Joppy-Cummings Added As Co-Feature to November 6 Patriot Center Card!

Former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy makes his return to the Beltway area in a 10-round co-feature bout against Baltimore's Cory "Black Ice" Cummings on Saturday, November 6 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.

Joppy (39-6-1, 30 KO's) has lost his last two bouts in Montreal Canada to Sebastian Demers and Lucian Bute (in a bout for the IBF Super Middleweight title). Joppy has not fought along the Beltway since stopping Virgil McClendon in the first round on April 27, 2007 at the DC Armory. McClendon suffered an injury in that bout and couldn't continue.

Cummings, the Maryland State Super Middleweight champion (17-4, 13 KO's), has not fought since winning that title by ninth-round TKO in a tremendous bout against Demetrius Davis on May 29, 2009 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

G.A. Russell, Reed, Adams Advance In National PAL!

Before I give the results from yesterday's action at the National PAL in San Antonio, TX, let me say that results were very slow from the event. Apparently, the tournament organizers had to reseed the tournament because some mistakes were made. When they released the results, they did not put hometowns next to them. Although I know the majority of the local participants in this event, I may unknowingly leave some names out.

Gary Antonio Russell won his second bout in the 123 pound division, defeating Duran Pedro, 16-12. Also at 123 pounds, Antonio Magruder decisioned Andy Reyes, 13-8.


At 132 pounds, Kevin Rivers was stopped in the third round by Saul Rodriguez.

At 141 pounds, Zeddie Adams decisioned Adam Costillo, 11-7. Also at 141, Michael Reed won his bout by walkover against Martin Lagunas, Jr.

In the 178 pound bracket, Demond Nicholson lost a close 4-3 decision to Ken Johnson. At 201+ pounds, Danny Kelly lost 3-2 after a level two tie-breaker.

Update on October 23 Card in Pikesville!

Here is an update on the Saturday, October 23 Baltimore Pro Boxing card at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD.

Undefeated Baltimore welterweight James "Keep Em' Sleepin'" Stevenson (13-0, 10 KO's) will be in an eight-round main event bout against an opponent to be named.

In what could be a very interesting bout, undefeated Catonsville, MD cruiserweight Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler (6-0, five KO's) will be in a six-round co-feature against Arlington, VA's Otgonbayer Daivii (3-4-1, one KO).

Baltimore heavyweight Jed "The Punisher" Phipps (18-8, 11 KO's) will try to bounce back from his first-round knockout loss on September 17 when he takes on Ryan Shay of Fort Mills, SC (5-10, four KO's) in a four-round contest.

Undefeated Ferndale, MD cruiser "The American Child" Nick Kisner (5-0, three KO's) will take on veteran Maurice Winslow of Wilson, NC (3-13-1, three KO's) in a four-round bout.

Hopefully, someone's "O" will go when Baltimore heavyweight Lonnie Kornegay (0-3) returns to action against Riley Brooks, also of Baltimore (0-1).

DC-area heavyweights Maurice "The Freight Train" Byarm (9-0, six KO's) and "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae (8-2, four KO's) are also slated to appear in separate bouts on this card as is Capitol Heights, MD super featherweight Thomas "KO" Snow.

G. Antonio Russell Begins Beltway Parade at PAL's!

Gary Antonio Russell of Capitol Heights, MD was the first Beltway Amateur to participate in the 2010 PAL Tournament in San Antonio, TX. Russell won his first bout in the 123-pound class, defeating David Rios of Edinburg, TX, 31-7.

This year's event is the first senior men's US Olympic qualifier and a senior qualifier for the 2011 Women's Pan American team.

Orji Stops Miller in Verona!

Laurel, MD lightweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji .scored an eight-round TKO over previously undefeated Brian Miller of Schenectady, NY last night at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.

According to Fightnews.com, Orji dropped Miller with a right hook in third round and again in the eighth round from a straight left hand. After staggering him again in the eighth referee Dick Pakozdi waived off the fight 2:24 into the round.

Orji's record is now 7-3, three KO's while Miller falls to 8-1-4, three KO's.

Coleman Scores Third-Round KO in California!

(Photo by Tom Casino/Showtime)

Baltimore's Tim "Pit Bull" Coleman made his first successful defense of his USBA Junior Welterweight title with a stunning third-round knockout over Patrick Lopez of Venezuela tonight in front of a nationally-televised ShoBox audience from the Chumesh Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, CA.

Coleman dropped Lopez in the second round and finished him off with a gorgeous uppercut in the third that sent Lopez face first to the canvas. The bout was stopped at 2:13 of the round.

Coleman is now 18-1-1, five KO's while Lopez falls to 20-3, 12 KO's.

Reed Wins Bout in US-China Dual Meet!

Beltway boxers went 1-3 in the US vs. China dual in New York

Michael Reed of DC won his bout while Tyreishia Douglas and Danny Kelly lost their bouts. We don't have the scores or the opponents.

Orji Weighs 136 for Verona Battle!

Ikem "The Warrior" Orji weighed in at 136 pounds for his bout tomorrow night against Brian Miller at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. Miller came in at 134 1/4.

The bout can be seen on www.gofightlive.tv for $9.99.

Tucker Off October 6 Card in New York; Russell Returns to California Oct. 28!

Undefeated Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker is off the October 6 Broadway Boxing card at BB King's Grill in New York City. Tucker (14-0, seven KO's) suffered a foot injury in training.

Meanwhile, undefeated Capitol Heights, MD super featherweight "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. returns quickly to action on Thursday, October 28 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, CA. Russell will be in a six-round main event against Guadalupe DeLeon of Mission, TX (8-11, four KO's). This will be Russell's third trip to Club Nokia -- he has scored knockouts in his two previous bouts there.

Coleman Weighs In for USBA Title Defense!

(photo by Tom Casino/Showtime)

USBA Junior Welterweight champion Tim "Pit Bull" Coleman (left)weighed in at 139 3/4 pounds for his nationally televised title defense tonight against Patrick Lopez at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, CA. Lopez tipped the scales at 139 pounds.

The bout will be the main event on the ShoBox telecast that begins at 11 PM ET on Showtime.

Mackey-Rivera Highlights November 6 Card in Waldorf!

Yes, there are two cards slated for Saturday, November 6. This one will be a Bobby Magruder Promotion and will be at the Waldorf Jaycees in Waldorf, MD. The main event will be an eight-round middleweight contest between George "Wartime" Rivera of Charlottsville, VA and John "No Mercy" Mackey, now fighting out of Upper Marlboro, MD.

Mackey (12-5-2, five KO's) is coming off an eight-round majority decision win over previously undefeated Donald Orr on June 19 in Niagra Falls, NY. Rivera (11-5, four KO's) has not fought since losing a 10-round unanimous decision to James Stevenson on March 20 in Baltimore.

The co-feature is a six-round contest between undefeated Oxon Hill, MD light heavyweight Alexander "The Great" Johnson and Shannon Anderson of Philadelphia, PA> Johnson (9-0, three KO's) last fought on April 2 and won a six-round unanimous decision over William Gill in DC. Anderson (4-2, two KO's) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision loss to Angel Concepcion on July 16 in Newark, NJ.

Anderson made his pro debut along the Beltway on this date (Sept. 30) in 2004 when he defeated Michael Gutrick by four-round unanimous decision in Glen Burnie, MD. Anderson also won a six-round unanimous decision over Jarell Mason Jackson in Millersville, MD in November of 2005.

Also slated to be on this card are Beltway Boxers Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez, Venroy July, Lenwood "Mr. Composure" Dozier, Abodurin Akinyanju and debuting boxers Thomas Williams, Jr. and Chris Warden.

Boxing Comes To DC's Northwest Masonic Temple October 30!

Babie Girl Productions is bringing a pro boxing card to the Northwest Masonic Temple, 1000 U Street, NW in DC on Saturday, October 30.

The two main event bouts are contests sanctioned by the Global Boxing Association, a sanctioning body based in England. In one contest, Columbia, MD junior middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter (9-2-1, eight KO's) will battle Jose Felix of Savannah, GA (10-9-2, three KO's) for the GBA Junior Middleweight title. Jeter is unbeaten in his last six bouts and has scored knockouts in four of those bouts. Felix is winless in his last seven and has been knocked out in all seven contests.

The other GBA bout is for the vacant super bantamweight title as 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Clarence "Untouchable" Vinson (17-2, seven KO's) takes on Steve Cannell of Santa Fe, NM (4-4-3). Vinson has been idle since his eight-round majority decision victory over Robert Da Luz in June of 2009 at the Washington Convention Center. Cannell is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Hassan Wasswa on June 12 of this year in Nova Scotia.

Other locals on the card include Baltimore middleweight Devin Butcher (1-0) who will face Troy Nelson of Columbus, OH (0-5). Also, DC cruiserweight Andre Ward and Baltimore cruiser Walter Tyler will make their pro debuts against one another.

We're also scheduled to get a look at undefeated 18-year-old Vero Beach, FL junior middleweight prospect Bobby "The Prodigy" Bryant (8-0, six KO's). Bryant will take on veteran Rohan "The Beast" Nanton (7-25-1, six KO's) of Brooklyn, NY in a six-round contest. At least two more bouts are scheduled for the show.

Lange to Battle for NABA Junior Middleweight Title Nov. 6 at Patriot Center!

Great Falls, VA junior middleweight Jimmy Lange returns to action on Saturday, November 6 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. Lange will battle for top 20 contender Joe Wyatt of Richmond, VA for the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) Junior Middleweight title. The NABA is a division of the World Boxing Association (WBA).

