Womack Is Late Sub In Philadelphia!

Baltimore, MD's Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. will be in Philadelphia, PA tonight as a late substitute against Shinard Bunch of Trenton, NJ at the 2300 Arena.  Womack, Jr. (9-18-4, seven KO's) looks to bounce back from a first-round TKO loss to Brian Norman, Jr. on July 27th in Atlanta, GA.  Bunch (2-1, two KO's) also will be coming off a loss, a six-round unanimous decision defeat to Paul Kroll on August 10th in Philadelphia.

(Photo by Daniel Cork)

The two men weighed in on Thursday.  Womack (right) came in at 148 1/2 pounds while Bunch tipped the scales at 149 pounds.  This is a very special card called "Blood, Sweat and 50 Years" because it celebrates the 50th anniversary of boxing promoting for legendary Hall Of Fame promoter J. Russell Peltz.

Here's The October Schedule!

The Beltway Boxing schedule for October is pretty brief but has a number of locals competing.  Here's what is on tap:

Friday, October 4th -- Arena Theatre, Houston, TX -- Frederick, MD cruiserweight Larry "Hitman" Pryor will be in a four-round bout against the undefeated "Nigerian Pit Bull" Efetobor Apochi of Houston by way of Nigeria.  Pryor (11-21, five KO's) lost his last contest by four-round unanimous decision to Raphael Murphy on August 24th in Edinburg, TX.  Apochi (8-0, eight KO's) comes off a seventh-round TKO win over Earl Newman on May 25th in Biloxi, MS.

Friday, October 11th -- Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT -- Undefeated Baltimore, MD heavyweight Cassius Chaney takes on veteran Santander "Cha Cha Azucar" Silgado of Panama City, Panama in an eight-round encounter.  Chaney (16-0, 10 KO's) has scored first-round TKO's in his last two bouts, including one against Joel Caudle on July 19th in Oxon Hill, MD.  Silgado (28-7, 22 KO's) has been stopped in his last three bouts, including a 1st-round TKO loss to Chazz Witherspoon on March 23rd in Atlantic City, NJ.

Friday, October 18th -- Live! Casino, Hanover, MD -- This Jeter Promotions card is the only local card on the October schedule.  We have talked about this card before but there are additions to the lineup.  Germantown, MD featherweight Ebrima Jawara will battle fellow Beltway Boxer James "Too Slick" Early of Seat Pleasant, MD in a six-round bout.  Jawara (2-1, one KO) comes off a six-round unanimous decision win over Marq Johns on August 2nd at Live! Casino.  Early (4-4) lost a six-round decision to Chaise Nelson on September 21st in Covington, KY.

Also on the card, debuting super featherweight Blaze Fidler Hernandez of Arnold, MD will take on equally debuting Antonio Dunton-El, Jr. of Baltimore in a four-rounder.

Friday, October 25th -- 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- Haymarket, VA welterweight Juan De La Cruz Rodriguez will face James Martin of Philadelphia in a four-round contest.  Rodriguez (8-15-1, six KO's) has lost eight in a row including a six-round TKO loss to Robert Redmond, Jr. on June 1st in Houston, TX. Martin (4-1) looks to bounce back from his first pro loss -- a six-round unanimous decision defeat to Kashon Hutchinson on June 22nd at the 2300 Arena.  Martin holds a four-round unanimous decision win over Jonathan Burrs in August of 2018 in Philadelphia.

DAZN Interview With The Russell Family!

The streaming service DAZN has a very nice interview with the Russell Family.  All four of the brothers -- WBC Featherweight champion Gary, Jr., undefeated boxers Antonio and Antuanne and trainer Allan join their father, Gary, Sr. in a nice sit-down interview.

Boxing Returns To Live! Casino October 18th!

Pro boxing returns to Live! Casino in Hanover, MD on Friday, October 18th with a Jeter Promotions card that features a number of Beltway Boxers.

