Russell Stops Santiago In Six!

Capitol Heights, MD super lightweight Antuanne "The Last" Russell maintained his perfect record with a six-round stoppage of Jovanie "El Lobito" Santiago of Dorado, Puerto Rico at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.  The bout was nationally televised on Showtime.

Russell was dominant throughout the bout, landing numerous jabs and power punches.  In the fourth round, Russell landed a solid right-left combination that sent Santiago to the canvas.  Santiago, however, was able to be the first Russell opponent to make it past the fourth round.

But Russell increased the pressure and maintained his accurate punishment.  At the end of the sixth round, Santiago's corner did not allow their fighter to continue.

Russell is now 14-0, 14 KO's. Santiago gets stopped for the first time in his career and he falls to 14-2-1, 10 KO's.

The referee for this contest was Sharon Sands, who has worked many bouts in Washington, DC while living in California.

Russell Weighs 137.2 For 10-Rounder In California!

Antuanne Russell tipped the scales at 137.2 pounds for his 10-round contest against Jovanie Santiago on Saturday, May 29th at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA,  Santiago came in at 140.8 pounds.  This bout is scheduled to open the Showtime telecast at 10 PM ET.

Williams Wins ABF Atlantic Title With First-Round KO in South Carolina!

Washington, DC super bantamweight Daron "Sweet Tay" Williams scored an easy first-round knockout over Robert Ledesma of San Antonio, TX to capture the vacant American Boxing Federation Atlantic Super Bantamweight title on Saturday, February 22nd at the Greenville Marriott in Greenville, SC.

The knockout came at 1:21 of the first round.  Williams is now 9-1, six KO's.  Ledesma falls to 2-7, two KO's.

Also on the card, Fort Washington, MD middleweight Ian "Dancer" Coakley had a second-round no-contest against Tabron Farmer of Wilson, NC.  The two men clashed heads in the second round and the bout was stopped.  Coakley's record remains at 2-0 while Farmer is still 0-10.

One of the referees on this card was Beltway official Kenny Chevalier.

June Beltway Boxing Schedule Packed With Big Bouts And Big Names!

The June Beltway Boxing Schedule is loaded with a number of big bouts that will feature many of the big names from the local scene.  Here is what's slated for June:

Friday, June 4th -- Hotel Holiday Inn, Cuernavaca, Mexico -- Bedford, VA super middleweight Scott "Cujo" Sigmon will be in a 10-round bout against undefeated Erik Bazinyan of Laval, Quebec, Canada by way of Armenia.  Sigmon (35-14-1, 18 KO's) comes off a third-round TKO over Anthony Williams on February 20th in Greenville, SC.  Bazinyan (25-0, 19 KO's) scored a sixth-round TKO over Timo Laine on February 21st in Rimouski, Canada.  Bazinyan is ranked sixth in the world by the WBO.

Saturday, June 5th -- 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- A number of Beltway Boxers will be a part of two cards at the 2300 Arena.  Hagerstown, MD super middleweight "The Sexy Albanian" Genc Pllana will headline one of the cards participating in an eight-round bout against Brandon "Brob" Robinson of Upper Darby, PA.  Pllana (8-3-1, four KO's) is looking to break a two-bout losing streak including an eight-round split decision against Raphael Igbokwe on November 28th in Houston, TX.  Robinson (15-2, 10 KO's) last fought in March of 2020 and scored a second-round TKO over Josue Obando at the 2300 Arena.

Three undefeated local boxers will be on the other card.  Frederick, MD super middleweight Dr. Devar "Jengawar" Ferhadi returns to action in a six-round bout against Blake "KO King" Mansfield of Burlington, NC.  Ferhadi (8-0, seven KO's) has not fought since December of 2019 when he stopped Vincent Baccus in the fifth round at the 2300 Arena.  Part of the reason for Ferhadi's absence from boxing is that he was finishing his medical studies in Iraq.  Mansfield (7-3-1, four KO's) looks to bounce back from a fifth-round TKO loss to Aaron Casper on November 7th in Rock Hill, SC.

Also on this card will be Bowie, MD super lightweight Greg "Sharpshooter" Outlaw who will be in a six-round contest against Andrew Rodgers of Elkhart, IN.  Outlaw (8-0, three KO's) last fought in May of 2019 and scored a fourth-round KO over Martin Nicolas Matamala in Fairfax, VA.  Rodgers (4-9-2, two KO's) looks to break a two-bout losing streak including a six-round majority decision to Nahir Albright at the 2300 Arena in March of 2020.

Woodbridge, VA super welterweight Edgar "The Tiger" Torres will box for the first time since January of 2016 when he battles Kashon Hutchinson of Reading, PA in a six-round encounter.  Torres won a four-round unanimous decision over Henry Mercer in Springfield, VA.  Hutchinson (7-5, one KO) last fought in November of 2019 and won a six-round unanimous decision over James Robinson in Reading, PA.

