Stevenson, Coleman Receive Press Before Baltimore Card!

Two of the co-feature boxers on this Saturday's Baltimore Pro Boxing card at Du Burns Arena are the subjects of a couple of interesting internet press clippings.




Baltimore welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson sat down for an interview with freelance writer Chip Mitchell as he gets ready for his bout with Ken Dunham. Here is the text of the interview.

CM: James, thanks for granting us this opportunity to interview you before your fight. How has training gone for you?

JS: Pretty good, man. Excellent, excellent.

CM: Last time out versus Manuel Guzman, you weren’t able to record a knockout for the first time in your professional career. How disappointed were you?

JS: I wasn’t really disappointed man, I just wanted to show everybody I could go 8 rounds… a tough 8 rounds. So it let everybody know I could get the win. I got a chin as everybody saw so it was a good fight.

CM: Your bout this Saturday is against Ken Dunham. He’s an opponent that you’ve seen before and beaten. What are your thoughts about his skill set and does a rematch play to your advantage or Dunham’s?

JS: It plays out to my advantage because I stopped him in the 2nd round before. I know he’s going to train a lot harder so I’m going to train extra hard. I’m not going in with the mindset that I’m going to knock him out. I’m just going to go in there and just box and whatever happens will happen.

CM: Describe your fighting style to Internet readers out there who have never seen you fight.

JS: I’m all-in-one. I can box, I can brawl, I’m fast. Like I said I’m all-in-one. So I don’t just have one style.

CM: Let’s talk about your moniker. Tell the fans online how your nickname Keep‘em Sleepin came to fruition?

JS: After my first 4 knockouts my manager said if I get one more knockout we’re going to name ourselves Keep‘em Sleepin. So we went out there and knocked him out and that’s where we got that name from Keep’em Sleepin!

CM: How did you get your start in boxing?

JS: Aww man, you know I just walked past the gym one day. It was something I always wanted to do. I went in, talked to Mr. Mack (famed trainer Mack Lewis), and told him I’d be back the next day. I came back the next day and in the next 2 weeks I had a fight.

CM: Who do you consider your favorite boxers, past or present?

JS: Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson!

CM: Baltimore has produced world champions in the past such as Joe Gans, Hasim Rahman and Vince Pettway. Will we see James Stevenson’s name along with these men in the future?

JS: Oh yes sir, yes sir, yes sir!!!!

CM: What do you do when you are not in the gym training or sparring for your next fight?

JS: I’m always training everyday regardless. I have a job I work at Giant warehouse. I’ve been there for 8 and a half years. And I have a family. I’m also married so I spend time with my family when I’m not at the gym.

CM: In closing, is there anything else you would like to tell Internet readers who are viewing this transcript?

JS: I’m coming! That’s all I can say is that I’m coming! Just believe what I say, I’m coming!!

CM: Thanks a lot James, and Keep ‘em Sleepin baby!!

JS:

Thanks to Matt Yanofsky for facilitating this interview for Mitchell.


Meanwhile, I found an interesting interview with Baltimore's Tim "Pitbull" Coleman on Coleman's Facebook page. Coleman, who will be in a rematch with "Magnificent" Martinus Clay on Saturday, is joined by former world champion Ricky Hatton in this interview. Coleman was Hatton's chief sparring partner for Hatton prior to Hatton's bout against Paulie Malinaggi. I will post the link, but you may need a Facebook acoount to view.

"http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/video/video.php?v=1081464676236">

Former Beltway Amateur Opponents Team to Promote Amateur Card in Laurel!

They fought each other as amateurs, but on Saturday, July 25, Tony "Mo Better" Jeter and Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall will team up with noted trainer Robert Crawford to host an amateur show at the Gardens Ice House in Laurel, MD.

The card will feature a number of open-class boxers and will begin at 7 PM. The Gardens is located at 13800 Old Gunpowder Road in Laurel.

Lockett Meets Undefeated Majewski August 8 in Atlantic City!

Takoma Park, MD's Willis "The Prophet" Lockett will take on undefeated Patrick Majewski in an eight-round co-feature middleweight bout on Saturday, August 8 at Bally's in Atlantic City, NJ.

Lockett (12-8-5, five KO's) lost an eight-round unanimous decision to former WBC Middleweight champion Keith Holmes on June 6 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Majewski, originally from Poland but now fighting out of Atlantic City (11-0, seven KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Latif Mundy also on June 6 in Atlantic City.

BATB Anniversary -- By the Numbers!

As we come close to the fifth anniversary of Boxing Along The Beltway, here are some numbers to look at.

BATB has been taking note of the number of boxers that made their pro debut during the BATB era. Since we started keeping track of the rookie classes in 2006, the number of debuting boxers has increased every year. A BATB rookie is someone who started their careers prior to November of a given year.

In 2006, we had 10 boxers make their pro debut. The next year, the number grew slightly to 11. In 2008, the rookie class grew to 16. So far, this year, the number is a relatively astonishing 19.

And who were in these rookie classes? Glad you asked.

(2006)

Big” Phillip Brown

Nick “Flash” Collins

Andrew “Doo Man” Farmer

Horace “The Reason” Grant

Jessie “The Beast” Nicklow

”JC Superstar” Juan Carlos Robles

“Money” Mike Sawyer

Thomas “KO” Snow

"The Berlin Bomber" Joshua Snyder

Willie “For Real” Williams


2007

"The Golden Greek" Elias Bouloubassis

Earl "Mighty Mouse" Cole

"The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal

Alexander "The Great" Johnson

Lawrence Jones

Danny Kisner

Travis "O.T.T." Mallin

"War Time" George Rivera

Edgar "The Tiger" Torres

"White Lightning" Todd Wilson

Tracey Brewer

2008

Lenwood “Mr. Composure” Dozier

Stennis “Hard Banging” Floyd

Fernando Guerrero

Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell

Ikem “The Warrior” Orji

Mark “TNT” Tucker

James Stevenson

“The Big Ticket” Dwayne McRae

Hannibal Otey

Robert “The Mac Attack” McConnell

Calvin “Shotgun” Aughtry

Antonio Walls

Cecil McCalla

Joe Gardner

Benjamin Borteye

Omar Sims

Raymondo Elliott


2009

Juan “Savior” Rodriguez

Gary Russell, Jr.

Dominic “The Blade” Wade

Justin “Smooth” Ridgeway

Abloyt Abashi

Emmanuel “Transformer” Taylor

Angelo “Seek and Destroy” Ward

Damien Butler

Robert “Rated X” Reed

Maurice Byarm

Steve “Show Stealer” Wheeler

Andrew “The Giant” Jackson

Barry Trotter

Justin Blackwell

“Showtime” Tyrone Wright

Hugh Hinds

Alex Guerrero

Allan “Pitbull” Perkins

Christian Davila

'Hard Rock' Miller Added to Dover, DE Card July 24!

DC middleweight Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller has been added to the Friday, July 24 card at Dover Downs in Dover, DE. Miller (23-5-1, 18 KO's) will face veteran Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor of Wilmington, DE (13-22-4, six KO's) in a six-round contest.

This is the same card that features Smithsburg, MD junior welterweight Dean "Pit Bull" White (14-10-1, seven KO's) taking on Ryan Belasco of New Castle, DE in an eight-round main event for the WBF USA title.

Update on July 25 card at Du Burns!

Here is an update on the Baltimore Pro Boxing card on Saturday, July 25 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

The two main bouts remain the same -- undefeated Baltimore welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson (9-0, eight KO's) will face Ken Dunham of Charlotte, NC in an eight-round rematch that is slated to be for the NABC and WBF Americas Welterweight titles.

Also, Baltimore welter Tim "Pit Bull" Coleman (15-1-1, four KO's) will take on Wilson, NC's "Magnificent" Martinus Clay (13-20-4, five KO's) in another eight-round rematch.

DC heavyweight Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm (2-0, two KO's) will try to remain undefeated as he faces tough Maurice Winslow of Wilson, NC (3-9-1, three KO's) in a four-round encounter.

Baltimore cruiserweight Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler (2-0, one KO) looks to maintain his undefeated string against North Carolina's Octavius Davis (2-2-1, one KO) in another four-rounder.

Also on the card will be undefeated Czech Republic cruiserweight Daniel Kooji (3-0, one KO). Kooji will fight in a six-round contest against Rodricka Ray of Jackson, TN (2-2, one KO). Also, Georgetown, Guyana super middleweight Orin George (1-0) will battle Portsmouth, VA veteran John "The Baptist Terry (2-14-3, one KO) in a four-round encounter.

There are also three amateur bouts scheduled for the card. Two of the bouts may include Beltway 201-pounders Nick Kisner and Hasim Rahman, Jr. Also, there will be a special 10-count ceremony to honor the memory of former Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair.

Tucker Wins Unanimous Decision; Samuel, McRae Fall in Westminister!

Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Rubin "Mr. Hollywood" Williams in front of a raucous crowd at the Shipley Arena in Westminister, MD.

In his first 10-round distance bout, Tucker showed great condition and a solid right jab to keep Williams at bay throughout the contest. Williams showed very little offense throughout the bout although Williams tried to win the later rounds with brief offensive spurts. Judges John Gradowski and Malik Waleed scored the bout 97-93 while Judge Don Risher saw the bout 96-94. BATB saw the bout 99-91 for Tucker who is now 11-0, seven KO's while Williams falls to 29-8-1, 16 KO's.

There is talk that Tucker will receive a United States Boxing Organization (USBO) title opportunity on the next Westminister card in September.

In what can be qualified as an upset, Baltimore super featherweight and Maryland Super Featherweight champion Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel lost a six-round split decision to Philadelphia, PA's Gustavo Dailey.

