McCallister Victorious at BXF!

The rust seems to be wearing off for Greenbelt, MD super middleweight "King" James McCallister.

In just his second fight in more than a year and despite fighting at a heavier weight, McCallister scored a workmanlike,eight-round unanimous decision over "Magic" Mike Eatmon at BXF (Boxing Xtreme Fitness) Gym in Millersville, MD.

McCallister fought at 172 which is closer to light heavyweight then McCallister's natural weight of 160 pounds or middleweight. Eatmon came in at 174. McCallister did tell me that the weight was a factor because he didn't have as much power.

What was better for McCallister in this bout was his accuracy. Throughout the contest, McCallister landed strong body shots. Eatmon was a tough opponent and was never seriously hurt by his shots, but fell short on his accuracy at times.

Judges Don Risher and Kenny Chevalier scored the bout 78-74 while Judge John Gradowski saw the contest 77-75. I had the bout 78-75 for McCallister.

McCallister is now 11-5-1, three KO's while Eatmon falls to 8-4, five KO's.

The co-feature saw Philadelphia junior middleweight James Shedrick score a crushing fourth-round knockout over Tony "Mo Better" Jeter, now fighting out of Stevensville, MD. Unfortunately, those who saw this bout saw this knockout coming from the second round on.

Jeter showed very little defense in this contest and as the bout wore on, he seemed to be tailor made for Shedrick's right hand. Finally, in the fourth, Shedrick connected with that right hand as Jeter leaned in. The blow caught Jeter flush and sent him spiraling to the canvas. Referee John Gradowski reached 10 and the bout was over at 1:21 of the round.

Shedrick is now 3-4, two KO's. Jeter falls to 4-2, four KO's.

In a featherweight contest, Baltimore's Tyrell Samuel remained undefeated in his young career, scoring a fourth round TKO over James Franks of Newport News, VA. Both men landed shots with crisp accuracy, but Samuel's blows seemed to have more effect.

That proved to be the difference in the fourth round because, although Franks was having his best round of the bout, Samuel was still able to land a huge right hand that staggered Franks. Samuel was able to put the finishing touches on the bout, forcing referee Kenny Chevalier to stop the bout at 2:45 of the fourth.

Samuel is now 4-0, two KO's. Franks is now 1-1, one KO.

In the curtain-raiser bout, Wilson, NC middleweight Rodney Green scored an easy six-round unanimous decision over John "JT" Terry of Portsmouth, VA. Terry fought in a defensive posture for the bulk of the bout, enabling Green to score a shutout (60-54) on the cards of judges Bill Holmes and John Gradowski (as well as my unofficial card) and a score of 59-55 on Judge Don Risher's card.

Green evens his record to 3-3-1, while Terry evens his at 2-2, one KO.

Keystone Boxing promoted this show. The matchmaker was Chris Middendorf.

Changes to BXF Card!

There are some minor changes to the BXF Card in Millersville on Friday.

Super middleweight Tony Jeter will now face James Shedrick instead of John Terry.

Terry will go up against Rodney Green in another super middleweight bout. Green was originally Shedrick's opponent.

So it will be Jeter vs. Shedrick and Terry vs. Green. Both bouts are scheduled for four rounds.

I hope to have weights for you later this evening.

More Beltway Boxers in Action!

First let me thank those of you who are reading this blog and sending me information about boxers that I may not be aware of. It is MUCH appreciated.

Since my recent postings on scheduled bouts out of town regarding Beltway Boxers, I have received phone calls and emails about other boxers who will be in action in the coming weeks. Thanks again for the tips and please keep sending them in.

Here's some more information on local boxers:

On that December 6 card in Memphis, TN that features Perry Ballard, another local prospect will be making an appearance. That will be Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Thomas Snow. Snow made his pro debut on November 5 scoring a first-round knockout over Ronald Viera in Winston-Salem, NC. Snow will be facing a Memphis product in Chris Burford who has a record of 5-33-1 with four KO's.

We mentioned that cruiserweight Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan of Capitol Heights is now trying to stay busy. Bryan is coming off that upset unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jeff Baker on November 22. Bryan (21-11, nine KO's) will be back in action on December 8 when he takes on Martin Verdin in a six-round bout in Southhaven, MS. According to BoxRec.com, Bryan, originally from the island of Jamaica, also has a bout scheduled for December 29 in Jamaica, Queens, NY.

On December 9 in Lancaster, PA, super featherweight Dean "Pit Bull" White of Reston, VA will be back in action. White (11-3, six KO's) will try to rebound from a tough six-round majority decision loss to Mike "Little Rock" Ricasa on October 27 at Martin's West. White will be in the main event on this card and it will be the "Battle of the Dogs" because his opponent will be undefeated Oronde "The Dog" Dawley of Camden, NJ. Dawley (11-0-1, four KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Justo Sanchez on October 21 in Philadelphia.

This should be a good card. I know the promotion company, Dee Lee Promotions, headed by Diane Fischer. I covered a show of theirs in Dover, DE a few years ago and they put on a first class show.

Also on December 9, at the Show Place Exhibition Center in Richmond, VA, two local veterans will be on a card. Heavyweight Derek "Hollywood" Amos of Fort Washington, MD will make his first appearance in a ring in more than three years. Amos (13-22, eight KO's) started off quickly in his pro career winning his first eight bouts in 1993 and 1994. A number of those bouts took place at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD on cards co-promoted by his father. I mention this because those cards help boost my career when I was working with "Boxing Spotlight."

Once Amos started meeting better competition, he had difficulty. Among the notable names on his resume are current IBF Heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, current contenders Monte Barrett and Danny Williams and former contender Razor Ruddock.

Amos will be trying to break a 12-bout losing streak when he faces Alonzo Cutchins (4-12, three KO's) of Charlottsville, VA in a six-round matchup. Cutchins hasn't fought since 1997 and lost his last seven bouts.

One of those last seven losses on Cutchins' record came at the hands of another boxer on this Richmond card; heavyweight and fan favorite Jason Waller of Stafford, VA. Waller will be taking on David Chappell of Portsmouth, VA in a six-round bout.

Waller (28-30-4, 19 KO's) has been boxing since 1990 and except for a two-year hiatus from July 1996 to January 1998, Waller has been in action consistently. Waller, who once held the Virginia State Cruiserweight title, has fought a number of quality people over his career in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. The names include former IBF Cruiserweight champ Vassily Jirov, former cruiserweight contender Vincent Boulware and heavyweight contenders Andrew Golota and Shannon Briggs.

Waller has been working at the Baltimore Boxing Club and has been seen at some local cards working with young boxers. In the ring, Waller will be looking to break a three-bout losing streak when he takes on Chappell(6-5, two KO's).

Of course, all bouts are subject to change without notice. If there are results, I will do my best to let you know how these boxers did.

Kim Not in Tennessee After All; Nwodo Battles in Philadelphia!

I am now getting word that Silver Spring welterweight Han "Sugar" Kim will NOT be on the card in Tennessee as earlier posted. All other information on that previous post is correct.

In other news, Baltimore-based cruiserweight Emanuel Nwodo will be involved in a co-feature on a Don Elbaum-promoted card at the legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia on December 2. Nwodo (17-4, 13 KO's), originally from Enugu, Nigeria, will take on John Douglas (6-10-3, three KO's) of Georgetown, Guyana in a bout scheduled for eight rounds.

Nwodo, who has explosive power in both hands, has been impressive since moving down to Cruiserweight division, winning all seven of his Cruiserweight bouts, five by way of knockout. Douglass will provide a stiff challenge for the Nigerian, as he is on a comeback of his own, winning four of his last five bouts.

Local Boxers in Mississippi!

Two undefeated DC prospects will participate in a boxing card on December 10 at Fitzgeralds Casino in Tunica, MS.

Junior welterweight Lamont Peterson (14-0, six KO's) will take on Johnny "Live Wire" Walker of Fort Lauderdale, FL (18-18, 12 KO's). Peterson is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Robert Frankel on September 2nd in Little Rock, AR. Peterson has gone the distance in his last three bouts.

Walker is trying to break a 15-bout losing streak which includes defeats at the hands of such noted boxers as former world champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Americo Santos and Nate Campbell.

Walker is also seeking a win over a Peterson. Walker lost a six-round unanimous decision over Lamont's brother Anthony on August 20 in Biloxi, MS.

Also on this card, lightweight Ty Barnett (5-0, four KO's) will take on undefeated Deon Nash of Lutcher, LA (3-0) in a six-round lightweight contest.

In his last bout, Barnett scored a first round KO over Theodore Anderson on September 10 in Tunica. Barnett has only fought once in DC and that was on the Kevin McBride-Mike Tyson card on June 11 at MCI Center. Barnett won by four-round unanimous decision over Michael Salyers on that card, the only time Barnett has gone the distance.

Nash won his last contest by four-round unanimous decision over Mikel Williams on June 11 in Bossier City, LA.

When I get results on this card, I will certainly post.

Local Boxers Involved in Tennessee Card!

Thanks to a reader for this tip. Two local veteran Beltway Boxers are scheduled to be involved in a boxing card on Dec. 6 in Memphis, Tennessee. You won’t believe who one of them is.

One of them will be Perry Ballard of Leesburg, who will be participating in his first bout since losing a fourth-round technical knockout to Jimmy Lange at the Battle of Virginia on September 17 at George Mason University.

Ballard (17-1, 13 KO’s) will be fighting at his usual weight limit of 147 pounds when he faces Emmanuel Hutchinson of Spartanburg, SC in a four-round matchup. Hutchinson (0-4) is looking for his first career victory and also looks to avoid getting knocked out. Hutchinson has yet to go past the second round in any of his previous bouts.

The second name is the amazing one. Long time followers of the Beltway Boxing scene know and remember the name of Han “Sugar” Kim. Well, according to the information I received and my verification on Boxrec.com, the 43-year-old Silver Spring resident will be making his return after a more than three-year absence. No opponent has been named for this contest.

Kim has a record of 20-24-1 with 18 KO’s. Included on his resume are losses against former world champions Joey Gamache and Julio Cesar Vasquez and a technical draw against Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis. His last contest in July of 2002 resulted in a first-round KO over Sean Cox at the Leesburg Armory.

If I get results, I will certainly pass them along.

McCAllister, Jeter Headline BXF Card December 2!

If this Friday’s boxing card at BXF (Boxing Xtreme Fitness) Gym in Millersville, MD had a nickname, it might be called “Stayin’ Busy.” For that is exactly what two of the featured boxers on the card are trying to do now that their careers are back in motion.

The main event features Landover, MD super middleweight “King” James McCAllister in an eight-round contest. McCAllister (10-5-1, three KO’s) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Dhafir Smith on the most recent BXF card on November 4. The Smith bout was his first contest in more than a year.

McCAllister will face Mike Eatmon (7-3, four KO’s) of Wilson, NC. Eatmon’s last performance was a first-round TKO over Johnny Walker on November 5 in Winston-Salem, NC.

The co-feature bout will involve super middleweight Tony “Mo Better” Jeter (pronounced Jet-er) of Columbia, MD. Jeter (4-1, four KO’s) recently made his first appearance in a ring in four years when he scored a second-round TKO over Lawrence Frisby on a BXF card on October 7. On this card, Jeter will be involved in a four-round bout against John Terry of Portsmouth, VA. Terry (2-1, one KO) fought on the Nov. 4 BXF card and won a four-round majority decision over James Shedrick.

