Weights From The MGM National Harbor!

Here is the scale watch for the Golden Boy Promotions card that will take place on Thursday, November 30th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD:

Lamont Roach, Jr.  130.6 vs. Rey Perez 131.2

Luther Smith 199.4 vs. Lamont Capers 196.2

Jose Lopez 129.4 vs. Avery Sparrow 128.6

Manuel Avila 126.7 vs.  Diuhl Olguin 125.8

George Rincon 139.4 vs. Jihad Wise 140

Alberto Delgado 166.2 vs. Thomas Williams (will weigh in later tonight)


Roach (15-0, six KO's) will be defending the WBC Youth Silver Super Featherweight title against Rey Perez of the Philippines (21-8, six KO's).  The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds.

Smith vs. Capers is one we talked about earlier that is scheduled for four rounds.

Jose "Wonder Boy Lopez of Carolina, Puerto Rico (19-1-1, 14 KO's) will battle Avery "A-Plus" Sparrow of Philadelphia, PA (8-1, three KO's) will be in a 10-round co-feature.  Lopez's WBO International Super Featherweight title will not be on the line.

Manuel "Tino" Avila (22-1, eight KO's) is in an eight-round featherweight bout against Diuhl "Elegante" Olguin (12-7-3, nine KO's) of Guadalajara, Mexico.

George Rincon of Dallas, TX (2-0) will participate in a four-round super lightweight battle against Jihad Wise of Philadelphia (3-3, one KO).  Rincon's brother, Alex, was slated to be on this card but had a recent battle with appendicitis.  The Rincon Brothers train in the Beltway area.

Tomas Williams (0-0-1) is fighting out of Lynchburg, VA and he will be in a four-round super middleweight test against Alberto Delgado of Roanoke, VA (0-2-2).  This may be a rematch from a four-round majority draw the two men fought on August 27th in Lynchburg.

Once again, here is the schedule for Thursday evening:

The doors open at 5 PM ET.

The first bout is scheduled to begin at 6:30 PM.  ESPN3 will carry the early bouts.  You can also watch on the WatchESPN app.

ESPN Deportes will join ESPN3 on the coverage starting at 8 PM ET.

The rebroadcast of the main event and co-feature will be on ESPN2 at 11 PM ET.

Assault Charges Against Davis Dismissed!

The state of Maryland has dropped misdemeanor assault charges against former IBF Junior Lightweight champion Gervonta Davis when the accuser decided not to pursue the matter any further.

Davis and his accuser, Anthony Wheeler, were seen shaking hands as they left Baltimore District Court.  According to the Baltimore Sun, the 23-year-old Davis originally faced first-degree assault charges in connection with an August 1st incident. Wheeler, who described himself as a childhood friend of Davis, alleged that Davis punched him in the side of the head with a gloved fist. The first-degree assault charge was dropped on Oct. 19 by the state.  Police did not charge Davis. Wheeler, of Baltimore, pressed charges with the District Court commissioner on Aug. 3, and a warrant for Davis was served in mid-September.

August was a tumultuous month for Davis.  After the early incident in August, Davis (19-0, 18 KO's) was stripped of his IBF title when he came in overweight for his title defense against Francisco Fonseca.  Davis won the bout by eight-round TKO, however, it was not one of his better performances.  Davis said on social media that he looks forward to fighting in early 2018.

'Lights Out' Smith To Face 'Too Smooth' Capers On November 30th MGM Card!

Bowie, MD cruiserweight Luther "Lights Out" Smith has been added to the Thursday, November 30th Golden Boy Promotions card at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.  Smith (9-1, eight KO's) will take on Lamont "Too Smooth" Capers of Hawley, PA(7-10-3)  in a four-round contest.

Smith is coming off a first-round knockout of Martez Williamson on July 15th in Washington, DC.  Smith has knocked out his last four opponents.  Capers is winless in his last three bouts.  However, he can be tough at times.  In his last outing, Capers fought to an eight-round split decision draw with former world champion Imanu Mayfield. Capers also owns a split decision victory over Beltway Boxer Nick Kisner.  Capers lost to locals Travis Reeves (twice), Shaborn Ryals and Mario Murphy.

The weigh-in for the card is today at 4 PM ET at the MGM National Harbor and it is open to the public.  The weigh-in will be streamed live on RingTV.com.  On Friday, the doors will open at 5 PM with the first bout starting at 6:30 PM.  It will be streamed live on ESPN3.  ESPN Deportes will pick up the coverage at 8 PM.  ESPN2 will air the card at 11 PM ET.

Bates, Madison Compete on December 1 Card in Philadelphia!

Two Beltway Boxers will be on a card at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Friday, December 1st.

Washington, DC super bantamweight Marcus "The Dreamcrusher" Bates will be in a six-round contest against Antonio Rodriguez of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico.  Bates (7-0-1, six KO's) will try to continue his momentum from  a six-round unanimous decision victory over Roberto Pucheta on June 24 at the 2300 Arena.  Rodriguez (11-19-1, five KO's) has lost three straight contests including a fifth-round TKO loss to Cesar Diaz on September 1 in Los Angeles, CA.

Owings Mills, MD heavyweight Colby Madison faces off with Randy Easton of Sunbury, PA in a four-round contest.  Madison (4-0-1, three KO's) looks to improve after a six-round majority draw against Joel Caudle on the June 24th card at the 2300 Arena.  Easton (4-9-2, four KO's) has not fought since knocking out Wesley Triplett in November of 2016 in the second round in Chester, PA.  Triplett was 4-1 going into the bout.

Dave Arbogast Services Announced!

The services for Maryland State Athletic Commission inspector David Arbogast have been announced.  There will be a memorial on Sunday, November 26 from 2-4 PM and from 7-9 PM at the Evans Funeral Chapel located at 16924 York Road in Monkton, MD.  The funeral will be held on Monday, November 27th at the same location beginning at 11 AM.

