Cygan Upset In Pikesville!

Adages become well known over time because they ring true most of the time. An example is the adage “speed kills.” While speed didn’t totally destroy Baltimore, MD middleweight Tony “Cyclone” Cygan, the hand and foot speed of Billy Lyell of Niles, OH proved to be the determining factor in Cygan suffering his first pro loss by a relatively easy eight-round unanimous decision in front of a raucous crowd of at the Pikesville Armory in Pikesville, MD.

Unlike Cygan’s previous bouts where he was able to get inside on his opponent and do damage, Lyell’s speed wouldn’t allow it. Lyell repeatedly beat Cygan to the punch throughout the contest. In the rare moments where Cygan was able to land first, Lyell took the shots very well.

Both men tried to fight in close and both men paid for their actions by suffering numerous cuts. Cygan was even cut on the top of his head by the slightly taller Lyell.

In the end, however, it came down to Lyell’s speed down the stretch where he was able to counter Cygan with right hands that gave Cygan little opportunity to get off first. Judges Don Risher and Malik Waleed said Lyell pitched a shutout, 80-72 while Judge John Gradowski scored the bout 79-73. I scored the bout a little closer at 78-74 for Lyell.

“I thought my speed was a little too much for him and also my boxing ability,” Lyell said. “He was a hell of a tough fighter and a strong fighter.”

When asked if it was difficult to come into Cygan’s backyard and pull out the victory, Lyell said, “It’s always tough to be on the road but I thought I could come in here and beat the kid. Sometimes you have to take a shot.”

Cygan said his loss came as a result of not being active enough during the contest.

“I made it a lot harder,” Cygan said. “I wasn’t busy enough and that was my problem. I was letting him get off and instead of ducking punches, I ate them.”

Lyell’s record is now 10-2, two KO’s while Cygan falls to 9-1, six KO’s.

In the co-feature, Baltimore heavyweight Jed “The Punisher” Phipps scored a devastating first-round knockout over David “The Body Snatcher” Cleage of Columbus, OH.

The round started off very even with both men trading shots. In the first minute, Cleage seemed to be getting a slight edge as he was catching Phipps with solid jabs.

But with about 30 seconds to go in the round, Phipps unleashed a crushing left hook that sent Cleage quickly to the canvas and the Pikesville Armory crowd leaping to its feet. Referee Malik Waleed immediately called a halt to the bout at 2:47 of the round.

“The jab set it up,” Phipps said of the knockout. “I said this guy came to fight. He had a good jab. I threw the hook just like the jab and it landed.”

The win was Phipps’ third straight and his second straight win by knockout. Phipps’ record is now 17-3 with 10 KO’s. Cleage’s record now drops to 3-9-1, one KO.

In other bouts on the card, Smithsburg, MD lightweight Dean “Pit Bull” White broke a two-fight losing streak by winning a close, six-round split decision over Marty “Too Sweet” Robbins of Crossville, TN.

White seemed to control the first half of the bout by showing good hand speed and his ability to push Robbins from one end of the ring to the other. By late in the third round, however, Robbins was able to make things interesting as he started to go successfully to White’s body.

By the end of the bout, White was able to regain his hold on the bout, throwing good power shots. Robbins showed a granite-like chin in the latter stages of the bout.

Judge John Gradowski scored the bout in favor of Robbins, 58-56 while Judges Kenny Chevalier and Don Risher saw the bout for White by respective scores of 58-57 and 58-56. My scorecard scored the bout for White at 59-56.

White raised his record to 12-4 with six KO’s while Robbins falls to 21-30-1, 15 KO’s. Robbins has now lost four straight bouts.

Two Baltimore-area boxers made their pro debuts on this show and both gained their first pro victory. Severn, MD junior middleweight Jesse “The Beast” Nicklow scored a four-round shutout (40-35 on all cards) over Lawrence Frisby of Philadelphia, PA (3-10, two KO’s).

In the curtain-raising bout, Bel Air, MD super middleweight Nick “The Flash” Collins registered a brutal first-round knockout over Eddie Otts of Waldorf, MD. Collins was able to land a series of punches that knocked Otts (0-2-1) through the ropes and almost to the floor. Referee John Gradowski stopped the contest immediately at 1:38 of the first.

The fight card was a benefit with proceeds from ticket sales and a silent auction going to help pay for the medical expenses of boxer “The American Dream” Mike Dietrich. The undefeated Dundalk, MD heavyweight prospect (7-0, three KO’s) suffered injuries from stab wounds acquired during a December altercation. Former world champion Vinny Paz was on hand to lend support.

The promoter was Jake Smith of Baltimore Pro Boxing. The matchmaker was Josh Hall.

Some random thoughts on the card:

1. Josh Hall did a magnificent matchmaking job. Even the normally stoic Hall couldn't hide his satisfaction over this card and he should be proud. A bout as competitive as the Dean White-Marty Robbins match was exhibit A of good matchmaking and knowledge of the sport. The records said that on paper, that bout should have been a cakewalk, but it was extremely competitive. Even the bouts that contained first-round knockouts were competitive until the knockouts took place.

2. Speaking of the knockouts, maybe -- just maybe -- Jed Phipps has turned the corner and will now be a legitimate heavyweight prospect. This is Phipps' second straight solid performance after what has been an inconsistent career for him. I asked Phipps what has been the difference in his last two fights and he gave me an interesting answer. Phipps credited his success to -- not a trainer -- but his sparring partner Brandon "The Beast" Cabell. Phipps said the two of them have modified their games since working with each other and Phipps added that we will see the change in Cabell on Jan. 26 when he fights Tony "The Tiger" Thompson for the Maryland State Heavyweight title at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie.

3. Solid pro debuts for Nick Collins and Jessie Nicklow. Collins, who is trained by former Baltimore cruiserweight prospect Courtney Bridget, showed explosive power. Nicklow also looked decent but needs to quickly find a jab and use it.

4. We definitely saw a flaw in Tony Cygan's execution of his gameplan. As he told me, he just couldn't get going and couldn't get off first. This was the first time that he has fought someone that quick outside of sparring. Right now, he has trouble with speedy boxers. That is something he has to and can correct.

5. The Pikesville Armory crowd needs to give itself a round of applause. The crowd was one of the most enthusiastic I've seen in a while. The explosion of emotion when Phipps knocked his opponent out was incredible to see.

The next card for Baltimore Pro Boxing will be on Thursday, Feb 23 at Martin's West.

L. Peterson Opponent Changes for WBC Americas Title Bout!

Undefeated DC Junior welterweight Lamont Peterson will face a new opponent in his WBC Americas Junior Welterweight title bout on February 17 at the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis, TN.

Courtney Burton is out and Jose Leo Moreno is now in for this contest. Moreno is from St. Paul, MN and has a record of 12-1 with 10 KO's. Moreno suffered his first loss in his last contest, a first-round knockout at the hands of highly-touted undefeated prospect Mike Arnaoutis on December 9 in Kissimmee, FL.

Peterson has a record of 15-0, seven KO's.

Peterson's brother Anthony will also be on this card. Anthony Peterson's opponent will be James Wayka of Minneapolis, MN. Anthony Peterson's record is 14-0, 11 KO's while Wayka's record is 14-4, seven KO's.

But prior to that bout, Anthony Peterson has a contest on January 28 in Tunica, MS against Manuel Bocanegra of Mexico City (6-7, four KO's).

According to their promotional company, Prize Fight Promotions, The Petersons have been treated well in their boxing home base of Memphis. The brothers were honored at both Memphis Grizzles and University of Memphis basketball games.

Weights for Baltimore Boxing Card in Pikesville!

Here are the weights for tomorrow's Baltimore Boxing card at the Pikesville Armory.

Tony Cygan 159 vs. Billy Lyell 162

Jed Phipps 222 1/4 vs. David Cleage 245 3/4

Marty Robbins 136 1/4 vs. Dean White 133 1/2

Eddie Otts 173 1/4 vs. Nick Collins 167 3/4

Jesse Nicklow 156 1/2 vs. Lawrence Frisby 157 3/4


Remember, this card is a benefit with proceeds from the card as well as the silent auction going to help "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich pay for his hospital expenses.

My thanks to "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears for the information on the weights.

Mark Johnson Talks History and Future!

In part two of my interview with Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson, the former three-time world champion talks about DC boxing, past, present and future.

Mark Johnson Prepares For Fourth World Title Quest!

In this exclusive audio interview, former three-time world champion Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson talks about preparations for his attempt at a fourth world title vs. WBO Bantamweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez on Feb. 25 in Las Vegas.

Springfield VA Hosts February Boxing Card!

After years of inactivity on the pro boxing scene, it looks like the Northern Virginia section of the Beltway is starting to heat up. We've already talked about the card on February 18th at the Patriot Center. But there will be a card exactly two weeks before that one.

The card will be Saturday, February 4 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA. For you long-time Beltway Boxing fans, that place was known as the ABC Auditorium in the old days. And back in the late 80's and early 90's, that place used to rock with boxing cards featuring the likes of Keith Holmes, Andrew Council and Andrew Maynard. Many people in and around the Beltway cut their boxing teeth on those shows, including a young promoter, reporter and matchmaker named Eric Bottjer, who now serves as matchmaker for Don King Productions. ABC was an important venue for the Beltway Boxing scene back then.

Another fixture on those cards is the man who will be promoting this card, the legendary former Virginia State Junior Middleweight champion Han "Sugar" Kim. Kim was one of the most popular boxers in this area and it is great to see him still a big part of the scene. I talked to Kim about this show and he says he plans to have a show at ABC every two months. I hope that will be the case.

Kim says the main event for this card is set. Takoma Park, MD heavyweight Willis Lockett (6-4-4, 1 KO) will face veteran Robert Marsh (9-37-4, four KO's) of Hickory, NC.

The card is also scheduled to mark the long-awaited debut of Fairfax, VA's "Money" Mike Sawyer (who told me about this card, thank you!). Sawyer's debut has been delayed because of injuries but he is ready to go for this card.

I hope to give you a full preview of this card in the next couple of weeks.

Aiken Finally Gets NABA Title Shot!

Forestville, MD featherweight Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken will finally get a shot at the vacant NABA Featherweight championship. Aiken (13-3, 10 KO's) will take on Darby Smart (9-2, four KO's) of Chisholm, MN on Friday, January 20 at the Voinovich Center in Columbus, OH.

As I've said before, this is definitely a big opportunity for Aiken to prove he belongs in the major rankings for the featherweight division. Let's wish him well.

BXF Hosts All-Female Card on February 10!

Friday, February 10 will be an interesting night of Boxing Along the Beltway. BXF will host an all-female boxing card.