Shedrick, a native of Philadelphia, PA, also returns to the BXF Gym to face Rodney Green of Wilson, NC in a four-round light heavyweight contest. Green lost a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Rodriguez on November 10 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie.

Also on the card, undefeated junior welterweight prospect Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore will face undefeated James Franks of Newport News, VA. Both men are coming off knockout victories. Samuel (3-0, 1 KO) scored a second-round KO over Jonathan Jones on November 10 at Michael's. Franks registered a second-round TKO in his pro debut over Fred Fleming on Nov. 4 at BXF.

There will be four amateur bouts to round out this card.

Pearson, Buchanan Win; Miller Draws at Show Place!

Three of the DC-area’s most talented boxers survived tough competition during Keystone Boxing’s “In Yo Face at Show Place” card at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. For two of the three, survival led to victory. For one, survival meant a tough draw after five years of inactivity.

In the main event, USBA Super Featherweight champion Lamont “Bay” Pearson of Capitol Heights, MD scored an eight-round unanimous decision over a game Pascal “El Gato” Adorno in a non-title bout. The bout was a lot tougher than the judges’ scores would indicate.

Pearson used his right hand lead very effectively in the contest, stepping up the pressure as the bout progressed. But Adorno, although he was rocked a few times, did not falter and kept coming back. All three judges as well as my unofficial scorecard gave the bout to Pearson 79-73.

After the bout, Pearson told me he would rather not see any more southpaws. Pearson has fought left-handers in his last two bouts.

Pearson, who is currently ranked number 14 by the IBF, raises his record to 23-3-1, 12 KO’s while Adorno falls to 9-4-2, four KO’s.

In the co-feature, undefeated super middleweight Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capitol Heights pitched an eight-round shutout over Dhafir “No Fear” Smith of Philadelphia, PA. This was a tough one for a different reason. Buchanan threw a lot at Smith progressively through the contest but was unable to knock him out.

However, this may have been the most complete performance that I have seen in Buchanan’s career. In my opinion, Buchanan progressed well during the bout. He started with the feeling-out process in the first two rounds. You could see Buchanan thinking in there and deciphering what he had in front of him.

Then Buchanan started with the body shots using primarily the right hand. When Smith defended himself from the right, Buchanan saw the left was open to the body. Buchanan did a solid job of taking what Smith’s defense gave him.

Buchanan told me after the bout that he was disappointed that he didn’t knock Smith out. The reality is the quality of competition has increased for him over the last couple of fights. Yes, Buchanan had been off since March of this year, but he shouldn’t look to knock everybody out. I thought he fought a smart, tactful fight and deserved the 80-72 scores he received from the judges’ cards and from my unofficial card.

Buchanan is now 12-0, 10 KO’s while Smith is now at .500 with a record of 13-13-2, three KO’s.

But the toughest bout of the night involved the returning Purcell “Hard Rock” Miller. Prior to his six-round comeback bout against “Notorious” Jason Naugler of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, the middleweight from DC had three things going against him.

1. The bout was Miller’s first in more than five years.

2. Miller was facing a boxer who outweighed him by more than eight pounds. Naugler weighed in at 167 ½ compared to Miller’s 159. And that was at the weigh-in the day before the bout. You have to think Naugler stepped in the ring closer to 180 or more.

3. Miller had to lose weight in the last two weeks because he came in heavy for a bout scheduled for Michael’s Eighth Avenue earlier this month. Miller came in at 163 for that bout and his opponent refused to fight him.

When those three factors are added to the fact that Miller was facing a talented opponent, the recipe could be disastrous. However, Miller hung in there and managed to get a six-round majority draw.

Miller showed flashes of the form that made him so popular in the mid-late 90’s. The quick jab, the intensity and a little of the power were all still a part of his arsenal. However, Naugler started to win the latter stages of the round but just didn’t do enough in two of the judges’ eyes to win the bout. Judge Kenny Chevalier saw the bout in Naugler’s favor, 58-56. The other two judges, John Gradowski and Malik Waleed both saw the contest a draw, 57-57. I agree with Gradowski and Waleed. I thought Naugler won rounds 1, 5 and 6 while Miller won the middle rounds.

Miller’s record stands at 21-3-1, 17 KO’s while Naugler is 13-4-1, nine KO’s.

Another Beltway Boxer making his return after a brief hiatus was DC junior middleweight Reggie “The Mechanic” Holly, who returned after nine months of inactivity. That inactivity would help lead Holly to his first career loss.

Also, Holly faced a relentless opponent in Sheldon Rudolph of Paterson, NJ, who pressured Holly for most of the six-round contest, landing telling blows throughout.

Rudolph also benefited from a phantom knockdown in the fourth round. It looked like Holly slipped while throwing a punch. As Holly stumbled forward, Rudolph was throwing a punch and he grazed Holly enough to help him fall to the canvas. Referee Bill Holmes ruled a knockdown.

One judge, Don Risher, saw complete domination by Rudolph, scoring the bout 60-53. Judge John Gradowski saw the bout 58-55 while Judge Kenny Chevalier saw the contest 59-55, the same as I did.

Rudolph raised his record above .500 with the victory. His record is now 4-3, two KO’s. Holly is now 5-1, two KO’s. After the contest, Holly was taken to a nearby hospital as a precautionary measure.

The decision to send Holly to the hospital came during the next bout between La Plata, MD light heavyweight Nick Caroleo and Albert Bankivicious of Philadelphia, PA. After the two finished the first round of their scheduled four-rounder, both ringside physicians (Dr. John Stiller, the chief physician and neurologist and Dr. Ian Weiner) were summoned back to the locker room to check on Holly. Since there were no doctors at ringside, the bout had to be halted. The delay lasted approximately 10 minutes.

When the action resumed, Caroleo made short work of his opponent, landing brutal shots and forcing referee John Gradowski to stop the contest at 1:15 of the second round.

Caroleo is now 2-0, one KO while Bankivicious falls to 0-3.

Let me interject a quick comment about the Maryland State Athletic Commission here. The Commission’s work during the Holly situation was first-rate all the way. This could have been handled poorly and we’ve seen that in other states with similar problems. However, Maryland handled it in the best possible way. For many years, the Maryland State Athletic Commission has had a Chief Physician who is a neurologist. For many years, it was Dr. Stephen Manekin and now it is Dr. Stiller. That proves that this commission is putting the safety of the boxers first and foremost.

This has also been a very busy year for this commission and their operations have been efficient and professional in every card that I’ve attended this year. The commission will have sanctioned close to 20 pro cards by the end of this year. That’s not exactly Nevada numbers but it is the busiest I have seen the commission in many years. Kudos goes to Chairman David Norman, Executive Director Patrick Pannella and the entire staff.

In the first bout of the card, Hilton Head, SC welterweight Muhsin Corbbrey won his first pro bout with a four-round unanimous decision over Ben Lock of Philadelphia. This was a close bout that I thought should have been a draw. But all three judges (Chevalier, Risher and Malik Waleed) saw the bout in favor of Corbbrey, 39-37. Corbbrey is 1-1-1 while Lock is 0-2. Lock’s brother, former lightweight world title contender “Mighty”
Ivan Robinson was at ringside for the bout.

Overall, this was a very good, competitive card that tested the locals nicely. Nice work by matchmaker Chris Middendorf. Then again, that is par for the course for Middendorf who is truly one of the best matchmakers in the business.

Official Card for "In Yo Face At Showplace!"

This is the official lineup for the Keystone Boxing "In Yo Face at ShowPlace" card at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro tomorrow night.

Lamont Pearson 135 ¾ vs. Pascal Adorno 131 ¾

Henry Buchanan 170 ¼ vs. Dhafir Smith 170 ¼

Purcell Miller 159 vs. Jason Naugler 167 ½

Reggie Holly 142 vs. Sheldon Rudolph 143 ½

Mushin Corbbey 148 ¾ vs. Ben Lock 147 ¼

Nick Caroleo 175 ½ vs. Albert Bankivicious 173 ½

'Jabba' Bryan Makes Triumphant Return!

In my archives, I mention a bout featuring a boxer named Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan that I thought was the greatest single bout I ever saw along the Beltway. Well, that was almost 10 years and three weight classes ago.

Now fighting as a cruiserweight, Fightnews.com is reporting that Bryan, originally from Jamaica but fighting out of Capitol Heights, MD, scored an upset unanimous decision win over previously undefeated Jeff Baker on Tuesday night at the Pepsi Coliseum in Indianapolis, Indiana. Bryan (21-11, 9 KOs) prevailed by scores of 96-92, 96-92, 95-93 in a bout contested at the cruiserweight limit. Baker fell to 13-1, 6 KOs.

For Bryan, it was his first win in over six years and reversed an eight-bout losing streak which began with his loss to then-IBF supermiddle king Sven Ottke in 2000. He had been out of the ring for 38 months.

Apparently, Bryan is trying to stay busy. His next bout is scheduled for December 8 in Southhaven, MS.

Former Beltway Boxer Involved in Tanker Crash on Beltway!

You probably know or have heard about the tanker truck that blew up on I-95 early this morning. You also probably know or have heard that, amazingly, neither the driver nor anyone else was hurt or killed.

What you may not know or didn't hear was that the driver was a former Beltway pro boxer named Boyer "Sugarboy" Chew from Baltimore. Chew should be praised as a hero for his efforts to preserve not only his life, but others as well.

According to the Washington Post, the truck Chew was driving was carrying 8,600 gallons of regular and premium gasoline and was traveling southbound on I-95 near Maryland Route 212 when a fire started on the truck. Chew, a 15-year veteran of big rig driving, told Channel 4 News that he saw a spark on one of the wheels of his truck.

"My wheel was on fire," Chew told Channel 4. "Next thing you know, she was up in flames."

"I knew one thing, to get out of there," Chew continued. I thought the thing was going to explode on me."

Chew was a cruiserweight from 1991-2000 but he only fought 17 times and had a record of 7-10 with no knockouts. Chew's most notable opponent was a young Antonio Tarver. Chew lost to Tarver by a seventh round TKO in January of 1998 in Atlantic City.

End-Of Year Cards Taking Shape!

Two of the three Beltway Boxing cards that will end 2005 are starting to take shape and they look like solid events.

Boxing fans in the Washington-Baltimore area will have something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving weekend; a quality boxing card that will be held on Saturday, November 26 at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Headlining the card will be the newly crowned USBA Super Featherweight champion Lamont “Bay” Pearson of Capitol Heights, MD. This will be Pearson’s first bout since winning the title on September 17 in Fairfax, VA with a six-round technical knockout over Shamir Reyes.

Pearson (22-3-1, 12 KO’s) will face Pascal “El Gato” Adorno in an eight-round non-title bout. Adorno (9-3-2, four KO’s) is a native of Morovis, Puerto Rico who has not fought since March 4 when he scored a six-round TKO over Rafael Sierra in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. Pearson will be Adorno’s most noted opponent since his eight-round unanimous decision loss to “Kid Diamond” Almazbek Raiymkulov in November 2003 in Glen Burnie, MD.

