Maryland Commission Lifts Lawson Suspension!

Back on May 20th, 2017 during the co-feature contest at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD, boxer Jose Uzcategui appeared to have defeated Andre Dirrell for the interim IBF Super Middleweight championship.  However, one of Uzcategui's punches hit Dirrell after the bell to end the eighth round.  The referee for the contest, Bill Clancy, disqualified Uzcategui for the infraction.

After the bout, Dirrell's cornerman and uncle, Leon Lawson, came across the ring and suckerpunched Uzcategui.  There were other altercations in the crowd during the confusion.  Three days later, the Maryland State Athletic Commission placed Lawson under indefinite suspension.

According to reports, the Maryland Commission recently lifted Lawson's suspension. Here is the email that Maryland Commission Executive Director Patrick Pannella sent to Fight Fax:

Please be advised that, effective immediately, the Maryland State Athletic Commission ("Commission") is lifting its current Indefinite Suspension (administrative  - imposed on May 23, 2017) of second (cornerman) Leon Lawson II as Mr. Lawson is complying with Commission requirements as related to Case No. MSAC-17-02 and as set forth and agreed upon via Consent Order. - Thank you. Best Wishes, Patrick'

 Uzcategui's camp is not happy with the commission's decision. “I am shocked by this action taken by the Maryland Commission and its Executive Director Pat Pannella. This thug Lawson should never be allowed to work in boxing anywhere in the world and especially in Maryland where his violent actions took place,” said advisor Sean Gibbons on behalf of Team Uzcategui.

Gibbons gave even stronger comments to Steve Kim of BoxingScene.com:

"When I saw it - and I had it forwarded to me by a person - the state of Maryland didn't even have the decency to let (Jose) Uzcategui know, me know or anyone from his team know that they were letting this guy off suspension, which is insane.

(Jose) feels like he was a victim and now the wounds open again. Maryland is again victimizing him, they did nothing properly with this guy. I'm just beside myself, I'm sick, Patrick Pannella, someone should punch him right in the mouth and then go do a years worth of whatever they do and then come back off suspension. I wish I could punch Patrick Pannella right in the mouth because he's a moron.

''And the state of Maryland is the most embarrassing I've ever seen. How can you let somebody - a licensed cornerman - physically assault a boxer, potentially end his career and then basically take no punishment other than a year suspension? We don't even know what he did to get off suspension.

"He never tried to at least say he was sorry to Uzcategui. Maryland is the biggest laughingstock show I've ever been to. In my 30 years in boxing I would advise everyone to stay away from Patrick Pannella and Maryland."

Pannella has not made a comment but sent the following statement through the Commission's communications office:

"The Maryland Athletic Commission is deeply committed to maintaining the highest safety standards relative to the regulation of combative sports for both its licensees and the public at large. It is within this context that the commission sought to address Mr. Lawson’s unruly conduct. Mr. Gibbons has confused the criminal court system with that of the commission, and in doing so has made inaccurate statements regarding Mr. Lewis’ consent order, as well as unfairly and inaccurately blaming Executive Director Patrick Pannella for the commission's determination. The commission’s consent order demonstrates Maryland’s tough stance on unsportsmanlike conduct and criminal actions committed within our jurisdiction. We stand by our decision regarding Mr. Lawson and the process by which that decision was reached. Now, as before, Maryland supports the boxing industry through fair but assertive actions that protect our competitors, licensees, and fans."

The World Boxing Council's and the World Boxing Association's indefinite suspension against Lawson still stands.  Uzcategui would go on to defeat Dirrell in a second bout by ninth-round TKO on March 2nd in Brooklyn, NY to claim the interim IBF Super Middleweight title.  Uzcategui is scheduled to have a non-title bout on September 28th in Oakland, CA.

Unified World Champion Hurd Hosts Back To School Day September 2!

It's always great when our Beltway Boxers give back to their community.  The latest one to do so will be IBF/WBA/IBO Super Welterweight champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd, who will be hosting a Back To School Day on Sunday, September 2nd at the Downtown Locker Room in the Penn-Mar Shopping Center.  The address is 3226 Donnell Drive in Forestville, MD.

Students can pick up free backpacks and school supplies as well as take pictures with and get autographs from the multi-belt world champion.  Hurd announced the event earlier today during an appearance on Good Day DC on WTTG Channel 5 in DC.

Grayton-Williams Contest Moves From Brooklyn To Philadelphia!

Big shift in the September schedule.  The scheduled eight-round bout between Washington, DC welterweight David "DayDay" Grayton (15-2-1, 11 KO's) and Terrell Williams of Los Angeles, CA (16-0, 13 KO's) has been moved from Saturday, September 8th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.  The bout will now be on Friday, September 14th at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA and has been upgraded to a 10-round contest.

Originally, Grayton was supposed to be on the same card as fellow Beltway Boxers Brandon Quarles and Sherman Artis, Jr.   However, Grayton will now join locals Shynggyskhan Tazhibay and Keeshawn Williams in Philadelphia.

