Queens Of the Beltway Look For More Championships June 20 In Woodlawn, MD!

Boxing returns to Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD on Saturday, June 20 with three female title bouts for the second consecutive card.  The last Shawstyle Promotions/Shabazz Brothers card at Martin's West on March 20 drew a crowd so large, fans were turned away at the door.

All three of the "Queens of the Beltway" -- Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson, Tyrieshia "Lady Tyga" Douglas and "The Bolivian Queen" Jennifer Salinas -- return to action in those title bouts.  Already, the three champions have 11 championship titles between them.

Six of those championships belong to Ashburn, VA's Nelson (14-0-3, one KO) who is slated to defend her UBF (Universal Boxing Federation) Welterweight title against an opponent to be determined.  Nelson won a 10-round unanimous decision over Kita Watkins on March 20 to capture the UBF Super Welterweight crown.  Nelson, the two-time Beltway Boxer of the Year, has been very dominant in her last three outings, pitching shutouts in all three contests.  Nelson has gone 24 rounds without losing a round.

DC's Douglas (9-0, four KO's) may have the marquee matchup of the night as she will battle Anahi "Pantera" Torres of Texcoco, Mexico in a 10-round contest for the vacant UBF Light Flyweight title.  Douglas is coming off an impressive seventh-round TKO of Maria Suarez on the March 20th Woodlawn card.  Douglas will be looking for her fourth world title in her third weight division, having previously captured titles at flyweight and bantamweight.

Douglas will face her most experienced foe to date in Torres (12-12-1, two KO) who is a former WBC Youth Female Minimumweight (or Strawweight) champion.  Torres has had an interesting career thus far; she lost 10 of her first 15 bouts, then won seven in a row but has since gone winless in her last three bouts.  Torres's last outing was a 10-round split decision loss to Ji Hyun Park on November 29 in Icheon, South Korea.

This will be the third straight title opportunity for the Manassas, VA-based Salinas who will take on Jasmine Clarkson of Cedar Hill, TX in an eight-round contest for the vacant UBF Featherweight crown.  Salinas (16-3, four KO's) has won two world titles at super bantamweight and super featherweight in her last two outings, including a 10-round unanimous decision over Angel Gladney on March 20.

The 20-year-old Clarkson (2-2) started her career in September of 2014 and is coming off a four-round majority decision win over Lisa Lamb on April 25 in Mesquite, TX.

In other bouts on the card, DC lightweight Joshua "Dynamite" Davis will be in a six-round rematch against Benjamin "The Shadow" Burgos of Mount Pocono, PA.  Davis (9-1, four KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Helario Medina on the March 20th Woodlawn card. Burgos (2-11-1) last fought on February 21 and lost a four-round unanimous decision to Roberto Irizarry on February 21 in Allentown, PA.

Davis won the first meeting against Burgos by second-round TKO in March of 2013 in Fort Washington, MD.

Undefeated Ashburn, VA super lightweight Seth "Killer B" Billups moves to the six-round level for the first time in his pro career when he faces David Nelson of Lawton, OK.  Billups (5-0, four KO's) returns to action for the first time since stopping Sean Lockhart on Novembert 15 in Fairfax, VA.  Nelson (3-3, one KO) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision win over George Palmer on March 7 in Miami, OK.

Baltimore super lightweight Malik "The Iceman" Hawkins returns to his home area to face Chris Porter of Missouri in a four-round contest.  Hawkins (3-0, three KO's) made an unofficial appearance in an exhibition bout on April 23 in Parkville, MD and knocked out his opponent (who was wearing headgear) in the second round.  This appearance came shortly after the last official bout for Hawkins when he needed just 37 seconds to stop Darius Jackson on April 18 in Pennsauken, NJ.

Porter (0-2) last fought on February 13 and lost a four-round unanimous decision to Mikkel LesPierre in Queens, NY.

Welterweight Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. of Baltimore is scheduled to be on the card in a four-round contest against Christopher Russell of Shattuck, OK.  Womack (5-5-2, three KO's) broke a seven-bout winless streak with a first-round TKO over Nathaniel Rivas on May 8 in Philadelphia, PA.   Russell (3-12-1, two KO's) has not fought since December of 2013 when he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Shadi Shawareb.

Baltimore middleweight Devin Butcher (3-0, one KO) returns to action after winning his first contest in almost five years on the last Martin's West card on March 20.  Butcher stopped David Rohn in the second round.  Butcher will take on Walter McCray of Lynchburg, VA (0-1) in a four-rounder.  McCray has not fought since losing his pro debut in August of 2012.

There will be three pro debuts on this card.  Baltimore middleweight Jeff McCalla will take on Carlos Dixon of Dallas, TX (0-3-1).  McCalla is the younger brother of Cecil McCalla and was a former Washington Golden Gloves participant.

Lightweight Eric Hernandez of Leesburg, VA will debut against Mason Wicket (0-9) of Milwaukee, WI.  Hernandez had a solid amateur career participating in Silver and Golden Gloves competition as well as at the USA Nationals.  Wicket makes his third trip to the Beltway region after losing bouts to Myke Fox and Emanuel Johnson.

Also, Oxon Hill, MD super lightweight Parris Chisholm debuts against an opponent to be determined .  Chisholm is a former Junior Olympic champion.

Amateur Card At Baltimore's Horseshoe Casino June 6!

The first boxing event to be held at the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore, MD will be an amateur card promoted by Knockout Fitness.  The event will be Saturday, June 6 at 1 PM.

The main event features trainer Jason Nissley, voted best trainer by Baltimore Magazine in 2014.  Also slated to be on the card is Baltimore middleweight and former regional Golden Gloves champion Jerome Featherstone.

Ticket information is listed on the accompanying photo. Call  443-848-6059 to purchase tickets.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit "Show Your Soft Side" a non-profit organization that battles animal cruelty.

Roach, Williams, Flowers Punch Tickets To Junior Olympic Nationals!

Three Beltway Amateurs won championship bouts during the second day of competition at the East Central Region Junior Olympic Tournament at the Bald Eagle Recreation Center in Southwest Washington, DC.

