions May 10-17 as the region looks to have a national champion for the sixth consecutive year.

Capitol Heights, MD 132-pounder Keeshawn Williams won the Truman E. Tuttle Memorial Outstanding Boxer Award after an impressive win over Roger Belch III of Newport News, VA.

At 152 Pounds, Shynggyskhan Tazhibay of Rockville, MD won a decision over Matthew Abregu of Leesburg, VA while his Headbangers gymmate, Tavon Body of Burtonsville, MD captured his second straight 165-pound regional title with a win over Clinso Brumfield of Alexandria, VA.

Another returnee to the nationals will be Milik Titus of Baltimore, MD who will make his second trip after defeating Benjamin Dobbs of Virginia Beach, VA in the 201-pound final.

Also, Justin Bell of District Heights, MD won by walkover at 178 Pounds to put him on the DC Region team heading to the nationals for the second year in a row.

Unlike in recent years, where the DC/Maryland portion dominated the Open Division slots, four of the 10 members of the 2015 Open team will come from the Virginia/North Carolina division of the region.  One of the four will be Diego Abregu of Leesburg.  Abregu won by walkover at 141 Pounds when 2014 National Golden Gloves champion Gary Antuanne Russell pulled out of the tournament because of a bad shoulder.

Making his third trip to the nationals will be Jonathan Howard III of Wilmington, NC.  Howard won the 108-pound championship with a win over Demetrius Young of Bowie, MD.  Also, DeWayne Beamon of Goldsboro, NC advanced to the Nationals by medical walkover.

Here is the 2015 Regional Golden Gloves Team:

108 Pounds: Jonathan Howard III, Wilmington, NC

114 Pounds: Jordan White, Waldorf, MD

123 Pounds: DeWayne Beamon, Goldsboro, NC

132 Pounds: Keeshawn Williams, Capitol Heights, MD

141 Pounds: Diego Abregu, Leesburg, VA

152 Pounds: Shynggyskhan Tazhibay, Rockville, MD

165 Pounds: Tavon Body, Burtonsville, MD

178 Pounds: Justin Bell, District Heights, MD

201 Pounds: Milik Titus, Baltimore, MD

201+ Pounds: Christopher Laws, Hampton, VA


Here are the Novice Division Champions for 2015:

114 Pounds: Kevin Pendergrass, Suitland, MD

123 Pounds: Jacob Garcia, Sterling, VA

132 Pounds: Donnell Poe, Fort Washington, MD

141 Pounds: Dante Cox, Severn, MD

152 Pounds: Sippriano Zelldon, Silver Spring, MD

165 Pounds: Aaron Anderson, Baltimore, MD

178 Pounds: Darryl Lane, Washington, MD

201 Pounds: Jonathen Surratt, Fort Washington, MD

201+ Pounds: Timothy Crawford, Washington, DC

Crews Wins Bout At USA-China Duel Meet; Beltway Vets Attah, Allen Compete In PA, NC!

Congratulations to Baltimore, MD's Franchon Crews who captured a victory in a dual meet between teams representing the United States and China this afternoon in Atlanta, GA.

Crews won her 178-pound contest against the reigning world champion in her weight class, Xiao Li Wang, by a 2-1 decision.  The victory clinched the USA's overall win in the dual meet.

Later today, two Beltway pro veterans will be in action.  Former world title challenger Daniel "The Prophet" Attah of DC will take on undefeated prospect Omar "Super O" Douglas of Wilmington, DE in a six-round super featherweight contest at Harrah's Philadelphia Casino in Chester, PA.   Attah (28-19-1, 11 KO's) fights for the first time since his 10-round unanimous decision loss to former world champion DeMarcus Corley on September 20 at the Washington Convention Center. Attah went the distance with Corley despite being knocked down five times during the bout.  Attah will be trying to break a six-bout losing streak.

Douglas (13-0, 10 KO's) is coming off a first-round TKO over Osnel Charles on December 5 at Harrah's.

Attah weighed in at 138 pounds for the bout while Douglas tipped the scales at 133.

Meanwhile at the South Side Community Center in Winston-Salem, NC, Laurel, MD super welterweight Norman "The Shadow" Allen will be in a six-round contest against Marcus Willis of Fort Myers, FL.  Allen (6-13, three KO's) lost a tough four-round majority decision to Edgar Torres on March 28 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA.  The loss was Allen's 12th in a row but was also one of Allen's best performances in recent memory.

Willis (13-4-2, three KO's) will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak of his own.  Willis dropped a six-round majority decision to DeCarlo Perez on August 2 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Gazette Gives Preview Of Regional Golden Gloves; BATB Provides Live Coverage Tonight From Rosecroft!

The Montgomery and Prince George's Gazette newspapers have great previews of some of the Maryland boxers that will be participating in the Open Division of the Regional Golden Gloves tonight at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

Prince J. Grimes of the Gazette profiles a number of boxers in his previews including Shynggskhan Tazhibay and Tavon Body who will be in two of the marquee bouts of the evening.

Go to this link to read the Montgomery County Boxer preview:  http://www.gazette.net/article/20150422/SPORTS/150429904/1021/rockville-boxer-gets-a-chance-at-his-dream&template=gazette#

And tap this link for the Prince George's County preview:  http://www.gazette.net/article/20150423/SPORTS/150429700/1028/1028/bowie-fighter-gets-another-shot-at-regional-title&template=gazette

Hopefully, you can join us at Rosecroft Raceway tonight beginning at 7:30 PM ET.  If you can't be there in person, Juan Marshall and I will have the blow-by-blow call of the event live at 7:25 ET.  You can hear the action on the free Boxing Along The Beltway Google App For Android.  IOS users can hear the action by going to this link:  http://www.spreaker.com/show/boxing_along_the_beltway

Pacquiao-Mayweather Has Beltway PR Flavor!