Senator John McCain: A True Friend Of Boxing!

The boxing world lost a true friend with the passing Saturday of former Arizona Senator and Presidential candidate John McCain.  A boxer at the United States Naval Academy, Sen. McCain was a true leader in using his influence to help reform the sport.

McCain spearheaded a group of senators into enacting the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000, a bill that seeked to protect the rights and welfare of pro boxers, aid state commissions with boxing oversight and increase sportsmanship and integrity in the sport.  The Act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in January of 2000.

“He loved boxing and he wanted to make it better,” boxing promoter Lou DiBella told Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports.  “Everything that went on, it frustrated the [expletive] out of him. Ali was one of his heroes. It’s no accident that it’s called ‘The Ali Act.’ He hated bad judging. He hated to see boxers exploited. At the time [the Ali Act was being debated], there were some scandals with the rating  organizations and that troubled him. He hated all the stuff that real intelligent, hard-core, caring fans hated. He hated it. He absolutely hated all of the nonsense. He wanted to see boxing be better and he had so many things on his plate, he couldn’t do what he really wanted.

“But he loved sports and he really had a passion for boxing. He loved the mentality the fighters had and he just loved to sit and watch a great fight.”   Sen. McCain befriended DiBella when the latter worked at HBO Sports and the two worked on the Ali Act and remained friends until Sen. McCain's passing at the age of 81 after a battle with brain cancer.

“He felt boxing had a lot of problems that needed to be fixed," Dibella said. "He got it completely. He got it more than just about anybody in terms of the bad judging and the conflicts of interest and the inadequate medicals and the toll that could take on the athletes physically and the economic exploitation that had been tolerated in the industry."

Sen. McCain was also passionate about Mixed Martial Arts, although many people first believed that he was trying to get rid of the sport in its earlier days as Sen. McCain once referred to the sport as "human cockfighting" and wanted to get the sport banned from television.  As it turned out, Sen. McCain's passion for regulation in MMA helped make the sport safer.  Sen. McCain also wanted to create a national boxing commission but that never got off the ground.

Sen. McCain also applauded President Donald Trump's decision to pardon legendary world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, something the senator fought for since 2004.

We all know that John McCain was a true American hero.  However, it is great to know that he tried very hard to be a hero to the sweet science of boxing as well.

Nicklow Stopped In Arizona!

Baltimore, MD super middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow lost by third-round TKO to undefeated Trevor McCumby of Glendale, AZ tonight at the Gila River Arena in Glendale.

McCumby, according to reports, was solid from the opening bell as he wowed his hometown crowd.  Early in the third round, McCumby hurt Nicklow with a hard right hand.  The bout would be stopped at 40 seconds of the third.  Nicklow complained about the stoppage to no avail.

Nicklow falls to 27-9-3, nine KO's. McCumby is now 24-0, 19 KO's, one NC.  The bout was shown on the ESPN+ app.

Sizzling September Schedule!

The September Beltway Boxing Schedule is loaded with three local pro cards, a number of amateur cards and a host of Beltway Boxers fighting around the country.  As of now, here is the schedule (bouts and cards are scheduled to change or be added without notice):

Saturday, September 1, Seminole Casino, Coconut Creek, FL:  Upper Marlboro, MD heavyweight Mike "Silverback" Balogun will take on Irineu Beato "Gigante" Costa Junior of Sao Paulo, Brazil.  No word on how many rounds the bout is scheduled for.  Balogun (11-0, eight KO's) battles for the first time since May of 2017 when he won a six-round unanimous decision over Terrence Marbra in Boca Raton, FL.  Junior (19-7, 17 KO's) has never fought in the United States and hasn't fought since April of 2016 when he was stopped in the third round by Otto Wallin in Stockholm, Sweden.

Friday, September 7, Barry Farms Coliseum, Washington, DC:  The sixth annual Friday Night Fights "Inside Da Gates" will take place in the Barry Farms neighborhood in Southeast DC.  This is an amateur event that will be free and open to the public.

Saturday, September 8, Kenilworth Recreation Center, Washington, DC:  The eighth annual Dr. Arnold W. McKnight Memorial Amateur Boxing Invitational, Kickboxing and MMA Exhibition Event.  The program honors the legacy of the longest-tenured chair of the DC Boxing And Wrestling Commission.  Honorees include Rock Newman and the late Bernard Roach.  The event begins at noon.

Saturday, September 8, The Forum, Inglewood, CA: Bethesda, MD super flyweight Alexandru "Spartan" Marin (16-0, 11 KO's) challenges Bruno Escalante of Redwood City, CA (17-3-1, seven KO's) for the vacant IBF Intercontinental Super Flyweight title in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds.  Marin has moved up to number six in the IBF rankings and is also ranked 12th by the WBO.  The bout is part of the "Super Fly III" card and is scheduled to be shown on HBO's International Feed.