Memorial contributions in Mr. Arbogast's name can be sent to paypal.me/rememberingdarbogast. 

Douglas Battles O'Sullivan For Vacant WBO Inter-Continental Title December 16th In Montreal!

Another big opportunity has come for Burke, VA middleweight Antoine "Action" Douglas as he will battle Gary "Spike" O'Sullivan of Cork, Ireland in a 10-round bout for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight title on Saturday, December 16 at the Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada.  The bout will be the co-feature to the WBO Middleweight championship between titleholder Billy Joe Saunders and challenger David Lemieux and will be televised live on HBO.

Douglas (22-1-1, 16 KO's) will be challenging for his sixth regional title, having won the WBC Fecarbox title twice as well as the NABA, WBO International and WBA Fedalatin Middleweight titles.  Douglas is coming off a fourth round TKO over Juan DeAlba on July 14th in Miami, OK.

O'Sullivan (26-2, 18 KO's) is riding a four-bout winning streak including a fourth-round TKO over Nick Quigley on September 30th in Boston, MA.  O'Sullivan's only losses have come to Saunders and Chris Eubank, Jr., who will be competing for a world title in February of 2018.

David Arbogast, Maryland State Athletic Commission Inspector, Passes At 53!

(Courtesy photo)

Another tough loss for the Beltway.  David "Dave" Arbogast, who served as an inspector for the Maryland State Athletic Commission, passed away on November 21st at the age of 53.

Mr. Arbogast was a familiar face to many boxers and cornermen who have completed the required paperwork at boxing weigh-ins and who have participated in boxing shows in Maryland, Dave worked for the Maryland Commission for the past four years.  Mr. Arbogast also worked pro wrestling and mixed martial arts shows throughout the state.  Known for his calm demeanor and straightforward personality, he was well-liked and well-respected by the entire combat sports community and will be missed by all.  A real nice person.

BATB sends its deepest condolences to the Arbogast family.

Grayton Drops Unanimous Decision; Russell Brothers Score First-Round Victories; Fox Captures UBF Title; Early Loses Decision; Alexander Falls By KO!

Lots of results from the two cards that took place on Tuesday evening in St. Petersburg, FL and in Bethlehem, PA.

At the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, Washington, DC welterweight David "Day-Day" Grayton lost a tough 10-round unanimous decision to undefeated Miguel Cruz of Lake Mary, FL.  The bout was nationally televised on FS1.  Grayton stunned Cruz in the second round but Cruz came back and hurt Grayton in the third.  Cruz, however, suffered a cut under the right eye in the third round.

Cruz was able to drop Grayton in the sixth with a right jab but Grayton was able to recover and pressure Cruz in the eighth round and open another cut above Cruz's right eye.  Both men were throwing wildly at the end of the contest.  Grayton lost the bout by a 96-93 score across the board.  Grayton is now 15-2-1, 11 KO's while Cruz remains undefeated at 17-0, 11 KO's.

On the undercard, The Russell Brothers of Capitol Heights, MD scored first-round knockout victories.  Antonio Russell knocked out Marco Antonio "La Maquina" Mendoza Chico at 1:15 to raise his record to 10-0, eight KO's while Chico is 11-6-1, seven KO's. Antuanne Russell scored his third straight first-round stoppage, defeating Larry Yanez of Fort Lauderdale, FL at 2:21.  Russell is 3-0, three KO's while Yanez falls to 4-8-2.

(Photo by Daniel Cork)

At the Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, PA, Mykal "The Professor" Fox of Forestville, MD captured the UBF All-Americas Welterweight title with an eight-round unanimous decision over Manuel Alejandro Reyes.  Fox, in his first bout at welterweight, won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 to remain undefeated at 15-0, four KO's.  Reyes drops to 11-4-1, five KO's.

Seat Pleasant, MD featherweight James "Too Slick" Early lost a four-round unanimous decision to Juan Sanchez of Allentown, PA.  Early lost by scores of 39-37 across the board.  Early is now 2-2 while Sanchez remains undefeated at 4-0, one KO.

Also, heavyweight Ralph Alexander of Lanham, MD lost by first-round knockout to the debuting Michael Polite-Coffie of Brooklyn, NY.  Coffie stopped Alexander at 1:01.  Alexander is 0-2.

Weights From St. Petersburg, FL and Bethlehem, PA!

Beltway Boxers tipped the scales for bouts Tuesday in both St. Petersburg, FL and Bethlehem, PA.

At the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, both David Grayton and Miguel Cruz weighed in at 146.8 pounds for their 10-round co-feature bout.

Antonio Russell came in at 117.2 pounds for his six-round contest against Marco A. Mendoza who tipped the scales at 119.2 pounds.  Also, Antuanne Russell weighed in at 139 pounds for his six-rounder against Larry Yanez, who came in at 140.8.  The card will be shown live on FS1 beginning at 7:30 PM ET.  Grayton is definitely scheduled for the telecast and the Russell Brothers may make the TV version as well.

Meanwhile at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center, Mykal Fox weighed in at 143 pounds for his now 10-round contest against Manuel Reyes.  The bout is now the main event on the card because one of the boxers scheduled for the feature bout came in 15, yes, 15 pounds overweight and the bout was scratched.  Also, the contest is for a UBF title.

Overweight boxers seemed to be the order of the day because Reyes originally weighed 147.9 pounds.  Reyes then hit the scales again and came in at 146.7 pounds.

James Early also came in over the contracted weight for his four-round contest against Juan Sanchez.  Early first weighed 129.2 four pounds over the 125 (+1) contract.  Early weighed again at 128 1/2 and lost money for being overweight.  The fight will still go one as Sanchez weighed in at 126 pounds.