Next Saturday's Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao bout has had a Beltway flavor to it -- from the public relations end.

As Washington Times columnist Thom Loverro points out, both boxers's public relations arms are headed by two people who got their start working with boxing in the Washington, DC area.

Kelly Swanson (Top), who heads DC's Swanson Communications, has worked with Mayweather for 10 years while Fred Sternburg, who is originally from Bethesda, MD, is the PR man for Pacquiao.  Both worked together during the heavyweight title reigns of Riddick Bowe.

Here is the great column. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/23/former-local-pr-gurus-in-mayweather-pacquiao-corne/?page=all#pagebreak

I have been very fortunate to have worked with both Swanson and Sternburg especially at the beginning of my boxing career and you couldn't find two more professional people in this business.

Both have been very helpful to me over the years.  I got to know Kelly first through her work with former Beltway Boxer Jermaine Fields and I met Fred through his work with the famed Hard Corps boxing crew that featured Derrell Coley, Reggie Green, Gerry Payne and Reuben Bell.

Stevenson Drops Unanimous Decision In Chicago!

Baltimore, MD welterweight James "Keep Em' Sleepin'" Stevenson  lost an eight round unanimous decision to Roberto "La Amenaza" Garcia of Weslaco, TX in a nationally-televised (Spike TV) contest at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL.

Stevenson, who took the bout on two weeks notice, came out strong in round one by landing a stiff uppercut to send Garcia to the canvas for the eight count. Stevenson didn't show too much more after winning rounds one and four. Garcia started coming forward and pressuring Stevenson to take over the bout. One judge scored the bout 77-74 while the other two judges had a score of 78-73 giving Garcia the unanimous decision win.

Stevenson falls to 22-2, 15 KO's while Garcia improves to 37-3, 23 KO's.

Results From Tall Cedars Hall!

Here are the results from the Hardwork Promotions card Thursday night at the Tall Cedars Hall in Parkville, MD:

In the main event, cruiserweight Travis "Seveer" Reeves of Baltimore, MD won a six-round unanimous decision over Dan "Bada Bing" Biddle of Wilmington, DE.  Reeves won every round on the scorecards (60-54) with solid offense and great defensive movement.  Reeves is now 9-2-2, three KO's while Biddle falls to 9-3, five KO's.

The co-feature saw Baltimore junior middleweight Jeremy "The Truth" Trussell score a sixth-round TKO over Tyeson "H-Bomb" Harrison of Greensboro, NC.  Trussell fought a nice bout offensively, showing great offensive skills.  With less that 10 seconds remaining in the final round, Trussell landed a crushing right hand that dropped Harrison to the canvas.  Harrison got up on wobbly legs and referee Kenny Chevalier stopped the contest.  The time was 2:59.  Trussell's record rises to 9-2-1, seven KO's while Harrison is 2-2, one KO.

In a battle of debuting local lightweights, Glenarden, MD's Dravontay Speed-Rawls won a four-round split decision over Beltsville, MD's "Mighty" Joel Young.  Both men had their moments in the contest as they showed great movement and offensive skills.  Neither boxer, however, had a clear advantage.  Judges Chevalier and John Gradowski scored the bout 39-38 and 39-37 for Speed-Rawls while judge Don Risher saw the bout for Young, 39-37.  

DC heavyweight Carlos "The Diamond Cutter" Black  won his pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Lonnie Kornegay of Baltimore.  Black scored two knockdowns in the second round and appeared to be on his way to a stoppage victory.  However, Kornegay came back strong in the second half of the contest to make the bout closer on the scorecards.  Judges Gradowski and Chevalier scored the bout 38-36 while Risher had it 39-35.  Kornegay's record is 1-11-3.

Also on the card, debuting junior lightweight Albert "Spider Monkey" Mendoza of Fayetteville, AR scored a third-round TKO over Nicholas Rodriguez of Dayton, OH.  Mendoza wore down Rodriguez throughout the contest before dropping him twice in the third.  The bout was stopped at 2:27.  Rodriguez is 0-2.

In an exhibition contest that had the participants wearing headgear,, Baltimore welterweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins knocked out William Kelley in the second round.  Hawkins, who notched his third knockout victory in three tries on April 18 in Pennsauken, NJ, hit Kelley with a brutal right uppercut that sent Kelley crashing to the canvas.  Kelley, eventually was able to leave the ring under his own power.

Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up which includes an interview with Travis Reeves:

April 23 Card Complete For Tall Cedars Hall!

The Hardwork Promotions card for Thursday, April 23 at the Tall Cedars Hall in Baltimore is complete.

BATB has already told you about the main event -- a six-round cruiserweight contest between Baltimore's Travis "Seveer" Reeves (8-2-1, three KO's) and Dan "Bada Bing" Biddle of Hockessin, DE (9-2, five KO's).

The co-feature has Baltimore middleweight Jeremy "The Truth" Trussell taking on Tyeson Harrison of Greensboro, NC in a six-round bout.  Trussell (8-2-1, six KO's) needs a win as he is winless in his last three contests (0-2-1)  Harrison (2-1, one KO) will try to bounce back from his first pro loss -- a first-round knockout loss to Ivan Golub on November 13 at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore.

There will be a lightweight battle between two debuting boxers from Maryland as Laurel's Joel Young takes on Drayvantay Speed-Rawls of Glenarden.  Speed-Rawls is the nephew of Beltway Boxing legend Eugene "Sonny" Speed.

