More Beltway Bouts Coming In June!

As we said earlier, there are a number of Beltway Boxers that will be competing in June.  Here are some more bouts scheduled for the sixth month of the year:

Saturday, June 2 -- Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ.  Undefeated Bowie, MD super lightweight Greg "The Sharpshooter" Outlaw battles Dan Murphy of Lanoka Harbor, NJ in a six-round encounter.  Outlaw (4-0, one KO) competes for the first time since winning a six-round unanimous decision over Sidney Maccow on September 9th in Queens, NY.  Murphy (3-1) had a no-decision in his last outing on March 10 at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City when his opponent suffered a shoulder injury in the first round.

Friday, June 8 -- Paramount Theatre, Huntington, NY.  Haymarket, VA super lightweight Juan De La Cruz Rodriguez will be in a six-round bout against John Hernandez of Huntington.  Rodriguez (8-8-1, six KO's) makes his second straight trip to the Paramount after suffering a fifth-round TKO against Daniel Gonzalez on March 16th.  Hernandez (8-3, one KO) will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak.  

Saturday, June 9 -- Kings Theatre, Brooklyn, NY.  Capitol Heights, MD bantamweight Thomas "KO" Snow will face undefeated Duke "The Baby-Faced Terminator" Micah of Accra, Ghana in a 10-round contest for Micah's WBC International Bantamweight title. Snow (19-3, 12 KO's) last fought on October 14th and won a six-round unanimous decision over Stephon McIntyre in Springfield, VA.  Micah (21-0, 18 KO's) makes the second defense of his title that he won in March of 2017.  Micah's first defense saw him win a 10-round majority decision over Jose Santos Gonzalez on November 18th in Queens, NY.

Saturday, June 9-- Fitz Casino and Hotel, Tunica, MS.  Baltimore, MD cruiserweight "Slick" Nick Kisner returns in a six-rounder against Jay Williams of West Monroe, LA.  Kisner (20-4-1, six KO's) comes off a 10-round unanimous decision over Brian Holstein on March 3rd in Columbus, OH.  Williams (4-8) has not fought since December of 2016 when he won a six-round split decision over Manjaro Hills in Baton Rouge, LA.

Saturday, June 16 -- The Coliseum, St. Petersburg, FL.  Washington, DC lightweight Jordan "Da Kidd" Peters will be in a six-round bout against Ricky Tomlinson of Thonotasassa, FL.  Peters (2-2-1, two KO's) will look to break a two-bout losing streak that includes a second-round TKO loss to Joshafat Ortiz on May 11th in Philadelphia, PA.  Tomlinson (6-3-2, two KO's) will face a Beltway Boxer for the second straight time.  Tomlinson won a four-round unanimous decision over Ernest Hall on March 3rd in Clearwater, FL.

Saturday, June 30 -- Center Stage @ NoDa, Charlotte, NC.  Baltimore, MD middleweight Maxell "The General" Taylor returns to the ring after an almost four-year absence to participate in a four-round bout against an opponent to be determined.  Taylor (18-10-1, eight KO's) has not fought since losing by first-round TKO to Joe Smith, Jr. in December of 2014 in Huntington, NY.

As always, these bouts are subject to change without notice.  If they change, we will let you know.

Simpson Earns Silver At Continental Championships!

Baltimore, MD middleweight Lorenzo Simpson earned a silver medal at the 2018 Youth Continental Championships in Colorado Springs, CO on Saturday.

Simpson lost his championship bout to Keno Machado of Brazil by a unanimous decision.  Machado used a solid height advantage to help gain the victory.  This was Simpson's second international tournament.

Simpson Advances To Youth Continental Championships Final!

Middleweight Lorenzo Simpson of Baltimore, MD has advanced to the finals of the 2018 Youth Continental Championships.

Simpson won a unanimous decision over Mohammad Zawadi of Canada during Thursday's semifinals.  Simpson vies for the gold medal on Saturday when he faces Keno Machado of Brazil.

The event has been streamed live on YouTube all week.  You can watch the finals for free beginning at 8 PM ET.

Frank Gilbert Memorial Services Announced!

The memorial services for Loch Raven Gym boxing trainer and Ring 101 President Frank Gilbert, who passed away on March 12th have been announced.

The services will be held on Saturday, June 2nd at noon at the American Legion Hall located at 8666 Silver Lake Drive in Perry Hall, MD.

Simpson Wins First Bout At Continental Championships!

Baltimore, MD middleweight Lorenzo Simpson won his first bout in the 2018 Youth Continental Championships at the Hotel Elegante in Colorado Springs, CO.

Simpson won his quarterfinal contest by unanimous decision over Renso Folleco of Ecuador.  Throughout the contest, Simpson was able to land his right jab on a regular basis and followed that up with good left hooks to the head.

Simpson will compete in the semifinals against Mohammed Zawadi of Canada who received a quarterfinal bye.

Simpson Competes At Youth Continental Championships Tournament In Colorado!

Best wishes to Baltimore, MD amateur middleweight Lorenzo Simpson who begins competition in the Youth Continental Championships on Tuesday at the Hotel Elegante in Colorado Springs, CO.

Simpson, who won a silver medal at an international tournament in Germany in 2017, makes his return to the international stage.  Simpson will take on Renso Folleco of Ecuador in today's session.

Tiara Brown Signs With DiBella Entertainment!

Oxon Hill, MD lightweight "The Dark Menace" Tiara Brown has announced that she has signed a promotional contract with DiBella Entertainment.

At the announcement ceremony held at the Kenilworth Recreation Center in Washington, DC., Brown said her contract will be a three-year deal with a scheduled three bouts per year.

"Words cannot express how happy I am to sign with Dibella Entertainment," Brown said during the ceremony. "All my career I've not only dreamed of the day that I would be a signed fighter, but I trained hard and kept the faith so my dream could become a reality."

Brown, a native of Fort Myers, FL, had a stellar amateur career that was highlighted by two gold medals at the World Championships and two trips to the Olympic Trials.  Brown is 4-0 with two knockouts as a pro. Brown leads a very busy life as she also holds a full-time job as a police officer with the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department.  According to DiBella Entertainment chair Lou DiBella, Brown's life as a boxer and police officer was a big reason why he wanted to sign Brown under contract.

"I believe in Tiara as a fighter and I appreciate what she brings in and out of the ring and especially as a public servant/police officer,"  DiBella said in a statement.

DiBella Entertainment has a number of female boxers under contract, including Heather Hardy, Alicia Napoleon, Shelly Vincent and Amanda Serrano.  Brown will also join two other Beltway Boxers --Alantez Fox and Demond Nicholson -- under the DiBella banner.

Brown will compete in her final bout as a free agent on Saturday, June 30th at the Sphinx Club in Washington, DC when she will headline the card against Carla Torres of Cleveland, OH.

BATB talked to Brown after the big announcement.

Listen to "Tiara Brown Signs With DiBella Entertainment" on Spreaker. 