Information about this card says that this will be the first all-female card held in the state of Maryland. I can't verify that, but I can say that this will be the first all-female card held along the Beltway since May 30, 2004, when there was an all-female show held at DC Tunnel.

That card did not have any local boxers, but it did have notable names including Melissa "Honey Girl" Del Valle and Aasa Sandell, a Swedish boxer who made her pro debut on that card and last month fought Laila Ali in Berlin, Germany.

The BXF card will have some local talent including Cambridge, MD's Angel "Saumnice" McNamara. The card is also scheduled to feature the pro debut of DC's Dominique Rice.

What is ironic, at least to me, is that some of the proceeds will benefit the House of Ruth, a shelter that helps victims of domestic violence. Women hitting each other to support battered women. Fascinating.

Anyway, hopefully this show will do very well. I'll bring you more information when it comes available.

Jimmy Lange Talks About Feb. 18 Card!

For the first time, Boxing Along the Beltway brings you an audio interview. I talked to Great Falls, VA middleweight Jimmy Lange about his upcoming battle against Contender rival Joey Gilbert. The bout is on February 18 at the Patriot Center.

Here is part 1 of the interview.

Jimmy Lange Talks, Part 2

In the second part of my interview with Jimmy Lange, we talk about his fans and the team behind him.

Simon Brown Should Be in the Hall of Fame!

I'm still learning technology about this blog situation and I just learned that I can post audio on this blog. So now I will be doing most of my commentaries in this manner. Here is the first. Please let me know what you think about this idea.

DC Has First 2006 Card on March 3 at Lincoln Theatre!

After an almost nine-month absence, Washington, DC will finally host a boxing card. This card, called "Fighting on the U" will be on Friday, March 3 at the historic Lincoln Theatre on U Street in DC.

Right now, this event looks loaded with solid Beltway Boxing names. The main event is set and it will be a matchup between two boxers from Capitol Heights, MD. Undefeated Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan will take on Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan in Bryan's first appearance along the Beltway in more than seven years. This bout is listed as a "championship title fight" but no one seems to know what title they will be fighting for.

Among the other notables scheduled for this card will be former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, who fights here for the first time since his 2004 victory over Darryll Tyson.

Also slated for this card are three boxers who are coming off of tough performances; Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller , Reggie "The Mechanic" Holly and Tony "Mo Better" Jeter. Miller fought to a six-round draw last November at the Show Place Arena in his first bout in five years. Both Holly and Jeter were knocked out in their last outings.

Also scheduled for this card is undefeated New York based female boxer Chika Nakamura. Nakamura, a junior welterweight, is 2-0, 1 KO.

The card is being promoted by a brand new face on the scene, Cassandra White and her company CW Promotions. White has been noticed at recent cards along the Beltway, taking notes and learning her trade. If she can keep this card as is, she will be off to a good start. Assisting her with this card is one of the legendary names along the Beltway, Julius "Juice" Gatling.

Official Response to Peterson Training Situation!

One of the many great things about this blog is the ability to hear from the boxing fans along the Beltway. Recently, I put up some information concerning the Peterson Brothers. All I did was put up info about their upcoming bouts (which I have to update, by the way).

From that info, came a nice discussion generated by fans concerning the long-time trainer of the Petersons, Barry Hunter. Apparently, there has been some talk that Hunter may be replaced as trainer by their advisor Shelly Finkel in favor of a more well-known trainer.

I put that question to Nate Yoder, who handles the media relations for Prize Fight Boxing, the company that has been promoting the Petersons in the Gulf Coast area of the country. The following is Yoder's response:

"There is no truth to Shelly Finkel attempting to replace Barry Hunter as trainer of Lamont & Anthony Peterson. Barry and Shelly’s relationship is and always has been strong. Obviously, this had to of been someone who is jealous of what they have achieved. In our opinion, Barry Hunter is one of the best up and coming trainers in the sport today. Please tune in on February 17th as Lamont will be fighting on ESPN2 with Anthony on the card as well."

That should settle that debate.

Now here is the update on the Petersons in the ring. Lamont Peterson's battle against Courtney Burton on February 17 will be for the WBC Americas Jr. Welterweight title. A win for Peterson will more than likely mean a top 10 or top 15 ranking for him. Anthony Peterson will also box on that card and another DC boxer, undefeated lightweight Ty Barnett (6-0, four KO's), is scheduled to be on that card as well.

There's more. There is a SHOBox date in the works for the Peterson Brothers. That date will be April 28. Let's hope all goes according to plan.

Pikesville Card Looks Promising!

Undefeated Baltimore super middleweight Tony “Cyclone” Cygan will headline the first Baltimore Pro Bouts card of 2006 on January 20 at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD.

Cygan (9-0, six KO’s) is coming off a solid 2005 where he went 5-0 with three KO’s, making him one of the prospects to watch from the Baltimore-Washington area. Cygan is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision win over James North on December 7 in Woodlawn, MD.

Cygan will get an early test this year as he will face Billy Lyell of Warren, OH in an eight-round contest. Lyell has the best won-loss record (9-2, two KO’s) of anyone Cygan has faced to date. Lyell has won his last two bouts, including a six-round unanimous decision over Daniel Neal on November 23 in Chester, WV.

Baltimore heavyweight Jed “The Punisher” Phipps (16-3 with nine KO’s) will be in the co-main event, coming off one of the most impressive victories of his career. Phipps defeated Dan Whetzel by sixth-round technical knockout on the December 7 Woodlawn card.

Phipps will battle David Cleage of Ohio in a six-round encounter. Cleage (3-8-1, one KO) will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak. Cleage lost a four-round majority decision to Otis Mills on December 16 in Cleveland, OH.

Also on the card will be super featherweight Dean “Pit Bull” White of Reston, VA who will face Marty “Too Sweet” Robbins of Crossville, TN in a six-round bout.

Both boxers will be trying to break losing streaks. White (11-4, six KO’s) is coming off of two straight tough losses, including his last bout, a six-round unanimous decision to Oronde Dawley on December 9 in Lancaster, PA. Robbins, a true veteran (21-29-1, 15 KO’s) has lost his last three, including an eight-round unanimous decision to Ray Narh on October 26 in Washington, PA. Robbins has faced many rising prospects during his career including Mike Arnaoutis, Emmanuel Lucero and Elio Rojas.

Two local Baltimore area prospects are scheduled to make their pro debuts on this card. Junior middleweight Jessie Niclow will take on veteran Lawrence Frisby of Philadelphia, PA. Frisby (3-9, two KO’s) was stopped by Tony Jeter in the second round in his last outing on October 7 in Millersville, MD.

Cruiserweight Nick Collins will also debut on this card, facing Eddie Otts of Salisbury, MD. Otts is coming of a four-round draw against Derek Sierra on December 7 in Woodlawn.

Proceeds from this card will help pay for the medical expenses of Baltimore heavyweight "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich, who is recovering from stab wounds suffered in an altercation in December. There will also be a silent auction during the card. Also, former world champion Vinny Paz is slated to make an appearance.

Jake Smith is the promoter for this card. The matchmaker is Josh Hall.

BXF Card Lumbers to Conclusion!

Give the folks at BXF (Boxing Extreme Fitness) credit for sticking things out and trying to give Beltway Boxing fans a card. However, what looked like a promising card earlier in the week turned out to be a shell of itself by the end of the week.

Only three Beltway Boxers ended up on the main portion of the show. Silver Spring, MD light heavyweight Carlos "Headbanger" Jones, a VERY late addition to the card, scored a second-round TKO against Richard Moore of Newport News, VA. Jones is now 4-7 with two KO's. Moore falls to 0-4.

DC welterweight Pernell "Amazing" Jackson fought to a four-round majority draw against Hamilton Verano of Newark, NJ. Jackson was extremely tired by the end of the bout. Jackson is 1-0-1, one KO while Verano remains winless at 0-3-1.

Cruiserweight Derek Sierra of Laurel, MD picked up his first professional win, albeit against an opponent who weighed 13 pounds less than him. Sierra stopped John "JT" Terry of Portsmouth, VA in the third round with a vicious body shot. Sierra is now 1-3, one KO while Terry is 2-3, one KO.

The card opened with a four-round exhibition bout featuring USBA Junior Lightweight champion Lamont "Bay" Pearson and undefeated Baltimore prospect Tyrell Samuel. Pearson was getting ready for his title defense on February 18 at the Patriot Center. Samuel's scheduled opponent for the BXF card fell through.

In the main event, Jose Spearman of Indianapolis, IN registered a listless eight-round unanimous decision victory over Ron Boddie of Philadelphia, PA. Spearman's trainer, Gerald Reed, wasn't even happy with the performance.

By the way, the name Gerald Reed should be familiar to you. Back in May of 2002, Reed, a native of Georgetown, KY, fought Jimmy Lange at Constitution Hall. Reed gave Lange everything he asked for before losing a close, eight-round majority decision that many people (myself included) thought he won.

Reed also fought -- and lost -- to Beltway Boxers Vincent Pettway (twice), Reggie Green and Del Matchett during his career.

Check this space throughout the weekend for a preview on the big card at the Pikesville Armory on Friday, January 20 as well as an update on the February 18th card at the Patriot Center and news about the first card in DC for 2006.

Weights for Tonight's BXF Card!

Here is the scale watch for tonight's card at BXF Gym in Millersville, MD

Jose Spearman 170 vs. Ron Boddie 176

Derek Sierra 181 1/4 vs Richard Moore 182 3/4

Hamilton Verano 151 vs Pernell Jackson 144 1/2

John Terry 168 1/4 vs Henry Mayes 169 1/4

Apparently, something has happened to the bout featuring Tyrell Samuel. BXF Officials have said that there will be one more bout added to the card, but no word on who will be involved.

BXF Card has Major Changes!

The BXF card that will take place tomorrow has some big changes on it.

Let's start with the main event, because Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan is no longer on the card. No word has been given as to why.

Replacing Buchanan will be Indianapolis, IN super middleweight Jose Spearman (24-9-4, 10 KO's). Spearman is coming off a 10-round draw against Joe Spina on November 23 in Providence, RI.

Spearman will face veteran Ron Boddie of Philadelphia (15-31-4, seven KO's) in an eight-round matchup.

In a four-round matchup, DC welterweight Pernell Jackson (1-0, 1 KO)will take on Hamilton Verano of Newark, NJ (0-3). Jackson made his pro debut on October 14, 2005 when he stopped Tony Kinney in Waldorf, MD.

Also added to the card is Baltimore super middleweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes (4-1, three KO's) who will participate in a four-round bout against John "JT" Terry of Portsmouth, VA (2-2, one KO).

In his last bout, Mayes scored a first-round KO over Marvin Robinson on the October 14 Waldorf show.

