Beltway Boxing Update!

I have been bombarded with a lot of news items in the last 48 hours, so I decided to put them all in one post.

For those who could not hear the latest BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up, there is some news about the Friday, June 13 Baltimore Pro Boxing card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore. The main event is slated to be a rematch between undefeated Baltimore middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and Temple Hills, MD's Jason Champion. Nicklow defeated Champion by a six-round unanimous decision on December 7, 2006 in Pikesville.

Nicklow (17-0-1, seven KO's) is coming off a solid third-round TKO over Chad Greenleaf on April 18 in Pikesville. Champion (4-3, three KO's) lost to both Nicklow and Tim Coleman in consecutive outings before breaking his two-bout losing streak with a first-round KO over Kenneth Meeks on May 18, 2007 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

Also on the card, Middle River, MD's Tony "Cyclone" Cygan will battle Akron, OH's Anthony Little. Cygan (12-2, seven KO's) has not fought since participating in the 2007 Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year against John Mackey on December 7 in Pikesville. Cygan lost a six-round unanimous decision. This will be the third trip to Maryland for Little (7-10-1, one KO). Little lost twice to Nicklow by unanimous decision in Ocean City and Pikesville. Little will also be trying to break an eight-bout winless streak (0-7-1).

Clinton, MD super middleweight Demetrius Davis will also be on the card as he will battle undefeated Tommy Karpency of Adah, PA. Davis (18-14-4, seven KO's) is coming off a solid performance, winning an eight-round majority decision over Brian Norman on May 3 at the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD. Karpency (11-0, seven KO's) stopped veteran Etienne Whitaker in the third round on April 26 in Morgantown, WVA.

Also slated for this card are undefeated Eldersburg, MD cruiserweight Mark "TNT" Tucker and Ellicott City, MD cruiser Robert McConnell.

Also on June 13, "The Berlin Bomber" Joshua Snyder of Berlin, MD will battle the undefeated and aforementioned John "No Mercy" Mackey of Montgomery, AL, by way of DC at the Catholic Youth Center in Scranton, PA. The two co-feature bouts on this card are scheduled to be on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. The Snyder-Mackey bout is slated to be the main swing bout, meaning it stands at least a 50-50 chance of getting on TV.

Snyder (6-3, three KO's) has won four of his last five bouts, including a fourth-round TKO over Charles Norwood on February 23 in Winchester, VA. Mackey (9-0, three KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Alexander Mancera on February 8 in Dover, DE.

Let's go back a week to Friday, June 6, where the changes to the card at the Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia continue. DC super featherweight Ron "Teflon" Boyd will not participate on that card and he has been replaced by undefeated Laurel, MD super featherweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji. Orji (3-0, one KO) will take on fellow undefeated fighter Gerald Smith of Philadelphia (2-0, one KO).

And if that wasn't enough, we should mention that cruiserweight Harvey Jolley of Detroit, MI, who knocked out Jonathan Felton this past Thursday night at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, has been inserted into the main event bout on this card. Jolley (8-8-1, five KO's) will face undefeated Adam Harris of Worcester, MA (10-0, seven KO's) in a scheduled eight-round contest. Jolley replaces Elieser Castillo who broke his hand in training.

The co-feature remains Tyrell Samuel of Baltimore (9-2, five KO's) against Jules Blackwell of Phoenixville, PA (7-0-2, two KO's) in an eight-round contest. Baltimore featherweight Darrell Martin will also be on the card.

Baltimore cruiserweight Corey "Black Ice" Cummings won a six-round unanimous decision over John Douglas last night in Monticello, NY. So that sets the stage for his Friday, June 20th 10-round bout against former world champion Montell "Ice" Griffin in Chicago, IL. Cummings comes into the Griffin bout with a record of 16-2, 12 KO's while Griffin is 48-7, 30 KO's. There are bouts on the card that will televised on Telefutura, but we're not sure that Cummings-Griffin will be one of them.

However, there will be a Beltway Boxer on TV on Friday, June 20th. That will be Riverdale, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant. Grant (12-1, seven KO's) will make his national TV debut from the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas as he takes on Augusta, GA's Kevin "Big Man" Burnett (12-1-1, eight KO's). According to the schedule, this bout will be the co-feature on an ESPN2 doubleheader of heavyweight bouts. The main event matches Alonzo Butler and Friday "The 13th" Ahunanya.

To reiterate an earlier post, that means at least three Beltway Boxers will be on national TV during the seven-day period between June 20 and June 27: Grant on the 20th, Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan on June 25th from the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA (also on ESPN2) and Anthony Peterson on June 26 from Las Vegas on Versus. If Cummings makes the Telefutura broadcast on June 20, that will, of course, make four.

And add this information: One of our very own ring announcers, the one and only Henry "Discombobulating" Jones will be traveling to Houston, TX and the Reliant Center Complex to announce a Friday, July 18 card that will feature Perry Ballard taking on former world champion Hector "Macho" Camacho, Sr. The card is slated to appear on DirecTV.

Rahman Agrees to Toney Rematch in July!

ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that former two-time heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman and former three-division world titlist James Toney have agreed to a rematch of their March 2006 draw.

The two will meet in a scheduled 12-around contest on Saturday, July 16 at the Pechanga Resort in Temecula, CA. Rahman (45-6-2, 36 KO's) has not fought since stopping Zuri Lawrence in the 10th round on November 15 in Reading, PA. This will be the first bout for Toney (70-6-3, 43 KO's) since winning a 10-round split decision over Danny Batchelder on May 24, 2007. Toney spent much of that time on suspension for testing positive for steroids after that bout. Batchelder was also on suspension after the bout for the same infraction.

"I think they're both marquee names, but they are at a crossroads in their careers," Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank, which promotes Rahman, told Rafael. "It's all or nothing in a division that has suffered terribly with lackluster performances lately. The winner of the fight should be given the opportunity to fight for one of the titles."

"Top Rank and I and the fighters have agreed to the fight," Toney promoter Dan Goossen said. "It's a very tough division to have a high-profile fight in without it being for a world championship, but the winner of this fight will have another opportunity to fight for another championship."

UPDATE: Goossen has announced that the Rahman-Toney Rematch will be shown on Fox Sports Net during the "Best Damn Sports Show Period."

Rivera Stopped in Fourth in Pennsylvania!

George "Wartime" Rivera was stopped in the fourth round by Latif Mundy tonight in Monroeville, PA. Rivera did have a welt under his left eye, but it looked like Rivera may have had rib issues. The doctor stopped the bout at the end of the fourth.

Rivera's record falls to 8-2, three KO's. Mundy remains undefeated at 8-0, three KO's.

'Wartime' Rivera Tips Scales in Monroeville!

Charlottsville, VA junior middleweight George "Wartime" Rivera and his opponent, Latif Mundy of Philadelphia weighed in at the junior middleweight limit of 154 pounds today for their nationally televised eight-round matchup tonight at the Expo Mart in Monroeville, PA.

The bout will be the opening matchup on the Telefutura network at 8 PM ET.

Results From Glen Burnie!

Here are the results from the Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD:

Pasadena, MD super middleweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall put on a strong performance in winning an eight-round unanimous decision over veteran Larry "The Laser" Marks of New Castle, DE. Paschall controlled the action in the ring throughout and showed solid ring generalship that frustrated Marks. Judges Don Risher and Malik Waleed scored a shutout for Paschall, 80-72 while judge John Gradowski had it 78-74. Paschall is now 17-0-1, four KO's while Marks is 29-10-1, 16KO's.

Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell scored a crushing second-round technical knockout over Alexis Cruz Medina of Science Hill, KY. Mitchell was all business from the opening bell and eventually landed a crushing right hand that had Medina bouncing off the ropes onto his knees and out. Referee Gary Camponeschi stopped the bout immediately at 1:23 of the second. Mitchell is now 3-0-1, two KO's while Medina is 0-4-1.

Debuting Baltimore heavyweight Kevin Johnson registered a fourth-round TKO over Glen Burnie's Danny Kisner. During the bout, Kisner suffered a injury to his right shoulder. The shoulder started to really hurt in the third round but Kisner was able to finish it. But Johnson put Kisner away with a right hand that dropped Kisner. Referee John Gradowski stopped the contest at 20 seconds of the fourth. Kisner was taken to a nearby hospital and was unable to be in the corner to coach Paschall. Kisner now has a record of 1-1, one KO.

Also on the card, Adrian, MI cruiserweight Harvey "Candy Man" Jolley scored a crushing first-round TKO over "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA. Jolley used great hand speed and two crushing right hands to drop Felton twice before the bout was stopped at 1:14 of the round. Jolley is now 8-8-1, five KO's while Felton is 5-10, five KO's.

Brooklyn, NY light heavyweight William Jeter knocked out debuting Calvin "Shotgun" Aughtry of DC in the third round. Jeter almost knocked out Aughtry with the first punch he threw in the bout, but Aughtry was game before being stopped by a Jeter right hand at 2:02 of the third. Jeter is now 2-0, one KO.

The co-feature of the card saw Carney "The Fireman" Bowman of York, PA remain undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Edward Valdez of Brooklyn, NY. Bowman looked sharp throughout the contest using solid rights against Valdez, who fought primarily to survive the contest. Bowman is now 10-0, four KO's while Valdez falls to 3-5-2, two KO's.

Here is the complete BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up which includes interviews and late-breaking news about upcoming Beltway Boxing events.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #109 - Post-Fight From the Ballroom!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I discuss the results of tonight's card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Included are interviews with Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall and Ballroom Boxing Promoter Scott Wagner.

Scale Watch from Glen Burnie!

Here are the weights for tomorrow night's Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD:


Mike Paschall 166 vs. Larry Marks 171 1/4

Seth Mitchell 243 1/4 vs. Alexis Cruz Medina 241 1/4

Danny Kisner 231 1/4 vs. Kevin Johnson 201 1/4

Jonathan Felton 224 3/4 vs. Harvey Jolley 196

Carney Bowman 131 3/4 vs. Edward Valdez 131

William Jeter 173 1/4 vs. Calvin Aughtrey 171 1/4

The "rematch" between Felton and Baltimore's Askia Snyder will not take place because Snyder suffered injured ribs reportedly while sparring with Tony Thompson. Jolley of Adrian, MI (7-8-1, four KO's) is a fill-in who has fought twice before in the Ballroom, losing by first-round knockout to Horace Grant in November 2007 and stopping Richard Gingras in the third round on the April 3 Ballroom card. Eight days later, Jolley lost a four-round unanimous decision to Kasim Howard in Miami Florida.