June Brings Big Bouts!

As we begin to focus on June, we find there will be four cards that will highlight the month and, happily, three of the cards will be in the Beltway.

Let's start with Saturday, June 16 where there will be a card promoted by returning promotional organizations Jeter Promotions and GQ Promotions at a new location for the Beltway -- The Gardens Ice House located at 13800 Old Gunpowder Rd in Laurel, MD.  The main event on the card will feature the "GQ" in GQ Promotions, undefeated Montgomery Village, MD welterweight Gerome Quigley who will be in the biggest bout of his career when he battles Raymond "Tito" Serrano of Philadelphia, PA in a 10-round contest for two regional titles -- the vacant USBA Welterweight championship and the vacant WBC USNBC Welterweight title.

Quigley (18-0, 16 KO's) last fought on August 26 when he scored a second-round TKO over Oscar Padilla in Neu-lensberg, Germany.  The win gained Quigley the German version on the WBU Welterweight title, the fourth regional title that Quigley has won in his career.  Serrano (24-5, 10 KO's) looks to bounce back from a loss in his last bout to another Beltway Boxer, Malik Hawkins, on March 30th in Philadelphia.  Serrano lost a 10-round unanimous decision in a contest for the WBA-USA Welterweight title.

A number of Beltway Boxers are slated to appear on the card including Clinton, MD super featherweight Cobia "The Soldier" Breedy (11-0, four KO's) who just won a six-round unanimous decision over Christopher Martin on May 19th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

Also scheduled for the card are middleweight Francisco "The Cisco Kid" Bustos of Rockville, MD (6-0, four KO's), Greenbelt, MD cruiserweight "The Vanilla Gorilla" Sam Crossed (6-0, four KO's),  Fort Washington, MD super middleweight "Platinum Power" Leo Alcanera (2-0), Laurel, MD lightweight Dante Cox (1-0), Oxon Hill, MD welterweight Rashad "Code Blue" Kilpatrick (1-0, one KO), Gaithersburg, MD welterweight Evgueny Metchenov (0-2) and the debuting Marlon Bolen, a welterweight from Clinton, MD.

On Friday, June 22nd, Ashburn, VA's Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson returns to the ring in a 10-round contest against undefeated middleweight Christina Hammer of Dortmund, Germany for Hammer's WBC and WBO Middleweight titles at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, MI.  The bout is scheduled to be televised on Showtime.

Nelson (17-1-3, two KO's) an 12-time former world champion, will try to bounce back from her first loss, a 10-round unanimous decision to Claressa Shields on January 12th in Verona, NY.  Hammer (22-0, 10 KO's) is coming off a fourth-round TKO over Gifty Ankrau on November 4th in Munich, Germany.  This will be Hammer's 12th defense of the WBO title and her first defense of the WBC championship.  Hammer is also the WBO Super Middleweight champion.

This card will be part of an all-female middleweight championship doubleheader.  The main event will feature Shields against Hanna Gabriels in a bout for the vacant WBA and IBF versions of the title.

Also on the card will be Baltimore, MD super middleweight Franchon Crews Dezurn who will be in a six-round contest against an opponent to be determined.  Dezurn (3-1, one KO) last fought on the same card as Nelson on January 12th and won a six-round unanimous decision over Tiffany Woodard.

The action returns to the Beltway on Friday, June 29th when Shabazz Brothers Promotions brings a card to Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.  The main event will be a 10-round contest between flyweights Tyrieshia "Lady Tiga" Douglas of Baltimore, MD and Helen "Iron Lady" Joseph of New Haven, CT by way of Nigeria.  This bout was originally scheduled for May 11th in Philadelphia.

Douglas (13-1, six KO's) last fought on November 4th and scored an eighth-round TKO over Crystal Hoy in Ashburn, VA.  Joseph (15-3-1, 10 KO's) has scored three straight second-round knockouts in her last three contests.

Other boxers scheduled to compete on the card include Baltimore featherweight Mack "Papi" Allison IV (7-1-1, seven KO's),  Columbia, MD super middleweight Ashton "The Goon" Sykes (1-1) as well as the Rahman Family -- heavyweight Hasim "Goldblooded" Rahman, Jr. (4-0, three KO's), super middleweight Sharif "C3" Rahman (2-0, two KO's) and their cousin, Mushin Cason, who is a cruiserweight making his pro debut.

The next night, Saturday, June 30th, there will be a Putney Promotions card at the Sphinx Club in Washington, DC. Scheduled to appear in the main event is Oxon Hill, MD lightweight "The Dark Menace" Tiara Brown who will be in a bout against Carla Torres of Cleveland, OH by way of Puerto Rico.  Brown (4-0, two KO's) comes off a four-round unanimous decision win over Natalie King on November 18th at the Merrick Recreation Center in DC.  Torres (5-5) last fought in March of 2017 and lost an eight-round unanimous decision to Sandy Tsagouris in Brampton, Canada.

BATB will have updates on all of these cards and other bouts featuring Beltway Boxers as they become available.

Russell, Jr. and Diaz Jr. Speak To The Press!

Both Gary Russell, Jr. and Joseph Diaz, Jr. spoke to the press after their quality contest at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

First, Diaz:

Listen to "Jo Jo Diaz Press Conference" on Spreaker.

Now, Russell:

Listen to "Gary Russell Jr Press Conference" on Spreaker. 

Russell Jr. Defends Title With Unanimous Decision!

(Photo by Mike Greenhill)

Capitol Heights, MD's "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. successfully defended his WBC Featherweight Championship with a unanimous decision over a very game and very tough Joseph "Jo Jo" Diaz, Jr. of South El Monte,  CA in front of a packed and partisan crowd at MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

Early on, Russell landed extremely quick flurries and was able to use his hand and foot speed to his advantage.

In the third round, Diaz started to score with wicked body shots with his right hand.  Diaz seemed to be in control while Russell was suffering from an injured hand that may have hurt in that round.

As the bout reached the midway point, Russell's output increased as he made adjustments with his positioning and Diaz could not use his right hand body shot as effectively.  Russell landed effective punches that gave the advantage back to him.

Diaz ended the bout with a solid 12th round but he did not do enough to gain the victory.  Dave Braslow saw the bout 115-113 while judges Dave Moretti and Nathan Palmer scored the contest 117-111.

Russell makes the third defense of his title and is 29-1, 17 KO's.  Diaz loses for the first time in his pro career and he is 26-1, 14 KO's.

Aleem Wins By Sixth Round Stoppage!

Richmond, VA super middleweight " The Chosen One " Immanuwel Aleem won by six-round stoppage over Juan de Angel of Barranquilla, Colombia.

Aleem landed good punches on de Angel in the bout.  De Angel was to land shots occasionally but was never able to hurt Aleem.  Eventually, de Angel stayed in his corner and did not come out for the seventh round.

Aleem is now 18-1-1, 11 KO's. De Angel drops to 20-9-1, 18 KO's.