Dailey simply outworked Samuel through the majority of the bout, beating Samuel to the punch and landing quality shots. Both men suffered swelling under the eyes, but Dailey's workrate proved to be the difference. Judges Gradowski and Kenny Chevalier scored the contest 58-56 and 58-57 for Dailey. Judge Risher saw the contest 59-55 for Samuel. BATB saw the bout 58-57 for Dailey.

Samuel falls to 12-3, six KO's while Dailey is 4-5, one KO.

Also, Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae lost a four-round majority decision to undefeated Jason "Firebird" Freeman of Dover, OH. Freeman was more active throughout the contest and landed strong right hands. McRae had a 38-pound weight advantage (257 1/2 to 218) and a height advantage but did not use either advantage effectively. Both men were fatigued by the final round, but Freeman, who also has experience in mixed martial arts, had just enough stamina to win the contest.

Judge Chevalier saw the draw at 38-38 while Judges Waleed and Risher scored the bout for Freeman 39-38 and 39-36 respectively. BATB scored the bout 39-37 for Freeman, who raises his record to 4-0-1, one KO. McRae is 4-1, three KO's.

In a battle of debuting Beltway middleweights, Allen "Pitbull" Perkins of Frederick, MD won a four-round unanimous decision over Germantown, MD's Christian Davila. Perkins landed some strong left hands early in the contest and coasted to a relatively easy victory over a somewhat uninspired Davila.

In the opening contest, late sub Omar Sims of Baltimore won a four-round unanimous decision over DC super middleweight Calvin "Shotgun" Aughtry. Sims won with good flurries early. Aughtry, as is his pattern, showed good defense at times but did not generate nearly enough offense. Sims is now 2-1-2, one KO while Aughtry falls to 0-7.

The Maryland Boxing Club/TNT Promotions served as promters of the card. The matchmaker was Rick Glaser.

Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up show . There is one correction I have to make. I said on the show that the USBO was the regional arm of the WBO. That is incorrect. The USBO is the regional arm of the International Boxing Organization (IBO). The WBO's regional arm is the North American Boxing Organization (NABO).

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #182 - Boxing in Westminister!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I discuss Mark "TNT" Tucker's performance at the Shipley Arena in Westminister as well as the defeats of two other Beltway prospects. We also discuss the passing of Dr. Karl Hammonds and boxing legends Alexis Arguello and Arturo Gatti.

Weights From Westminister!

Here is the scale watch for tonight's TNT Promotions/Maryland Boxing Club card at the Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD:

Mark Tucker 176 vs Rubin Williams 177 1/2

Tyrell Samuel 131 1/2 vs. Gustavo Dailey 133

Dwayne McRae 257 1/2 vs Jason Freeman 218

Allen Perkins 160 1/2 vs Christian Davila 160

Vincent Batteast vs Calvin Aughtrey (both will weigh-in later today)

Funeral Arrangements for Dr. Hammonds!

The funeral arrangements for Dr. Karl Hammonds are complete. They are as follows:


Wake- Sunday, July 19th
Takoma Park 7th Day Adventist Church
6951 Carroll Avenue
Takoma Park, MD 20912
6-9 PM


Funeral- Monday, July 20th
10 - 11 AM viewing
11 AM Funeral

Paschall Loses Unanimous Decision in Reno!

Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Jesse Brinkley last night at the Reno Events Center in Reno, NV. Two judges scored the bout 97-93 while one judge had it 96-94.

It was the first time that Paschall has gone a full 10-round distance. Paschall said this to Jim Krajewski of the Reno Gazette-Journal:

"I just wanted to stay in there and show him I could fight him. I just could have been more busy (with my punches)," he said. "I think there was a lot of things I didn't do because I was really thinking, 'Could I go 10 rounds with this guy?' And there were a lot of opportunities I didn't take. But it's a learning experience and next time I know, either do or don't.

"He's a veteran. He knew what he was doing. I'll take it as a learning experience. I feel like I did OK. I definitely could have done better, but I can't doing anything about it now."

"I think I definitely won a few more fans."

Paschall is now 19-2-1, four KO's. Brinkley is now 34-5, 22 KO's.

Paschall sent this in a text message to BATB: "I fought him like a dog. I've never been hit that hard in my life, but it was close."

July 25 Baltimore Card Adds Title Bout; Lange Bout off Greensboro Card!

Interesting changes to two July 25th cards. At Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, undefeated welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson (9-0, eight KO's) will fight an eight-round rematch against Ken Dunham of Charlotte, NC (6-8, four KO's that will be for the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Americas and the North American Boxing Council (NABC) Welterweight titles.

Back on March 19 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD, Stevenson dropped Dunham four times en route to a second-round TKO. Dunham bounced back from the loss and scored a third-round TKO over Lenwood Dozier on June 5 at Shipley Arena in Westminister, MD. That was also a rematch bout.

Also added to the card will be a four-round heavyweight bout between undefeated DC prospect Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm (2-0, two KO's and Maurice Winslow of Wilson, NC (3-9-1, three KO's). Byarm is coming off a second-round TKO over Darius Whitson on May 29 at Du Burns. Winslow has lost two straight but he scored knockout victories the last two times he was in Maryland against Boone Pultz and Joe Gardner.

Baltimore cruiserweight Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler (2-0, one KO_ will try to remain undefeated against Silver Spring, MD's Abloyt Abashi (0-1). Brandywine, MD heavy Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell is also scheduled to appear on the card.

Meanwhile in Greensboro, NC, the main event bout between Jimmy Lange and Jimmy LeBlanc has been pulled from the card. A representative from Walter Johnson Promotions told BATB that the North Carolina Boxing Commission would not approve the eight-round matchup between Lange (30-3-2, 21 KO's) and LeBlanc (12-16-4, four KO's). Bayan Jargal's bout against Alex Perez -- as of now -- is still on the card.

Paschall Weighs 173 for Reno Rumble!

Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall weighed in at 173 pounds for his bout against Jesse Brinkley Friday night at the Reno Events Center in Reno, NV. Brinkley came in at 175 pounds.

Apparently, Bayan Jargal, who was originally supposed to be on this card, will not appear. Jargal is now slated to be on the Saturday, July 25th card in Greensboro, NC that features Jimmy Lange in the main event. Jargal (12-0-1, eight KO's) is scheduled to take on veteran Alex Perez of Miami, FL (23-34-4, 18 KO's) in a six-round contest on that card. The 37-year-old Perez started his career in November of 1989 (Perez did not box for four years from 2003-2007). Jargal will be the fourth Beltway Boxer Perez has faced and Perez is still looking for a win, having lost to Lange, Darryll Tyson and Jaime Palma.

Lange Subject of Washington City Paper Article!

Great Falls, VA junior middleweight and WBC USNBC champion Jimmy Lange is the subject of a nice piece by Dave McKenna of the Washington City Paper. The article comes as Lange prepares for his first bout outside of the George Mason University Patriot Center in five years. The bout against veteran Jimmy LeBlanc will be Friday, July 25 in Greensboro, NC.

Read the article and find out why McKenna calls Lange "The most successful nonchampion junior middleweight in the history of boxing." Also, check out the picture byLinda "Great Shot" Siadys.

"http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=37521">

Paschall Making Media Rounds For Friday Night!

If nothing else, tomorrow night's matchup against Jesse Brinkley in Reno, NV has garnered more press for Baltimore super middleweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall than any bout to date, including his national TV bout against Andre Dirrell.

The Reno media has done a solid job with this bout. An example is this interview conducted by the ABC affiliate in the city, KOLO.

"http://ww2.kolotv.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=3937410&h1=Mike%20Paschall%20Interview&vt1=v&at1=Sport&d1=83400&LaunchPageAdTag=Sport&fvCatNo=&backgroundImageURL=&activePane=info&rnd=67184016">

There is also a nice profile on Paschall by freelance writer Robert Perea that appeared on Fightnews.com.

="http://www.fightnewsextra.com/cc/2009stories/07-paschall.htm">

Guerrero-Echols Bout Off!

BATB has learned that the Saturday, July 18 contest between Salisbury, MD's Fernando Guerrero and former world title challenger Antwun Echols in Tunica, MS has been called off.

Guerrero suffered a knuckle injury in training and the decision was to forego this contest at this time. The Guerrero camp says that the injury does not seem to be a serious one, but they will know more after a doctor does an evaluation.

Ann Wolfe To Appear at August 15 All-Female Amateur Card in Fort Washington!

Eight-time women's world champion Ann Wolfe will be the special guest at the next all-female amateur boxing card on Saturday, August 15 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

Wolfe (24-1, 16 KO's) authored what many boxing fans and pundits called the greatest knockout in women's boxing history when she blasted former University of Tennessee basketball player Vonda Ward in the first round in May of 2004. She holds four of her titles concurrently in four different weight classes.

Wolfe is a successful boxing trainer and part of her reason for attending is to see her daughter participate in the event.

The event will also honor our brave servicemen and women. We'll have more info on this card as it comes together.

Noted Ringside Doctor Karl Hammonds Passes!

When I first started covering the Beltway Boxing scene 23 years ago, one of the many people who constantly gave me support and guidance was Dr. Karl Hammonds. Dr. Hammonds was a well-respected and loved ringside doctor for many of the amateur and pro bouts in DC and Maryland and always kept me abreast on information on what our amateurs were doing and the latest health news.

Today brings sad news that Dr. Hammonds passed away this morning. We are still getting details on age and cause of death.

To say that Dr. Hammonds was a friend to boxing doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how well respected this man was. Dr. Hammonds served as chief medical officer for the Potomac Valley Association of USA Boxing and was well known by USA Boxing on a national level. Dr. Hammonds was elected to the Washington DC Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999.