Also on the card, Rockville, MD heavyweight Carlos Black makes his pro debut against veteran Lonnie Kornegay of Baltimore (1-10-3).

Also in pro debuts, Vladimir Pierre of Harlem, NY takes on William Kelley of Fayetteville, AR in a welterweight contest while featherweight Albert Mendoza of Indiana makes his pro debut against Nicholas Rodriguez of Fayetteville, AR.

Here is the scale watch for the card:

Travis Reeves 194 vs. Dan Biddle 200

Jeremy Trussell 154 1/2 vs. Tyeson Harrison 155

Joel Young 135 1/2 vs. Dravontay Speed-Rawls 134 1/2

Carlos Black 238 1/2 vs. Lonnie Kornegay 252 1/2

Vladimir Pierre 145 vs. William Kelley 152 1/2

Albert Mendoza 135 vs. Nicholas Rodriguez (will weigh-in tomorrow)

Stevenson To Face Garcia April 24 In Chicago!

Baltimore, MD welterweight James "Keep Em' Sleepin'" Stevenson returns to action on Friday, April 24 when he faces Roberto "La Amenaza" Garcia of Weslaco, TX in a 10-round contest at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL.

Stevenson (22-1, 15 KO's) bounced back from suffering his first pro loss with a first-round TKO of Larry Ventus on November 13 at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore.

Garcia (36-3. 23 KO's) is riding an eight-bout winning streak including a 10-round unanimous decision win over Breidis Prescott on July 25 at the UIC Pavilion.

This bout will be the top undercard contest on a card featuring the Anthony Dirrell-Badou Jack and Daniel Jacobs-Caleb Truax contests that will be televised by Spike TV.

Quigley To Defend VA State Title Against Olinga June 6 In Springfield!

Montgomery Village, MD welterweight Gerome "The Showstopper" Quigley will defend his newly-won Virginia State Welterweight title on the next Jeter Promotions/RBA Promotions card on Saturday, June 6 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA.

The undefeated Quigley (7-0, six KO's) won his title on the last Jeter/RBA card on March 28 at the ABC Complex, scoring a fifth-round TKO over Richard "Tiger" Lee Hall.  Quigley has knocked out his last four opponents.

Quigley's adversary for this six-round contest may not have the type of record you would normally see in a title bout.  However, DC welterweight Benjamin "Wildcat" Olinga definitely has the heart to be in one.  Olinga (1-9) has gone the distance in his last five bouts and has given most of his opponents some very tough battles.  Three of Olinga's last five contests went to majority decision.

Olinga has faced nine Beltway Boxers in his career and has been stopped only once by a fellow local boxer.  That was in November of 2011 when he was knocked out by Kevin Womack, Jr. in the fourth round in what was the Beltway Boxing Knockout of the Year in Upper Marlboro, MD.  The only other boxer to stop Olinga was Rolando Chinea of Lancaster, PA who knocked out Olinga in the third round of a November 2013 contest in Baltimore, MD.

We'll have more information from this card as it comes into us.  Also, congratulations to co-promoter and two-regional belt champion Tony "Mo Better" Jeter who recently cracked the top 15 rankings in the WBA.  Jeter (20-4-1, 14 KO's) is ranked at number 15 in the middleweight rankings to add to his number 13 ranking in the WBC.   By the way, another Beltway Boxer -- Antoine "Action" Douglas -- is ranked number 14 by the WBA.

DC Heavyweight 'King' Charles Jerome Passes!

(photo by Juan Marshall)

Sad news in the local boxing world.  DC heavyweight "King" Charles Jerome passed away on Monday, April 13 after a brief illness. Jerome was 33 years old.

Jerome, the son of former Potomac Valley Association Chair Jerry Jerome and his wife Cecilia, had a brief illness due to a staph infection.  Jerome had just one bout in his pro career, a four-round unanimous decision win over William Monroe at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore, MD on November 23, 2013.

Charles Jerome's funeral will be held on Friday, April 24 at Metropolitan Wesley AME Zion Church located at 1712 North Capitol Street in Northwest DC.  The service begins at 10 AM.  BATB sends its deepest condolences to the family.

Cummings, Jargal Lose Bouts In Huntington, NY!

Beltway Boxers Cory "Black Ice" Cummings and the "Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal lost featured bouts on a card at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY on April 18.

Cummings, a light heavyweight from Baltimore, MD, was stopped in the second round by "The Irish Bomber" Joe Smith, Jr. of Mastic, NY in the main event for the IBA Continental Americas Light Heavyweight title.  According to reports, both men came out swinging in the first round, throwing hard shots.  Smith gained an advantage late in the first when he rocked Cummings with a right hand.

In the second round, Smith landed a left hook that dropped Cummings face first to the canvas.  Cummings got up but a later flurry of punches by Smith forced the bout to be stopped at 2:10 of the second.  Cummings's record falls to 18-9-1, 13 KO's while Smith is now 18-1, 14 KO's.

In the co-feature, Jargal, of Arlington, VA, lost an eight-round majority decision to Anthony "Showtime" Karperis of Hicksville, NY in a lightweight bout.

Karperis moved well and showed good speed in the first three rounds of the contest.  However, Jargal came back and had a solid fourth round.  Both men waged an exciting second half of the bout.  Jargal got a draw (76-76) on one scorecard but that was overruled by the other two cards (79-73 and 78-74).

Jargal is now 17-7-3, 11 KO's while Karperis's record rises to 10-1, three KO's.

'Iceman' Hawkins Wins In 30 Seconds In New Jersey!

Baltimore, MD super lightweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins needed just 30 seconds to stop the debuting Darius Jackson of St. Louis, MO Saturday night at the GPG Event Center in Pennsauken, NJ.

