July Schedule Showcases Young Talent!

The July Beltway Boxing schedule is relatively short.  However, the schedule will showcase a lot of the area's young talent, including two that will be competing in the Olympic Boxing Tournament.  Here is the schedule:

Saturday, July 10th -- 1500 Grand Central Avenue, Vienna, WVA -- Three locals are slated to appear on this card.  Baltimore, MD super welterweight "Bazooka" Joe Veazey will be in a four-round contest against Leonidas Fowlkes of Winchester, VA.  Veazey (3-0, two KO's) will be making his second trip to 1500 Grand Central Avenue. Veazey scored a second-round TKO victory over Nelson Lopez on April 24th.  Fowlkes, a native of Baltimore (2-2), will try to bounce back from a first-round TKO loss to Victor Williams on April 24th in Philadelphia, PA.

The card will also mark the pro debut of Baltimore heavyweight Malik Titus, who will take on an opponent to be determined.  Titus was a multi-time regional Golden Gloves champion.

Also on the card will be Baltimore super middleweight Tyrell Boyd who is also looking for an opponent.  Boyd made his pro debut at 1500 Grand Central Avenue, scoring a first-round TKO over Jonathan Cooper on April 24th.

Friday, July 16th -- Buckhead Fight Club, Atlanta, GA -- The Rahman Brothers of Baltimore are looking for adversaries on this card.  Heavyweight Hasim "Gold Blooded" Rahman, Jr. (11-0, five KO's) just fought on June 4th and won a six-round majority decision over Mario Rodriguez Juarez in Matamoros, Mexico. 

Super welterweight Sharif "C3" Rahman (4-0, three KO's) last fought on February 6th in Philadelphia, PA, and scored a third-round TKO over Gladimir Jacinto.  Both Rahman bouts are scheduled for six rounds.

Saturday, July 17th -- KO Addiction Boxing And Fitness Center, Plant City, FL -- Belcamp, MD middleweight Lenwood "Mr. Composure" Dozier will be in a six-round contest against Fabian A Lopez-Nieves of Caguas, Puerto Rico.  Dozier (10-26-3, five KO's) will be trying to break a 15-bout winless streak.  Dozier lost by second-round TKO to Kiante Irving on April 24th in Vienna, WVA. Lopez-Nieves (3-0, three KO's) comes off a first-round TKO over Christopher Lavant on May 14th in Biloxi, MS.

Saturday, July 17th -- South Carolina -- Two locals are slated for this card.  Undefeated Dundalk, MD lightweight "The Educated Boxer" Dorian Bostic will be in a six-round contest against an opponent to be determined.  Bostic (7-0, seven KO's) knocked out Wegnar Ortega in the second round on May 1st in San Antonio De Palmito, Colombia.

Also looking for an opponent for this card will be Oxon Hill, MD middleweight Ian "Dancer" Cokley, who is scheduled for a four-round encounter.  Cokley (3-0, one KO) last fought on June 12th and knocked out Isaac Jonatan Coronado Galvan in Agua Prieta, Mexico.

Saturday, July 17th -- AT&T Stadium, San Antonio, TX -- Richmond, VA middleweight "The Chosen One" Immanuwel Aleem returns to action in a bout against undefeated Amilcar "Pety" Vidal of Coachella, CA by way of Uruguay.  Aleem (18-2-2, 11 KO's) has not fought since December of 2019 when he lost a 10-round majority decision to Ronald Ellis in Brooklyn, NY.  Vidal (12-0, 11 KO's) last fought on November 14th and won by second-round TKO over Edward Jeramie Ortiz in Los Angeles, California.

Friday, July 23rd -- 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- Baltimore, MD cruiserweight Muhsin Cason is scheduled for a four-round bout against an opponent to be determined.  Cason, the younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, Sr. (7-0, four KO's) last competed on December 12th, winning by second-round TKO over Curtis Head in Jonesboro, GA.

Also, Silver Spring, MD super lightweight Dieumerci "Elephant" Nzau will be in a four-round contest against Raekwon Butler of Brooklyn, NY.  Nzau, a native of the Democratic Republic Of The Congo (11-14-1, eight KO's) will be looking to break a 10-bout losing streak including a third-round TKO loss to Shinard Bunch on January 16th in Chester, PA.  Butler (2-0, two KO's) scored second-round TKO wins in both of his bouts.