This will be Terry's third trip to the BXF Gym, where he is 1-1. Terry's last BXF outing resulted in a decision loss to Rodney Green on December 12.

The co-feature matchup between Baltimore's Tyrell Samuel and Fred Fleming of Cincinnati (four-round lightweight) and the cruiserweight contest between Derek Sierra of Laurel, MD and Richard Moore of Virginia Beach, VA are still on.

'Too Sharp' on Vargas-Mosley Pay-Per-View

It is official. Former three-time world champion Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson will go after his fourth world title when he challenges Jhonny Gonzalez for the WBO Bantamweight title February 25 at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas.

This bout will be part of the pay-per-view telecast headlined by the matchup between former world champions Fernando Vargas and Shane Mosley.

Johnson (44-4, 28 KO's) has not fought since losing his WBO Super Flyweight championship in September 2004 to Ivan Hernandez. He has suffered arm injuries during this layoff. One fight that was postponed was a matchup against Gonzalez for the vacant WBO Bantamweight title.

Gonzalez (31-4, 27 KO's) went on to win the WBO Bantamweight title with a seventh-round TKO over Ratanchai Sor Vorapin in October 2005. Ironically, Johnson beat Vorapin in April 1999 for the vacant IBF Junior Bantamweight title in DC on the "Triple Jeopardy card at MCI (soon to be Verizon) Center.

This will probably be Johnson's last shot to win a fourth title. Only one other Beltway boxer has done that: Sugar Ray Leonard. Only Leonard, Johnson, Simon Brown and William Joppy have won three world titles.

Petersons Back in Action!

The undefeated Peterson Brothers of DC are looking to build on a busy and successful 2005.

In 2005, Anthony and Lamont Peterson were a combined 21-0 with 12 KO's. This year, the Petersons will try to take it to the next level.

According to their long-time trainer Barry Hunter, Lamont (overall record: 15-0, seven KO's) will make the first big test of the year as he faces veteran Courtney Burton of Benton Harbor, MI (21-5, 11 KO's) on February 17 at the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis, TN. This will be an ESPN2 telecast. Burton has lost his last three bouts to solid competition including Ebo Elder, Rolando Reyes and, in his last outing, the "Hispanic Causing Panic" Juan Lazcano.

It will be Anthony who chronologically will fight first in 2006, however. Anthony (overall record: 14-0, 10 KO's) will fight on January 28 in Tunica, MS against an opponent to be named.

January 13 BXF Card Preview!

Here is a preview of the January 13 card at BXF in Millersville:

BXF (Boxing Extreme Fitness) Gym in Millersville, MD will host the first Washington, DC-Baltimore area card of 2006 on Friday, January 13 starting at 8 PM.

Undefeated super middleweight Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan (12-0, 10 KO’s) of Capitol Heights will be in the main event, an eight-round contest against veteran Ron Boddie of Philadelphia, PA (15-31-4, seven KO’s).

Buchanan is looking to build on a solid 2005 in which he was 5-0 with three KO’s. After winning his first 10 bouts by knockout, Buchanan has faced slightly tougher competition and has won his last two by eight-round unanimous decisions. In his last outing, Buchanan won impressively over Dhafir Smith on November 26 in Upper Marlboro, MD, scoring a shutout on all three judges’ cards.

Boddie is trying to break a three-bout losing streak. His last two losses have come against undefeated competition. Boddie lost a six-round unanimous decision to Saeed Hawkins on June 24 in Philadelphia and lost by third-round TKO to Chad Dawson on August 6 in Tampa, FL.

The co-feature bout will involve undefeated junior welterweight Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore, MD (4-0, two KO’s) in a four-round contest against Fred Fleming of Cincinnati, OH (0-2).

Ironically, both boxers’ last appearance in a ring was against a common opponent. Samuel won by fourth-round TKO over James Franks on December 12, 2005 at BXF. A month earlier, Fleming lost by fourth-round KO to Franks on November 4, also at BXF.

Also on the card, heavyweight Wayne “Hammerhead” Hampton of Capitol Heights (2-1, two KO’s) will take on Willie McGee of Reidsville, NC (1-1, one KO) in another four-rounder.

Hampton is coming off a second-round TKO over Scott Meehan on December 9 in Lancaster, PA. McGee will be trying to get back on the winning track after suffering a second-round technical knockout loss to Daniel Saulsberry on November 5 in Winston-Salem, NC.

In a four-round cruiserweight contest, two boxers will be looking for their first career victory when Derek Sierra of Laurel, MD (0-3-2) will battle Richard Moore of Virginia Beach, VA. (0-3)

Sierra fought to a four-round draw against Eddie Otts on December 7 in Woodlawn, MD. Moore has not fought since April of 2004 when he lost a four-round unanimous decision over Bobby Rooney in Philadelphia.

Portsmouth, VA light heavyweight John Terry (2-2, one KO) will try to stop the undefeated string of Richard Pearson of Paterson, NJ. (2-0, 1 KO) in yet another four-round contest. This will be Terry’s third straight appearance at BXF going 1-1. Terry is coming off a tough six-round decision loss to Rodney Green on December 2. Pearson won a four-round unanimous decision over Curtis Jones on November 23 in White Plains, NY.

Two professional debuts are also scheduled. Brenton Artis of Virginia Beach, VA will face off against Chris Edmond (0-1) of Cleveland, OH and Marcus Key of Virginia Beach, VA battles Ron Lewis (0-1) of Syracuse, NY.

Joppy Wins, Bryan, Wilson Lose at MSG!

Three of the early bouts from tonight's card at Madison Square Garden featured Beltway Boxers.

Fightnews.com is reporting the following:

Former three-time WBA champion William Joppy (36-4-1, 27 KOs) dropped Erik Howard (11-10-1, 6 KOs) in round four and finished him off at 2:12 of round five.

IBF #1 cruiser Steve Cunningham (19-0, 10 KOs) scored a fifth round stoppage of former world title challenger Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan (21-12, 9 KOs). Time was 1:10.

Heavyweight contender Owen "What The Heck" Beck (25-2, 18 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson (18-3-3, 15 KOs). Scores were 78-74 on all cards.

Ballroom Boxing Announces Main Event!

Ballroom Boxing Promoter Scott Wagner has announced the main event for its first show of 2006. The show will be held on Thursday, Jan. 26 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie.

The main event will be a battle for the vacant Maryland State Heavyweight title between Tony "The Tiger" Thompson of Silver Spring and Brandon "The Beast" Cabell of Baltimore.

This is an interesting matchup that, on paper, looks like a mismatch. Thompson's record is 25-1 with 15 KO's while Cabell's is just 8-1-1 with two KO's.

But then you look at their records. While neither boxer has fought any major competition, Thompson's resume contains the likes of Marion Wilson, Vaughn Bean and Joe Lenhart, all trialhorses. In fact, Thompson's claim to fame is that he finished second in promoter Cedric Kushner's "Fistful of Dollars" Thunderbox heavyweight tournament in 2002. Thompson did beat Jeremy Williams and Derrick Jefferson in the tournament and lost to Maurice Harris in the finals. None of the bouts counted for or against his won-loss record.

Cabell has not fought anyone of note going into this bout, but he did win the vacant WBE Intercontinental Heavyweight title in his last bout on August 13, 2005, scoring a third-round KO over Ronald Bellamy in Winston-Salem, NC.

Neither boxer has fought a lot along the Beltway lately. Thompson last fought in the area in December 2003 when he beat Onebo Maxime by second round TKO at the Pikesville Armory. Cabell hasn't fought here since June of 2004 when he won a four-round split decision over Dominic Jenkins at Michael's. This will be the good aspect about this bout, that we will get to see homegrown talent back in the area.

I hope, though, that this will be a better bout than it looks. There is an interesting variable. This will be a 10-round bout. Cabell has never gone 10 while Thompson has only gone 10 rounds once and that was against Vaughn Bean.

I also hope that whoever wins this bout will actually DEFEND the title. Most state titles are never defended in Maryland. But with guys like Jed Phipps, Adele Olakanye, Adam Bloom and hopefully, down the road, Mike Dietrich in the area, it would be interesting to see them battle for this title.

Local Weights for New York Card!

Here are the weights for the Jan. 7 bouts featuring Beltway Boxers at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan weighed in at 185 1/2 pounds compared to IBF number one cruiserweight contender Steve "USS" Cunningham's 189 1/4. This bout is scheduled to open the card at five PM.

William Joppy came in at 170 pounds for his contest with Erik "Hurricane" Howard. Howard weighed in at 168 1/2.

Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson came in at the heaviest of his career, weighing 210 pounds for his heavyweight bout with Owen "What the Heck" Beck. Beck is still a lot heavier, coming in at 246 pounds.

Reid Battles Candelo in Foxwoods January 20!

Thanks to a reader for this tip.

Junior middleweight contender Teddy "Two-Gun" Reid of Palmer Park, MD has a big bout coming up on Friday, January 20 at The Foxwoods casino in Mashantucket, CT. Reid (23-7-1, 17 KO's) is scheduled to face former junior middleweight title contender J.C. Candelo (26-8-3, 18 KO's). This is an ESPN telecast, but I don't know if this bout will be part of it. It sounds like a good TV matchup.

Candelo, a native of Colombia now fighting out of Denver, CO, has fought some quality competition including former world junior middleweight champion Winky Wright and current contender Kassim Ouma. Some may also remember that Candelo fought another Beltway Boxer, Gary "Fast Hands" Jones, in March of 2000 and won by ninth round KO in Denver.

For Reid, ranked number 13th by the IBF, this is a crossroads bout. Reid needs a convincing win to move up in the rankings. The native of Jamaica has won five regional titles from junior welterweight to junior middleweight in his career, but has only one world title shot (an interim title shot against Kermit Cintron in July 2004) to show for it. Reid has had tough losses at inopportune times against the likes of Cintron, Golden Johnson and Ben Tackie. Candelo is very similar to those boxers. Reid needs to win to take his career to the next level.

Bryan, Wilson, Joppy ALL ON January 7 NY Card!

Anybody who knows anything about boxing knows that bouts on a card change all the way up to fight time. All we can do is keep up with the changes.

With that in mind, here is the latest news (I think) on three local boxers scheduled to be on the January 7 Zab Judah-Carlos Baldomir card at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

According to a press release that appeared on Fightnews.com, Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan of Capitol Heights, MD IS indeed scheduled to face the IBF number one-ranked cruiserweight Steve "USS" Cunningham. The undefeated Cunningham is in line to face the winner of the co-feature cruiserweight unification bout between WBA/WBC champion Jean-Marc Mormeck and IBF titleholder O'Neil Bell.