Reportedly, a solid right hand to the body did the damage early.  Hawkins is now 3-0, three KO's and all three knockouts have come in the first round.

Benson Loses By Stoppage While Hurd, Grayton, Aleem Are Victorious In Valley Forge; Roach Wins Unanimous Decision In Verona, NY; Guerrero Captures Split Decision In Carson, CA!

Results are starting to coming in from Saturday's bouts featuring Beltway Boxers around the country.  Here's what we have so far.

At the Valley Forge Casino Resort in Valley Forge, PA, Landover, MD super middleweight "The Real Deal" Phil Jackson Benson was stopped in the sixth round tonight by Darnell "Deezol" Boone of Atlanta, GA.

Benson was in control of the contest and had a real effective fifth round.  Then came the sixth and Benson made one mistake that cost him -- he didn't have his left hand up for defense.  Boone threw a left jab to the body and then came up from the floor with an overhead right that dropped Benson hard to the canvas.  Benson beat the count but was in no condition to continue. The time of the stoppage was 1:27.  Benson suffers his second loss of his career and is now 15-2, 14 KO's.  Boone evens his record at 21-21-4, 10 KO's.

In one of the co-features in Valley Forge, junior middleweight "Swift" Jarrett Hurd of Accokeek, MD stopped Vero Beach, FL's Eric "Murder" Mitchell at 2:07 of the third round.  Hurd remains undefeated at 15-0, nine KO's.  Mitchell drops to 23-12-2, 11 KO's.

Also on that card, DC welterweight David "Day-Day" Grayton remains undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Grayson Blake of State College, PA.  Grayton won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 77-75.  Grayton is now 11-0, eight KO's while Blake falls to 6-4, two KO's.

Richmond, VA super middleweight Immanuwel Aleem stopped Emmanuel Sanchez of Laredo, TX at 2:15 of the second round.  Aleem scores his fifth straight knockout and remains undefeated at 12-0, eight KO's.  Sanchez drops to 6-3, one KO.

At the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY, Lamont Roach, Jr of Upper Marlboro, MD won a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Miguel Castro of Puerto Rico.  The bout was on the undercard of the Lucas Matthysse-Ruslan Provodnikov bout.

 Tracy Morin of Fightnews.com describes the action of the contest.

The competitive opening round found both fighters trading jabs and landing clean hooks on the inside. Back-and-forth action continued in the second as Castro landed a jolting right counter and uppercut, then Roach scored three monster rights in a row. After a back-and-forth start, Roach started to show his class in the third, solidifying his defense and finding success with hard left hooks. By the fourth, Castro, who began the fight coming forward, was in perpetual retreat, popping out mostly jabs, as Roach relied on power shots and teed off combinations; in the fifth, a one-two set off a flurry that staggered Castro and led to a tangle that ended in both fighters on the canvas. Despite a dominating sixth for Roach, he was unable to score a knockdown and settled for a shutout (60-54) on all three scorecards. “He was pretty tough, but I tried to get him out of there,” said Roach. “I think I could have knocked him down if I’d come out harder in the beginning. I wanted the knockout at the end, but I didn’t get it.”

Roach is now 7-0, three KO's while Castro drops to 4-3, two KO's.

Meanwhile at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA, Fernando Guerrero got a much-needed win with a 10-round split decision over Abraham "Abie" Han of El Paso, TX.

Guerrero got the win despite being dropped in the first round.  Han suffered a cut near his left eye in the fifth round.  Guerrero won by scores of 96-93 and 95-94.  Han won on one judge's scorecard 96-93.

Guerrero has gone 2-2 in his last four bouts and is now 27-3, 19 KO's while Han is 23-3, 14 KO's.

Beltway Boxers Hit Scales In Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York!

A number of Beltway Boxers weighed in for bouts Saturday night in both Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

Four of those boxers stepped on the scale at the Valley Forge Casino Resort in Valley Forge, PA.

Phil Jackson Benson weighed in at 172 pounds for his eight-round main event contest against Darnell Boone, who weighed 171.

Jarrett Hurd tipped the scales at 155 1/2 for his eight-round bout against Eric Mitchell who came in at 157.

David Grayton hit the welterweight limit of 147 for his six-round encounter with Grayson Blake who tipped the scales at 145 1/2.

Immanuwel Aleem weighed in at 160 for his eight-round bout against Emanuel Sanchez.  However, Sanchez did not weigh in on Friday.

Meanwhile, at the GPG Event Center in Pennsauken, NJ, Malik Hawkins and his opponent, Darius Jackson, both weighed in at 146 pounds for their four-round contest.


At the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY, Cory Cummings weighed in at the light heavyweight limit of 175 pounds for his 10-round contest against Joe Smith for the IBA Continental Americas title.  Smith tipped the scales at 174 pounds.

Also on the card, Bayan Jargal and his opponent, Anthony Karperis both weighed in at 135 pounds for their eight-round encounter.

Fox, Harrison Remain Undefeated In Connecticut!

Alantez "SlyAza" Fox and Dusty Hernandez Harrison remained undefeated tonight with wins in Connecticut.

Fox scored a second-round TKO over Franklin Gonzalez of the Dominican Republic at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.  Fox is now 15-0-1, five KO's while Gonzalez drops to 16-14, 10 KO's.

Meanwhile at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, CT, Harrison won an eight-round unanimous decision over late sub "Classy" Chris Gray of Vero Beach, FL.  Harrison scored an 80-72 shutout on all three cards.  Harrison is now 26-0, 13 KO's while Gray is 13-20-1, one KO.

Roach, Jr. Weighs 132 1/2 For Bout In Verona, NY!