There are many more honors that this man earned that I will bring to light as I receive information on them. Suffice it to say that I will miss this man greatly and I know I speak for many in the Beltway Boxing and general sports community who were touched and helped by this great man.

Update on July 17 Card in Westminister!

The Friday, July 17 TNT Promotions/Maryland Boxing Club card at the Shipley Arena in Westminister. MD is starting to come together. The main event remains the first 10-round bout for undefeated Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker as he faces former world title challenger Rubin "Mr. Hollywood" Williams of Detroit, MI.

Here are the other bouts on the card:

Maryland State Super Featherweight champion Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel of Baltimore (12-2, six KO's) will be in a six-round co-feature contest against Gustavo Dailey of Philadelphia (3-5, one KO). Samuel is coming off a fourth-round TKO over Edward Anderson on June 12 in Caroline, VA. Dailey stopped Travis Thompson in the second-round in his last encounter on April 4th in Philadelphia.

Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae will be in a battle of undefeated boxers as he takes on Akron, OH's Jason Freeman in a four-round bout. McRae (4-0, three KO's) won by third-round disqualification over Jonathan Felton on the Caroline, VA card. Freeman (3-0-1, one KO) fought Andres Taylor to a four-round majority draw in his last outing on September 20, 2008 in Akron.

Edgewood, MD welterweight Emmanuel "Transformer" Taylor (2-0, two KO's) will battle Pine Bluff, AK's Tim Reynolds (0-1) in another four-round bout. Taylor scored a second-round TKO over Bryan Abraham on the last Shipley Arena card on June 9. Reynolds lost his pro debut by first-round TKO to Tyrone Chatman on June 13 in St. Louis, MO.

Two Beltway Boxers will make pro debuts on this card, two of them will face each other as middleweights Allen Perkins of Frederick, MD and Christian Davila of Rockville, MD will battle. Also, DC middleweight Orlando Pugh (0-1) will battle against Johnny DeJesus of Lancaster, PA (1-0, one KO).

Here's your first BATB Fifth Anniversary stat: If those three boxers make their pro debuts on this card, the 2009 Beltway Rookie Class will rise to 19 members, the largest number of rookies in one year in the BATB Era.

F. Guerrero, Wade Travel to Mississippi; White Heads to Delaware!

More Beltway Boxers are hitting the road this month. On Saturday, July 18 undefeated middleweight prospects Fernando Guerrero and Dominic Wade will appear on a card at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS.

In a six-round contest, Guerrero (14-0, 12 KO's) will face his most experienced foe to date in former world title challenger "Kid Dynamite" Antwun Echols of Davenport, IA (31-11-4, 27 KO's). Guerrero is coming off a solid second-round TKO over Brian Norman on June 19 in Salisbury, MD. Echols has participated in three world title bouts, losing twice against Bernard Hopkins for the IBF Middleweight title and falling to Anthony Mundine for the WBA Super Middleweight title. Recently, Echols has been winless in his last nine bouts.

Wade (3-0, three KO's) will take on veteran William Johnson of Sardis, MS (9-18-1, three KO's) in a four-round encounter. Wade stopped Anthony Cannon in the second round of the Salisbury, MD card. Johnson's last bout was also in Maryland as he was stopped in round two by Joey Gilbert in Glen Burnie on November 20.

Then on Friday, July 24, Smithsburg, MD welterweight Dean "Pitbull" White returns to action in an eight-round bout against Wilmington, DE's Ryan Belasco at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in Dover, DE.

White (14-10-1, seven KO's) will be looking to break a five-bout losing streak that continued with a six-round split-decision loss to Ron Boyd on February 20 in Westminster, MD. Belasco (11-2-3, three KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision victory over James Ventry on April 24 in Dover. Belasco has a six-bout winning streak.

Wilson Stopped After 10 Rounds in Russia!

Takoma Park, MD light heavyweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson was stopped at the end of the 10th round by top-ranked cruiserweight Grigory Drozd tonight in Moscow, Russia.

Fightnews.com reporter Alexey Sukachev reports that Drozd dominated the whole fight with his precision yet hard punching, barely losing a single minute in any round and stalking his opponent around the ring. The fan-friendly action turned into an ugly foul match after the seventh round and both boxers were deducted some points by referee Victor Panin. With his right eye virtually shut and being horribly battered in later rounds, Wilson retired in his corner, though never down, after the tenth round. This is the first time that Wilson has been stopped in a bout in his pro career.

This is Wilson's third straight loss and his record falls to 23-9-3, 20 KO's. Drozd, who is ranked number one in the world by the WBO, is now 32-1, 24 KO's.

Paschall Exudes Confidence in Reno Newspaper!

Baltimore light heavyweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall is exuding a lot of confidence as he prepares for his Friday, July 10th matchup with Jesse Brinkley in Reno, NV.

Jim Krajewski of the Reno Gazette-Journal talks to Paschall in this article about the bout.

"http://www.rgj.com/article/20090701/SPORTS/907010411/1018/SPORTS">

Former World Champ Alexis Arguello Passes!

(photo courtesy of Getty Images)

As many around the world (including myself) have been hurt by the passing of Michael Jackson, many around the boxing world will be hurt by the news today of the passing of former world champion Alexis Arguello. The three-division champion was found dead in his hometown of Managua, Nicaragua. He was 57. No word yet on what caused his passing.

Arguello won his first world title in 1974 stopping Ruben Olivares in the 13th round for the WBA Featherweight crown. He then defeated Alfredo Escalera by a 13th round stoppage to win the WBC Super Featherweight title. Arguello's third title came in 1981 when he defeated Jim Watt for the WBC Lightweight title by 15-round decision.

But Arguello may be best known for his two epic losses to Aaron Pryor for Pryor's WBA Junior Welterweight crown in 1982 and 1983. Arguello was stopped in both bouts but they were fierce contests.

Arguello was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, but fought twice more after that in 1994 and 1995. His final record was 82-8, 65 KO's. In 2008, Arguello was named Mayor of Managua.

Arguello is in my top ten of all-time favorite boxers. As my buddy Jake Donovan of Boxing Scene.com put he was one of the all-time best and "a human instructional video of Boxing 101." He will truly be missed.

Coleman-Clay Rematch Highlights July 25 Card in Baltimore!

A rematch of one of the best bouts of 2007 will be a co-feature contest on the next Baltimore Pro Boxing card on Saturday, July 25 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

Baltimore welterweight Tim "Pit Bull" Coleman will take on "Magnificent" Martinus Clay of Wilson, NC in an eight-round matchup. The two first met on December 7, 2007 in Pikesville, MD and fought to an exciting 10-round draw. Going into that bout, Coleman (15-1-1, four KO's) was one of the busiest boxers in the country with the Clay bout being the ninth time he fought in 2007. Since that bout, however, Coleman has only fought twice -- losing a 10-round unanimous decision to James De La Rosa on October 3, 2008 in Salisbury, MD and stopping Carlos Cisneros in the third round on April 10 at Du Burns Arena.

Clay (13-20-4, five KO's) has fought four times since the Coleman bout, defeating Shawn Purdy by third-round TKO in July of 2008 in Philadelphia, drawing with Mustapha Johnson in March of last year and losing bouts to Kassim Ouma and Kaseem Wilson.

The card is also scheduled to feature undefeated Beltway prospects James "Keep 'Em Sleepin" Stevenson, Cecil McCalla, Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell and Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler.

Rivers Profiled in Post!

The 125-pound national amateur champion, Kevin Rivers, is the subject of a nice profile in today's Washington Post. Bill Oram writes about Rivers as he prepares for the world championships in Milan, Italy in September.

"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/29/AR2009062901914.html">

Mitchell Wins By Unanimous Decision in Tucson; King Stopped in Chicago!

Playing a little catchup here while still on vacation. Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell won a six-round unanimous decision over Alvaro Morales on June 26 in Tucson, AZ. Mitchell won by shutout on all three judge's cards to raise his undefeated record to 12-0-1, seven KO's.

In Chicago, IL, Cumberland, MD's Dontre King, fighting as a welterweight, was stopped in the fourth round by local prospect Achour Esho. King is now 1-5-1 while Esho remains undefeated at 3-0, two KO's.

Three other local boxers were slated to fight over the past weekend but their bouts were cancelled or changed for unspecified reasons.

Beltway Boxers On The Road!

A number of Beltway Boxers are slated to be on the road in the next few weeks. We know that Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell (11-0-1, seven KO's) will be at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, AZ on Friday, June 26 in a six-round rematch against Alvaro Morales (3-5-5).

Also on the 26th, Cumberland, MD junior middleweight Dontre King (1-4-1) will take on hometown prospect Achour Esho at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, IL in a four-rounder and Baltimore super featherweight Darrell Martin (4-9, one KO) is slated to be in Miami, FL at the Deauville Beach Report in a six-round contest against Eric Cruz of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico (6-2-2, six KO's).

Now comes word that Takoma Park, MD light heavyweight Willis "The Prophet" Lockett will also be on the west coast on Saturday, June 27 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Lockett (12-8-5, five KO's) will take on Enrique Ornelas of La Habra, CA (28-5, 18, KO's in an eight-round contest. Lockett is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Keith Holmes on June 6 at the Washington Convention Center in DC. Ornelas has not fought since losing a WBC Middleweight title eliminator to Marco Antonio Rubio by 12-round split decision in October of 2008.

Also slated to box on June 27 at the Roxy in Boston, MA will be Stafford, VA heavyweight "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton (6-16, five KO's) will try to bounce back from his third-round disqualification loss to Dwayne McRae on June 12 in Caroline, VA when he faces undefeated prospect Phillip "Killa" Miller of Providence, RI (4-0, two KO's) in a four-round battle. Miller hasn't fought since defeating veteran Orion Sistrunk in September of 2008.