The main event will be an eight-round super middleweight bout between Laurel, MD's Demond "D'Best At It" Nicholson and Devaun Lee of Jamaica, Queens, NY.   Nicholson (21-3-1, 20 KO's) is the reigning WBC USNBC and Maryland State Super Middleweight champion, however, he will not defend those titles in this bout.  Nicholson last fought on March 8th at Live! Casino and scored a first-round knockout over Jessie Nicklow.  Nicholson was scheduled to appear on the May 11th card at Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax, VA but he suffered debilitating cramps after the weigh-in and could not compete.

Lee (10-6-1, five KO's) will be trying to break a four-bout losing streak, all against quality opposition.  The streak includes his last outing, an eight-round split decision loss to Brandon Robinson on May 10th in Philadelphia, PA.  Lee competed on The Contender series in 2018, losing to Shane Mosley, Jr. by fifth-round knockout.

In the co-feature, Baltimore, MD heavyweight "Slick" Nick Kisner will be in a six-round contest against returning Clinton, MD boxer Danny "Smooth" Kelly.  The last bout for Kisner (21-4-1, six KO's) ended in a first-round no-contest when he clashed heads with Otto Wallin and suffered a nasty cut in Atlantic City, NJ.  Kelly (9-3-1, eight KO's) returns to the ring for the first time since May of 2016 when he lost a six-round unanimous decision to Stephan Shaw in Carleton, MN.

There is one other bout already slated for the card as Owings Mills, MD lightweight Brandon "Brody" Chambers will be in a four-round rematch against Christopher Haney of Glendale Heights, IL.  The two men fought to a four-round draw at Live! Casino on March 8th.  Since that bout, Chambers (1-0-1, one KO) scored a second-round TKO over Fred Thornton on August 2nd at Live! Casino.  Haney (0-3-2) has not fought since the March bout.

Other locals scheduled to appear on this card are Suitland, MD featherweight "The Ambitious One" Malik Loften (3-1, one KO), Germantown, MD featherweight Ebrima Jawara (2-1, one KO), DC super middleweight "The King's Son" Jerry Odom (16-3-1, 15 KO's), Elkridge, MD lightweight "The Red Comet" Dante Cox (4-1, three KO's), and debuting boxers Jay Stancil III, a super bantamweight from Clinton, MD and Blaze Fidler, a super featherweight from Arnold, MD.

Antuanne Russell Stops Opponent in 32 Seconds in California!

Capitol Heights, MD super lightweight Antuanne "The Last" Russell needed just 32 seconds to knock out late substitute Luis Ronaldo Castillo of Empalme, Sonora, Mexico at the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, CA.

Russell pummeled Castillo with both hands before the bout was stopped.  Russell remains perfect at 11-0, 11 KO's.  Castillo falls to 20-5, 15 KO's.

Antonio Russell was scheduled to compete on this card but his bout was scratched.

Davis Wins Silver Medal At Elite Men's World Championships In Russia!

Congratulations to Alexandria, VA lightweight Keyshawn Davis, who won a silver medal at the Elite Men's World Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia.  Davis's bid for the gold fell short when he lost to Andy Cruz of Cuba by a 5-0 score on Saturday.  This was the third time Davis met Cruz in international competition with Cruz winning all three times.

However, Davis has a lot to be proud of as he had an outstanding tournament, defeating former world champions and Olympic medalist on the way to the silver medal and becoming the first lightweight boxer from the United States to win a medal since 1993.  Davis also won a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru in July.

Hawkins Scores First Round KO; Sigmon Loses By Seventh-Round TKO in Vegas; Pllana Registers Fourth-Round TKO in PA!

A slew of mostly positive results for Beltway Boxers on Friday, September 20th.  Baltimore, MD super lightweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins scored a blistering first-round knockout over Al "Machine Gun" Rivera of Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines at the Cannery Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.  After Hawkins dropped Rivera, he could not beat the count and the bout was stopped at 2:45.  Hawkins won his Mayweather Promotions debut easily and is now 17-0, 10 KO's.  Rivera falls to 20-4, 18 KO's.