Ralph Alexander came in at 229.8 pounds for his four-round bout against Michael Polite-Coffie who tipped the scales at 273.8.

Six Beltway Boxers To Appear on Two Cards on November 21st!

Tuesday, November 21st will be a huge day for Beltway Boxers as six locals will be on two cards in two separate locations.

Three Beltway Boxers will appear on a card at the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL and one of the boxers will be in the co-feature contest that will be nationally-televised on FS1.

That boxer will be Washington, DC welterweight David "Day-Day" Grayton who will be in a 10-round contest against undefeated Miguel Cruz of Lake Mary, FL by way of Cincinnati, OH.

Grayton (15-1-1, 11 KO's) looks to build off a five-round technical draw against former world champion Kermit Cintron on March 17th in Reading, PA.  The two clashed heads causing a cut over Cintron's right eye. The referee ruled Cintron could not continue the bout.  Grayton's last win was an eighth-round TKO over fellow local Kareem Martin in August of 2016 in Bethlehem, PA.

Cruz (16-0, 11 KO's) last fought on June 27th and won a 10-round unanimous decision in a rematch against Alex Martin in Bethlehem.  This will be the second time Cruz has fought a Beltway Boxer.  Cruz knocked out Juan Rodriguez in the fourth round in May of 2015 in Philadelphia, PA.

On the undercard, The Russell Brothers -- Antonio and Antuanne of Capitol Heights, MD -- will both be in six-round bouts.  Antonio Russell (9-0, seven KO's) will battle against Marco Antonio Mendoza Chico of Mexico City, Mexico.  Russell comes off a third-round knockout win over Cristian Renteria on September 19th in Bethlehem.  Chico (11-5-1, seven KO's) fights for the first time in 2017 and defeated Jose Pozo by second-round TKO in December of 2016. This will be Chico's first time competing in the United States.

Antuanne Russell (2-0, two KO's) will compete in a six-rounder for the first time in his young pro career when he takes on Larry Yanez of Fort Lauderdale, FL by way of Cuba.  The 2016 US Olympian Russell has won both of his previous pro bouts by first-round knockout.  Yanez (4-7-2) broke a four-bout losing streak with a four-round majority decision victory over Brian Meadows on May 20th in Tampa, FL.

Three more Beltway Boxers will appear on a King's Promotions card at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, PA.  Undefeated Forestville, MD welterweight Mykal "The Professor" Fox will be in an eight-round co-feature contest against Manuel "El Chino" Reyes of Los Angeles, CA.  Fox (14-0, four KO's) last fought on June 3rd and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Daniel Sostre in Fort Washington, MD.  Reyes (11-3-1, five KO's) is currently riding an eight-bout winning streak that includes an eight-round unanimous decision over Manuel Garcia on June 2nd in Tijuana, Mexico.

Also, Seat Pleasant, MD featherweight James "Too Slick" Early will be on the card in a four-round bout against undefeated Juan Sanchez of Allentown, PA by way of New York City.  Early (2-1) looks to bounce back from a six-round majority decision loss to Reggie Barnett on December 10th in Springfield, VA.  Sanchez (3-0, one KO) looks to build his record after winning a four-round unanimous decision over Gorwar Karyah on September 19th at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center.

Lanham, MD heavyweight Ralph Alexander returns to action when he takes on the debuting Michael Polite-Coffie of Brooklyn, NY in a four-rounder.  Alexander (0-1) lost his pro debut by first-round TKO to Hasim Rahman, Jr. on April 14th in Oxon Hill, MD.  Polite-Coffie is a former Marine who won the New York City Golden Gloves championship and was ranked number one in the country at super heavyweight.

Results From the Merrick Center!

Washington, DC welterweight Jonathan "Bad Badger" Baxter scored a fourth-round TKO over Joseph "Trouble" Figueroa of the Bronx, NY in the main event of the TAC Promotions/Putney Promotions card at the Merrick Recreation Center in DC.

Badger hammered Figueroa all throughout the contest with head and body shots.  Figueroa resembled a punching bag with feet, throwing very little back offensively in return.  Baxter made Figueroa drop to one knee with a right to the body in the third round.  Early in the fourth, Figueroa fell to his knees again, although it seemed to be more from a tangle than from a Baxter punch.  However, referee Sharon Sands had seen enough and waived the bout off at 35 seconds of the round.   Badger, who competed in his hometown for the first time as a pro, is now 9-1, eight KO's.  Figueroa, who was knocked out for the first time in more than seven years, falls to 11-63-5, three KO's.

The co-feature saw Glenarden, MD super lightweight Drayvontay Speed Rawls bounce back from his first pro loss and win a four-round unanimous decision over Robert "Hitman" Hill of Gulfport, MS.  Speed Rawls used his punching speed to his advantage in the early part of the bout.  Hill challenged at times but Speed Rawls was able to outpunch his foe throughout the bout.  Speed Rawls won by shutout (40-36) on all three scorecards.  Speed Rawls is now 9-1-1, six KO's.  Hill drops to 7-35-1, two KO's.

DC welterweight Cornell "Hitman" Hines scored a first-round TKO over Clifford "The Magician" McPherson of Cleveland, OH.  Near the halfway point of the bout, Hines landed a solid right hand that dropped McPherson.  The effect of the punch seemed to damage McPherson's shoulder to the point that he could not continue.  The bout was stopped at 1:31.  Hines is 2-0, with both wins coming by first-round knockout.  McPherson falls to 2-34-1, one KO.

Another DC welterweight, Dionte "Mr. Untouchable" Burts, made his pro debut a successful one with a first-round TKO over Molique Artis of Wilson, NC.  Burts landed a double left hand and dropped Artis early in the first then followed it up with another left hand to put him down for the second time.  The boxers tangled later in the round and Artis fell again after which he decided not to continue.  The bout was stopped at 2:09.  Artis falls to 0-5.  Both Hines and Burts are trained by three-time world champion and International Boxing Hall of Famer Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson.