Jeter, a native of Brooklyn, NY, is undefeated (1-0, one NC) and won his last bout --a four-round majority decision over Corey Washington on May 3 in District Heights, MD.

Catch my Youcastr.com show TONIGHT at 10 PM ET for my thoughts on the Paschall-Marks matchup and a lot more!

Martin Added to June 6 Blue Horizon Card in Philadelphia!

Baltimore featherweight Darrell Martin has been added to the Friday, June 6 card at the Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, PA. Martin (2-3) will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak when he faces Paul Fernandez of Philadelphia (2-1-1, two KO's) in a four-round bout.

If everything holds to plan, then there will be three Beltway Boxers on this card. Baltimore featherweight Tyrell "Da Show Shock 'A" Samuel is still scheduled to be in the eight-round co-feature when he takes on undefeated Jules Blackwell. Both Martin and Samuel are trained by former IBF Junior Middleweight champion Vincent "The Ambassador" Pettway. Also, DC super featherweight Ron "Teflon" Boyd will take on Gerald Smith in a four-round bout.

Guerrero Wins in First-Round; Barnett Opponent Pulls Out!

Another win, another knockout for Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero. The undefeated rookie scored a first-round TKO over Chuck Orso of McIntosh, AL on an outdoor card at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS on May 24. Guerrero stopped Orso at 2:41 of the opening stanza. This was the third straight time Orso has been stopped in the first round. Both James Moore and John Duddy stopped Orso in the first.

Speaking of first-round knockouts, this is the fourth time that Guerrero has registered a first-round knockout in his young pro career as he raises his record to 7-0, seven KO's.

Here's a description of the action from Michael Sheffield from Memphisboxing.com:

Emerging fan favorite Fernando Guerrero (7-0) made short work of Chuck Orso (4-7 3 KOs) in a scheduled 4 Round Middleweight bout. In typical Guerrero fashion, the fighter circled Orso like prey before unleashing a pair of lethal hooks that dropped him twice in 45 seconds. Guerrero dropped Orso twice more before referee Randy Phillips stopped the fight at 2:41 of the first round.

Undefeated DC junior welterweight Ty Barnett was slated to be on this card, but his opponent, Hector Baltran, pulled out of the bout at the last minute. Barnett (13-0-1, nine KO's) is reportedly scheduled to be on a card in the Cayman Islands on Friday, June 20. Barnett will reportedly take on Pavel Miranda of Tijuana, Mexico (15-1, eight KO's). This is the same card where former WBC Bantamweight champion Wayne McCullough is slated to make his return.

Barnett, Guerrero In Action Tonight in Mississippi!

Undefeated Beltway Boxers Ty Barnett and Fernando Guerrero will be involved in a card at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS tonight.

DC lightweight Barnett (13-0-1, nine KO's) will take on "Handsome" Hector Beltran (11-1-1, 10 KO's) of Dallas, TX in a six-round bout. Barnett is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over veteran and former world title contender John "The Eastern Beast" Brown on January 26 in Tunica. Beltran's lofty record is, frankly, somewhat deceiving. Beltran has only fought two boxers with winning records and he didn't beat either of them. One of Beltran's victories was against a fighter who had 99 losses going into the bout.

Salisbury, MD middleweight Guerrero (6-0, six KO's) will be in a four-round contest against Chuck Orso (4-7, three KO's) of McIntosh, AL. Guerrero is coming off a third-round TKO over Anthony Bowman on April 26 in Tunica. Guerrero will be the third straight undefeated boxer Orso has faced. Orso lost by first-round knockout to James Moore and John Duddy in his last two outings.

Mayes Loses By Split Decision!

Baltimore light heavyweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes lost a six-round split decision in his rematch against Joe McCreedy of Lowell, MA on the undercard of the ESPN2 card in Lincoln, RI tonight.

No details on the bout yet but Fightnews.com reports that one judge saw the bout for Mayes at 58-57 while McCreedy won on the other two cards, 60-56 and 58-56.

Mayes's record falls to 7-6-1, four KO's while McCreedy's record is now 8-2, five KO's.

Mayes Tips the Scales in Rhode Island!

Baltimore light heavyweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes tipped the scales at 174 1/2 for his rematch against Joe McCreedy tonight at the Twin Rivers Event Center in Lincoln, RI. McCreedy weighed in at 171 1/2.

This card is an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights event, but no word yet on whether this bout will make TV. Mayes (7-5-1, four KO's) will try to make it two straight against McCreedy (7-2, five KO's) tonight. The telecast begins at 9 PM ET.

Bouts Added to May 29 Ballroom Card!

The Ballroom Boxing card slated for Thursday, May 29 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD is starting to fill out. Here are some bouts that have been added to the card.

The "rematch" between heavyweights "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA and Baltimore's Askia Snyder will be on this card in another four-round bout. Back on January 31 at Michael's, the two men made national press when they brawled before the bell even rang. Felton comes in with a record of 5-9, five KO's. Snyder was making his pro debut on the January 31 card and has one no contest on his record.

Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell (2-0-1, one KO) makes his Ballroom Boxing debut as he faces Alexis Cruz Medina (0-3-1) of Science Hill, KY in a four-round matchup.

Glen Burnie heavyweight Danny Kisner (1-0, one KO) returns to ring action as he takes on debuting Kevin Johnson of Baltimore.

Baltimore junior middleweight Cecil McCalla makes his pro debut against "The Capitol Punisher" Spencer Harsley of DC (1-6-2). Also middleweight Shelly Seivert of Severna Park, MD (2-1, one KO) will make her Ballroom debut against an opponent to be named.

In the six-round co-feature, undefeated super featherweight Carney "Beeper" Bowman of York, PA (9-0, four KO's) returns to the Ballroom to take on New York's Edward Valdez (3-5-2, two KO's). Also, undefeated Denver, CO's Terrence Crawford (2-0, two KO's) will return against an opponent to be announced.

The main event for this card remains the same: Undefeated Pasadena, MD super middleweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall (16-0-1, four KO's) steps up in competition against former world title contender Larry "The Laser" Marks of New Castle, DE (29-9-1, 16 KO's) in a bout that will be scheduled for either eight or 10 rounds.

I will have a detailed preview on this card this weekend.

Beltway Amateur Update!

This late congratulatory note from the recent National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, Michigan:

DC's Kevin Rivers was awarded the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award at the competition for his weight class (119 pounds). Rivers reached the semifinals of the event. Working with Rivers in his corner were Beltway legend Andrew Council and Robert Matney, the president of the Virginia Association of USA Boxing LBC #12.

The next major amateur event will be the 2008 Junior Olympic National Championships in Marquette, MI on June 17-21.

Once again, the Beltway will be well represented at the nationals by virtue of performances at the East Central Regional Junior Olympics that were held on May 16 and 17 in Wilmington, DE. Courtesy of Coach Matney, here are the winners from the competition:

Junior:
65 pounds: Devonte Jefferson
75 pounds: Zimmie Dickinson
85 pounds: Mykal Fox
90 pounds: Raquil Hayes
95 pounds: Lamont Roach
119 pounds: Kareem Martin

Intermediate:

75 pounds: Lawrence Singh
85 pounds: Malik Jackson
90 pounds: Gervonta Davis
101 pounds: Daquan Love
106 pounds: Romelo Webster
110 pounds: Elijah Mack
119 pounds: Parris Chisholm
125 pounds: Kevin Harris
138 pounds: Justin Hurd
145 pounds: Karran Richardson

Senior: (These boxers will be going to the Nationals in Michigan)

106 pounds: Anthony Burgin
110 pounds: Miguel Cartegena
114 pounds: Tavon Frazier
119 pounds: Shadeed Floyd
125 pounds: Damon Allen
132 pounds: Sultahn Staton
138 pounds: Alantez Fox
145 pounds: Chris Warden
154 pounds: D'Mitrius Ballard
165 pounds: Jerry Odom
189 pounds: Lamar Richards

'Sugar Poo' Buchanan Heads to Playboy Mansion June 25!

For the second straight year, a Beltway Boxer will be part of the annual boxing card at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA.

Capitol Heights, MD super middleweight Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan (14-1, 11 KO's) will be in the co-feature bout at the annual invitation-only event on Wednesday, June 25. Buchanan will be in the 10-round co-feature that will be part of the ESPN2 telecast. His opponent is slated to be Derrick "Superman" Findley of Gary, IN (11-2, six KO's).

In February of 2007, Tony "The Tiger" Thompson was in the main event of this card and captured the WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Timor Ibragimov.

By the way, this means we have confirmed that six Beltway Boxers will make TV appearances this summer. This includes three during the seven-day period from June 20-27 (Corey Cummings - June 20, Buchanan and Anthony Peterson - June 26)

Orji Wins Majority Decision in Delaware!

Laurel, MD junior welterweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji won a four-round unanimous decision over Juan Oscar Vasquez of Newark, DE at the "Battle at the Beach" card at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DE.

Here's how my Fightnews.com colleague Rick Scharmberg saw the bout from ringside:

Orji, a southpaw, and Vasquez are both speedsters, and they engaged in a chessmatch for the first three rounds. Vasquez (1-1) narrowly took the opener with several right-left combinations, as Orji (3-0, one KO) studied him.

The second and third rounds were also very close, as Orji used his jab, and Vasquez worked his straight right. Action finally heated up in the final round with several heated exchanges. Orji sealed his victory by winning this round landing several straight left hands that Vasquez had no answer for.

The final scores were 40-36 and 39-37 for Orji, and 38-38. Fightnews also saw it even at 38-38.

What makes Orji's record interesting is that after he won his pro debut by second-round TKO on November 9 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD, he has won his last two bouts by close decision (one split and one majority) on the road, in other boxers's hometowns. Orji's last bout was a split-decision against the debuting Juan Gonzalez of Chicago, IL in nearby Villa Park, IL on April 11.

Beltway Pros Begin Active Summer!

A number of Beltway Pros are slated for action in the next three months. Some of the contests are scheduled for national television.