Saturday, September 8, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY: Three Beltway Boxers are slated to be on this card headlined by Danny Garcia's bout against Shawn Porter for the vacant WBC Welterweight title.  Alexandria, VA middleweight Brandon "Bulldog" Quarles will be in an eight-round contest against Marcus Willis of Fort Myers, FL.  Quarles (19-4-1, 10 KO's) comes off a fifth-round TKO over Fidel Monterrosa on May 19th in Oxon Hill, MD.  Willis (18-5-2, five KO's) last fought on June 9th and scored a fourth-round TKO over Curtis Waller in Key West, FL.

Washington, DC welterweight David "Day Day"Grayton will also be in an eight-round encounter against undefeated Terrell Williams of Los Angeles, CA.  Grayton (15-2-1, 11 KO's) last fought on November 21st and lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Miguel Cruz in St. Petersburg, FL. Williams (16-0, 13 KO's) returned to action on November 17th and scored a sixth-round TKO over Rosemburg Gomez in Flint, MI.  This was the first bout for Williams since his ninth-round disqualification win over Prichard Colon in October of 2015 in Fairfax, VA.

Also on the card, Severn, MD heavyweight Sherman "The Tank' Artis, Jr. will be in a four-round encounter against Clayton Laurent, Jr. of  St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.  Artis (3-2) last fought on November 18th and lost a four-round unanimous decision to Iegor Plevako in Queens, NY.  Laurent (1-0, one KO) is a 2016 Virgin Islands Olympian who made his pro debut in August of 2017 and scored a second-round technical knockout over Wayman Carter in Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands.

Saturday, September 8, Showboat Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, NJ:  Baltimore, MD lightweight Jahmal Dyer will be in a four-round contest against Marcos Lugo of Vineland, NJ.  Dyer (5-1, three KO's) comes off a 37-second knockout over William Barber on July 14th in Salem, VA.  Lugo (0-1) lost his pro debut in August of 2017, dropping a four-round majority decision to Romain Tomas at the Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

Thursday, September 13, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV:  Super middleweight "The Heavy Hitting Diva" Franchon Crews Dezurn of Baltimore (3-1, one KO) will be in a 10-round bout against Maricela "La Diva" Cornejo of Los Angeles (12-2, five KO's) for the vacant interim WBC Super Middleweight title.  The bout is scheduled to be televised by ESPN2.

Friday, September 14, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD:  Baltimore Boxing has an amateur card at Michael's Eighth Avenue.  Scheduled to appear on the card is heavyweight Brian "Bam Bam" Haneschlager as well as female boxer Lisa Bodenburg.

Friday, September 14, 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA:  Two locals slated to be on this King's Promotions card.  Undefeated DC welterweight Shynggyskhan Tazhibay will be in a six-round contest against Yasmani Pedroso of Miami, FL by way of Cuba.  Tazhibay (6-0, two KO's) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Isaac Freeman in Brooklyn.   Pedroso (2-4, one KO) broke a four-bout losing streak with a four-round majority decision victory over Gerald Semidey on July 20th in Kissimmee, FL.

Also on the card will be another DC welter, Keeshawn Williams, who will be in a four-round contest against an opponent to be determined.  Williams (2-0-1, one KO) won a four-round majority decision over Adrian Martinez on May 25th in Warren, MI.

Saturday, September 15, Thurgood Marshall Center Trust, Washington, DC:  The NOMIS Youth Network will be hosting a boxing fundraiser which is slated to feature amateur boxers from DC, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and North Carolina.  The Thurgood Marshall Center Trust is located at 1816 12th Street in Northwest DC.

Saturday, September 22, ABC Sports Complex, Springfield, VA:  Undefeated Beltway Boxers Patrick "YG Pat" Harris, a super lightweight from Hyattsville, MD (13-0, eight KO's) and super welterweight Edgar "The Tiger" Torres of Springfield (8-0-1, four KO's) are slated for this card.  Harris is scheduled to compete for a regional title on this T.A.C. Promotions card.

Saturday, September 22, A.C. Jordan Arena at Bowie State University, Bowie, MD:  Shabazz Brothers in association with Evander Holyfield's Real Deal Boxing will put on a card scheduled to feature the return of Forestville, MD middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox (23-1-1, 11 KO's), Baltimore, MD light heavyweight Travis "Seveer" Reeves (15-3-2, seven KO's) as well as undefeated super lightweight and Bowie State alumnus Greg "The Sharpshooter" Outlaw (5-0, two KO's).

Tuesday, September 25, Sands Bethlehem Events Center, Bethlehem, PA:  Owings Mills, MD heavyweight Colby Madison will be in a six-round contest against Nicoy Clarke of Jersey City, NJ. Madison (6-0-2, four KO's) battled Guillermo Del Rio to a six-round draw on April 6th in Philadelphia, PA.  Clarke (2-1) won a four-round majority decision over Jose Nunez on August 10th in Philadelphia.

Saturday, September 29, Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD: Cynation Boxing Promotions will have a card that is scheduled to feature District Heights, MD boxers Jason and Justin Bell in their first six-round encounters as well as Daron "Sweet Tay" Williams.