Saturday, July 24th -- 2300 Arena, Philadephia, PA -- Norfolk, VA lightweight Nick Sullivan will be in a four-round bout against Nathan Benichou of Puebla, Mexico by way of France.  Sullivan (3-0, one KO) won a four-round unanimous decision over Gabriel Chacon on June 11th in Orlando, FL.  Benichou (2-5, two KO's) has lost five bouts in a row.

Saturday, July 24th -- Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan -- Two Beltway Boxers will be competing in the Olympic Boxing Tournament.  Alexandria, VA boxers Keyshawn Davis and Troy Isley will be trying to become the first Olympic medalists from the Beltway since Clarence Vinson won a bronze medal in 2000.

Beltway Weekend Recap: Selby Wins On Atlanta Undercard, Fox, Marshall Score Knockouts In Minneapolis; McCalla Drops Decision In Las Vegas!

A host of Beltway Boxers were in action this past weekend around the country.  Most of the locals were successful in their competitive endeavors.

On the Gervonta Davis-Mario Barrios undercard on Saturday, June 26th at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA, super lightweight Stacey Selby of Upper Marlboro, MD scored a third-round TKO over Willam Parra Smith of Anchorage, AK.  Selby would knock down Smith in the third round.  Smith beat referee Jerry Cantu's count but he could not continue.  Selby is now 3-0, three KO's while Smith falls to 3-7-1, three KO's.

At the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, welterweight Cecil McCalla of Randallstown, MD lost an eight-round unanimous decision to undefeated contender Giovani "Gallo De Oro" Santillan of San Diego, CA.  As always, McCalla was very tough but Santillan was in control of the bout and won by scores of 80-72, 79-73, and 78-74.  McCalla falls to 23-5, 10 KO's while Santillan remains undefeated at 27-0, 15 KO's.

On Sunday, June 27th at the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN, super middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox stopped Manny "Shake 'Em Up" Woods of St. Petersburg, FL in the seventh round.  This was not an easy win for Fox as Woods made Fox miss frequently by ducking, bobbing, and weaving.  However, Fox stayed patient and finally landed a hard right hand in the seventh round that stunned Woods.  Referee Gary Miezwa stopped the contest at 1:11 of the seventh.  Fox is now 28-2-1, 13 KO's while Woods dropped to 17-12-1, six KO's.

On the same card, Capitol Heights, MD super welterweight Travon "Sniper" Marshall won a four-round unanimous decision over Ruben Torres of Sacramento, CA.  Both men threw hard shots throughout the contest.  However, late in the third round, Marshall dropped Torres who would beat the count.  Marshall would go on to win the bout by shutout, 40-35, on all three judges' cards.  Marshall raises his record to 2-0, one KO while Torres is now 4-2, one KO.

Gervonta Davis Scores 11th Round TKO To Win WBA Super Lightweight Title!

Baltimore, MD's Gervonta "Tank" Davis maintained his status as one of the premier boxers in the sport Saturday as he stopped previously undefeated Mario "El Azteca" Barrios of San Antonio, TX in the 11th round to win the WBA Super Lightweight title in front of a sellout crowd of 16,570 at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA and a Showtime PPV audience.

Davis started very slowly, landing very few punches in the first four rounds.  However, in the fifth, Davis picked up the pace and Barrios couldn't keep up.

In the eighth round, Davis would drop Barrios twice, first with a sweeping right hook and then with a straight left hand.  It would be the first times Barrios would be knocked down in his career.

Davis would finish the job in the 11th round, dropping Barrios with a left uppercut to the body then following up with a barrage of punches that would force referee Thomas Taylor to stop the bout at 2:13.

Davis is now 25-0 with 24 KO's.  He moved up two weight classes to win his third world title. Barrios loses for the first time and is now 26-1, 17 KO's.

Locals Slated To Compete On Big Weekend Cards!

Beltway Boxers will be competing on some big cards this coming weekend.  Of course, THE big card is the Gervonta Davis-Mario Barrios pay-per-view card on Saturday, June 26th at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA.  However, other boxers are scheduled to be in action over the weekend.