As of now (with bouts subject to change without notice), here is how the schedule looks (national tv dates in bold and italic)

Saturday, May 17 , Lewes, DE -- Laurel, MD junior welterweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji (2-0, one KO) vs. Oscar Vasquez (1-0).

Friday, May 23, Lincoln, RI -- Baltimore super middleweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes (7-5-1, four KO's) vs. Joe McCreedy (7-2, five KO's). This is a rematch from an April 4 bout that Mayes won by six-round unanimous decision.

Thursday, May 29, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD -- I will get a full preview of this card for you next week but so far the card has "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall vs. Larry "The Laser" Marks as well as the "rematch" between "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton and Askia Snyder. Also, Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell has reportedly been added to the card.

Friday, May 30, Monroeville, PA --Charlottsville, VA junior middleweight "Wartime" George Rivera (8-1, three KO's) vs. Latif Mundy (7-0, two KO's) in an eight-round co-feature on the Telefutura Network.

Friday, May 30, Monticello, NY -- Baltimore cruiserweight Corey "Black Ice" Cummings (15-2, 12 KO's) vs. John Douglas (6-12, three KO's). Scheduled for six rounds.

Friday, June 6, Philadelphia, PA -- Baltimore featherweight Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel (9-2, five KO's) vs. Jules Blackwell (7-0-2, two KO"s) in a scheduled eight-round bout at the Legendary Blue Horizon. Also slated for this card is DC super featherweight Ron "Teflon" Boyd (5-3, two KO's) taking on undefeated Gerald Smith (2-0, one KO) of Philadelphia.

Friday, June 13, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD -- No official word on matchups but Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow is slated to headline.

(JUST ADDED) Friday, June 20, Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL -- Corey Cummings is slated to take on former WBC Light Heavyweight champion Montell Griffin in a nationally televised 10-round bout on Telefutura. Which "ICE" will melt in this one: "Black Ice" Cummings or "Ice" Griffin?

Thursday, June 26, Las Vegas, NV -- Anthony Peterson (26-0, 19 KO's) vs. TBA on the Versus Network.

Saturday, June 28, Henderson Hall, Arlington. VA -- No official word yet on who will be on this card, but reportedly "JC Superstar" Juan Carlos Robles and Todd "White Lightning" Wilson are slated to appear.

Saturday, July 5, Las Vegas, NV -- Lamont Peterson (24-0, 11 KO's) vs. Henry Bruseles (27-3-1, 15 KO's). A victory for Peterson in this Showtime bout could mean a world title shot against the winner of the main event on this card, either Ricardo Torres or Kendall Holt.

Saturday, July 12, Hamburg, Germany -- Tony "The Tiger" Thompson (31-1, 19 KO's) vs. Wladimir Klitschko (50-3, 44 KO's). Thompson's challenge for Klitschko's IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles. HBO will televise.

Notes: Boxrec has the Petersons's scheduled listed with opposite dates (Lamont on June 26, Anthony on July 5) but I have talked to the Peterson camp and they assured me that it is the way I have it listed.

I am trying to confirm the Samuel bout. The press release on the bout has been filtering through many boxing sites.

There are also reported TV appearances scheduled for undefeated Beltway prospects Fernando Guerrero (two ESPN dates) and Ty Barnett (Showtime). No dates have been officially scheduled.

Beltway Pros Lose in Tri-State Bouts!

Two Beltway Boxers lost bouts in Philadelphia and New Jersey on Friday night.

Baltimore, MD junior lightweight Darrell Martin lost a four-round unanimous decision to Anthony Flores of Philadelphia at the New Alhambra in Philadelphia. According to written accounts, Martin was game but outgunned as he lost 40-36 on all three judges's scorecards. Martin's record is now 2-3 while Flores rises to 2-0, one KO.

At Bally's in Atlantic City, NJ, Woodbridge, VA super bantamweight Andre "Clockwork" Nichols was stopped in the sixth round by Jae-Sun Lee of Seoul, South Korea. According to reports, Nichols hung in the bout early but when he stayed in front of Lee, he was pressured until the referee stopped the contest. Nichols's record is now even at 3-3, two KO's while Lee now has a record of 9-1-1, six KO's.

Russell Jr. Returns with Victory in USA Boxing Invitational!

US Olympian Gary Russell, Jr. of Capitol Heights, MD returned to action with a victory at the first USA Boxing Invitational in Bridgeport, CT last night.

Normally a bantamweight, Russell fought as a featherweight and defeated Robson Conceicao of Brazil by a 27-8 final decision. The bout was Russell's first since the world championships last October in Chicago. Russell has been nursing a shoulder injury since that time.

UPDATE: In a recent article on Boxingtalk.com, writer Kirk Lang had this to say about Russell's performance during this event:


"Bantamweight Gary Russell, Jr. took the American squad to 2-0, in front of an announced crowd of 3,473, with a dominant 27-8 points win over Brazil’s Robson Conceicao. Russell’s win was even more impressive considering he had stepped up to the featherweight division to take on Conceicao and hadn’t fought since the 2007 AIBA World Championships back in October. Russell’s incredible hand speed often had Conceicao in retreat mode - and that was just in the opening round. His rapid-fire bursts of leather made it tough for Conceicao to find opportunities to land. Although Russell likes to mix up his punches, he blasted Conceicao with the straight left hand four times in a row early in the third frame. The fourth and final round started off a little slow but Russell picked it up by the end of the stanza. He registered seven landed punches while Conceicao only got credit for three connects. Russell is definitely "one to watch." There was no trophy for "boxer of the night," but if there had been, Russell would have deserved it."


The story of the Russell Family was the subject of a very nice article by Chris Elsberry that appeared in the Connecticut Post. Here is the link:

"http://www.connpost.com/ci_9199485?source=most_emailed">

Rivers Falls in Semis at Golden Gloves!

Kevin Rivers of DC lost his semi-final bout to Roman Morales of California by decision at the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI.

Rivers was the last Beltway Boxer remaining at the event.

Results From Fredericksburg!

Caroline, VA cruiserweight Adam "The Real Deal" Seal stopped Derek "D-Mos" Amos of Dumfries, VA in the fourth round of the main event in front of a partisan crowd at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds in Fredericksburg, VA. The card was the maiden promotion for Counter Punch Promotions.

Seal was on the offensive throughout the contest, almost dropping Amos early. Amos was able to survive but by the second round, Amos's balance betrayed him. Amos lost a point in the third round for spitting out his mouthpiece to stop a Seal onslaught. In the fourth, Seal put Amos away with a flurry of punches that forced referee Joe Cooper to stop the bout at 41 seconds of the round.

Seal's record is 5-1, four KO's. Amos's record falls to 11-26, nine KO's.

In a battle of veteran journeymen, the co-feature saw Marcus Brashers of Wichita, TX win a six-round unanimous decision over Edward "Nucky" Anderson of Richmond, VA. Brashers dropped Anderson in the first round with a left hand, but the always-tough, 47-year-old Anderson came back and took everything Brashers could dish out and even returned the favor at times. Brashers, was the busier boxer and captured the decision. Judge Gail Carpenter scored the bout 60-53. Judge Bill Osterman saw it 59-55 while Judge Jerry Payne scored it much closer at 57-56.

Brashers's record rises to 5-9-1, two KO's. Anderson drops to 4-12, three KO's.

In other bouts on the card, the six-bout winning streak of Alexandria, VA's Jaime "The Punisher" Palma was stopped by Canada's Sebastian Hamel as Hamel won a four-round unanimous decision. Hamel knocked down Palma with a right hand late in the first round. Hamel is now 7-13-1, one KO while Palma falls to 13-11-1, three KO's.

Oxon Hill, MD's Alexander "The Great" Johnson remained undefeated with a solid four-round unanimous decision over the debuting Francois Ambang of Richmond, by way of Cameroon. Johnson's solid jab was a major key in this victory. Johnson is now 5-0, three KO's.

Light heavyweight Scott "Cujo" Sigmon of Bedford, VA made his pro debut a successful one with a fourth-round TKO over Abdul Gilliard of Richmond, who loses for the first time as a pro and he is now 2-1, one KO.

Welterweight Dwayne "Diesel" Shelton of Richmond won his pro debut, capturing a four-round split decision over DC's Arick Washington.

The start of the card was delayed about an hour because the originally-contacted EMT service could not come to the card. Another service was used.

Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up with myself and Joe Hensley:

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #108 - Post-Fight From Fredericksburg!

Not even a one-hour delay could stop the Counter Punch Promotions card from being a good one. Major League Boxing.com's Joe Hensley and I discuss it.

Rivers Remains In National Golden Gloves!

And then, there was one. Only one Beltway Boxer remains in the competition at the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI.

Kevin Rivers of DC advanced to the semi-finals of the 119-pound division with a decision over Christian Faz of Texas.

The other two Beltway Boxers remaining -- DC's Jarrett Hurd and Ferndale's Nick Kisner -- were both eliminated in tonight's competition. Hurd lost a decision to Charles Howard of Cincinnati in the 165-pound division whle Kisner lost by decision to Jeremiah Graziano of Kansas City in the 201-pound class.

'Clockwork' Nichols on Atlantic City ESPN2 Card!

Woodbridge, VA super featherweight Andre "Clockwork" Nichols will be on the undercard of the ESPN2 card tomorrow night at Bally's in Atlantic City, NJ.

Nichols (3-2, two KO's) will battle Jae-Sung Lee of Seoul, South Korea (8-1-1, five KO's) in a six-round bout. No word on whether the bout will make the ESPN2 telecast. Nichols has not fought since stopping Yieta Johnson in the third round on December 15 in Dulles, VA. Lee fought to a six-round draw with Jules Blackwell on March 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Nichols weighed in at 123 3/4 while Lee tipped the scales at 123 1/2.

Amateur Card Comes to Du Burns Arena May 16!

Baltimore Boxing Promotions will have an all-amateur card on Friday, May 16 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

One of the key bouts on the card will be a heavyweight contest between Baltimore's Steve Wheeler and Salisbury, MD's Alex Guerrero, the brother of undefeated pro Fernando Guerrero. There are 12 bouts slated for the card.