Any changes or additions will be included on this post.

Nicklow Faces Undefeated McCumby Saturday in Glendale, AZ!

We are just receiving word that Baltimore, MD super middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow will take on undefeated Trevor McCumby of Glendale, AZ on Saturday, August 25th at the Gila River Arena in Glendale.

Both men return to action after lengthy absences.  Nicklow (27-8-3, nine KO's) last fought in July of 2017 and stopped Chauncey Fields in the seventh round in  Glen Burnie, MD.  McCumby (23-0, 18 KO's) hasn't fought since he was involved in a first-round no contest in November of 2016 in Las Vegas, NV.

Nicklow weighed in at 169.8 pounds while McCumby came in at 172.4.  The bout will be shown on ESPN3 at 6:30 PM ET.

Russell Stops Otieng In First Round!

Capitol Heights, MD bantamweight Antonio "Another" Russell needed just 78 seconds to knock out Nick "Kanyankole" Otieng of Nairobi, Kenya tonight at the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis,  MN.

Russell was very aggressive early and Otieng decided to clinch up with Russell.  Unfortunately,  that didn't help Otieng as Russell, while still in the clinch, landed two hard left hands that dropped Otieng to the canvas.  Otieng could not beat the referees count.

Russell remains undefeated at 12-0, 10 KO's.  Otieng falls to 31-15, 13 KO's.  The bout was shown live on FS1 and Fox Deportes.

Russell Weighs 119 Pounds For Eight-Rounder In Minneapolis!

Antonio Russell weighed in at 119 pounds for his eight-round contest against Nick Otieno Friday night at the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN.  Otieno came in at 121 1/2 pounds.

The bout will be televised live on FS1 and Fox Deportes beginning at 6:30 PM ET.

Perspective On Nicholson's Big Win!

(Photo by Wallace Barron)

Interesting article by Michael Woods of The Ring on the big win by Laurel, MD super middleweight Demond "D'Best At It" Nicholson on August 18th on the Jeter Promotions card at Live! Casino in Hanover, MD.  Woods had a unique perspective because he did color commentary on the CBS Sports Network telecast of the bout where Nicholson scored a sixth-round TKO over Isaac Rodrigues.

The article "Demond Nicholson Takes A Risk That Pays Off" can be found here:  https://www.ringtv.com/541926-demond-nicholson-takes-a-risk-that-pays-off/

Crews Dezurn Competes For Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title September 13th in Las Vegas!

Baltimore, MD's "Heavy Hitting Diva" Franchon Crews Dezurn will battle Maricela "La Diva" Cornejo of Los Angeles, CA in a nationally-televised 10-round bout for the interim WBC Super Middleweight championship on Thursday, September 13th at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.  The bout will be shown on ESPN2.

For Crews Dezurn (3-1, one KO), this is the biggest contest since her pro debut in Las Vegas in November of 2016 when she lost a four-round unanimous decision to Claressa Shields.  In her last outing, Crews Dezurn won a six-round unanimous decision over Tiffany Woodard on January 12th in Verona, NY.

Cornejo (12-2, five KO's) has won eight straight bouts since suffering a 10-round split decision loss to Kali Reis for the WBC Middleweight title in Auckland, New Zealand in April of 2016.  This bout made history as the first major world title bout in that country.  Cornejo has won the WBC International Super Middleweight title.  Cornejo is coming off a third-round TKO win over Samantha Pill on July 13th in Los Angeles.

Amateur Boxing Comes To District Heights, MD August 24th!

A dual amateur boxing card between Beltway and Philadelphia, PA boxers will take place on Friday, August 24th at the District Heights Municipal Center, located at 2000 Marbury Drive in District Heights, MD.

A number of quality amateurs will represent the local team against some top-flight boxers from the City of Brotherly Love on this card, which is presented by Diamonds N The Ruff, Sweet Science Boxing, The WaffleCoop and Pretty Boy Boxing.  Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for youth.  First bout is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM ET.

Antonio Russell Returns August 24th in Minneapolis; Aleem Is Off The Card!

On Friday, August 24th, Capitol Heights, MD super bantamweight Antonio "Another" Russell returns to action in an eight-round contest against veteran Nick "Kanyankole" Otieno of Nairobi, Kenya at the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN.  The bout will be shown live on FS1 and Fox Deportes.  The telecast is scheduled to begin at 6:30 PM ET.

Russell (11-0, nine KO's) is coming off a fifth-round TKO over Jonathan Lecona Ramos on May 19th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.  Russell was originally scheduled to compete on August 4th in Uniondale, NY but his opponent failed his physical.

Otieno (31-14, 13 KO's) will be facing an undefeated boxer for the fourth consecutive time and will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak.  In his last outing, Otieno was stopped in the second round by William Foster III on March 17th in Boston, MA.

According to Boxrec, middleweight Immanuwel "The Chosen One" Aleem of Richmond, VA was slated to be in the main event on this card but he has been scratched.  No word on why the change was made.