We've talked about Baltimore, MD super middleweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall's (19-1-1, four KO's) 10-round main event bout against Jesse Brinkley (33-5, 22 KO's) on Friday, July 10 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, NV. Also on that card will be undefeated Arlington, VA lightweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal (12-0-1, eight KO's) who will be in a six-round contest against veteran Pascali Adorno (10-8-3, four KO's) of Corozal, Puerto Rico. Jargal is coming off a first-round DQ victory over Brian Carden on May 9 in Winchester, VA.

Although Adorno only has 21 pro bouts, his career dates back to 2000 and includes an eight-round unanimous decision loss to world title challenger and Beltway legend Lamont Pearson at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD in November of 2005 and an eight-round unanimous decision loss to "Kid Diamond" Almazbek Raiymkulov at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD in November of 2003.

We also have word that Great Falls, VA junior middleweight Jimmy Lange will also be on the road as the WBC USNBC Junior Middleweight champion travels to the Greensboro Coliseum Special Event Center in Greensboro, NC on Saturday, July 25. Lange (30-3-2, 21 KO's) will take on Weymouth, MA veteran Jimmy "The Dream" LeBlanc (12-16-4, four KO's) in an eight-round non-title bout. This will be the first time Lange has fought outside the Patriot Center since May of 2005 when he defeated Tarick Salmaci in the Contender Fan Favorite bout at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, NV. LeBlanc fought on a Patriot Center show in November of 2008 and stopped Luther Smith in the first round.

Closer to home, let's talk more about the first 10-round contest for Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker on Friday, July 17 at the Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD. Tucker (10-0, seven KO's) will face veteran Rubin "Mr. Hollywood" Williams of Detroit, MI (29-7-1, 16 KO's). Williams is a former world title contender who challenged Jeff Lacy for the IBF Super Middleweight title in May of 2005, losing by seventh-round TKO. Williams has also fought the likes of Antwun Echols, Andre Ward, Allen Green and Chris Henry during his career.

Also slated for this card are Maryland Super Featherweight champion Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel (12-2, six KO's), Edgewood, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Transformer" Taylor (2-0, two KO's), Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae (4-0, three KO's), Hillcrest Heights, MD middleweight Barry Trotter (1-0, one KO) and two debuting Maryland middleweights -- Christian Davila of Rockville and Allen Perkins of Frederick.

BATB On a Little Break!

As mentioned on the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up show, we're taking a little break from the action for about two weeks or so to recharge a little bit. So the posts won't be as frequent as they have been recently, although I do have limited access to a computer for the next day or so.

Part of this break coincides with the celebration of my 15th wedding anniversary. When we come back in mid-July, we will have a lot to talk about including Mike Paschall's 10-round encounter with Jesse Brinkley on July 10 as well as Mark Tucker's first 10-round bout against Ruben Williams on July 17 at the Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD.

Also, July is BATB Anniversary month as we celebrate five years of this blog. We will celebrate this with a look back at the five years.

So, talk among yourselves until I come back. Thanks as always for your support.

'Mayhem' Mitchell Looks to Erase Blemish Off Record in Arizona Rematch!

Undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell returns to action on Friday, June 26 in a six-round rematch against Alvaro Morales of Las Vegas, NV at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, AZ.

This bout will be a six-round rematch against the fighter that gave Mitchell (11-0-1, seven KO's) the only blemish on his undefeated record. Mitchell faced Morales on short notice in his third pro fight in March of 2008 in Cabazon, CA and fought to a four-round draw.

This bout will also mark the 10th straight time that Morales (3-5-5) has fought an undefeated fighter. Morales is winless in his last five contests.

Boyd Suffers First-Round Stoppage in Buffalo!

DC super featherweight Ron "Teflon" Boyd was stopped in the first round against Buffalo, NY's Guillermo Sanchez last night at the Convention Center in Buffalo.

Sanchez dropped Boyd twice in the round before the bout was stopped at 2:59. Boyd has now lost three in a row and his record is now 6-8, two KO's. Boyd's last two losses have come to undefeated fighters. Sanchez is now 9-0, four KO's.

F. Guerrero Scores Second-Round TKO; A. Guerrero Wins Majority Decision in Pro Debut; Wade Scores Second Round TKO in Salisbury!

Hometown hero Fernando Guerrero scored a crushing second-round TKO over Brian "The Assassin" Norman of Decatur, GA tonight at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury, MD.

Guerrero dropped Norman twice during the second round. After the second knockdown, referee Kenny Chevalier stopped the bout at 2:35 of the round ruling Norman could not continue. Guerrero is now 14-0, 12 KO's while Norman is 17-9, five KO's.

Guerrero's older brother, cruiserweight Alex Guerrero, made a successful pro debut in front of his hometown crowd, winning a four-round majority decision over Jackson, TN's Rodricka Ray. Ray is now 2-2.

Largo, MD middleweight Dominic Wade scored an easy second-round TKO over Anthony Cannon of Saginaw, MI. Wade dominated Cannon from the opening bell, eventually trapping Cannon in the neutral corner before referee Bill Clancy stopped the bout at 1:46 of the second round. Wade is now 3-0, three KO's while Cannon is 4-13, one KO.

Also on the card, undefeated light heavyweight Farah Ennis of Philadelphia, PA won an eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Bobby Jordan, Jr. of Norfolk, VA. This was a very competitive contest that Ennis won by scores of 79-73 (twice) and 79-75. Ennis is now 11-0, five KO's while Jordan is 6-1, two KO's.

Akron, OH middleweight Shawn Porter stopped late sub Brandon Wooten of Kansas City, MO in the first round. Porter overpowered Wooten throughout the contest before the bout was stopped at 2:09 of the first. Porter is now 9-0, seven KO's while Wooten is 6-14-1, two KO's.

We have a recap with Tom Luffman of 15Rounds.com from the Wicomico Civic Center.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #181 - Recap from Salisbury, MD!

Tom Luffman of 15Rounds.com gives a recap from the card at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury, MD!

"Fight Lady" Wanda Bruce Discusses Women's Boxing!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #179 - 'Fight Lady' Wanda Bruce Discusses Female Boxing and Promotes June 20 Card!

BATB talks with female boxing matchmaker and promoter "Fight Lady" Wanda Bruce about her Saturday, June 20 all-female amateur card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD as well as the possibility of women's boxing in the 2012 Olympics in London, England.

Weights From Salisbury!

Here is the scale watch for tonight's Prize Fight Promotions card at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury, MD:

Fernando Guerrero 165 vs. Brian Norman 166

Alex Guerrero 190 vs. Rodrika Ray 201

Dominic Wade 163 1/2 vs. Anthony Cannon 164 1/2

Farah Ennis 167 1/2 vs. Bobby Jordan 168

Shawn Porter 157 vs. Brandon Wooten TBD

Derek Ennis 154 vs. Joshua Onyango TBD

The card will be shown live on www.prizefighttv.com for $4.95.

Nicklow, Mackey Battle to Eight-Round Draw!

Baltimore, MD junior middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and Montgomery, AL's John "No Mercy" Mackey fought to a tough, eight-round majority draw at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

The bout went against pre-conceived notions of the contest. Nicklow, normally a slugger, became more of a boxer in his Ballroom Boxing debut, employing more side-to-side movement. Mackey, known for being a crafty boxer, became more of a slugger as he stalked Nicklow at times during the contest.

Nicklow seemed to take control in the middle portion of the contest, adding some aggression to his movement. Mackey picked up the pace in the final two rounds. Judge John Gradowski scored the bout 77-75 for Mackey while judges Kenny Chevalier and Don Risher, saw the draw, 76-76. BATB saw the contest 77-75 for Nicklow.

Nicklow is now 19-1-2, seven KO's while Mackey is now 11-3-2, five KO's.

The co-feature saw an elevation in the boxing game of Randallstown, MD junior middleweight Cecil McCalla. McCalla remained undefeated with a scintillating performance, scoring a six-round TKO over Jorge Barajas of Boise, ID.

McCalla's timing, accuracy and punching were superb throughout the contest as he kept the tough Barajas on his heels throughout. McCalla scored two knockdowns with solid right hands before referee Gary Camponeschi stopped the bout at 1:16 of the sixth round.

McCalla is now 9-0, four KO's while Barajas falls to 5-3, two KO's.

Also on the card, Baltimore, MD middleweight "Vicious" Julius Kennedy scored a stunning second-round TKO over Gevonte Davis on Gulfport, MS. After an even first round, the bout turned suddenly in the second as Kennedy landed a crushing right hand that stopped Davis in his tracks. The bout was stopped at 2:36 of the round.

Kennedy has won three straight and lifts his record to 6-1, three KO's while Gevonte Davis sees his record evened at 3-3-1, two KO's.

The card also saw two boxers from the Dominican Republic make their US debuts. Hard-hitting welterweight Francisco Contreras scored a crushing first-round TKO over Kansas City, MO's Gustavo Mejia to keep his record perfect at 9-0, nine KO's. Mejia is now 3-7-1, three KO's.

The other Dominican boxer did not fare as well. Previously undefeated junior lightweight Delvin Plascencia lost a six-round unanimous decision to veteran Jesus Perez of Miami, FL. Perez dropped Plascencia with the first punch he threw in the bout, then scored another knockdown in the fourth, before going on to the victory.
Perez now has a record of 26-25-3, 14 KO's while Plascencia is now 14-1, five KO's.


Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show that gives some interesting viewpoints on the main event.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #180 - Full Report From the Ballroom!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap a solid night of Ballroom Boxing action from Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD! Promoter Scott Wagner weighs in on the action as well.

Weights From Glen Burnie!