Baltimore Boxing is also working on the next pro card, which is scheduled for Friday, June 13, also at DuBurns. Three bouts are already signed for the card. Undefeated Arlington,VA welterweight Bayan Jargal is slated to take on Carlos Cisneros of Riverdale, MD. Tony "Mo Better" Jeter of Baltimore is scheduled to take on Ohio veteran Don "The Wildman" Shrock while John Terry of Portsmouth, VA will take on Pennsylvania light heavy Jimmy Lubash. Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and Mark "TNT" Tucker are also scheduled to be on the card.

Beltway Boxers Have Tough Time at National Golden Gloves!

As the competition gets stronger at the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI, the Beltway representatives are having a tougher time of it. Only three Beltway Boxers remain in the competition.

Wednesday's action saw Kevin Rivers of DC advance in the 119-pound division with a decision over Shavez Peters of New York. Also, Jarrett Hurd of DC won his bout in the 165-pound class with a decision over Celso Campoverde of California. Ferndale, MD's Nick Kisner also advanced with a decision over Robert Jekabsons of Chicago.

Four Beltway Boxers lost bouts last night. Francis Taylor lost his 112-pound bout to Oscar Cantu of Texas by decision. Cordaro Simpkins of Virginia dropped a decision to Omar Pena of New England in the 132-pound division. Marquis Moore of Fort Washington fell to Daniel O'Connor of New England in the 141-pound class. Also, Jeremiah Wiggins of DC lost a decision to Noel Esqueda of the Kansas/Oklahoma team in the 152-pound division.

May 17 Winchester Card Postponed!

The Left Hook Promotions boxing card that was slated for Saturday, May 17 has been postponed. Injuries to key boxers on the card forced the postponment of the card. Front Royal lightweight Andrew "Doo Man" Farmer is nursing a shoulder injury while Front Royal cruiserweight Terry "T-Brick" Roy has an arm injury.

No new date has been announced for the card.

Beltway Has Even Day at National Golden Gloves!

Today's action at the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI saw Beltway Boxers win two bouts and lose two.

In the 119-pound class, Kevin Rivers of DC stopped Fernando Parks of Knoxville, TN in the third round. Jeremiah Wiggins of DC also won his first bout in the 152-pound class, capturing a decision over Juan Gonzalez of Nevada.

Meanwhile, Thomas Williams of Laurel, MD lost his first bout in the 178-pound class, dropping a decision to J'Leon Love of Detroit, MI. Also, Andre Brickhouse of DC lost a decision to Chean Chess of Cincinnati, OH in the 201+ pound class.

Moore, Hurd, Kisner Victorious on First Day of Golden Gloves Competition!

Beltway Boxers won three bouts on the first day of the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, MI yesterday.

In the 141-pound class, Marquis Moore of Fort Washington won his first bout by decision over Lance Williams of Iowa.

Jarrett Hurd of DC won his first contest in the 165-pound class as he decisioned Dane Henry of Omaha, NE.

And Ferndale, MD's Nick Kisner won his opening bout in the 201-pound division, defeating Michael Bissett of Knoxville, TN by decision.

One Beltway Boxer did not win his opening bout yesterday. Traon Bynum of DC lost his first bout in the 125-pound class to Salvador Ruiz of Toledo, OH by decision.

Photos From District Heights!

CD Brown from DC Urban Sports has some great photos from the Keystone Boxing card at the District Heights Municipal Center. Here is the link:

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Results From District Heights!

Clinton, MD super middleweight Demetrius Davis won a hard-fought and somewhat bizarre eight-round majority decision over Brian "The Assassin" Norman of Lithonia, GA in the main event of the Keystone Boxing card at the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD.

Davis dropped Norman in the second round with a solid right hand that weighed heavily on two judges scorecards. Davis also benefitted from Norman having a point deducted in the seventh round for repeatedly spitting out his mouthpiece. Norman lost his mouthpiece six times during the contest, at some points when he seemed to have the offensive advantage. Judge John Gradowski saw the draw at 75-75 while Judge Kenny Chevalier scored the bout 78-73 and Judge Don Risher scored it 78-72 for Davis.

The win breaks a four-bout losing streak for Davis, who raises his record to 18-14-4, seven KO's. Norman falls to 16-7, four KO's.

In the co-feature, Riverdale, MD based Carlos "Perro" Cisneros scored a stunning second-round TKO over Laurel, MD's Norman "The Shadow" Allen.

Cisneros came out very strong landing looping left and right hand shots. Cisneros dropped Allen twice, one with each hand before Chevalier stopped the contest at one minute of the second round.

Cisneros raises his record to 9-15-1, six KO's while Allen suffers his first defeat as a pro and he is now 3-1, two KO's.

The pro debut of Ellicott City, MD cruiserweight Robert McConnell, Jr. was spoiled by a second-round TKO courtesy of the equally debuting Garrett Wilson of Philadelphia. In the second, Wilson dropped McConnell with a picture-perfect counter left hook. McConnell got to his feet, but referee Gradowski stopped the contest at 2:38 of the round.

The result was better for rookie Laurel, MD lightweight L. Dwayne Martin as he scored a second-round TKO over Ahmed Poskovic of Akron, OH in his pro debut. Martin punished Poskovic for the entire two-round period until Poskovic, on advice of ringside physicians, did not come out for the third round. Poskovic is 0-3.

Another Akron product, junior middleweight James "The Problem" Denson, was a big problem for DC's Kendrick "Holy Hands" Walker. Denson used a crushing left hand to drop Walker in the third round and went on to a TKO victory at 2:38. Denton is now 3-1, two KO's. Walker is now 0-2-1.

In the opening contest, Brooklyn, NY light heavyweight William Jeter won a four-round majority decision over Corey "Wolverine" Washington of Louisville, KY. Jeter is now 1-0, one NC while Washington is 1-1, one KO.

Seth Mitchell's bout was taken off the card when his scheduled opponent, Jamal Terry, did not show for the weigh-in.

Here is the full BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up show featuring an interview with Demetrius and Adrian Davis after their big win.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #107 - Post-Fight From District Heights!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and Del "The Hatchet" Matchett join me to recap a sprited night of boxing from the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD. During the show, Demetrius and Adrian Davis talk about Demetrius's big win in the main event.

Wilson Loses By Unanimous Decision in Stuttgart!

Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson lost a 12-round unanimous decision to WBA Cruiserweight champion Firat Arslan in Stuttgart, Germany this evening.

According to Fightnews.com's Wolfgang Schiffbauer, Arslan pressed the action from the opening bell, but both were cautious early on. Wilson upped the output in round two and Arslan did likewise in round three. Arslan's pressure pushed Wilson back as he appeared to be imposing his will. Rounds five and six were dominated by the champion, as Wilson mostly had no answers. With chances of a points win seemingly disappearing, the "Ding-A-Ling Man" started looking for a KO as the bout progressed, winging big shots in the eighth. Arslan responded in a punishing ninth round. Arslan landed almost at will in the tenth and went on to win handily by scores of 117-111, 117-111, 117-111.

With the loss, Wilson's record drops to 23-7-3, 20 KO's. Arslan's record rises to 29-3-1, 18 KO's.

Wilson,Arslan Tip the Scales in Stuttgart!

(Photo by Eroll Popova)

Both Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson and Firat Arslan weighed in at 199 1/2 for their WBA Cruiserweight championship match tomorrow night in Stuttgart, Germany.

Scale Watch For District Heights!

Here are the weights for Saturday night's Keystone Boxing card at the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD:

Demetrius Davis 168 3/4 vs. Brian Norman 168 1/4

Norman Allen 148 1/4 vs. Carlos Cisneros 148

Robert McConnell, Jr. 191 vs. Garrett Wilson 192

Dwayne (Lawrence) Martin 132 3/4 vs. Ahmed Poskovic 134

Cory Washington 176 3/4 vs. William Jeter 175 3/4

Seth Mitchell 247 1/2 vs. Jamal Terry (slated to weigh-in tomorrow)

Kendrick Walker 155 1/2 vs. James Denson (scheduled to weigh-in tomorrow)

Cisneros (8-15-1, five KO's) is a late sub for Dustin Gullimen. Cisneros, a native of El Salvador but now fighting out of Maryland, split with two other Beltway Boxers in his last two bouts. Cisneros stopped Reggie Holly in December of 2006 at the Lincoln Theatre in DC. In his last outing, Cisneros lost a six-round unanimous decision to Tim Coleman in May of 2007 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

Changes to District Heights Card!

Unfortunately, the word "complete" never means the same in the boxing world as it does in other venues. There are wholesale changes to the Saturday, May 3 card at the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD.

The biggest change comes in the main event. The featherweight bout between Thomas "KO" Snow of Capitol Heights, MD and Eric Hunter of Philadelphia has been called off. Snow reportedly took ill earlier this week, fainting after a training session. Doctors wanted him to see a neurologist, who has told him he cannot fight.

The main event will now feature veteran DC super middleweight Demetrius Davis in an eight-round contest against Brian "The Assassin" Norman of Decatur, GA. Davis (17-14-4, seven KO's) will be trying to break a four-bout losing streak. Three of those losses have come during Davis's comeback after an eight-year absence. Davis last fought on October 5 in Philadelphia, losing a six-round split decision to Omar Pittman.

Norman (16-6, four KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision victory over Timothy Hall on April 4 in Douglasville, GA. Prior to that victory, Norman lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Jean Pascal in December of 2007 for the NABA, NABF and NABO Super Middleweight title in Montreal, CA. Davis will be the third Beltway Boxer Norman has faced. Norman lost by third-round TKO to Henry Buchanan in September of 2004 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD and lost by six-round majority decision to Reginald Taylor in October 2005 in Lula, MS.

In other changes on the card, Lenwood Dozier will not be on the show, so Kendrick Walker of DC (0-1-1) will now face James Denson of Akron, OH (2-1, one KO). Denson was originally scheduled to take on Norman "The Shadow" Allen . Allen will now take on Dustin Guillimen of Nebraska (1-4).

Also, Hyattsville, MD junior lightweight Lawrence Martin will now make his pro debut against Akron's Ahmed Poskovic (0-2), who replaces Mel Crossty.

May 3 District Heights Card Complete!

The Keystone Boxing card coming to the District Heights Municipal Center (2000 Marbury Drive in District Heights, MD) on Saturday, May 3 is pretty much set.