The card, promoted by Keystone Boxing of Marlow Heights, MD, features three undefeated local prospects. Light heavyweight Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capitol Heights (11-0, 10 KO’s) will be in the co-feature bout as he takes on Dhafir “No Fear” Smith of Upper Darby, PA (13-12-2, three KO’s) in an eight-round contest.

In his last contest, Buchanan saw his 10-bout knockout streak snapped as he scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Tyrone Glover on July 21 in Woodlawn, MD.

Smith makes his second straight trip to the Washington, DC area this month. On November 4, Smith lost an eight-round unanimous decision to James McAllister in Millersville, MD. The loss was Smith’s sixth straight.

Washington, DC welterweight Reggie “The Mechanic” Holly (5-0, two KO’s, 1 NC) returns to action for just the second time in 2005. Holly will face Sheldon Rudolph of Patterson, NJ (3-3, two KO’s) in a bout scheduled for six rounds. This will be Holly’s first scheduled six-rounder.

Holly’s last bout was a four-round unanimous decision win over Terrence Watson on March 10 in Glen Burnie. Rudolph lost a four-round majority decision over Philip McCants on October 13 in Atlantic City. Rudolph will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak.

Also rookie cruiserweight prospect Nick Caroleo of La Plata, MD (1-0) will face Albert Bankivicious (0-2) in a four-round bout.

After two recent bouts fell out, Washington, DC middleweight Purcell “Hard Rock” Miller (22-3, 17 KO’s) is scheduled to participate in a six-round bout against an opponent to be determined.

Six professional bouts are scheduled for this card. There will also be a live performance by the music group Atmosphere and a live movie shoot for a local movie production company.

Meanwhile, Jake Smith's Baltimore Boxing will have what looks like a solid card on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.

The main event gives fans another look at the continued development of undefeated super middleweight Tony "Cyclone" Cygan. Cygan (8-0, six KO's) will be in a scheduled eight-round bout against James North of Weston, WVA.

Cygan is coming off a stunning second-round knockout over Larry Brothers on October 27 in Woodlawn. But,despite his under .500 record (7-8-1, two KO's), North may be the toughest foe Cygan has faced because of his quality of opposition. North has faced the likes of undefeated Joe Spina, Jaidon Codrington and, in his last contest, "Contender" participant Joey Gilbert. In that bout, North lost a six-round unanimous decision.

In the co-feature, undefeated Dundalk, MD heavyweight "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich will battle Mike "Mini Van" Van Meer of Des Moines, IA in a six-round contest. Dietrich (6-0, two KO's) scored a second round TKO over Glen Williams in his last contest on July 21 in Woodlawn. Van Meer (1-1, one KO) lost a four-round majority decision to Albert Newberry on October 8 in Oskaloosa, IA.

Newberry (3-1, two KO's), a native of Ottumwa, IA, will also be on the December 7 card as he battles 2004 United States Olympic Team captain Devin Vargas of Toledo, OH in another six-round heavyweight contest. Vargas (6-0, three KO's) is coming off a four-round split decision win over David Cleage in Warren, MI on October 19.

In another six-round heavyweight bout, Baltimore, MD's Jed "The Punisher" Phipps will battle Taunton, MA's Harold Rodriguez. In Phipps's last outing, he won a six-round unanimous decision over Joseph Harris on February 5 in Washington, DC. Phipps (15-3, eight KO's) has won five of his last six bouts. Rodriguez is coming off a four-round unanimous decision loss to Tyrone Smith on November 18 in New Haven, CT.

This bout is a rematch of a June 26, 2004 bout in Washington, DC that Phipps won by six-round unanimous decision.

Also on the card will be undefeated Baltimore light heavyweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall, who will take on Middleton, OH's Don Shrock. Paschall (6-0, two KO's) won a tough four-round unanimous decision over Carlos "The Headbanger" Jones on October 27 in Woodlawn. After losing his first two bouts, Shrock (2-2, one KO) will be trying to keep a two-bout winning streak intact. In his last contest, Shrock scored a first-round knockout over Nick Hyde on October 15 in Rising Sun, IN.

As far as the BXF card on Friday, December 2, no word on the complete card, but I have heard that Tony Jeter will headline.

Johnson, Joppy Looking for Last Chance at Glory!

In the last few weeks, I had conversations with two of DC's finest boxers, Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson and William Joppy. They are still active and they are looking for one last shot at championship glory. The following article came as a result of those conversations.

In the post-Sugar Ray Leonard era, only three boxers from Washington, DC have won three world titles: Simon Brown, Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson and William Joppy. Since Brown retired from boxing in 2000, that leaves Johnson and Joppy still active with dreams of winning a fourth world crown. And plans are being made by both men to achieve that goal.

For Johnson, the first African-American and second American to win a world flyweight title, the opportunity to win a fourth title may come early in 2006. Negotiations are underway for Johnson to challenge Jhonny Gonzalez for the WBO Bantamweight title on February 25 on the undercard of the Fernando Vargas-Shane Mosley bout in Los Angeles, CA. The bout against Gonzalez was originally scheduled for September 2005 when both men were battling to earn a title shot against then-champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin. However, Johnson suffered an arm injury. Gonzalez eventually knocked out Vorapin in the seventh round on October 29 to win the WBO Bantamweight title.

Ironically, Johnson (44-4, 28 KO’s) defeated the same Vorapin by unanimous decision in April 1999 to win his second world title, the vacant IBF Super Flyweight title. When many boxing experts thought Johnson’s career was over, he won the WBO Super Flyweight title with a majority decision over Fernando Montiel in August 2003. Johnson lost his title to Ivan Hernandez by eight-round KO in September 2004, the last time Johnson was in action.

Johnson said this bout will be another opportunity to shock the boxing world.

“I know a lot of people think I can’t do this,” Johnson said. “But I’m ready to go. I don’t think Gonzalez thinks he can beat me, so I’m ready to win my fourth title.”

If the bout stays in Los Angeles and Johnson wins, it will be Johnson’s second title victory in Southern California. Johnson won his first title in May of 1996 in nearby Anaheim, CA with a stunning first-round knockout over Francisco Tejedor for the vacant IBF Flyweight title.

For Joppy, plans aren’t as concrete. The former three-time WBA Middleweight champion is looking to move up to the Super Middleweight division and his target is the man some feel is the best in that division: undefeated IBF and IBO world champion Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy.

Joppy, who lost two of his last three bouts to former undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins and current undisputed middleweight champ Jermain Taylor, blames his recent misfortune in the ring to inactivity.

“I wasn’t at my best,” Joppy said. “If you give me some fights and keep me active, Jeff Lacy can’t touch me. I will make Jeff Lacy look stupid.

“For real, Jeff Lacy’s a cream puff,” Joppy said. “And he hasn’t been hit either.”

Joppy (35-4-1, 26 KO’s) said he bases these comments on personal experience. Joppy sparred with Lacy in 2001 when he was preparing for his bout against Howard Eastman for the vacant WBA title in November of that year. Joppy went on to win a close majority decision over Eastman.

“I know he’s better now, more confident, he’s a world champion,” Joppy said. “When I boxed him, the left hooks weren’t even there. I don’t know why they call him ‘left hook.’ He doesn’t even throw them. We sparred for three days straight and he couldn’t take it.”

“All I have to do is get my body right and I’ll show the world,” Joppy said.

Joppy added that another title run is very important to him.

“It’s very important because something’s missing,” Joppy said. “I feel like I have more to prove. I’m still healthy and I still have more to prove. The Fat Lady hasn’t sung yet.”

Apparently, Joppy will have to play a waiting game when it comes to Lacy. Reports are circulating that Lacy will finally get his shot at WBO Super Middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe on February 4 in Cardiff, Wales. When asked about who would win that bout, Joppy answered with a scenario that may make the bout he’s looking for impossible.

“If the bout goes 12 rounds, I go with Calzaghe,” Joppy said. “As long as Calzaghe stays away from Lacy’s big punch, I think Calzaghe beats him. I think Calzaghe wins a 12-round decision.”

I think it is safe to say that both men have their work cut out for them. Johnson has not done well in his two bouts at bantamweight and neither Johnson nor Joppy have been active enough. I wish them both well, but the quest both men have undertaken may not be pretty.

Mayweather Stops Mitchell in Six!

Well, the bout went pretty much as expected by most boxing fans and pundits. Give Sharmba Mitchell credit, though. I think he gave it his best shot. The talent gap at the current stages of their careers was much too vast.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. simply walked through the majority of Mitchell's shots en route to an easy sixth round technical knockout victory over Mitchell in Portland, Oregon tonight.

There's not much more that can be said about the bout itself. Again, it was an easy matchup for Mayweather.

I have some comments and questions about the telecast itself, though.

1. If the bout was so one-sided before it even started, why did HBO even bother?

2. The production itself was so one sided, that Mitchell didn't even have a bio on HBO's website. Mitchell's pre-fight segment looked like it was shot on a camcorder, compared to Mayweather's.

3. Did HBO personnel have someplace urgent to go after the show? I have never seen them come out of their telecasts so quickly. They barely ran credits. "Countdown to Taylor-Hopkins 2" was a good documentary, but we could have waited a little longer.

4. This doesn't have anything to do with the TV production, but here's a gossipy question: What was DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley doing in Mayweather's entourage? (Answer: Mayweather, in a very smart move, hired Corley as a sparring partner to learn how to deal with southpaws. Ironically, Mayweather beat Corley last year, but many said Mayweather had some difficulty with him.)

5. Where does Sharmba Mitchell go from here? Maybe a swan song bout in DC. Maybe a match up against Corley based on question 4. Who knows?

Hopefully, we will see some responses and answers to these comments and questions.

Gary Russell Jr. Wins Bronze Medal in International Competition!

Seventeen-year old Gary Russell Jr. of Capital Heights, MD won a bronze medal in the Bantamweight division at the 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Mianyang City, China.

Russell lost his semifinal match to Rustamhodza Rahimov of Germany by a 28-17 decision. Russell was one of two Americans to medal at the world championships. The other was 2004 Olympian Rau'shee Warren, who also won a bronze medal.

In a statement on USAboxing.org, USA Boxing National Director of Coaching Dan Campbell was ecstatic about Russell's performance.

"I am especially pleased that 17-year-old Gary Russell exploded onto the international scene by capturing bronze at his first international tournament," Campbell said.

Russell is ranked number one in the country at Bantamweight and is the youngest member of USA Boxing's Elite team.

As I've said in previous posts, I've watched this young man for a long time. If Russell does decide to turn pro, he will set the Beltway on its ear. He is THAT good!

Rahman Becomes Promotional Free Agent!

This is a major story! The Baltimore Sun is reporting that a judge in Las Vegas has ruled that newly crowned WBC Heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman must pursue the best possible way to pay off the more than 20 creditors that he owes.

The Sun's Lem Satterfield writes that this ruling effectively makes Rahman a free agent because Judge Bruce Markell of the District Court of Nevada ruled that Rahman's manager, Steve Nelson had an obligation to seek out favorable options for Rahman from whichever promoter provides the best deal for his services.