In the main event on the card, Bedford, VA light heavyweight Scott "Cujo" Sigmon lost by seventh-round TKO to Lionell "Lonnie B" Thompson of Las Vegas.   Reports called the bout a slow-paced affair that resembled a sparring session.  After the seventh round, Sigmon's corner would not allow their man to come out.  Sigmon did not appear at the post-fight press conference but announced his retirement from boxing on his Facebook page, saying in part:

"Tonight, I had no reflexes, no timing, and no chance; boxing retired me tonight.  I am a shell of what I once was, I won't keep going and embarrass myself further.  Thank you, everyone, for the many years of support."

Sigmon's final record is 34-13-1, 17 KO's.  Thompson's raises his record to 21-5, 12 KO's.

At the Parx Casino in Bensalem, PA, Hagerstown, MD super middleweight "The Sexy Albanian" Genc Pllana put on a dominating performance over Jamaal "Da Truth" Davis of Philadelphia, PA en route to a fourth-round TKO.  Referee Gary Rosato mercifully stopped the contest at 2:28 of the round.  Pllana is now 6-1, three KO's while Davis drops to 18-16-1, seven KO's.

Davis Advances To Elite Men's Championships Gold Medal Bout!

One more to go for Alexandria, VA light-welterweight Keyshawn Davis.  Davis won his semifinal bout Friday at the 2019 Elite Men's World Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia by defeating 2017 World Championship Bronze medalist and 2016 Olympic Silver medalist Hovhannes Bachkov of Armenia by a 4-1 score.

Davis will face Andy Cruz of Cuba in the Gold Medal bout on Saturday.  The two have met before -- in the finals of the Pan American Games qualifier in April and the Pan American Games in July.

Regardless of what happens during the final bout, Davis has made USA Boxing history by being the first lightweight boxer to win a medal at the Elite Men's World Championships in 26 years.  The last lightweight to win a medal was Larry Nicholson.  Davis is only the fourth boxer in USA history to win a medal in the lightweight division, joining Nicholson, Tonga McClain, and the late Pernell Whitaker.  Should Davis win on Saturday, he would be the first American lightweight boxer to win a gold medal at these championships.

Hawkins, Sigmon Weigh In Las Vegas; Pllana Tips Scales in Bensalem, PA!

Three Beltway Boxers weighed in for Friday bouts.  Malik Hawkins weighed in at 144.8 pounds for his 10-round bout against Al Rivera at the Cannery Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.  Rivera came in at 143.6 pounds.  Also on that card, Scott Sigmon came in at 172.4 pounds for his 10-round main event against Lionell Thompson who came in at 173 pounds.  The bouts on the Mayweather Promotions card are scheduled to be shown on Facebook.

At the Part Casino in Bensalem, PA, Genc Pllana tipped the scales at 165.8 pounds for his six-round contest against Jamaal Davis, who came in at 164.9 pounds.

Johnson Weighs 194.4 For Four-Rounder In New York!

Upper Marlboro, MD cruiserweight Charles Johnson weighed 194.4 pounds for his four-round bout against debuting Emmanuel Etienne of Uniondale, NY on Friday, September 20th at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY.  Etienne tipped the scales at 190.6.

Davis Wins Quarterfinal Bout At Elite Men's World Championships!

Keyshawn Davis has moved into the semifinals of the Elite Men's World Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Davis won a 5-0 decision over Sofiane Oumiha of France, who was the world champion in 2017 and won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics.  The win guarantees at least a bronze medal for Davis, who has registered shutout wins in all three of his bouts during the championships.

Davis has another daunting task in the semis as he will battle Hovhannes Bachkov of Armenia on Thursday.  Bachkov won a bronze medal in the 2017 World Championships and is a two-time European champion.

Davis Advances To Quarterfinals Of Elite Men's World Championships!

Alexandria, VA light-welterweight Keyshawn Davis has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2019 Elite Men's World Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Davis won a 5-0 decision over Michael Matthew Alexander of Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday to move into the semifinals on Wednesday where he will take on 2017 World Champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Sofiane Oumiha of France. Should Davis win, he will be guaranteed at least a bronze medal.

BATB Podcast Has Premium Stitcher Offer!