Russell Makes Short Work Of Rodriguez!

Junior welterweight Antuanne Russell made short work of Wilmer Rodriguez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic scoring a first-round TKO.

Russell scored two knockdowns, one with the right hand and one using a left-right combination.  The bout would be stopped at 2:54 of the first.

Russell remains perfect at 6-0, six KO's while Rodriguez falls to 9-3, seven KO's.

Breedy Wins Unanimous Decision!

Clinton, MD super featherweight Cobia " The Soldier " Breedy won by six-round unanimous decision over Christopher Martin of Chula Vista, CA.

Breedy was impressive offensively as he kept Martin continually off balance with his aggressiveness.  Breedy would win by shutout (60-54) across the board to raise his record to 11-0, four KO's. Martin is now 30-10-3, 10 KO's.

Quarles, Antonio Russell Win Bouts By Knockout!

Brandon Quarles and Antonio Russell have won their bouts by fifth-round TKO tonight at the MGM National Harbor Casino.

Both men wore down their opponents to gain the victories. Quarles stopped Fidel Monterrosa of Barranquilla, Colombia by wearing him down throughout the bout.  Quarles, who has dropped down to super welterweight, landed solid shots until referee Dave Braslow stopped the bout at 2:01 of the fifth.

Quarles is now 19-4-1, 10 KO's.

Russell delivered a pummeling to Jonathan Lecona of Mexico City, Mexico, knocking him down in the first, fourth and early in the fifth before referee Bill Clancy halted the bout at 16 seconds of the fifth.  Russell is 11-0, nine KO's.  Lecona falls to 17-20-4, six KO's.

Simmons Wins At End Of One!

Reuben Simmons has won his bout at the end of the first round.  Simmons's opponent Ayron Davis, could not answer the bell for the second round.  Simmons pummeled Davis during the latter stages of the round. 

Simmons is now 3-0, one KO while Davis is 0-2.

Hello From MGM National Harbor Casino!

Hi everyone from the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD for the TGB Promotions / Golden Boy Promotions card.  The first bout should begin shortly.  It's a battle of Virginia super middleweights as Reuben Simmons of Lynchburg, VA (2-0, one KO) will take on Ayron Davis of Wytheville, VA (0-1) in a four-rounder.

We'll be blogging throughout the evening.  You should also download the free Boxing Along The Beltway Google App For Android or suscribe to the BATB pages on Spreaker.com or Iheartradio.com to hear the intermission report and Post-Fight Wrap-Up show live!

Sullivan Advances To Golden Gloves Finals!

Portsmouth, VA 141-pounder Nick Sullivan is the DC Region's only hope for a national Golden Glove championship.  On Friday evening at the Ralston Arena in Omaha, NB, Sullivan won a 3-2 decision over Francois Scarboro of the Tri-State Region.  Sullivan will face Adrian Benton of Cincinnati in Saturday's championship bout.

Baltimore, MD's Malik Titus lost his semi-final bout in the 201+-pound division by a 3-2 score to Sonny Conto of Pennsylvania.

Weights From MGM National Harbor Casino!

Here is the scale watch for the TGB Promotions/Golden Boy Promotions card at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD:

Gary Russell, Jr. 125 1/2 vs. Joseph Diaz, Jr. 126
(WBC Featherweight Championship)

Cobia Breedy 128 vs. Christopher Martin 128.4

Immanuwel Aleem 163.6 vs. Juan De Angel 169.4

Antonio Russell 118.6 vs. Jonathan Lecona 119.2

Brandon Quarles 157.8 vs. Fidel Monterrosa 160.6

Antuanne Russell 137.2 vs. Wilmer Rodriguez 142.8

Reuben Simmons 166.8 vs. Ayron Davis 172.6

The card will begin at 6:30 PM ET with the main event starting at 10:05 PM.

Tough Night For Locals At National Golden Gloves!

As the National Golden Gloves approaches the semi-finals at Ralston Arena in Omaha, NB, the road has become difficult for boxers from the DC Region.  There are now only two locals remaining in the competition.

Nick Sullivan of Portsmouth, VA won his quarter-final contest at 141 pounds, defeating Bryan Sanchez of Nevada by a 3-2 score.  Also, Baltimore, MD's Malik Titus won a 3-2 decision over Antonio Mireles of Iowa at 201+ pounds.

In Friday's semifinals, Sullivan will battle Francois Scarboro of the Tri-State region while Titus will take on Sonny Cotto of Pennsylvania, who defeated the top-seeded boxer in the bracket earlier in the week.

The rest of the local boxers had a tough time in Thursday's quarterfinals.  Amelia Moore of Alexandria, VA will not get an opportunity to win a second straight National Golden Gloves title.  Moore lost her bout at 141 pounds by a medical walkover to Kimberly Carlson of Chicago. Moore later posted on Facebook that she has been battling a virus throughout the week and had a low-grade fever so she pulled out of her bout.

Also, Tommy Avelar of Germantown, MD lost a 3-2 decision to Oscar Perez of Texas at 132 pounds.  .  Kelvin Davis lost a 3-2 decision to Marcus Davidson of Kansas City at 152 pounds.  Also, Jayda Davis (no relation to Kelvin) also lost a 3-2 decision to Asia Smith of Cleveland at 125 pounds.

Final Quotes From Russell Jr., Diaz Prior To Saturday's Bout!

Gary Russell, Jr. and Joseph Diaz, Jr. made their final statements prior to Saturday's main event battle at MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD on Thursday.

Both men were on stage alongside their fathers, who are also their trainers and they all had a lot to say.

GARY RUSSELL JR.

"We're 120 percent ready for fight night. We're hungry. As long as I have this strap, nobody is walking in here and taking it. I know Diaz is going to bring his best to the table, but we're ready. The strap is staying at home.

"Me and my little brothers Gary Antuanne and Gary Antonio are on the undercard and they're going to show the work they've been doing. Our dad's birthday is the day after the fight so you know we have to make it special for him.

"It's cool that both me and 'JoJo' are trained by our fathers. Because at the end of the day, when you look at your coach, that's your last line of defense. When everything else goes wrong, you have to go the corner. You have to have a level of trust and belief in your corner, so who better to have than a parent there?

"It's difficult for me to know if 'JoJo' is my toughest opponent since Vasyl Lomachenko because I never train with a lot of worry about my opponents. I think that the biggest thing is preparing myself to the best of my ability and being the best that I can possibly be.

"I believe in my ability to make the necessary adjustments, no matter what my opponent brings to the ring. If he wants to come in and box, we are equally as comfortable boxing long ranged as we are making the fight rugged. In order to be great at anything, you have to have a level of versatility. That's something I bring to the table that a lot of fighters don't bring.

"Diaz worked his way up the ranks to get this fight. He did everything you have to do to get in position to fight for a world title. He's already mentioned that I'm the best fighter in the division and he knows that all the other champions in the division are afraid to step up and compete against me.