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

Jessie Nicklow 156 vs John Mackey 157

Cecil McCalla 152 1/2 vs. Jorge Barajas, 149

Julius Kennedy 160 vs. Gevonte Davis, 165 1/4

Francisco Contreras, 140 vs. Gustavo Mejia, 143

Delvin Plascencia, 131 1/4 vs. Jesus Perez, 130 1/4

F. Guerrero Talks About Friday in Salisbury!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #177 - Fernando Guerrero Talks About Friday in Salisbury!

Undefeated Middleweight prospect Fernando Guerrero talks about headlining the Friday, June 19 card at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury, MD. The card also features the debut of Guerrero's brother, Alex.

L. Peterson Honored by DC Council!

(Photo courtesy of District of Columbia City Council)

Lamont Peterson (far left) celebrates his title win and his City Council resolution with (front row, left to right) DC City Council At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown, Marshall Cunningham, Boxing Director, DC Parks and Recreation. (Back Row, left to right) trainer Barry Hunter, Nate Peak of Peak Marketing Group and Lamont's brother and undefeated lightweight contender Anthony Peterson.

Also pictured is Patrick Washington (third from right) and his son (second from right), 145-pound Junior national champion Antoine Douglas. On the far right is 125-pound Open national titleholder Kevin Rivers.


Congratulations to WBO Interim Junior Welterweight champion Lamont Peterson who was recently honored by the District of Columbia City Council for winning the title on April 25 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Peterson stopped Willy Blain in the seventh round.

At-Large Councilmember Kwame Brown presented the resolution passed by the council. "Lamont Peterson has demonstrated that perseverance in the face of great adversity leads to ultimate success. This resolution is a tribute to his achievements, which will inspire young athletes in the District to fight for their dreams."

“I had the privilege of working with Mr. Peterson during my tenure on the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission and I want to congratulate him on his personal and professional success, borne out of hard work and an unrelenting belief in himself,” said At-Large Councilmember Michael Brown, a former vice chair of the commission. “Not only is Mr. Peterson a personal inspiration to the youth of our city, but he has also helped demonstrate to the national boxing community that DC is a world-class boxing destination.”

"We’re always searching for new opportunities to promote the District, which is a great location for sporting events like boxing and martial arts," said Councilmember Brown. "We should show as much dedication to bringing events to the District as Peterson has shown to his boxing career. With that kind of fight, we can make the District a greater tourist destination."

Update on June 19 Card in Salisbury!

The state of Maryland will be busy this week with two big shows. We've talked about the Thursday, June 18 card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, but now there is an update on the Friday, June 19 card at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury, MD.

The card features the first main event bout for the hometown hero, undefeated middleweight prospect Fernando Guerrero. The main event remains the same as Guerrero (13-0, 11 KO's) will face Brian "The Assassin" Norman of Decatur, GA (17-8, five KO's) in an eight-round bout.

Guerrero's brother, Alex, will make his pro debut on this card in a cruiserweight bout against Rodricka Ray of Jackson, TN (2-1, one KO).

Largo, MD middleweight Dominic "The Blade" Wade (2-0, two KO's) returns to action to face veteran Anthony Cannon of Saginaw, MI (4-12, one KO) in another four-round contest.

There will be another set of brothers on this card as the Ennis Brothers of Philadelphia, PA will be in two interesting bouts. Middleweight Derek (17-2-1, 12 KO's) will face Joshua "Poison" Onyango of Trenton, NJ by way of Kenya (14-17-1, 11 KO's) in an eight-round contest. Super Middleweight Farah (10-0, five KO's) will risk his undefeated record against the one belonging to Norfolk, VA's Bobby Jordan, Jr. (6-0-1, two KO's) in another eight-round encounter.

Also on the card will be undefeated Akron, OH junior middleweight Shawn Porter (8-0, six KO's) who will face fellow undefeated boxer Dion Savage of Flint, MI (5-0, three KO's).

The card will be shown live on internet Pay-Per-View over www.prizefighttv.com for $4.95.

Nicklow-Mackey Headlines Ballroom Boxing Card Thursday Night!

An interesting matchup headlines the Thursday, June 18 Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Baltimore's Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow will take on John "No Mercy" Mackey of Montgomery, AL in an eight-round middleweight matchup. Nicklow (19-1-1, seven KO's) will step back into the ring for the first time since splitting two bouts with George Rivera in the fall of 2008. The last outing for Mackey (11-3-1, five KO's) was an eight-round majority decision loss to Cecil McCalla on April 30 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.

McCalla, by the way, will appear in the co-feature bout on this card as the undefeated middleweight from Randallstown, MD (8-0, three KO's) will take on Boise, ID's Jorge Barajas (5-2, two KO's) in a six-round contest. McCalla stopped Eric Burke in the first round on June 12 in Ruther Glen, VA. Barajas, after winning his first five bouts, has lost two straight including a six-round majority decision to Dashon Johnson on January 10 in Tacoma, WA.

Also on the card will be Windsor Mill, MD middleweight Julius Kennedy, who will be taking on Gevonte Davis of Gulfport, MS in a six-round bout.

Kennedy (5-1, two KO's) is coming off a hot April in which he pulled off two solid wins. On April 2 at Michael's Eighth Avenue, Kennedy stopped James Denson in the fourth round. Just 23 days later, Kennedy won his first scheduled six-round contest, scoring a six-round majority decision win over Aaron Pryor, Jr. in Columbus, OH. Davis (3-2-1, two KO's) will be fighting for the first time since losing by second-round TKO to Fernando Guerrero in November of 2008 in Nashville, TN.

In a four-round contest, Edgewood, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Transformer" Taylor (2-0, two KO's) will go up against Donny Miller of Parkersburg, WVA (2-8, two KO's). Taylor scored a second-round TKO over Bryan Abraham on June 5 at Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD. Miller will be fighting for just the second time in five years, but his last outing was a fourth-round TKO victory over Steve Whitehair on March 27 in Parkersburg.

This card will also feature two undefeated boxers from the Dominican Republic who will make their US debuts in separate bouts. Junior lightweight Delvin Plascencia (15-0, six KO's) will take on veteran Jesus Perez of Miami, FL 25-25-3, 14 KO's. Perez fought his last contest in the Ballroom on April 2 and was stopped in the third round by Matt Remillard.

Also, junior welterweight Francisco Contreras (8-0, eight KO's) will battle Gustavo Meija (3-6-1, three KO's) in another six-round contest.

This is another in the series of collaborative promotions with Ballroom Boxing and TKO Promotions.

Bovell, Favors Named Outstanding Refs at USA Nationals; Bovell Chosen as AIBA Referee!

Not only did the Beltway-area boxers perform well at the USA Nationals this past week in Denver, CO, but so did area officials, as two local referees walked away with Outstanding Referee awards.

Brent Bovell won his second Outstanding Referee award adding to the award he won in 2007. However, Bovell received another honor as he was chosen as an AIBA (International Amateur Boxing Association) referee, meaning he is now able to referee amateur bouts around the world.

Only about 20 out of 200 AIBA referees come from the United States and the Beltway now has two of them with Bovell joining US Naval Academy Head Coach Jim McNally (who officiated at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China).

Floyd Favors, who worked with the Junior tournament in Denver, was named First Time Outstanding Referee. Favors has been a prominent member of the Beltway amateur scene for a number of years, first as a champion amateur boxer and currently as an official.

Rivers Wins National Title; Kisner Falls!

Congratulations to Landover, MD 125-pounder Kevin Rivers, who captured the gold medal at the USA Boxing National Championships at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, CO. Rivers defeated Jerren Cochran 21-11 moments ago in the championship bout.

Glen Burnie, MD 201-pounder Nick Kisner had to settle for the silver medal, falling in his title bout to Jordan Shimmell of Hudsoncille, MI, 9-6.

On Friday, Thomas Williams of Fort Washington, MD lost the bronze medal boxoff in the 178-pound division as he fell by disqualification to Steve Geffrard of Boca Raton, FL. The loss was the second straight DQ loss for Williams in the tournament.

There was a local presence among the officials at the tournament as Brent Bovell and Jim McNally served as referees during the tournament.

Seal, McRae, Samuel Victorious in Ruther Glen!

My apologies for the late posting, but BATB Headquarters is having internet difficulties. Here are the results from the Major League Boxing card at the Virginia Sports Complex in Ruther Glen, VA.

Hometown boxer Adam "The Real Deal" Seal scored a first-round TKO over late sub Scott "The Body Snatcher" Hossaflook of Edinburg, VA. Seal dropped Hossaflook twice with right hands and Hossaflook also suffered a cut over his right eye, before referee Chris Wollesen stopped the contest at 2:59 of the round.

Seal raises his record to 7-1, six KO's while Hossaflook falls to 2-4.

Also on the card, Maryland Super Featherweight champ Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel of Baltimore stop the always-tough Edward "Nuckie" Anderon of Richmond, VA in the fourth-round. Samuel remained in control throughout the first four rounds with short but powerful combinations. The 48-year-old Anderson had to take several hits for every punch he managed to land. Samuel continued to generate multiple hits to the head and body before referee Wollesen stopped the fight via TKO at 2:23 of the fourth round.

Samuel is now 12-2, six KO's while Anderson is now 4-15, three KO's.

Another Baltimore prospect, junior middleweight Cecil McCalla stopped Eric "Fast Hands" Burke of Columbus, OH in the first round. McCalla rained down a constant stream of thunderous left hooks that floored Burke twice in the first round. At 54 seconds of the second round, referee Rick Ellis called a halt to the bout.

McCalla remains undefeated with a record of 8-0, three KO's while Burke is now 6-22-2, five KO's.