Lamont Roach, Jr. tipped the scales at 132 1/2 pounds for his six-round contest Saturday at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona,  NY.  Roach's opponent,  Jose Miguel Castro, weighed in at 133 pounds.

Fox, Harrison Hit Scales In Connecticut!

Alantez Fox and Dusty Hernandez Harrison stepped on the scales in separate locations in Connecticut.

Fox weighed in at 158 1/4 for his eight-round contest Friday against Franklin Gonzalez at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.  Gonzalez tipped the scales at 161 1/4.

Harrison weighed in at 153 pounds for his eight-round bout against late sub Chris Gray of Vero Beach, FL Friday at the Foxwoods in Mashantucket, CT.  Gray (13-19-1, one KO) weighed 152 pounds for the bout.  Gray replaces Henry Auraad, who reportedly had visa issues coming into the United States.

Juan Rodriguez, who was also scheduled to be on the Foxwoods card, is no longer competing on the show.

Reeves To Face Biddle In Main Event April 23 In Baltimore!

The main event is set for the Hardwork Promotions card on Thursday, April 23 at the Tall Cedar's Hall in Baltimore, MD.

Baltimore cruiserweight Travis "Seveer" Reeves will battle Dan "Bada Bing" Biddle of Hockessin, DE in a six-round encounter.

Reeves (8-2-1, three KO's) is riding a five-bout winning streak and is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Lamont Capers on March 20 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.

Biddle (9-2, five KO's) competes for the first time since July of 2012 when he won a six-round majority decision over Pedro Martinez in Atlantic City, NJ.

We'll have more on this card as information comes in.

McCalla To Face Former World Champion Smith April 30 In Las Vegas!

BATB has learned that Randallstown, MD welterweight Cecil McCalla will take on former IBF Super Lightweight champion Ishe "Sugar Shay" Smith of Las Vegas, NV in a 10-round contest at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 30.  The bout will be televised by ESPN2.

McCalla (20-1, seven KO's) suffered his first pro loss in his last outing when he dropped a 10-round split decision to Chris Van Heerden on January 9 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  Smith (26-7, 12 KO's) made an unsuccessful attempt at his second world title when he lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Erislandy Lara for the WBA Super Lightweight title on December 12 in San Antonio, TX.

This will be the second time in two months that a Beltway Boxer has competed at the Palms Casino Resort.  Back in March, Gary Russell, Jr. captured the WBC Featherweight title in that location.

Amateur Boxer Steven Copeland Passes From Injuries Suffered at VA/NC Golden Gloves!

(Courtesy of the Friends of Steven Copeland)

Sometimes as boxing fans, we get reminders of how brutal this sport can really be.  We received another one of those reminders on Monday evening.

Newport News, VA amateur boxer Steven Copeland passed away Monday from injuries he suffered during a bout at the Virginia/North Carolina Golden Gloves championships in Hampton, VA this past weekend.  Mr. Copeland was 28 years old.

According to eyewitnesses, Copeland took a punch to the head during his semifinal contest and turned to his corner and collapsed.  Doctors came in the ring immediately to help and Copeland was sent to a local hospital.  Doctors performed surgery to relieve the swelling on his brain but he lapsed into a coma that he never came out of.

Copeland had been a fighter for quite some time, according to reports, starting in MMA before taking up boxing. BATB sends deepest condolences to the family.

There are two GoFundMe pages set up for the Copeland family if you would like to help them financially.  These are the links:

http://www.gofundme.com/rpfekw?hc_location=ufi

http://www.gofundme.com/e340nw

Amateur Boxing Card Honors Legendary Coach and Trainer Ham Johnson April 18!

There will be a very special amateur boxing card held at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD on Saturday, April 18 that will honor a very special man.

That man is legendary coach and trainer Ham Johnson, best known as the father and trainer of International Boxing Hall of Famer and three-time world champion Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson.  

Ham Johnson will celebrate his 80th birthday this weekend and there will be an amateur card held in his honor that will include boxers from five different states.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.  Doors open at 5 and the card begins at 6 PM.  For more information, call (202) 528-7694.

Regional Golden Gloves Matchups Set For April 25!

The bout sheet for the 2015 Regional Golden Gloves has been released.  The Regional Golden Gloves, which matches boxers from DC and Maryland against boxers from Virginia and North Carolina, will take place on Saturday, April 25 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD starting at 7:30 PM.  Here is the list of scheduled bouts:

Novice Division:

114 Pounds: Kevin Pendergrass, Suitland, MD vs. Napoleon Hart, Newport News, VA

123 Pounds:  D'Jon Brown, Washington, DC vs. Jacob Garcia, Sterling, VA

132 Pounds: Donnell Poe, Fort Washington, MD vs. Christian Johnson, Hampton, VA

141 Pounds: Dante Cox, Severn, MD vs. Eduardo Mendivil, Newport News, VA

152 Pounds: Sippriano Zelldon, Silver Spring, MD vs. Jacques Jean, Fairfax, VA

165 Pounds: Aaron Anderson, Baltimore, MD vs.  Carlos Cruz, Sterling, VA

178 Pounds: Darryl Lane, Washington, MD vs. Tony Reese, Richmond, VA

201 Pounds: Jonathan Surratt, Fort Washington, MD vs. Eric Chandler, Chesapeake, VA

201+Pounds: Timothy Crawford, Washington, DC vs. Aubur Wright, Richmond, VA


Open Division:

108 Pounds:  Demetrius Young, Bowie, MD vs. Jonathan Howard, III, Wilmington, NC

123 Pounds: Marcus Wright, Temple Hills, MD vs. Dewayne Beamon, Goldboro, NC

132 Pounds: Keeshawn Williams, Capitol Heights, MD vs. Roger Belch, III, Virginia Beach, VA

141 Pounds:  Gary Antuanne Russell, Capitol Heights, MD vs. Diego Abregu, Leesburg, VA

152 Pounds: Shynggskhan Tazhibay, Rockville, MD vs. Matthew Abregu, Leesburg, VA

165 Pounds: Tavon Body, Burtonsville, MD vs. Clinso Brumfield, Alexandria, VA

178 Pounds: Justin Bell, District Heights, MD vs. Jermaine Jackson, Richmond, VA

201 Pounds: Malik Titus, Baltimore, MD vs. Benjamin Dobbs, Virginia Beach, VA

Unopposed Champions:

114 Pounds:  Jordan White, Waldorf, MD

201+ Pounds: Christopher Laws, Hampton, VA

The winners in the Open Division will advance to the National Golden Gloves in Las Vegas, NV on May 10-17.

'Savior' Rodriguez Added to April 17 Foxwoods Card; Guerrero Travels to Carson, CA April 18!

Two more Beltway Boxers are on the road on the weekend of April 17 and 18, bringing the total of traveling locals to 12.

Haymarket, VA lightweight Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez returns to action on Friday, April 17 at Foxwoods Casino and Resort in Mashantucket, CT. Rodriguez (6-2-1, five KO's) will face undefeated Sonny Fredrickson of Toledo, OH (7-0, five KO's) in a six-round contest.

Rodriguez is coming off a fifth-round TKO over previously undefeated Nathaniel Rivas on December 13 in Philadelphia, PA. Fredrickson won a six-round unanimous decision over Eric Palmer on March 7 of 2014 in Cincinnati, OH.

Rodriguez will join DC's Dusty Hernandez Harrison on this card.  Harrison will compete in an eight-round bout on this card.

On Saturday, April 18, Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero will compete in a 10-round contest against Abraham Han of El Paso, TX at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, CA.

Guerrero (26-3, 19 KO's) will try to bounce back from a third-round TKO loss to David Lemieux on May 24 in Montreal, Canada.  Han (23-2, 14 KO's) is also coming off a loss -- a 12-round split decision to Sergio Mora on February 6 in Biloxi, MS.

Peterson Drops Majority Decision To Garcia in Brooklyn!

For Lamont Peterson, it was definitely too little, too late.  Peterson frustrated Danny Garcia with movement and solid defense in the early rounds but didn't do enough offensively and lose a 12-round majority decision in front of a packed house at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY and a national television and radio audience.

Peterson was very impressive in the final four rounds of the contest battering Garcia with hard shots but it simply was not enough on the scorecards.  One judge scored the bout a draw at 114-114 but was overruled by the other two judges who scored the bout 115-113.

Peterson is now 32-3-1, 17 KO's and no longer holds the IBF Super Lightweight championship.  The IBF said earlier this week that they would strip Peterson of the title if he lost tonight.  Garcia remains undefeated at 30-0, 17 KO's.

Celebration For New WBC Champion Gary Russell, Jr. May 9 in District Heights!

There will be a free community celebration to honor the new WBC Featherweight champion of the world, "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. on Saturday, May 9 at the District Heights Municipal Center, located at 2000 Marbury Drive in District Heights, MD.  The event begins at 2 PM.

Once again, this is a free community event to honor one of our own.  For more information, call 202-290-8321.

Harrison, Fox Have Foes For April 17 Connecticut Swing!

Undefeated Beltway Boxers Dusty Hernandez Harrison and Alantez "SlyAza" Fox have opponents for their Friday, April 17 bouts in Connecticut.  This will be the second straight time that both boxers will have bouts on the same night.

Washington, DC welterweight Harrison (25-0, 13 KO's) will be in an eight-round contest against Henry "Mamba" Auraad of Miami, FL by way of Cartagena, Colombia (16-9-1, 13 KO's) at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, CT.  Harrison won his last bout, a 10-round unanimous decision over Tommy Rainone on January 9 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  The win earned Harrison the WBC Continental Americas Welterweight title.  Auraad will be trying to bounce back from a first-round TKO loss to Jose Benavidez on July 26 in Phoenix, AZ.

The bout is part of a card that will be televised by FoxSports1. However, it doesn't look like the bout will be televised.

Forestville, MD's Fox (14-0-1, four KO's) will be in an eight-round super welterweight bout against Franklin Gonzalez of the Dominican Republic (16-13, 10 KO's) at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.  Fox is coming off an eight-round majority decision win over Patrick Day on January 9 in Cabazon, CA.  Gonzalez last fought on April 5 of 2014 and was stopped in the second round by Frank Galarza in Queens, NY.  Galarza caused the only blemish on Fox's record in September of 2012 when they battled to an eight-round draw.  Ironically, Fox and Galarza are now promoted by DiBella Entertainment.

These two locals will be part of a big weekend where 11 Beltway Boxers will be in action.  Nine of those boxers will compete on Saturday, April 18 in bouts happening at four separate locations.

Peterson, Garcia Make Weight in Brooklyn!

(Photo by Ed Diller/Dibella Entertainment)

Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia hit the scales this afternoon for their 12-round nationally televised and broadcast (NBC TV and Sirius XM Channel 92 Radio) bout Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Peterson hit the catchweight on the nose at 143 while Garcia came in at 142.

The NBC telecast will begin at 8:30 PM ET while the Sirius XM broadcast will start at 8 PM ET.

Peterson, Garcia Get 'Chopped' In New York!

(Photo by Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment)

As part of the final week of media blitzing for the Lamont Peterson-Danny Garcia bout on Saturday, the two world champions had a publicity event at trendy New York City restaurant Beauty and Essex that included a photo shoot with cast members from the Food Network TV show "Chopped."