"Any fighter who has two months or more to prepare for one opponent is definitely dangerous. We never overlook anyone. I believe in my hand speed, my punching power, my ring generalship and in my ability to make adjustments.

"If we can get through this bout, I would love to get in the ring and unify with any of the other featherweight champions. The timing is perfect right now for any of these unification fights. If they still don't want it, I'm willing to move up in weight to meet any of the guys who have a name. It's time to make it happen.

"I take my hat off to him and to his team for having the guts to step into the ring. There are only certain people who can be made for this sport and it speaks volumes about him as an individual. I don't expect anything less than a worthy opponent.

"It's a pleasure being here for this fight right near my hometown. We had a very long training camp and everything is feeling good heading into the fight."

JOSEPH DIAZ JR.

"It's right here and around the corner. I'm very excited for the moment to be here. I've been waiting for this my whole entire life and I'm not going to take anything for granted. I trained extremely hard for this fight.

"I absolutely think Gary is overlooking me. I think he underestimated me. I've trained for this my whole entire life. This opportunity has been presented to me by my hard work and it's really the opportunity of a lifetime. I can't wait to show everybody my skills and what I'm truly about.

"It's all about timing. Gary has the fastest hands in boxing but we've watched a lot of tape and we see a lot of flaws. Every fighter has flaws. We're just going to capitalize on what we see and take full advantage on Saturday night.

"I don't think Gary having not fought since last year will be any kind of advantage. I want Gary Russell Jr. to be at his best come fight night. I know that I'm at my best and the best man should win on fight night. There shouldn't be any excuses after this fight and after I win the title.

"I believe after I win this title on Saturday night that I'll be on top of the throne in the featherweight division. Hopefully I can get some big fights soon after that.

"I'm prepared for everything he's going to offer. He's going to come out and box a little bit and look to use his jab, create angles and use his speed to keep me out of range. It's going to come to the point where he's not going to want to move as much and he'll starting fighting on the inside. That's where I want to be. We're going to deliver some great blows and may the best man win.

"I know what Gary Russell Jr. brings to the table. I know he's the toughest fighter in the division but I'm ready to go out there and bring back the WBC title. I'm ready to fight the best and unify all the titles.

"It's going to be fireworks on Saturday night. I've had a perfect training camp and I'm on weight. Everything feels great and I can't wait to step into the ring.

"I'm ready for anything. If it stops early or goes the distance, I'm going to keep pushing each round more than the last.

"It would mean everything to win this world title. Not just for myself, but for my whole family. All the hard work and struggles that we've been through, it's finally here. I'm going to do everything I can to come out victorious. Our lives are going to change and I'm going to inspire the youth and the people around me. I want people to know that if you put your mind to it, anything is possible."

GARY RUSSELL SR., Russell's Father & Trainer

"The reason for the inactivity is just politics. We always have the intention on fighting but we want to find the best opponent for Gary. 'JoJo' is the mandatory so we're going to fight him and after we get this win, we're looking at Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Carl Frampton. We want to unify.

"Before Gary retires from the sport, he'll move up and do whatever it takes to get a rematch with Lomachenko.

"We like to say that this is just Gary's occupation. He gets paid to fight and he's able to support his family because of that. All of the accolades don't really mean anything to him or to us. The WBC belt is definitely the most prestigious, but like Gary said, we're not really into the little trinkets. He would take it to the pawn shop if he could. We're not really into those type of accolades. We just want to conduct ourselves as gentlemen, set an example and get paid."

JOSEPH DIAZ SR., Diaz's Father & Trainer

"It's a blessing to be in this position. I really believe that god didn't bring us this far only to bring us this far. I really think the journey is going to continue. I'm very proud of my son. He has worked really hard and has shown a lot of will and determination. It means the world to me that he's pursuing his career and is doing something that he loves doing.

"It's exciting to finally have a fight on the east coast. It's beautiful out here. Joseph has been wanting to fight out here and now he has that opportunity to meet some of the fans he has out here that he hasn't had the chance to meet.

"Russell Jr. is a fast fighter. He's skilled and he's smart in there. We've been working on Joseph's timing. Joseph's a little deceiving because he kind of moves a little slow but he's actually much faster than people think he is. The speed of Russell doesn't affect us at all. Joseph has sparred and fought fast fighters especially in the amateurs.

"The plan is to go in there and beat Gary Russell up. And we're hoping this win sets up bigger and better fights with the Santa Cruz and the Selby's of the world. All of the champions. We're hoping to get some of those opportunities because it will bring a lot of attention to the boxing world. Joseph will be a very good ambassador for the sport of boxing."

The card begins at 6:30 PM ET and the main event will be at 10:05 PM.

Locals Continue to Progress At National Golden Gloves!

Four DC Region boxers moved into the next round of the National Golden Gloves championships after Wednesday's action at Ralston Arena in Omaha, NB.

At 132 Pounds, Germantown, MD's Tommy Avelar defeated Mitchell Lecounte of Iowa by a 5-0 score.  Nick Sullivan of Portsmouth, VA won his bout in the 140-pound division by a 5-0 decision over Devarius McClendon of Knoxville.

Kelvin Davis of Norfolk, VA continued to advance in the 152-pound division, winning his bout over Josnel Castro of the New England region.  Also, Baltimore, MD's Malik Titus won his bout at 201+ Pounds, defeating Stanley Galloway of the Colorado-New Mexico Region by a 4-1 score.

A number of locals did not advance to the next round.  Kevon Cooke of Washington, DC lost his bout at 108 Pounds by a 5-0 score to Timothy Jarman of St. Louis.  Oscar Morales of DC dropped a 5-0 decision at 114 Pounds to Omar Brown of Michigan.

At 123 Pounds, DC's Dwayne Holmes lost by a close 3-2 score to Noah Contreras of Nevada while Thomas Mottinger of Salisbury, MD lost a 5-0 decision to Deangelo Leachman of Detroit at 201 pounds.

The National Golden Gloves continues until Sunday, May 20th.

Changes On Russell, Jr.-Diaz Jr. Undercard!

There seems to be a number of changes and additions to the undercard of the Gary Russell, Jr.-Joseph Diaz, Jr. bout that will take place on Saturday, May 19th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

Richmond, VA middleweight "The Chosen One" Immanuwel Aleem now has an opponent in veteran Juan De Angel of Barranquilla, Colombia.  The bout is scheduled for 10-rounds.  Aleem (17-1-1, 10 KO's) looks to bounce back from his third-round TKO loss to Hugo Centeno, Jr. on August 25th in Miami, OK.  De Angel (20-8-1, 18 KO's) is looking to break a three-bout losing streak which includes losses to former world champion Austin Trout (an eight-round unanimous decision on February 17th in El Paso, TX) and Antoine Douglas (a fourth-round TKO on July 14th in Miami, OK)

One of the changes in the card is that it looks like the bout for Aleem's brother, Moshea, has now been scratched.