Lange (33-4-2, 23 KO's) won a six-round unanimous decision over Mike McFail of Baltimore in August in Greensboro, NC. Lange will be headlining a Patriot Center show for the 11th time. Wyatt (23-1, 15 KO's) will return to the ring for the first time since suffering his only pro loss -- a seventh-round stoppage at the hands of Reda Zam Zam for the WBA Inter-Continental junior middleweight title on June 9, 2006 in Aarhus, Denmark.

Other details are starting to emerge about this card. Undefeated Fairfax, VA welterweight Todd "White Lightning" Wilson (8-0, two KO's) is slated to participate in his first scheduled six-round contest.

Manassas, VA featherweight "The Bolivian Queen" Jennifer Salinas will make her fourth appearance at the Patriot Center against an opponent to be named later. Salinas (11-2, four KO's) will be trying to bounce back from her loss against Nathalie Forget at the last Patriot Center show in July.

Making his return to Fairfax, VA will be Martinsburg, WVA middleweight Perry Ballard, who participated on the very first Patriot Center card in September of 2005 in an exciting battle against Lange. Ballard (20-2-1, 15 KO's) fought to a draw in his last outing and lost to former world champion Hector Camacho, Sr. three years ago.

Also slated to appera on this card will be Alexandria, VA's Brandon Quarles (2-0) who will face Lawrence Jones of Chantilly, VA (3-2-2, one KO) in a four-round, all-Virginia matchup. Quarles made his pro debut on the July Patriot Center card and won a tough four-round unanimous decision over Vincent Batteast.. Jones clashed heads with Tony Jeter on that same show and their bout was stopped in the first round. Undefeated Annandale, VA middleweight Zain "Tiger" Shah (3-0, two KO's) is also scheduled to be part of the card.

Beltway Boxers Score Knockouts in Tunica!

Three undefeated Beltway Boxers registered early knockouts during a card at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS last night.

Largo, MD middleweight Dominic Wade scored a second-round knockout over Freddie Montoya of Montebello, CA. Wade is now 9-0, seven KO's while Montoya is 3-2, two KO's.

Capitol Heights, MD super featherweight "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. registered his seventh straight knockout, stopping Willie Villanueva of Albuquerque, NM in the first round. Russell is now 12-0, nine KO's while Villanueva is now 9-3, two KO's.

Salisbury, MD cruiserweight Alex Guerrero also scored a second-round knockout, defeating Dustin Schnakenburg of Grain Valley, MO. Guerrero is now 4-0-1, two KO's. Schnakenburg falls to 4-3, three KO's.

Jeter Promotions Has Amateur Card October 2!

There will be an amateur card put together by Jeter Promotions on Saturday night, October 2 at Club One Fitness 1131 Benfield Boulevard, Suites M-Q in Millersville, MD. The card will begin at 7:30 PM. Call them at 410-729-3900 for ticket information. Yours truly will serve as ring announcer.

Wade, Russell, Guerrero Hit Scales in Tunica!

Beltway Boxers hit the scales last night for their appearances at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS.

Dominic Wade hit the scales at 162 for his six-round contest against Freddie Montoya. Montoya came in at 158.

Gary Russell, Jr. tipped the scales at 126 for his six-round bout against Willie Villanueva, who tipped the scales at 125 1/2.

Alex Guerrero hit the scales at 194 1/2 for his four-round matchup against Dustin Schnakenberg, who weighed in at 199.

Saturday Beltway Trifecta in Tunica Leads to Huge October!

I mentioned some of this news on a recent BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up show but did not post this info on the blog. This coming Saturday, September 25 in Tunica, MS, three undefeated Beltway Boxers will be in some of the big bouts on the card at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino.

Largo, MD middleweight Dominic Wade (8-0, six KO's) headlines the show in a six-round contest against Freddie Montoya of Montebello, CA (3-1, two KO's). Wade is coming off a first-round knockout over Troy Lowry on July 17 in New Town, ND. Montoya will be trying to bounce back from his first pro loss which took place on October 24, 2009 to Fernando Calleros in Acoma, NM.

Capitol Heights, MD super featherweight "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. (11-0, eight KO's')will be in one of the six-round co-feature bouts as he takes on Willie Villanueva of Albuquerque, NM (9-2, two KO's). Russell will be looking for his seventh straight knockout after stopping veteran and former world champion Mauricio Pastrana on July 22 in Los Angeles. Villanueva will be looking to break a two-bout losing streak. In his last outing, Villanueva was stopped by Randy Arrelin on May 7 in Albuquerque.

In a four-round encounter, Salisbury, MD cruiserweight Alex Guerrero (3-0-1, one KO) will look to continue his winning ways as he faces Dustin Schnakenburg of Grain Valley, MO. (4-2, three KO's) Guerrero will try to bounce back from his first pro draw on April 16 in Salisbury. Schnakenburg is on a two-bout winning streak, capturing a four-round unanimous decision over Mario Munoz on March 26 in Kansas City, MO.

This card sets us up for what will be a very busy October with a number of Beltway Boxers participating in important bouts on the road. We will also be busy at home with three local cards in a nine-day period. Here's a chronological look of what is slated to take place in October:

On Friday, October 1, USBA Junior Welterweight champion Tim "Pitbull" Coleman of Baltimore makes the first defense of his USBA Junior Welterweight title against two-time Venezuelan Olympian Patrick "El Elegante" Lopez at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, CA. The bout will be the main event on ShoBox: The New Generation on Showtime. Coleman (17-1-1, four KO's) is coming off a 12-round decision win against former world title challenger and hometown favorite Mike Arnaoutis in New York in his last fight on Dec. 3, 2009. He has won three fights in a row since his only loss in October, 2008. Coleman is currently ranked No. 15 in the IBF and No. 18 in the WBC. Lopez is 20-2, 12 KO's.

Here's what ShoBox analyst Steve Farhood says about the matchup:

“Coleman-Lopez is a good boxer-puncher matchup, and it’s coming at the right time. “Coleman is on the rise. This fight has real meaning as a crossroads matchup and the winner is going to be in commanding position to take the next step.”

On Saturday, October 2, Laurel, MD junior welterweight Ikem "The Warrior" Orji (6-3, two KO's) will be in an eight-round co-feature bout against undefeated Brian Miller of Schenectady, NY (8-0-4, three KO's) at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. Orji is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Rod Salka on June 30 in Pittsburgh, PA. Miller was in an eight-round draw in his last outing on September 11 in Albany, NY. Miller battled with Floriano Pagliara for the WBF All-Americas Lightweight title. Miller is the defending champion but is not scheduled to defend his title against Orji.

Wednesday, October 6 finds undefeated Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight and USBO/NABO Youth champion Mark TNT Tucker in a non-title eight-round contest against an opponent to be named at BB King's Blues Club and Grill in New York City. Tucker (14-0, seven KO's) had a tough win in his last outing -- an eight-round unanimous decision over Billy Bailey on June 19 in Oakland, CA.

The very next night -- Thursday, October 7 -- will have a former Tucker opponent -- George "El Gallo" Armenta of Silver Spring, MD. Armenta (13-6, 11 KO's) will try to break a two-bout losing streak as he faces James "Buddy" McGirt, Jr. (22-2-1, 11 KO's) of Vero Beach, FL in an eight-round contest at the Pensacola Civic Center in Pensacola, FL on the Roy Jones-Danny Santiago card. Armenta was stopped in his last outing in the first round by Edwin Rodriguez on March 19 in Durant, OK. McGirt is coming off a second-round knockout of John Mackey on April 3 in Las Vegas.

On Friday, October 15, undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell (18-0-1, 12 KO's) will try to keep his knockout string going as he looks for four-in-a-row at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA. No word on his opponent, but the bout is slated to be Mitchell's first scheduled 10-round bout.

Then we head home for the first of our three local cards. This will be the Jonathan Ogden Foundation card on Thursday, October 21 at Martin's Valley Mansion in Cockeysville, MD. Scheduled to appear on this TKO Promotions card will be The Taylor Brothers (Emmanuel and Maxell) as well as undefeated heavyweight Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm of DC and the Beltway debut of Capitol Heights, MD junior welterweight Alantez Fox .

Two nights later -- Saturday, October 23 -- the action switches to the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD. Scheduled to appear on this card is multi-belt champion James "Keep Em Sleepin' Stevenson as well as Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler.

Then on Saturday, October 30, there will be a card at the Masonic Temple, 1000 U Street, NW in DC. The Babie Girl Productions card is slated to include Tony "Mo Better" Jeter fighting for a regional title as well as the return of 2000 Olympian Clarence "Untouchable" Vinson.

Get Well Wishes For 'Rock' Simms!

BATB has learned that longtime Beltway-area trainer Marvin "Rock" Simms is in poor health and is in the intensive care unit at Greater Laurel Hospital.

Mr. Simms has been a well-known trainer who has worked with world champions like William Joppy and Sharmba Mitchell and has worked at numerous local gyms including Laurel Boys and Girls Club, Round One and the Charles Mooney Academy of Boxing.

We ask you join us in sending prayers to Rock Simms and his family.

Sims, Kisner Victorious in Hampton!

BATB has learned that Baltimore boxers Omar "The Machine" Sims and "The American Child" Nick Kisner scored knockout victories tonight at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, VA.

Sims registered his second straight knockout victory stopping Frankie "The Freight Train" Filippone of Norfolk, VA 14 seconds into the fourth round. Sims is now 5-2-3, three KO's. Filippone is 6-2, two KO's.

Kisner stopped Robert Hunt of Alexandria, VA at 12 seconds of the second round. Kisner remains undefeated at 5-0, three KO's. Hunt is now 1-14, one KO.

Weights from Hampton, VA!

Interesting situation for the card that will be held tonight at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, VA. Weight issues have caused changes in the bouts featuring Beltway Boxers. DC heavyweight Kareem Wilson is not particpating on the card. Wilson was slated to take on Ferndale, MD's Nick Kisner. Dale Robeson-El will also sit out this card, because his scheduled opponent, Robert Hunt of Alexandria, VA, came in at 203 pounds.