The main event promises to be a spectacular one as undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Thomas "KO" Snow takes a good step in competition as he will battle Eric "The Outlaw" Hunter of Philadelphia in a scheduled eight-round encounter.

Snow (10-0, eight KO's) has not fought since his second-round TKO over Terrance Roy on December 15 in Dulles, VA. Snow had been training for a Maryland State Featherweight title bout against Tyrell Samuel that was cancelled twice.

Ironically, the last bout for Hunter (8-1, three KO's) was an eight-round unanimous decision over Samuel on August 3 in front of a nationally televised ShoBox audience in Doraville, GA.

The co-feature should be a barnburner as well. Undefeated Glen Burnie, MD junior middleweight Lenwood "Mr. Composure" Dozier will take on DC's Kendrick Walker in a four-round contest. Dozier (2-0-1, two KO's) is coming off a first-round TKO over Tyrone Braswell on March 29 in Winston-Salem, NC. Walker (0-1-1) fought to a tough four-round draw with Spencer Harsley on November 9 in Fort Washington, MD.

Also on the card, undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell will take on Jamal Terry of New Castle, DE in another four-round encounter. Mitchell (2-0-1, one KO) is coming off a four-round draw against Alvaro Morales on March 22 in Cabazon, CA. Terry (3-8, two KO's) will be hoping that a change in venue will help as he is trying to break a three-bout losing streak. All three losses took place on cards at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD. Terry lost by knockout in all three bouts to Beltway Boxers Phill Brown, Ernest Mazyck and Scott Buchanan respectively. Since those bouts, however, Terry has reportedly shown a renewed dedication in training and has lost 21 pounds since the loss to Buchanan on November 9.

Undefeated Laurel, MD welterweight Norman "The Shadow" Allen returns as he will battle James Denson of Akron, OH in what will be closer to a junior middleweight four-rounder (152 pounds seems to be the target weight for the contest). Allen (3-0, two KO's) is coming off a spirited fourth-round TKO victory over Spencer Harsley on April 3 in Glen Burnie, MD. Allen survived a third-round knockdown to win the contest. Denson (2-1, one KO) will try to bounce back from his first pro loss -- a four-round unanimous decision against Deferson Legrand on November 17 in Atlantic City.

Two Beltway Boxers will make pro debuts on this card. Hyattsville, MD junior Lightweight Lawrence Martin will take on Cincinnati, OH's Mel Crossty, who is also making his pro debut. Cruiserweight Robert McConnell of Upper Marlboro, MD will also take his maiden voyage into the pro ranks as he takes on the equally debuting Garrett Wilson of Philadelphia.

In another four-round bout on the card, undefeated Lexington, KY light heavyweight Corey Washington (1-0, one KO) will take on William Jeter (0-0, 1 NC) of New York City.

Wilson Arrives in Stuttgart for WBA Title Challenge!

(Photo by Eroll Popova)

Takoma Park, MD cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson has arrived in Stuttgart, Germany for his WBA Cruiserweight title challenge against champion Firat Arslan on Saturday, May 3. The two fighters spoke at a press conference today and here is what they had to say courtesy of a Universum press release:

Wilson: "I prepared in Florida, running on the beach among other things. Firat Arslan is physical and a very strong boxer defensively. In the USA, we know him not only by his victory over ex-world champion Virgil Hill but by his KO victory over Grigory Drozd. Firat is a hard worker. That this fight has come about is a win for all boxing fans. My dream to take the world title will become a reality. I'm ready to go twelve rounds."

Arslan: My first title defense is very special. But during my career I have always prepared myself equally intensely and concentrated upon every fight. The preparation with my team in Sölden was great – I feel fitter than in my fight against Virgil Hill. I have a lot of respect for Darnell Wilson. I always want to box the best, and in the cruiserweight division he is the hardest puncher in the world. The fans will want to see this fight! I'm not man of big words - I'll give everything and defeat one of the best of my weight class!

MD Featherweight Title Bout Cancelled Again..Possibly for Good!

There is late word that the Maryland State Featherweight title bout between Thomas "KO" Snow and Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel that was slated for Saturday, May 3 at the District Heights Municipal Center has been cancelled again. And this time, there doesn't seem to be any hope of rescheduling the bout.

The issue this time is an even more important and pressing one -- Samuel's health condition. The Baltimore native had signed to fight a bout in New Jersey late last year. The New Jersey doctors did an electrocardiagram on Samuel as part of their medical procedure. Warning signs came up on the EKG and Samuel was not allowed to fight on the card. The card ended up being cancelled.

When word got out about Samuel's New Jersey EKG, Samuel saw another physician in Maryland (no word on whether it was Samuel's own doctor or a Maryland State Athletic Commission doctor). The results were similar. Reportedly, Maryland does not give an EKG as part of the Commission medical procedure.

BATB sends its best wishes to Samuel and hopes his condition improves.

Snow is still scheduled to be on the Keystone Boxing Promotions card as they look for another opponent. Meanwhile, the Capitol Heights native has reportedly signed a managerial contract with "The First Lady of Boxing," Jackie Kallen.

First Look at May 9 Fredricksburg Card!

The Friday, May 9 boxing card at the Fredricksburg Fairgrounds in Fredricksburg, VA is coming together. The card is the maiden voyage for Counter Punch Promotions, headed by Kimodi Cheatham.

The cruiserweight bout between Caroline, VA's Adam "The Real Deal" Seal and Derek "D-Mos" Amos of Dumfries, VA will be the main event on the card. Seal will come to the bout with a record of 2-1, one KO. The veteran Amos will come to the bout with a record of 15-25, nine KO's.

The card marks the 2008 debut of undefeated Oxon Hill, MD light heavyweight Alexander "The Great" Johnson. Johnson (4-0, three KO's) has not fought since winning a four-round unanimous decision over Zeferino Albino on November 29 in Glen Burnie, MD. Johnson is slated to take on debuting Cameroon native Francois Ambang.

Alexandria, VA lightweight Jaime "The Punisher" Palma has also signed to appear on the card against an opponent to be determined.

There will be two other boxing matches and also some mixed martial arts contests on the card.

Finkel Files for Arbitration in Peterson Case!

The Peterson Brothers's recent signing with Top Rank is apparently not completely a done deal. ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that the Petersons and trainer/co-manager Barry Hunter signed the deal without the input of the other co-manager, Shelly Finkel. And now it looks like the case will go to arbitration.

Finkel, who was negotiating a similar contract with Golden Boy Promotions, told Rafael that Hunter refused to allow him the opportunity to review the contracts they signed.

"They signed with Top Rank without my consent, negotiated without me and kept me out of it when I requested to see the deal before and after they agreed to it," Finkel told Rafael. "I am confident that my rights will be upheld and I'm sorry it has come to this because I have a lot of admiration for the Petersons, and for Barry Hunter for what he has done to help these kids in their life."

Rafael said Finkel's agreement with Hunter says they have equal input in decisions regarding the Petersons' careers. He said Hunter has not returned any of his telephone calls or e-mails, leaving him with "no choice" but to file an action against the fighters and Hunter with the American Arbitration Association, which their contract calls for in the event of a dispute.

"I am requesting that my contract be upheld and they be stopped from violating it in the future," Finkel said, adding that his managerial deal with them runs through September 2009.

In the ESPN.com article, Finkel said his objection was not that they signed with Top Rank, with whom he has other fighters as well as an extremely strained relationship with company chairman Bob Arum. Finkel said his issue was that they signed without letting him review the deal, which included $100,000 signing bonuses for each fighter. He said Golden Boy offered a signing package worth almost double.

"I know I could have made the [Top Rank] deal better. I'm sure there are some loopholes," said Finkel, who said he is asking for $300,000 in damages. "We may end up doing the deal with Arum, but I know I could have gotten more. You bid people against each other and come up with the best deal, but Barry didn't do that and he didn't ask me."

May 17 Winchester Card Starting to Take Shape!

We're starting to get information about the Left Hook Boxing card coming to the Winchester Sportsplex in Winchester, VA on Saturday, May 17. Here are the bouts that have been put together so far:

Undefeated Arlington, VA junior welterweight Todd "White Lightning" Wilson will try to keep his winning streak alive as he takes on the debuting Dwayne "Diesel" Shelton of Richmond, VA in a four-round contest. Wilson (4-0, one KO) won a four-round unanimous decision over David Novia in his last outing on February 23 in Winchester. Shelton is making his pro debut in boxing, but is a veteran of the professional Mixed Martial Arts circuit.

Noted trainer Bruce "The Hammer" Frank of Staunton, VA will face Billy "Crowbar" Mitchem of Spartansburg, SC in a four-round light heavyweight matchup. The 47-year-old Frank (0-0-1) steps back into the ring for the first time since his draw against Kenneth Carey on November 17 in Harrisonburg, VA. The 49-year-old Mitchem (6-17-1, one KO's) has lost four in a row, a streak that includes losses to Warren "The Mack" Clatterbuck and Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer.

Farmer (10-1, seven KO's) is slated to headline the Winchester show against an opponent to be determined. The Front Royal, VA resident is scheduled to participate in his first scheduled eight-round contest. Also, Montgomery, AL's undefeated middleweight John "No Mercy" Mackey (9-0, three KO's) is also slated to be on the card in a six-round co-feature.

Also on the card will be Caroline, VA cruiserweight Adam "The Real Deal" Seal. At this writing, Seal will be trying to pull off an interesting double as he tries to win two bouts in eight days. This after being inactive since suffering his only pro loss against William Bailey by third-round TKO on February 3, 2007 in Fisherville, VA. The Winchester card has Seal (2-1, one KO) squaring off against the undefeated and returning Terry "T-Brick" Roy of Front Royal (7-0-1, six KO's) This will be Roy's first bout since his third-round TKO over George Holder on November 11 in Springfield, VA. This will also be Roy's first bout since recovering from stab wounds received in an altercation at his home in late December.

But before Seal can get to Roy, he is scheduled to face veteran Derek "D-Mos" Amos of Dumfries, VA on the Friday, May 9 card at the Fredricksburg Fairgrounds in Fredricksburg, VA. Hope to have more on that card as well as the Saturday, May 3 card in District Heights, MD later this week.

Navy Coach McNally Chosen As an Official For Beijing Olympics!

The Beltway will be well represented at the 2008 Olympic Boxing Tournament in Beijing, China.