Jordan Roach, who represented Potomac Valley Association (PVA), won the title in the 11-12, 65 Pound division with a victory over Rasheim Jefferson of the Middle Atlantic Association (MAA).  Roach is the younger brother of undefeated pro and 2014 Beltway Boxing Rookie of the Year Lamont Roach, Jr.

Quincy Williams (PVA) won the 11-12, 80 Pound class by defeating Rasheim Jefferson of the South Atlantic Association (SAA).

Also, Chamar Flowers (PVA) won the title in the 15-16, 106 Pound class with a win over McKinley Fulton (SAA).

The three locals will be part of a contingent that will head to the Junior Olympic Nationals in Charleston, WVA June 8-13.

The wins were the lone bright spots for Beltway Boxers on a day of competition dominated by participants who represented the Middle Atlantic Association of USA Boxing which covers the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey.  Eleven MAA Boxers won championships during today's action.

Here are the rest of the results from the championship action today:

11-12, 70 Pounds:  Javon Stouffer (MAA) over Lonzo Malcolm (PVA)

13-14, 80 Pounds: Rasheim Jefferson (MAA) over Tyrese Johnson (PVA)

13-14, 85 Pounds: Keon Davis (VA) over Deric Davis (PVA)

13-14, 95 Pounds: Jose Torres (MAA) over Lamar Odoms (PVA)

13-14, 101 Pounds: Jeremy Adorno (MAA) over Maximus Garland (PVA)

13-14, 106 Pounds: Xavien Ramirez (MAA) over Ibrahim Robinson (SAA)

13-14, 114 Pounds: Jermoine Royster (VA) over Stacey Selby (PVA)

15-16, 95 Pounds: Allen Gonzalez (MAA) over Kevon Cooke (PVA)

15-16, 101 Pounds: Aanjrue Williams (MAA) over Jarmarn Scott (SAA)

15-16, 114 Pounds: Luis Morales (MAA) over Malik Warren (SAA)

15-16, 119 Pounds: Keyshawn Davis (VA) over Mekhi Payne-Day (PVA)

15-16, 138 Pounds: Nicholas Chandler (MAA) over Nasheed Smith (PVA)

15-16, 145 Pounds: Andre Mack (MAA) over Skylar Robinson (AMA)

Two boxers walked over:

 13-14, 114 Pounds: Antonio Perez (MAA)

15-16, 154 Pounds: Brandon Aggazio (AMA)

There will be two championship bouts on Sunday beginning at 10 AM ET.  In the 15-16, 125 Pounds title bout, Travon Marshall (PVA) will take on Joseph Adorno (MAA).  Marshall defeated Chris Derring (SAA) while Adorno was very impressive in stopping Riley Shankle (AMA) in the third round for his second RSC of the tournament.

The 15-16, 132 Pound championship will match Wilfredo Avalar (PVA) against Brenden Pizarro (MAA).  Avelar won his bout by decision over Charlie Clouston (AMA).  Pizarro won by second-round stoppage over Jason Pauley, Jr. (WVA).

There were four bouts where boxers were matched:

9-10, 70 Pounds: Richard Dodson (PVA) over Jaryron Adorno (MAA)

11-12, 95 Pounds: Jalil Hackett (PVA) over Qasim Gallashaw (MAA)

15-16, 119 Pounds: Gilbert Orlang (MAA) over Keith Bagwell (SAA)

8, 80 Pounds:  Kaliq Harrison (PVA) over Malechi Tenner (MAA)

Kisner Loses Unanimous Decision In Memphis!

Ferndale, MD cruiserweight "Slick" Nick Kisner has lost a 10-round unanimous decision to undefeated Lateef "Power" Kayode of Hollywood, CA at the WC Handy Pavilion in Memphis, TN.  The bout was nationally televised on the CBS Sports Network.

Kisner started off well using good foot movement and hand speed.  However as the bout wore on, Kayode shortened the distance and got off decent shots to Kisner's head and body.  Kisner had very little offensive answers to Kayode's game plan but managed to finish the contest on his feet.

The judges scored the bout 100-90 (twice) and 99-91.  Kisner is now 14-2-1, five KO's while Kayode is 21-0, 16 KO's.

Nicholson Scores Fifth-Round TKO In Philadelphia; Rodriguez Falls in Four!

Laurel, MD middleweight Demond "D Best At It" Nicholson scored a fifth-round TKO over German Perez of Mexico tonight at the Stadium Holiday Inn in Philadelphia, PA.

According to Fightnews.com's John DiSanto, Nicholson dropped Perez in the fifth round with a left hook.  Perez got up but referee Benji Esteves stopped the contest at 2:33.

Nicholson is now 13-1, 13 KO's while Perez falls to 11-2-3, three KO's.

Also on this card, Haymarket, VA junior welterweight Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez lost by fourth-round knockout to undefeated Miguel Cruz of Lake Mary, FL.  Cruz stopped Rodriguez with a flurry of punches followed by a right hand at 2:04.  Rodriguez falls to 6-3-1, five KO's while Cruz is 9-0, eight KO's.

Kisner Hits Scales In Memphis; Nicholson Weighs In Philadelphia!

(Photo courtesy of Greg Cohen Promotions)

Both Nick Kisner and Lateef Kayode weighed in at the cruiserweight limit of 200 pounds for their 10-round nationally-televised contest tonight at the WC Handy Pavilion on Beale Street in Memphis, TN.

The bout will air on the CBS Sports Network.  The telecast begins at 10 PM ET.

At the Stadium Holiday Inn in Philadelphia, PA, Demond Nicholson tipped the scales at 164 pounds for his scheduled eight-round contest against German Perez tonight.  Perez weighed in at 163 pounds.

Kisner Prepares For May 29 Bout Against Kayode!

Ferndale, MD cruiserweight "Slick" Nick Kisner heads to Memphis, TN for his 10-round nationally-televised contest against undefeated Lateef "Power" Kayode of Hollywood, CA on Friday, May 29 at the WC Handy Pavilion.

The bout will be shown on the CBS Sports Network channel with the telecast beginning at 10 PM ET.

Here is an exclusive audio interview with Kisner.  These are the type of podcasts you can hear when you download the Boxing Along The Beltway Google App for Android.  The link can be found in the Other Boxing Links section of this blog.

Nicholson Competes In Philadelphia May 29!