What this means is Kisner, who weighed in at 202, will now face Hunt. The other bout that features a Beltway Boxer is intact -- Omar Sims of Baltimore will face Frankie Fillipone of Norfolk, VA. Sims weighed 167 pounds while Fillipone came in at 171.

Nicklow, Kennedy Battle to Spirited Majority Draw!

In a bout that is the clubhouse leader for Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year, Baltimore boxers Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and "Vicious" Julius Kennedy battled to a tremendously close 10-round majority draw. Neither boxer will hold the WBF All-Americas or Maryland State Middleweight titles.

I will go into detail at length later today, but suffice it to say that this was one of the closest contests that I have seen in quite some time.

Also on the card, Baltimore heavyweight Jed "The Punisher" Phipps was stopped by Theron Johnson of Chicago, IL at 37 seconds of the first round. Baltimore cruiserweight Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler remained undefeated with a first-round stoppage of Winchester, VA's debuting Donald Crawford. The time was 2:07. Also, Maxell "The General" Taylor made a successful return to action with a six-round unanimous decision over Francois Ambang.

Here are my thoughts on the card.

The Julius Kennedy-Jessie Nicklow bout may not go down in history as the greatest bout in Baltimore Boxing history, but as of right now, it is the best Beltway bout of 2010. A member of the Maryland State Athletic Commission had the best description of the bout when he said that the two boxers were "mirror images of each other." That is what made this bout so fascinating. Sometimes the two would throw the same sequence of punches at exactly the same time. The two sparred with one another, but this bout did not resemble a sparring session in any way.

I told that same MSAC representative after the fourth round of the contest that I didn't think either boxer was leaving with the belts tonight. That's what happened. Both men deserved to win the bout and neither man deserved to lose. Both men fought with passion and both men looked as good as I have seen them in a while. Judges John Gradowski and Dave Braslow scored the bout 95-95 while Don Risher saw it 98-92 for Nicklow. Nicklow is now 20-2-3, seven KO's while Kennedy is 7-1-1, three KO's.

About the co-feature: The conventional wisdom would probably be to say to Jed Phipps to hang it up. Phipps lost in 37 seconds to a boxer who scored his first knockout of his pro career in Theron Johnson. From the outside, it did look like he didn't take punches very well. However, Phipps is a heavyweight who I thought deserved a little bit more time to gather himself. Phipps never went down in that time. Talking to him after the bout, I saw a renewed passion in Phipps. He did say he wanted to make sure that never happens again. We'll wait and see. For now, Phipps is now 18-8, 11 KO's while Johnson is 4-3, one KO.

In 2009, I said that Steve Wheeler was the sleeper of the rookie class. He is doing nothing to prove me wrong. Yes, Wheeler did face a guy that was making his pro debut, but you have to like how Wheeler is taking people who don't have the talent he has out. Wheeler has solid power and good boxing skill and is truly, yet quietly cultivating a following in the area. No need to rush this guy because it will be very interesting to see how he develops. Wheeler is now 6-0, five KO's.

As far as Maxell Taylor, it is really nice to see this guy back in the business again. Taylor, who originally fought as a junior middleweight, looks like he will now be a super middleweight and he will bring some solid talent to that division. Give Taylor and his camp credit for coming back for his first bout in five years in a six-round contest against a tough guy like Francois Ambang, one of those boxers that if he could stop taking bouts on short notice, would have a much better career. Taylor looked prepared, using a solid jab. The big question will be if Taylor has the punching power to bang with boxers at 168 pounds. One thing is for sure: we have another solid boxing brother combination in the area in Maxell and Emmanuel Taylor.

There were some interesting luminaries in the crowd: Former world champion Vinny Paz was in attendance as was noted trainer Kevin Rooney. We were also honored by the presence of the Mayor of Baltimore, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who unlike most public officials, didn't just make an appearance to show everyone she was there and then leave. Mrs. Rawlings-Blake stayed for the entire card and willingly posed for pictures with other fans. Hopefully, she will not be a stranger to us. Also joining us was 1970's era heavyweight and Baltimore legend Larry Middleton along with one of the best amateurs to come out of this era, Warren "Chico" Thompson (whom I did not introduce to the crowd last night and I do apologize).

Finally, let me just say that I had a unique experience with this card. As many of you know, I served as the WBF supervisor for the title bout. This position allowed me to learn this business from a different perspective. I get to talk to boxers and I get to sit close to the action as a reporter. However, I am not always privy to the true inner workings of this business. I was closer to that aspect of the business last night than I have ever been before. I was involved in being a part of and even conducting rules meetings, witnessing a drug test, sitting among commission members during the bout and seeing how they operate and being a part of the behind-the-scenes operation of a card. These and many other situations are parts of the business that I know operate but to actually be a part of it was a definite learning experience, one that I will truly cherish. My thanks to the World Boxing Foundation as well as the Maryland State Athletic Commission for the opportunity.

As I was writing this, I was able to recover last night's BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up so I will post it so you can hear "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears's comments on the card. This report does cut out too soon, but the complete analysis of the card is on here.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #233 - Another Post-Fight Wrap-Up from Du Burns Arena!

Once again, "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap action from Du Burns Arena in Baltimore. This week, it's the Baltimore Boxing card.



Also, here's the interview with Maxell "The General" Taylor

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #231 - 'The General' Talks About His Return!

Baltimore super middleweight Maxell "The General" Taylor talks to BATB about his victorious return to boxing.

The titles belong to..no one!! Nicklow and Kennedy fight to a tremendous Beltway fight of the year majority draw!!! Complete details on the Post Fight Wrap up

The Nicklow-Kennedy bout entering the ring.

Johnson is 4-3, one KO.

The Jed Phipps--Theron Johnson bout is underway -- and it is over. Johnson stops Phipps at 37 seconds of the first round. Phipps is 18-8, 11 KO's.

Wheeler makes short work of Crawford, dropping him with solid left hand. Crawford doesn't get up. Wheeler is now 6-0, five KO's

Steve Wheeler-Donald Crawford in the ring. Crawford making his pro debut.

Maxell Taylor wins for the first time since 2005. Taylor wins a six-round unanimous decision over Francois Ambang. Taylor is 14-2-1, five KO's. Ambang 2-7-1.

The pro portion is getting ready to begin. The first bout is Maxell Taylor vs. Francois Ambang.

Good Evening once again from Du Burns Arena in Baltimore. The amateur portion of the card is underway. I will return when the pro portion begins.

Beltway Boxers Heading to Hampton!

Five Beltway Boxers will participate on a card at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, VA on Saturday, September 18.

Fresh off his four-round unanimous decision win over Dan Shull last Friday at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, undefeated Baltimore light heavyweight Dale Robeson-El (4-0, two KO's) returns to take on Robert Hunt of Alexandria, VA (1-13, one KO) in a four-round contest. Hunt recently returned to boxing after a nine-year hiatus. Hunt's career started in 1996 and he lost his first 13 bouts, facing the likes of Beltway Boxers Rufat Baku, Sammy Retta, Vincent "Boojay" White and he was the pro debut opponent for Jimmy Lange.

Upon his return, Hunt cracked the win column for the first time, stopping Rod Jacobs (1-10) on June 18 in Winston-Salem, NC.

In what should be a very interesting bout, Baltimore junior middleweight Omar "The Machine" Sims will take on Frankie "The Freight Train' Fillipone of Norfolk, VA in a six-round contest. Both guys are staying busy and fought on the same card on August 28 in Virginia Beach, VA. Sims (4-2-3, two KO's) is coming off a third-round TKO win over Kenneth Moody while Fillipone (6-1, two KO's) won a six-round unanimous decision over Willie Williams.

In a four-round bout, Baltimore's "The American Child" Nick Kisner will try to remain undefeated (4-0, two KO's) will battle DC's Kareem Wilson (0-5), who is looking for his first victory.

Weights From Du Burns! Again!

For the second consecutive week, we have weights from Du Burns Arena in Baltimore. This time, it's a Baltimore Pro Boxing card.

Jesse Nicklow 159 vs. Julius Kennedy 158.5 (WBF All-Americas and Maryland State Middleweight Championship Bout)

Jed Phipps 218.5 vs. Theron Johnson 227

Steve Wheeler 199 vs. Donald Crawford 206

Maxell Taylor 177 vs. Francois Ambang 183

Thomas Snow is not on this card. He was also slated to fight Saturday in Hampton, VA, but that bout has fallen through as well. There will be three amateur bouts on the card as well. BATB will post live from Du Burns.

Nicklow Visits Boxing Scene and Calls Fight 'Biggest in Baltimore History!"

Boxing Scene.com's Ryan Burton sat down with Baltimore middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow to talk about his WBF All-Americas/Maryland State Middleweight title bout against fellow Baltimore-area boxer "Vicious" Julius Kennedy on Friday, September 17 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, MD.

Not to give too much of this interview away, but Nicklow says this bout could be the Biggest in Baltimore history. Here's the link:

"http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=30966"

'Show Stealer' Wheeler Gets Introduction Feature at SecondsOut.com!

Undefeated Catonsville, MD cruiserweight Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler is the subject of an introduction feature by Andrew Wake of SecondsOut.com.

Wheeler is slated to be a part of the Baltimore Pro Boxing card this Friday night, September 17 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

Here is the link:

"http://www.secondsout.com/news/main-news/introducingsteve-wheeler">

Former IBF Champ Aiken Return Postponed!

Former IBF Featherweight champion Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken will NOT make his return to the ring after a more than two-year absence on Friday, September 17 in an outdoor ring adjacent to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.

Apparently, Aiken has been dropped from the card. No official reason was given.