Undefeated Clinton, MD featherweight Cobia "The Soldier" Breedy will battle Christopher Martin of Chula Vista, CA in an eight-round encounter.  Breedy (10-0, four KO's) has not fought since his last bout almost a year ago (May 20th) at the MGM National Harbor when he defeated Wilfredo Garriga by six-round unanimous decision.  Martin (30-9-3, 10 KO's) looks to bounce back from a second-round TKO loss to Tramaine Williams on June 17th in Las Vegas, NV.

As far as Gary Russell, Jr.'s brothers Antonio and Antuanne are concerned, Antuanne's contest is still intact.  Antuanne (5-0, five KO's) will take on Wilmer Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic (9-2, seven KO's) in an eight-round super lightweight bout.  However, the opponent for Antonio (10-0, eight KO's) has changed.  Antonio will face Jonathan Lecona "Zurdo" Ramos of Distrito Federal, Mexico in a bout that has been scaled back to six rounds.  Ramos (17-20-4, six KO's) lost a six-round unanimous decision to Dagoberto Aguero on March 24th in Miami, FL.

Alexandria, VA super welterweight Brandon "Bulldog" Quarles (18-4-1, nine KO's) will be in a six-round contest against Fidel Monterrosa Munoz of Ecatepec, Mexico by way of Colombia.  Munoz (38-17-1, 30 KO's) will try to break a four-bout losing streak.

One other bout has been added to the card. There will be a battle of Virginia cruiserweights as Reuben Simmons of Roanoke, VA (2-0, one KO) will battle Ayron Davis of Wytheville (0-1)

Remember, the doors will open at the MGM National Harbor Casino at 6 PM ET with the first bout slated for 6:30 PM.  The main event is scheduled to start at 10:05 PM and will be televised by Showtime.

DC Region Maintains Winning Ways At National Golden Gloves; Females Compete in Tournament For First Time!

The Washington, DC Region team continues to perform well at the National Golden Gloves in Omaha, NE.  This includes one of our female boxers, who was among a contingent of ladies who participated alongside the men for the very first time.

Arlington, VA's Amelia Moore is looking for her second straight National Golden Gloves championship and she is off to a great start as she scored a third-round TKO Tuesday over Myshelle Allen of Nevada.  Another Beltway female competitor, Nerissa Turner of Washington, DC, lost her first-round bout at 132 pounds to Erika Sanchez of California by a 5-0 score.

As far as the men, there were a number of quality victories.  Germantown, MD's Tommy Avelar won his first bout at 132 pounds, defeating Shamar Lutchman of the Buffalo region by a 5-0 score. Kelvin Davis of Norfolk, VA was successful in his first 152-pound contest, winning a 5-0 decision over Cody Craine of Toledo.  Davis looks to follow in the footsteps of his brother Keyshawn who won a national Golden Gloves in 2017.

Four-time regional champion Malik Titus of Baltimore, MD won his first bout at 201+ Pounds defeating Luis Alvarado of Wisconsin by a 4-1 score.  Also, Thomas Mottinger of Salisbury, MD won his contest at 201 pounds.

Dover, DE's Ezri Turner lost his bout at 178 pounds dropping a 5-0 decision to Anthony De La Cruz of California.

DC Region Begins Competition At National Golden Gloves!

Two members of the Washington, DC Region team started competition at the National Golden Gloves at the Ralston Arena near Omaha, NB.

Nick Sullivan of Portsmouth, VA won his opening contest on Monday in the 141-pound division defeating Armond Richard of Cleveland by a 4-1 score.  Sullivan was the Outstanding Boxer of the Regional Golden Gloves tournament in Fort Washington, MD last weekend.

Hampton, VA's 165-pounder Christian Salinas lost his first-round contest by a 3-2 score to Michael Fontanez of the New England Region.

Russell, Jr. Vs. Diaz, Jr. Start Time!

We have the start time and schedule for the TGB Promotions/Golden Boy Promotions card at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD on Saturday, May 19th.

The doors will open at 6 PM ET with the first bout scheduled to begin at 6:30 PM.

The Showtime Championship Boxing split-site doubleheader telecast will get underway at 10:05 PM ET with the main event at MGM National Harbor Casino -- Gary Russell, Jr. defending his WBC Featherweight championship against number one contender Joseph Diaz, Jr.

The WBC Light Heavyweight title bout between champion Adonis Stevenson and former two-division titleholder Badou Jack will follow from Toronto, Canada's Air Canada Centre. However, that bout may not be shown to the general public, only to the media at ringside.

Weekend Wrap: Rivers Loses By Split Decision; Burts Wins, Early Falls!

Here are the rest of this weekend's results for pro Beltway Boxers.  We start with a shocker that took place Saturday at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY.  That's where Landover, MD featherweight Kevin "The Kraken" Rivers, Jr.  lost a six-round split decision to veteran Diuhl "Elegante" Olquin of Guadalajara, Mexico.  Here's the report from Fightnews.com's Boxing Bob Newman:

On paper, it looked as though Rivers, Jr. was being fed a durable if not beatable journeyman in Olguin. Olguin however, didn’t read the script. Each man tried to force their game plan, looking for openings, firing crisp shots and avoiding what they could. In round three, Rivers walked into a hard right and blinked several times in the moments afterward, trying to clear his head. A minute later, Rivers missed a wild left hand and went down from his own momentum, an Olguin right missing over the top of Rivers’ head. Referee (Danny) Schiavone, however, was at a bad angle and ruled the slip a knockdown. The fight was otherwise even in terms of effort and results. Sensing the fight was in the balance, both combatants went for it all in the sixth and final round. The “knockdown” in the third proved the fatal difference as Don Ackerman had it 58-55 Olguin, Kevin Morgan saw it 58-55 Rivers, Jr. and Don Trella decided matters at 57-56 for Olguin via split decision. Rivers, Jr. drops to 14-2, 10 KOs, while Olguin moves to 13-9-3, nine KOs.

DC lightweight Dionte "Mr. Untouchable" Burts won a four-round unanimous decision over debuting Davis Veras Pena of Odenton, MD at the PAL Center in Hockessin, DE.  Burts won by scores of 38-36, 39-36 and 38-37. It should be mentioned that this is the second win for Burts (4-0, two KO's) in a week's time.

Also, this late result from Friday:  Seat Pleasant, MD super featherweight James "Too Slick" Early lost a four-round unanimous decision to undefeated Ricky De Los Santos of Providence, RI at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI.  De Los Santos scored a shutout (40-36) on all judge's cards.  Early's record evens at 3-3 while De Los Santos is now 5-0, one KO.

Harris, Gaines Score Knockout Victories In Sterling; Davis, Olave Battle To Majority Draw!

Two members of the Headbangers camp scored knockout victories after long absences Saturday night during the T.A.C. Promotions card at the Michael and Son Sportsplex at Dulles in Sterling, VA.