Laurel, MD middleweight Demond "D Best At It" Nicholson returns to action on Friday, May 29 when he takes on German "Zurdo" Perez of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico at the Stadium Holiday Inn in Philadelphia, PA.  The bout will be the first scheduled eight-round contest for Nicholson.

Nicholson (12-1, 12 KO's) is coming off a second-round TKO over Edgar Perez (no relation) on March 20 in Woodlawn, MD.  German Perez (11-1-3, three KO's) is undefeated in his last seven bouts including an eight-round unanimous decision win over Mario Alberto Mondragon on March 15 in Zacatecas, Mexico.  This is the first time competing in the United States for Perez.

Reed Faces Gonzalez June 13 In New York City!

Add another quality fight for a Beltway Boxer in June and the bout marks a quick return to action for undefeated Waldorf, MD super lightweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed.

The undefeated boxer from Waldorf, MD (14-0, eight KO's) will travel to the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City for an eight-round contest versus Luis Joel Gonzalez on Saturday, June 13.  The bout will be on the undercard of the WBA Featherweight title bout between champion Nicholas Walters and challenger Miguel Marriaga and will be held on the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day parade.

Reed last fought on May 8 and scored a second-round TKO over Osenohan Vasquez in Newark, NJ.  However, Reed had an issue making the 140-pound weight limit, coming in three pounds over.

Gonzalez (11-1-1, six KO's) makes his first trip to the continental United States and is coming off two straight victories against boxers with records of 4-30 and 0-15.

The two men share a common opponent in Rameses Gil.  Reed stopped Gil in the sixth round on September 7, 2013 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD in the 2013 Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year.  Gonzalez suffered his only loss against Gil in February of 2012 in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico via six-round unanimous decision.

Cyprian Khumalo, Host Of Internet DMV Sports Show and Former Boxer, Passes At 41!

Sad news to report.  Internet broadcaster and former boxer Cyprian "CP" Khumalo passed away last week at the age of 41.  The cause of death was unknown.

Mr. Khumalo, a native of South Africa, lived in Maryland and had a very short stint as a pro boxer in 2012. Mr. Khumalo later turned his attention to the coverage of boxing and other sports through his DMV Sports Zone YouTube series.  Not only was boxing covered on the show but also what Mr. Khumalo called "grass roots" sports such as youth and club soccer, football and tennis.

There is a memorial service planned for Mr. Khumalo in the near future.  The funds are limited for a proper burial in the United States.  There is a GoFundMe page that is raising money for final expenses.  Here is the link:  http://www.gofundme.com/DentProfessor.  Please give whatever you can.

On a personal note, this is a tough loss for me.  CP was someone that had a lot of passion for coverage of local sports.  He reminded me a lot of myself in my younger days when I covered DC high school football and basketball and when I started covering Beltway Boxing. That passion and enthusiasm that CP had will truly be missed.

The two of us crossed paths at a number of events before I met CP formally at the Champion Class boxing event at  UDC in May of 2013. CP was working on a documentary called "Why We Box."  CP interviewed me for the documentary and I helped him get other interviews for the project.

I was blessed to be one of CP's first in-studio guests when he started his DMV Sports Zone series.  The interview turned out to be a very frank discussion about the Beltway Boxing scene in 2013.  Here is the video. Please take a few moments to watch:



Also, CP videotaped one of our BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up shows one night.  The night was long and very busy for us but lugging a camera around all evening took its toll on CP and he barely stayed awake long enough to finish the video.  It was a great moment.

Again, this is a tough loss for not only the Beltway Boxing community but also the local sports community.  Cyprian "CP" Khumalo was a friend to both and he, again, will truly be missed.

BATB's Tribute To 'ESPN2's Friday Night Fights!'

Friday, May 22 was a sad day for all boxing fans because of the conclusion of the Friday Night Fights series on ESPN2.  Although there will still be boxing on ESPN2 on a monthly basis, it will never be the same.

The Beltway Boxing community will miss the series incredibly because ESPN2 was very kind to this area throughout the 17-year run of the series, showcasing local boxers numerous times.  This post will focus on Beltway Boxers who appeared on Friday Night Fights during the 10-year history of this blog.  Since BATB began on July 30, 2005, 64 boxers made appearance on ESPN2.  Some of those moments will live on forever in Beltway Boxing lore.

One of the sickest knockouts ever seen on the series took place between two Beltway cruiserweights in Staten Island, NY on June 29, 2007.  No one will forget when Darnell Wilson knocked out Emmanuel Nwodo in the 11th round with one of the most powerful left hands ever seen.  Lead announcer Joe Tessitore called it the most powerful punch he had ever seen and had a tremendous call of the knockout.

That was one of the reasons Wilson was one of three Beltway Boxers who had the most appearances on Friday Night Fights during the BATB era.  Wilson, along with Fernando Guerrero and Anthony Peterson were on the program four times.

Two of Guerrero's appearances were in his hometown of Salisbury, MD where he was the drawing card and performed in front of packed houses at the Wicomico Civic Center.  Guerrero won an eight-round unanimous decision over Gabriel Rosado on February 6, 2009 and then won the NABF Middleweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Derrick Findley on February 18, 2011.

It may come as a surprise that Anthony Peterson made more appearances on Friday Night Fights than his older brother, Lamont, who was on the show three times.  Lamont Peterson was the only Beltway Boxer to defend a world title (IBF Super Lightweight) on the show during the BATB era, stopping former world champion Kendall Holt on February 22, 2013 at the DC Armory.

The Peterson Brothers headlined an ESPN2 card on May 25, 2007 at the DC Armory.  Anthony Peterson scored a ninth-round TKO over Luis Ernesto Jose while Lamont Peterson stopped John Brown in eight rounds.

There were a total of five Friday Night Fight telecasts that originated from the Beltway region during the 10-year period of this blog.  However, there was none more controversial than the one that took place on August 15, 2008 at the now-closed Ibiza Nightclub in DC.  That was the night that ESPN2 tried to nudge instant replay into boxing.

The main event on the card was a matchup for a minor regional junior middleweight title between Baltimore's Ishmail Arvin and Anthony Thompson of Philadelphia.  Arvin won by TKO in the sixth round because what we saw as a clash of heads caused a gash over Thompson's left eye.  Despite the gash, Thompson was able to knock Arvin down twice in the bout.