There was a report that Bryan would not take this bout and Silver Spring, MD cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson was in line to face Cunningham. The press release is not saying that, but it IS saying that Wilson will be on the card against former heavyweight contender Owen "What the Heck" Beck. I am not sure if Wilson will move up to heavyweight for this bout or will Beck move down to cruiserweight. Wilson comes into the bout with a record of 18-2-3 with 15 knockouts. Wilson's last bout was a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Vadim Tokarev in Kazan, Russia in August 2005. Beck is 24-2 with 18 KO's. Beck's two losses came in his last two bouts, a ninth-round knockout at the hands of Monte Barrett in a WBC/IBF title elimination bout and a split decision loss to Ray Austin in September of 2005.

Meanwhile, former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy will be on this card. Joppy (35-4-1, 26 KO's) will be facing Eric "The Hurricane" Howard of Crossville, TN. Howard, (11-9-1, six KO's) has lost his last two bouts and will be stepping into the ring for the first time in almost a year. Joppy last fought in July of 2005, scoring a third-round TKO over Rashaan Abdul Blackburn in Charleston, SC.

If this changes, I'll let you know.

Bryan Off January 7 Card; Wilson May Be On!

The website 15rounds.com has been doing a great job in keeping up with this story. Marc Abrams of 15rounds.com is reporting that Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan is now off this Saturday's card at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Bryan was scheduled to face the IBF number one ranked cruiserweight Steve "USS" Cunningham on the undercard of the Zab Judah-Carlos Baldomir card.

Abrams is also saying that one rumored opponent is Silver Spring, MD cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson. I am trying to get a hold of Wilson's representatives to see whether that is or will be the case. Hope to get an answer by the end of the day.

Beltway Boxing 2006 Schedule Outlook!

First of all, I hope everyone had a great holiday season and is looking forward to a prosperous and peaceful New Year!

Beltway Boxing fans have a lot to look forward to in 2006. The area has no less than five cards planned for the first 60 days of the year alone. Let’s take a look at the early schedule.

Friday, January 13—BXF of Millersville, MD will have its first show of 2006. Undefeated super middleweight Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capitol Heights (12-0, 10 KO’s) is slated to headline the show and undefeated junior welterweight prospect Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore (4-0, two KO’s) is scheduled to be in the co-feature.

Friday, January 20 – Baltimore Pro Boxing will have their first show of the year at the Pikesville Armory. Promoter Jake Smith and matchmaker Josh Hall have announced two bouts for that card already. Undefeated super middleweight Tony “Cyclone” Cygan (9-0, six KO’s) of Middle River, MD will take on Warren, OH’s Billy Lyell (9-2, two KO’s) in an eight-round main event. There will also be a heavyweight rematch between Baltimore’s Jed “The Punisher” Phipps and Dan Whetzel. Phipps (16-3, nine KO’s) won the last bout between the two on December 7 at Martin’s West by scoring a sixth-round TKO. But Whetzel’s cornermen protested vehemently, with one of his cornermen being asked to leave the facility. So the stage is set for the rematch.

Thursday, January 26 – Ballroom Boxing kicks off their 2006 season with what I have been told again will be a solid card. No word yet on who will appear.

Friday, February 10 – Back at BXF for the Valentine’s Day weekend. There is talk that this show will be an ALL-FEMALE card.

Saturday, February 18 – Keystone Boxing (who are also involved with the BXF shows) is promoting what I think will be one of the biggest and best attended shows we’ve had along the Beltway in some time. This is the card that will be at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA and will feature the matchup between “Contender” stars Jimmy Lange (of Great Falls, VA) and Joey Gilbert. This bout will be for the vacant NABO Middleweight title. Also, Lamont "Bay" Pearson of Capitol Heights is slated to defend his USBA Super Featherweight title on this card.

So that is how we START our year! That is quite a beginning, huh? Keep in mind with BXF, Baltimore Boxing and Ballroom Boxing already having their 2006 schedules in place, we will have AT LEAST 20 boxing cards along the Beltway this year. Then you add the possible five cards that Keystone Boxing plans for the Patriot Center and ANYTHING that DC may put out this year, there could be close to 30-35 cards along the Beltway in 2006!

Now that we have talked about what will happen in 2006, let’s look at what we HOPE will happen.

You may have heard that the Beltway is in the running for two interesting bouts in March. DC has been mentioned as a possible site for the March 11 rematch between former world champions Roy Jones, Jr. and Bernard Hopkins. You may remember that the first bout between these two future hall-of-famers took place here in DC at RFK Stadium in 1993. The bout, won by Jones, was the co-feature to the Riddick Bowe-Jesse Ferguson bout.

It is because the first bout was held here, that I think DC is a long shot to get the rematch. If you remember the first bout, it was deadly dull. That was because both men were nowhere close to being the superstars they turned out to be. It would be ironic if DC did get the rematch because now we would be seeing these two well past their superstar status.

Having said that, Hopkins does enjoy boxing in this area. Except for the loss to Jones, the DC area has been very good to “The Executioner.” Hopkins won his middleweight title in this area, defeating Segundo Mercardo at USAir Arena in the co-featured bout on “The Beltway Brawl.”

Meanwhile, March 18 is the date for Hasim Rahman’s defense of his WBC heavyweight championship against James Toney. Baltimore is one of the sites being mentioned for that one. That has possibilities if Toney doesn’t mind coming to Rahman’s hometown. It would be interesting to see if promoters would want to chance having the bout outdoors at either Oriole Park at Camden Yards or M&T Bank Stadium or would they want to use the 1st Mariner Arena. That would probably be the best places to have the bout in Baltimore. I would say Baltimore has a 50-50 shot at getting this one.

If the Beltway could pull off this daily double to add to what will happen by March that would make our year right there!

We indeed have a lot to look forward to in 2006!

Local Boxers to Appear on Judah-Baldomir Undercard!

According to 15rounds.com, two Beltway Boxers are scheduled to appear on the off-TV undercard of the Zab Judah-Carlos Baldomir undercard on January 7 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Former three-time WBA Middleweight Champion William Joppy of DC is slated to be on the card against an opponent yet to be determined. Joppy (35-4-1, 26 KO's) told me recently that he is making one last run at a fourth world title.

Also, the resurgent Lloyd "Jabba" Bryan of Capitol Heights has just been added to the card. Bryan (21-11, nine KO's) will be trying to knock off his second straight undefeated fighter. Bryan won the vacant NABC Cruiserweight title with a win over Jeff Baker(who was 12-0 at the time) on November 22 in Indianapolis, IN.

This bout should be much tougher as Bryan faces Steve "USS" Cunningham of Philadelphia, who is 18-0 with nine KO's and is ranked number one by the IBF. Bryan would upset a major apple cart for Cunningham because Cunningham is in line to face the winner of the co-featured bout on the card; the Undisputed Cruiserweight Championship match between IBF champion O'Neil Bell and WBC/WBA champ Jean-Marc Mormeck.

Bryan has been training because he was scheduled to be on a card on Dec. 29 in Queens,NY. The card was cancelled because of various New York State Athletic Commission violations, according to published reports. Cunningham's original opponent backed out but no reasons were given.

2006 Preview -- Where Beltway Boxers Rank!

As we get ready for 2006, here is where some of the Beltway Boxers are ranked in the world and the country. If you put credence into these rankings, this may serve as a partial guide to who the contenders are from our area.

I was unable to get the USBA Rankings for December. When I do, I will post.

World Boxing Council -- December 2005

Heavyweight – Hasim Rahman – Champion

Welterweight – Sharmba Mitchell -- #3

Junior Welterweight – DeMarcus Corley -- #5


World Boxing Association – December 2005

Middleweight – William Joppy -- # 9; Keith Holmes -- #12

Welterweight – Sharmba Mitchell -- # 6

Junior Welterweight – DeMarcus Corley -- #13


International Boxing Federation – December 2005

Junior Middleweight – Keith Holmes -- # 8; Teddy Reid -- #13

Welterweight -- Sharmba Mitchell -- #7

Junior Welterweight – DeMarcus Corley -- #8

Super Featherweight – Lamont Pearson -- #14

Super Flyweight – Mark Johnson -- #13


World Boxing Organization – December 2005

Light Heavyweight – Cory Cummings -- #14

Junior Welterweight – DeMarcus Corley -- #9


North American Boxing Association – December 2005

Cruiserweight – Emanuel Nwodo -- #9

Light Heavyweight – Darnell Wilson -- #14

Middleweight – William Joppy -- #4; Keith Holmes -- #8

Bantamweight – Clarence Vinson -- #13


North American Boxing Federation – December 2005

Heavyweight – Tony Thompson -- #9

Light Heavyweight – Darnell Wilson -- #9; Cory Cummings -- #16

Junior Middleweight – Teddy Reid -- #11

Featherweight – Eric Aiken -- #15


North American Boxing Organization – December 2005

Cruiserweight – Emanuel Nwodo -- #8

Light Heavyweight – Cory Cummings -- #9; Darnell Wilson -- #14

Middleweight – Jimmy Lange #8

Junior Welterweight – Lamont Peterson # 14

Super Featherweight – Lamont Pearson #2

Beltway Boxing 2005 -- Year in Review!

When I started the Boxing Along the Beltway blog in July, one of my initial posts indicated that this area was in a “transitional state.” We didn’t have any world champions and we had no real quality world title contenders. This area was in search of the next wave of prospects. I think we found that next wave.

The emergence of boxers like Tony Cygan, Henry Buchanan, Cory Cummings, Ishmail Arvin, Anthony and Lamont Peterson and many others, has set this area up to really do some major growing in 2006.

The number of viable contenders did grow throughout the year. Cummings is ranked in the top 15 by the WBO at light heavyweight. Lamont “Bay” Pearson put himself in the IBF world rankings by winning the USBA Super Featherweight title. Jimmy Lange has put himself in position to be the first from “The Contender” to win a regional title.

The Beltway itself rose in stature this year with 21 boxing cards in the area, including one of the most talked about cards of the year, The Kevin McBride-Mike Tyson card at MCI Center on June 11. This was also the year that Virginia got back in the mix, thanks to Keystone Boxing, who gave us a solid card and a great new venue to watch boxing in.

There were also so many people behind the scenes that deserve recognition for their work in 2005. Let me take a moment to mention just a few.

The Maryland State Athletic Commission. This sanctioning body did an outstanding job in 2005, overseeing 17 of the 21 cards along the Beltway. Commission Chair David Norman, Executive Director Patrick Pannella and their staff of commissioners, referees, judges and physicians deserve incredible praise for their work throughout the year.

Jake Smith and Josh Hall. Promoter and former Maryland State Light Heavyweight champion Jake “The Snake” Smith has been the promoting leader along the Beltway this year. Baltimore Pro Boxing was the leader this year, not only for putting on quality cards, but also for being responsible for the bulk of the new quality talent seen in the area.