Let me talk a moment about the companion to this blog -- the Boxing Along The Beltway Podcast.  This is a podcast we have done primarily on a weekly basis with a News and Notes to update you on the latest in the Beltway Boxing Scene.  This blog and the podcast help each other out in getting the latest news out to you.

The podcast also has special interviews, commentary that I don't post here, and live blow-by-blow action from some local boxing shows. We have a network of podcast venues that carry the BATB Podcast.  We are heard on our hosts -- Spreaker.com, -- as well as on TuneIn.com, IHeartradio.com and on Stitcher.com.  

Now, BATB has a special offer for those who are currently listening or want to listen on Stitcher.com.  You can now listen -- ad-free-- on Stitcher Premium.  Not only can you listen to BATB, but you can also get access to Stitcher original content, bonus episodes, comedy albums and much more.  Stitcher Premium is just $4.99 a month or $34.99 for a full year.  Also, if you use my promo code -- BOXING -- you will get one month of Stitcher Premium for FREE! 

So, if you are a listener on Stitcher -- we thank you and hope you will take advantage of this offer.  If you listen to the podcast on one of the other podcast hubs, we thank you as well.

Davis Wins First Bout At Elite Men's World Championships in Russia!

Alexandria, VA amateur light-welterweight Keyshawn Davis made an impressive debut at the 2019 Elite Men's World Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia over the weekend.

Davis won a 5-0 decision over Elnur Abduraimov of Uzbekistan in his World Championship debut.  Davis knocked down Abduraimov in the first round en route to the victory.  The win means that Davis is guaranteed to be ranked among the top 16 boxers in the world in his weight class.  Davis returns to action on Tuesday.

Nelson Finishes Career With First-Round Knockout In Sterling, VA!

Ashburn, VA's Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson ended her highly-decorated career in dominant fashion on Saturday, September 14th by scoring a first-round TKO over Latasha Burton of Houma, LA at the Michael and Son Sportsplex in Sterling, VA.  This bout was part of a Cynation Sports Promotions card.

Nelson won her bout at one minute of the first round and defeated Burton for the second time.  The final record for Nelson is 20-2-3, four KO's.  Included in that record are 11 world titles in four weight divisions and two times being selected as Beltway Boxer of The Year.  Burton's record falls to 4-13 and she was knocked out for the seventh straight time.

In another feature bout, Arlington, VA super middleweight Filip Stankovic registered a first-round TKO over George Sheppard of Richmond, VA.  Stankovic won the bout at 2:54 of the first to raise his record to 6-1, three KO's while Sheppard falls to 1-10-1.

In the only bout on the card to go the distance, Salisbury, MD welterweight "Nasty" Nigel Fennell won a six-round unanimous decision over Darel Harris of Sarasota, FL.  No word on the scores but Fennell went the distance for the very first time and lifts his record to 5-0, four KO's while Harris falls to 2-15-1, one KO.

Washington, DC featherweight Daron "Sweet Tay" Williams scored a second-round TKO over Raymond "Bad Boy" Chacon of Los Angeles, CA.  The bout was stopped at 2:59.  Williams bounces back from his loss in March and is now 8-1, five KO's.  Chacon drops to 7-40-1.

Baltimore, MD lightweight Mack "Papi" Allison IV also righted his career and scored a third-round knockout over Varon Webb of North Carolina.  The bout ended at 2:50 of the third.  Allison is 10-3-1, eight KO's while Webb is 0-4.

Newport News, VA heavyweight Jerry "Slug" Forrest scored a second-round knock out over Martez Williamson of Akron, OH.  Forrest stopped Williamson at seven seconds of the second.  Forrest raises his record to 26-3, 20 KO's.  Williamson falls to 3-26-1.

Debuting Leesburg, VA cruiserweight Calvin Mends scored a second-round TKO over equally debuting Rashad Lipscomb of Danville, VA.  The bout ended at 1:59 of the second.

Ashburn, VA welterweight Allan Johnson made a successful pro debut by registering a first-round TKO over Rondell McGee of Yonkers, NY.  The bout was over at 1:57.  McGee is 0-2.