However, Thompson's eye got progressively worse and the fight was stopped. Arvin got the TKO win because referee Malik Waleed ruled the cut came as result of a punch, not a headbutt.  ESPN2 announcer Tessitore put a monitor on the ring apron and got Waleed and other DC commissioners to watch the replay and Waleed admitted he made a mistake, but the decision stood.

The controversy lasted for days with many folks around the boxing world giving their opinions.  The DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission upheld the decision but the governing body of the title competed for (The International Boxing Organization for the USBO) stripped Arvin of the title.  Yours truly was dragged into the controversy by Thompson's camp because they made a false claim that I helped influenced the decision because I had a financial stake in Arvin's career.

By the way, both Alexander Johnson and Seth Mitchell made TV appearances on that card.

Here is the list of boxers who appeared on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights in the BATB era:


Four appearances: Anthony Peterson, Fernando Guerrero, Darnell Wilson 

Three appearances: Bayan Jargal, Thomas Williams, Lamont Peterson, Tony Thompson, Seth Mitchell, Emanuel Taylor

Two appearances: Dusty Hernandez Harrison, Antoine Douglas, Tim Coleman, Dominic Wade, DeMarcus Corley, Eric Aiken, Emmanuel Nwodo, Teddy Reid 

One appearance:  Ishmail Arvin, Jessie Nicklow, Cecil McCalla, Samuel Neequaye, Cornelius Whitlock, Ty Barnett, Maurice Byarm, Scott Sigmon, Immanuwel Aleem, George Armenta, Horace Grant, Henry Buchanan, Alexander Johnson, Sharmba Mitchell, Michael Warrick, Lamont Pearson, Dean White, Luther Smith

The first to appear on the show in the BATB Era: Luther Smith (August 5, 2005 in Mashantucket, CT)

The last to appear: Jessie Nicklow (May 8, 2015, Philadelphia, PA)

So, farewell to ESPN2's Friday Night Fights -- a legendary series that will be talked about and remembered fondly by boxing fans all over the country for many years to come and a series that was a true reason why Beltway Boxers are known throughout the boxing world.

Kelly, Russell, Aleem Score First-Round Knockouts In Boston!

Short, but successful work for three Beltway Boxers Saturday at the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA.  All three locals scored first-round knockout victories.

DC heavyweight Danny "Smooth" Kelly stopped Curtis Lee Tate of Oakland, TN at 1:05.  Kelly is now 8-1-1, seven KO's.  Tate falls to 7-6, six KO's.  According to Arvin Nundloll of Fightnews.com, Kelly knocked Tate down twice in the round but didn't get credit for either knockdown by the referee. After the third time, the referee stopped the contest.

Capitol Heights, MD bantamweight Antonio Russell knocked out Brandon Ali Garvin of Philadelphia, PA at 1:03.  Russell is now 2-0, two KO's while Garvin is 0-2.

Richmond, VA middleweight Immanuwel Aleem got some TV time on NBC.  However, he only needed 30 seconds to dispose of veteran David Toribio of Miami, FL.  Aleem is 13-0, nine KO's while Toribio is 21-15, 14 KO's.

Ballard, Roach To Appear On Fox Sports 1 Telecast June 30 in Philadelphia; Rivers, Jr. On Undercard!

On the heels of Dominic Wade's big nationally-televised (ShoBox) bout against former world champion Sam Soliman on Friday, June 26 in Shelton, WA comes word that two more Beltway Boxers will appear on national television just four days later with a third local on the undercard.

Undefeated Temple Hills, MD super middleweight D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard will participate in his first eight-round contest on Tuesday, June 30 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.  The bout will be a televised co-feature contest on a Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes telecast of "Golden Boy Live."  Ballard (9-0, eight KO's) is riding a six-bout knockout streak and is coming off a first-round stoppage of previously undefeated Jason Zabokrtsky on March 12 in San Antonio, TX.  No word yet on Ballard's opponent for this bout.

Opening the telecast will be Upper Marlboro, MD lightweight Lamont Roach, Jr. who will face Christian Santibanez of San Antonio, TX in a six-round encounter.  Roach (7-0, three KO's) last fought on April 18 and won a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Miguel Castro in Verona, NY.  Santibanez (3-4, two KO's) will try to bounce back from a third-round TKO loss to Ruslan Madiev on April 30 in Indio, CA.

The non-televised undercard will feature undefeated Palmer Park, MD super featherweight Kevin "K-Smoove" Rivers, Jr. who will compete in a six-round contest against an opponent to be determined.  Rivers, Jr. (11-0, eight KO's) returns to the ring after a third-round TKO over Stephon McIntyre on January 17 in Washington, DC.

Kenney Earns Bronze Medal At Junior And Youth Women's World Championships In Taiwan!

Alexandria, VA amateur middleweight Iesha Kenney won a bronze medal at this week's Junior and Youth Women's World Championships in New Taipei City, Taiwan.

Kenney lost her semifinal contest Friday to Lu Zheng of China by a 3-0 decision.  This is Kenney's second bronze medal earned at these championships -- she won bronze in 2013 as a 132-pound junior in Bulgaria.

Congratulations also to Kenney's coach, Kay Koroma of Burke, VA, who is part of the US coaching squad that has six boxers in Saturday's championship round.

Kelly, Russell, Aleem Hit Scales in Boston!

Three Beltway Boxers hit the scales for bouts Saturday afternoon at the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA.

Danny Kelly weighed in at 240 pounds for his six-round heavyweight contest against Curtis Lee Tate, who tipped the scales at 229 pounds.

Antonio Russell came in at 117 pounds for his four-round junior featherweight bout versus Brandon Garvin, who weighed in at 119 pounds.

Immanuwel Aleem weighed 159 pounds for his six-round middleweight bout against David Toribio, who tipped the scales at 160 pounds.

These bouts will be on the undercard of two bouts televised by NBC Saturday afternoon at 4:30 ET.

Davis, Martin Victorious In Atlantic City!

Beltway Boxers Gervonta "Tank" Davis and Kareem "Reemo" Martin scored victories Friday night on a card at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ.