But a promoter is only as good as the matchmaker and Smith has an area legend in Josh Hall. I know Hall doesn’t look for a lot of accolades, but guys like him are and have been the backbone of this area. Josh Hall has done just about everything you can in this area and he deserves more credit than he gets.

Chris Middendorf. There is no better matchmaker around than Chris Middendorf. Period. Middendorf has helped a number of promotions flourish in the area. As the matchmaker for Ballroom Boxing, he took that promotion in a new direction, bringing in quality out of town talent to face our local prospects. Names like Mike Arnaoutis, Ian Gardner, Chazz Witherspoon, Marteze Logan and the Dirrell Brothers made their early ventures into pro boxing by testing their wares in the Ballroom. Now they are making waves throughout the sport. Middendorf has also been involved in most of the shows throughout the Beltway including BXF and Keystone Boxing and they have all benefited because of his dedication and hard work.

Stephanie Papa. This lady needs to be credited for one of the hardest jobs in this boxing community; getting information about boxing to the mainstream media. No one knows better than I do how hard that is. Papa does this with class and intelligence. This lady burst on the scene and started helping with the public relations for a number of promoters. She has done an outstanding job and is a pleasure to work with.

Lem Satterfield. Let me credit one of my media brethren. The Baltimore Sun as well as the Beltway Boxing scene is very fortunate to have Satterfield on their staff. He has benefited from an editor that loves boxing. Because of this, Satterfield has been able to take the ball and run as far as he can with it. Satterfield is the ONLY member of the mainstream media that is a regular attendant to Beltway Boxing cards. That speaks volumes for him and his paper. He is a first-class individual.

“Priceless” Steve Price, Julian Burgower and John Buhl. This one is personal. I get a lot of credit for my work in covering Boxing along the Beltway. I don’t always do it alone, though. I work with three guys whose enthusiasm and love for this sport is incredible. Price and Burgower have been my writing partners for almost three years and it has been great sharing ideas with them. The work we did in covering the Tyson-McBride card was a highlight of my career. I will put that coverage against anybody else’s coverage of that event in the country. Other media outlets around the country turned to us for insight on that card.

Buhl is the newest member of the team and he has already distinguished himself with his writing. He is indeed an asset will make our coverage that much better. My thanks to all of you.

My thanks go out to you, the readers, as well. I am pleasantly surprised that so many people have read this blog. It is a labor of love and I thank everyone involved with the Beltway Boxing community for their support. I am truly looking forward to a great 2006.

As I said a while back, we will hit the ground running next year. After the holidays, I will be back with a preview of what I know and hope will happen in the coming year.

I hope every one of you has a safe, happy and prosperous holiday season!

Dietrich Up and Around!

Good news concerning the condition of undefeated heavyweight "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich.

According to his website, mikedietrich.com, Dietrich's breathing tubes have been removed and he was able to walk to the bathroom. The website reports that Dietrich is up and talking with a full recovery expected in 6 months to one year. Also, he will be able to resume his boxing career.

I have been told by people close to Dietrich that he was involved in an altercation and was stabbed five times in the torso. His good physical condition helped save his life.

Continued best wishes to Mike Dietrich!

Dietrich Stabbed; Hospitalized in Critical Condition!

Undefeated Baltimore heavyweight prospect "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich was stabbed last night at the house of a friend. According to Dietrich's website, Dietrich is currently in critical condition at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

I will provide updates when they are available.

I send my prayers to Mike and his family during this time.

Wynn-Stuckey-Newman: The COMPLETE Story!

One of the great things about this blog is not being limited to a certain story from a certain source. This gives me the ability to give credit to other writers who work with other boxing websites and media outlets and who travel the same road that I do.

Recently, I put up a story from Fightnews.com about the situation concerning promoters Marty Wynn and Darryl Stuckey. It was a good piece. I declined to follow up because I quite frankly don't truly have the legal background to deal with such matters. These matters often end up with verbal name calling that I don't want to be a part of.

Now, thanks to a tremendous column written by my Beltway Boxing writing colleague Mike Swann of 15rounds.com, I don't have to. Mike did an outstanding job of pulling all the information together and showing all sides of the issue. Mike has given me permission to reprint his column in its entirety. It is lengthy, but it is well worth reading.


DC DUPLICITY: DRAMA OR DOUBLE DEALING?

by Mike Swann

Marty Wynn and Raging Productions, co-promoter of the June 11th Mike Tyson-Kevin McBride fight in Washington D.C., has filed a $19.8 million lawsuit against co-promoter Darryl Stuckey, [individually], The Stuckey Group LLC, Sun Trust Bank, and Showtime Networks Inc. for breach of contract, tortious interference with contract, fraud and conspiracy. Wynn is seeking $4.8 million in compensatory damages and $15 million in punitive damages.

This development sadly blemishes what had been a successful promotion for the Washington D.C. area, one that will leave some of the participants figuratively bruised and bloodied by the process. Ultimately, the courts will have to disentangle this state of confusion to determine the culpability of the parties.

In an effort to shed light on the affair, we will review the case from the point of view put forth by the parties involved, all of whom were given an opportunity to speak on the record. In addition, we have obtained copies of legal documents connected with the case, along with internal memos from some of the involved parties.

The supporting information includes:

1] A copy of the lawsuit
2] A November 17 fax to Showtime with instructions on how to handle the $553,429 of the remaining net proceeds, addressed by The Stuckey Group and Raging Productions.
3] The original Teaming Agreement between Stuckey and Wynn from March 8.
4] An amendment to the Teaming Agreement, effective May 18, 2005.
5] A copy of a cashed check to Mike Tyson from Raging Productions, dated 4-11-2005, for $100,000 as a purse advance.
6] Demand Confessed Judgment Promissory Note for $4,245,570 from Sun Trust Bank to Darryl Stuckey, dated June 23, 2005.
7] A June 22, 2005 letter from the law offices of Mikes and Stockridge on behalf of Sun Trust Bank, requesting a meeting with Wynn and his attorney, Gregory Powell. The purpose of this meeting was to assign rights from Showtime to Sun Trust so that the bank would be repaid on behalf of the Stuckey Group for 21 checks paid by Sun Trust for $4,245,570. The letter states that both Raging Productions and The Stuckey Group have agreed to assign their rights to the promotion contract with Showtime to Sun Trust. Attached is a list of the checks paid, and an “Unconditional Guaranty” to be signed by Wynn to become “Guarantor” to the “Borrower,” Darryl Stuckey. Also included is an Assignment and Security Agreement to secure fight proceeds as collateral. Lastly, the packet contained a Notice and Acknowledgement Letter from Showtime Networks to authorize future payments up to $4,245,570.
8] A letter dated May 13, 2005 from The Stuckey Group and Raging Productions To David Touhey of the MCI Center with instruction to remit to Stephen Tennant, [an outside investor], the amount of $1,650,000 on June 13, 2005 from the live gate proceeds.
9] A Memorandum of Understanding from Darryl Stuckey on May 11, 2005, that the Stuckey Group and C.M O’Neal P.C. is holding $5 million in escrow, and that Stephen Tennant will wire $1.5 million into said escrow account. The memo promises that $5,000,000 will be wired to the MCI Center by May 20, including $1.5 million from Tennant and $3.5 million from Stuckey.
10] A memo from Wynn dated 6-20-2005, listing the outstanding payments still to be made to fighters and other participants. Wynn’s memo mentions the name of a prominent boxing figure who had threatened to go to the press if not paid his fee of $15,000 by the next day. 16 people were listed as not having been paid.
11] An October 30, 2005 email from Rock Newman to Stuckey and Wynn, castigating both men for not reaching an agreement after five months. Rock listed remaining payments to be made to individuals and strongly urges both men to take action by allowing Showtime to disburse the funds.

Further in the communication, Newman lambastes Wynn in graphic terms, calling his behavior “an absolute violation of what it means to be a real black man.” Newman does not mince words, referring to Wynn as “being a Lying, Snitching, Backstabbing, Two-faced BITCH,” and worse. After leaving no doubt as to his personal feeling of Wynn, Newman goes on to say that Wynn did not have a clue about how to handle the Tyson fight, and noted that Stuckey served Wynn’s interests in putting up the money, “however he came up with it,” as Wynn was the licensed promoter and ultimately would have been responsible for any unpaid bills. Rock said that, “You owe everyone involved a HUGE apology as a start and an attempt to redeem your reputation.”

THE STORIES

SUNTRUST BANK AND SHOWTIME: Both companies declined to comment on a pending legal matter.

MARTY WYNN:
On Showtime: “Anyone knows that a promoter has to sign off on a contract, basically saying that when the money comes in, the money will be released to these individuals. In order to release money you have to have instructions of where that money goes and Showtime never had those instructions with my signature, and what they ended up doing was releasing it to Sun Trust without my signature.”

On Darryl Stuckey: “Stuckey was going to provide $5 million for the Tyson event and all other expenses as far as the undercard. My deal was that I was to provide $180,000 and that was it. It was supposed to be a 50/50 split from the net proceeds. Of course a 50/50 split to me was a good deal because he was taking more of a risk than I was. I was pretty much putting up the license and the money that I provided.

He never really had the money, which I found out later on. People say ‘Why didn’t you verify the money?’ Once Shelly Finkel and Stephen Espinoza, who is Tyson’s lawyer, who are real guys in boxing, once they verified the money, there was no need for me to verify the money. I found out later that the money wasn’t real because Tyson’s check bounced.”

On Sun Trust: “They turned the money that Stuckey defrauded them out of into a loan. Stuckey negotiated a 12% interest rate. I know that because when they sent me the paperwork, they crossed out the 12% and wrote in 9%. They did that because they confirmed that the pay per view money would be able to reimburse them. What they did not know was that they needed my signature in order to get that money. How Sun Trust did that was they indemnified Showtime in order to get that money.”

The ADDENDUM: “All through the negotiations of the contract we had a 50/50 split. Stuckey and Rock Newman came to me and said ‘hey man can you drop you percentages?’ I’m a young promoter; I want to get my company branded, so I said, ‘Sure, I’ll drop my percentages.’ So he would take 90% and I’d take 10%. Rock told me not to put any more money in the promotion.

When he presented that to Sun Trust Bank, they said you own 90% of the promotion and went ahead… My argument has always been that if he owned 90% of the promotion, it was only because he was supposed to put up the rest of the money. I ended up paying some of the undercard; I paid the travel, hotels, and the per diem. I would never have dropped my percentages if I thought that I would have to put up another dollar besides my $180,000.”