Don King offered a minimum guaranteed purse of $500,000 should the 33-year-old Rahman sign with him. Bob Arum offered a guaranteed purse of $1.25 million. Satterfield also writes that this ruling could negate a contract with Don King that was to last until July 2010.

Rahman's debts total nearly $5 million. The Baltimore native is to officially receive his belt in late December. The WBC recently ruled that James Toney is the official number one challenger to Rahman's title, with the winner of a Rahman-Toney bout to immediately face the number two contender Oleg Maskaev.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. If Rahman decides not to go with King, it may ruin the plans for a heavyweight tourney.

Does Sharmba Have a Shot?

This Saturday's bout between Sharmba Mitchell and Floyd Mayweather,Jr.is by many people's standards, a mismatch.

On one hand, you have a boxer who is undefeated, has won world titles in three weight classes and is considered the best boxer pound-for-pound in the world. On the other hand, you have a very experienced boxer who has had twice as many bouts as his opponent but is still looking for a marquee victory.

So how in the world does Mitchell win this bout.

Quite honestly, I don't know if he does win. But the experience factor could be the most overlooked factor in the bout.

When I talk to Darryl Tyson, one thing he always says: "Boxing is a thinking man's game and if I can out think you, I can beat you."

The ring savvy that Mitchell does possess may be a key, if Mitchell can stretch the bout out long enough.

There is a whole lot of respect being thrown between the two boxers and that is good. But I almost think there is too much respect by Mitchell towards Mayweather and I hope that doesn't hamper his game plan.

Prediction? I hope I'm wrong, but I'm going with Mayweather stopping Mitchell in the late rounds. I think Mitchell will do enough to make it an interesting contest.

Agapito Sanchez: 1970-2005!

I send my condolences to the family of former WBO Super Bantamweight champion Agapito "El Ciclon" Sanchez. Sanchez was pronounced dead early Tuesday morning in the Dominican Republic. Sanchez was reportedly shot by an off-duty police officer, who is now being sought by authorities.

Sanchez was talented and rough fighter who held the WBO super bantamweight title for almost three years. He fought to a techical draw with Manny Pacquiao in a unification fight and recently claimed the USBA crown. He also had great battles with the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, Freddie Norwood and Jesse Magana.

Sanchez made one trip to DC during his career. On July 2, 1995, Sanchez won an eight-round decision over Anthony "X-Man" Hardy. I can't remember whether that bout was at the DC Armory or the old Convention Center, but the card also featured Teddy Reid's pro debut. Once again, my condolences.

Fight Night Commentary and Recap!

The only reason why I am posting any results from Fight Night 2005 last night at the Washington Hilton and Towers is because the mini-boxing card took place in DC. If this blog was called Boxers Along The Beltway, it would receive no coverage from me here at all. It will receive a little bit of commentary.

For the first time in more than 10 years, there were NO Beltway Boxers on the Fight Night card. I personally take this as a slap in the face to our boxing community. I know full well that 90 percent of the people who attend this charity event are not hardcore boxing fans and many of those 90 percent are not even watching the bouts when they take place.

But this is an opportunity to show off what the Beltway has as far as boxing talent is concerned to the 10 percent that do. Some of those 10 percent make as much money as some of that 90 percent.

The card this year was promoted by the Duva family, so naturally, they placed their own fighters on the card. Couldn't they had fought someone from this area even if it would be to showcase their own fighters?

And don't say that Lou Duva doesn't know anything about this area. Duva has regularly worked with talent from the Beltway. Many years ago, Duva worked with Reggie "Showtime" Green and the late Reuben "Ratman" Bell, while he had Pernell Whitaker.

And, without naming names, I do know of a couple of boxers that were available for this card and were turned down. A couple of Beltway Boxers would have made this card a lot better than it was.

Speaking of which, here is the recap:

Undefeated Shawn "The Mongoose" George of Brooklyn, NY kept his IBC Americas Cruiserweight title and won the NABA Cruiserweight championship by winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Chad Van Sickle of Grove City, OH. George is now 11-0-2 with 5 KO's.

Welterweight Oscar Diaz of San Antonio, TX scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Miami, FL's David Toribo. Diaz is 22-1.

Undefeated junior middleweight Michael Torres of Jersey City, NJ scored a third-round technical knockout over John Rudolph of Cincinnati, OH. Torres is 6-0, three KO's.

Ballroom Night Ends With Technical Draw!

The last Ballroom Boxing card of 2005 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie was a lackluster one that ended with a technical draw in the main event.

After waiting for weeks for an opponent, highly touted and undefeated junior middleweight Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin of Baltimore got a late opponent. Arvin also received a gash on his forehead courtesy of a second-round accidental headbutt from that opponent, Terry "Two Sweet" Johnson of Dayton, OH. Johnson ended up getting a nasty cut on the top of his head and the bout was stopped after two rounds.

It should be noted that Johnson was originally scheduled to face Purcell Miller on this card, but Miller weighed in at 163 1/4 to Johnson's 155 1/4 and Johnson's camp refused the fight.

Arvin's record is now 13-0-2, six KO's while Johnson is 5-11-1, one KO.

The only other Beltway Boxer on the card was lightweight Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore. Samuel gave the Michael's Eighth Avenue crowd the only real excitement of the evening as he blasted Jonathan Jones of Lucama, NC with a second round KO. Samuel was all over Jones from the start, catching Jones late in the first with a solid body shot that dropped him. In the second round, Samuel unleashed a crushing left hand that froze Jones momentarily, then dropped him to the canvas. Jones could not beat referee John Gradowski 10-count and the bout was stopped at 1:05 of the second.

Samuel is now 3-0, one KO while Jones is 0-2. Samuel looks like a promising prospect.

By the way, Samuel is trained by two Baltimore Boxing icons; Mack Lewis and former IBF Junior Middleweight champion Vincent Pettway. Both Lewis and Pettway recently celebrated birthdays: Lewis turned 89 while Pettway turned 40.

The rest of the card was made up of out-of-town boxers, so here is a quick recap:

In a welterweight rematch: Keenan Collins of Reading,PA won an eight-round split decision over "Magnificent" Martinus Clay of Wilson, NC. Collins is 8-1-1, seven KO's. Clay is 9-10-1, three KO's. The last time these two fought, they went to a six-round draw.

Cruiserweight William "The Storm" Bailey of Virginia Beach, VA won a four-round unanimous decision over Sean "Ham" Williams of Reading, PA.

Junior middleweight Jose "The Silver Boy" Rodriguez of New York City scored a four-round unanimous decision over Wilson, NC's Rodney Green.

Wes Hobbs of New York City made his pro debut a successful one with a four-round unanimous decision over Hamilton Verano in a junior welterweight bout.

Rahman Gives Beltway Another World Championship!

Of course, THE news of the boxing world concerns the sudden retirement of now-former WBC Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko and the passing of the crown to Baltimore's own Hasim Rahman, making Rahman a two-time world champion.

On a radio interview today, I was asked whether Rahman should feel cheated because he was given the title as opposed to winning it in the ring. My answer continues to be NO!! Rahman did everything he was asked to do in this situation. He fought the guys that the WBC asked him to fight. He waited patiently for Klitschko to be healed and fought during that time. He earned the opportunity. The bottom line is that Klitschko, for whatever reason, did not want to go through with this bout.

Honestly, I was calling Klitschko "Quitschko" like everybody else until I remembered that Klitschko has a Ph.D in Physical Education. My belief is that Klitschko had an idea that this particular injury was going to be bad. He understood fully what the doctors were telling him and that's when he decided to call it quits.

So where do we go from here? I think the Don King-proposed tournament is the way to go. However, I do have some reservations -- not with the concept itself, but with who will be involved.

You have Rahman, WBA champ John Ruiz, IBF titleholder Chris Byrd and WBO champ Lamon Brewster. With this four, I can't see this tourney drawing flies. These guys are not popular enough. No one cares about this.

King is going to have to catch a break. I, personally, would like to see Ruiz lose his mandatory in December to 7'-2" Nicolay Valuev. If Valuev somehows gets involved, the curiosity of a seven-foot heavyweight might be a draw.

But the idea itself is a necessary one and I am glad that Rahman will be involved. King is saying that he would like to see Rahman take on James Toney for his first defense. That I think would be too risky for Rahman to do.

There are some interesting days ahead for the heavyweight division.

Weights for Ballroom Boxing on Nov. 10!

Here is the final card for tomorrow night's Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Main event: Eight-round rematch between "Magnificent" Martinus Clay (9-9-1, three KO's, Wilson, NC) and Keenan Collins (7-1-1, 7 KO's, Reading, PA) Last bout ended in a six-round draw.

Clay 148 pounds Collins 147 1/2

William "The Storm" Bailey (3-7-1, two KO's, Chesapeake, VA) vs. Sean Williams (8-14-1, two KO's, Reading, PA) six round cruiserweight.

Bailey 188 pounds Williams 189

Kay Karoma (1-0, Alexandria, VA) vs Jonathan Jones (0-1, Wilson, NC) four-round junior welterweight

Karoma 139 1/4 pounds Jones 141 3/4

Jose Rodriguez (pro debut, New York) vs Rodney Green (2-2-1, Wilson, NC) four-round junior middleweight

Rodriguez 157 3/4 pounds Green 157

Hamilton Verrano (0-2-1, New Jersey) vs Wes Hobbs (pro debut, New York) four-round welterweight

Verrano 148 1/4 pounds Hobbs 148 1/4

As of right now, Ishmail Arvin STILL doesn't have an opponent. One may be flown in early tomorrow. Purcell Miller weighed in almost four pounds over the middleweight limit and his scheduled opponent, Terry Johnston, has refused to take the bout.

Rahman-Klitschko Postponed!

The WBC Heavyweight championship bout between Baltimore's Hasim Rahman and WBC champ Vitali Klitschko has been postponed. Klitschko hurt his knee this past Friday and has had to stop training.

This is the fourth time this bout has had to be rescheduled.

The following is the official statement from Top Rank, the promoters of the bout:

The world heavyweight championship fight featuring Vitali Klitschko vs. Hasim Rahman on November 12 is postponed and will be rescheduled, Bob Arum of Top Rank announced today. Klitschko, the WBC heavyweight champion, was injured while sparring in Los Angeles on Thursday. He wrenched his right knee and did not continue training. On Saturday, Klitschko was examined by famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tony Daly of Los Angeles. He diagnosed the injury as a sprain and suggested the use of a rigid brace on the right knee. However, while sparring in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, Klitschko reported the knee did not respond to either medical treatment or the use of the brace. Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank and Tom Loeffler, managing director of K2 Promotions, announced that Klitschko vs. Rahman will be rescheduled. A new date, Arum said, will be announced next week.

Scottland Lawsuit Dismissed!

Fightnews.com is reporting that a lawsuit filed by Denise Scottland, the widow of super middleweight Beethavean Scottland, in a Manhattan, NY court was dismissed.

Denise Scottland's lawsuit was against ringside physicians Rufus Sadler and Gerard Varlotta and charged negligent practices. A Manhattan judge ruled that the correct allegations against the doctors was not negligence, but malpractice.

However, the 30-month statute of limitations had passed on the lawsuit and so the case was dismissed.

Results from Millersville!