Baltimore featherweight Davis, participating in his first scheduled eight-round contest, needed just 75 seconds to stop Alberto Mora of Mexico.  Davis is now 11-0, 10 KO's.  Mora drops to 5-4, one KO.

DC welterweight Martin moved up to the six-round category for the first time and won a unanimous decision over Donald Sanchez of Albuquerque, NM.  Martin won by scores of 60-54 (twice) and 58-56.  Martin's record is now 5-0-1, three KO's while Sanchez falls to 2-2, one KO.

Davis, Martin Hit Scales In Atlantic City!

Gervonta Davis and Kareem Martin weighed in Thursday for their bouts on Friday at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ.

Davis tipped the scales at 132 pounds for his eight-round bout against Alberto Mora who came in at 130.

Martin and his opponent, Donald Sanchez, both weighed in at 150 pounds for their six-round bout.

Baltimore's Ford and Davis Featured In Fightland Article!

Some really nice press for the Baltimore section of the Beltway Boxing scene.  Jeff Harder of Fightland.Vice.com has written a very nice story on Upton Boxing Gym head Calvin Ford and the outstanding work he has continued to do in the community.

One of the boxers out of that gym, of course, is undefeated featherweight Gervonta "Tank" Davis who will be participating in an eight-round contest on Friday, May 22 in Atlantic City, NJ.  Here is the article:

http://fightland.vice.com/blog/hope-and-fisticuffs-in-the-land-of-the-wire

Kenney Performing Well At World Women's Junior and Youth Championships In Taiwan!

Alexandria, VA's Iesha Kenney has been a dominating presence after her first two bouts at the World Junior and Youth Championships in New Taipei City, Taiwan.

The 17-year-old Kenney has scored third round TKO's in both her bouts thus far.  Kenney stopped Taylor Ross of Canada at 1:20 of the round on Tuesday.  Wednesday's action saw Kenney score a stoppage over Fanni Szokol of Hungary at 1:07 of the third.

Kenney can do no worse than a bronze medal in the Youth Division from this event, which is what Kenney did as a Junior in the same tournament in 2013 in Bulgaria.  Kenney's semifinal bout will be on Friday against Lu Zheng on Friday.

Wade To Face Former World Champion Soliman June 26 In Shelton, WA!

BATB has received word that undefeated Largo, MD middleweight Dominic "Lights Out" Wade will take the biggest step of his career when he faces former world champion "King" Sam Soliman of Melbourne, Australia on Friday, June 26 at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA.  The 10-round bout is slated to be broadcast on Showtime's ShoBox telecast.

Wade (17-0, 12 KO's) is coming off a second-round TKO over Eddie Hunter on December 20 at the Little Creek Casino Resort.  Wade has knocked out four of his last six opponents.

Soliman (44-12, 18 KO's) will not be an easy person to put away.  The former IBF Middleweight champion has only been stopped once in his career.  That was when Soliman lost to Anthony Mundine in the ninth round in March of 2007.  Soliman, who won the IBF title in March of 2014 with a unanimous decision over Felix Sturm, lost the title in his first defense against Jermain Taylor in Soliman's last outing on October 8 in Biloxi, MS.

We hope to talk to Wade about this huge contest in the very near future.

PVA Looking For Supporters For Junior Olympic Regional Tournament Program!

The Potomac Valley Association of USA Boxing (PVA) will be hosting the Junior Olympic Regional Tournament on Friday through Sunday, May 29-31 at the Bald Eagle Recreation Center in Southwest Washington, DC.  The organization is looking for your support.

The PVA is putting together a program for the event and they are looking for supporters and organizations to place ads in the program.  If you are interested, contact Rickey Womack at (202) 528-7694 by Friday of this week.

Kelly, Aleem Added to May 23 Boston Card; Martin Has Four-Rounder Now in Atlantic City!

Two more Beltway Boxers will be on a card at the Agganis Arena on the campus of Boston University in Boston, MA on Saturday, May 23.

DC heavyweight Danny "Smooth" Kelly will be in a six-round bout against Curtis Lee Tate of Oakland, TN.  Kelly (7-1-1, six KO's) bounced back from suffering his first pro loss in August of 2014 by scoring a first-round knockout of Kevin Franklin on February 21 in Allentown, PA.  Tate (7-5, six KO's) is coming off a first-round TKO loss to Zhang Zhilei on August 8 in Fallon, NV.

Also, undefeated Richmond, VA middleweight Immanuwel Aleem returns to action with a swing bout on the card against veteran David Toribio of Miami, FL.  The bout will either be a six or an eight-round contest.  Aleem (12-0, eight KO's) has knocked out his last five opponents, including a second-round stoppage of Emmanuel Sanchez on April 18 in Valley Forge, PA.

Toribio (21-14, 14 KO's) is a veteran who has won his last two bouts against boxers with a combined won-loss record of 2-23.  Toribio has fought in the Beltway twice, defeating Ishmail Arvin by eight-round majority decision in Glen Burnie, MD in September of 2008 and losing an eight-round unanimous decision to Oscar Diaz in DC on November of 2005.

The Friday, May 22 bout for DC welterweight Kareem "Reemo" Martin has been knocked back to a four-round contest because his opponent has changed,  The undefeated Martin (4-0-1, three KO's) will now face Marques "Goose" Jackson of Atlanta, GA.  Jackson (3-15, two KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision loss to Brandon Brewer on April 25 in Winston-Salem, NC.  Prior to that, Jackson won a four-round unanimous decision over Rajiv Bhattacharya on March 31 in Columbia, SC.

Beltway Boxing fans may remember Jackson as the first person to knock down Dusty Hernandez Harrison in a bout.  That was in August of 2012 at the Washington Convention Center.  Jackson dropped Harrison in the sixth and final round but Harrison won the bout by unanimous decision.

UPDATE:  We are now hearing that the Martin bout may not happen.   Sources tell BATB that Jackson has not been contacted about this contest.

Phipps Loses in Pennsylvania; Antonio Russell Returns To Action In Boston; Nicholson Competes In Philadelphia!

A late result from Saturday.  Baltimore, MD heavyweight Jed "The Punisher" Phipps was stopped in the fifth round by Daniel "The Mountain" Martz of Clarksburg, WVA on a card at Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington, PA.