One local will be on the Davis-Barrios undercard.  That will be Upper Marlboro, MD super lightweight Stacey Selby who will face William Parra Smith of Anchorage, AK in a scheduled four-round bout.  Selby (2-0, two KO's) comes off a first-round knockout victory over Xzaviar Ford on April 10th in Rock Hill, SC.  Smith (3-6-1, three KO's) looks to break a two-bout losing streak including a second-round TKO loss to Nahir Albright on March 6th in Feasterville, PA,

Two Beltway Boxers will be on a card that will take place on Sunday, June 27th at the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN.  Upper Marlboro super middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox will be in a 10-round contest against Manny "Shake 'Em Up" Woods of St. Petersburg, FL.  Fox (27-2-1, 12 KO's) looks to build on a 10-round unanimous decision win over Mark Anthony Hernandez on December 26th in Los Angeles, CA.  Woods (17-11-1, six KO's) broke a four-bout losing streak with a six-round unanimous decision win over Saul Almeida on April 17th in Derry, NH.

Also on the card will be Capitol Heights, MD super welterweight Travon "Sniper" Marshall who will be in a four-round bout against Ruben Torres of Sacramento, CA.  Marshall won his pro debut with a first-round knockout of Christian Marron on April 20th in Los Angeles.  Marshall is trained by DC Boxing Hall of Famer Andrew Council. Torres (4-1, one KO) has not fought since February of 2020 when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Donnis Reed in Sacramento.

Beltway Boxers Score Knockout Victories In South Carolina!

On Saturday, June 19th at the Jamil Shrine Temple in Columbia, SC, two Beltway Boxers scored first-round knockout victories.

Lanham, MD light heavyweight Aaron "The Wolf" Thorne III remained undefeated by stopping the debuting Jared Baines of Wilson, NC.  The time of the knockout was 2:36.  Thorne is now 4-0, three KO's.

Oxon Hill, MD welterweight Akeem "Action Action" Jackson needed just 21 seconds to knock out Jahterris Lewis of Wilson.  Jackson raised his record to 5-2, five KO's with his last four knockouts all coming in the first round.  Lewis is now 0-4 and has yet to get out of the first round.

Maryland Makes Moves To Restart Professional Combat Sports!

The Maryland State Athletic Commission seems to be preparing to sanction professional combat sports events again later this year.

In a recent release, The Maryland Commission says that, as of July 1st, spectators can attend Commission-sanctioned events (including Boxing, Professional Wrestling, Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing) at 100 percent capacity at an indoor or outdoor venue.  No masks are necessary.

Licensed contestants, licensed wrestlers, licensed referees, licensed judges, licensed managers, licensed matchmakers, licensed promoters and licensed seconds as well as promoter representatives and Commission representatives who have been fully vaccinated will not be required to undergo COVID19 testing prior to an event.  Proof of vaccination must be shown to the commission.  If proof is not shown, then a COVID-19 test must be performed on the day before, or the day of, the event.  Individuals who do not show proof of vaccination must wear a mask at the hotel where they are staying and at the venue.

Maryland is the first in the Beltway area to announce their plans for restarting boxing.  No word yet on DC or Virginia.  Virginia may be in flux because of the recent passing of Commission member Tracy Fagan. Reports are that Commission chair David Holland is on administrative leave.

Keyshawn Davis, Troy Isley Return To Amateurs; Will Compete In Tokyo Olympics!

The Beltway Boxing scene will be represented in the upcoming Summer Olympics after all.

Alexandria, VA-based boxers Keyshawn Davis and Troy Isley have qualified for the 2021 Games in Tokyo, Japan.  Both men are pros but their amateur achievements have made them eligible for Team USA.  Pros have been able to compete in the Olympics since the 2016 Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

Davis, a native of Norfolk, VA, won silver medals at the 2019 Pan American Games and the World Championships.   Davis had originally qualified for Team USA prior to the Covid-19 pandemic but was taken off the team for unknown reasons. Davis went ahead and turned pro and is currently 3-0 with two KO's. Davis will compete as a lightweight and will try to be the first US Olympic medalist in that weight class since 1988.