Late Result: Rahman, Jr. Wins Six-Round UD In Minnesota!

Baltimore, MD heavyweight Hasim "Gold Blooded" Rahman, Jr. won a six-round unanimous decision over Raymond "King Kong" Ochieng of West Palm Beach, FL by way of Nairobi, Kenya on Friday, August 17th at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, MN.

In going six rounds for the first time in his career, Rahman, Jr. was able to win the bout by scores of 58-55 on all three judges's cards.  Rahman, Jr. took a step up in class as Ochieng was the most experienced foe and the first person Rahman, Jr. has faced with a winning record.  Rahman, Jr. remains undefeated at 6-0, four KO's while Ochieng drops to 26-22-3, 21 KO's.

Incredible Live! Casino Picture Display!

Saturday night was a special one for the Beltway as the Jeter Promotions card at Live! Casino in Hanover, MD was an incredible success. The card was truly one of the best so far this year.

Three outstanding local photographers -- Mike Greenhill, Daniel Cork and Wallace Barron -- also had wonderful nights as they all outdid themselves in bringing many of the stories of the evening to fans .  These pictures were just so fabulous that I felt I had to share them with you.

First, Mike Greenhill:

Next, Daniel Cork:

Now, Wallace Barron:

Final Bouts From Live! Casino: Bustos Makes Short Work Of John; Golub Wins Unanimous Decision!

In the final bouts of the Jeter Promotions card at Live! Casino in Hanover, MD, Rockville,MD super welterweight "The Cisco Kid" Francisco Bustos needed just 45 seconds to stop Jauvan "Iceman" John of Newport News, VA.

Bustos landed a crushing left hand to the body that turned John around and dropped him to his knees in the Bustos corner. John could not beat referee Kenny Chevalier's 10 count. 

Bustos defeats John for the second straight time (he won a four-round unanimous decision in Laurel, MD in June) and is now 8-0, five KO's.  John falls to 2-7-1.

Also, Ivan "The Volk" Golub of Miami, FL won a relatively easy 10-round unanimous decision over Lanardo "Pain Server" Tyner of Deerborn, MI to capture the WBC USNBC Welterweight title. Golub was in complete control of the bout, beating Tyner to the punch throughout the contest.  Tyner was not hurt by any of the punches but was not returning any offense.  Judges David Braslow and Paul Wallace saw the bout 99-91 while judge John Gradowski saw the bout 100-88.  Golub is now 20-1, 13 KO's while Tyner is 34-13-2, 21 KO's.

Jeter Promotions are led by former WBC Fecarbox Middleweight champion Tony "Mo Better" Jeter and his wife Christen.  The matchmaker was Brian Dillon.  The ring announcer was Mark Fratto.  The attendance was 1,200.

Nicholson Captures WBC USNBC Super Middleweight Title With 6th Round KO!

Laurel, MD super middleweight Demond "D'Best At It" Nicholson scored a gutsy sixth-round knockout over a tough Isaac Rodrigues of Belem, Para, Brazil to win the vacant WBC USNBC Super Middleweight title in the main event of the Jeter Promotions card at Live! Casino.

At times, the bout was a war of attrition with both boxers taking and delivering quality punches.  Nicholson had a mouse under his left eye while Rodrigues suffered a cut near his right eye.

In the sixth round, Nicholson pressured Rodrigues with straight right hands before  dropping him with a vicious right hand body shot.  Rodrigues could not beat referee Harvey Dock's count and the bout ended at 2:07.

Nicholson is now 19-3-1, 18 KO's while Rodrigues falls to 25-3, 20 KO's.

Fox Outduels Corley In 10-Round Bout!

In the opening CBS Sports Network telecast from Live! Casino in Hanover,  MD, super lightweight Mykal "The Professor" Fox of Forestville, MD remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous over former WBO Super Lightweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley of Washington, DC.

Fox stayed on the outside for most of the bout, moving side-to-side and avoiding Corley's rushes.  Fox used his right jab well to keep Corley at bay.  Corley did manage to get inside but couldn't do any real damage.

Judges David Braslow and Paul Wallace scored the bout 96-94 while John Gradowski saw the contest 98-92 all for Fox, who is now 18-0, four KO's.  Corley is now 51-32-1, 28 KO's.

Wallace Scores TKO Over Sykes In Beltway Classic!

In a true Beltway Boxing Bout Of The Year candidate, Catonsville, MD middleweight "Dangerous" Donald Wallace scored a six-round TKO over an extremely tough Ashton "The Goon" Sykes of Hanover.

This was a toe-to-toe slugfest from the opening bell as both men were extremely offensive-minded.  Both men were able to land quality shots throughout the bout. Increasingly, Wallace's punches began to take their toll in the middle rounds.

In the sixth, Wallace stepped up his attack to land crushing shots to Sykes's face.  The punches really took their toll, forcing referee Dock to stop the contest at 2:50 of the round.