Aiken (16-7-1, 12 KO's) has not fought since a stoppage loss to Monty Meza-Clay in February 2008 in Monroeville, PA. Aiken won the IBF title by disqualification over Valdemir Pereira on May 13, 2006 in Boston, MA. Aiken lost the belt to Robert Guerrero by eighth-round stoppage on September 2, 2006 in Los Angeles.

Aiken's opponent was scheduled be undefeated Luis Ramos, Jr. of Santa Ana, CA (16-0, eight KO's). Aiken has been replaced by John Figueroa.

New Poll: When Should Weigh-ins be held?

Last night's Anthony Peterson-Brandon Rios bout may rekindle a debate within boxing on when a weigh-in should be held. Should they be held the day BEFORE a card or the day OF a card?

Whether you believe it made a difference in the bout, the fact remains that after Rios weighed in at the lightweight limit of 135 pounds on the day before the bout, he came in the ring weighing 152 pounds, closer to the junior middleweight limit of 154. Peterson weighed in at 134 pounds at the weigh-in, but only put on five pounds afterwards. Some would argue that, if the weigh-in were held on the same day as the bout, there wouldn't have been that big of a weight disparity. Others believe that fighters risk a danger in being unable to properly rehydrate if a weigh-in is done on the same day as a boxing card.

Along the Beltway, only Virginia has had weigh-ins on the same day as a card, but that is not a set rule. Some promoters in the Commonwealth have also had weigh-ins on the day before a card.

Please send your thoughts on the new poll. This should provide interesting debate.

Peterson Loses World Title Opportunity by Disqualification!

Anthony Peterson picked the wrong time to fight the worst bout of his pro career. Peterson was knocked down once and had four points taken away from him for low blows en route to a seventh-round loss to Brandon Rios in a WBA Title Elimination bout at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Rios started to take control of the bout in the third round after a spirited second round where both men traded punches with great vigor.

In the fifth round, Rios landed a left hand that dropped Peterson for the first time in his boxing career. From there, Peterson landed a series of low blows that caused referee Russell Mora to take numerous points away. In the seventh round, Peterson hit Rios with a second remaining that caused Mora to disqualify Peterson.

The loss was the first of Peterson's career and his record is 30-1, 20 KO's. Rios is now 25-0-1, 17 KO's.

Coleman Makes First Defense of USBA Title October 1 on Showtime!

USBA Junior Welterweight champion Tim "Pit Bull" Coleman of Baltimore will make the first defense of his title on Friday, October 1 at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, CA. The bout will be televised on Showtime's Shobox: The New Generation.

The opponent for Coleman (17-1-1, four KO's) will be Patrick Lopez of Venezuela (20-2, 12 KO's). According to reports, Coleman is training in Las Vegas with Roger Mayweather for this bout.

A. Peterson Weighs 134 For WBA Title Eliminator!

Anthony Peterson weighed in at 134 pounds for his nationally televised WBA title elimination bout against Brandon Rios tonight at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas. Rios came in at 135 pounds.

The bout will be shown on HBO's Boxing After Dark tonight at 10 PM ET.

Full Results from Du Burns!

In the first of two straight Friday night boxing cards at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, MD, here are the results from the Bang Time Boxing promotion:

"The Golden Greek" Elias Bouloubassis and Newberry, SC's Kelvin Kibler fought to a four-round majority draw. Bouloubassis has the rather unique won-loss record of 5-0-5, four KO's. Kibler is 0-4-2.

"The Persecutor" Mike Paschall won a six-round majority decision over Ariel "Iron" Espinal of Brooklyn, NY. Paschall is now 21-2-1, four KO's while Espinal falls to 8-15-3, three KO's.

Russ "The Hammer" Shiflett scored the only knockout of the night, stopping Justin "Rage" Riegle of Massillon, OH at 1:10 of the first round. Shiflett remains undefeated at 9-0-1, five KO's while Riegle is under .500 at 3-4-1, one KO.

Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm won a four-round unanimous decision over "King" Kevin Howard of Montgomery, AL. Byarm also remains undefeated with a record of 9-0, six KO's. Howard is 1-4-1.

"The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae won a six-round unanimous decision over Mike "The Millionaire" Miller of Akron, OH. McRae is 8-2, four KO's. Miller is 6-18-2, three KO's.

Dale Robeson-El won a four-round unanimous decision over Dan Shull of Winchester, VA. Robeson-El is 4-0, two KO's while Shull falls to 2-11-1, one KO.

Andre "Da Heat" Hemphill of Philadelphia won a six-round unanimous decision over Frank Armstrong of Garner, NC. Hemphill is now 10-16-2, five KO's. Armstrong is 4-15-3, three KO's.

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

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #230 - Post-Fight Recap from Du Burns!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap the first part of the Du Burns Doubleheader -- The Bang Time Boxing Card.

Bouloubassis and Kibler fight to a four-round majority draw. Bouloubassis is now 5-0-5, four KO's. Kibler is now 0-4-2. Post-fight wrap up coming soon.

Main event-- Elias Bouloubassis-Kevin Kibler heading to the ring.

Paschall wins by six-round majority decision. Paschall is 21-2-1, four KO's. Espinal is now 8-15-3, three KO's.

Co-feature: Mike Paschall-Ariel Espinal in the ring.

Shiflett makes short work of Riegle, stopping him at 1:10 of the first. Shiflett is 9-0-1, five KO's. Riegle is 3-4, one KO's.

Russ Shiflett-Justin Riegle coming to the ring.

Byarm wins sluggish four-round unanimous decision to remain undefeated at 9-0, six KO's. Howard is now 1-4-1.

Maurice Byarm-Kevin Howard in the ring.

McRae wins by six-round unanimous decision. McRae is now 8-2, four KO's. Miller is 6-18-2, three KO's.

Dwayne McRae vs. Mike Miller -- heavyweights in the ring.

Hemphill wins by unanimous decision raising his record to 10-16-2, five KO's. Armstrong is 4-14-3, three KO's.

Andre Hemphill-Frank Armstrong heading to the ring.

Robeson-El wins by unanimous decision. Robeson-El is now 4-0, two KO's. Shull is now 2-11-1, one KO's.

Pro card underway from Baltimore. Dale Robeson-El vs. Dan Shull is the first bout.

Pro portion of the card slated to begin in 10 minutes. Tonight's audio post-fight will also include a loaded schedule of Beltway boxers in action.

Good Evening from Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, MD! The Bang Time Boxing card is underway with amateur boxing. I will return when the pro portion gets underway

Weights From Du Burns!

Here are the weights for the Bang Time Boxing card tomorrow night at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore:

Mike Paschall 168 vs. Ariel Espinal 173

Russ Shiflett 187 vs. Justin Riegel 186 1/2

Maurice Byarm 253 vs. Kevin Howard 267

Elias Bouloubassis 152 1/2 vs. Kevin Kibler 154

Dwayne McRae 260 vs. Mike Miller 272

Dale Robeson-El 180 vs. Dan Shull 178 (Robeson-El had to lose two and a half pounds to get close to agreed weight of 180)

Andre Hemphill 172 1/2 vs. Frank Armstrong 171

Peterson-Rios Officials Announced!

The referee and judges have been announced for Saturday's WBA Lightweight elimination bout between DC's Anthony Peterson and Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios of Oxnard, CA at the Palms in Las Vegas.

The referee will be Russell Mora and the judges will be Duane Ford, Dave Moretti and CJ Ross. The bout between the two undefeated boxers will be shown on HBO's Boxing After Dark.

Beltway Amateurs Participating in USA-China Dual Meet!

Three local boxers will be a part of the USA team that will battle China in the "Empires Collide" dual meet on Friday, October 1 at the Capitale in New York City. This event is being promoted by Dino Duva and his father, the legendary trainer, Lou, is the special consultant to the Chinese team.

Mike Reed (140 pounds), Danny Kelly (201 pounds) and Tyreshia Douglas (114 pounds) make up the Beltway contingent that will be participating. Best wishes to all three locals.

UPDATE: BATB has learned that one of the trainers for the Chinese team will be Sgt. Charles Mooney, who has trained a number of boxers in the Beltway and is a silver medallist on the 1976 US Olympic Team.

Anthony Peterson Steps 'Through The Ropes'! -- At least he did LAST NIGHT!

My apologies! I misread the story on Anthony Peterson. He actually appeared on Marc Lichtenfeld's show last night. I do apologize. Peterson is preparing for his September 11th title eliminator bout against Brandon Rios in Las Vegas.

Nicklow-Kennedy Bout For WBF All-Americas Middleweight Title!

The Friday, September 17 bout between Baltimore middleweights Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and "Vicious" Julius Kennedy at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore will not only be for the Maryland State Middleweight title but will now also be for the vacant World Boxing Foundation (WBF) All-Americas title.

In a related story, I have the honor of being asked to serve as the WBF Supervisor in attendance for the championship bout. I will be presenting the belt to the winner after the contest.

'Keep 'Em Sleepin' Stevenson Named Prospect of the Month by BadLeftHook.com!

My buddy, Ted "The Bull" Sares of BadLeftHook.com has a great column called the "Scotch and Cigar Club." The column mixes boxing knowledge and videos of some great music and it is a must read.

In this edition, Sares named undefeated Baltimore welterweight prospect James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson as the Prospect of the Month. Here's what Sares said about Stevenson:

At 13-0 (10 KO), James is beginning to get some attention among the lower tier welterweights. While is opposition leaves something to be desired, he did stop one Dwayne Shelton. No big deal except Shelton is the same guy who gave streaking Mike Tiberi (recognize the name?) his only loss. Mike is currently at 14-1. These are Beltway guys and they don't usually get the kind of publicity that Philly fighters warrant, but many a fine fighter has emerged from that region.