In this photo, Peterson and Garcia pose with one of the hosts of the show.  Their will be a final press conference on Thursday followed by the weigh-in on Friday.

McRae Booted Off April 25 MSG Card -- UPDATE With NYSAC Statement!

A tough break for Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae.  McRae was scheduled to battle "Prince" Charles Martin of Carson, CA for Martin's NABO Heavyweight title on Saturday, April 25 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  The bout was slated to be on the undercard of the Wladimir Klitschko-Bryant Jennings world heavyweight title bout.

However, the New York State Athletic Commission did not approve the contest, despite the claims of McRae's promotional company, Mastermind Promotions, of a signed contract of a bout with Martin (20-0-1, 18 KO's).

According to McRae (15-3, eight KO's), the reason the NYSAC did not approve him for the bout is because McRae has never gone 10 rounds in a pro bout, the length the NABO title bout was scheduled for.  McRae has not even been in an eight-round contest.

 McRae's replacement for the bout, Tom Dallas of Kent, England (17-4, 12 KO's), has had two scheduled 10-round contests but has not passed the second round in either contest.  Dallas has also not fought since September of 2013 when he lost via second-round TKO to Ian Lewison in London, England.

After being contacted earlier today, The NYSAC gave BATB the following statement:

"The promoter of the April 25 boxing card (headlined by Klitschko-Jennings) submitted a Before Contest Report  dated March 25 to the New York State Athletic Commission, which proposed as one of the bouts Charles Martin versus Dwayne McRae.  The New York Athletic Commission and its Executive Director, David Berlin, never approved that bout. In an email to the promoter, the Commission communicated the following:

'Martin-McRae is not approved.  Dwayne McRae has never fought more than six rounds and there is nothing to suggest that he is ready for a ten-round bout.  In addition, the level of his opposition in six-rounders has been far beneath the level of Charles Martin.'

The fact is that while McRae carries a record of 15-3, his last five opponents (whom he beat) all had losing records; in fact, the combined records of those five opponents is, according to http://boxrec.com, is 42-96-6.  McRae has never fought more than six rounds and has not beaten an opponent with a winning record since he beat Theron Johnson (3-2) in 2010.  The last opponent with a winning record whom he fought, David Saulsberry in 2011, had at that time a record of 6 wins and 3 losses, and knocked out McRae in the 1st round.  McRae does not appear ready for a 10-round bout with Charles Martin, whose record stands at 20-0-1, with 18 knockouts.  The fight would be a mismatch and is not in the best interest of boxing in New York.

 Although Tom Dallas has been stopped in four of his last six bouts, his record stands at 17-4, with 12 knockouts.  He has had two fights scheduled for ten rounds, meaning that he has trained for the 10-round distance, and has fought eight rounds on one occasion. 

 In terms of making determinations about which bouts to approve, the Commission reviews match-ups on a case-by-case basis and approves or disapproves each proposed bout based on the merits of the proposed match."

Nicklow Faces Perez In Nationally-Televised Contest May 8 in Philadelphia!

Baltimore, MD middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow returns to action on Friday, May 8 when he faces DeCarlo "3Mendo" Perez of Atlantic City, NJ at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.  The eight-round bout is a co-feature contest that will be televised by ESPN2.

Nicklow (24-5-3, eight KO's) will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak.  Nicklow lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Ryota Murata on December 30 in Tokyo, Japan.  Prior to that bout, Nicklow was stopped by Scott Sigmon in the 10th round on March 1 in Lynchburg, VA.

Perez (13-3-1, five KO's) has won seven of his last eight contests including a fifth-round TKO of Tyrone Brunson on October 18 at the 2300 Arena.

This means we will have back-to-back Baltimore-area boxers on national TV over a two-week period.  We have already reported that Emmanuel Taylor will be on TruTV against Antonio Orozco on Friday, May 15 in Phoenix, AZ.

Recap From Washington Golden Gloves Finals!

The finals of the Washington Golden Gloves contained a lot of excitement Saturday night in front of a nice crowd at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

In the Open Division, Gary Antuanne Russell (Enigma) continued his quest to win a second national Golden Gloves title at 141 pounds with a victory over Bryan Avelar (Sugar Ray Leonard).  Russell's hand speed and power was evident as he fended off a very game and talented Avelar.

At 165 pounds, Tavon Body (Headbangers) won his second straight title with a decision over Jerome Featherstone (Unattached).  Body used his height and a strong left jab to fend off Featherstone throughout the bout.

However, the breakout star of the night was Keeshawn Williams (The Answer) who won the 132-Pound title with his win over Tommy Avelar (Sugar Ray Leonard).  Williams was in great form with impressive hand speed and power that Avelar just could not keep up with.

Other winners in the Open Division:

123 Pounds: Marcus Wright (Keystone) over Paul Jerry (Fighting For The Future)

152 Pounds: Shynggskhan Tazhibay (Headbangers) over Jonathan Burr II (Unattached)

201 Pounds: Malik Titus (Upton) over Stephon Morris (UMAR)

108 Pounds: Demetrius Young (Headbangers) -- Unopposed Champion

114 Pounds: Jordan White (Pound For Pound) -- Wins by walkover

176 Pounds: Justin Bell (No Xcuse) -- Wins by walkover

In the Novice Division, Sippriano Zelldon (Headbangers) put on a charging perfomance to win the 152-Pound title over David Bakker (Laurel).

At 165 Pounds, Aaron Anderson (Mack Lewis) won a wild bout over Stephaun Hobbs (The Answer).  Both boxers landed solid shots but Anderson landed the more accurate blows to gain the victory.

