'Awesome April' Schedule Is Highlighted By World Title Contests!

In what tends to be an annual event on the blog, the 2018 edition of the "Awesome April of Beltway Boxing" has a number of big bouts for Beltway Boxers including some world title bouts.  Unfortunately, unlike previous years, there are no pro cards scheduled locally.  Here is the scheduled calendar of bouts for April (bouts may change, be added or be cancelled without notice):

Friday, April 6th, 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- Three Beltway Boxers are slated to be on this card.  Undefeated Washington, DC featherweight Marcus "Dreamcrusher" Bates will be in an eight-round contest against equally undefeated Raeese Aleem of Las Vegas, NV.  Bates (8-0-1, seven KO's) makes his third straight appearance at the 2300 Arena, coming off a six-round knockout victory over Antonio Rodriguez on December 1. Aleem (10-0, five KO's) last fought in August of 2016 when he stopped DeWayne Wisdom in the fourth round in Indianapolis, IN.  This will be the first eight-round bout for both men.

Owings Mills, MD heavyweight Colby Madison will take on Guillermo Del Rio of South Houston, TX in a four-round encounter.  Madison (6-0-1, four KO's) won a six-round unanimous decision over Dante Selby in his last outing on February 13th in Bethlehem, PA.  Del Rio (2-2, two KO's) returns to the ring for the first time since March of 2017 when he lost a six-round unanimous decision to Francisco Rivas in Morelos, Mexico.

Also, Forestville, MD junior lightweight Evgueny Metchenov looks to bounce back from his first pro loss when he battles undefeated Joshafat Ortiz of Reading, PA by way of Ponce, Puerto Rico in a four-round bout.  Metchenov, originally from Sofia, Bulgaria (0-1) lost his pro debut on March 30th to Jahmal Dyer by four-round split decision in Glen Burnie, MD.  Ortiz (2-0, one KO) won a four-round unanimous decision over Sidell Blocker on August 19th in Atlantic City, NJ.

Saturday, April 7th, Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD -- The Washington Golden Gloves finals begin at 7:30 PM ET.  If you can't be there, join the live blow-by-blow podcast of the card on the Boxing Along The Beltway Google App For Android beginning at 7:25 PM ET.

Saturday, April 7th, Hard Rock Hotel And Casino, Las Vegas, NV -- Undefeated IBF Junior Middleweight champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd of Accokeek, MD puts his title on the line in a unification bout against WBA/IBO champion "The American Dream" Erislandy Lara of Houston, TX by way of Guantanamo, Cuba.  Both men fought their last bouts and defended their titles on October 14th in Brooklyn, NY.  Hurd (21-0, 15 KO's) scored a 10th-round stoppage of former world champion Austin Trout while Lara (25-2-2, 14 KO's) won a 12-round unanimous decision over Terrell Gausha.  The bout will be televised by Showtime.

Saturday, April 7th, Eko Hotel Convention Center, Lagos, Nigeria -- Former WBO Super Lightweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley of Washington, DC battles Jesus "Jibarito" Ortega of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico in a 12-round lightweight contest.  No word on any title on the line.  Corley (50-29-1, 28 KO's) looks to bounce back from his eight-round unanimous decision loss to Hank Lundy on February 10th in Philadelphia, PA.  Ortega (15-2, 10 KO's) is riding an 11-bout winning streak including a second-round knockout of Francisco Rodriguez on November 10th in Hermosillo.

Saturday, April 7th, Municipal Auditorium, Sarasota, FL -- Seat Pleasant, MD featherweight James "Too Slick" Early returns to action in a six-round contest against undefeated Joshua Draughter of New Orleans, LA.  Early (2-2) will look to break a two-bout losing streak.  Early lost a four-round unanimous decision to Juan Sanchez on November 21st in Bethlehem, PA.  Draughter (3-0, one KO) scored a first-round TKO in his last outing over the debuting Kwatevion Nijee Islom on February 23rd in Charlotte, NC.

Friday, April 13th, Sands Bethlehem Events Center, Bethlehem, PA -- Crofton, MD cruiserweight Luther "Lights Out" Smith will be in his first eight-round bout when he takes on Elvin "Koko" Sanchez of Paterson, NJ.  Smith (9-2, eight KO's) looks to bounce back from his four-round split decision loss to Lamont Capers on November 30th in Oxon Hill, MD.  Sanchez (8-3-1, six KO's) also competes in an eight-rounder for the first time and looks to build on a second-round TKO over Khalib Whitmore on August 11th in Philadelphia.  Sanchez will face a Beltway Boxer for the second time in his career.  Sanchez scored a third-round TKO over previously undefeated Venroy July in February of 2013 in Washington, DC.

Saturday, April 14th, Masonic Temple, Norfolk VA -- Baltimore super featherweight Mack "Papi" Allison IV will be a six-round contest against an opponent to be determined on this Ponytail Promotions card.  Allison (7-1-1, seven KO's) will look to bounce back from his first pro loss as he dropped a six-round unanimous decision to Reggie Barnett, Jr. on the last card at the Masonic Temple on December ninth.

Saturday, April 21st, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY -- Former IBF Super Featherweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis of Baltimore looks for his second world title when he battles former WBA Featherweight titleholder Jesus Cuellar of Buenos Aires, Argentina for the vacant WBA Super Featherweight championship.  Davis (19-0, 18 KO's) won his last bout, an eighth-round KO over Francisco Fonseca on August 26th in Las Vegas.  However, Davis was stripped of his IBF crown for missing weight.  Cuellar (28-2, 21 KO's) will try to bounce back from losing his WBA title in a 12-round split decision loss to Abner Mares in December of 2016 in Los Angeles, CA.  The bout will be shown on Showtime.

Saturday, April 28th, Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA -- Laurel, MD super middleweight Demond "D'Best At It" Nicholson will take on Jesse "Hard Work" Hart of Philadelphia in a 10-round bout that will be nationally televised by ESPN.  Nicholson (18-2-1, 17 KO's) scored a bounce-back second-round TKO victory over Josue Obando on August 25th in Miami, OK.  This will be Nicholson's first 10-round encounter.  Hart (23-1, 19 KO's) also got back on the winning track after his first loss in his first world title bout in September by scoring a first-round TKO over Thomas Awimbono on February 3rd in Corpus Christi, TX.

We are also hearing that Baltimore, MD boxer Tyrieshia "Lady Tiga" Douglas (13-1, six KO's) has a world title bout scheduled in Mexico on April 28th.  When that is official, we will add that bout to this schedule.