In the opening bout, Saleem Kelly, a debuting welterweight from Cliffwood, NJ, won a third-round TKO over equally debuting Deandre Anderson of Birmingham, AL.  The bout was stopped at the three-minute mark.

Cory Sanders heads Cynation Sports.  The matchmaker was Brian Dillon.  The ring announcer was Henry "Discombobulating" Jones.

Russell Brothers Trek To Bakersfield, CA September 21!

The Undefeated Russell Brothers of Capitol Heights, MD return to action on Saturday, September 21st for bouts at the Rabobank Theater in Bakersfield, CA.

Bantamweight Antonio "Another" Russell will be in a 10-round bout against former world title contender David "Severo" Carmona of Mexico City, Mexico.  Russell (15-0, 11 KO's) comes off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Francisco Pedroza on July 13th in Minneapolis, MN.  The last bout for Carmona (21-6-5, nine KO's) took place in May of 2018 when he lost a contest for the WBA Super Flyweight championship by seventh-round stoppage in Fresno, CA.  Carmona could not have won the title anyway because he was overweight.  Carmona has also had bids for the WBO Super Flyweight title.

Super lightweight Antuanne "The Last" Russell will compete in an eight-round contest against Sebastian Diaz Maldonado of Aguascalientes, Mexico.  Russell kept his perfect record (10-0, 10 KO's) intact with a third-round TKO over Larry Ventus on the same July 13th card in Minneapolis.  Maldonado (16-4-1, 12 KO's) travels to the United States for the first time and returns to action for the first time since April of 2018 when he stopped the debuting Juan Daniel Pineda in Aguascalientes.

The two bouts may be televised on FS1.

Crews-Dezurn Wins Second World Title; Fox Dominates With Shutout Decision!

Two quality wins for Beltway Boxers on Saturday.  Baltimore, MD's "The Heavy-Hitting Diva" Franchon Crews-Dezurn captured her second world title with a 10-round unanimous decision over late substitute Maricela "La Diva" Cornejo of Los Angeles, CA at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.  Crews-Dezurn successfully defended her WBC Super Middleweight championship and won the vacant WBO Super Middleweight title.

According to Fightnews.com's Miguel Maravilla and Rocky Morales, Crews-Dezurn beat Cornejo to the punch throughout the bout and landed the harder and heavier shots.  Judges Carla Caiz and Pat Russell scored the bout 98-92 while Daniel Sandoval saw a 97-93 score.  The bout was a rematch of a contest that took place almost one year ago to the day (September 13, 2018) where Crews-Dezurn won a 10-round majority decision to win the WBC title.  Crews-Dezurn raises her record to 6-1, two KO's while Cornejo falls to 13-4, five KO's.

At the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA, Mykal "The Professor" Fox of Upper Marlboro, MD put on a dominating performance en route to a 10-round unanimous decision over Eudy "AK-47" Bernardo of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Fightnews.com's Kurt Wolfheimer gave this description of the bout:  Fox, ranked number 15 by the WBA (at welterweight), took over in the second round, unloading various combinations that forced Bernardo on the defensive.

The slick Fox continued to rack up the points as he stepped in and out of the pocket with four and five punch combinations throughout rounds three through seven. Bernardo’s nickname was AK47, but Fox’s movement and superior boxing ability completely disarmed him and he could land only single shots on occasion.

Fox wobbled Bernardo in the eighth round a straight left-right combo up the middle but he covered and survived. The boxing lesson continued throughout the final two rounds as Fox kept him a bay and circled around the ring with snapping shots.

All three judges scored the bout a shutout for Fox, 100-90.  Fox is now 21-1, five KO's while Bernardo drops to 25-5, 18 KO's.

Crews-Dezurn, Fox Weigh-in For Cross Country Bouts!

Two Beltway Boxers hit the scales for their bouts on both coasts that will take place on Saturday, September 14th.  One of the bouts has changed dramatically.

(Photo by Stacy Verbeek)

Franchon Crews-Dezurn weighed in at 167.8 for her WBC Super Middleweight title defense at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.  Originally, Crews-Dezurn was scheduled to face WBC Heavyweight champion, Alejandra Jimenez.  However, for some unknown reason, the bout was scrapped.