In the feature bout, undefeated Hyattsville, MD super lightweight Patrick "YG Pat" Harris won by third-round TKO over veteran Rynell Griffin of New Orleans, LA.  Despite being out of action since August of 2017, Harris was very active throughout the bout, landing hard shots to the head and body. Harris improved his onslaught such that referee Mark D'Antillo was forced to stop the contest at 1:07 of the third.   Harris is now 13-0, eight KO's.  Griffin falls to 8-37-2, two KO's.

Harris's Headbanger gym mate Renaldo "Misunderstood" Gaines of District Heights, MD came back after an almost two-year absence and put on a solid performance stopping Johnny Frazier of Las Vegas, NV at the end of the first round.  Gaines, who over the last two years, has been shot and battled a non-small cell form of lung cancer, was very effective, landing crushing body shots that sent Frazier on his back foot the entire round.  Frazier was able to survive the round without being knocked down but the corner did not let him come out for the second round.  Despite his absence, Gaines now has a five-bout winning streak and is now 9-2, three KO's.  Frazier drops to 2-31-4, two KO's, one NC.

In the opening bout, Arlington, VA middleweight Javon Davis and Alexander "Suave" Olave of Manassas, VA fought to a four-round majority draw.  Both men were somewhat awkward in the contest.  Davis seemed to get out to an early lead, landing the harder shots in the first couple of rounds.  However, Olave, who was making his pro debut, stayed in the pocket and was able to land great shots in the latter stages of the bout.  One judge, Lisa Cuellar, scored the bout for Olave, 39-37.  However, judges Scott Foster and Brian Costello saw a draw at 38-38.  Davis, who was boxing for the first time since making his pro debut in 2016, is now 1-0-1, one KO.

Results From Philadelphia: Dezurn Falls In Eight, Fox Wins Unanimous Decision, Bates Loses In Second!

A number of results featuring Beltway Boxers in Philadelphia, PA on Friday.  At the 2300 Arena, Baltimore, MD super featherweight Glenn Dezurn lost by eighth-round TKO to Joshua "Don't Blink" Greer of Chicago, IL.  The bout was shown nationally on Showtime's Shobox telecast.

Throughout the contest, Greer was able to wear down Dezurn and only Dezurn's fighting heart kept him in the bout.  Greer rocked Dezurn in the sixth round and between rounds, Dezurn's trainer, Barry Hunter, threatened to stop the contest.  Dezurn tried to land some offense in the seventh but Greer was still able to land quality blows.  Finally in the eighth round, Greer landed two right hands that dropped Dezurn face-first to the canvas.  Dezurn beat the count but Greer was able to throw more quality shots that forced referee Benjy Esteves to stop the bout at 1:47 of the eighth.  Dezurn threw one more punch after the bout was stopped, again showing his great heart.  Dezurn, who was stopped for the first time in his career, is now 0-2-1 in his last three bouts and has an overall record of 9-2-1, six KO's.  Greer has now won 14 bouts in a row and he is 17-1-1, nine KO's.

Two locals competed at the Sugar House Casino, 13 miles away from the 2300 Arena.  Forestville, MD super lightweight Mykal "The Professor" Fox won an eight-round unanimous decision over Anthony Mercado of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.  Fox won his bout by scores of 78-74 and 79-73 (twice) to remain undefeated at 17-0, four KO's.  Mercado falls to 11-4, 10 KO's.

Also, Washington, DC lightweight Jordan "The Kidd" Peters lost by second-round TKO to undefeated Joshafat Ortiz of Reading, PA.  Peters actually knocked Ortiz down with a strong counter shot in the first round but Ortiz would come back to knock down Peters in the second round before the bout was halted at 2:13 of the round.  Peters is now 2-2-1, two KO's while Ortiz is now 4-0-1, two KO's.

Rivers, Jr. Weighs 125 1/4 For Six-Round Contest In Verona!

Kevin Rivers, Jr.  weighed in at 125 1/4 for a six-round bout against Diuhl Olguin Saturday at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY.  Olguin tipped the scales at 124 3/4 pounds.

Olguin, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico (12-9-3, nine KO's) will try to break a three-bout losing streak.  This includes an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Bruno Escalante on April 14th in Salinas, CA.  Prior to that loss, Olguin lost an eight-round unanimous decision to Manuel Avila on November 30th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

Early, De Los Santos Weigh 128 For Rhode Island Rumble!

James Early and Ricky De Los Santos both weighed 128 for their four-round contest tonight at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI.

Card Comes Together In Sterling, VA!

The TAC Promotions card that will take place on Saturday, May 12th at the Michael And Son Sportsplex At Dulles has come together.  It will be a pro-am show with three pro bouts and four amateur contests.

We have no word on the amateurs on the card, however, the pro show will feature undefeated Hyattsville, MD super lightweight Patrick Harris in an eight-round contest against Rynell Griffin of New Orleans, LA.  Harris (12-0, seven KO's) has not fought since winning a six-round unanimous decision over Jesus Lule on August 12th at the Howard Theatre in Washington, DC.  Griffin (8-36-2, two KO's) has lost seven in a row, including a second-round TKO to Wesley Joel Diana on February 17th in El Paso, TX.  Griffin has lost to a number of quality opponents, including Rances Barthelemy, O'Shaquie Foster and Boubacar Sylla as well as to Beltway Boxers Drayvontay Speed-Rawls and Seth Billups.

District Heights, MD super featherweight Renaldo "Misunderstood" Gaines returns to action after an almost two-year absence when he battles Johnny Frazier of Las Vegas, NV in a bout scheduled for six rounds.  Gaines (8-2, two KO's) has not fought since scoring a first-round TKO over Isaiah Stubbs in September of 2016 at the Sphinx Club in DC.  In November of 2016, Gaines was diagnosed with a non-small cell form of lung cancer that he has beaten.  Frazier (2-30-4, two KO's, one NC) won his first two bouts but is now winless in his last 34 contests.  Frazier has not fought since December of 2016 when he was knocked out in the fourth round by Jude Franklin in Greenville, NC.

Also on the card will be Arlington, VA middleweight Jovan Davis who will take on the debuting Alexander Olave of Virginia in a four-round contest.  Davis (1-0, one KO) made his pro debut in May of 2016 and scored a second-round TKO over Khalil Marsh in Charlotte, NC.

The Michael and Son Sportsplex at Dulles is located at 21610 Atlantic Boulevard in Sterling.  The card is scheduled to begin at 7 PM ET.

Dezurn Tips Scales At 2300 Arena In Philadelphia!

(Photo by Stephanie Trapp/Showtime)


Glenn Dezurn (right) weighed in at 122.6 for his 10-round co-feature bout against Joshua Greer at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.  Greer tipped the scales at 122.8 pounds.

The bout will be part of a quadruple-header that will be shown on Showtime beginning at 10 PM ET.

Fox, Peters Hit Scales At Sugar House Casino!