Stevenson is slated to be a part of the Baltimore Pro Boxing card on Friday, September 17 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

Full Card Announced For Sept. 10 at Du Burns!

The Friday, September 10 Bang Time Boxing Card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore is now full.

Headlining the show will be "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall who will be in a six-round super middleweight bout against veteran Ariel "Iron" Espinal of Brooklyn, NY. Paschall (20-2-1, four KO's) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Mickey Scarborough on June 17 at Du Burns. Espinal (8-14-3, four KO's) was knocked out by Steve Wheeler in the second round on May 8 at Du Burns.

Undefeated Baltimore cruiserweight Russ "The Hammer" Shiflett will take on Justin "Rage" Riegle of Orrville, OH in a four-round contest. Shiflett (8-0-1, four KO's) won a four-round unanimous decision over Andre Hemphill on the June 17 Du Burns card. Riegle (3-3, one KO) won his last bout, a four-round unanimous decision over Brian Cook on February 19 in Cleveland, OH.

Hemphill, who fights out of Philadelphia, PA, will return to Du Burns and face Frank Armstrong of Winston-Salem, NC. Hemphill (9-16-2, five KO's) won his last outing, a six-round unanimous decision over Anthony Pietrantonio on July 30 in Philadelphia. Armstrong (4-14-3, three KO's) has lost his last two.

Capitol Heights, MD super bantamweight Thomas "KO" Snow returns to action with a scheduled four-round contest against tough Philadelphian Gustavo Dailey. Snow (12-1, eight KO's) last fought on January 29 and won a tough and controversial six-round split decision over Jason Rorie at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Meanwhile, Dailey (4-9, one KO) has not fared well since his July 2009 upset of Tyrell Samuel at the Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD. Dailey has lost four straight bouts, including the two rematch losses to Samuel and has been stopped in his last two bouts.

Undefeated DC heavyweight Maurice "The Freight Train" Byarm makes a quick return to action on this card. Byarm (8-0, six KO's) fought on August 28th in Virginia Beach, VA and stopped Ramon Hayes in the third round. Byarm will take on Kevin Howard of Montgomery, AL (1-3-1). Howard last fought on January 31 at Rosecroft Raceway and was stopped in the fourth round by Abodurin Akinyanju.

Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae returns to action with a scheduled six-round contest against crafty veteran Mike Miller of Akron, OH. McRae (7-2, four KO's) is coming off a fourth-round TKO of Corey Winfield on April 2 in Glen Burnie. Miller has lost three straight but went the distance with Byarm, Harold Sconiers and, in his last outing, Travis Kaufmann.

There will be a rematch on the card as undefeated Baltimore super middleweight "The Golden Greek" Elias Bouloubassis will take on Kevin Kibler of Columbia, SC in a four-round bout. Bouloubassis (5-0-4, four KO's) won a four-round unanimous decision over Kibler on the May 8 Du Burns card. Kibler (0-3-1) has fought since then, losing to Alantez Fox by four-round unanimous decision on July 31 in York, PA.

Rounding out the card will be undefeated Baltimore light heavyweight Dale Robeson-El (3-0, two KO's) who will face Winchester, VA's Dan Shull (2-10-1, one KO). Both men are coming off third-round TKO victories.

This will be the first of two cards on back-to-back weekends at Du Burns. Baltimore Pro Boxing will have a card on Friday, September 17.

Byarm, Sims Win in Virginia Beach; Williams Falls!

Heavyweight Maurice "The Freight Train" Byarm and junior middleweight Omar "The Machine" Sims scored victories at the Virginia Beach Convention Center in Virginia Beach, VA.

Byarm stopped Ramon "The Panther" Hayes in the third round on the card and raised his record to 8-0, six KO's. Sims also scored a third-round TKO over Kenneth Moody of Virginia Beach. Sims is now 4-2-3, two KO's while Moody is 1-2.

Also on the card, Willie "For Real" Williams lost a six-round unanimous decision to Frankie "The Freight Train" Filippone. Williams is now 12-6-2, three KO's while Filippone is now 6-1, two KO's. Williams was knocked down in the third and lost by close scores of 58-55, 58-54 and 57-56.

Corley Drops Unanimous Decision to Maidana in Argentina!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley lost a tough unanimous decision to Interim WBA Junior Welterweight champion Marcos Maidana tonight at the Estadio Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fightnews.com said the 36-year-old Corley "fought his best fight in years."

Here is the Fightnews.com recap.

Interim WBA World light welterweight champion Marcos Maidana (29-1, 27 KOs) retained his title over former world champion DeMarcus ‘Chop Chop’ Corley (37-14-1, 22 KOs) by way of a very tough unanimous decision. The bout took place at the Estadio Luna Park, in Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina. The official scores were 117-110, 115-112, 116-110 all in favor of Maidana. The 36-year-old Corley fought his best fight in years giving the 27-year-old Maidana all he could handle in the fight.

The first round saw each fighter looking to feel the other out with Corley appearing to do enough to win the round.

Round two was another close round as Maidana landed some power shots both upstairs and downstairs early but Corley landed some sweeping right hooks of his own the second hadlf of the round.

Round three saw Maidana inforce his will on Corley and shook Corley mutiple times with powerful right hands. Corley to his credit stood his ground. A clash of heads took place in the round as well leaving Maidana cut on his right eyelid.

Round four was a very dirty one as both fighters did mulitiple fouls to the other from hitting on the break to hitting behind the head and the referee issued them both stern warnings.

Maidana appeared do to do enough to win round five landing flush shots to body and head mulitple times throughout the round.

The close of round six saw Corley hurt badly by a series of powershots from Maidana that had him holding on until the bell ending the round.

Sensing Corley had not recovered from the previous round Maidana pounced on Corley immediately to start round seven and eventually connected a powerful overhand right that sent Corely down. Corley beat the count getting up at 9 and was able to get through the round.

Round eight was a fairly tame round marred by a few clinches.

Round nine saw both fighters have their moments. Corley boxing at a distance in spots and Maidana landing powershots that rocked Corley at the end of the round.

Round ten was a clear round for Corley who stunned Maidana mulitiple times with straight lefts that snapped his head back multiple times and Maidana took several deep breaths in between the onslaught of punches as well in order to shake it off.

Round eleven appeared to be another round for Corley. Both fighters were given time as they were hit by low blows but Corley had Maidana in the corner to end the round and landed multiple left hands.

The twelfth and final round had both fighters giving it their all to the final bell and could have gone either way as both had their moments.

Baltimore Boxers Head to Virginia Beach!

Baltimore boxers Willie "For Real" Williams and Omar "The Machine" Sims are last-minute additions to the "War at the Shore" card at the Virginia Beach Convention Center in Virginia Beach, VA.

Williams (12-5-2, three KO's) will battle Norfolk, VA's Frankie "The Freight Train" Filippone (5-1, two KO's) in what looks like will be a four-round light heavyweight contest. Williams will be trying to break a four-bout winless streak.

Sims (3-2-3, one KO) will battle Kenneth Moody (1-1) of Virginia Beach in another four-rounder in the junior middleweight contest. Sims has not fought since December 11 of last year when he lost a tough six-round unanimous decision to Jamar Freeman in Westminster, MD.

Another local boxer, Maurice "The Freight Train" Byarm , is also on the card, facing Ramon Hayes in a four-round heavyweight battle.

Corley Weighs 138 For Argentina Title Bout!

DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley weighed in at 138 pounds for his Interim WBA Junior Welterweight title bout tomorrow night in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Champion Marcos Maidana tipped the scales at 139 pounds. Corley wore an Argentina National Soccer team jersey with the number 10 on it along with his name. The number 10 is usually given to the best player on the team.

Corley, Maidana Meet The Press!

(Photo by Ramon Cairo)

Challenger and former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley and interim WBA Junior Welterweight champion Marcos Maidana met the press as they made final preparations for their 12-round title bout this Saturday at the Luna Park Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Corley said “I have a game plan to defeat Maidana, but I won’t reveal it. But, trust me, I’m here to win ‘cause I’m smarter.”

“Maidana is among the top five super lightweights, but I’’m there, too. It will be a war because he has something (he pointed out at the WBA belt) that I want,” Corley added.

Apparently, there is a lot riding on the bout for Maidana. There is a possible bout with true WBA titleholder Amir Khan should he win. Maidana, to say the VERY least, is the overwhelming favorite.

Maidana said “I know I can punch, but I’m always prepared for 12 rounds. Corley said it will be a war, so I’m ready for a war."

Beltway Boxers Busy in Late August!

As the summer draws to a close, Beltway Boxers have bouts coming up around the country and one very important bout in South America.

On Thursday, August 26, undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. goes after his third straight win at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, CA when Russell (11-0, eight KO's) battles veteran Guadalupe DeLeon of Mission, TX (8-11, four KO's) in a scheduled six-round bout.

On that same night in Columbia, SC, Alexandria, VA middleweight Brandon Quarles will participate in a four-round bout at the Township Auditorium against an opponent TBA. Quarles is coming off a successful pro debut against Vincent Batteast by unanimous decision on July 10 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.

Undefeated DC heavyweight Maurice "The Freight Train" Byarm (7-0, five KO's) heads to the Convention Center in Virginia Beach, VA on Saturday, August 28 for a scheduled four-round contest against Ramon "The Panther" Hayes of Athens, GA (15-30-1, 10 KO's).

And this all leads up to the matchup for the Interim WBA Junior Welterweight title as champion Marcos Maidana (28-1, 27 KO's) is challenged by former WBO Junior Welterweight titleholder and DC's own DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley
(37-13-1, 22 KO's) on August 28 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

ABC Card in Alexandria Postponed!

The boxing card that was scheduled for this Sunday, August 29 at the ABC Auditorium in Alexandria, VA has been postponed. SugarHan Promotions will move to card to sometime in mid-September. We'll keep you posted.