According to Fightnews.com, Phipps was game but overmatched in the contest against the 6'7, 257-pound Martz, who dropped Phipps in the first and fourth rounds and then finished the job with a straight right hand that ended the bout at 1:59 of the fifth.

Phipps is now 19-10, 11 KO's while Martz is 13-2-1, 10 KO's.

Two more Beltway Boxers will be in action in the next two weeks.  Capitol Heights, MD bantamweight Antonio Russell will be in his second bout as a pro on Saturday, May 23 when he faces Brandon Ali Garvin of Philadelphia, PA in a four-round bout at the Agganis Arena on the campus of Boston University in Boston, MA.

Russell won his pro debut on January 31 in Philadelphia, PA with a second-round knockout of Harold Reyes.  Garvin lost his pro debut on April 10 in Melrose, MA when he was stopped in the first round by Marcos Forestal.

Also, Laurel, MD middleweight Demond "D Best At It" Nicholson returns to action in his first scheduled eight-round contest at the Stadium Holiday Inn in Philadelphia, PA on Friday, May 29.  Nicholson (12-1, 12 KO's) has won two straight since suffering his only pro loss in November of 2014.  There is no word yet on Nicholson's opponent.

Corley Stops On Stool After Six In Denver!

DeMarcus "Chop Chop' Corley was stopped at the end of six rounds today by Manuel "Manos" Perez of Denver, CO at PT Showclub in Denver.

Despite being in Denver two weeks before the contest in an attempt to acclimate himself with the Colorado climate, Corley said on his Facebook page that he had breathing issues with the altitude during the outdoor boxing match.  Perez seemed to be one step ahead of the former WBO Super Lightweight champion throughout the contest.

After the sixth round, Corley told the referee he could not continue and the bout was over.  Corley is now 42-23-1, 25 KO's while Perez's record rises to 23-11-1, five KO's.

Kisner Open Workout Today In Columbia!

(Photo by Wallace Barron)

Ferndale, MD cruiserweight "Slick" Nick Kisner is having an open workout this afternoon at 3 PM at the Lights Out Gym located at 9051 Red Branch Road in Columbia, MD.  This event is free and open to the public!

Kisner (14-1-1, five KO's) is preparing for his Friday, May 29 10-round bout against undefeated Lateef "Power" Kayode of Hollywood, CA at the WC Handy Pavilion in Memphis, TN.  The bout will be the main event of a nationally-televised card shown on the CBS Sports Network.

We hope to be able to get an interview with Kisner that you can hear by going to the Boxing Along The Beltway Google App for Android or on Spreaker.com.

Mike Reed Guests On SportsTalk!

NewsChannel 8's Toyota Sportstalk has given the Beltway Boxing scene great press in recent days.  Alex Parker visited the Russell Family for a nice segment on Wednesday.

Then on Friday, legendary DC sportscaster Glenn Harris had undefeated Waldorf, MD super lightweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed as his in-studio guest. Examiner.com Boxing Columnist Ron Harris (Glenn's brother) is also on the show. Here is the show:

Taylor Drops Unanimous Decision In Phoenix!

Emanuel "Tranzforma" Taylor lost a 10-round unanimous decision to undefeated "Relentless" Antonio Orozco Friday night at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ in front of a nationally-televised (TruTV) audience.

Orozco started well in the early rounds but Taylor picked up the pace near the middle of the bout.  Taylor gave up too many of the early rounds, however, and lost the bout by scores of 96-94 (twice) and 98-92.

Taylor is now 18-4, 12 KO's while Orozco remains undefeated at 21-0, 15 KO's.

Corley Weighs 135 For Denver 10-Rounder!

(photo by John Russell)

DeMarcus Corley weighed 135 pounds for his 10-round contest Saturday night at PT's Showclub in Denver, CO.  Corley's opponent, Manuel Perez also weighed 135 pounds.

White, Body Eliminated From Golden Gloves Competition!

The streak is over.  For the first time in six years, the Beltway will have no national Golden Gloves champions.

Jordan White and Tavon Body were both eliminated from quarter final competition on Thursday.   White lost his 114 Pound battle to Christian Carto of Pennsylvania and Body dropped his quarterfinal contest to Isiah Jones of Detroit at 165 pounds.

There is only one DC Region boxer remaining in the tournament.   DeWayne Beamon of Goldsboro, NC advanced to the semifinals at 123 pounds with a win over Victor Morales of Nevada.

SportsTalk Profiles Russell Family!

NewsChannel 8's Sports Talk put together a nice profile of the Russell Family.  Father Gary Russell, Sr. and three of his sons -- WBC Featherweight champion Gary, Jr., Allen and Antonio -- were at the gym during the segment hosted by Alex Parker.

Here is the segment:

Taylor Weighs 141 For Ten-Rounder in Phoenix!

Emmanuel Taylor (right) and Antonio Orozco both weighed 141 pounds for their 10-round contest Friday at the US Airway Center in Phoenix, AZ.

The bout will be the televised co-feature on TruTV . The telecast begins at 10 PM ET.

Corley Continues Comeback Campaign May 16 in Denver!

Former WBO Super Lightweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley continues his amazing comeback campaign when he faces Manuel "Manos" Perez of Denver, CO in a 10-round contest on Saturday, May 16 at PT's Showclub in Denver.

The 40-year-old Corley (42-22-1, 25 KO's) is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Daniel Attah on September 20 in DC.  Corley has won three of his last four contests.

Perez (22-11-1, four KO's) lost his last contest by third-round knockout to Victor Ortiz on December 13 in Las Vegas, NV.

The two men share a common opponent in world title contender Paul McCloskey.  Corley stopped McCloskey in the 10th round in McCloskey's home country of Northern Ireland in May of 2012. McCloskey would bounce back four months later and win a 12-round unanimous decision over Perez in Belfast.

The bout can be witnessed live on Ustream.com by going to "Sting Like A Bee Entertainment."  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/boxing-and-mix-martial-art-tv  The event is scheduled to begin at 7 PM ET

White, Body, Beamon Remain In Hunt For Golden Gloves Titles!

Three DC Region Boxers remain in the hunt for National Golden Gloves titles in Las Vegas, NV.