Sunday, June 6th -- Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL -- Former IBF/WBA/IBO Super Welterweight champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd of Accokeek, MD returns to action in a 10-round encounter against Luis Arias of Boca Raton, FL.  The bout will be a co-feature contest on a Showtime Pay-Per-View.  Hurd (24-1, 16 KO's) bounced back from his title loss to Julian Williams by winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Francisco Santana in Brooklyn, NY in January of 2020.  This will be Hurd's first bout since the recent passing of his father, Fred.  Arias (18-2-1, nine KO's) has not fought since August of 2019 when he lost a decision to Luke Keeler in Belfast, Ireland.

Making his pro debut on this card will be Washington, DC welterweight Jalil Major Hackett, who will compete for the first time under the Mayweather Promotions banner.  Hackett is still looking for an opponent.

Friday, June 11th -- Avanti Palms Resort, Orlando, FL -- Norfolk, VA lightweight Nick Sullivan will be in a four-round bout against Gabriel Chacon of San Diego, CA by way of Venezuela.  Sullivan (2-0, one KO) last fought in October of 2019 and scored a first-round KO over Gilberto Aguilar in Indio, CA.  Chacon (0-2) comes off a four-round unanimous decision loss to Benigno Aguilar on February 12th at the Avanti Palms Resort.

Saturday, June 19th -- LoanDepot Park, Miami, FL -- WBC/WBO Female Super Middleweight champion "The Heavy Hitting Diva" Franchon Crews Dezurn of Baltimore, MD looks to unify the 168-pound division when she faces undefeated WBA/IBF titleholder Elin Cederroos of Vasteraas, Sweden. Crews Dezurn (7-1, two KO's) comes off an eight-round unanimous decision over Ashleigh Curry on January 2nd in Dallas, TX.   Cederroos (8-0, four KO's) successfully defended her titles with a unanimous decision over Alicia Napoleon Espinosa on January 10th in Atlantic City, NJ.

Friday, June 25th -- 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- Germantown, MD lightweight Tommy Avelar will make his long-awaited pro debut on this card.  Tommy Avelar is the oldest of the Avelar Brothers and the last of the trio to make his pro debut.  Younger brothers Wilfredo and Brian were victorious in their pro debuts in November of 2019 in Glen Burnie, MD.  Tommy Avelar is looking for an opponent for this card.

Saturday, June 26th -- State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA -- Undefeated Baltimore, MD's Gervonta "Tank" Davis looks for a world title in his third weight class when he challenges equally undefeated WBA Super Lightweight champion Mario "El Azteca" Barrios of San Antonio, TX.  This bout will headline a Showtime Pay-Per-View.  Davis (24-0, 23 KO's) comes off the blistering sixth-round knockout of Leo Santa Cruz for the WBA Super Featherweight and Lightweight titles on October 31st in San Antonio.  This will be Davis's second time competing at the State Farm Arena. Davis scored a 12th round TKO over Yuriokis Gamboa in December of 2019.

Barrios (26-0, 17 KO's) fought on the same October 31st card in San Antonio and successfully defended his title with a sixth-round knockout over Ryan Karl.  Barrios has fought in the Beltway area.  He scored a second-round knockout over Juan Jose Velasco in May of 2019 in Fairfax, VA.

Baltimore Boxing Promotions Holds Live Amateur Card Saturday In Westminster, MD!

There will be a live amateur boxing card on Saturday, May 22nd at the Carroll County AG Center in Westminster, MD. The address is 706 Agricultural Center Drive in Westminster.  The card is being promoted by Jake "The Snake" Smith's Baltimore Boxing Promotions and will honor many of the heroes who worked on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the boxers slated to be on the card will be TJ Mottinger, Josh Tingler, Justin Maggi, and Jermaine Rouse.  Former world champion Vinny Paz will be in attendance.  General Admission tickets are $35 and VIP tickets are $75.  All attendees must wear a mask.  To get tickets, go to www.baltimoreboxing.com.

Antuanne Russell Battles Santiago In Nationally-Televised 10-Round Bout May 29th In California!

Undefeated Capitol Heights, MD super lightweight Antuanne "The Last" Russell will look to keep his perfect record intact when he faces Jovanie "El Lobito" Santiago of Dorado, Puerto Rico in a 10-round bout on Saturday, May 29th at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.  The bout will open a Showtime tripleheader boxing card.

Russell (13-0, 13 KO's) has yet to get past the fourth round in any bout.  He comes off a first-round TKO over Jose Marrufo in February of 2020 in Allentown, PA.  Santiago (14-1-1, 10 KO's) looks to bounce back from his first pro loss, a 12-round unanimous decision to Adrian Broner on February 20th in Uncasville, CT.  Santiago holds a victory over a Beltway Boxer, defeating former WBO Super Lightweight champion DeMarcus Corley by a 10-round unanimous decision in April of 2017 in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico.

The telecast will get underway at 10 PM ET.

Davis Brothers Win In Texas; Veras Pena Falls In Philadelphia!

At AT&T Stadium in Arlington,TX, The Davis Brothers of Alexandria,VA by way of Norfolk, VA won their bouts on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez-Billy Joe Saunders card on Saturday, May 8th.

Lightweight Keyshawn Davis won a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Antonio Meza of Mexico.  According to reports, Davis let his hands go freely throughout the bout, landing shots to the head and body of the durable and taller Meza.  All three judges scored a shutout for Davis, 60-54.  Davis is 3-0, two KO's while Meza is 7-5, two KO's.