Lange Wins Unanimous Decision in Greensboro!

Jimmy Lange scored two knockdowns and a standing eight-count over Mike McFail en route to a six-round unanimous decision last night at the War Memorial Auditorium in Greensboro, NC.

Lange used a solid jab to start his attack and gained the standing eight in the first round. Lange went on to knock down McFail in the third and sixth rounds on the way to victory. Two judges scored the bout a shutout for Lange (60-50) and one judge saw the bout 59-52.

Lange is now 33-4-2, 23 KO's. McFail falls to 12-40-2, four KO's.

Browner Service Wednesday in DC!

The funeral service for noted trainer and manager Tom Browner will be held on Wednesday, August 25 at Bible Way Temple, 1100 New Jersey Avenue, NW in DC. The service is from 9-11 AM.

Lange Begins Three-Bout Tour in Greensboro, NC Friday!

Great Falls, VA junior middleweight Jimmy Lange will start a block of three bouts on Friday, August 20 when he takes on veteran Mike McFail of Baltimore in a six-round bout at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex's War Memorial Auditorium in Greensboro, NC.

This will be Lange's first bout away from the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA since May 2005 when he defeated Tarick Salmaci in the fan favorite bout at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, NV during the finale of the first season of "The Contender."

Lange (32-4-2, 22 KO's) is coming off a second-round TKO over Jimmy LeBlanc on July 10 at the Patriot Center. McFail (12-39-2, four KO's) is winless in his last 15 bouts but has fought solid prospects and former champions throughout his 13-year career including Peter Manfredo, Jr., Harry Joe Yorgey, Ivan Robinson, Julius Fogle, Travis Simms and Tommy Karpency. Locally, McFail has battled the likes of Jeff Passero, George Armenta, Matt Hill, Keith Harrison, Norman Smith and Marlon Haynes.

Lange and McFail have four common opponents. Lange beat Thomas Wilt while McFail lost three times to Wilt. Lange defeated Frank Houghtaling while McFail lost twice. They both hold wins over Matt Hill and Benji Singleton.

Lange is also scheduled to compete on a card in Monroe, MI on Saturday, September 18 and then return to the Patriot Center on Saturday, November 6.

Nicklow Battles Kennedy For Maryland State Title Sept. 17 in Baltimore!

Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow will battle "Vicious" Julius Kennedy in a 10-round All-Baltimore-area bout for the Maryland State Middleweight title on Friday, September 17 at Du Burns Arena. This will be a Baltimore Pro Boxing card co-promoted with Prize Fight Promotions of Memphis, TN and will be shown on Fox Sports Net.

Nicklow (20-2-2, seven KO's) has not fought in a boxing ring since his 10-round unanimous decision victory over Scott Sigmon on March 20th at Du Burns. However, Nicklow did make a successful entry into Mixed Martial Arts with a victory in June in Ocean City, MD.

Kennedy (7-1, three KO's) lost his pro debut but is now riding a seven-bout winning streak, including a six-round unanimous decision over Ariel Espinal on November 20 at Martin's Valley Mansion in Cockeysville, MD. Kennedy has never gone 10 rounds before, but this is a matchup that Kennedy has wanted for sometime.

Promoter Jake Smith says he is working on another title for this bout that would put the winner closer to the top 10 in a governing body's ranking.

Also slated for this card are undefeated Maryland Boxers James "Keep 'Em Sleepin' Stevenson (welterweight, 13-0, 10 KO's) Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler (cruiserweight, 5-0, four KO's) and Alex Guerrero (cruiserweight, 3-0-1, one KO, older brother of Fernando).

Baltimore heavyweight Jed "The Punisher" Phipps also returns to action coming off a second-round knockout of Maurice Winslow on May 8 at Du Burns. Phipps (18-7, 11 KO's) will take on Chicago, IL's Theron Johnson (3-3) in a six-round encounter. Johnson was last in the ring on March 6 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA where he lost a six-round split decision to Dwayne McRae .

The card also marks the return of Baltimore junior middleweight Maxell "The General" Taylor. Taylor (13-2-1, five KO's) has not fought since winning a four-round unanimous decision over Oscar Gonzalez in August of 2006. Beltway Boxing fans still talk about his tremendous six-round draw against Derek Ennis on March 9, 2006 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Taylor is the older brother of undefeated welterweight Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor.

Also, Baltimore featherweight Jeremy Miller will make his pro boxing debut after two victorious MMA bouts. Miller will battle Willie Davis of Philadelphia, PA.

And, yes, this means there are two cards on consecutive Fridays at Du Burns. Bang Time Boxing has their show on September 10 followed by this show.

Tom Browner, Noted Local Trainer, Passes!

On the heels of the Beltway Boxing Community losing one legend in York Van Nixon, now comes word that local trainer and manager Tom Browner passed away earlier today at the age of 70. Mr. Browner battled bone cancer for a number of years.

I will work on a full obituary later this week, but Mr. Browner was a major part of the community for many years. Mr. Browner was the original trainer and manager for heavyweight contender Tony "The Tiger" Thompson throughout his career and also trained, among others, Darryl Lattimore.

Mr. Browner was a soft-spoken man, but his actions spoke volumes. He will be truly missed.

Rahman, Buchanan Stop Foes in Norfolk!

Hasim "The Rock" Rahman and Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan both won by stoppage last night during the International Championship Boxing card at the Scope in Norfolk, VA.

Rahman stopped "Dangerous" Damon Reed by knockout at 2:20 of the sixth round. According to Chris Perry of Fightnews.com , the former world heavyweight champion landed four unanswered body shots followed by a right hook and a right uppercut to send the durable Reed down for the count. Rahman is now 48-7-2, 39 KO's while Reed falls to 45-14, 32 KO's.

Buchanan scored a ninth-round TKO over Norfolk's own Bobby Jordan, Jr. in a bout that was back and forth throughout. Referee Larry Doggett called a halt to the bout due to an accumulation of punches landed by Buchanan including a solid right hand to a cut over Jordan’s left eye landed right before the stoppage. Because Buchanan weighed in over the contracted weight limit at 175 pounds, his WBF All-Americas Super Middleweight title will now be declared vacant.

Buchanan's record is now 20-2, 13 KO's while Jordan is now 8-3-1, four KO's. Two of Jordan's losses have come to Buchanan.

The bouts that were scheduled to feature Baltimore boxers Cecil McCalla and Nick Kisner did not take place.

Bang Time Boxing Returns to Du Burns September 10!

Bang Time Promotions will have their second card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore on Friday, September 10. Scheduled to appear on the card are the following Beltway Boxers:

Super middleweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall
Undefeated heavyweight Maurice "The Freight Train" Byarm
Super bantamweight Thomas "KO" Snow
Undefeated cruiserweight Russ "The Hammer" Shiflett
Heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae
Super middleweight "The Golden Greek" Elias Bouloubassis

As soon as we get the update on their opponents, we will pass them along to you.

MyBoxingFans.com Profiles Zimmie Dickinson!

He's "already got a catchy name you can't forget." That's what Michele Chong of the website MyBoxingFans.com says about DC's own Zimmie Dickinson in a nice profile on the 13-year-old amateur champion. There are some nice pictures that Zimmie's father Kullen provided for the article as well.

Here's the link:

"http://www.myboxingfans.com/2010/08/meet-amateurs-zimmie-dickinson/">

Rahman, McCalla Hit Scales in Norfolk; Buchanan Overweight!

Three Beltway Boxers hit the scales today in Norfolk, VA for their bouts Saturday night at the Scope. Unfortunately, there are some issues.

Hasim "The Rock" Rahman's main event is okay. Rahman weighed in at 254 pounds for his 10-round bout against Damon Reed, who tipped the scales at 228.

However, Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan came in overweight for his WBF All-Americas Super Middleweight title defense against Bobby Jordan, Jr. Instead of coming in at the 168-pound super middleweight limit, Buchanan nailed the 175-pound light heavyweight limit. Jordan came in at 168 pounds. According to Fightnews.com's Chris Perry, Buchanan will weigh-in again on Saturday and if he doesn't make the weight, he will forfeit the title. If Jordan wins the bout, he will gain the title. If Buchanan wins, the title will be declared vacant.

Meanwhile, Cecil McCalla weighed in at 149 pounds, but McCalla's scheduled opponent, John Hoffman, did not make the weigh-in.

PG Gazette Lauds County Amateurs!

Nice story in the Prince George's Gazette concerning the County's success at the recent Ringside World Championships. Terron Hampton talks to local coaches about their success.

="http://www.gazette.net/stories/08122010/laurspo115429_32535.php">

Scene From Joe Gans Tribute!

Marvin McDowell of the UMAR Gym in Baltimore (left) receives a special award from local actor Kevin Grace during the Joe Gans Memorial service held earlier this week. Mr. Grace has done incredible work in bringing the legacy of the Baltimore native and first African-American to hold a world championship back to its much-needed prominence.

McCalla Added to August 14 Norfolk Card!

Undefeated Baltimore middleweight Cecil McCalla has been added to the Saturday, August 14 card at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, VA.

McCalla (12-0, four KO's) will take on veteran John Hoffman of St. Paul, MN (11-25, three KO's) in a six-round contest. McCalla is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Ruben Galvan on June 19 in Niagra Falls, NY. Hoffman has lost his last five bouts by knockout.

This is the same card that features Hasim Rahman taking on Damon Reed in the main event and Henry Buchanan against Bobby Jordan.

Mitchell Makes Ring Magazine 'New Faces' Column!

Undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell is the subject of the "New Faces" column in the latest issue of The Ring Magazine. Columnist Joseph Santoliquito profiles Mitchell's transition from football star to boxer.