We all know that Gary Russell, Jr. will be on the United States Olympic Team. We also know that one of the US Olympic Team coaches will be DC's Robert "Herb" Martin.

Now comes word that Navy Boxing Coach James McNally has been selected as one of 34 referee-judges that will work during the Olympic Games. McNally is well known internationally as he has officiated in over 27 international competitions in his career, including the World Championships, Pan American Games and Americas Qualifier.

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) determined the officials who will work at the Olympic Games, utilizing a new evaluation process which began at the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Chicago and continued through the Continental Olympic Qualification Tournaments.

“This new evaluation process has proven to be very intensive”, AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu said in a press release. “But it has ensured that we will not only see the best of the world’s boxers in Beijing but also the top international referees and judges who will officiate during the Games.”

In addition to his experience as an official, McNally has served as the Navy Boxing Coach for 22 years and his teams have won five National Collegiate Boxing Association National Championships. Three of his boxers won individual titles at this year's Collegiate Nationals. McNally has served as a referee judge for 25 years, officiating in 29 national-level tournaments, including the U.S. Championships, National Golden Gloves and U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

McNally will participate in two AIBA Olympic referees & judges workshops next month, the first - a classroom workshop - from May 20-23 in Beijing followed by a practical training workshop during the 1st AIBA President’s Cup to be held from May 24–June 1 in Taipei.

One other Olympic note: It looks like Gary Russell, Jr. will not be participating in this coming Saturday's US-Puerto Rico Dual Meet in Philadelphia. The new US roster does not have him on the list. No reason was given for the change.

Palma-Spadafora Bout Falls Through!

I was hoping to announce another big step-up bout for a Beltway Boxer that was actually scheduled for this coming Friday, April 25. However, the bout has fallen through.

Virginia State Lightweight champion Jaime "The Punisher" Palma of Alexandria was about to sign a contract that would have had him face former IBF Lightweight champion Paul Spadafora this Friday in Erie, PA. However, earlier Saturday, Palma turned down the contract.

Palma says the contract ended up for the bout to be fought closer to the 147-pound or welterweight class, because Spadafora had not fought in a year and is nowhere near his former championship weight. Palma is still closer to the 135-pound lightweight limit because he had been training for his USBA Southern Division title bout with Philadelphia's Lenny DeVictoria that was slated for April 12 in Richmond before that card was postponed.

Now, it looks like Palma may be a part of the Friday, May 9 card that will be held at the Fredricksburg Fairgrounds in Fredricksburg, VA.

Beltway Prospects Take Crucial Steps in May!

On May 29 and 30, two Beltway prospects will take significant bouts to further their careers.

As announced this morning on the "Ballroom Boxing Report" on WJFK-AM in Baltimore, undefeated Pasadena, MD super middleweight "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall will battle former world title contender Larry "The Laser" Marks of Newark, DE on Thursday, May 29 in the main event of the next Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Paschall (16-0-1, four KO's) is coming off a solid fourth-round TKO over Bruce Rumbolz on the last Ballroom Boxing show on April 3. Paschall has scored knockouts in his last two bouts. Marks (29-9-1, 16 KO's) who unsuccessfully challenged Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis for the WBA Welterweight title in 2001, is the most accomplished boxer Paschall has faced. Marks has also fought the likes of former world champions Cory Spinks and Charles "The Natural" Murray as well as contenders Andrew Murray and Tokunbo Olajide. Marks also holds victories over Beltway Boxers Ed Griffin and Purcell Miller.

There is a possibility that this will be a 10-round contest. If that holds up, that will be virgin territory for Paschall.

The very next night, Friday, May 30, Charlottesville, VA junior middleweight George "War Time" Rivera makes his national television debut as he battles undefeated Philadelphia prospect Latif Mundy in Monroeville, PA. The scheduled eight-round bout will be shown as a co-feature on the Spanish network Telefutura.

Rivera (8-1, three KO's) is coming off an impressive four-round unanimous decision over Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor on March 15 in Allentown, PA. Mundy (7-0, two KO's) has not fought since November 11 when he won a six-round unanimous decision over Maurice Williams in Philadelphia. This will be the first scheduled eight-rounder for both men.

Hopefully by the end of the weekend, I'll have official confirmation of another Beltway Boxer that will take a significant step in competition in the very near future.

Petersons Sign With Top Rank, Says ESPN.Com!

ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that the Undefeated Peterson Brothers have signed promotional contracts with Top Rank and promoter Bob Arum. Rafael says Arum received signed contracts from the Petersons earlier this week, but co-manager Shelly Finkel still has to approve the deal.

The Petersons have been looking at offers from both Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, Rafael says, and it was co-manager and trainer Barry Hunter who decided to take the Top Rank offer.

Arum had very nice things to say about the Petersons.

"They're good prospects and nice kids," Arum said. "Besides being good fighters, the most important thing to me is they're gentlemen, well-behaved kids and very respectful. At this stage of my career and my life those are the kinds of kids I want to devote my time to. I want good fighters who are gentlemen. Fortunately, the kids I have are that way. That's what makes it a pleasure."

Arum told Rafael that junior welterweight Lamont (24-0, 11 KOs), 24, would make his debut for the company July 5 on Showtime in the opening fight of the card headlined by the Ricardo Torres-Kendall Holt junior welterweight title rematch. Arum said lightweight Anthony (26-0, 19 KOs), 23, would fight June 26 on Versus.

Had they signed with Golden Boy, they would have been televised on the HBO undercard of the Oscar De La Hoya-Steve Forbes bout May 3.

Brutal Results From Pikesville!

Here are the results from what was a competitive and somewhat brutal night of Baltimore Pro Boxing from the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD:

Undefeated Baltimore junior middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow continued his winning ways with a crushing fourth-round TKO over Chad "Tazz" Greenleaf of Parkesburg, WV. Nicklow registered four knockdowns en route to the win as he used his left hook with alarming accuracy. The bout was stopped at 2:25 of the round. Nicklow is now 17-0-1, seven KO's.

Another undefeated Beltway Boxer did not remain so after this card as Dundalk, MD heavyweight "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich was decimated by Wes "The Tiger" Taylor, now fighting out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the third round. Dietrich actually scored a knockdown in the first, but Taylor came roaring back and had Dietrich in deep trouble in the second before Taylor put Dietrich away with a devastating right hand early in the third that had Dietrich down and tangled in the ropes. The bout was stopped at 23 seconds of the third. Taylor raised his record to 7-12-1, seven KO's. Dietrich is now 10-1, five KO's.

Beltway rookie light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker of Eldersburg, MD maintained his perfect record with a first-round TKO over Gary Lavender of Wilson, NC. Tucker landed punches that, although they looked awkward, did serious damage to Lavender. Tucker put on enough pressure to force referee Malik Waleed to stop the bout at 1:25 of the first. Tucker is now 3-0, three KO's. Lavender is now 5-13, five KO's. This bout was Tucker's first scheduled six-round contest.

Baltimore middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter made a successful return to boxing after an almost three-year absence with a solid first-round TKO over Pete Guthy of Myrtle Beach, SC. Midway through the first, Jeter landed a beautiful right hand that made Guthy stumble into the ropes, causing a knockdown. Guthy stayed on his feet but his legs were wobbly, forcing referee Gary Camponeschi to stop the contest at 1:15 of the round. Jeter's record rises to 5-2, five KO's while Guthy is now 2-4-2.

Baltimore light heavyweight Willie "For Real" Williams continued his winning ways with a six-round unanimous decision over Andre "Da Heat" Hemphill, now fighting out of Philadelphia, PA. Williams tried some variety in his boxing, going southpaw successfully at times to help win the decision. Judges Joe Ware and Malik Waleed saw the bout 59-55 while judge David Greer scored the bout 58-56. Williams has now won four in a row (not six as I say in the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up) and nine of his last 10. Williams's record is now 10-2, two KO's. Hemphill falls under .500 at 6-7-2, three KO's.

In the opening contest, Bowie, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant won a six-round majority decision over Mike Miller of Akron, OH. Grant used better activity and a crushing right uppercut to help seal the close victory. Judge Ware saw the draw at 57-57, but judges Greer and Camponeschi saw the bout 59-55 for Grant, who has now won 11 straight bouts and has a record of 12-1, seven KO's. Miller now falls to 3-10-1, two KO's.

Here is a rather lengthy BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up which includes an interview with Tony Jeter as well as a recap of the card with myself, "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and former Beltway Boxing fan favorite Del "The Hatchet" Matchett.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #106 - Full Report From Pikesville!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears, Del "The Hatchet" Matchett and I describe a very competitive and somewhat brutal night of boxing from the Pikesville National Guard Armory. Included is an interview with the returning Tony "Mo Better" Jeter!

Scale Watch For Tomorrow in Pikesville!

Here are the weights for tomorrow night's Baltimore Pro Boxing card at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD.

Jessie Nicklow 155 ¼ vs. Chad Greenleaf 155

Mike Dietrich 220 ½ vs. Wes Taylor 219

Mark Tucker 175 ¾ vs Gary Lavender 177 ¼

Willie Williams 176 ¼ vs. Andre Hemphill 171 ½

Tony Jeter 163 ¼ vs. Pete Guthy 164 ¼

Horace Grant 247 ½ vs. Mike Miller 233 ¼

MD State Featherweight Title Bout Moves to District Heights May 3!

The Maryland State Featherweight title contest between Capitol Heights's Thomas "KO" Snow and Baltimore's Tyrell "Da Show Shock'a" Samuel has a new venue.

The bout will be the main event on the Keystone Boxing card on Saturday, May 3 at the District Heights Municipal Center in District Heights, MD.

We'll have more details on this card in the weeks to come. This card will be the first of four in the Beltway area in the month of May.

Navy Boxers Capture Individual Titles at Collegiate Nationals!

Three boxers from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD captured titles at the Collegiate Boxing Championships in Reno, NV this weekend.

In the 139-pound division, Antone Aku won a 3-2 decision over Terrell Anthony of Army. Mike Steadman captured the 175-pound championship with a 4-1 decision over Kenny Dyer-Redner of Nevada. In the Heavyweight division, Jeff Laupola captured the crown by defeating Mansfield's Chris Phifer by a 5-0 decision.