In women's action, "The Dark Menace" Tiara Brown of Bladensburg, MD won an easy four-round unanimous decision over Natalie King of Wilson, NC in a rematch of a bout that Brown won in March.  Much like the first bout, Brown laid a beating on King, landing every kind of punch from every kind of angle.  Much like the first bout, King refused to go down.  Brown would win by shutout to raise her record to 4-0, two KO's while King remains winless at 0-8.  Brown, by the way, is also a Washington, DC police officer.  The city's police chief, Peter Newsham, was in attendance at the card.

Yonkers, NY middleweight Bryant "Spartan" Pappas won a second-round TKO over Jason "Micro Tyson" McClure of Paris, AR.  The bout, a rematch from a 2010 contest Pappas won by fourth-round TKO in Paris, resembled a sparring session in the first round as both men seemed to pitty-pat their punches against one another.  Finally, in the second round Pappas put more mustard on his punches and went exclusively to McClure's body to put him down and end the contest at 1:54.  Pappas is now 17-2-1 with all 17 wins by knockout.  McClure drops to 1-10.

The curtain-raising contest saw light heavyweight Alan Lawrence of Newark, NJ stop Henry Mercer of Rocky Mount, NC at the beginning of the third round.  Lawrence landed a series of body shots on Mercer throughout the contest.  Eventually, the body shots proved to be too much for Mercer and he could not answer the bell for the third round.  Lawrence is now 3-0, three KO's while Mercer falls to 2-14, one KO.

Martin Loses Unanimous Decision; Williams Wins Pro Debut In Flint, MI!

Washington, DC welterweight Kareem "Reemo" Martin has lost an eight-round unanimous decision to Ryan "Cowboy" Karl of Milano, TX at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, MI.  The bout was televised on FS1.

Martin got off to a good start in the first two rounds as he landed crushing right hooks and left hands.  Martin caused a cut on Karl's forehead.  However, Karl started to establish his jab and used his height and reach advantage to gain control of the contest the rest of the way.  Martin lost by scores of 78-74 (twice) and 77-75.  Martin's record falls to 9-2-1, three KO's.  Karl is now 15-1, nine KO's.

On the undercard, DC's Keeshawn Williams made an impressive pro debut as he scored a crushing first-round knockout over the equally debuting Christian Sales of Mexico.  No word on the official time but Williams landed a solid left hand after a Sales flurry and knocked him down.  Moments later, Williams landed a vicious right hand that toppled Sales for the finish. 

Weights From DC!

Here is the scale watch for the TAC Promotions/Putney Promotions card that will be held Saturday at the Merrick Recreation Center in Washington, DC:

Jonathan Baxter 148.6 vs. Joseph Figueroa 153.8

Drayvontay Speed Rawls 138.6 vs. Robert Hill 140.4

Tiara Brown 132.6 vs. Natalie King 132.6

Cornell Hines 144.2 vs. Clifford McPherson 146.8

Dionte Burts 134.4 vs. Molique Artis 137.6

Alan Lawrence 178 vs. Henry Mercer 174.4

Bryant Pappas 167 vs. Jason McClure 169.4

Beltway Amateurs Competing In Elite National Championships In December!

Three Beltway Amateurs will be competing in the USA Elite National Championships December 3-9 in Salt Lake City, UT.

Leading the local contingent will be 2017 National Golden Gloves champion Keyshawn Davis of Alexandria, VA, who will be competing at 132 pounds and fellow Alexandria resident Troy Isley who will be in the 165 pound division.  Davis qualified for this tournament by his performance in the Eastern Qualifier while Isley advanced through the National championships in 2016.

On the women's side, Alexandria's Amelia Moore will try to cap off an outstanding 2017 as she will compete at 141 pounds.  Moore has already won a National Golden Gloves championship, a Ringside World title and a National PAL title this year. 

Martin, Williams Tip Scales In Flint, MI!

Kareem Martin and Keeshawn Williams weighed in for their bouts Friday at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, MI.

Martin weighed 143.2 pounds for his eight-round contest against Ryan Karl, who tipped the scales at 142.8.  This bout may be on the FS1 telecast that will take place at 10:30 PM ET.

Williams, a junior welterweight from DC, came in at 146.8 pounds for his pro debut against Christian Salas of Tlaxcala, Mexico (1-0).  Salas weighed 144 pounds.

Russell, Davis, Hurd Crack 'Ring 100!'

Three Beltway Boxers have entered Ring Magazine's 2017 list of the 100 Best Fighters in the World. The list can be found in the January 2018 issue.

WBC Featherweight champion Gary Russell, Jr. moved up five spaces to number 25.  Russell (28-1, 17 KO's) was credited by the Ring staff for the lightning speed that he throws punches but he has only fought twice since he won the WBC title almost three years ago.  "The tools are there, the big wins aren't there just yet," said the Ring.

Former IBF Super Featherweight champ Gervonta Davis entered the Ring 100 at number 42.  Despite losing the title on the scales before his last win, Davis (19-0, 18 KO's).  The Ring staff said Davis demonstrated considerable speed and power capturing a world title at the age of 22.  However, Davis was compared to Adrian Broner as he lost the title because he was overweight. 

IBF Junior Middleweight titleholder Jarrett Hurd makes his first appearance on the list at number 70.  Hurd (21-0, 15 KO's) received enormous credit for showing what the Ring called, "poise, technique and talent" in his time in the spotlight.  The Ring editors did question how those traits will measure when Hurd faces the top junior middleweights.  The ranking, however, was completed prior to Hurd's stoppage of Austin Trout in October.

Kemeh Competes For NABO Welterweight Title Friday in Ontario, CA!