Older brother Kelvin Davis, a super lightweight, had a slightly tougher time as he won a four-round unanimous decision over Jan Marsalek of the Czech Republic.  Davis started landing punches from the outside in the first round but then changed his tactics and worked inside in round two.  Marsalek gained a slight advantage midway through the contest.  Marsalek would catch Davis late in the fourth round with a right hook to the jaw and drop him.  However, all three judges thought Davis did enough to win and scored the bout, 38-37.  Davis is 2-0, one KO while Marsalek falls to 8-3, seven KO's.

At the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, May 8th,  Annapolis, MD super lightweight David "The Demolisher " Veras Pena lost by first-round KO to undefeated hometown boxer Tahmir Smalls.  No details on the bout are available.  Veras Pena remains winless at 0-5-1 while Smalls is 4-0, three KO's.

May Beltway Boxing Schedule!

 A number of Beltway Boxers are slated to be in action during the month of May.  Here is the schedule:

Saturday, May 8th -- 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- Annapolis, MD super lightweight David "The Demolisher" Veras Pena will be in a four-round contest against Tahmir Smalls of Philadelphia.  Pena (0-4-1) looks to bounce back from back-to-back first-round TKO's in his last two outings.  Smalls (3-0, two KO's) looks to build on a four-round unanimous decision win over Andres Abarca on April 3rd at the 2300 Arena.

Saturday, May 8th -- AT&T Stadium, Dallas, TX -- The Davis Brothers of Alexandria, VA by way of Norfolk, VA are scheduled to be on this card. 

 Lightweight Keyshawn Davis is slated for a six-round encounter against Jose Antonio "Pepao" Meza of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico.  Davis (2-0, two KO's) traveled all the way to Dubai to win by fourth-round stoppage over Richman Ashelley on April 3rd.  Meza (6-4, one KO) has no fought since June of 2019 when he lost a four-round unanimous decision to Dmitry Yun in Temecula, CA.

Older Brother Kelvin Davis, a super lightweight, will be on the card in a four-round bout against Jan Marsalek of the Czech Republic.  Davis (1-0, one KO) made his pro debut in December of 2020 and scored a second-round TKO over Michael Honesto in Los Angeles, CA. Marsalek (8-2, seven KO's, won the vacant WBF International Super lightweight title with ninth-round TKO over previously undefeated Faith Duebues on October 17th in Donauwoerth, Germany. 

These bouts will be on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez-Billy Joe Saunders and will be streamed by DAZN.

Saturday, May 15th -- Sokol Club, Pittsburgh, PA -- Debuting DC super featherweight Donnell Poe will compete in a four-round bout against undefeated Johnny Spell of Pittsburgh.  Poe participated in numerous Washington and Regional Golden Gloves bouts and also served his country in the US Armed Forces.  Spell (3-0, three KO's) has scored first-round knockouts in all three of his bouts.

Friday, May 21st -- Rock Hill, SC -- District Heights, MD super featherweight Renaldo "Misunderstood" Gaines participates in an eight-round contest against Stevie "The Answer" Massey of Charlotte, NC.  Gaines (10-2, three KO's) has not fought since winning a four-round unanimous decision over Eduardo Melendez in May of 2019 in Washington, DC.  Gaines is riding a six-bout winning streak.  Massey (12-1, nine KO's) last fought on October 24th and scored a first-round knockout over Manuel Galaviz in Greenville, SC.

Saturday, May 22nd -- Greenville Marriott, Greenville, SC -- A number of Beltway Boxers are slated to be on this card.   DC super bantamweight Daron "Sweet Tay" Williams returns to action in a six-round encounter against Diamond J. Baker of Phoenix, AZ by way of the Philippines.  Williams (8-1, five KO's) has not fought since scoring a second-round TKO over Raymond Chacon in September of 2019 in Sterling, VA.  The 44-year-old Baker last fought in February of 2020 and lost a four-round unanimous decision to Danny Barrios Flores in Phoenix.

Dundalk, MD lightweight "The Educated Boxer" Dorian Bostic will be in a six-round contest against Devante Stevenson of South Carolina.  The undefeated Bostic (7-0, seven KO's) traveled all the way to San Antonio de Palmito, Colombia on May 1st and knocked out Wegner Ortega in the second round.  Stevenson is 0-3 and has been knocked out in all three bouts.

Super middleweights The Bell Twins also return to action on this card. Justin and Jason Bell are originally from Capitol Heights, MD but now fight out of Greenville, NC and haven't fought since October of 2018 in Fort Washington,  MD.Justin (4-0, three KO's) scored a second-round TKO over Deandre West while Jason (3-1, one KO) lost a six-round majority decision to Genc Pllana.  Justin Bell will battle Tabron Farmer of Wilson, NC who is 0-10. Jason Bell is still looking for an opponent for this card.

Also looking for an opponent is Fort Washington. MD middleweight Ian "Dancer" Cokley.  Cokley (2-0) defeated Leo Alcantara by four-round majority decision in February of 2020 in Vienna, VA.