This is the September issue with Andre Ward on the cover. This article was written prior to Mitchell's win over Derek Bryant.

McBride Wins Masters at Ringside Tournament!

We told you that nine Beltway Boxers won titles at the recent Ringside World Championships in Kansas City, MO. Well, we left one out. And there is a nice story behind this championship.

Tai McBride won a championship in the Masters Division of the Ringside event. McBride is the founder of Diamonds In The Ruff gym in Forestville, MD. Competing in this event was a challenge to the close to 80 kids registered in the program. The challenge was to show the kids that you can chase your dreams at any point in your life -- even at age 46.

McBride gave up his favorite foods and modeled the discipline that he wants to see in all his boxers. That helped him win a championship in Kansas City against a younger, taller and heavier opponent.

Congratulations to Coach McBride for being a shining example for many in the area to follow!

We've also learned that Myke Stewart of Reisterstown, MD won his second straight Masters title at 177+ pounds during the Ringside event. The 44-year-old Stewart defeated 36-year-old Paul Reyes of Dallas, TX.

York Van Nixon Memorial Service August 14!

The memorial service for former WBA Vice President and DC Boxing and Wrestling chair York Van Nixon will be held on Saturday, August 14 at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 630 E Street, SW in DC.

The repast will be held at 700 7th Street, SW, level B Party Room.

Baltimore Sun Celebrates Joe Gans!

Don Markus of the Baltimore Sun has put together an article on the continued efforts spearheaded by local actor Kevin Grace to honor the life and acheivements of Baltimore's own world boxing champion Joe Gans.

Here is the article:

"http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-joegans-anniversary-0808-20100808,1,4853149,full.story"

Beltway Amateurs Win Nine Ringside Titles!

Beltway amateurs brought back nine titles from the Ringside World Championships in Kansas City, MO.

Jordan White of Waldorf, MD captured the 11-12, Open 80 Pound title defeating Logan Yoon of Honolulu, HI.

Rayvon Drayton of Washington, DC won the 13-14, 95 pounds Novice crown with a win over Caleb Valdez of Palacious, TX.

Oxon Hill, MD's Daron Williams took the 13-14, 106 pound Novice crown defeating Deion Sparks of Brooklyn, NY.

Jalonte Cole of DC won the 13-14 114 pound Open Blue title by decision over Adan Rodriguez of Wichita, KS.

Mykal Fox of Forestville, MD won the 13-14, 101 pound Open Red championship, defeating Christian Bermudez of Ridgewood, NY.

Aujee Tyler of Temple Hills, MD won to the 15/16 year-old 106 pounds Open Championship defeating Ernesto Delgadillo of Dallas, Texas.

Jerry Odom of Bowie, MD won Men's 178 pound Open Division Championship defeating Robert Brandt of Minnesota. Brandt is ranked #2 in the 178lbs. division and was #1 in 2009. Brandt is also the 2010 National Golden Gloves Champion at 178lbs.

Antoine Douglas of Burke, VA won the Open 152 pound division by defeating Michael Guerrero of Kansas.

D'Mitrius Ballard of Temple Hills, MD won the 165 pound Open title by defeating Marcus Chapman of Indiana.

Boxing Returns To ABC Bingo Hall August 29!

An old Beltway Boxing landmark will have the sport come through its doors once more on Sunday afternoon, August 29 when Han Kim's Sugar Han Promotions will have a boxing card at the ABC Auditorium/Bingo Hall, 6200 Little River Turnpike in Alexandria, VA. The card will begin at 4:30 PM.

Just to clarify: This is not the ABC Sports Arena where both Kim and Scott Farmer have promoted shows in the past few years. This is the original ABC Auditorium where a number of boxers especially those based in Virginia, fought battles in the early to mid 90's. Among the boxers that fought there were Keith Holmes, Andrew Maynard and Andrew Council as well as the promoter, Han Kim.

Scheduled to appear on this card are Zain "Tiger" Shah, the returning "Money" Mike Sawyer and John "No Mercy" Mackey.

Beltway Amateurs Advance to Finals of Ringside Championships!

DC Amateur Boxing is reporting that 13 boxers so far have advanced to the finals of the Ringside World Championships in Kansas City, MO. Here is the list:

Daron Williams of Oxon Hill, MD advanced to the 13/14 year-old 106pounds Novice Championship after defeating Francisco Zuniga from Alamo, TX by RSC in the 3rd round.

Mykal Fox of Forestville, MD advanced to the 13/14 year-old 101 pounds Open Championship after defeating Angel Trevino of Freeport, TX.

Carlton Gray of Capitol Heights, MD advanced to the 13/14 year-old 110 pounds Open Championship after defeating Robert Tamez of Houston, TX by RSC. This was Gray's second consecutive RSC of the tournament.

Emmanuel Rodriguez of Salisbury, MD advanced to the finals of the Men's 17-34 152 pounds Novice Division defeating Rylan Doepker of Saskatoon, SK, Canada.

Jordan White of Waldorf, MD advanced to the 11/12 year-old 80 pounds Open Championship after defeating Aaron Perez of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Rayvon Drayton of Washington, DC advanced to the 13/14 year-old 95pounds Novice Championship after defeating Jameson Pasigan of Hawaii.

Aujee Tyler of Temple Hills, MD advanced to the 15/16 year-old 106pounds Open Championship after defeating Leopoldo Martinez of Laredo, TX.

Kareem Martin of Clinton, MD advanced to the 13/14 year old 145 pounds Open Championship after defeating Chase Calloway of St. Joseph, Missouri.

Keeshawn Williams of Clinton moves into the finals of the 13/14 year old 85 pounds Novice Championship by defeating Alberto Vargas of El Centro, CA.

Jerry Odom of Bowie, MD stopped Payton Boyea of Sacramento, CA in the second round to advance to the finals of the Men's 178-pound Open Division.

Antoine Douglas of Burke, VA moved into the finals of the Open 152-pound division by defeating Apollo Sample of Dallas, TX.

Jabri Melvin of Princess Anne, MD won his semi-final bout in the Men's 17-34 Open 141-pound division by defeating Deontae Lawrence of Toledo, OH.

D'Mitrius Ballard of Temple Hills, MD advanced to the 165-pound Open Green final by winning his bout over Lukas Welniak of Toronto, Canada.

In other bouts:

Zimmie Dickinson lost to Rahim Gonzales of Sylmar, CA in the 13/14 year-old 90 pounds. Open Division semifinal on Friday.

Lamont Roach, Jr. lost to Abel Mendoza of Midland, TX in the 13/14 year old 125 pound Open semifinals.

Demond Nicholson lost to Samuel Clarkson of Cedar Hill, TX in the Men's Open 178 pound semifinals.

Beltway Amateurs in Semis of Ringside World Championships!

The Beltway has a number of amateurs that have advanced to the semifinals of the Ringside World Championships in Kansas City, MO. Courtesy of the blog DC Amateur Boxing, here is a synopsis of who has advanced:

2009 National Silver Gloves Champion Jordan White won his 2nd bout in as many days to advance to the semifinals of the Ringside World Championship on Thursday in the 11/12 year-old 80lbs. Open division. He defeated Lionel Tijerina of La Blanca, TX this morning.


Daron Williams won on Wednesday but had a bye on day two to also advance to the semifinals of the 13/14 year-old 106lbs. Novice division. He defeated Alfred Wyatt.


Patrick Harris lost on Wednesday to Amhed Mahmood of Detroit in the 15/16 year-old 119lbs. division.


Joshua Davis lost to Tyler Asselstine of Kingston, Ontario on Wednesday in the 17-34 year-old Men's Open 132lbs. division.


Under-19 Champion D'mitrius Ballard advanced on Wednesday defeating Ryan Baulk of St. Catherines, Ontario in the 17-34 year-old Men's Open 165lbs. division.


Antoine "Action" Douglas advanced in the 17-34 year-old Men's Open 152lbs. division on Wednesday after defeating Cody Crawley of Petersburgh, Ontario.


3-time National Silver Gloves Champion Zimmie Dickinson defeated Kelvin Davis of Virginia on Thursday morning to advance to Friday's semifinals where he will face 2010 National Jr. Golden Gloves champion Rahim Gonazales of California.


Mykal Fox advanced to the semifinals on Thursday in the 13/14 year-old 101lbs. Open division with a victory of Eric Bui of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.


Carlton Gray advanced to the semifinals in the 13/14 year-old 110lbs. Open division with a first round RSC of Cody Brown of Deroche, British Columbia.


Marcus Wright lost in the 13/14 year-old 106lbs. Open division to Otahl Saunders of Minneapolis, Minnesota.


2010 National Junior Olympic Champion Aujee Tyler defeated Stephen Fulton of Philadelphia in the 15/16 year-old 106lbs. division.


Jalonte Cole also advanced to the semifinals in the 13/14 year-old 114lbs. Open division by defeated Logan O'Connor from Rochester, Minnesota.

'Mayhem' Mitchell SportsTalk Appearance Postponed!

Due to the thunderstorms that hit the area, Seth Mitchell's appearance on NewsChannel 8's SportsTalk will not take place this evening. The storms have played havoc on some area roads and show personnel could not make it to the studio.

Mitchell has been tentatively been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 11. We'll keep you posted.

Keystone Boxing Hosts Amateur Show in Clinton August 7!

There will be an amateur show coming to the OCC (Outreach Christian Center) Sports Arena in Clinton, MD on Saturday, August 7 beginning at 6 PM. There are 15 bouts scheduled and a number of them will be female bouts.

The OCC is located at 6701 Clinton Manor Drive. Tickets can be purchased by calling 301-899-2430.

York Van Nixon Obituary!

He made history in boxing as the first black vice president of the World Boxing Association. He was so well-known that Don King was his best man at his wedding in 2002. And he was a real estate mogul that sold some of the first embassy properties in DC to newly independent African countries.