Jordan White advanced to the next round at 114 pounds with a win over Fred Compton of Indiana.  Tavon Body also moved into the next round at 165 pounds with a victory over Micah Hunt of Knoxville, TN.

DeWayne Beamon of Goldsboro, North Carolina is the third DC Region Boxer to advance as he won his bout at 123 pounds over Jeremy Olivarez of Michigan.

Three DC Region Boxers were eliminated from competition and one of the losses was a real shocker.  Keeshawn Williams, who was the Outstanding Boxer of the Regional Golden Gloves on April 25, lost his first bout at the nationals at 132 pounds to Maliek Montgomery of Knoxville, TN.

Also at 178 pounds, Justin Bell lost his second round bout to Marco Delgado of California.

At 108 pounds, Jonathan Howard of Greensboro, NC was knocked out of the tournament by Pablo Ramirez of Texas.

Davis, Martin Gain Opponents For Atlantic City Bouts!

Undefeated Beltway Boxers Gervonta "Tank" Davis and Kareem "Reemo" Martin now have opponents for their bouts on Friday, May 22 at the Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.

Davis (10-0, nine KO's) will face Alberto "Iron Man" Mora of Mexico (5-3, one KO) in Davis's first scheduled eight-round bout.  Davis is coming off a first-round knockout of Israel Suarez on February 20 in Pittsburgh, PA.  Mora lost a four-round unanimous decision to Paul Romero on March 20 in Glendale, AZ.

Martin (4-0-1, three KO's) steps into six-round competition for the first time as he faces Juan Aguirre of Jacksonville, FL (6-14-1).  Martin also scored a first-round knockout on February 20 in Pittsburgh when he stopped Cole Milani.  Aguirre has lost four in a row including a four-round unanimous decision to Charles Natal on March 6 in Kissimmee, FL.

White, Bell Advance, M. Abregu, Laws Fall At National Golden Gloves!

Two more DC Region boxers advanced and two more were eliminated in competition Tuesday at the 2015 National Golden Gloves in Las Vegas, NV.

Jordan White won his opening bout at 114 Pounds defeating Manual Flores of California.  At 178 Pounds, Justin Bell moved into the next round with a win over Cody Cross of Michigan.

Matthew Abregu lost his contest at 152 pounds to Melquades Ramirez of the Colorado/New Mexico region while Christopher Laws fell to Raymond Walker of Texas in the 201+ Pound bracket.

Keeshawn Williams and Jonathan Howard are the only DC boxers yet to compete -- Williams at 132 pounds, received a bye into the second round and will begin work today.  Howard is competing in the 108-pound class and may not get to work until a little later in the tourney.

Kenney Represents US At Junior And Youth Women's World Championships In Taipei, Taiwan!

(photo courtesy of the Alexandria Times)

Best wishes to Alexandria, VA's Iesha Kenney who will be competing at the 2015 World Junior and Youth Women's World Championships in Taipei, Taiwan beginning on May 16.

The 17-year-old Kenney has been successful on a national and international level for a number of years.  In 2013, Kenney won a bronze medal at this same tournament in Bulgaria, competing at 132 pounds.  Kenney won a national title at 141 pounds in 2014.

This year, Kenney will compete as a middleweight on the Youth team.

The Washington Post's Brandon Parker has a nice feature on Kenney that you can find here:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/alexandria-teen-iesha-kenney-is-ready-to-break-out-on-boxings-biggest-stage/2015/05/12/c3ac4558-e7a6-11e4-aae1-d642717d8afa_story.html

Kenney's coach, Kay Koroma (shown with Kenney) is a member of the coaching staff for the US team in Taipei.

Body, Beamon Win, D. Abregu, Titus Fall On Day One Of National Golden Gloves!

DC Region boxers went two for four on the first day of competition at the National Golden Gloves in Las Vegas, NV.
Tavon Body won his opening bout at 165 pounds with a 5-0 victory over Anthony Rose of the Upper Midwest Region.

Dewayne Beamon of Goldsboro, NC took a 5-0 win over Elijah Varnell of Wisconsin.
In the 141-Pound class, Diego Abregu thought he won his bout.  According to his Facebook page,  Abregu was initially announced as the winner.  However,  the judges tabulated the scores incorrectly.   Abregu lost to Dewone Johnson of Chicago by a 3-2 score.

At 201 Pounds, Malik Titus lost by TKO to Jason Beauchamp of Nevada.

Junior Olympic Regionals Come To DC May 29-31!

The 2015 Junior Olympic Regional Boxing Tournament will take place at the Bald Eagle Recreational Center, located at 100 Joliet Street in Southwest DC on May 29-31.

There will be boxers from five states (Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio) and the District Of Columbia competing at the event.

For more information on times and ticket prices, call (202) 528-7694.

Bus Trip Available To See Davis, Martin May 22 In Atlantic City!

There is a bus trip being arranged for fans to see two undefeated Beltway Boxing prospects compete at the Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ on Friday, May 22.

Baltimore featherweight Gervonta "Tank" Davis (10-0, nine KO's) is slated to compete in his first scheduled eight-round contest and DC welterweight Kareem "Reemo" Martin (4-0-1, three KO's) is scheduled to participate in his first six-round bout.  No word yet on their opponents.

Tickets for the trip are $75 which includes transportation, a ticket to the bouts and more.  For more information, call  410-622-6034 for details.

DC Regional Golden Gloves Team Touches Down In Las Vegas!

The DC Regional Golden Gloves team has arrived in Las Vegas and is making final preparations for the National Golden Gloves Tournament which gets underway starting tomorrow.

There has been one change made on the DC Regional team:  Matthew Abregu of Leesburg, VA replaces Shynggskhan Tazhibay at 152 pounds.  Tazhibay could not compete in the tournament because he is not a naturalized US citizen.  Abregu joins his brother, Diego (141 Pounds) on the DC Regional squad and they will try to be the fourth brother combination in Beltway history to win National Golden Gloves titles (Mark Johnson and James Harris, The Peterson Brothers and The Russell Family are the others)  The Abregus would be the first to win titles in the same tournament.