 A familiar foe will take Jimenez's place, however, in Maricela "La Diva" Cornejo of Los Angeles, CA.  Cornejo (13-3, five KO's) dropped the WBC title to Crews-Dezurn by 10-round majority decision almost one year to the day by majority decision in Las Vegas, NV.    Since that bout, Cornejo won an eight-round unanimous decision over Erin Toughill on January 27th in Hollywood, CA.  Cornejo weighed 166.8 for this bout against Crews-Dezurn. 

The contest has added significance because the vacant WBO Super Middleweight title will also be on the line.  The bout will be streamed live on DAZN.

(Photo by Deborah Carbone/King's Promotions)

Meanwhile, at the Wind Creek Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, PA, Mykal Fox tipped the scales at 141.8 for his 10-round contest against Eudy Bernardo, who weighed in at 141.3.

Weights From Sterling, VA!

Here is the scale watch for the Cynation Sports Promotions card that will be held Saturday, September 14th at the Michael and Son Sportsplex in Sterling, VA:

Filip Stankovic 168.5  vs. Lenwood Dozier 165

Tori Nelson 153 vs. Latasha Burton 157

Daron Williams 124 vs. Raymond Chacon 126

Mack Allison IV 134 vs. Varon Webb 135

Calvin Mends 198 vs. Rashad Lipscomb 198

Nigel Fennell 147 vs. Darel Harris 143

Allan Johnson 151 vs. Rondell McGee 147

Jerry Forrest (will weigh-in today) vs. Martez Williamson 201

Saleem Kelly 150 vs. Deandre Anderson 149

The card is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM.

'Iceman' Hawkins Signs With Mayweather Promotions!

When Malik "Iceman" Hawkins steps into the ring on Friday, September 20th in Las Vegas, he will do so as a member of The Money Team.

The 23-year-old, undefeated, Baltimore, MD native signed a contract with Mayweather Promotions.  The official signing ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Upton Boxing Gym in Baltimore. Hawkins (16-0, nine KO's) joins his gym mate, former two-time world champion Gervonta Davis, as a member of the Mayweather Promotions family.

Hawkins, who was named BATB's Prospect Of The Year in 2017, will make his Mayweather debut on a Mayweather Promotions card on September 20th when he takes on Al "The Machine Gun" Rivera of the Philippines (20-3, 18 KO's) in a 10-round bout.

Amateur Cards Continue Along The Beltway In September!

The rest of September will have its fill of Beltway amateur cards.  Here's what we have in store:

On Saturday, September 14th, the legendary Mack Lewis Boxing Gym will host a card to benefit the Mack Lewis Foundation.  The show is scheduled to feature top boxers from the Baltimore area.  All tickets are $25 and the card is slated to feature anywhere from 10 to 20 bouts.  The Mack Lewis gym is located at 913 North Bond Street in Baltimore.  The first bout is at 5 PM. For details, call 443-506-6539.

The NOMIS Gym is having its NOMIS Boxing Fight Night on Saturday, September 21st at the Mary Virginia Merrick Center, located at 4275 4th Street in Southeast Washington, DC.  This card is not only scheduled to bring in boxers from the Beltway but also from New Jersey, North Carolina, and Florida.  This is also a fundraising event and tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youth.  The card gets underway at 6 PM.  The weigh-in will be at the NOMIS Boxing Center, located at 2403 Benning Road in Northeast DC and starts promptly at 10 AM.  Call 202-316-2380 for more information.

Then on Saturday, September 28th, the amateur action returns to Baltimore as Baltimore Boxing Promotions will have a card at the Horseshoe Casino.  Unlike an amateur card a few years ago that was held outdoors at the Horseshoe Casino, this one will take place inside the casino theater.  This means you must be at least 21 years old to attend the card.  A host of local boxers will participate on this card.  General Admission tickets are $40 and VIP tickets are available.  For more information, call 410-375-9175.

'Iceman' Hawkins and 'Cujo' Sigmon Prepare For 10-Round Bouts In Las Vegas September 20th!

Two locals will be involved in 10-round bouts at the Cannery Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, NV on Friday, September 20th.