One of the newest Beltway transplants, Dodzi Kemeh, will battle for the NABO Welterweight title on Friday, November 17 against undefeated Giovanni "Gallo De Oro" Santillan at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA.

Kemeh, a native of Accra, Ghana, is now living and training in Frederick, MD.  Kemeh (19-1, 17 KO's) is coming off a fourth-round TKO over Francis Appalo on February 17th in Accra.  This is Kemeh's first bout in the United States.  According to his training staff, he has been sparring with Beltway Boxers Justin Hurd and David Grayton to get ready for this bout.

Santillan (22-0, 12 KO's) is a native of San Diego, CA and is making the first defense of his NABO title that he won with a second-round TKO over previously undefeated Sammy Valentin on July 7th in Tampa, FL.  Santillan is a fixture at the Doubletree Hotel as this will be the 16th time he has competed there in his pro career.

Weigh-In For November 18th Card Open To Public on Friday!

The weigh-in for the TAC Promotions/Putney Promotions card will be held on Friday, November 17th at the TKO Burger located next to the Carolina Kitchen on 2350 Washington PL in Northeast DC.  The weigh-in gets underway at 5 PM and is free and open to the public.

Once again, the card will be on Saturday, November 18th at the Merrick Recreation Center in Southeast DC beginning at 7 PM.

Martin Returns In Eight-Round Contest Friday In Flint, MI!

Washington, DC welterweight Kareem "Reemo" Martin returns to action on Friday, November 17th in an eight-round contest against "Cowboy" Ryan Karl of Houston, TX at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, MI.

Martin (9-1-1, three KO's) bounced back from suffering his first pro loss to David Grayton by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Evincii Dixon on August 12th in DC.  Karl (14-1, nine KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Carlos Winston Velasquez on July 18th in Alexandria, LA.  The win came after Karl had his first pro defeat at the hands of Eddie Ramirez on February 2nd in Tunica, MS.  Ramirez won by ninth-round stoppage.  

The bout may make the FS1 telecast that is scheduled to begin at 10:30 PM ET.

November 17th Amateur Card To Raise Cancer Awareness!

The next Baltimore Boxing Promotions amateur boxing card will take place at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD will be on Friday, November 17th and this will be a very special card.

The card is called "Who's The Next Shining Star" and will feature eight amateur bouts.  However, this card will also honor the memory of Baltimore native Crystal Beard, who was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer in August of 2016.  This was an extremely aggressive cancer that eventually spread throughout her body.  Despite six chemo treatments and a double mastectomy in February, Ms. Beard sadly passed away on October 28th.  She was only 37 years old and left behind a 17-year-old daughter, a seven-year-old son and a three month old grandchild.  Ms. Beard did not have life insurance and the father of the children lives in Arizona.  Her children and grandchild will be cared for by Beard's sister and mother.

The family is still looking at medical bills and Beard's daughter is hoping to attend college as she is a senior in high school this year.  The fight night will include a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction.  Fans can also donate a block of tickets to the family that can be resold.

“In all of my years as a promoter working with people and organizations, this is the most devastating,” said Smith, a fixture in Baltimore’s boxing scene for more than 30 years. “A woman that should’ve had many happy and healthy years ahead of her passed away at 37 leaving behind two children and a grandchild that face an extremely difficult situation. We will do all we can to raise as much money and awareness as possible while honoring her legacy on the 17th because nothing in life is guaranteed and every day you get to enjoy is a blessing.”

Donations can also be made to Beard's family at gofundme.com/in-memory-of-crystal-beard.

Tickets for the event start at $40 and can be purchased by going to www.baltimoreboxing.com/events or by calling 410-375-9175.  The first bout is scheduled for 8:30 PM.

Reed Loses By Second-Round TKO; Dezurn Drops Unanimous Decision; Womack Scores TKO Upset!

A very interesting and, indeed a very tough Saturday night for Beltway Boxers as two of our undefeated competitors lost for the very first time while a local boxer fighting on very short notice scored a huge upset.

At the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, CA, Waldorf, MD super lightweight Mike "Yes Indeed" Reed lost by second-round TKO to undefeated Jose Ramirez of Avenal, CA.  The bout was televised by ESPN.  Reed tried to engage with Ramirez but Ramirez's physicality proved to be too much as he landed solid left hooks to Reed's body.  Reed was knocked down in the first minute of the second round and Ramirez's follow-up barrage forced referee Jack Reiss to stop the contest at 1:43. Reed disagreed with the stoppage, however, Reed did not throw any punches during the final barrage.

Reed 's record falls to 23-1, 12 KO's.  Ramirez regained the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight title with the victory and will go on the fight for the now vacant WBO world title.  Ramirez is now 21-0, 16 KO's.

Baltimore, MD super featherweight Glenn Dezurn, Jr. dropped an eight-round unanimous decision to Jesse Angel Hernandez of Fort Worth, TX at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, NY.  No details given on the contest but Dezurn lost by scores of 79-73, 78-74, and 77-75.  Dezurn falls to 9-1-1, six KO's while Hernandez is 10-1, seven KO's.

The big shocker came in Hockessin, DE at the Hockessin PAL Center where late sub Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. of Baltimore scored a major upset, knocking out Joey Tiberi, Jr. of Newark, DE in the first round.  Womack, who took the bout on 48 hours notice, dropped Tiberi three times en route to the win.  No official word on the time of the stoppage. Womack captured the USBU Americas Junior Welterweight title with the win.  Womack is now 8-14-4, six KO's while Tiberi falls to 15-3, eight KO's.  This is the second time Tiberi has lost to a Baltimore Boxer.  Tiberi dropped a six-round unanimous decision to Tyrell Samuel in May of 2014 in Dover, DE.

Womack Weighs 143 Pounds For Six-Round Bout In Delaware!