In a heavyweight rematch, Laurel, MD's "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae won by third-round disqualification over "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA. Felton, who’s had a history of unsportsmanlike conduct, spent most of the fight grabbing McRae around the waist, jabbing low, and refusing to obey the commands of referee Ellis. At one point during the fight, McRae shouted explicitly, “I told you to stop!” Even after being deducted one point, Felton continued to jab McRae after being commanded to stop. Felton was finally disqualified at 2:49 of the third round for excessive holding.

McRae is now 4-0, three KO's. Two of those victories have come against Felton, who is now 6-16, five KO's.

Also, WBO Latino Super Middleweight champion Issac Rodrigues of Brazil survived a first-round knockdown and came back to stop a tough Brad Austin in the second round. Austin dropped Rodrigues with a straight right hand, but Rodrigues was able to survive the round. But in the second round, Rodrigues turned the tables and knocked Austin down twice with two left hooks. Referee Wollesen stopped the bout at 1:43 of the round.

Rodrigues keeps his undefeated streak going at 15-0, 13 KO's while Austin is now 8-8, five KO's.

Thanks to Joe Gradowski and Joe Hensley for the info.

Reed, Douglas, Odom, Stevenson Win Junior Titles; Rivers and Kisner Go to Senior Finals!

Congratulations to four Beltway Boxers who won junior titles at the USA Boxing National Championships in Denver, CO.

Waldorf, MD's Michael Reed won the 138-pound division with an 8-6 victory over Semajay Thomas of Chicago, IL.

DC's Antoine Douglas captured the 145-pound championship defeating Brandon Love of Detroit, MI, 10-3.

In the 176-pound class, Jerry Odom of Bowie, MD won the title with a 22-9 decision over Erikvon Padilla of Hempstead, NY.

Also, in the female 132-pound class, Asia Stevenson of DC won the championship defeating Alyssa Kane of Kapolei, HI, 5-3.

D'Mitrius Ballard of Temple Hills, MD lost his bid for a title, losing a close 9-8 decision to Daquan Arnett of Orlando, FL.

Three locals will head to the Senior championships which will be held on Saturday, June 13.

Kevin Rivers of Landover, MD advanced with a 24-17 win over Ernesto Garza of Saginaw, MI in the 125-pound class. Rivers will battle Jerren Cochran who won a 15-11 victory over Rickey Edwards of Prospect Park, NJ.

In the 201-pound division, Glen Burnie, MD's Nick Kisner advanced to the finals with an 9-7 win over Javonta Charles of Memphis, TN. Kisner will face Hudsoncille, MI's Jordan Shimmell, who advanced with a 13-8 win over Anthony Mack of Plano, TX.

Also, Oxon Hill, MD's Maria Cash is slated to be in the finals, but I could find no word on who her opponent will be.

In the 178-pound class, Thomas Williams of Fort Washington, MD lost by disqualification to Robert Brant of Oakdale, MN. No word on what caused the DQ.

The Open Division finals will be shown live over www.usaboxing.org this weekend. The senior Women's finals will be tonight at 9 PM ET. The Men's finals will be shown tomorrow (June 13) at 9 PM.

Rivera-Reid Bout Off Friday Card at Virginia Sports Complex!

The highly-anticipated bout between Fluvanna, VA middleweight George "Wartime" Rivera and Jonathan Reid of Nashville, TN slated for this Friday, June 12 at the Virginia Sports Complex in Ruther Glen, VA has been called off. Reid suffered a back injury in training.

The rest of the card looks like this:

In a six-round cruiserweight main event, Caroline, VA's Adam "The Real Deal" Seal (6-1, five KO's) will battle "Dynamite" Dan Sheehan (11-36, five KO's) of Brockton, MA.

In a six-round super featherweight co-feature, Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel of Baltimore, MD (11-2, five KO's) will take on Edward "Nuckie" Anderson of Richmond, VA (4-14, three KO's).

In a six-round contest, undefeated Baltimore junior middleweight Cecil McCalla (7-0, two KO's) competes against Eric "Fast Hands" Burke of Columbus, OH (6-21-2, five KO's)

In a four-round heavyweight rematch, "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae of Laurel, MD (3-0, three KO's) takes on "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA (6-15, five KO's).

In a six-round super middleweight contest, undefeated WBO Latino Super Middleweight champion Issac Rodrigues of Brazil (14-0, 12 KO's) will take on Brad Austin of Johnson City, TN (8-7, five KO's).

Beltway Amateurs Receive Tough Challenges During USA Nationals!

The third day of competition at the USA National Boxing Championships in Denver, CO proved to be a rough one for some of our Beltway Boxers. Ten area amateurs remain in the competition.

In the Senior Male division, Kevin Rivers of Landover, MD moved into the quarterfinals by defeating Gabino Saenz of Indio, CA, 6-4.

Thomas Williams of Fort Washington, MD advanced to the quarterfinals of the 178-pound class with a 22-13 win over Pina Armando of Chicago, IL.

In the 201-pound class, Glen Burnie, MD's Nick Kisner advanced to the final eight with a 12-1 decision over Akeem Holland of San Mateo, CA.

However, Gary Allen Russell of Capitol Heights, MD lost his bout in the 141-pound division, dropping a 31-12 decision to Jose Benavidez of Phoenix, AZ.

Also, Travis Peterkin of Edgewood, MD lost his bout in the 165-pound class, falling to Kurtiss Colvin of Austin, TX, 19-15.

There was a lot of action in the Junior competition as five Beltway Boxers advanced to today's finals.

In the 138-pound division, Michael Reed of Waldorf, MD stopped Marcos Rodriguez of Midland, TX at 28 seconds of the third round.

DC's Antoine Douglas advanced in the 145-pound class by decision over Erik Sanchez of Salinas, CA, 12-8.

At 165-pounds, D'Mitrius Ballard of Temple Hills, MD won a bout via first-round retirement over Kani Coleman of Ripley, TN.

Jerry Odom of Bowie, MD won by RSC-2 at 1:36 seconds over Marcus Oldham in the 176-pound division.

Also, in the female 132-pound class, DC's Asia Stevenson stopped Lauryn Corey of Ashland, KY at 28 seconds of the second round.

In the 101-pound class, Patrick Harris of Hyattsville, MD lost his bid for the finals, falling to Jonathan Benitez of Awianae, HI, 6-3.

Gary Antonio Russell of Capitol Heights fell in the 114-pound division to Tramaine Williams of New Haven, CT, 14-8.

The only area boxer who has not competed yet is Open female Maria Cash of Oxon Hill, MD in the 112-pound division.

Local Boxing Notables Receive Honors!

Photo taken by Walter "Schoolboy" Sarnoi.

Two notable boxing names in the local area recently received worldwide honors.

Local referee Kenny Chevalier (at right in above picture) recently returned from Johannesburg, South Africa where he was the third man in the ring for the IBF Bantamweight title elimination bout between Yonnhy Perez and Silence Mabuza. Perez won the bout by 10th round TKO. Chevalier has refereed a number of world title bouts throughout his career, including Sharmba Mitchell-Reggie Green and William Joppy-Ray McElroy.

Former DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission chair Paul Artisst was recently named to the board of directors for the International Boxing Federation (IBF). Among his duties will be to supervise IBF title bouts throughout the world. Artisst has served as a judge for many national and world championship fights.

Beltway Amateurs Keep Winning Ways Going at USA Nationals!

Here are the rest of the Beltway results from Day 2 of competition at the USA Boxing National Championships:

Senior Male:

In the 125-pound division, Kevin Rivers of Landover, MD won a 17-9 decision over Dustin Mason of White Bear Lake, MN.

At 132-pounds, Elvis Medrano of DC lost a 21-4 decision to Duran Caferro, Jr. of Helena, MT.

In the 141-pound division: Gary Allen Russell of Capitol Heights, MD defeated Tony Losey of Wichita, KS, 29-13.

In the 165-pound division: Travis Peterkin of Edgewood, MD advanced with a 12-2 decision over Talatonu Amouta.

In the 201-pound class: Nick Kisner of Glen Burnie, MD won by a 5-0 decision (using paper scoring) over Kevin Baker of Belle Glade, FL. Also, Charles Johnson of Upper Marlboro, MD lost a 23-5 decision to Javontae Charles of Memphis, TN. In another result of local interest, Hasim Rahman, Jr, fighting out of Las Vegas, NV lost a close 14-13 decision to Henry Valdez of Port Hueneme, CA.

In Junior Male division action from the evening session:

Gary Antonio Russell of Capitol Heights won a 26-10 decision over Emmanuel Nieves of Phoenix, AZ in the 114-pound division.

In the 138-pound class, Waldorf, MD's Michael Reed advanced with a
close 11-10 decision over Jorge Castro of Arvada, CO.

Beltway Juniors Continue Winning Ways at USA Championships!

Beltway Juniors remain successful at the USA Boxing National Championships in Denver Colorado.

Patrick Harris of Hyattsville, MD won his second bout of the 101-pound division tournament, defeating William Foster of West Haven, CT by a 10-2 decision.

At 132 pounds, Parris Chisholm III of Oxon Hill, MD defeated Donald Brown of El Monte, CA 5-3.

DC's Antoine Douglas won his second bout of the 145-pound class by a 6-3 decision over Jonathan Dinong of Waianae, HI.

In the 165-pound division, D'Mitrius Ballard of Temple Hills, MD won a 6-3 decision over Donald Anderson of Columbus, OH.

Opening Round Action from USA Boxing National Championships!

Beltway Boxers got off to a good start on the first session of action at the 2009 USA Boxing National Championships at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, CO.

In the Senior Male division, Thomas Williams of Fort Washington, MD won his opening bout in the 178-pound class with a 19-13 decision over Manny Thompson of Wichita, KS. However, Marcus Gaddis of Landover, MD lost in the first round of the 119-pound bracket via a 19-8 decision to Rob Colasante of Munhall, PA.