Wallace's record is now 3-1-1, two KO's while Sykes's record evens at 2-2.

The TV bouts begin at 9 PM ET. Join Juan Marshall and I in two minutes for a recap of the undercard live on Spreaker.com!

'Red Comet ' Cox Excites Fans And Co-Workers With Third-Round Stoppage!

Elkridge,  MD lightweight "The Red Comet" Dante Cox has scored a technical knockout at the end of the third round over Varon "Mighty Mo" Webb of Cameron, NC at Live! Casino.  The win thrilled many of Cox's coworkers who work at the Casino where Cox works as a bartender.

Cox broke down Webb throughout the contest, landing solid head and body shots.  By the end of the third round, Webb had had enough and could not continue into the fourth round.

Cox remains undefeated at 3-0, one KO.  Webb is now 0-1-1.

Nishanbaev Stops Womack In Fourth!

Arlington, VA super welterweight Zarifbek "Triple Z" Nishanbaev has scored a fourth-round TKO over a game Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. of Baltimore, MD.

Both boxers fought hard in the contest, landing some shots but mostly coming up short with their punches.  Finally, late in the fourth,  Nishanbaev uncorked a blistering right hand that sent Womack crashing to the canvas.  Womack would beat the count.  After another flurry by Nishanbaev, referee Kenny Chevalier would stop the contest.  The end came at 2:30.

Nishanbaev is now 5-1, four KO's while Womack drops to 8-17-4, six KO's.

Johnson Stops Debuting Stewart In Third!

In our opening contestant at Live! Casino, Charles "Brickhouse" Johnson scored a third-round TKO over the debuting Chester Stewart.

Stewart seemed to have the upper hand early in the bout as he landed a solid right hand in the first round.  However,  Johnson recovered in the second round and dropped Stewart with a right hand.  In the third,  Johnson would land another sweeping right that knocked down Stewart for a second time.  Johnson would beat the count but referee Harvey Dock would waive the bout off at 2:02.

Johnson wins his first pro bout and is now 1-1, one KO.
 

Good Evening From Live Casino!

Hi everyone from Live! Casino in Hanover, MD in the Arundel Mills Shopping Center.  We have a sellout crowd for this Jeter Promotions card.

Our first bout is in the Ring as debuting former college quarterback Chester Stewart of Hanover battles Charles "Brickhouse" Johnson of Mount Rainer, MD.  Four-round bout.

Governor's Cup Amateur Tournament Comes To District Heights Saturday!

Saturday. August 18th will be a big Beltway Boxing day. Not only do we have the pro show in the evening but we have a solid amateur card in the afternoon.  The Governor's Cup Amateur Boxing card will be held at Athletic Republic located at 6417 Marlboro Pike n District Heights. MD.

Boxers from up not only the Beltway but throughout the east coast will be in attendance at this card which will get underway at 4 PM ET.  All tickets are $25.  By the way, the boxer weigh-in begins at 9 AM.

Weights From Hanover. MD!

Here is the scale watch for the Jeter Promotions card at Live! Casino in Hanover, MD:

Demond Nicholson 167.8 vs. Isaac Rodrigues 168.

Mykal Fox 142 vs. DeMarcus Corley 139.4tt

Ivan Golub 146.6 vs. Lanardo Tyner 146.6

Francisco Bustos 155.8 vs. Javaun John 157.4

Donald Wallace 162.4 vs. Ashton Sykes 161.4

Dante Cox 137.8 vs. Varon Webb 139.4

Zarifbek Nishanbaev 154.2 vs. Kevin Womack 153.2

Chester Stewart 196 vs. Charles Johnson 196.4

On Saturday, the card is scheduled to begin at 7 PM ET with the main event bouts shown on the CBS Sports Network starting at 9 PM ET.

Burrs Drops Pro Debut In Philadelphia!

Hagerstown,  MD super welterweight Jonathan Burrs lost his professional debut to James Martin of Pennsylvania on Friday, August 10th at the Sugar House Casino in Philadelphia, PA.

No details on the bout but Burrs lost by four-round unanimous decision 40-36 across the board.  Martin is now 2-0.  Burrs is trained by former three-time world champion Simon Brown.

Marin Competes For IBF Intercontinental Super Flyweight Title September 8th In California!

Undefeated Bethesda, MD super flyweight Alexandru "Spartan" Marin will compete in his biggest bout to date as he takes on Bruno Escalante of Redwood City, CA in a 10-round bout for the vacant IBF Intercontinental Super Flyweight title on Saturday, September 8th at the Forum in Inglewood, CA.  The bout will be on the "Super Fly III" card and will be shown on the HBO International broadcast feed.

Marin, a native of Iasu, Romania (16-0, 11 KO's), won his second regional title when he knocked out Michael Ruiz, Jr. in the second round on April 14th in Norfolk, VA.  The win earned Marin the IBO Inter-Continental Super Flyweight title.  Marin also won the IBO International Bantamweight championship in June of 2016 when he floored Johnny Determan in the third round in Springfield, VA.  Marin is currently ranked 10th in the world by the IBF and is top-ranked in the IBF and IBO Inter-Continental rankings.