Greenbelt, MD super middleweight “King” James McAllister scored a relatively easy eight-round unanimous decision victory over Dhafir “No Fear” Smith of Upper Darby, PA in the main event at BXF (Boxing Xtreme Fitness) Gym in Millersville, MD.

McAllister’s appearance was his first in almost a year and just his second in close to two years. McAllister said the inactivity hurt him considerably.

“I’m back in shape but in boxing, getting your rhythm back and your timing back takes something,” McAllister said. “It takes more quality sparring.”

McAllister, however, faced an opponent in Smith who spent the first half of the bout fighting in a defensive mode. McAllister took advantage by pressing the issue throughout the contest, but McAllister reiterated that his time away from boxing made that more difficult than usual.

“I had to press him all night long,” McAllister said. “And because I had to chase him, my timing, my balance and my footing while chasing him was difficult to find.”

By the time Smith offered some semblance of offense in the later rounds, McAllister was too far ahead on points for Smith to catch up. Judges John Gradowski and Bill Holmes said McAllister pitched a shutout, scoring the bout 80-72 while Judge Kenny Chevalier saw the contest, 79-73. My unofficial scorecard saw the bout 78-74.

McAllister raised his record to 10-5-1, three KO’s. Smith’s record falls to 13-12-2, three KO’s.

In the co-feature, undefeated light heavyweight prospect Shannon “Best Kept Secret” Anderson of Lancaster, PA outworked Suitland, MD’s Jarell Mason-Jackson to win a six-round unanimous decision.

Anderson took control of the bout in the fourth round when he caught Jackson with a stunning left uppercut. The punch sent Jackson reeling, but he managed to stay on his feet. From there, Jackson seemed to win almost every serious exchange in side. Jackson got his licks on Anderson in spots, but not enough times to pull out the victory.

Judge Holmes saw a shutout, 60-54. Judge Chevalier had it 58-56 while Judge Malik Waleed scored it 59-56. I saw it 59-55.

Anderson is now 3-0, one KO. Mason-Jackson goes under .500 at 3-4, one KO.

In the most exciting bout of the night, Portsmouth, VA middleweight John Terry won a close four-round majority decision over James Shedrick, Jr. of Philadelphia, PA.

In the first round, Terry dropped Shedrick with a left cross. In the third, Shedrick, whose father, Jimmy Shedrick, was a lightweight prospect in Philadelphia in the 70’s, returned the favor by knocking Terry down with a right hand.

But later in the third, Terry seemed to seal the deal by landing a left hand that sent Shedrick to the canvas. Terry was able to do enough in the final round to seal the victory.

Judge Waleed didn’t quite see it that way and scored the bout a draw at 38-38. Judges Gradowski and Chevalier saw the bout in favor of Terry at 39-37 and 38-37 respectively. I also saw the bout at 39-37.

Terry is now 2-1, one KO while Shedrick is now 3-4, one KO.

In other bouts on the card, Arick Washington of Seabrook, MD scored a four-round unanimous decision victory over John Rudolph of Cincinnati, OH in a junior welterweight contest. All three judges (Holmes, Waleed and Gradowski) scored the bout 39-36.

Washington is 2-1 while Rudolph is now 1-4, one KO.

In the opening contest, junior lightweight James Franks of Newport News, VA made his pro debut a successful one by stopping Cincinnati’s Fred Fleming at 2:58 of the second round of their scheduled four-round encounter. Fleming is now 0-2 in his career.

The promoter of the bout was Gene Molovinsky of Keystone Boxing. The matchmaker was Chris Middendorf.

One of the notable attendees at the card was Derrell Coley. However, Coley was notable on this night for a different reason. Coley was modeling a T-shirt that I think every DC boxing fan should own.

The shirt was called the "Fabulous Five" and it had pictures of Coley as well as pictures of DC's four world champions, Keith Holmes, William Joppy, Mark Johnson and Sharmba Mitchell. It was a beautiful sight. Coley is selling these shirts for about $30. I am in the process of getting more information on how to get these shirts and as soon as I find out, I will let you know.

Aiken's Opponent Changed!

Boy, how things change in boxing! Of course, if you are a true boxing fan (as all of you are!), you know this to be true.

Eric Aiken's opponent for his bout on December 10 will now be undefeated Rashiem Jefferson of Philadelphia. The bout will also originate from the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. I did hear about this matchup but I thought this bout was changed to the Nunes bout, not from this bout.

Jefferson is 8-0-1 with five KO's. Jefferson last fought on August 25 when he scored a fourth round TKO over Ubaldo Olivencia in New York.

Jefferson may be familiar to some Beltway Boxing fans because he has fought twice at Michael's Eighth Avenue. His pro debut was a Ballroom Boxing bout when he scored a second round TKO over Margarito Lopez on August 3, 2004. Jefferson returned to the Ballroom on Sept 30, 2004 when he battled to a four-round draw with Yamin Mohammad.

'Mighty Mouse' Aiken Looks for NABA Cheese!

Forestville, MD super featherweight Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken has his most important bout to date as he battles for the vacant NABA Super Featherweight title on Dec. 10 at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.

Aiken's opponent is a very familiar one in Brazilian Agnaldo Nunes. The two waged a very exciting and controversial war almost two years ago at the New Washington Convention Center, a bout that I thought was the best bout of 2003. Aiken won that bout by a six-round unanimous decision and scored two knockdowns in the bout, but I think it could have gone either way. One of the knockdowns was a tough call, because the Nunes camp thought Aiken knocked their man down while coming out of a clinch.

As a matter of fact, Despite the knockdowns, I thought Nunes won the last bout by one point, 57-56. I just thought he did more overall.

Since that bout, Aiken (12-3, nine KO's) has had some tough going of late, going 3-2 with two KO's and he has lost two of his last three, including a six-round split decision loss to Leo Martinez in his last contest. Martinez who was 6-5 at the time of the bout.

Nunes (15-1-1, 8 KO's), meanwhile, has gone 9-0-1 with four KO's since the Aiken loss. His last victory was a 10-round unanimous decision over Adalberto Borquez on October 21 in Santa Ynez, CA.

Quick observation: If this bout goes into double-digit rounds, it could be a problem for Aiken. While neither man has gone 12 before, Nunes went 10 in his last bout.

This is a make it or break it bout for Aiken. This could be Aiken's last chance to be a viable contender. I wish him well.

One Man's Opinion: Top Ten Boxers Along The Beltway 1985-2005!

While looking through my collection of old boxing magazines, I came across the March 1996 edition of The Ring. This issue had a special section called "A Tale of 10 Cities" in which different boxing writers listed the top 10 boxers from US cities where boxing was paramount.

They listed Boston, New York, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Detroit, San Francisco, Chicago and Baltimore. Washington, DC did not make the cut.

Legendary boxing writer Alan Goldstein of the Baltimore Sun did the Baltimore list. His top 10 included:

1. Joe Gans
2. Harry Jeffra
3. Kid Williams
4. George (KO) Chaney
5. Joe Dundee
6. Vince Dundee
7. Vincent Pettway
8. Red Burman
9. Jimmy McAllister
10 Jack Portney

This section gave me inspiration. So I decided to put together a list of the top 10 Boxers Along The Beltway. Now I can't factually go back as far as someone like Alan Goldstein so names like Holly Mims and Bob Foster won't be on this list. But I can cover the almost 18 years that I have been watching Beltway Boxing as a member of the press. As a matter of fact, I will round this to an even 20 years.

So here is my top 10 of the past 20 years. I will go in reverse order.

10. Andrew Council (31-8-3, 20 KO's) Council was someone boxing fans all over the country respected. He was a solid body puncher who in another time, he probably would have been a world champion. Fought tough battles against Bernard Hopkins, Keith Holmes (twice), and Robert Allen. Did not perform well against a young Winky Wright. Council's best win was a ninth round TKO over a shopworn but still dangerous Buddy McGirt in 1995.

9. Darryll Tyson (50-14-1, 25 KO's) Tyson fought a who's who of boxers between 135 and 140 pounds. Bouts against everyone from Jimmy Paul (a 12-round win and a 15-round loss for the IBF Lightweight title) to Miguel Angel Gonzalez and from Livingstone Bramble to Oscar De La Hoya always showed Tyson in a positive light. Fought two of the best bouts ever seen along the Beltway: a 12th round stoppage of Reggie Green in 1994 for the NABF/USBA junior welterweight title and a 10th round TKO loss to Freddie Pendleton for the USBA title on the "Beltway Brawl" card. His dedication and approach to the game has been legendary.

8. DeMarcus Corley 31-4-1 (17 KO's) Is on this list because of his stunning first-round knockout over Felix Flores to win the WBO Junior Welterweight title as well as his ability to go the distance with the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Zab Judah and Randall Bailey. Corley brings more flash and talent to the 140-pound class.

7. Hasim Rahman (41-5-1, 33 KO's) A win next Saturday may force me to revise this list. Rahman would probably be higher on this list if he had not sqaundered chances to be an elite heavyweight against the likes of Evander Holyfield and John Ruiz. However, the impact of his stunning title victory over Lennox Lewis puts him on this list.

6. Keith Holmes (39-4, 25 KO's) Probably the most maligned champion we've had along the Beltway. Holmes never has received the respect he is due. People only remember the terrible loss he suffered in the Middleweight Championship Series against Bernard Hopkins, but when Holmes was on, he was as talented as they come. His first WBC Middleweight title win over Quincy Taylor, as well as wins over the likes of Andrew Council, Darryl Lattimore, Kelcie Banks, Hassine Cherifi and Paul Vaden proved that.

5. Vincent Pettway (43-7-1,32) This man was "Mr. Excitement" in the ring. From his thrilling loss to fellow Beltway Boxer Victor Davis in 1990,(in a bout that USA Network named one of their top 10 of all time)to his IBF Junior Middleweight title victory over Gianfranco Rosi in 1994 to his electrifying knockout win over Simon Brown at the "Beltway Brawl" in 1995 (which boxing magazines called everything from the Knockout of the Year to one of the Top 10 Knockouts of All Time), Pettway gave every thing he had everytime he stepped into the ring. Pettway was Baltimore's first world champion in almost 90 years.

4. Sharmba Mitchell (56-4, 30 KO's) A win over Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in two weeks might write Mitchell's ticket to Canastota. Mitchell ranks on this list for not only winning the WBA junior welterweight title in 1998, but also because of his excellence over a long period of time. Still needs a true marquee win but we have not had a more consistent boxer, especially over the last 10 years. Mitchell has always been a contender and a major player.

3. William Joppy (35-4-1, 26 KO's) Joppy has won three WBA middleight titles and although he doesn't have a marquee win (unless you count his knockout win over an aged Roberto Duran), he was a major player in the division for some time. His first title win over Shinji Takehara in Takehara's home country of Japan was something to behold.

2. Mark Johnson (44-4, 28 KO's) Johnson will be a hall of famer five years after he decides to hang up the gloves. He will be a first-ballot hall of famer. Johnson made the flyweight division a viable one for Americans because of his talent. The fact that he was the first African-American and second American to win the flyweight title is enough to get him in Canastota. In his prime, Johnson repeatedly made pound-for-pound lists around the world. His historic title wins over Francisco Tejedor and Arthur Johnson were phenomenal displays of punching power. And just when people thought his career was over, Johnson wins a third world title in 2003. He has had a remarkable career.