RETURN ON INVESTMENT: Wynn says that he ended up losing $616,000 on the promotion. “I have never been paid a dime. Now we have found out that there was never any $5 million in escrow. The only reason I accepted it was because of a letter from Sun Trust saying the money was there and it was confirmed by the escrow attorney. The problem came when Stephen Espinoza said take the money and put it in the Stephen Espinoza account so we can feel more secure. That’s when it hit the fan because the money was never there.

So what Stuckey did was have Sun Trust cut cashier checks back in May, and sent it to the MCI Center attorney, and held in the vault there. Everyone felt comfortable because they were talking cashier checks held by a neutral party. But they didn’t know the checks were bogus.

Certainly the person, [a branch manager], who cut the checks knew that, unless he pulled the wool over her eyes. She told me later that Stuckey manipulated her and she didn’t want to lose such a big account.

I don’t think that Rock knew it. The $5 million never existed. One thing that should have drawn a red flag was when Stuckey said that Tyson wanted a $250,000 advance so he said, ‘why don’t you give him $100,000 and I’ll give it back to you on Thursday?’ So I wrote the check. I asked why not get it out of escrow as part of his purse and he said the instructions wouldn’t allow him to do that. I never got my money back on Thursday. Then it got to the point where I needed money for hotels, flights, and I was out another $100,000.

At the weigh-in I told Stuckey that in D.C. we have to show the money up front. Stuckey told me to write the check from Raging Productions, show the commission the check, and he’d cash the checks for the fighters. Well, he never did that, so some of the fighters got paid with Raging Productions checks. When we presented those checks to some of the fighters that night, I said to Stuckey as well as Rock Newman that some of that money has to get to my account. These checks need to get covered.”

Eight checks for Tyson bounced, six for $500,000, one for $450,000, and one for $100,000 that cleared on the second deposit. Purse checks of $17,500 for Chris Smith and $13,000 for Erin Toughill also bounced.

“Some checks cleared. How I don’t know,” Wynn said.

Rock Newman received $160,000 as an advance and contributed $50,000 toward Tyson’s advance, according to Wynn. Newman attached the proceeds of the gate so that he would get paid.

“I’m paying him [Stuckey] 90% of the promotion yet I’m paying a guy $450,000 out of my gate. That’s supposed to be coming out of Stuckey’s pocket.”

Later as the relationship with the partners grew more acrimonious, Wynn began talking about taking legal action. Rock advised Wynn to seek out noted boxing attorney Judd Burnstein.

Wynn says that he told Rock that, “I did things your way so far and I’m out $600,000...Because it came from Rock I couldn’t trust it.”

According to Wynn, Rock told him that, “If you go any further with this, some heads are going to roll.”

Marty Wynn claims that he had to take out an equity loan on a home to cover his American Express bill that was due within 30 days, used to cover hotels and flights on the promotion. He feels that the residual effect of the Tyson promotion has tarnished the name of his company, and essentially shut down his business.

As recently as late November, Wynn received a call from a law firm representing Showtime, he says. According to Wynn and supported by document #2 listed above, Showtime had funds available for distribution from the pay-per-view distribution. $294,000 would have gone to Raging Productions, $106,000 to the Stuckey Group, and the remaining balance of $153,429 would be used to represent payment for services in the promotion. All remaining future net proceeds would be remitted to Raging Productions.

Wynn said that he preferred to settle it in court, and claimed that the $106,000 for Stuckey was to cover his attorney fees.

“We did enough that no one should have lost money,” Wynn says.

Marty Wynn has been involved in previous controversy over payments. In the September 2004 Maryland State Athletic Commission meeting, Executive Director Pat Pannella reported that he had placed several calls to Marty requesting that he make arrangements with the Commission to settle the ticket manifest for Wynn’s July 2004 boxing show in Bowie Md. Pannella stated that he was at a loss to explain why Mr. Wynn was not returning his calls on the matter.

Wynn’s response is that the matter involves a 10% tax on the gross sales. Wynn says that the commission wants taxes on $86,000 worth of comp tickets. The state is asking for $33,000 in taxes. Wynn claims that it should be $19,000, $5,000 of which he has already paid. At this point the lines of communication have been closed and the matter is still unresolved.

STUCKEY’S STORY: Darryl Stuckey was reluctant to go on record on a pending case, and said that he had nothing to say, “except that it [the lawsuit] is bogus.”

“I’m the one taken advantage of on this,” he said. “I was not the promoter, just the investor.”

Stuckey said that originally Wynn was supposed to pay everything in excess of Tyson’s purse. He claims that Wynn “Had a lack of money and a lack of means to raise money. The deal became 90-10 because he couldn’t come up with the money.”

Stuckey says he is, “More like the victim in this case.”

Stuckey, like Wynn, has a skeleton hanging in his closet. In 2000, he was fined $3500 and forced to take a 3 hour ethics course by the Maryland State Real Estate Commission.

The violations cited were:

1] Directly or through another person willfully makes a misrepresentation or knowingly makes a false promise.

2] Engages in conduct that demonstrate bad faith, incompetency, or untrustworthiness, or that constitutes dishonest, fraudulent, or improper dealings.

He was also found in violation of a COMAR regulation:

1] The licensee shall protect the public against fraud, misrepresentation, or unethical practices …

Stuckey responds that the case has nothing to do with the Wynn lawsuit, but explains: “I did a friend a favor and didn’t know a house was in foreclosure. I didn’t know that the settlement papers were never signed until six months later.”

The house had been rented by then and according to Stuckey, it was easier to settle.

ROCK NEWMAN’S STORY:

After receiving my call, Rock said that he would not answer questions until he could confirm my identity. I sent him a copy of my work and my BWAA card. Hours later he replied with this email response:

It is my recollection that Mr. Wynn needed an investor because he did not have the financial capabilities to underwrite the June 11th Tyson fight.

I got involved at a point where Mr. Wynn had already convinced Mr. Stuckey to be his investor.

As with most major fight promotions, the Tyson-McBride bout was filled with drama where all sides would threaten to pull out, squabbles were had with the site, the TV broadcaster, the sponsors, the commission, the bank, the medicals, the undercard, the announcers, ect.

The fight was quite a success for DC as there were over 17,000+ in attendance, 300,000 PPV and closed circuit buyers and a large international audience.

Post fight, there seemed to have been some financial snafus where some checks issued by Mr. Wynn and or Mr., Stuckey were initially returned unpaid, however they were quickly made good and all fighters were paid their proper amounts.

Mr. Stuckey seems to have met all of his obligations for the fight.

Mr. Wynn’s claim to have invested $600,000 and his claim to have a 50/50 split of the revenues of the promotion and his claim that the bank and Mr. Stuckey participated in some sort of fraud, all seem wildly exaggerated.

Best Regards,

Rock Newman

I returned his email with thanks for providing his communication to balance the story. After all, Marty Wynn was interviewed at length with little rebuttal.

The next day I received the following email message from Rock:

Aside from the baseless absurdity of a frivolous lawsuit that is expected to be quickly dismissed, there really is no story…

Thus far the case has received little publicity, and perhaps in the final analysis, there is no story, as Rock writes. But there appears to be plenty of dirty laundry here that will soon be put on display. The, when as Rock says, the heads begin to roll, it may become a very big story.

Lange vs. Gilbert II in Fairfax Feb. 18!

I mentioned in a recent post that Great Falls, VA junior middleweight Jimmy Lange was rumored to be involved in a significant matchup on Feb. 18.

Well, how about this for a significant matchup: Lange will headline a Feb. 18 card at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. His opponent will be none other than Joey Gilbert, the man Lange lost to during their tenure on "The Contender."

Add this to the significance: The bout will be 12-rounds for the NABO Junior Middleweight championship. The winner will more than likely receive a top-10 ranking in the WBO.

I talked to Lange earlier today and he said he is truly excited about the bout. In fact, Lange said he couldn't sleep for two days after he was informed of this bout. In stark contrast to his preparation for his last bout against Perry Ballard where Lange had to challenge himself to get up for the bout, Lange probably wishes the bout were tomorrow. He will have no problem getting up for this one.

Apparently, this bout has been in the works for quite some time. According to published reports, Gilbert took the bout and lost a promoter in the process. Noted promoter Gary Shaw was working with Gilbert as an advisor until he decided to take the Lange fight. Published reports say Gilbert took the bout without consulting Shaw and Shaw decided to bolt.

As far as the February 18th show is concerned, Lange told me that a female boxer from England by the name of Jamie "Rocky" Johnson will appear on the card. I don't know much about her, but Lange has seen her train and she will be someone to watch.

I also talked to USBA Super Featherweight champ Lamont "Bay" Pearson about this card and he said there is a possibility that he will defend his title on the February 18 card.

2006 already looks like it will be a fantastic year for Boxing Along The Beltway. There are four cards slated for the first two months of the year. Three will be in January alone (BXF on January 13, Jake Smith's card on January 20 at the Pikesville Armory and the first Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue on January 26) and this big one in February.

We will truly hit the ground running in 2006!! Get Ready!!

Aiken Wins in West Virginia!

Forestville, MD featherweight Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken, who has had a real tough time finding bouts lately, finally found one and he made the most of it, scoring a first-round TKO over John Scalzi on December 9 at the Island Gaming Center in Wheeling, WVA.

According to Boxrec.com, Aiken dropped Scalzi three times en route to the victory. Aiken's record is now 13-3, 10 KO's. Scalzi is 14-37 with two KO's.

Aiken has had two bouts with prospects Agnaldo Nunes and Rasheim Jefferson fall through in the past month, so this bout with Scalzi was one to stay busy.

Kallen Joins Team Lange!

In what could prove to be a very intelligent move, the camp of Great Falls, VA junior middleweight Jimmy Lange has added well known advisor and manager Jackie Kallen to its team.

Kallen and Lange became acquainted through their work on the NBC series, "The Contender" in which Kallen was an advisor and Lange was a participant.

Kallen became famous in boxing through her work with former champion James Toney. Their unique and sometimes volatile relationship was well known throughout boxing. Kallen's life story was told in the big-screen movie "Against The Ropes" with Meg Ryan portraying Kallen.

"Jimmy Lange was one of my favorite fighters on 'The Contender' and I felt even then he had a great future both in and out of the ring," said Kallen in a press release. "I am honored to have the opportunity to work with him. He has a lot of charisma, is a great role model and sets high goals for himself and everyone that works with him.”

“I really admire and trust her," Lange said of Kallen. "She is a class act and I feel fortunate to have her join our team.”

Lange's next in-ring appearance is scheduled to be on Feb. 18 at the Patriot Center. No word on who his opponent will be, but I'm hearing rumors that it will be a significant bout for him.

I'll say this much: If Jimmy Lange doesn't succeed in this sport, it won't be because he doesn't have the right people around him. His father is his manager, he's trained by Buddy McGirt, one of the best in the business and now he has Jackie Kallen as his advisor. Lange can't do much better than that.