Mykal Fox and Jordan Peters weighed in for their bouts at the Sugar House Casino in Philadelphia, PA.

Fox tipped the scales at 143 pounds for his eight-round contest against Anthony Mercado.  Mercado came in at 141.1 pounds.

Peters weighed 129.8 pounds for his four-round bout against Joshafat Ortiz, who came in at 129.7 pounds.

May 11th Update Features Changes and Additions!

Friday, May 11th will be a big day for the Beltway as we have key pro and amateur bouts and also some changes.

The May 11th card at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA will feature a nationally-televised (Showtime) quadruple-header.  In the co-feature bout, Baltimore, MD super bantamweight Glenn Dezurn, Jr. will compete in his first scheduled 10-round contest when he takes on Joshua "Don't Blink" Greer of Chicago, IL.  Dezurn (9-1-1, six KO's) looks to bounce back from his first pro loss -- an eight-round unanimous decision to Jesse Angel Hernandez on November 11th in Uniondale, NY.  This will be Dezurn's third TV contest.  Greer (16-1-1, eight KO's) is riding a 13-bout winning streak after suffering his only pro loss.  This includes a third-round KO over Basilio Nieves on February 24th in Phoenix, AZ.

Unfortunately, we just received word that the eight-round bout between Baltimore super flyweight Tyrieshia "Lady Tiga" Douglas and Helen "Iron Lady" Joseph of New Haven, CT by way of Nigeria has been cancelled.  Douglas is scheduled to compete on June 29th in Baltimore.

Thirteen miles away from the 2300 Arena will be the card at the Sugar House Casino where Forestville, MD super lightweight Mykal "The Professor" Fox will be in an eight-round contest against Anthony Mercado of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.  Fox (16-0, four KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Ricardo Garcia on February 13th in Bethlehem, PA.  Mercado (11-3, 10 KO's) broke a three-bout losing streak by stopping previously undefeated Tyrone Crawley, Jr in the third round on March 2nd at the Sugar House Casino.

Also on the card, Washington, DC lightweight Jordan "Kidd" Peters will take on undefeated Joshafat Ortiz of Reading, PA in a four-round contest.  Peters (2-1-1, two KO's) looks to bounce back from his four-round unanimous decision loss to Chaise Nelson on June 24th at the 2300 Arena.  Ortiz (3-0, one KO) will face a Beltway Boxer for the second straight time.  Ortiz defeated Evgueny Metchenov by four-round unanimous decision on April 6th at the 2300 Arena.  Owings Mills, MD heavyweight Colby Madison who was scheduled to be on the card, has now been scratched.

We now have bouts for the May 11th amateur card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.  The main event matches Baltimore boxers Omar Serrano and Deshawn Chase for the 2018 Maryland Boxing Hall of Fame championship.  Also, the card features a boxer named Lisa Bodenburg, a boxer with a very interesting backstory.  Bodenburg is a native of Buffalo, NY who is a 12-year marine veteran who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.   Bodenburg has also competed in fitness events.  Bodenburg will take on Charmaine Jackson on this card.  There will be another women's bout on the card as Simone Serrano battles Melissa Murrah.

Also, the PVA Junior Olympics at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD will now be a two-day event instead of three days.  The event will start on May 11th at 7:30 PM and end on Saturday, May 12th at 3 PM.

Late Result: Burts Untouched On Way to Second Round TKO Over Martin!

Washington, DC super featherweight Dionte "Mr. Untouchable" Burts scored a second-round TKO over fellow Beltway Boxer Dwayne Martin of Laurel, MD on May 5th at the Bulldog Arena in Johnstown, PA.

According to reports, Burts landed power shots in both the first and second round, pummeling Martin throughout.  The Martin corner threw in the towel to stop the contest.  No word on the official time of the stoppage.

Burts remains undefeated at 3-0, two KO's while Martin falls to 2-4, one KO.

May 19th MGM Card Takes Shape; Russells, Aleems, Breedy and Quarles Join Event!

The TGB Promotions/Golden Boy Promotions card that will take place on Saturday, May 19th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD is starting to come together and not only is the card scheduled to be a showcase for the Beltway, it also looks like a family affair in more ways than one.

The main event, of course, is Capitol Heights, MD's "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. (28-1, 17 KO's) defending his WBC Featherweight championship against undefeated number one contender Joseph "Jo Jo" Diaz, Jr. of Downey, CA (26-0, 14 KO's).  That bout will be televised live on Showtime.

Russell's brothers -- Antonio and Antuanne -- now have opponents for their bouts.  Bantamweight Antonio (10-0, eight KO's) will be heading into the eight-round level of bouts when he takes on Esteban Aquino of La Romana, Dominican Republic (12-4, seven KO's).  Antonio Russell last fought on November 21st and scored a first-round TKO over Marco Antonio Mendoza in St. Petersburg, FL.

Antuanne Russell, after just five bouts (5-0, five KO's), will also compete in an eight-round super lightweight contest against Wilmer Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic (9-2, seven KO's).  Russell is coming off a third-round TKO of Andrew Rodgers on March 21st at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY while Rodriguez lost by third-round TKO to Julian Sosa on March 10th at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.

The Russell Family won't be the only family competing on this card.  The Aleem Brothers of Richmond, VA are scheduled to have bouts on this card.  "The Chosen One" Immanuwel Aleem (17-1-1, 10 KO's) will look to bounce back against an opponent to be determined in a scheduled 10-round contest.  Aleem lost his last outing to Hugo Centeno, Jr. by third-round knockout on August 25th in Miami, OK.  Older brother Moshea "The Machine" Aleem (4-1-2, two KO's) will be in a six-round rematch against Rayton Okwiri of Nairobi, Kenya (2-0-1, one KO)  The two fought on October 19th in Washington, DC and battled to a six-round split decision draw.  Aleem is winless in his last three bouts (one loss and two draws).

Also on the card, Clinton, MD featherweight Cobia "The Soldier" Breedy (10-0, four KO's) will be in his first eight-round contest against an opponent to be determined.  Breedy returns for the first time in almost a year when he won a six-round unanimous decision over Wilfredo Garriga on May 20th at the MGM National Harbor Casino.

Alexandria, VA's Brandon "Bulldog" Quarles also returns to action on this card participating in an eight-round middleweight bout against Fred Jenkins, Jr. of Philadelphia, PA.  Quarles (18-4-1, nine KO's) last fought in March of 2017 and lost an eight-round split decision to Tyrone Brunson in Philadelphia.  Jenkins (10-5, three KO's) will look to break a two-bout losing streak which includes a six-round unanimous decision loss to Isaiah Wise on September 8th in Philadelphia.

Champions Crowned At Regional Golden Gloves!