Kevin Womack, Jr. came in at 143 pounds for a six-round contest against Joey Tiberi Saturday at the Hockessin PAL in Hockessin, DE.  Tiberi weighed 141.1 for the bout.  The bout is apparently for the USBU Americas Junior Welterweight title.

Womack (7-14-4, five KO's), a native of Baltimore, MD, was a late substitute for this contest.  He last fought on May 26th and battled Tony Morris to a four-round majority draw in Raleigh, NC.  Tiberi (15-2, eight KO's) comes off a second-round TKO victory over Marlon Lewis on June 23rd in New Castle, DE.

Reed Weighs 139.6 For 10-Round Regional Title Tilt!

Mike Reed tipped the scales at 139.6 pounds for his 10-round contest against WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight champion Jose Carlos Ramirez Saturday at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, CA.  Ramirez weighed in at 139 pounds. 

The bout will be shown on ESPN Saturday at 10:30 PM ET.

Roach, Jr. To Defend WBC Youth Silver Super Featherweight Title November 30th At MGM National Harbor!

Boxing returns to the MGM National Harbor and Casino in Oxon Hill, MD on Thursday, November 30th with a nationally-televised (ESPN2) Golden Boy Promotions card that will feature one of the rising Beltway Boxers.

Undefeated Upper Marlboro, MD super featherweight Lamont Roach, Jr. will defend his WBC Youth Silver Super Featherweight championship against Rey "Flash" Perez of Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines in a 10-round feature bout.  Roach (15-0, six KO's) comes off a first-round TKO over Luis Hinojosa on October 21st in Verona, NY.  Perez (21-8, six KO's) broke a two-bout losing streak with a second-round TKO over Noel Adelmita on June 4th in Dipolog City, Philippines.

Also on the card will be the Rincon Brothers of Carrollton, TX, who train in the Beltway area.  Alex Rincon, a super welterweight (3-0, three KO's) will be in a scheduled four-round contest.  George Rincon, a welterweight (2-0) will also be in a bout scheduled for four rounds.  Both are looking for opponents.

The other featured bout matches Jose "Wonder Boy" Lopez of Carolina, Puerto Rico and Miguel Angel "Silky Smooth" Gonzalez of Cleveland, OH in a 10-round super featherweight bout for the WBO International Super Featherweight championship.  Lopez, the titleholder (19-1-1, 14 KO's), is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision over Orlando Cruz on June 17th in Caguas, Puerto Rico.  Gonzalez (24-4, 16 KO's) has not fought since November of 2015 when he won an eight-round majority decision over Fedor Papazov in Las Vegas, NV.

PVA All-Stars Battle Philadelphia November 10th At Rosecroft!

There will be an amateur boxing card that will take place on Friday, November 10th at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

The Potomac Valley Association (PVA) All-Stars will be in action against a team from Philadelphia, PA.  Tickets start at $20 for general admission and the first bout is scheduled to begin at 7 PM.

Undefeated Dezurn Battles Once-Beaten Hernandez November 11th In Uniondale, NY!

Undefeated Baltimore, MD super bantamweight Glenn Dezurn, Jr. will be in an eight-round contest against Jesse Angel Hernandez of Fort Worth, TX on Saturday, November 11th at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, NY.

Dezurn (9-0-1, six KO's) is coming off an eight-round split-decision draw against Adam Lopez on July 14th in Miami, OK.  Hernandez (9-1, seven KO's) scored a fifth-round TKO over previously undefeated Vladimir Tikhonov on August 4th in Detroit, MI.

The bout will be on the undercard of an HBO tripleheader card on November 11th.

Undefeated Reed Faces Undefeated Ramirez November 11th In Fresno, CA!

Undefeated Waldorf, MD super lightweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed will battle fellow undefeated boxer Jose Carlos Ramirez of Avenal, CA in a 10-round bout on Saturday, November 11th at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, CA.  The bout will be for Ramirez's WBC Continental Americas championship and will be shown on ESPN, marking Reed's first time on national television.

Reed (23-0, 12 KO's) comes off two straight 10-round unanimous decision victories against veteran opponents.  On April 8th, Reed did not have a strong performance in a win over Reyes Sanchez in Oxon Hill, MD.  Reed then had a solid showing in a victory over Robert Frankel on August 19th in Lincoln, NB.  Reed is ranked 9th by the WBO.

Ramirez (20-0, 15 KO's) has scored knockouts in his last three outings.  Ramirez scored a fourth-round TKO over Tomas Mendez in July of 2016 in Lemoore, CA.  That was followed by a sixth-round knockout over Issouf Kinda in December of 2016 at the Save Mart Arena.  In his last outing, Ramirez delivered a second-round TKO over Jake Giuriceo on May 5th in Reno, NV.  This will be Ramirez's fourth defense of the title he won in December of 2015.  Ramirez is ranked 5th by the WBC and the WBO.

The telecast is scheduled to begin at 10:30 PM ET.  Reed-Ramirez will be the co-feature on the card.

Boxing Comes To New Location In DC November 18th!

There will be a pro boxing card coming to a new location in Washington, DC.  A TAC Promotions/Putney Promotions card will take place on Saturday, November 18th at the Merrick Recreation Center located at 4275 4th Street in Southeast DC.

Headlining the card will be the return of DC welterweight Jonathan "Bad Badger" Baxter who will be in a six-round contest against veteran Joseph "Trouble" Figueroa of the Bronx, NY.  Baxter (8-1, seven KO's) lost his pro debut in November of 2016 but has won eight straight bouts in North Carolina and Georgia.  This includes a second-round TKO of Isaiah Robinson on August 19 in Greensboro, NC.  Figueroa (11-62-5, three KO's) will be the most experienced foe Baxter has faced.  Figueroa has lost eight in a row but has gone the distance in every bout.  Figueroa is coming off a four-round unanimous decision loss to Osnel Charles on April 27 in Durham, NC.