Escalante, originally from Sibonga, Cebu, Philippines (17-3-1, seven KO's), is riding a three-bout winning streak which includes an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Diuhl Olguin on April 14th in Salinas, CA.  Escalante is ranked third in the IBF Intercontinental rankings.

Interestingly, Escalante's last loss came to the same Michael Ruiz, Jr. in June of 2016 in Oakland, CA.  Escalante lost an eight-round unanimous decision in the second bout between the two boxers.  In December of 2013, Escalante defeated Ruiz by 10-round majority decision in Redwood City.  Also of note is that Escalante has gone a full 10 rounds three times while Marin has never gone 10 rounds.

August 18th Boxers To Hold Meet And Greet At Live Casino!

Many of the boxers who will be participating on the Jeter Promotions card on Saturday, August 18th are scheduled to appear at a free Meet And Greet that will take place at the site of the card -- Live! Casino in Hanover, MD -- on Thursday, August 9th beginning at 1 PM. 

Slated to appear at the event are Demond "D'Best At It" Nicholson, who will compete in the main event on the card.  Also, Myke "The Professor" Fox and DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley who will face each other in the co-feature contest and "The Red Comet" Dante Cox, who may have to take time out of his work schedule at Live! to appear.  Other boxers are also scheduled to appear at the event.  Come get autographs and take pictures with the boxers and the promoter, Tony "Mo Better' Jeter.

Once again, the event is free and open to the public and begins at 1 PM.

Russell Stops Opponent In 25 Seconds In New York!

Capitol Heights, MD super lightweight Antuanne "The Last" Russell needed just 25 seconds to knock out Jose Esquivel of Ciudad Saucillo, Chihuahua, Mexico Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY.  The bout was shown on FS2 and Fox Deportes.

According to reports, Russell threw a right hook to the head and followed it up with a perfect left hook to Esquivel's stomach that put his opponent down for good. 

Russell remains undefeated at 7-0, seven KO's.  Esquivel falls to 10-8, two KO's.

Nelson Scores Knockout In Sterling!

Ashburn, VA middleweight Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson wowed her hometown fans at the Michael and Son Sportsplex at Dulles in Sterling, VA with a sixth-round TKO of Tiffany "The Terminator" Woodard of Wilson, NC in the main event of the Ponytail Promotions card.

The two combatants fought on relatively even terms for the first four rounds as they exchanged punches in close quarters.  Woodard tried to engage Nelson verbally but Nelson stuck to her game plan of staying with her jab.  In the fifth round, Nelson found a home with her body shots which made Woodard take steps backwards. 

Midway through the sixth round, Nelson would land a right hand to the body followed by a sweeping left hook to the head.  The combination made Woodard stagger into a neutral corner.  Nelson immediately pressed her attack and did enough damage to force referee Alisha Daniels to stop the contest at 1:20 of the round.  After the official time had been announced, Woodard started to vehemently complain and tried to challenge Nelson again.  Woodard had to be escorted out of the ring by Virginia Commission personnel.

With the win, Nelson breaks a two-bout losing streak and is now 18-2-3, three KO's.  Woodard has lost six in a row and falls to 4-12-3, three KO's.

In the co-feature bout, middleweight Ian "Dancer" Cokley of Eastover, MD made his pro debut a successful one defeating Carlos "Cruz Missile" Cruz of Ashburn by four-round unanimous decision.  As his name implies, Cokley danced to the ring to the sounds of KC and The Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight." Once the bout started, Cokley showed solid boxing skill as he was able to land solid punches to Cruz's head and body.  Cruz was very game in the contest, at times establishing his own offense but Cokley was able to deliver more damaging punches.  Judge Michelle Myers scored the bout a shutout for Cokley, 40-36 while judge Brian Costello saw the bout 38-37 and judge Mark D'Atillio scored it 39-37.  Cruz's record falls to 1-4, one KO.

Another Ashburn product, lightweight Seth "Killer Bee" Billups, remained undefeated by winning a close six-round majority decision over Matt Murphy of East St. Louis, Illinois. Both men got their punches in throughout this contest.  Just when Billups seemed to be gaining an advantage in the bout with his jabs, Murphy would come back and land hard shots of his own to Billups's face.  Billups was able to do just enough to get the decision of two of the judges.  Judge Myers saw the draw at 57-57 while judges Costello and D'Atillio saw it for Billups, 58-56 and 59-55, respectively.  Billups is now 11-0, six KO's while Murphy drops to 3-26-3, two KO's.

Newport News, VA heavyweight Jerry "Slug" Forrest knocked out Miree "Pink Panther" Coleman of Fayetteville, NC at the end of the third round of a grudge rematch from April 4th.  Coleman was engaging in the contest in the first round but Forrest was able to use a 37-pound weight advantage (227-190) to good use as he wore Coleman down in the next two rounds, culminating in one knockdown and one standing eight-count in the third.  After the third round ended, the Coleman corner told referee Brent Bovell to stop the contest.  Forrest, who won the first contest with a second-round knockout, raises his record to 20-2, 16 KO's while Coleman falls to 6-5, four KO's.