So, here once again, is the 2015 DC Regional squad:

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: Matthew Abregu, Leesburg, VA

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

For the first time in many years, there is an even number of boxers from the DC/Maryland and Virginia/North Carolina regions -- five each way.  The DC region will try to have a boxer win a national Golden Gloves title for the sixth consecutive year.

Gary Russell, Jr. Honored At Community Celebration!

A sizable group of fans came to the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD to honor the new WBC Featherweight Champion "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. during a festive outdoor ceremony.  Fans were able to get autographs and pose for pictures with the new champion who won his title in March with a fourth-round TKO over Jhonny Gonzalez.

Representatives from both the governments of District Heights and nearby Capitol Heights, MD (where Russell grew up) presented proclamations and Russell also received a congratulatory letter from Mauricio Sulaiman, the president of the World Boxing Council.

Russell told reporters in attendance that he may be back in action sometime in July.

Yours truly was honored to be one of the guest speakers for the event and my remarks, as well as those of the champ himself, can be heard here:

Nicklow Drops Decision, Womack Scores Knockout in Philadelphia; Reed Stops Opponent in Two, Black Falls In One In Newark!

Mixed bag of results Friday for traveling Beltway Boxers.  

Baltimore middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow lost an eight-round unanimous decision to DeCarlo "3Mendo" Perez of New Jersey in front of a nationally televised (ESPN2) audience at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.

Nicklow got off to a good start landing solid right hands in the first round.   However,  Nicklow did little else the rest of the contest as Perez was able to get his range and beat Nicklow to the punch with regularity.  All three judges scored the bout 79-73.

Nicklow has lost three straight bouts and his record falls to 24-6-3, eight KO's.  Perez is now 14-3-1, five KO's.

On the same card, Baltimore welterweight Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. scored a first-round TKO over Nathaniel Rivas of Berlin,  NJ.  The bout was stopped at 1:24.  Womack evens his record at 5-5-2, three KO's.   Rivas is now 5-2, two KO's.

Over at the Prudential Center in Newark,  NJ,  Waldorf,  MD super lightweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed remained undefeated with a second-round stoppage of Osenohan Vazquez of Newark.   Reed got the KO at the two-minute mark as he landed a crushing right uppercut-straight left hand combination that forced the referee to stop the bout as Vazquez was reeling from the punches.   Reed is now 14-0, nine KO's while Vazquez falls to 8-4-1, three KO's.

In a walkout bout, Rockville, MD heavyweight Carlos "The DC Diamond Cutter" Black was stopped in the first round by George Arias of The Bronx, NY.  The bout was stopped at 2:05.  Black, who made his pro debut on April 23 in Baltimore, is now 1-1.  Arias is 3-0, two KO's.

Nicklow, Womack Hit Scales in Philadelphia!

Baltimore boxers Jessie Nicklow and Kevin Womack, Jr. weighed in for their bouts tonight at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.

Nicklow tipped the scales at 161 pounds for his eight-round nationally-televised (ESPN2) contest against DeCarlo Perez.  Perez weighed in at 159 pounds.

Womack weighed 149 pounds for his six-round undercard contest against Nathanial Rivas, who came in at 148 pounds.

The Friday Night Fights telecast begins at 9 PM ET.

Reed Weighs 143 For Eight-Round Bout In Newark, NJ; Black Weighs 238 For Four-Rounder!

(Photo by Ross Molovinsky)

Mike Reed (right) tipped the scales at 143 pounds for his eight-round contest with Osenohan Vazquez Friday at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.  Vazquez came in at 140 pounds.

The bout is a swing contest for the TruTV telecast and may make the telecast if the other bouts end early.

Also on the card, Rockville, MD's Carlos Black came in at 238 for his four-round contest against George Arias, who tipped the scales at 229 pounds.

May 9 Is A Busy Beltway Boxing Day!

Saturday, May 9 will be a very busy and exciting day of Beltway Boxing as we have two amateur shows in the area and an afternoon of celebrating the Beltway's newest world champion.

There will be an amateur card at the Oxon Hill Staff Development Center, located at 7711 Livingston Road in Oxon Hill, MD.  Scheduled to appear on the card are two Beltway Boxers who are possible 2016 Olympians -- USA National champion Tiara Brown and USA Elite Boxer Tyrek Irby. 

Both boxers have gotten very far in the amateur ranks and this may be the last time they may compete in the area before the Olympic Trials.  Irby has already qualified for the trials and competed for the USA Knockouts team in the World Series of Boxing.  Brown is a former national and world champion at 125 who is moving up to 132 pounds to try to reach the Olympics.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.  For more information, call (301) 899-2430.

Meanwhile at the Ocean City Convention Center in Ocean City, MD, Baltimore Boxing Promotions is putting on a card that will feature an East Coast championship bout between Joe Veazey of Baltimore and Nigel Fennell of Salisbury, MD.  Proceeds from the card benefit the Worcester County Humane Society.

Tickets for this card range $25, $50 and $65.  You can go to the website at www.baltimoreboxing.com to purchase tickets.

Also, the Beltway Boxing Community will celebrate the recent WBC Featherweight title win by Capitol Heights, MD's "Mr" Gary Russell, Jr. with a free and open to the public ceremony at the District Heights Municipal Center, 2000 Marbury Drive in District Heights, MD.  The event will begin at 2 PM and there will be free food available.  Yours truly has been honored to be selected as one of the speakers for the event.

Russell (26-1, 15 KO's) won his title on March 28 when he scored a fourth-round TKO over Jhonny Gonzalez at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Kisner To Face Kayode May 29 In Memphis!

Ferndale, MD's "Slick" Nick Kisner has perhaps his biggest bout in his career on Friday, May 29 when he faces undefeated Lateef  "Power" Kayode in Memphis, TN in a 10-round cruiserweight bout.  The contest is slated to be televised by CBS Sports Network.

Kisner (14-1-1, five KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Marlon Hayes on March 28 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA.  Kayode, a native of Lagos, Nigeria who fights out of Hollywood, CA (20-0, 16 KO's) was stopped in the first round by Luis Ortiz for the interim WBA Heavyweight title in his last outing on September 11 in Las Vegas, NV.  However, the decision was overturned in January because Ortiz failed a drug test.  Kayode has won numerous regional cruiserweight titles.