In the Junior Male division, Patrick Harris of Hyattsville, MD advanced in the 101-pound class with a third-round RSC over Cody Stone of Indianapolis, IN. In the 132-pound division, Oxon Hill, MD's Parris Chisholm III decisioned Michael Montgomery of Macon, GA, 11-7. Also, Antoine Douglas of DC advanced in the 145-pound class with a 4-2 decision over Bridgeport, CT's Joseph Goss.

Only one Beltway Boxer participated in the evening session. Michael Reed of Waldorf, MD won his bout in the 138-pound junior division, defeating Brian Alvarez of Woodland, CA by the score of 7-6.

Tucker Receives High Praise From World Champion!

Undefeated Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker continues to receive solid reviews from people in the boxing world.

Over the weekend, two-time world champion and current WBO Junior Middleweight champion Paul "The Punisher" Williams was in Westminster, MD to see Tucker win his 10th pro bout -- an eight-round unanimous decision over Andre Hemphill. Here's what he told Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times:

“Mark is doing good for himself. “I took that same road. I think this is the hardest time when you’re up and coming because you don’t know who you’re fighting.

“You don’t know nothing about the guy, and you’ve always got to be in shape and ready to fight. When I was where Mark is, a lot of young guys tried to take you down to build themselves up. These are the hardest fights when you’re just coming up.”

Williams sparred with Tucker several times helping him to prepare for his recent triumph over Winky Wright.

“Mark has a good fighting style and he can punch,” Williams said. “He helped me get ready for Winky Wright. That’s why I’m here to support him because he supports me. Anytime you’ve got a guy like Mark with a good attitude and good work ethic that doesn’t cause any headaches in the camp, that’s a good sign.”

“You’ve got to have heart in this business, and Mark has a huge heart,” Williams said. “If you don’t have no heart, you can have good skills, but if you get in a dogfight, you’re going to lose because you don’t have what it takes inside to pull it out.

“Mark has everything that it takes. All he needs is to be patient and pay his dues. Just like I was where he is back in the day, he can get to where I am right now. Trust me, Mark is for real. Remember his name. He deserves and gets a lot of respect. He’s on his way.”

Beltway Amateurs Prepare For USA Boxing National Championships!

The 2009 USA Boxing National Championships begin tomorrow in Denver, CO and because of the way the tournament is set up, there will be a large contingent from the Beltway region. Eighteen boxers from the Beltway will be among the more than 450 boxers participating.

For the first time, the open division male and female boxers will compete alongside the junior male and female athletes in the event that will run until June 13. More than 180 open division males will vie for a national title in the event, which serve as a World Championships qualifier for the open division men. On the women's side, 81 open division females have registered for the tournament, which will be contested just two months before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) makes the final decision on Olympic inclusion for female boxers.

There will be nine boxers from the area on the East Central Open team, Nine of them will be on the men's team:

119 lbs: Marcus Gaddis, Landover, MD

125 lbs: Kevin Rivers, Landover, MD

132 lbs: Elvis Medrano, Washington DC

141 lbs: Gary Allen Russell, Capitol Heights, MD

165 lbs: Travis Peterkin, Edgewood, MD

178 lbs: Thomas Williams, Fort Washington, MD

201 lbs: Charles Johnson, Upper Marlboro, MD

201+ lbs: Ronald Gamble, Laurel, MD

Also, on the Open Women's team:

112 lbs: Maria Cash, Oxon Hill, MD


On the East Central Junior team:

101 lbs: Patrick Harris, Hyattsville, MD

114 lbs: Gary Antonio Russell, Capitol Heights, MD

132 lbs: Parris Chisholm III, Oxon Hill, MD

138 lbs: Michael Reed, Waldorf, MD

145 lbs: Antoine Douglas, Washington, DC

On the Junior Women's team:

132 lbs: Asia Stevenson, Washington DC

There will be an area boxer on the Police Athletic League team:

201 lbs: Nicholas Kisner, Glen Burnie, MD

Two locals will be on the Silver Gloves junior team:

165 lbs: D'Mitrius Ballard, Temple Hills, MD.

178 lbs: Jerry Odom, Bowie, MD


Other boxers of note who have ties to the area include 132-pounder Todd DeKinderen of Camp Lejune, NC who was on the DC Region Golden Gloves team and 201-pounder Hasim Rahman, Jr. who is on the Great West Region Open team.

Update on June 12 Virginia Card; Early July Preview!

As we mentioned on the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show, there are some interesting matchups that have been added to the Friday, June 12 Major League Boxing card at the Virginia Sports Complex in Ruther Glen, VA.

Undefeated Baltimore middleweight Cecil McCalla (7-0, two KO's) will be taking on Eric "Fast Hands" Burke of Columbus, OH (6-21-2, five KO's) in a four-round contest. McCalla is coming off a solid eight-round majority decision win over John Mackey on April 30 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD. Burke will be looking to break a five-bout losing streak.

Also on the card, undefeated Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae will fight a four-round rematch against "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA. McRae (3-0, three KO's) won the first bout by first-round TKO on December 20 at Howard University's Burr Gymnasium. The stoppage sent Felton(6-15, five KO's) into an angry tirade that forced him to be escorted from the ring area.

Let's take an early look at July -- a month that will be a busy one for Beltway Boxers around the country and around the world. We already know about the matchup in Reno, NV on Friday, July 10 where Baltimore's Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall will take on Jesse Brinkley.

Now comes word that Takoma Park, MD cruiserweight and former USBA champion Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson is currently training in Russia preparing for a Thursday, July 2 contest where Wilson will face WBO number one contender "Pretty Boy" Grigory Drozd in a 12-round contest for Drozd's WBO Asia Pacific and PABA (Pacific Asian Boxing Association) Cruiserweight titles in Moscow.

Wilson (23-8-3, 20 KO's) has not fought since his stint on "The Contender" where he lost a five-round unanimous decision to Contender runner-up Ehinomen Ehikhamenor on January 7 in Singapore. Drozd (31-1, 23 KO's) is ranked in the top 10 in all the major governing bodies (WBA #2, IBF #5, WBC #6) but has not fought since a dominating performance over Rob Calloway on December 6 in Gorky, Russia. Drozd knocked Calloway down eight times in the contest en route to a seventh-round TKO.

BATB also talked to undefeated DC boxers Anthony Peterson and Ty Barnett and both say they could have bouts coming up in mid-July.

Holmes Wins Eight-Round Decision Over Lockett in DC!

Former two-time WBC Middleweight champion Keith Holmes returned to action with an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Willis "The Prophet" Lockett tonight at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in DC.

Fighting for the first time in almost two years and amazingly at a weight close to the middleweight limit (after fighting at 168 and 175 pounds over the last four years), Holmes looked a little rusty but his experience and defensive skills proved to be the difference in the contest. Lockett was aggressive but not very accurate throughout the contest.

Scorecards had Holmes winning by tallies of 80-71, 79-72 and 77-74. With the win, Holmes now has a record of 41-5, 25 KO's while Lockett falls to 12-8-5, five KO's.

In the co-feature, DC super bantamweight Clarence "Untouchable" Vinson looked surprisingly sharp after an almost two-year layoff by defeating Jacksonville, FL's Robert "Don't Lose" DaLuz of Jacksonville, FL by an eight-round majority decision.

This was a rematch of a June 23, 2007 bout at Howard University's Burr Gymnasium in DC. This was also a better-fought contest than the first one that Vinson won by unanimous decision. Vinson had not fought since the first contest while DaLuz was participating in his 14th bout since the first encounter. Although DaLuz has only won two bouts in that 14-bout stretch, he seemed to be a much improved boxer this time then in the first bout.

As in the first encounter, Vinson battled some adversity. Instead of a knockdown in the first encounter, Vinson was cut along the left side of his face by an accidental headbutt in the second round. However, Vinson fought on, using very fast hands and withstood a late DaLuz rally to get the victory.

Vinson is now 17-2, seven KO's while DaLuz is 12-19-2, two KO's.

Other bouts on the card saw the return of "The Next Generation" Louis "Heidi" Curtis, Jr. as he fought Gabriel Cruz of Oceanside, CA to a four-round majority draw.

Curtis, who hasn't fought since winning a minimumweight bout in 1998, fought well and tried to trade with the gritty Cruz. Curtis did enough to win the bout on one judge's scorecard, but the other two saw the bout even. Curtis had his father -- 1976 US Olympian Heidi Curtis, Sr. -- as well as Darryll Tyson working his corner. Curtis is now 1-0-1, one KO while Cruz is now 3-2-1, one KO.

Also, welterweight Terrell Davis of DC made his return after an almost four-year absence and lost by second-round TKO to undefeated Jamal "The Hitman" Charlo of Houston, TX. Davis is now 0-4 while Charlo is 4-0, one KO.

There was a three-round heavyweight exhibition between DC's John "Nature Boy" Chavis and Tim "Brass Knuckles" Bolden as well as three amateur bouts. In the 65-pound contest, Malcolm Lowery of the Headbangers Gym stopped Philadelphia's Shamsideen Justice. In the 72-pound bout, Zimmie Dickinson of Dream Team defeated Jordan White. And in a women's 164-pound bout, Tori Nelson of Old School Boxing defeated Kaelon Hollon of Tony's Gym.

The card was promoted by Universal Madness in association with the organization Cease Fire: Don't Smoke the Brothers and Sisters. Jack Crider served as matchmaker.

Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show:

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #172 - Full Report From DC!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I break down the return of boxing to the Nation's Capital plus give other breaking news.

Snow Wins Majority Decision in Minnesota!

Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Thomas "KO" Snow won a six-round majority decision over previously undefeated Willshaun Boxley of Coon Rapids, MN Friday night at the Grand Casino in Hinkley, MN.