Two more Midshipmen made it to the finals but Mikoto Yoshida lost a 3-2 decision to Dean Chuba of the Air Force Academy in the 112-pound class and Jeremiah Oliver dropped a 5-0 decision to Aaron Lynch of Lock Haven.

Army won the team title. The University of Maryland also sent a team to the nationals.

Update on April 18 Pikesville Card!

Some interesting matchups have been made for the Baltimore Pro Boxing card on Friday, April 18 at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD.

Undefeated Dundalk, MD cruiserweight "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich (10-0, five KO's) will battle veteran Wes Taylor of Milledgeville, GA (6-12-1, six KO's in a scheduled six-round matchup. Taylor fought in the area before back in June of 2001 at the Washington Convention Center when he pinned the first loss on then highly-touted prospect and 2000 Olympian Michael Bennett by a controversial first-round knockout.

Riverdale, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant (11-1, seven KO's) returns to Pikesville to take on Mike Miller of Akron, OH (3-9-1, two KO's) in another six-round encounter. Grant last fought in Pikesville on January 18 when he won a six-round split decision over Cornelius Ellis. Miller recently broke a five-bout losing streak with a four-round unanimous decision victory over Dan Jambor on February 23 in Akron.

The card is also slated to feature middleweight Shelly Sievert of Severna Park, MD. Her opponent is yet to be determined.

The main event remains the same: undefeated Baltimore junior middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow (16-0-1, six KO's) will go up against veteran Chad "Taz" Greenleaf of Parkesburg, WV (10-9-1, four KO's) in an eight-round contest.

Also on the card will be the six-round rematch between Baltimore light heavyweight Willie "For Real" Williams (9-2, two KO's) and Woodbridge, VA's Andre "Da Heat" Hemphill (6-6-2, three KO's), Tony "Mo Better" Jeter of Columbia, MD (4-2, four KO's) taking on Charleston, SC's Pete Guthy (1-2-1) in a four-round encounter, and undefeated Eldersburg, MD light heavy Mark "TNT" Tucker (2-0, two KO's) will take on Gary Lavender of Pine Level, NC (5-12, five KO's) in a six-round bout, Tucker's first scheduled six-rounder. Lavender has lost his last three bouts, including the last two times he has been in Maryland. Lavender was stopped in the second round in both those bouts by Mike Paschall and Carlos Jones.

Orji Wins Split Decision in Villa Park!

Laurel, MD super featherweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji won a four-round split decision last night over the debuting Juan Gonzalez of Chicago, IL last night at the Odeom Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park, IL.

Orji came out on top on two of the judges scorecards, 39-37. One judge saw the bout for Gonzalez, 39-37.

Orji is now 2-0, one KO.

Orji Weighs in at Villa Park, IL

Laurel, MD super featherweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji weighed in at 133 1/2 pounds for his four-round encounter with Juan Gonzalez tomorrow night at the Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park, IL. Gonzalez came in at 135 pounds.

Thompson Title Shot Sanctioned By IBF, WBO; Will Be Shown on HBO!

The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has joined the World Boxing Organization (WBO) in approving DC's Tony "The Tiger" Thompson's title quest against champion Wladimir Klitschko on July 12 in Hamburg, Germany.

The winner of the contest must face the IBF's number one contender, Alexander Povetkin, by November 29 or risk being stripped of the IBF crown.

HBO will televise the fight. No word on whether it will be a live broadcast or on same-day tape delay.

Here's what Klitschko had to say in a press release:

"I am very happy about the fair decision by the IBF, because Thompson has already been waiting for a year as the mandatory challenger. There is a reason why Thompson is number one in the world ranking – he hasn’t lost in eight years! I saw his knockout win in Germany over Luan Krasniqi, and definitely will not underestimate him. I look forward to getting back into the ring in July and to defending the titles again by the end of the year.”

I'll have more to say about this tonight on BATB on Youcastr.com at 10 PM ET. Click on the link at the left of the blog to listen to the show.

Guerrero Wins By Fourth-Round TKO in Augusta, GA!

Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero put on a dominating performance stopping Valentino Jalomo in the fourth round in front of a national television audience (ESPN2) in the Bell Auditorium in Augusta, GA.

Guerrero earned numerous standing-eight counts against his opponent throughout the contest before the referee stopped it midway through.

Guerrero, who reached the fourth round for the first time in his career, raised his record to 5-0, five KO's. Jalomo is now 2-3-1.

April 12 Richmond Card Postponed!

The Saturday, April 12 boxing card at the Richmond Convention Center has been postponed. Infinity Boxing, the promoters of the card, say that the card was postponed because they are looking for a new venue.

The card was originally scheduled to take place at the Richmond Coliseum, but then was planned for next door at the Convention Center before being postponed altogether. No new date has been announced.

The card was scheduled to feature Beltway Boxers Jaime "The Punisher" Palma, Bayan Jargal, George "War Time" Rivera and Adam "The Real Deal" Seal. The promoters say if you bought a ticket for the event through Ticketmaster, will be refunded.

This will be just one of the topics I will talk about on my Youcastr show tomorrow evening at 10 PM ET. Please join me on www.youcastr.com. There is a live chat section that you can join and give comments and questions as the show goes on.

Guerrero Tips the Scales in Augusta!

Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero weighed in at 159 pounds today for his bout versus Valentino Jalomo tomorrow night at the Bell Auditorium in Augusta, GA. Jalomo tipped the scales at 156.

Guerrero's bout will be shown on ESPN2 tomorrow night. The Wednesday Night Fights telecast will be on a delayed basis at 10 PM ET.

Thompson Title Shot Has Official Date and Location!

Mark Saturday, July 12 on your calendar. That will be the night that DC heavyweight Tony "The Tiger" Thompson will challenge Wladimir Klitschko for the WBO Heavyweight title!

The site will be the Color Line Arena in Hamburg, Germany. That's the same location where Thompson stopped Luan Krasniqi in the fifth round on July 14, 2007 to become the WBO's number one contender.

As of right now, Klitschko's IBF title is not on the line. The IBF is still deciding whether to clear Klitschko for this bout because their number-one contender is Alexander Povetkin, who is scheduled to face Klitschko at the end of the year or in early 2009. Klitschko also has the lightly-regarded IBO title and that will be on the line July 12.

No word yet on whether this bout will be shown on American TV.

Guerrero Makes TV Debut Wednesday Night on ESPN2!

Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero will make his national television debut this Wednesday night, April 9 on ESPN2 from the Bell Auditorium in Augusta, GA. Guerrero (4-0, four KO's) will take on Valentino Jalomo of Amarillo, TX (2-2-1) in a four-round matchup.

Undefeated DC super lightweight Ty Barnett was originally scheduled to be on the televised undercard but his opponent, Christopher Fernandez, had to back out of the bout. Just want to make it clear that Guerrero's bout did not intentionally bump Barnett's bout off the televised portion of the card. Barnett will not be on the card at all.

The card will be shown on a tape-delayed basis on ESPN2's Wednesday Night Fights at around 10 PM ET (or after the major league baseball game).

'TNT' Tucker Wins in First Round in Florida!

Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker scored a crushing first-round TKO over Mark Fleming on April 4 in Key Largo, FL.

According to published reports, Tucker came roaring out of his corner and hurt Fleming with a right hook, making him stumble into the ropes. Tucker then pummeled his opponent until the referee stopped the contest at 1:33 of the first.

Tucker is now 2-0, two KO's and is slated to be a part of the Baltimore Pro Boxing card on Friday, April 18 at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD.

Arvin USBO Title Shot Cancelled!

Tough break for Baltimore's Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin. His USBO Junior Middleweight title shot against Willie "Slik" Lee scheduled for Saturday, April 12 in Biloxi, MS has been cancelled.

The Mississippi Athletic Commission shut down the entire card because promoters were unable to secure the fighters's purses 10 days before the event as agreed upon by the promoter's contract.

'Hurricane' Mayes Wins Decision in Rhode Island!

(photo by Emily Harney)

Baltimore light heavyweight Henry "Hurricane" Mayes won a six-round unanimous decision over Joe McCreedy last night on the non-televised undercard of the ESPN broadcast at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI. The scores were close with Mayes winning 58-56 and 57-56 (twice).

The victory breaks a three-bout winless streak for Mayes which includes a close loss to Joey Spina on March 14 in Lincoln. Spina fought on one of the televised bouts last night.

Mayes is now 7-5-1, four KO's. McCreedy saw his two-bout winning streak snapped and he is now 7-2, five KO's.

According to Fightnews.com's Scott Ploof, Mayes had to be escorted out of the ring by police because he had defeated the local favorite McCreedy (who is from Lowell, MA) and the fans weren't too happy about it, as they shouted obscenities and tried to get at him.

'Ding-A-Ling Man' Wilson Gets WBA World Title Shot May 3!

Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson finally gets his title shot. Wilson will challenge Firat Arslan for the WBA Cruiserweight championship on Saturday, May 3 at Hanns-Martin Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, Germany.

Wilson (23-6-3, 20 KO's) won by sixth-round TKO over Robert Marsh on March 15 in Richmond, VA (So if you see it written that Wilson got this title shot despite his loss to BJ Flores, that is erroneous).

Arslan (28-3-1, 18 KO's) will be making the first defense of the title that he won from former world champion Virgil Hill in November of 2007. Arslan is a native of Stuttgart, Germany.

This bout will not be shown on TV in the US.

MD State Title Bout Called Off Due to..Liniment Spray!

The Maryland State Featherweight title bout between Thomas "KO" Snow and Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD was suddenly called off due to a liniment-type substance used by one of the boxers.

Moments before the contest, Snow put on a spray that he says he has used before every bout without incident. In this case, however, the Samuel camp smelled the spray and said it smelled like liniment and was afraid that the spray could get into their boxers's eyes. Reportedly, Snow tried to wash the spray off, but there was some still on his body, enough to force the cancellation of the bout.

We'll have more on this story as it develops.

The rest of the six-bout card went off as scheduled. Here are the results:

Pasadena, MD super middleweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall put on a scintillating performance in stopping Bruce "The Rage" Rumbolz of Sterling, IL in the fourth round. Paschall put on a body shot clinic in the first two rounds, breaking Rumbolz down before putting him away with head shots forcing ringside doctor John Stiller to stop the contest at 1:56 of the fourth. Paschall is now 16-0-1, four KO's while Rumbolz falls to 21-16-2, 15 KO's.