Undefeated Baltimore, MD light-welterweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins returns to action against Al "The Machine Gun" Rivera of Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines.   Hawkins (16-0, nine KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Steele on July 27th in Baltimore.  Rivera (20-3, 18 KO's) makes his first appearance in the United States riding a three-bout winning streak.  However, Rivera has not fought since July of 2018 when he knocked out Heri Andriyanto in Magallanes, Philippines.

Also on the card will be Bedford, VA light heavyweight Scott "Cujo" Sigmon who will be in the main event contest against veteran Lionell "Lonnie B" Thompson of Las Vegas by way of Buffalo, NY.  Sigmon (34-13-1, 17 KO's) has won his last two bouts including a 10-round unanimous decision victory over previously undefeated Ronnie Glass on April 13th in Lynchburg, VA.  Thompson (20-5, 11 KO's) last contest took place almost exactly a year ago on September 22nd when he defeated Derrick Findley by 10-round unanimous decision in Las Vegas. 

Roach November 9th Title Shot Has A Location, Reports ESPN!

The WBO Super Featherweight title bid for undefeated Upper Marlboro, MD's Lamont Roach, Jr. may have a location.  ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that Roach's bout against newly crowned WBO champion Jamel Herring will take place in Fresno, CA on Saturday, November 9th.

Roach, Jr. (19-0-1, seven KO's) is currently ranked number two by the WBO and has won three regional title belts. Roach, Jr. is the mandatory challenger for Herring (20-2, 10 KO's), who won his title on May 25th when he defeated Masayuki Ito by unanimous decision in Kissimmee, FL.

The bout will headline a card that will be shown on ESPN+.

September 14th Virginia Card Features Nelson Farewell!

The next live pro card in the Beltway will take place on Saturday, September 14th at the Michael and Son Sportsplex in Sterling, VA.  This Cynation Sports Promotions card will be a very special one because it is scheduled to be the final bout for a Beltway Boxing legend.

Ashburn, VA's Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson has said that this bout will be her swan song, the close of a nine-year career that has been one of the most decorated in Beltway Boxing history.  Nelson (19-2-3, three KO's) is an 11-time world champion in four weight divisions.  She is one of three boxers and the first female to be named Beltway Boxing Boxer of the Year twice.  In May of 2014, Nelson made headlines when she knocked out the legendary Mia St. John in the second round in Annandale, VA.  Her only losses were to two future hall of fame boxers -- Claressa Shields and Christina Hammer.

Nelson is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Sanna Turunen on December 1st in Washington, DC.  On September 14th, Nelson will face Latasha Burton of Houma, LA in an eight-round rematch bout.  The two fought each other in November of 2017 in Ashburn, VA with Nelson winning by second-round stoppage when Burton fell ill at the end of the round.  Since that bout, Burton (4-12) has lost two more times, all by knockout.  Burton has been knocked out or stopped in her last six bouts, including a first-round TKO loss to future world champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn.

In a key, all-Beltway super middleweight eight-round bout, Filip Stankovic of Arlington, VA will face off with veteran Lenwood "Mr. Composure" Dozier of Suitland, MD.  Stankovic, a native of Nis, Serbia (5-1, two KO's), won his last bout by third-round TKO over Patrick Pierre on June 1st in Waldorf, MD.  Dozier (10-24-3, five KO's) is looking for his first win since September of 2016.  In his last outing, Dozier lost by fourth-round TKO to Ismael Villareal on August 16th in Nashua, NH.

Greenbelt, MD cruiserweight "The Vanilla Gorilla" Sam Crossed will take on another veteran, Edgar Perez of Chicago, IL in a six-round encounter.  Crossed (8-0, five KO's) last fought on December 1st in DC and won a tough, six-round split decision over Twon Smith.  Perez (7-26, three KO's) is looking to break a seven-bout losing streak that includes a first-round stoppage by Jerry Forrest on December 8th in Norfolk, VA.  Perez has also lost to Beltway Boxers Demond Nicholson, Jerry Odom, and Antoine Douglas.