Five boxers punched their tickets to Omaha, NB Friday evening during the 2018 Regional Golden Gloves at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

Three boxers from Virginia are headed to the nationals as they defeated boxers from the DC/Maryland/Delaware region.  Portsmouth, VA's Nick Sullivan was named the Outstanding Boxer of the night as he put on a great performance defeating defending champion Wilfredo Avelar of Germantown, MD to win the 141-Pound championship.  Sullivan was accurate throughout the contest, keeping Avelar at bay.  For Sullivan, the win marked his second time winning a regional title -- he won the title at 132 pounds in 2016.

Kelvin Davis of Norfolk, VA defeated Brian Avelar, Wilfredo's brother, to win the 152-Pound title.  Davis used his left hand very well throughout the contest, eventually getting a standing eight count in the third round.  Davis will try to match what his brother, Keyshawn did -- win a national Golden Gloves championship.  Keyshawn won his national title in 2017.

Hampton, VA's Christian Salinas won the 165-Pound championship defeating Keon Burroughs of Andrews Air Force Base.  Salinas, who is in the Navy, was able to outlast his opponent in what looked like a very close contest.

One Avelar Brother will head to the national tournament.  Tommy Avelar won the 132-Pound championship with a victory over Andrew Duke of Fredricksburg, VA.

Delaware will by represented by Dover's Ezri Turner, who defeated Ter'ryan Rogers of Richmond, VA to capture the title at 178 pounds.

Here is the 2018 DC Regional Golden Gloves Team who will head to Omaha, NB, May 13-20:

108 Pounds:  Kevon Cooke, Washington, DC

123 Pounds:  Dwayne Holmes, Jr., Upper Marlboro, MD

132 Pounds:  Tommy Avelar, Germantown, MD

141 Pounds:  Nick Sullivan, Portsmouth, VA

152 Pounds:  Kelvin Davis, Norfolk, VA

165 Pounds:  Christian Salinas, Hampton, VA

178 Pounds:   Ezri Turner, Dover, DE

201 Pounds:  Thomas Mottinger, Salisbury, MD

201+ Pounds:  Malik Titus, Baltimore, MD

There was also a matched bout at 155 pounds as Mansabory Cooke of Laurel, MD defeated Nicholas Noriz of Baltimore.

Three strong performances highlighted the Novice Division regional championship.  Joel Tchantchuinj of Silver Spring, MD capped off a strong tournament by scoring a second-round TKO over Rashid Bynum of Portsmouth to win the 178-pound championship.  Tchantchinj, a native of Cameroon, stopped three opponents during the tournament.

Zackary Chick of Galena, MD delivered a stunning second-round TKO over Jimmy Speros of Great Falls, VA to win the 201+ Pound title.  Despite a height disadvantage, Chick leaped in and landed a blistering left hand to knock Speros to the canvas.

Also, Keishawn Horne of Raleigh, NC put on a solid defensive performance to defeat Dominic Fantauzzo of Washington, DC to win the championship at 141 pounds.

Here are the other Novice Division title results:

123 Pounds:  Ishmael Bennett of Richmond, VA over Brient Rodriguez of Kensington, MD

132 Pounds:  Isaiah Harris of Upper Marlboro, MD over Jeffrey Yu of Oakton, VA

152 Pounds:  Quenten Stephens of Accokeek, MD over Joan' Planas of Manassas, VA

165 Pounds:  Steven Tyson of Arlington, VA over Tremaine Fuller of Lexington Park, MD

201 Pounds:  Jermaine Harbert of Waldorf, MD over Chadrick Hollingworth of Stafford, VA

Russell Family Holds Open Workout May 11th in Capitol Heights!

The Fighting Russell Family will be holding a free Open Workout on Friday, May 11th at the Enigma Boxing Gym located at 9100 Edgeworth Drive in Capitol Heights, MD.   The workout will start at 8 PM ET and will feature all three of the Russell Brothers as they prepare for their Saturday, May 19th appearances at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

WBC Featherweight champion "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. will defend his title against undefeated number one contender Joseph "Jo Jo" Diaz, Jr. in the nationally-televised (Showtime) feature contest. Also, Antonio "Another" Russell and Antuanne "The Last" Russell will be on the card.  The workout is open to the public.

Regional Golden Gloves Contests Announced!

The 2018 Regional Golden Gloves Championships will take place on Friday, May 4th at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.  First bout begins at 7:30 PM.  The event matches the winners from the DC region (DC, Maryland and Delaware) against the best from Virginia and North Carolina.s

Let's start with the Open Division where the winners will advance to the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Omaha, Nebraska May 13-20. However, we already know that four boxers from the DC region will already advance to the nationals because they are unopposed champions.  Those boxers are:

108 Pounds:  Kevon Cooke, Washington, DC

123 Pounds: Dwayne Holmes, Jr., Upper Marlboro, MD

201 Pounds:  Thomas Mottinger, Salisbury, MD

201+ Pounds:  Malik Titus, Baltimore, MD  (Titus has won two straight regional titles at 201+ pounds and was the regional champ at 201 Pounds in 2014 and 2015)

There are a few marquee matchups in the Open Division.  The 141-Pound championship will be a battle of past Golden Gloves Regional champions.  Defending 141-pound champion Wilfredo Avelar of Germantown, MD will take on the 132-pound titleholder in 2016, Nick Sullivan of Portsmouth, VA.

The Avelar Brothers will try to win three regional titles.  Tommy Avelar battles Andrew Duke of Fredericksburg, VA at 132 pounds while Brian Avelar will face Kelvin Davis of Norfolk, VA at 152 pounds.

Also in the Open Division, Keon Burroughs, who boxes out of Andrews Air Force Base, will be in the 165-Pound championship against Christian Salinas of Hampton, VA.  Burroughs has dropped down in weight from 2017, where he competed in the 178-Pound division.  In the 178-Pound class, Ezri Turner of Dover, DE will take on Ter'ryan Rogers of Richmond, VA.

The Novice Division bouts look like this:

114 Pounds:  Oscar Morales of Germantown, MD is the regional champion.

123 Pounds:  Brient Rodriguez of Kensington, MD vs. Ishmael Bennett of Richmond, VA

132 Pounds:  Isaiah Harris of Upper Marlboro, MD vs. Jeffrey Yu of Oakton, VA

141 Pounds:  Dominic Fantauzzo of Washington, DC vs. Keishawn Horne of Raleigh, NC

152 Pounds:  Quenten Stephens of Accokeek, MD vs. Joan' Planas of Manassas, VA

165 Pounds:  Moses Salem of Dover, DE vs. Steven Tyson of Arlington, VA

178 Pounds:  Joel Tchantchuinj of Silver Spring, MD vs. Rashid Bynum of Portsmouth, VA

201 Pounds:  Jermaine Harbert of Waldorf, MD vs. Giovanni Suderi of Ashburn, VA

201+ Pounds:  Zackary Chick of Galena, MD vs. Jimmy Speros of Great Falls, VA

Like the Washington Golden Gloves Championships were dedicated to legendary trainer Dave Jacobs,  the Regionals will be held in memory of another legendary trainer, Bernard Roach, Jr.