Baxter's cousin, Quinton Taylor, a cruiserweight from DC, is scheduled to be on the card in a four-round bout against an opponent to be determined.  Taylor (1-0, one KO) won his pro debut on August 19th in Greensboro, scoring a first-round TKO over Keshai Daquan Lindsey.

Bladensburg, MD featherweight "The Dark Menace" Tiara Brown (3-0, two KO's) will be on the card in a four-round rematch against Natalie King of Wilson, NC (0-7).  The two met each other on March 25 at the University of the District of Columbia and Brown won by four-round unanimous decision.

Glenarden, MD super lightweight Drayvontay Speed Rawls will be in a scheduled six-round contest against Matt Murphy of East St. Louis, IL.  Speed Rawls (8-1-1, six KO's) will look to bounce back from suffering his first pro loss -- a six-round split decision to Dion Richardson on July 13th in Glen Burnie, MD.  Murphy (3-17-3, two KO's) looks to bounce back from a six-round unanimous decision loss to Eben Vargas on October 14th in Phoenix, AZ.  Murphy will compete for the 15th time in 2017.

DC welterweight Cornell Hines will take on veteran Clifford "The Magician" McPherson in a four-round bout.  Hines (1-0, one KO) made his pro debut on April 29th in Springfield, VA and scored a first-round TKO over Zachary Johnson.  McPherson (2-33-1, one KO) has lost 31 bouts in a row including a second-round TKO to Lavonte Earley on February 11th in Chattanooga, TN. 

Also on the card, Yonkers, NY middleweight Bryant Pappas will return to action for the first time in 2017 when he takes on Jason "Micro Tyson" McClure of Paris, AR, who has not fought since October of 2011.  Pappas (16-2-1, 16 KO's) last fought in December of 2016 and notched a first-round TKO over Andrew Hartley in Johnson City, TN.  McClure (1-9) lost by second-round KO to Elliott Forman in Russellville, AR.  McClure and Pappas met one time before in September of 2010.  Pappas scored a fourth-round TKO in Paris.

Nelson Reportedly To Face Two-Time Gold Medalist Shields January 12th in Verona, NY!

Moments after her second-round TKO victory over Latashia Burton Saturday night at the Silver Eagle Group Arena in Ashburn, VA, multi-time world champion Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson, along with ring announcer Henry "Discombobulating" Jones, relayed some big news to the standing-room only crowd.

Reportedly, Nelson's next bout will be against two-time Olympic gold medalist and reigning IBF and WBC Super Middleweight champion Claressa "T-Rex" Shields of Flint, MI.  The bout is slated to take place on Friday, January 12th at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY and is scheduled to be part of an Showtime Shobox telecast.

Shields (4-0, two KO's) won the IBF and WBC titles by scoring a fifth-round TKO over previously undefeated Nikki Adler on August 4th in Detroit, MI.  Shields made her pro debut against another Beltway Boxer, Franchon Crews-Dezurn in November of 2016 and won a four-round unanimous decision.  In a June 2017 article that appeared in the Detroit Free Press, Shields said the following:

“I always tell my promoter (Salita Promotions) that I want the girls with the (zeroes) on their records like Tori Nelson, (World Boxing Council super middleweight champion) Nikki Adler and (WBC middleweight champion) Christina Hammer because I feel I have the skills to beat them."

The last time Nelson faced a boxer of Shields's magnitude was when she knocked out legendary women's champion Mia St. John in the second round in May of 2014 in Annandale, VA.

If the bout comes to fruition, it will be the first part of a big Beltway Boxing weekend because former three-time world champion Lamont Peterson of DC is scheduled to battle Errol Spence for Spence's IBF Welterweight championship on Saturday, January 13th at a location to be determined.  That bout will also be shown on Showtime.

Nelson Scores TKO In Ashburn Homecoming!

Undefeated Ashburn, VA super middleweight Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson scored a second-round TKO over Latashia Burton of Houma, LA in the main event of a Shabazz Brotherz card in front of a standing-room only crowd at the Silver Energy Group Arena in Ashburn.

Performing in front of her hometown crowd for the first time in her career, 11-time world champion Nelson went to work quickly, hammering Burton with solid left and right hands.  Burton gave little resistance to Nelson's onslaught.  After the second round ended, Burton appeared to fall ill, vomiting in her corner.  The ringside physician advised referee Michelle Myers to stop the contest.  Nelson is now 17-0-3, two KO's while Burton falls to 4-10.

In the co-feature, Bethesda, MD super flyweight Alexandru "Spartan" Marin won an eight-round unanimous decision over Juan Gabriel Medina of La Romana, Dominican Republic. Marin, a native of Romania, was able to exchange with Medina throughout the contest.  At one point in the contest, Marin appeared to drop to one knee after Medina landed a right hand.  However, referee Billy Johnson did not call a knockdown.  Seconds later, Marin landed a counter right hand that knocked Medina to the canvas.  Once Medina recovered, he stayed on his bicycle throughout, trying to avoid Marin's attack.  Marin cut Medina off in the corners and landed shots, however, he took some from his opponent as well.  Marin, who had former three-time world champion William Joppy as one of his trainers, was able to win by scores of 80-71, 79-72 and 80-72 to remain undefeated at 15-0, 10 KO's.  Medina has lost two straight and he is now 10-2, nine KO's.

Baltimore, MD welterweight prospect Malik "Iceman" Hawkins stopped Juan Jesus Rivera of Aguascalientes, Mexico after seven rounds of action.  Hawkins was able to knock down Rivera with the first right hand he threw.  The bout turned contentious in the middle rounds as both men landed some questionable shots.  Rivera lost a point in the fifth round for hitting Hawkins behind the head.  After the seventh round, Rivera could not continue to compete in the contest.  Hawkins's record rises to 12-0, nine KO's.  Rivera drops to 28-19, 18 KO's.