Isley won a bronze medal in the 2017 World Championships and then won another bronze at the 2019 Pan Am Games.  Isley is currently 2-0, one KO as a pro and just scored a fourth-round TKO on June 12th in Las Vegas, NV.  Isley will compete in the Olympics as a middleweight and will look for the first US Olympic medal in that division since 2004.

Beltway Boxing Roundup: Hurd Gets Upset, Hackett Wins Pro Debut In Miami; Locals Split In Philadelphia!

 It was an interesting weekend for Beltway Boxers as they suffered great wins and tough losses this past weekend in Miami, FL, and Philadelphia, PA.

At the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, former WBA/IBF/IBO Super Welterweight champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd lost a 10-round split decision to journeyman Luis Arias of Boca Raton, FL.  The bout was part of the Floyd Mayweather-Logan Paul Showtime Pay-Per-View.  The bout was fought during a rainstorm and was delayed a couple of times.

Arias, despite suffering a cut in the second round, outworked Hurd throughout the bout.  Hurd, who fought as a middleweight, did get credit for a knockdown in the ninth round but replays showed that Arias slipped on the wet canvas.  Arias won by scores of 97-93 and 96-93.  Hurd was able to get a 95-94 score on one card.  Hurd is now 1-2 in his last three bouts and his record falls to 24-2, 16 KO's.  Arias is now 19-2-1, nine KO's.

On the same card, Washington, DC welterweight Jalil "Major" Hackett made a successful pro debut as he stopped the equally debuting Angelo Diaz of Monahans, TX. Hackett scored the knockout at 1:01.

On Saturday, June 5th, Beltway Boxers went two for four during a day-night doubleheader at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.  Hagerstown, MD super middleweight Genc "G-Money" Pllana headlined the nightcap card and scored an eighth-round knockout over Brandon "Brob" Robinson of Upper Darby, PA.  Pllana controlled the first part of the bout with a strong jab.  Robinson would mount some offense in the middle rounds but as the eighth round approached, Pllana would wear Robinson down and would crack Robinson with a right hand that sent him to the canvas.  The bout would be stopped at 33 seconds of the eighth.  With the win, Pllana breaks a two-bout losing streak and is now 9-3-1, five KO's.  Robinson is now 15-3, 10 KO's.

The matinee session saw Frederick, MD super middleweight Dr. Devar "Jengawar" Ferhadi win an eight-round unanimous decision over Blake "KO King" Mansfield of Burlington, NC.  Ferhadi won the bout by scores of 80-72 and 79-73 twice.  Ferhadi remains undefeated at 9-0, seven KO's.

Bowie, MD super lightweight Greg "Sharpshooter" Outlaw suffered a tough loss dropping a six-round unanimous decision to Andrew Rodgers of Elkhart, IN.  According to reports, the bout was a hotly-contested one.  The difference was when Rodgers dropped Outlaw in the fifth round.  Rodgers would win by scores of 58-55 and 57-56 twice.  Outlaw loses for the first time and is now 8-1, three KO's.  Rodgers raises his record to 5-9-2, with two KO's.

Woodbridge, VA super welterweight Edgar "The Tiger" Torres returned to action for the first time since January of 2016.  The return lasted just 46 seconds and unfortunately, Torres was on the losing end.  Kashon Hutchinson of Reading, PA dropped Torres with a flurry of headshots. Hutchinson followed up with some flush power shots, and the fight was stopped after a perfect left to the head that rocked Torres at 46 seconds.  Torres suffers his first loss and is now 8-1-1, four KO's.  Hutchinson is now 8-5, two KO's.

Weights For Beltway Boxers in Philadelphia!

 Here is the scale watch for the Beltway Boxers that will be participating in the King's Promotions day-night doubleheader at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, June 5th:

(Photos by Daniel Cork)

                                             Genc Pllana 168 vs. Brandon Robinson 166.8

                                            Devar Ferhadi 167.8 vs. Blake Mansfield 167.8

                                            Greg Outlaw 141.2 vs. Andrew Rodgers 141.9

                                             Edgar Torres 147.4 vs. Kashon Hutchinson 149.6

The afternoon card that features Ferhadi, Outlaw and Torres begins at 3 PM ET and the nightcap event with Pllana headlining, gets underway at 8 PM ET.  The cards will be livestreamed on BXNG.TV for $9,99.