L.Peterson, Barnette Win in Tunica!

Two undefeated DC welterweights scored victories on a December 10 card at Fitzgerald's Casino in Tunica, MS.

Lamont Peterson scored a third-round TKO over Johnny Walker on Dec. 10 at Fitzgerald's Casino in Tunica, MS. With the win, Peterson raises his record to 15-0, seven KO's. Walker falls under .500 with a record of 18-19 with 12 KO's.

The loss was Walker's second against a Peterson Brother. Back in August, Walker lost a six-round unanimous decision to Anthony Peterson in Biloxi, MS.

Also on the Tunica card, Ty Barnette won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Deon Nash. Barnette is now 6-0, four KO's.

'Pit Bull' White Loses; 'Hammerhead' Hampton Wins in Lancaster!

Three Beltway Boxers were involved in a boxing card in Lancaster, PA last night, having mixed results.

Reston, VA lightweight Dean "Pit Bull" White lost in the main event of the card, dropping a six-round unanimous decision to undefeated Oronde "The Dog" Dawley. According to Boxrec.com, White lost by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 (twice). White's record falls now to 11-4, six KO's. Dawley is 12-0-1, four KO's.

However, Capitol Heights, MD heavyweight Wayne "Hammerhead" Hampton bounced back from a first-round TKO loss at Martin's West in October to score a second-round TKO victory over Scott Meehan of DC. Hampton is now 2-1, two KO's. Meehan is now 0-6 with five of his losses coming by TKO.

Another local heavyweight Derek "Hollywood" Amos of Fort Washington, MD was scheduled to appear last night on a card in Richmond, VA. However, Amos' trainer, Asim Hanif informed me that Amos was taken off that card because he is still under suspension in Pennsylvania. Hanif said that Amos passed all his physicals for the bout, but the Pennsylvania Boxing Commission has yet to lift the suspension.

By the way, our own Henry "Discombobulating" Jones served as ring announcer for that card, coming off a spectacular effort filling in for "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears as my color commentator for the videotape of the Martin's West card earlier this week.

Beltway Prospect Update!

In one of my first posts on this blog (July 31, 2005), I listed the 10 boxers that I considered to be the best prospects along the Beltway. It is now almost a full six months since that post so let's take a look at their progress. The list is once again in alphabetical order.

1. Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin -- 13-0-2, 6 KO's.

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Weight class: Middleweight

2005 record:2-0-1.

Arvin's 2005: May 18: won an eight-round unanimous decision over Richard "Tiger Lee" Hall on the "Fight For A Cure" card at the Wyndham Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore. June 16: Arvin won by third-round disqualification over Elias Cruz at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie. November 10: fought to a second-round technical draw against Terry Johnson on November 10 at Michael's.

Arvin's 2006 prospectus: A number of Arvin's opponents have won-loss records over .500 so he is taking on solid competition. Arvin may be the most prepared prospect to make a move to a regional title bout the earliest in 2006.


2. Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan -- 12-0, 10 KO's

Hometown: Capitol Heights, MD

Weight class: Light Heavyweight

2005 record: 5-0, three KO's

Buchanan's 2005: February 5: year opened with a second-round TKO over Kirk Douglas at the Washington Convention Center. March 10: scored a sixth-round TKO over Julio Jean at Michael's. May 7: traveled to Essington, PA and registered a fourth-round TKO over Shannon Miller. July 21: saw his 10-bout knockout streak end with an eight-round unanimous decision over Tyrone Glover at Martin's West in Woodlawn. November 26: registered his second straight eight-round unanimous decision over Dhafir Smith at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Buchanan's 2006 Prospectus: If all his legal issues are behind him, Buchanan could have a solid 2006. His bouts against Smith and Glover were nice baby steps in competition and he seems to be taking the sport more seriously.


3. Cory "Black Ice" Cummings-- 14-0, 11 KO's

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Weight Class: Light Heavyweight/Cruiserweight

2005 record: 4-0, four KO's

Cummings' 2005: February 24: scored a third-round TKO over Raymond McLamore in North Charleston, SC. April 28: Stayed in North Charleston and stopped Gary Lavender by TKO in the first round. July 1: Recorded another first-round TKO in North Charleston against Carlos Bates. September 3: scored a 10th round TKO over Tim Bowe in Cleveland, OH.

Cummings' 2006 Prospectus: Because he has only fought three times in his career in Maryland, not a whole lot of people along the Beltway know who Cummings is. He has proven to be a solid prospect with knockouts in his last seven bouts, albeit against mostly less than stellar competition. According to the WBO, Cummings is already at contender status. The WBO ranks Cummings at number 14 in the Light Heavyweight division. There has been talk about a matchup between Cummings and Darnell Wilson, but that shouldn't happen unless one of them has at least a regional title.


4. Tony "Cyclone" Cygan -- 9-0, six KO's

Weight Class: Super Middleweight

Hometown: Middle River, MD

2005 record: 5-0, three KO's

Cygan's 2005: March 24: Cygan started the first of five Martin's West bouts with a second-round TKO over Matt Hill. May 24: scored a first round KO over Chris Overby. July 21: won a four-round unanimous decision over Anthony Osbourne. October 27: landed a crushing second-round knockout over Larry Brothers. December 7: won an eight-round unanimous decision over James North.

Cygan's 2006 Prospectus: The fact that Cygan has already gone eight full rounds will be very beneficial to him. He has solid power and good boxing skills. May still be six-to-eight months away from contending, but if Cygan continues to step up in competition, he could seriously contend by the middle of the year.


5. "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich -- 7-0, three KO's

Hometown: Dundalk, MD

Weight Class: Heavyweight

2005 record: 5-0, two KO's

Dietrich's 2005: January 27: won a four-round unanimous decision over Royphy Solieau at Michael's Eighth Avenue. March 24: won the first of four straight bouts at Martin's West with a four-round unanimous decision over Rodney Ray. May 24: In a rematch, won another four-round unanimous decision over Royphy Solieau. July 21: started work with noted trainer Kevin Rooney and scored a second-round TKO over Glen Williams. December 7: registered a first-round TKO over Mike Van Meer.

Dietrich's 2006 prospectus: Working with Rooney has been a major plus for Dietrich. His power and overall boxing skill improved dramatically in his last two bouts. Dietrich is still at least a year away from contending, but will be fun to watch in 2006.


6. Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall -- 7-0, two KO's

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Weight Class: Super Middleweight/Light Heavyweight

2005 record: 4-0, 1 KO

Paschall's 2005: March 24: won the first of four straight Martin's West bouts with a four-round points win over Steve Garrett. July 21: scored a second-round KO over Jake Rodriguez. October 27: won a four-round unanimous decision over Carlos Jones. December 7: Despite suffering a broken hand, went six rounds for the first time in his career and won by unanimous decision over Don Schrock.

Paschall's 2006 Prospectus: Paschall's broken hand will hamper him at the start of the year. Once he gets healthy, this very exciting boxer can make some positive strides, including a step up in competition. Paschall has not fought anyone with a winning record yet.


7: Anthony Peterson -- 14-0, 10 KO's

Hometown: Washington, DC

Weight Class: Junior Welterweight

2005 record: 10-0, 7 KO's

A. Peterson's 2005: April 9: won a four-round unanimous decision over Edgar Pedraza in El Paso, TX. April 23: won a four-round unanimous decision over Michael Moss in Tunica, MS. April 30: scored a fifth-round TKO over Martin Quiroz in Lula, MS. May 22: registered a second-round KO over Mario Lacey in Choctaw, MS. June 11: scored an impressive six-round TKO over Wayne Fletcher at MCI Center in Washington, DC. June 18: scored a first round KO over Anthony Middlebrooks in Memphis, TN. July 26: won by six-round technical knockout over Carlos Valdez in Memphis. August 20: won a six-round unanimous decision over Johnny Walker in Biloxi, MS. September 2: scored a second-round TKO over Jorge Alberto Reyes in Little Rock, AR. October 15: stepped up in class and registered a fourth-round TKO over Roy Bohannon in Lula, MS.

A. Peterson's 2006 prospectus: It's a shame that both Peterson brothers have not been seen more along the Beltway. They are truly talented. An out-of-state promotional company and some perceived local professional jealousy have kept them away from us. Anthony Peterson will be a force to reckon with at 140 pounds, he is very talented.


8. Lamont Peterson-- 15-0, seven KO's.

Hometown: Washington, DC

Weight Class: Welterweight

2005 record (as of Dec. 9): 11-0, five KO's.

L. Peterson's 2005: January 22: won a four-round unanimous decision over Steve Verdin in Tunica, MS. February 19: won by second-round TKO over Sheldon Mosley in Lula, MS. April 9: scored a first-round TKO over Oscar Perez in El Paso, TX. April 23: registered a fourth-round TKO over Larry Cunningham in Tunica. April 30: won his first six-round bout over Orlando Jesus Soto in Lula. May 22: won a six-round unanimous decision over Mikel Williams in Choctaw, MS. June 18: won a first-round TKO over John Frazier in Memphis, TN. July 19: won his first 10-round bout by unanimous decision over Miguel Angel Torresillas in Biloxi, MS. August 20: scored a six-round unanimous decision over Meacher Major in Biloxi. September 2: won an eight-round unanimous decision over Robert Frankel in Little Rock, AR. December 10: scored a third-round TKO over Johnny Walker in Tunica, MS.

L. Peterson's 2006 Prospectus: Lamont came into the pros with more fanfare than his brother. He is more of a distance fighter than Anthony. The fact that Lamont has already gone 10 rounds puts him in a great position to step up in 2006. Again, we need to see both Peterson brothers in DC more.


9. Orazio "The Razor" Robinson -- 5-2-2, four KO's.

Hometown: Manassas, VA

Weight Class: Middleweight

2005 record: 2-1, one KO.

Robinson's 2005: May 5: scored a first-round TKO over Willis Silver at Michael's Eighth Avenue. May 18: won by third-round disqualification over Vance Garvey at the "Fight For a Cure" card in Baltimore. September 17: lost by first-round TKO over Jesse Orta on the "Battle of Virginia" card at George Mason University's Patriot Center.

Robinson's 2006 Prospectus: Robinson's career was on a roll with four straight solid victories. That all changed dramatically with the knockout by Orta. Robinson has not been heard from since. Hopefully he can bounce back in 2006 and maybe appear on a proposed Virginia card in February.


10. Russ "The Hammer" Shiflett -- 7-0-1, one NC, four KO's.

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Weight Class: Cruiserweight

2005 record: 1-0-1, 1 KO.