In the opening contest, Baltimore, MD super lightweight Mack "Papi" Allison IV won a relatively easy six-round unanimous decision over Rynell Griffin of Las Vegas, NV.  Allison was in complete control of the bout as he would beat Griffin to the punch throughout the bout.  Griffin would provide little offense in return as Allison was able to land punches to Griffin's face and body with relative ease.  All three judges scored a shutout for Allison, 60-54.  Allison wins by decision for the first time in his pro career and he is now 8-1-1, seven KO's.  Griffin is now 8-39-2, two KO's.

James Hogan heads Ponytail Promotions.  The matchmaker was Brian Dillon.  This reporter served as ring announcer.

Scale Watch From Sterling, VA!

Here are the weights for the Ponytail Promotions card at the Michael and Son Sportsplex at Dulles in Sterling, VA:

Tori Nelson 157 vs. Tiffany Woodard 160

Seth Billups 137 vs. Matt Murphy 136

Mack Allison IV 136 vs. Rynell Griffin 140

Carlos Cruz 162 vs. Ian Cokley 157

Jerry Forrest 227 vs. Miree Coleman 190

The card is scheduled to get underway around 7:30 PM ET.

Antuanne Russell Weighs 138.8 For Eight-Rounder In Uniondale, NY; Antonio Russell's Bout Cancelled!

Antuanne Russell weighed in at 138.8 for his eight-round contest against Jose Arturo Esquivel on Saturday at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY.  Esquivel tipped the scales at 144.  Antonio Russell's bout was called off because his opponent failed his physical.

Antuanne Russell's bout will be shown on FS2 and Fox Deportes at 5:30 PM ET.

August Updates And Changes!

There are a few updates and changes to the August schedule.  Here's what we have:

Capitol Heights, MD bantamweight Antonio "Another" Russell has an opponent for his eight-round contest on Saturday, August 4th at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, NY.  Russell (11-0, eight KO's) will take on Lucas Rafael Baez of Catamarca, Argentina.  Russell is coming off a fifth-round TKO over Jonathan Lecona Ramos on May 19th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.  Baez (33-16-5, 17 KO's) makes his United States debut after fighting his bouts primarily in his native Argentina.  Baez last fought on May 18th and scored a second-round TKO over Guillermo Dejeas in Belen, Argentina.

Younger brother Antuanne "The Last" Russell (6-0, six KO's) will also be on this card in an eight-round super lightweight bout against Jose Arturo Esquivel (10-7, two KO's) of Ciudad Saucillo, Chihuahua, Mexico.  That bout is scheduled to be shown on FS2 and Fox Deportes.  Some bouts on the undercard will be shown at 5:30 PM ET.

According to Boxrec.com, Landover, MD featherweight Kevin "The Kraken" Rivers, Jr. is no longer on the Friday, August 10th card at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, CA.  No word as to why Rivers (14-2, 10 KO's) is not appearing on this show.

"The Red Comet" Dante Cox has a change in opponent for his appearance on the Saturday, August 18th card Jeter Promotions card at Live! Casino in Hanover, MD.  Cox, a lightweight from Elkridge, MD (2-0, one KO), now faces Varon Webb of North Carolina by way of Hartford, CT (0-1) in a four-round encounter.  Cox comes off his first-round TKO victory over Tyshae Ferguson on June 16th in Laurel, MD.  Webb made his pro debut in Columbia, SC and lost a six-round majority decision to Fernando Bunch.

Then on Friday, August 24th, Richmond, VA middleweight "The Chosen One" Immanuwel Aleem will be in a 10-round main event contest against veteran and world title contender Willie "El Mongoose" Monroe, Jr. of Rochester, NY at the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN.  The bout will be televised by FS1.

Aleem (18-1-1, 11 KO's) bounced back from suffering his first loss (a third-round knockout to Hugo Centeno, Jr. almost a year from this date [August 25, 2017]) by stopping Juan De Angel on May 19th in Oxon Hill, MD.

Two of Monroe's three losses (22-3, six KO's) came in world title bouts.  In May of 2015, Monroe challenged for the WBA and IBO Middleweight titles and was stopped by Gennady Golovkin in Inglewood, CA. Then in September of 2017, Monroe lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Billy Joe Saunders for Saunders's WBO Middleweight crown.  In his last outing, Monroe won an eight-round unanimous decision over Carlos Galvan on March 3rd in Brooklyn, NY.

Both boxers are ranked by the WBC in the middleweight division -- Monroe is sixth and Aleem is 12th.

BATB Podcast Now Being Heard On Tunein!

The Boxing Along The Beltway Podcast network continues to grow.  The podcast may now be heard on Tunein!  Here is the link to the podcast:

http://tun.in/pi7kJ

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