In an all-Laurel final at 141 Pounds, Dante Cox defeated his gym mate Evegueny Metchenov.

Other winners in the Novice Division:

114 Pounds: Kevin Pendergrass (NOMIS) over Elliot Strickland (Lights Out)

123 Pounds: D'Jon Brown (NOMIS) over Delonte Rawlings (Old School)

132 Pounds:  Donnell Poe (Old School) over Stephen Epps (Rosedale)

178 Pounds:  Darryl Lane (Enigma) over Ambrose Anderson (Knowledge Boxing)

201 Pounds: Johnathen Surratt (Tony's Gym) over Alvin Amana (Lights Out)

201+ Pounds: Timothy Crawford (Sugar Ray Leonard) over Jimmy Speros (Olympia Boxing)

Unopposed champion 152 Pounds (Female): Krista Robinson (Keystone)

In the team awards competition, the Headbangers Gym won the Open Division, NOMIS took the Novice Division and No Xcuse won the Junior Division.

Three boxers were honored for Good Sportsmanship -- Deric Davis (Headbangers), Ervin Canlas (Keystone) and Siete Shuler (No Xcuse)

The Virginia/North Carolina Golden Gloves championships will be held this coming weekend, April 10-12, at the Hampton Roads Coliseum in Hampton, VA.  The Novice and Open winners from that tournament will take on the DC/Maryland winners at the Golden Gloves Regional championships on Saturday, April 25 at Rosecroft.

Here is a recap of the card as well as some thoughts on upcoming events from Juan Marshall and myself:

'Tranzforma' Taylor On TruTV May 15!

Edgewood, MD super lightweight Emmanuel "Tranzforma" Taylor returns to action on Friday, May 15 when he takes on "Relentless" Antonio Orozco at the US Airway Centre in Phoenix, AZ.  The 10-round bout will be the televised co-main event on the new Top Rank Boxing Series that will air on TruTV.

This will be the first bout for Taylor (18-3, 12 KO's) since his 12-round unanimous decision loss to Adrian Broner on September 6 in Cincinnati, OH.  This will also be Taylor's sixth straight appearance on national TV.

Orozco (21-0, 15 KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision win over former world champion Steve Forbes on October 10 in Indio, CA.

Boxing Comes to Baltimore's Tall Cedars Hall April 23!

Boxing comes to another brand new Beltway location as Hardwork Promotions will put together a card at the Tall Cedars Hall, located at 2501 Putty Hill Avenue in Baltimore, MD on Thursday, April 23.

So far, scheduled to appear on the card are the following Beltway Boxers:

Travis "Seveer" Reeves (cruiserweight, 8-2-1, three KO's), Baltimore, MD

Jeremy "The Truth" Trussell (middleweight, 8-2-1, six KO's). Baltimore, MD

Benjamin "Wildcat" Olinga (welterweight, 1-9), Washington, DC via Cameroon

"The Lion of Sri Lanka" Nuwan Jayakody (super featherweight, 4-4-1, three KO's)

Lonnie Kornegay (heavyweight, 1-10-3, Baltimore, MD)

Barry Trotter (middleweight, 2-2, one KO, Columbia, MD)

As soon as the rest of the card fills out, we will give you an update.  For more information on ticket prices, call 443-956-0678.

The Dream Becomes Reality -- BATB Radio Show Debuts Tuesday April 7 on WBGR!

The next step in Beltway Boxing coverage begins on Tuesday, April 7 with the premiere of the Boxing Along The Beltway radio show on WBGR Sports at wbgrsports.com.

We will have a live, hour-long call-in show that will be on every Tuesday afternoon at 2 PM ET.  If you would like to join us, call in at 301-429-9247.  We will talk all things Beltway Boxing and even a little boxing beyond the Beltway.  Of course, our main topic this coming Tuesday will be the Lamont Peterson-Danny Garcia bout that will take place on Saturday, April 11 live on NBC from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Once again, you can listen via www.wbgrsports.com or listen via the Tunein app.

The show is still looking for sponsors to keep it going so if you are or you know someone who is interested in being a sponsor for the show, email me at beltwayboxing@hotmail.com.

Thanks to all who have prayed for and supported this new venture and I look forward to Tuesday, April 7 at 2 PM!

Lamont Peterson Featured 'Corner To Corner' On NBC Sports Network Tonight!

Check out the NBC Sports Network for a new Premier Boxing Champions "Corner To Corner" special that begins airing tonight at 10 PM ET.  This special features an in-depth profile of the four men that will be on the PBC on NBC telecast on Saturday, April 11 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Lamont Peterson along with Danny Garcia, Andy Lee and Peter Quillin will all be profiled in this episode.

For folks who have the Dish Network, this is channel 159.  Verizon Fios subscribers can view on channel 590 and Comcast has it on channel 226.

'Punisher' Phipps To Face 'Mountain' Martz Friday in Sarasota, FL!

Baltimore, MD heavyweight Jed "The Punisher" Phipps returns to action on Friday, April 3 when he faces Daniel "The Mountain" Martz of Clarksburg, WVA in an eight-round contest at the Robarts Arena in Sarasota, FL.

Phipps (19-9, 11 KO's) is coming off a second-round TKO loss to Joshua Tufte on August 23 in Greensboro, NC.  Phipps competes for the third time since returning to boxing after a four-year absence.

Martz (12-1-1, nine KO's) has won five straight since suffering his only pro loss to the same Joshua Tufte in April of 2013 in Weirton, WVA.  In Martz's last contest, he scored a second-round TKO over Rubin Williams on October 11 in Fairmont, WVA.