1. Simon Brown (47-12, 34 KO's) Brown was the first great Beltway Boxer of the post-Sugar Ray Leonard era. At one point, Brown was regarded as the best welterweight in the world. Brown fought some incredible battles against such foes as Tyrone Trice (twice), Al Long and, of course, who could forget his legendary battle against fellow Beltway Boxer and best friend Maurice Blocker in Vegas in 1991? Brown surprised everyone when he moved up to junior middleweight in 1993 and scored a major upset over future hall of famer Terry Norris in a bout Ring Magazine chose as the upset of the year. Even in defeat, Brown was a tremendous boxer with a boatload of heart. A definite hall of famer in my book.

So there you have it. I'm curious to know your top 10. Maybe we can have a compilation of the fan's top 10. Look forward to hearing from you.

Results from Woodlawn, MD!

Three of the Baltimore area’s finest prospects continued making positive strides in their young careers by notching victories in front of a raucous Baltimore Boxing crowd at Martin’s West in Woodlawn, MD.

In the main event, super featherweight Mike “Little Rock” Ricasa of Ellicott City, MD rebounded from a tough majority decision loss in his last bout to earn a tough six-round majority decision victory over a game Dean “Pit Bull” White of Fredrick, MD. The bout was Ricasa’s first six-round contest.

Both men showed themselves to be effective counter punchers but it was Ricasa who seem to land more of the scoring blows when it counted most. White, who was making his return after a five-year layoff, showed a very strong chin and took Ricasa’s best. By the end of the bout, both men started forsaking their jabs in favor of landing power shots.

Judge John Gradowski saw the bout even at 57-57 while judges Bill Holmes and Malik Waleed scored the bout 58-56 for Ricasa. My unofficial scorecard had Ricasa winning 59-55.

After the bout, Ricasa told me he knew what he was getting himself into by facing White.

“He’s just what his name says,” Ricasa said. “He’s a pit bull. I had a feeling he would hesitate coming in and when he did come in, I knew exactly what he was going to do. I’m a good counter puncher and I felt good going into the fight.”

Ricasa raises his record to 6-1, two KO’s with the victory. White falls to 11-3, six KO’s with the loss.

In the co-feature, undefeated super middleweight Tony “Cyclone” Cygan of Middle River, MD scored an explosive second-round technical knockout over Larry “The Gladiator” Brothers of DC.

Cygan started the damage early by dropping Brothers with a left hand to the head in the first round. Then Cygan finished Brothers off midway through the second round with a short, brutal, audience-gasping left cross that made Brothers crumple. Referee Malik Waleed didn’t bother to count to one, much less 10 and immediately stopped the bout at 1:50 of the second.

“My left was landing and I thought it was pretty strong,” Cygan said after the bout. “I tried to throw it a couple of times and was unsuccessful but then I caught him with those two good shots and that was it.”

Cygan is now 8-0 with six KO’s. Brothers is now 6-16-3, four KO’s.

Cygan is the truth, folks. Each bout he has shown me something different. First, it was the power shots. Then it was the body shots. In this contest, Cygan put the two together because it was the body shots that set up the head shots that put the normally durable Brothers on the canvas. This was a knockout of the year candidate for the Beltway.

Undefeated Mike “The Persecutor” Paschall of Baltimore had the toughest bout winning a four-round unanimous decision over Carlos “The Headbanger” Jones. This bout had Paschall moving up from super middleweight to light heavyweight while Jones dropped from his normal cruiserweight to light heavyweight.

The weight dynamic helped make an interesting bout as both men tried to land shots. Midway through the bout, Jones charged after Paschall, trying to bull rush Paschall. While Paschall was landing the more telling blows, referee Bill Holmes deducted one point in the second and third rounds for holding and use of your head.

However, Paschall finished the final round very strongly, landing power punches and keeping Jones at bay for the victory.

All three judges (Don Risher, Malik Waleed and Kenny Chevalier) scored the bout 38-36, the same as me.

Paschall’s record climbs to 6-0, two KO’s while Jones falls to 3-7, two KO’s. Paschall definitely is a crowd-pleasing fighter, but I would like to see more power from him.

In other bouts on the card, junior middleweight Derrick Willmore of Capitol Heights, MD registered a fairly easy four-round unanimous decision over “Diamond” Matt Hill of Reistertown, MD. Willmore, originally from Hollywood, FL, was in control throughout as he made his first in-ring appearance in almost two years. All three judges (Chevalier, Holmes and Risher) saw the bout the same as I did, 40-36.

Willmore is 7-3, one KO while Hill falls to 6-27-2, four KO’s.

Parkville, MD heavyweight Adam “Boom Boom” Bloom had an easy time scoring a second round TKO over the debuting Robert “The Man” Monroe of Front Royal, VA.

After knocking down Monroe twice in the first round, Bloom finished off his opponent 19 seconds into the second round. Bloom is now 2-0, two KO’s.

The final bout of the evening was a minor upset as Westbury, NY heavyweight “The People’s Champion” Jonathan Felton scored the first victory of his young career by stopping Wayne “Hammerhead” Hampton of Capitol Heights in the first round. Felton is now 1-2, one KO while Hampton falls to 1-1, one KO.

Boxing notables in attendance include USBA Super Featherweight champ Lamont “Bay” Pearson, former WBO Cruiserweight champ Boone Pultz, Darnell “The Ding-A-Ling Man” Wilson, and local prospects Tony Jeter, Jed Phipps, Russ Shifflett and Mike Dietrich.

Also in attendance was pro football hall of famer Lenny Moore. The legendary running back for the Baltimore Colts has been a frequent attendee at Baltimore area boxing matches for years and now he will have the title of Commission Member to go along with his attendance. Moore was recently appointed to the Maryland State Athletic Commission by Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich.

The promoter of the Baltimore Boxing card was Jake Smith. The matchmaker was Josh Hall. This was a solid show from top to bottom.

The next Baltimore Boxing show will be on Wednesday, December 7. Jake Smith told the crowd that Tony Cygan, Jed Phipps and Mike Dietrich will be on that card. Smith added that Cygan will be in the main event and he will participate in his first scheduled eight-round bout.

Anthony Peterson Scores Another Knockout Win!

This one got under the radar for everyone,including myself, but congratulations to Anthony Peterson. The junior welterweight from DC scored a fourth-round TKO over Roy Bohannon on October 15 at the Isle of Capri Casino in Lula, MS.

Peterson's record is now 14-0 with 10 KO's. He has now fought an amazing 10 times in 2005 with seven wins coming by knockout.

I still remember that scintilating performance Peterson put together on the McBride-Tyson undercard in DC. This was one of the best performances I've seen this year.

By the way, Anthony's brother Lamont is also undefeated at 14-0 with six KO's. Lamont has also fought 10 times this year with four wins by KO.

Official Card for Woodlawn, MD

Here is the official card for tomorrow night's Baltimore Boxing show at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.

The main event remains the same: Tony "Cyclone" Cygan of
Middle River, MD will take on Larry "The Gladiator" Brothers of DC.

The co-feature will match Baltimore's Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall against veteran Carlos "Headbanger" Jones of Landover.

Mike "Little Rock" Ricasa of Ellicott City will battle Dean White of Reston, VA.

Adam "Boom Boom" Bloom of Baltimore will match up against Dan Monroe of Front Royal, VA.

Wayne Hampton of Laurel, MD takes on Johnathan Felton of Stafford, VA.

"Diamond" Matt Hill of Reistertown, MD will battle Derrick Wilmore of Hollywood, FL.

Update on Upcoming Cards!

Bear with me,folks. This will be a long post, but it will be informative. I have updated information on four of the five cards that will take place along the Beltway in the next month.

I will have definitive information on tomorrow night's Baltimore Boxing card at Martin's West in Woodlawn late this evening. There is a slight bit of confusion concerning that card that can affect two of the other cards in this time span. The confusion concerns two boxers: Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin and Dhafir "No Fear" Smith.

As I reported in an earlier post, Lem Satterfield of the Baltimore Sun mentioned that Arvin and Smith were scheduled to face each other on tomorrow's night card. However, representatives for the November 4 BXF card and the November 10 Ballroom Boxing card say Arvin and Smith will be on their cards. Arvin is slated to headline the Ballroom show against an opponent to be named while Smith is scheduled to face James McCallister in the main event at BXF.

I'm not saying either Arvin or Smith couldn't be in two matches in a very short period of time, but I think it would be highly unlikely.

As far as tomorrow's card is concerned, here's what we do know at this time.

There is a VERY interesting six-round super middleweight bout scheduled between undefeated Tony "Cyclone" Cygan of Middle River, MD and DC's Larry "The Gladiator" Brothers. Promoter Jake "The Snake" Smith seems to be moving Cygan (7-0, five KO's) on a fast track and with good reason; Cygan is the most talented guy, in my opinion, to come out of Smith's gym. Cygan is a fierce body puncher and has good power. That power will be tested against Brothers, who despite his won-loss record (6-15-1, 1 NC, three KO's), tends to live up to his "Gladiator" nickname. This will be an excellent test for Cygan to see where he is in this business.

Another decent scheduled matchup involves Mike "Little Rock" Ricasa of Ellicott City, MD and Joey VanDaniker of Laurel, MD. This will be a six-round super featherweight bout. The interesting part of this for me is that both man have a common opponent in Ron "Teflon" Boyd. Both Ricasa (5-1, two KO's) and VanDaniker
(5-3-1, four KO's) lost to Boyd in their last outings. Ricasa's was a tough majority decision loss on the last Martin's West card in July while VanDaniker lost by disqualification on the McBride-Tyson undercard in DC in June. Maybe the winner will get a rematch with Boyd.

Other boxers scheduled for the Martin's West card include undefeated super middleweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall (5-0, two KO's) and heavyweight Adam "Boom Boom" Bloom of Baltimore (1-0, one KO).


Let's now move to November 4 at BXF Live in Millersville, MD. The main event, as we've stated, is "King" James McCallister of Landover (9-5-1, three KO's) vs Dhafir "No Fear" Smith of Upper Darby, PA (13-11-2, three KO's). This will be an eight-round bout that was scheduled for the last BXF in September but was postponed.

The co-feature is scheduled to include the return of one of the more popular Beltway Boxers of the 1990's -- Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller. This junior middleweight from DC would have crowds literally dancing in the aisles as he made his way to the ring. This was because Miller was one of the few boxers in the world who brought his own BAND to the ring. A brass band would play New Orleans style as Miller walked to the ring. Miller married his loves of music (he plays the trombone) and boxing every time he fought.

Once in the ring, Miller showed quick hands and solid knockout power. His record was 21-3 with 17 KO's. The losses came to quality opponents: a split decision USBA welterweight title loss to world title contender Raul Frank, a unanimous USBA Junior Middleweight title loss to former WBA Junior Middleweight champ Carl Daniels and a majority decision loss to Robert "Push-Up" Frazier.

The Frazier loss came in 2000, and that was the last time Miller was in a boxing ring. A combination of lack of boxing desire and serious legal issues kept Miller away from the ring. I recently talked to Miller and he says he is ready to go and he promised me that he will strike up the band again. Miller's opponent for his six-round bout on November 4 is to be announced.