Shiflett's 2005: March 24: fought to a six-round draw in a rematch with Jamal McKay at Martin's West. May 24: scored a fourth-round TKO over Roosevelt Johnson at Martin's West.

Shiflett's 2006 prospectus: Hopefully, Shiflett will be more active in 2006. He has only fought twice since May 14 of 2004. Has improving talent but must be more committed.


There are other prospects out there such as Eric Aiken, Maxell Taylor, Mike Ricasa and recently, Emanuel Nwodo. So this will be a very interesting 2006.

Martin's West Recap Addition

I didn't want to mention this as part of the previous post because I thought it would take away from the actual performances of the boxers, but I have received emails and been involved in conversations since last night concerning one aspect of the card.

While promoter Jake Smith should truly be credited for an outstanding promotion, many people have criticized him about his conduct during bouts. At a number of his shows, Smith has taken the microphone and tried to get the crowd into the fight.

Last night, while he didn't do as much of that, during the main event Smith did something even worse; he led the crowd in cheers for Tony Cygan, who is one of his boxers. That is truly unacceptable. It shows a total lack of professionalism that he or any other promoter can not have.

Smith's shows can truly stand on their own merit. The crowd was excited and packed in tight. There is truly no need for this situation to take place again.

Baltimore Prospects Win in Woodlawn!

Undefeated Baltimore, MD middleweight Tony “Cyclone” Cygan registered an eight-round unanimous decision over James “The Heat” North of Weston, WVA in the main event at Martin’s West in Woodlawn, MD.

Despite being the shorter of the two boxers, Cygan was able to repeatedly get inside North’s longer reach. Cygan landed numerous left hand leads and right crosses. North proved to be a crafty veteran as his side-to-side movement helped him stay in the contest, but he wasn’t as active with his punches as Cygan garnered a victory in his first eight-round encounter.

“He was hard to hit at times,” Cygan said. “I wasn’t angry but I had a tough time sticking to my game plan at times.”

Judge John Gradowski saw the bout 77-75. Judge Bill Holmes scored the contest 78-74 while Judge Malik Waleed scored the bout 79-73. My unofficial scorecard, I guess,saw a totally different bout. I saw Cygan pitching a shutout at 80-72.

Cygan raised his record to 9-0, six KO’s. North’s record falls to 7-9-1 with two KO’s.

I talked to Cygan and he said he wasn't totally upset with not getting the knockout. That just won't happen all the time. Cygan did what he wanted to do for the most part in there and went on to win. Good performance.

In the co-feature bout, undefeated heavyweight “The American Dream” Mike Dietrich of Baltimore made short work of Urbandale, Iowa’s Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer with a first round TKO.

Dietrich easily found a home for his left hand as he landed numerous left uppercuts and hooks against his overmatched opponent. Dietrich dropped Van Meer three times – all with left hands – before referee John Gradowski stopped the contest at 2:55 of the first.

Dietrich is now 7-0, three KO’s. Van Meer is 1-2, 1 KO.

In other bouts on the card, Pasadena, MD super middleweight Mike “The Persecutor” Paschall won a gutsy six-round unanimous decision over Don “The Wildman” Schrock of Middletown, OH.

Paschall was able to control the bout through the entire six-round bout despite suffering a broken right hand during the second round. By the fifth round, the right hand was virtually useless. However, Paschall’s movement and ring generalship carried him to a relatively easy win, his first six-round victory.

One judge did call it close, however. Judge Kenny Chevalier saw the bout 58-57. Another judge, John Gradowski, said Paschall pitched a shutout at 60-54. Judge Don Risher saw the bout 59-55, the same as I did.

Paschall is now 7-0, two KO’s. Schrock is now 2-3, one KO.


Baltimore heavyweight Jed “The Punisher” Phipps scored one of the more impressive victories of his career as registered a sixth-round TKO over Dan “The Mean Machine” Whetsel of Toledo, OH.

Throughout the fight, Phipps was trying to land a big right hand. Phipps repeatedly used his jab to set up that right hand.

Finally in the sixth, Phipps landed the right hand that stuns Whetsel and sends him to the ropes. Phipps landed repeated blows that force referee Bill Holmes to stop the contest at 2:04 of the round.

Phipps is now 16-3, nine KO’s while Whetsel is 6-5-1, three KO’s.

Toledo, OH’s “Devastatin’” Devin Vargas lived up to his nickname as he starched Albert Newberry of Ottumwa, IA in the first round of a heavyweight bout.

Vargas, the captain of the 2004 United States Olympic Team, wasted no time after he deflected Newberry brief onslaught. Vargas caught Newberry with a short right hand and dropped him.

Seconds later, Vargas landed a crushing left hand that stiffened Newberry and sent him to the canvas with a sickening thud. Referee John Gradowski immediately stopped the contest at just 30 seconds of the first. Newberry lay on the canvas for about five minutes before he was able to leave the ring under his own power.

Vargas remained undefeated with the victory. His record stands at 7-0, four KO’s. Newberry falls to 3-2, two KO’s.

In the opening bout, two Maryland cruiserweights – Eddie “Lightnin’ Diablo” Otts of Salisbury and Derek Sierra of Silver Spring -- fought to an entertaining four-round draw.
Neither man was able to gain his first pro victory during the bout as they traded punches with equal success. Otts is now 0-1-1 while Sierra is 0-3-2.

Baltimore Pro Boxing, headed by Jake Smith, served as promoter for the bout. The matchmaker is Josh Hall.

A few observations:

1. It has been a boatload of fun watching the development of guys like Tony Cygan, Mike Paschall and Mike Dietrich. Cygan and Paschall, especially, have truly developed into prospects that people REALLY need to watch out for in 2006.

When you add Cygan, Paschall and Dietrich to names like Mike Ricasa, Russ Shifflett and Adam Bloom, plus those like Ishmail Arvin, Maxell Taylor and Cory Cummings, the Baltimore side of the Beltway has things really cooking.

2. If this performance is any indication, you may want to throw Jed Phipps' name back into the mix. This latest performance was I thought, Phipps's best that I have seen in his career. He had the jab working on this night and, although he still got caught more times than he should, he still put on a solid performance.

There is some serious talk about a possible matchup between Mike Dietrich and Jed Phipps. Both guys REALLY want this bout and it could happen sometime in May.

3. If that bout does happen, it will be because Jake Smith and Josh Hall made it happen. Right now, Jake Smith is the man when it comes to promoting in Baltimore.

I will get into this situation in detail later on, but suffice it to say, Smith has stolen a lot of thunder from Scott Wagner and Ballroom Boxing at this stage.

4. I said this a couple of posts back, but it bears repeating. The Maryland State Athletic Commission has done an outstanding job this year. 17 pro boxing cards this year; no other part of the Beltway came close. Just an outstanding first class job by this commission. We are very fortunate.

That was the last boxing card of the year for the Beltway. In the next couple of weeks here, I will be looking back at 2005 along the Beltway as well as what I feel lies ahead for 2006.

Tyson Card Co-Promoters Headed for Legal Bout!

There were a lot of rumors surrounding the following story. A lot of stories came out along the grapevine concerning lack of funds to pay boxers who participated in the June 11 Tyson-McBride card at MCI Center. Now comes the following story from Fightnews.com:

Marty Wynn/Raging Promotions, co-promoter of the June 11 Mike Tyson-Kevin McBride fight in Washington DC has filed a $19.8 million lawsuit against co-promoter Darryl Stuckey/Stuckey Group LLC, SunTrust Bank and SHOWTIME Network.

According to the suit, Raging Promotions and the Stuckey Group were to split revenues from the fight 50/50. The Stucky Group allegedly was responsible for raising $1.3 million for SHOWTIME's marketing costs plus $5 million from private investors to secure and guarantee Mike Tyson for the event, but instead met SHOWTIME's marketing costs with pre-event sale money, and in collusion with an employee at SunTrust Bank, wrote over $3 million in bad checks to guarantee Tyson.

None of the fighters that night were paid in full and checks given to Tyson bounced. The suit states that SunTrust Bank agreed to make a secret loan of $4.275 million to Stuckey Group to cover the fraudulent checks given to Tyson and the other fighters without the knowledge of the media or public. To guarantee the loan, Stuckey allegedly signed over the rights to the SHOWTIME proceeds to the bank. Wynn maintains, however, that SunTrust Bank was not authorized to demand his portion of the revenues from SHOWTIME and that the network should not have released the funds to the bank without his signature as CEO of Raging Promotions. He says Raging Promotions invested over $600,000 in the event and is seeking $4.8 million in compensatory damages and $15 million in punitive damages.

Wynn, whose promotional company put on some of the better cards seen around the Beltway in recent years, recently dealt with financial difficulty as he had his promotional license revoked in Maryland earlier this year because he owed money to the Maryland State Athletic Commission concerning the Laila Ali show at Prince George's Stadium in 2004.

Nwodo Crushes in Philadelphia!

Fightnews.com is reporting that Baltimore cruiserweight Emanuel Nwodo (18-4, 14KOs) registered a fourth round destruction of veteran John Douglass (6-11-3, 3KOs) of Brooklyn, New York in a co-feature bout at the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia. The following description comes from Fightnews.com's Kurt Wolfheimer.

Nwodo, who suffered a broken right hand in the third round of his last fight against Rayco Saunders in June, started this bout tentatively, landing the occasional jab while trying to figure out the awkward crouching and lunging in and out style of Douglass. However, in round two, one huge right hand from Nwodo and it was clear that Douglass would be on the defensive throughout the bout.

Late in the round Nwodo, a native of Enugu, Nigeria, caught Douglass on the ropes and threw a left jab followed by a huge overhand right that landed flush on the jaw of Douglass and sent him to the canvas for the first time. Douglass was able to get to his feet and Nwodo showed newfound patience and went to the body with hooks and also landed a few pinpoint jabs, opening up the defensive Douglass. The Brooklyn native tried to return a hook, but was again caught with an overhand right that spun him around and to the canvas for the second time in the round. Douglass was able to beat the count but the bell sounded before the Nigerian could do any more damage.

Nwodo showed his maturity in round three as he methodically stalked his frightened opponent throughout landing several combinations while Douglass was pulling back from every shot.

However it all came to an end in round four as Nwodo landed a crisp counter right that snapped around the head of Douglass and he was virtually out on his feet. This time Nwodu jumped on him with a crunching four punch combination that landed Douglass onto the second ring rope for the third knockdown of the fight. Before referee Shawn Clark could begin the eight count, Douglass's corner stepped into the ring to prevent further injury, forcing the stoppage at 1:35 of round three.

Thanks for the report, Kurt. I'm happy to see that one of the people working with Nwodo is a man who was one of the crowd-pleasing boxers from Baltimore in the 1990's: Kenny "Phone Booth" Blackston. Congratulations to Nwodo.