Baltimore-based super flyweight Tyrieshia "Lady Tiga" Douglas scored a eighth-round TKO over "The Baby-Faced Assassin" Crystal Hoy of Las Vegas, NV.  Douglas, a native of Washington, DC, scored a knockdown in the second round with an impressive three-punch combination ending with a right hand.  Hoy recovered from the knockdown and fought gamely in the bout but was unable to overcome Douglas's combination of speed and power.  Finally, Douglas was able to batter Hoy in the seventh and eighth rounds before referee Myers stopped the bout at 1:09 of the eighth.  Douglas, a five-time world champion, is now 13-1, six KO's.  Hoy, who returned to the ring for the first time since October of 2014, is now 5-8-4, two KO's.

Undefeated Ashburn lightweight Seth "Killer B" Billups won a workmanlike six-round unanimous decision over durable Lamont White of Washington, DC.  Billups was able to land shots with relative ease in the contest.  White, who has never been knocked out in a contest, wasn't going anywhere in this bout either.  However, he was unable to mount any sustained offense.  Billups won the bout by shutout across the board (60-54) and he is now 10-0, six KO's.  White falls to 1-11, one KO, one no contest.

In the curtain-raising contest, Baltimore heavyweight Hasim "Gold Blooded" Rahman, Jr. scored a first-round TKO over veteran James Jones of Nashville, TN.  Rahman had an easy time in the contest as he knocked down Jones three times before referee Johnson stopped the bout at 2:21.  Rahman is now 3-0 with all three wins by knockout in the first round.  Jones is 4-12, three KO's.

The Ronald Ellis-Taneal Goyco bout was a last-minute scratch due to weight issues.  Brian Dillon served as matchmaker for the card and the ring announcer was Henry "Discombobulating" Jones.

Here is the Post-Fight Wrap-Up show I recorded after the card:

Listen to "BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show On November 4th Card" on Spreaker.

Weights From Ashburn, VA!

Here is the scale watch for the Shabazz Brothers card at the Silver Eagle Group Arena in Ashburn, VA:

Tori Nelson 164 vs. Latashia Burton 157

Tyrieshia Douglas 114 vs. Crystal Hoy 114

Malik Hawkins 145 vs. Juan Jesus Rivera 147

Seth Billups 133 vs. Lamont White 135

Hasim Rahman, Jr. 229 vs. James Jones (will weigh-in later today)

Alexandru Marin 115 vs. Juan Medina 115

Ronald Ellis 166 vs. Taneal Goyco 170

The card is scheduled to get underway at 7 PM ET.  Check the BATB Pages on Spreaker.com and Iheartradio.com as well as the Boxing Along The Beltway Google App For Android for live blow-by-blow coverage.

Bouts Added To November 4th Ashburn Card; Other Locals Competing On Saturday!

A number of updates to Saturday, November 4th cards involving Beltway Boxers in the area and throughout the country.

First, bouts have been added to the Shabazz Brothers card at the Silver Eagle Group Arena in Ashburn, VA.  Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson now has an opponent for the main event on the card.  Nelson (16-0-3, one KO) will battle Latashia Burton of Houma, LA in a contest scheduled for 10 rounds.  Nelson has not fought since winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Alicia Napoleon on December 10th in Springfield, VA.  Burton (4-9) looks to bounce back from a first-round stoppage against Franchon Crews-Dezurn on March 25th in Washington, DC.

Also on the card, Bronx, NY super lightweight Marcos Suarez (5-0-1, one KO) will face veteran Anthony Dave of Canton, OH (1-17-1) in a four-round contest.  Suarez fights for the first time since winning a four-round unanimous decision over Sidney Maccow in May of 2015 in Queens, NY.  Dave lost by second-round TKO to Elijah Pierce on April 1 in Jonesboro, GA.

The Boxing Along The Beltway Google App For Android is preparing to call the action on that card beginning approximately 6:55 PM ET.

Around the country, Frederick, MD light heavyweight Larry "Hitman" Pryor will be in a six-round bout against undefeated Mike Hilton of Trenton, NJ at the Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.  Pryor (10-17, five KO's) lost a six-round unanimous decision to Eddy Lacrosse in Saint-Nazaire, France.  Hilton (7-0, six KO's) faces a Beltway Boxer for the second straight time, having scored a six-round unanimous decision to Willis Lockett on August 5 at the Claridge.

In Homestead, PA, super middleweight Eric "The Immortal" Govan will be in a four-round contest against Leemont Johnson of Pittsburgh, PA at the Carnegie Music Hall.  Govan (6-2, three KO's) will try to build on a six-round unanimous decision victory over Brandon Pennington on May 13 in Norfolk, VA.  Johnson (4-0, three KO's) won a four-round unanimous decision over Marcus Neal in Washington, PA.

Also, Capitol Heights, MD lightweight Keeshawn Williams will make his professional debut against fellow debuting boxer Christian Sales at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.  Williams was a multi-time regional Golden Gloves champion and participated in the 2016 Olympic Trials.

New Boxing League To Make Presentation November 4 In DC!

Sometimes as boxing fans, we tend to forget that boxing is also known as "prizefighting."  Many people, at different times, have tried to devise ways for boxers to make more money.

The newest endeavor is called Money Round Boxing, a new tournament-style league intended to make more money for competitors who get involved.  League CEO Howard J. Sanford will be in DC to give a free presentation on how the world-wide league will work.

The presentation will be held on Saturday, November 4th at Tony's Gym, located at 1216 Mt. Olivet Road in Northeast DC and will begin at noon.  There will be live demonstrations and explanations of the rules and regulations of the league, which hopes to be in full operation early in 2018.