The undercard will feature a couple of guys who made successful pro debuts on Bobby Magruder's card in Waldorf earlier this month. Waldorf cruiserweight Nick Caroleo will face the debuting Willie Williams of Baltimore while Wayne Hampton of Capitol Heights (1-0) will take on LaJuan Henderson of Portsmouth, VA (1-1). Other bouts on the card include James Shedrick of Philadelphia (2-3,one KO) vs. John Terry of Portsmouth (1-1, one KO) in a four-round super middleweight bout; and Fred Fleming of Cincinnati, OH (0-1) against James Franks of Portsmouth (pro debut) in a super featherweight encounter. There may be two more bouts added to this card.

Now to the Ballroom Boxing show on Thursday, November 10 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie. Ishamail Arvin is in the main event, as I said. The co-feature is a rematch of a bout that took place on the last Ballroom card in September between "Magnificent" Martinus Clay of Wilson, NC and Keenan Collins of Reading, PA. The last time these junior middleweights met, the bout went to a six-round draw. This one is scheduled for eight rounds. Clay (9-9-1, three KO's) is making his third attempt to get a win in Glen Burnie. Clay is 0-0-1 with 1 NC in the Ballroom. Collins (7-1-1, seven KO's) is 0-1-1 when he goes the distance in a bout. Every bout he has won has finished in either the first or second round.

Undefeated Baltimore welterweight Tim Coleman (3-0, one KO) will also be on this card. Coleman is scheduled to face John Rudolph of Cincinnati (2-2, one KO) in a four-rounder.

Also on the card, junior welterweight Filiberto Nieto of New York City (1-2, one KO)who will take on Jonathan Jones of Wilson, NC (0-1-1) in a four-rounder and Calvin Dixon, a cruiserweight from Greenville, NC (2-0, three NC's) will face an opponent TBA in a six-rounder.

As far as the November 11 Fight Night charity show at the Washington Hilton and Towers, I am still awaiting word on who will be on that card. The only name I have heard about on this card is out of towner and NABA Cruiserweight champ Chad Van Sickle. One stat I have heard about this card is that it is NOT sold out. That is a rarity because usually this event sells out months in advance. My speculation is that it is on a Friday this year instead of a Thursday and that could have thrown people off.

November's boxing slate will end with what looks like a monster of a card. I talked about this November 26 card at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro in a previous post. There have been some changes since then. But if this lineup holds up, this will be a great card as far as Beltway star power is concerned. Originally, former WBA champ William Joppy and former NABF Welterweight champ Derrell "Too Sweet" Coley were slated to headline. That now looks like it won't happen. However, the card is now slated to feature Purcell Miller, Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan, Nick Caroleo, Jarell Jackson and possibly, Teddy Reid. Looks like a good one!

As you can see, there is a WHOLE lot going on. Look for the final card for the Martin's West show later this evening!

Nady to Referee Rahman-Klitschko; Arvin to Face Safir in Woodlawn

My writing colleague and good friend Lem Satterfield of the Baltimore Sun is reporting that veteran Nevada referee Jay Nady will be the third man in the ring when WBC Heavyweight champ Vitali Klitschko and WBC interim champ Hasim Rahman battle on November 12 in Las Vegas.

Nady has worked a number of high-profile title bouts including Jermain Taylor-Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver-Roy Jones II and Kostya Tszyu-Zab Judah. It was during the Tszyu-Judah bout where Nady's name was well known because it was Nady that Judah attacked after the bout was stopped in favor of Tszyu.

Nady has also worked some of Rahman's bouts, including Rahman-Lennox Lewis II and Rahman's most recent victory over Monte Barrett.

I have only recently become a Nady fan. He has done well in some high-profile bouts. He is also a big guy (6-5, 250 pounds) so he shouldn't be intimidated by the big fellows. I think this is a good choice.

Satterfield says that Rahman has been sparring recently with two 6'6 boxers; Mike Tyson-conqueror Kevin McBride and Silver Spring, MD heavyweight Tony "The Tiger" Thompson.

By the way, Satterfield also reports that the judges for this contest will be Jerry Roth and Dave Moretti of Las Vegas and Anek Hongtongkam of Thailand.

As far as the local scene is concerned, the main event for this Thursday's Baltimore Boxing card will feature undefeated Baltimore junior middleweight Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin (13-0-1, six KO's). Arvin is scheduled to face Dhafir "No Fear" Smith of Upper Darby, PA (13-11-2, three KO's).

That would be interesting because originally Smith was scheduled to appear on the November 7 BXF card in Millersville against "King" James McCallister.

I hope to have full information on both cards in the next few days.

Boxing Card Rumors and News!

I am hearing rumors that there will be a pretty good card coming to the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD on November 26.

I am hearing that it will be a Keystone Boxing card that is scheduled to feature former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy, former junior middleweight prospect Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller (who is scheduled to make his return in Millersville on the next BXF card on November 7) and possibly former welterweight contender Derrell "Too Sweet" Coley.

I'll let you know if this is true and I will provide details if this is true.

If this card comes to fruition, it will add to an already busy November. The BXF card is Friday, November 4, the next Ballroom Boxing show in Glen Burnie is Thursday, November 10 and the Fight Night charity card at the Washington Hilton is Friday, November 11.

The BXF show is scheduled to feature Miller, Tony Jeter and James McAlister. The Ballroom Boxing show is slated to have a rematch between Baltimore heavyweight Jed Phipps and Tom "The Ripper" Cameron. Phipps was blasted by Cameron the last time they met. The Fight Night card is scheduled to feature NABA Cruiserweight champ Chad Van Sickle (who is not from this area).

These ARE the Results from Waldorf!

Earlier today, I put up the results from the card from Waldorf, courtesy of my buddy Mike Swann of 15rounds.com. Thanks to an alert reader who noticed that they were the results from LAST year's card! I have deleted that post, but I want to make sure the poster who noticed that knew that I got your message and I thank you.

These are the results from Friday's show in Waldorf, once again courtesy of Mike Swann.

Every fall Bobby Magruder stages his annual pro boxing show at the Jaycees Community Center in Waldorf Maryland. The fighters are gritty and exciting, if not particularly skilled in a technical sense, and put on a great show for the bargain price of $40.

Magruder, a member of the Maryland and Washington D.C. boxing halls of fame, is a showman second to none in southern Maryland. Not only did the roaring sell out crowd enjoy a card of six fights, but on this night Magruder featured a Polynesian bent, “A Tribute to the Islands,” with each paying customer receiving a lei from hula girls upon entrance. In addition, the musical offerings of Charlie Taylor and Kurt Gibbons were on display prior to the live card and during the intermission.

Maryland fight fans, hungry for live professional boxing, are hopeful that Magruder provides more frequent offerings of his brilliant promotions.

On hand for the festivities were former jr. middleweight champ Vincent Pettway, former WBO cruiserweight titlist Boone Pultz, and light-heavyweight contender Darnell Wilson.

The honored guest of the evening was the legendary trainer Angelo Dundee. Everyone in the house flocked to Dundee like paparazzi after Lindsey Lohan. Women kissed him, men shook his hand and hugged him, and he graciously posed for pictures with the many that approached him with camera in hand.

The card began with a four rounder between light welterweights Tony Kinney, 1-3, and Pernell Jackson, who was making his pro debut. Jackson floored Kinney once in the first and twice in the second before the ringside physician advised referee John Gradowski that Kinney, should not come out for round three.

Next, in a six round jr. middleweight bout, Vance Garvey and Charles Clark fought to a majority draw by scores of 57-57, 57-57, and 57-56 for Clark. Garvey went down from body blows in the first and second rounds when his foot slipped on the canvas as he was hit, and referee Kenny Chevalier ruled them as knockdowns. However, two of the three judges scored both rounds as 10-9. One of the rounds was scored as 10-8 on the third card. Garvey is now 6-18-4, and Clark is at 14-21-2.

Henry Mayes, now 4-1 with 3 Ko’s, starched Marvin Robinson at 2:39 of round one with a good left hook that laid Robinson flat on the canvas for several minutes. Referee Malik Waleed immediately called a halt to the fight when Robinson, now 4-3, [3], hit the deck.

Jason Champion and Chris Govan both made their pro debuts in a jr. middleweight fight scheduled for four. Govan suffered a nasty cut over his right brow from a punch in the first round, and was floored in the second. By the third round, Champion’s punches spattered Govan’s blood on my score sheet, and referee Chevalier stopped the bout on the advice of the ring physician after the third round.

Oscar Colindres and Wayne Hampton were next in a heavyweight fight scheduled for four. Hampton, who had 1976 Olympic Silver medallist Charles Mooney working in his corner, floored Colindres in rounds one and two, and Colindres had a point deducted in round three for holding. Both fighters tired early and the fight was marked by clutching by both men. Referee Gradowski stopped the fight at 2:42 of round four after Colindres failed to return fire after being hurt by a barrage of shots from Hampton. The exhausted winner Hampton leaned over a neutral corner trying to catch his wind after the stoppage.

In the four round finale, local boy Nick Caroleo won his pro debut by majority decision over Derek Sierra, now 0-3-1, in a light heavyweight tilt. The scores were 40-36, 38-38, and 40-36. Caroleo showed some skills with some sharp body punching and was the aggressor throughout the fight, finishing with a flourish by banging Sierra with power shots against the ropes just before the bell in what had been a good round for both men.

Pro Boxing Comes to Waldorf October 14!

Bobby Magruder, known to many in the area as the "Don King of Southern Maryland," will have his annual pro card on Friday, October 14 at the Jaycees Hall in Waldorf, MD.

The most notable name on the card is scheduled to be Baltimore junior middleweight Charles Clark. Clark (14-21-1, five KO’s) is a wily veteran of the fight game who has had tough going of late, losing his last 10 bouts and 13 of his last 14. Included in that stretch are losses to two members of the first “Contender” series; runner-up Peter Manfredo, Jr. and DC-area rival Jimmy Lange. Clark has also lost to veteran contender Tony Marshall and undefeated prospect Yuri Foreman.

Clark’s opponent is scheduled to be veteran Vance Garvey of Indianapolis, IN. Garvey (6-18-3, one KO) has also struggled, going 0-4-1 in his last five bouts. Garvey has been busy this year. His scheduled six-round matchup against Clark will be Garvey’s 10th bout in 2005.

In another bout on the card, Baltimore super middleweight Henry “Hurricane” Mayes will try to bounce back from a devastating knockout loss in his last bout when he faces Marvin Robinson of Richmond, VA in a four-round contest. Mayes (3-1, two KO’s) was starched by Alton Rice in the first round on May 24 in Woodlawn, MD. Robinson (3-2, two KO’s) has not fought since winning a four-round unanimous decision over Mike Eatmon in Sept of 2004 in Richmond.

Five other bouts will make up the rest of the card which will include the pro debuts of DC-area boxers Nick Caroleo, Pernell “Action” Jackson, Wayne Hampton and Jason Champion.

Caraleo of Waldorf will battle Derek Sierra of Silver Spring (1-2) in a light heavyweight battle.

Jackson will face Jonny Kinney of Cincinnati in a junior welterweight encounter.

Heavyweight Hampton of Laurel battles Oscar Colindres of Atlanta, GA.