Such was the extraordinary life of York Van Nixon who passed away on August 1 of cancer at the age of 84.

Mr. Van Nixon was born on a reservation in Idaho in 1926. He eventually made his way to DC where he was a semi-pro baseball and also worked as a professional wrestler known as "Vitamin Van," one of the few African-American pro wrestlers in the business in the 50's. Mr. Van Nixon wrestled with Bobo Brazil and "Big Daddy" Lipscomb against the likes of Antonino Rocca and Buddy Rogers.

Mr. Van Nixon graduated from Howard University with a degree in property management and parlayed that degree into becoming a real estate mogul. A February 2009 issue of Hill Rag said Mr. Van Nixon "was living the good life with ninehouses, a Cadillac and a Lincoln, and a 36-foot yacht christened the York V. But this wealth clouded his business judgment when he opened the VIP Lounge, the first African-American supper club in DC. Eartha Kitt headlined opening night. Celebrities crowded through its doors, but employees stole from him to the point of bankruptcy."

In the 70's, DC Mayor Walter Washington appointed Mr. Van Nixon to the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission, where he led the commission until the early 80's. Mr. Van Nixon also was a judge for numerous world title bouts. He then became the first minority to hold an office with the World Boxing Association, first as a vice president and then as the International Commissioner. Congress also nominated Van Nixon to serve as chair of a Federal Boxing Commission.

On May 13, 2006, DC government proclaimed "York Van Nixon Day" in the city for his more than 50 years of boxing service. Mr. Van Nixon is survived by his wife, Panitda, sons York Van Nixon III and Steven Nixon. three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Gans Honored By US Congress!

As a followup to the post about Joe Gans, I received a copy of the latest Congressional Record that features a resolution by the Democratic Senator from Maryland, Ben Cardin honoring Gans on the 100th anniversary of his passing. I do want to thank Bailey Fine of Senator Cardin's office for passing this along.


Remembering Joe “The Old Master” Gans



Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I encourage my colleagues to join me in marking the 100th anniversary of the passing of Joe ``The Old Master'' Gans, a great American who inspired millions with his feats in the boxing ring. At a time of pervasive racial discrimination and inequality, Gans provided the country with a glimpse of the true potential of African Americans by rising to the top of what was then the most popular sport in America.

   Gans had the humblest of beginnings. He was born in Baltimore, MD, in 1874, and orphaned 4 years later. Then, he was raised by a foster mother in a segregated world in which the future seemed to hold no more for him than the same menial labor he performed at the Baltimore harbor in his teenage years. In an ironic twist of fate, the racist conditions that hemmed in his world eventually lifted him out of it. His incredible talent for boxing was first discovered when he emerged victorious in a Battle Royale, a cruel sporting event in which white gamblers bet on which of 10 black youths thrown together in a ring would be the last standing.

   In the years that followed, Gans honed his skills and accumulated success after success as a lightweight boxer, becoming famous for his perceptive, impregnable defensive tactics and devastating counterpunch. With an easy one-punch knockout victory in 1902, Gans first earned the world lightweight title, at the time the greatest athletic achievement made by an African American. Four years later, he solidified his hold on the title, which he would keep until 1908, with his victory over Matthew ``Battling'' Nelson on Labor Day, 1906, in Goldfield, NV.

   The Goldfield fight, held outdoors under a blazing Sun, drew an audience of 8,000 people. The purse was $30,000. Gans's foster mother, Maria Grant, sent him a telegram urging him to ``bring home the bacon,'' a phrase that caught on in the media accounts when Gans won what was dubbed ``the fight of the century'' after 42 grueling rounds. It was the longest gloved championship match recorded under Marquis of Queensbury rules.

   Despite winning the fight, Gans received much less prize money than his white opponent who lost. But the winnings were enough for Gans to found the Goldfield Hotel, a leading incubator of Black culture where, among others, the great jazz pianist Eubie Blake first attracted notice. Gans' achievements became a beacon of hope for the African-American community. The prominent preacher and civil rights leader Francis J. Grimke once remarked that the great Booker T. Washington had done much for African Americans, but he ``never did one-tenth to place the black man in the front rank as a gentleman as has been done by Joe Gans.''

   Gans was one of the first practitioners of scientific gloved boxing, following the era of bare-knuckles fights. Nat Fleischer described his footwork as ``beautiful side-stepping, and legwork'' in ``Black Dynamite.'' The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Gans ``was in and away or inside as it suited him best, with will-o-the-wisp elusiveness.'' Jack Johnson said, ``Joe moved around like he was on wheels.'' All in all, he fought in three divisions--featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight--for 18 years, compiling over 150 career wins and over 100 knockouts.

   The remarkable life of Joe Gans was cut short at age 34 when he succumbed to tuberculosis. I ask my colleagues to join me, a century after his death, in recognizing the inspiring accomplishments of an American hero whom the great Baltimore writer H.L. Mencken called ``probably the greatest boxer who ever lived.''

Old School Gym ReOpens!

The Old School Boxing Gym had its grand opening today. This picture of local boxing legends (and me) was taken by Juan Marshall.

Front row (l-r): Maurice "Mighty Mo" Adams, Junious Hinton, Bobby Magruder and Claude Boger. Back row (l-r): Yours truly, Buddy Harrison (owner of Old School Boxing) and two-time former WBC Middleweight champion Keith Holmes.

Former WBA Official York Van Nixon Passes!

Very sad news. Former World Boxing Association Vice President and former chair of the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission York Van Nixon passed away yesterday in Washington, DC. Sources tell BATB that Mr. Van Nixon had cancer.

I will provide more details on Mr. Van Nixon's life later this evening, but suffice it to say, he was well known in boxing on a local, national and international scale.

The following is a resolution celebrating Mr. Van Nixon's life from Gilberto Mendoza, president of the WBA:

RESOLUTION


The Executive Committee Members of the World Boxing Association join the grieve of the Van Nixon Family.


CONSIDERING


1. - That Mr. York Van Nixon passed away on August 1, 2010 in Washington D.C., USA.

2. - That Mr. York Van Nixon was the WBA International Commissioner.

3. - That Mr. Van Nixon is an inspiration of a family united by the moral and ethics principles.


AGREES:


1. - Regret deeply the sensible pass away of Mr. York Van Nixon.

2. - Give our condolences to his parents and relatives.

3. - To carry a solidary support message in these moment of mourning and sadness of the Van Nixon family, hoping that the light of God lessens the trace of pain and the eternal resurrection faith.

4. - To give this resolution to his parents and relatives.


Given in Turmero, Venezuela on the Second day of the month of August, 2010.


Gilberto Mendoza
President

Centenary Celebration For Joe Gans on August 10!

On Tuesday, August 10, there will be a very special historical event. The Veteran Boxers Association, Ring 101 of Baltimore will host a public memorial to celebrate the life of the first African-American world champion boxer -- Baltimore's own Joe Gans.

One hundred years ago on August 10, 1910, Gans -- a world lightweight champion from 1902 to 1908 -- died of incurable tuberculosis at his mother's home on Argyle Street. The boxer known as "The Old Master" was just 35 years old. The funeral was Baltimore's largest to date with more than 10,000 people attending.

The public service will begin at noon and will be held at Mount Auburn Cemetery, the oldest African-American owned and operated cemetery in the city, dating back to 1872. The cemetery is located at 2630 Waterview Avenue in Baltimore. The service will be officiated by Bishop Joseph Gans and will include boxers, community and church affiliates from Baltimore and DC. There will be a horse-drawn carriage and award-winning saxophonist Lou Tibbs.

You are allowed to bring floral tributes but you are asked to be at the graveside no later than 11:45 AM.

If you would like an idea on how Joe Gans fought, here is some rare footage of a bout with Gans defending his world lightweight title against Kid Herman on New Year's Day 1907 in Tonopah, NV. There is no sound on this footage.

Gyms Reopen This Month!

Two well-known gyms have new facilities this month. One opens today. The Old School Boxing Gym -- recently closed at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD -- has moved to 4750 Clifton Road in Temple Hills, MD. The grand opening is indeed today at 6 PM.

For those of you living in the Salisbury, MD region, The Main Street Boxing Gym is having the grand opening of their new facility at 310 Bowl Drive in Salisbury on Saturday, August 21 and that event will include an amateur boxing card. The bouts will begin at 7:30 PM.

Sigmon, Taylor Win By TKO in Charlotte!

Bedford, VA's Scott "Cujo" Sigmon scored a third-round TKO over Anthony Cannon at the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, NC Saturday night. No details, but Sigmon described Cannon on his Facebook page a "real tough opponent."

Sigmon raises his record to 10-2, four KO's. Cannon is now 4-15, one KO.

Baltimore welterweight Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor also won by third-round TKO, defeating Joey Ortega of Lowell, MA. Taylor is 9-0, eight KO's. Ortega falls to 3-18, one KO.

Four Beltway Amateurs Win Ohio State Fair Titles!

Congratulations to four Beltway Amateurs who won titles at the James "Buster" Douglas boxing tournament at the Ohio State Fair.

Ameer Brown of Palmer Park, MD won the 85 pound junior division. Demetrius Young of Largo, MD captured the 90 pound intermediate division crown.

Kashif Muhammad-Brown from Palmer Park won the junior division title at 119 pounds while Chris Forbes of Capitol Heights captured the senior title at 125 pounds.

Other locals placed within the top five in their divisions. Nardo Johnson of Capitol Heights was the second runner-up in the junior division at 95 pounds. Daquan Johnson of Capitol Heights was runner up in the 165 pound intermediate division and Steve Clark of Bowie was second runner-up in the junior division at 101 pounds.

Well done indeed by this Beltway contingent!