Welterweight Norman "The Shadow" Allen of Laurel, MD survived a third-round knockdown to stop "The Capital Punisher" Spencer Harsley in the fourth. Harsley caught Allen with a vicious right hand that dropped him to the canvas in the third round. Allen was able to finish the round and came out strong in the fourth pummeling Harsley until Harsley's corner threw in the towel. The bout was stopped at 2:38. Allen remains undefeated at 3-0, two KO's while Harsley falls to 1-6-2.

Undefeated York, PA super featherweight Carney "Beeper" Bowman registered an easy six-round unanimous decision over Cuauhtemoc Mendoza of Cancun, Mexico. Bowman pitched a shutout on two of the three judges's scorecards and raised his record to 9-0, four KO's. Mendoza's record drops to 4-5-1, one KO.

Detroit, MI cruiserweight Harvey "Candy Man" Jolly used brutal uppercuts to stop previously undefeated Rich Gingras of Concord, MA in the third round. After a few misses, Jolly finally landed the right uppercut late in the second and dropped Gingras hard to the canvas. Early in the third, Jolly landed another big uppercut, forcing referee John Gradowski to stop the bout at 20 seconds of the round. With the win, Jolly evens his record at 7-7-1, four KO's while Gingras is now 8-1, four KO's.

Omaha, NE lightweight Terrence Crawford spent three minutes punishing New Yorker Filiberto Nieto. Nieto did not come out for the second round. Crawford is now 2-0, two KO's while Nieto drops to 1-5.

Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-up Show that may shed more light on this card.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #105 - Why There Was No Maryland State Title Bout in Glen Burnie!

Another bizarre event at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie. "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I try to explain why the Maryland State Featherweight title bout between Thomas "KO" Snow and Tyrell "Da Show Shock A" Samuel was called off as well as talk about what was an otherwise solid night of boxing!

Regional Golden Gloves Championship Bouts Announced!

The bouts have been announced for the Washington Golden Gloves Regional Championships which will be held on Friday, April 11 at the Waldorf Jaycees Community Center in Waldorf, MD.

Winners from the Washington Golden Gloves championships last week will meet the winners from the Virginia Championships as well as boxers from North Carolina. These are the scheduled bouts:


Novice Division

119 pounds: Erick Cruz (DC) vs. Henry Mekok (Richmond, VA)

125 pounds: Andre Morgan (Riverdale, MD) vs. Seth Crane (Powhattan, VA)

132 pounds: Joel Young (Beltsville, MD) vs. Reginald Barnett (Norfolk, VA)

141 pounds: Charles Dobbins (Hagerstown, MD) vs. Danny Foster (Annandale, VA)

152 pounds: Damian Butler (Glenarden, MD) vs. Kelvin Edmonds (Norfolk, VA)

165 pounds: Eric Govan (Rockville, MD) vs. Willie Nelson (Richmond, VA)

178 pounds: Manuel Ramos (DC) vs. Ian Paterson (Richmond, VA)

Heavyweight: Joe Liles (Odenton, MD) vs. Joe Cusimano (Virginia Beach, VA)

Super Heavyweight: Bernard Adams (Baltimore, MD) vs. Jerry Forrest (Newport News, VA)


Open Division

Winners from this championship will advance to the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Grand Rapids, MI on May 4-11.

119 pounds: Kevin Rivers (Oxon Hill, MD) vs. Roger Belch (Virginia Beach, VA)

125 pounds: Traon Bynum (DC) vs. Andre Ramirez, USMC (Camp Lejune, NC)

132 pounds: Renaldo Gaines (DC) vs. Cordaro Simpkins (Virginia Beach, VA)

141 pounds: Marquis Moore (Waldorf, MD) vs. Hasson Williams (Portsmouth, VA)

152 pounds: David Grayton (DC) vs. Jeremiah Wiggins (Newport Beach, VA)

165 pounds: Jarrett Hurd (Accokeek, MD) vs. Walter McRay (Lynchburg, VA)

178 pounds: Thomas Williams (Laurel, MD) vs. Ricardo Mickins (Richmond, VA)

Heavyweight: Nick Kisner (Glen Burnie, MD) vs. DeJesus Gardner, USMC (Camp Lejune)

Super Heavyweight: Andrew Jackson (DC) vs. Andre Brickhouse (Norfolk, VA)

DC's Francis Taylor will advance to the nationals because he is unopposed in the 106 pound championship bout.

There will also be a ceremony to honor one of the great people in the Beltway Boxing community: Eugene "Thunder" Hughes of Midtown Youth Academy.

Russell Jr, Team USA, Faces Puerto Rico on April 26!

US Olympian Gary Russell, Jr. of Capitol Heights, MD will make his first in-ring appearance since qualifying for the Olympics in Beijing on Saturday, April 26 when he will be part of a Team USA contingent that will face Puerto Rico in a dual meet at the Liaconas Center on the campus of Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.

Russell has not fought since losing in the 2007 World Championships in Chicago last October. Russell advanced to the quarterfinals of that event, which punched his ticket to Beijing, but he lost his next bout. Russell will face McJoe Arroyo who won the bronze medal at the 2007 world championships.

There will be a lot of excitement on the 26th in Philadelphia. The last Saturday in April means the final day of one of the biggest track and field meets in the country -- The Penn Relay Carnival at Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus. Because it is an Olympic year, there will probably be an even bigger crowd at Franklin Field than usual. So with two Olympic-style events in one day, that would be a dream for a sports fan!

Scale Watch From The Ballroom!

Here are the weights for tomorrow night's card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD:

Tyrell Samuel 125 vs. Thomas Snow 121 3/4

Mike Paschall 167 3/4 vs Bruce Rumbolz 169 1/2

Norman Allen 147 3/4 vs. Spencer Harsley 146 3/4

Carney Bowman 131 1/2 vs. Cuauhtemoc Mendoza 131 1/2

Richard Gingras 189 1/4 vs. Harvey Jolley 195

Terrence Crawford 137 1/2 vs. Feliberto Nieto 137 1/2

Nicklow, Dietrich in Action April 18 in Pikesville!

Undefeated Baltimore-area boxers Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich will be in featured bouts on the next Baltimore Pro Boxing card on Friday, April 18 at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD.

Nicklow (16-0-1, six KO's) will be in an eight-round junior middleweight matchup against veteran Chad "Taz" Greenleaf of Parkersburg, WV (10-9-1, four KO's). Nicklow is coming off an impressive first-round TKO over Richard "Tiger" Lee Hall on the last Baltimore Pro Boxing card in Pikesville on February 29. Greenleaf will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak that includes an eight-round split-decision loss to Thomas Davis on January 24 in Charlotte, NC. This will be the third Beltway Boxer Greenleaf has faced. Previously he lost a split decision to Marlon Haynes in August of 1998 and a unanimous decision to Jimmy Lange in May of 2003.

The co-feature brings back Dietrich (10-0, five KO's) in a six-round heavyweight bout against Cornelius Ellis (10-15-1, six KO's) of Wilson, NC. Dietrich has not fought since July 20, 2007 when he stopped Jerry Simpson in the third round at DuBurns Arena in Baltimore. Ellis's last bout was in Pikesville when he lost a six-round split decision to Horace "The Reason" Grant on January 18 in Pikesville. Grant (11-1, seven KO's), a heavyweight from Riverdale, MD, is also slated to be on the April 18 card in Pikesville.

Also on the card will be Columbia, MD middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter who will face Myrtle Beach, SC's Pete Guthy in a four-round contest. Jeter (4-2, four KO's, one NC) has been in the ring in an exhibition bout recently but has not fought an official bout since December of 2005. The last bout for Guthy (1-2-1) was on January 25 when he was stopped by Brian Macy in Mashantucket, CT. Prior to that, Guthy battled to a four-round majority draw against Elias Bouloubassis on December 7 in Pikesville.

Baltimore light heavyweight Willie "For Real" Williams will battle Woodbridge, VA's Andre "Da Heat" Hemphill in a six-round rematch bout. Williams (9-2, two KO's) won the first bout over Hemphill (6-6-2, three KO's) on September 14, 2006 at Martin's West in Woodlawn. Williams, who is riding a three-bout winning streak, will be participating in his third straight rematch bout; he holds victories over Ray Ruiz and Willis Lockett in his last two bouts. Hemphill gets back in the ring for the first time since battling Simon Carr to a four-round draw on August 24 in Philadelphia.

Other Beltway Boxers slated to be on the card include Beltway rookies Mark "TNT" Tucker and Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell.

Join BATB on YouCastr.com Wednesday Night!

On Wednesday, April 2, I will be doing a special audio Boxing Along The Beltway program on www.youcastr.com. This is a free service that allows people to broadcast shows (including play-by-play of events) over the internet.

This is a pilot episode that will preview Thursday night's Ballroom Boxing card. Now, this is a new venture for me and I am trying it out because there is a possibility of some nice opportunities for me and the Beltway Boxing community. According to the site, you can chat and send messages as the show is progressing.

So, join me tomorrow night at 10 PM ET for a special audio edition of Boxing Along the Beltway!

Samuel, Snow Speak on Featherweight Title Bout!

In these exclusive BATB interviews, Tyrell Samuel and Thomas Snow give their thoughts on this Thursday's Maryland State Featherweight title bout at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #104 - Tyrell Samuel Focuses on Featherweight Title Clash!

Baltimore featherweight Tyrell "Da Show Shock A" Samuel (9-2, five KO's) discusses his April 3 Maryland State Featherweight title clash with Thomas "KO" Snow!





Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #103 - Thomas Snow Talks Title Clash!

Undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Thomas "KO" Snow (10-0, eight KO's) talks about his upcoming bout with Tyrell "Da Show Shock A" Samuel for the vacant Maryland State Featherweight title at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD!

New Beltway Boxing Poll: Who Will Win the Maryland State Featherweight Title?

As you know by now, we have a big bout coming up this week. The Maryland State Featherweight title is on the line on Thursday, April 3 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD as undefeated Thomas "KO" Snow of Capitol Heights (10-0, eight KO's) battles Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel of Baltimore (9-2, five KO's).

So the poll is simple: In your opinion, who will win the bout?