Champion of Hillcrest Heights takes on Cincinnati's Chris Govan in a junior middleweight encounter.

'Little Big Man' Challenges 'Pretty Boy Floyd'!

Fightnews.com is reporting that former WBA Super Lightweight champion Sharmba Mitchell of Takoma Park, MD will challenge undefeated WBC Junior Welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. on a November 19 HBO card at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon.

This should be a major payday for the "Little Big Man." Whether he can beat Mayweather remains to be seen, but it should be a great matchup. This will be the second Beltway Boxer Mayweather has faced. Mayweather scored a 12-round unanimous decision victory over former WBO Junior Welterweight champ DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley on May 22, 2004.

Mitchell has not fought since his fifth round technical decision victory over Chris Smith for the NABA Welterweight title on June 11 at MCI Center. The bout was the co-feature to Kevin McBride-Mike Tyson.

Jeter Wins in Comeback!

I was unable to attend the BXF show last night in Millersville, MD. However, One of my Fightnews colleagues and a man who is truly one of the best boxing photographers in the business, Mike Greenhill, was there and he filed the following report:

Middleweight Tony Jeter came back off a 4-year layoff in grand style, destroying Philadelphia's Lawrence Frisby in two rounds to win by TKO at BXF Gym (Boxing Extreme Fitness)in the Baltimore suburb of Millersville. Jeter, of Stevensville, enjoyed some home cooking, as he trains at BXF during the week. Jeter moved in behind his jab in Round One, and caught Frisby with a counter right to the head that turned his legs to pasta. Jeter then followed with a right to put Jeter down on the canvas. He rose on unsteady legs, and was promptly put down again, just before the bell.

Jeter wasted no time in the second round, flooring Frisby with a looping right to the top of the head. Moments later, the hometown kid dropped Frisby into the neutral corner with a counter left hook, and referee Gary Camponeschi waved off matters at 0:50 of the second. Jeter is now 4-1 (4) while Frisby falls to 3-9 (2).

In the night's other pro bout, light heavyweight Jarell Mason-Jackson of Temple Hills, MD gained a tough unanimous 6-round decision over Steve Garrett of Annapolis, MD. It was a back-and-forth battle until Mason-Jackson sealed the deal with a knockdown in the 6th and final round. Bill Holmes scored 58-55, Gary Camponeschi tallied 58-54 and John Gradowski recorded 59-54, all for Mason-Jackson. Garrett also had a point deducted in the final round for holding. Mason-Jackson improves to 3-3 (0), while Garrett falls to 2-4 (1).

There were only two pro bouts since the James McCallister-Dafir Smith main event fell through. However, the pro show was preceded by five amateur bouts, thus satisfying the Maryland State Athletic Commission's minimum 25-round requirement for the show to take place.

On hand to view the festivities were former cruiserweight champ Boone Pultz, welterweight contender Derrell Coley and USBA lightweight champ Lamont "Bay" Pearson.

'King James' Headlines at BXF on Oct. 7!

Landover, MD super middleweight "King" James McAllister will headline a four-bout professional portion of a pro-am card on Friday, Oct. 7 at the Boxing Xtreme Fitness (BXF) Gym in Millersville, MD.

McAllister (9-5-1, three KO's) has not been in action since November 2004 when he lost a six-round majority decision to Carlos DeLeon Jr. in Las Vegas. McAllister will face Dhafir "No Fear" Smith (13-11-2, three KO's) of Upper Darby, PA in an eight-round bout. Smith has lost his last five bouts, including an eight round unanimous decision loss to Derrick Whitley on Sept. 17 in Mansfield, MA.

The co-feature will involve two boxers who are returning after lengthy absences; middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter of Columbia, MD. This will be Jeter's first bout since October 2001 when he lost a four-round unanimous decision to Kwame Bumphus in Philadelphia, PA.

Jeter(3-1, 1 NC, three KO's) will take on Lawrence Frisby of Philadelphia (3-8, two KO's) in a four-round encounter. Frisby has not fought since December 2001 when he won a six-round split decision over Tyrone Winkler in Philadelphia.

Two other four-round bouts will round out the pro part of the card; Jarell Mason Jackson of Temple Hills, MD (2-3) will battle Steve Garrett of Columbia in a four-round light heavyweight matchup. Also, James Shedrick of Philadelphia (2-3, one KO) will take on John Terry of Portsmouth, VA (1-1, one KO) in a four round super middleweight encounter.

Four amateur bouts are also scheduled for the card.

Aiken Loses Split Decision in Ohio!

Thanks to a poster for this tip.

Forestville, MD featherweight prospect Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken lost a tough six-round split decision to Leo Martinez in Columbus,OH on October 1.

I haven't seen any published reports on the bout, but Martinez is from Columbus so there could have been a hometown decision. One judge voted for Aiken, 58-56 while the other two voted 59-55 for Martinez. Martinez has, however, faced mostly winning record opposition throughout his career, so the win could be legitimate.

The loss looks bad for Aiken because his record is now 12-3 with nine KO's. Martinez's record is 7-5 with four KO's. So on paper, this is a bad loss. Maybe there will be a rematch.

Olakanye Loses on Byrd-Williamson Card!

Silver Spring heavyweight Adele "Super Bad" Olakanye lost by TKO on the undercard of the heavyweight doubleheader featuring Chris Byrd-Davarryl Williamson and James Toney-Dominick Guinn.

Olakanye was stopped in the fourth round by undefeated Shane Cameron of New Zealand (14-0, 13 KO's). Olakanye's record is now 6-3-2, four KO's.

By the way, Williamson, a native of DC who now lives in Colorado Springs, CO, lost by unanimous decision to Byrd in the WBC title matchup.

King Sues Rahman!!

Interesting story from my good friend Lem Satterfield of the Baltimore Sun concerning a lawsuit against WBC Interim Heavyweight champ Hasim Rahman by Don King.

This is the story in its entirety:

Promoter Don King has filed a federal lawsuit against Baltimore native Hasim Rahman, charging that he is entitled to half of the $4.2 million purse the ex-champion will earn for fighting World Boxing Council heavyweight Vitali Klitschko in November.

The suit, filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court's Southern District in Manhattan, charges the money is owed King in accordance with a contractual agreement granted in the event that King lost the purse bid to be the primary promoter for Rahman's title bout. The amount "is King's reward for driving up the bid," said Judd Burstein, King's attorney. King lost the purse bid to promoter Bob Arum, who bid $12 million to King's $11.1 million, but Burstein said Rahman still is under contract with King until July 2008.

Burstein said Rahman's refusal to agree to a payment stems from Rahman's financial trouble, and the fact that the Las Vegas resident "has a 2.1 million IRS tax lien against him."

The suit was filed, Burstein said, "because Rahman feels that if the IRS and Don King get their payments, then he's fighting Klitschko for nothing."

Ballroom Boxing Results!

Here are the results of the Ballroom Boxing card that took place on Sept. 29. The report is filed by my Fightnews colleagues Julian Burgower and "Priceless" Steve Price.

Ballroom Boxing opened their new season with a bang on Thursday night with the return of welterweight contender Kermit Cintron and heavyweight prospect Chazz Witherspoon featured in abbreviated but successful bouts in front of the always-animated fans at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Cintron, who was coming off an unsuccessful April bid to capture the WBO welterweight title from Antonio Margarito, showed a new-look style in the three rounds it took to dismantle outclassed Francisco Parra of Tijuana, Mexico.

In the first round, Cintron displayed what six months of adjustments in the gym can do for you as he jabbed Parra, 12-6 (10), and unbridled a new, more defensive-type approach to his game. Parra seemed stunned with every punch landed by “El Asesino” and although game, knew immediately that he was being outclassed.

The second saw more of the first as Cintron moved well and employed a shoulder-roll type of strategy brought to recent reemergence by fighters such as Floyd Mayweather, Bernard Hopkins and James Toney.
The third was to be Parra’s last, as Cintron opened up and let loose hard and well placed shots that connected with deadly accuracy. An overhand right dropped Parra midway through the round, with Parra dragging Kermit down to the canvass with him as he collapsed. Beating the count, Parra was briefly directed to be inspected by the ringside physician, his face having become a bloody mess. After the okay from ringside, Parra was put out of his misery as Cintron opened up a five-punch combination that connected beautifully with every shot. Parra again flopped to the ground, at which time it was said that he had had enough. The time was 2:07 as Cintron victoriously bellowed, “I’m back! I’m back!” to the crowd.

“I felt good,” exclaimed Cintron, now 25-1 (23), after the bout. “I wish he could have given me a better fight.” Citron also said that he feels comfortable in his new style and thinks that it will help him as he steps back up into major fights down the road. “I was working on it- concentrating on it more to give different fighters different looks.” Cintron expressed a desire to fight in his hometown of Reading, PA next, possibly in November before looking to challenge for another title. He said that it doesn’t matter whom he fights for a title, dropping names such as Margarito in a rematch, undisputed champion Zab Judah and Luis Collazo.

On the co-feature of the evening, heavyweight prospect Chazz Witherspoon, 8-0 (6), easily stopped 271-pound Lincoln Luke in two rounds.

Luke, who brought in a 45-pound weight advantage, proved that weight can also be a disadvantage as he was in no shape to fight. Out of breath within the first minute of the round, Luke forced the fight into a sloppy mess as he staggered around the ring with Witherspoon patiently stalking him. Witherspoon connected on several occasions resulting with Luke flopping into the ropes.

In the second round, Chazz connected with a stiff right jab that knocked Luke down for an eight-count. Upon rising, Luke was deemed not able to safely continue by referee Bill Holmes and waived the fight off at 2:00 into the round. Luke, still with little birdies flying around his head, reacted with class, twice pushing Holmes in protest before Ballroom security entered the ring to restore order. Executive Director Patrick Pannella of the Maryland State Athletic Commission declined to comment on any disciplinary actions to be taken against Luke.

In the most exciting fight of the evening, welterweights Martinus Clay and Keenan Collins fought to a six-round draw in a battle of wills.
Collins, 7-1-1 (7), came out looking to end the night early with a big right hand, stunning Clay, 9-9-1 (3), on occasion but unable to finish as he had on his seven other victims.

Clay countered Collins’ attack with a good inside game, raking a two-fisted body assault into Collins’ midsection.

As the fight wore on, the lanky Collins looked more and more to his right hand, neglecting to continue through with any follow up punches- punches that could have made a difference in the outcome.
In rounds three through five, Clay was able to back Collins into the ropes several times and dig to the body.

At the end of six, scores read 58-56 for Clay, 58-56 for Collins and 57-57, ending in a draw.

In cruiserweight action, southpaw Calvin Dixon, 2-0-1 (0) with 3 No-Contests, counterpunched his way to a split-decision victory over William Bailey by scores of 57-55 for Bailey and 58-56 (twice) in favor of Dixon.

In the show opener, John Terry improved to 1-1 (1) in stopping Michael Dickerson, 0-2, at 1:05 of round one in a super middleweight bout.

Also in attendance was Hall of Fame running back Lenny Moore and former welterweight title-challenger Derrell “Too Sweet” Coley, who affirmed he was coming out of retirement to resume his boxing career.
Ballroom Boxing is promoted by Michael and Scott Wagner of Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.