No word on the judge's scorecards but according to Jesse Kelley of Minnesotaboxing.com, Snow was content to stay on his bike and jab, literally running at times while Boxley showed impressive defense but the judges felt he wasn't busy enough.

With the win, Snow is now 11-1, eight KO's while Boxley is 5-1, three KO's. Snow will not appear on the Friday, June 12 Major League Boxing card at the Virginia Sports Complex in Ruther Glen, VA.

Tucker Remains Undefeated in Westminster!

Because of the lateness of the hour, here is a brief written synopsis of the card in Westminister, MD:

Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over veteran Andre Hemphill of Philadelphia, PA tonight at the Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD. Tucker is now 10-0, seven KO's while Hemphill is 7-11-2, four KO's.

Laurel, MD junior middleweight Lenwood "Mr. Composure" Dozier lost his first pro bout as he was stopped by Ken Dunham of Rock Hill, SC at 2:25 of the third round. Dozier is now 5-1-1, two KO's while Dunham is 6-8, four KO's.

Junior welterweight Emanuel "Transformer" Taylor of Edgewood, MD scored a blistering second-round knockout over Bryan "The Brick" Abraham of Schenectady, NY. The bout was stopped at 2:13 of the round. Taylor is 2-0, two KO's while Abraham is 1-2-1, one KO.

Baltimore junior middleweight Omar "The Mean Machine" Sims lost a six-round unanimous decision to Jamar "The Truth" Freeman of Wilson, NC. Sims is now 1-1-2, one KO while Freeman remains undefeated at 3-0-1.

"Showtime" Tyrone Wright won an all-DC pro debut lightweight bout with a four-round unanimous decision over Hugh Hinds.

Buffalo, NY junior welterweight Vincent Arroyo remained undefeated with a second-round knockout over Amaury Torres of Miami, FL. Arroyo is now 9-0, six KO's.

Newport News, VA junior middleweight Jeremiah "The Bounty Hunter" Wiggins fought to a strange three-round draw with veteran Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor of Wilmington, DE. Wiggins unintentionally hit Taylor with a hard punch to the groin. Taylor could not continue after the five-minute rest period. Under Maryland rules, a bout cannot be won after a low blow, therefore it was a draw. Wiggins is now 3-0-1, one KO while Taylor is 13-22-4, six KO's.

Also on the card, cruiserweight Daniel "Bad Boy" Kooij of Vero Beach, FL won a four-round unanimous decision over Clarence Moore of Charlotte, NC. Kooij (pronounced KOY) is now 4-0, two KO's while Moore is 5-8-1, five KO's.

The Maryland Boxing Club promoted the card. The matchmaker was Josh Hall.

Here's a little more detailed account on the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show:


Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #171 - Full Report from Shipley Arena!

"The Fight Doctor and I talk about the Maryland Boxing Club show in Westminister, MD!

Weights For Westminster!

Here is the scale watch for tonight's TNT Promotions 21/Maryland Boxing Club card at the Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD:

Mark Tucker 177 vs. Andre Hemphill 174

Lenwood Dozier 151 1/2 vs. Ken Dunham 154

Emmanuel Taylor 141 vs. Bryan Abraham 141

Omar Sims 154 vs. Jamar Freeman 152

Tyrone Wright 127 vs. Hugh Hinds 128 3/4

Jeremiah Wiggins 154 3/4 vs. Clarence Taylor 157 1/2

Vincent Arroyo 144 1/4 vs. Amaury Torres 143 1/4

Daniel Kooij 189 3/4 vs. Clarence Moore 191 1/2

Paschall Faces Brinkley in Reno July 10; Jargal Also on Card!

Baltimore super middleweight "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall will face Jesse Brinkley in a 10-round main event on Friday, July 10 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, NV. The card will also feature undefeated Arlington, VA lightweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal.

Paschall (19-1-1, four KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Sam Hill on April 2 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Brinkley (33-5, 22 KO's) defeated fellow Contender -- Season One cast member Joey Gilbert by 12-round unanimous decision on February 14 in Reno to win the vacant WBC USNBC Super Middleweight title. That title reportedly will not be on the line against Paschall.

“The best part of a fight like this is neither of us will have to go searching for the other. I’ve seen Jesse fight quite a bit and respect what he’s accomplished in the sport," Paschall said in a press release.

“I’ll go anywhere and fight any of the top guys at 168 or 175," Brinkley said. Paschall is a tough, aggressive fighter who will provide a real challenge for me as a southpaw. I’ve seen him fight a number of times and our styles should make for a very entertaining fight for the fans.”

The opponent for Jargal (12-0-1, eight KO's) is yet to be determined. Jargal last fought on May 9 at the Winchester Sportsplex in Winchester, VA where he won by first-round disqualification over Brian Carden.

Update on Saturday Night in DC!

Here's an update on the second half of this Beltway Boxing weekend -- The Saturday, June 6 Madness Boxing/Cease Fire -- Don't Smoke The Brothers and Sisters card at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in DC.

As mentioned on the most recent BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up show, former two-time WBC Middleweight champion Keith Holmes will now battle Takoma Park, MD's Willis "The Prophet" Lockett in an eight-round contest. Holmes (40-5, 25 KO's) has not fought since losing an eight-round unanimous decision to Tito Mendoza in August of 2007 in Panama City, Panama. Lockett (12-7-5, five KO's), meanwhile, is on a two-bout winning streak, both victories coming in the opponent's home areas. Lockett stopped Larry Marks in the fourth round on April 24 in Dover, DE then followed that victory with a six-round unanimous decision win over Joe McCreedy on May 22 in Lincoln, RI.

The co-feature will be a rematch between 2000 US Olympian Clarence "Untouchable" Vinson and Providence, RI's Robert "Don't Lose" Da Luz. This bout is also scheduled for eight rounds.

Vinson and Da Luz met each other in a 10-round bout for the vacant USNBC Super Bantamweight title on June 23, 2007 at Howard University's Burr Gymnasium in Washington, DC. Vinson won the bout by unanimous decision but did not gain the title because he was over the weight limit.

Vinson (16-2, seven KO's) has not fought since the first Da Luz bout. Da Luz (12-18-2, nine KO's), meanwhile, has fought 13 times in the last two years including bouts against bantamweight and featherweight prospects Teon Kennedy, Dat Nguyen, Gary Stark, Jr. and Robert Marraquin.

More on this card as it becomes available.

Update on Friday Night in Westminister!

As we just mentioned, undefeated Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker headlines the TNT Promotions/Maryland Boxing Club card on Friday, June 5 at the Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD.

Tucker (9-0, seven KO's) will face veteran Andre "Da Heat" Hemphill of Philadelphia, PA by way of Woodbridge, VA (7-10-2, four KO's) in an eight-round contest. Tucker is coming off an eight-round split decision win over Ross Thompson on the last Westminster show on April 24. Hemphill lost a six-round unanimous decision to Will Rosinsky on May 8 in Franklin Square, NY.

NOTE: BATB sends its best wishes to Ross Thompson, who was recently attacked and reportedly shot by a large group of men last week in Buffalo, NY. Thompson was slated to have surgery earlier this week.

The two co-feature bouts will be six-round junior middleweight rematches of bouts that took place on earlier TNT Promotions cards. Baltimore's Omar Sims will take on Wilson, NC's Jamar Freeman. The two fought to an exciting four-round draw on April 24. Neither Sims (1-0-2, one KO) nor Freeman (2-0-1) have fought since that bout.

The other rematch will be between undefeated Lenwood "Mr. Composure" Dozier of Glen Burnie and Charlotte, NC's Ken Dunham. Dozier won the first bout by four-round majority decision on the February 20 Westminster card. Dozier (5-0-1, two KO's) has not fought since the February 20 show while Dunham was stopped in the second round by James Stevenson on March 19 in Woodlawn, MD.

Edgewood, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Transformer" Taylor is slated to take on Schenectady, NY's Bryan Abraham in a four-round contest. Taylor (1-0, one KO) has not fought since making his pro debut on March 19 in Woodlawn and scoring a first-round knockout over Damien Butler. Abraham (1-1-1, one KO) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision loss to 2008 US Olympian Sadam Ali on April 25 at the Foxwoods in Mashantucket, CT.

There will be an all-New York six-round welterweight contest as undefeated prospect Vincent Arroyo of Amherst (8-0, five KO's) will battle veteran Amaury Torres of Washington Heights (4-8-2, one KO). Arroyo last fought on May 15 in Yonkers, NY where he stopped Roberto Acevedo in the sixth round. Torres is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Jesse Francisco on March 13 in Kissimmee, FL.

DC rookie super middleweight Robert "Rated X" Reed is slated to return to action on this show against an opponent to be determined. Reed (1-0, one KO) made an explosive pro debut on the April 24 Westminster card, stopping Zaid Malik in the first round. Also slated to be on this card will be undefeated York, PA welterweight prospect Stevie Weimer (3-0, two KO's).

By the way, the promotion is offering a Mother's Day/Father's Day special -- Youths 16-and-under accompanied by their parent get in for half price.

'TNT' Tucker Profiled on Digital Sports!!

There is a very revealing article concerning undefeated Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker on the website Digital Sports. The story tells how Tucker overcame injuries in a house fire a few years ago that could have halted his boxing career. Tucker headlines the Friday, June 5 card at the Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD when he faces Andre "Da Heat" Hemphill, who originally fought out of Woodbridge, VA but now calls Philadelphia, PA.

What's fitting about this article is that the reporter who wrote it knows a little bit about overcoming as well. The author is noted boxing and scholastic writer Lem Satterfield, who recently battled a rare form of cancer. I recently talked to Lem and the former Baltimore Sun reporter is doing quite well.

Here is the article:

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