DC super bantamweight Daron "Sweet Tay" Williams looks to bounce back from his first pro loss as he battles Raymond "Bad Boy" Chacon of Los Angeles, CA in a six-round bout. Williams (7-1, four KO's) lost by eight-round unanimous decision to Oleg Dovhun on March 2nd in Pittsburgh, PA.  Chacon (7-39-1) comes off a four-round unanimous decision loss to Abel Mendoza on July 20th in Midland, TX.

Baltimore, MD super featherweight Mack "Papi" Allison IV will be in a six-round contest against Varon Webb of North Carolina.   Allison (9-3-1, seven KO's) lost his last contest by six-round unanimous decision to Luis Gerardo Perez Salas on May 25th in Oxon Hill, MD.  Webb (0-3) comes off a four-round unanimous decision to Jose Ibarra on December 15th in Columbia, SC.  Webb has also lost to Dante Cox by third-round TKO in August of 2018 in Hanover, MD.

Three locals will make pro debuts on this card.  Baltimore, MD super middleweight Tyrell Boyd will face off with George Sheppard of Norfolk, VA in a four-round bout.  Boyd is a former regional Novice Golden Gloves champion.  Sheppard (1-9-1) lost by fourth-round TKO in his last outing on August 2nd in Kissimmee, FL.

Ashburn, VA welterweight Allan Johnson will be in a four-round contest against Rondell McGee of Yonkers, NY.  McGee is 0-1.

Also, Calvin Mends, a cruiserweight from Leesburg, VA by way of Accra, Ghana will take on the equally-debuting Rashad Lipscomb of Danville, VA.

Other bouts are scheduled for this card.

Hurd Decides Not To Take Rematch Against Williams; December 14th Bout Off!

Former Unified Super Welterweight champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd has decided not to take his contracted rematch against new champion Julian "J-Rock" Williams in December.

The Accokeek, MD native (23-1, 16 KO's) lost his titles to Williams by unanimous decision in one of the best bouts of the year on May 11th at the Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax, VA.  The two were scheduled to face each other in a rematch on Saturday, December 14th in Brooklyn, NY.

After his win, Williams said that Hurd and any other opponent in future bouts would have to agree to performance-enhancing drug testing by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) at least 90 days prior to competition.  No word on whether Hurd would agree to that.

There is also speculation that Hurd, who is one of the bigger boxers in the 154-pound class, might move up to 160 pounds and compete as a middleweight.

M. Fox Risks World Ranking In September 14th Bout In Bethlehem, PA!

Upper Marlboro, MD welterweight Mykal "The Professor" Fox is officially a world-ranked contender.  Fox (20-1, five KO's) is ranked 15th in the world by the WBA.

Fox will risk that ranking on Saturday, September 14th when he takes on Eudy "Ak-47" Bernado of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in a 10-round bout at the Wind Creek Events Center (formerly the Sands Bethlehem Events Center) in Bethlehem, PA.

Fox is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Fazliddin Gaibnazarov on May 11th in Tucson, AZ.  Bernado (25-4, 18 KO's) bounced back from a March loss by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Jesus Alberto Morales on July 5th in Ciudad Acuna, Mexico.

By the way, Fox is not the only world-ranked boxer in his family.  Older brother Alantez "SlyAza" Fox is currently ranked third in the world by the WBO and 13th by the IBF.

Gervonta Davis Reportedly Vacates WBA Super Featherweight Title; Ranked Number One At Lightweight!

According to the most recent World Boxing Association rankings, Baltimore, MD's Gervonta "Tank" Davis is no longer the super featherweight champion.  Apparently, Davis has vacated his title and will now compete as a lightweight.

The WBA has ranked Davis (22-0, 21 KO's) as the number-one contender to the WBA's 135-pound title, held by Vasyl Lomachenko.  Lomachenko is the Unified Lightweight champion, having added the vacant WBC championship to the WBA and WBO titles with a unanimous decision win over Luke Campbell in London, England.

Davis comes off a blistering second-round knockout victory over Ricardo Nunez on July 27th in front of a sellout crowd in his hometown of Baltimore.

Although Davis will, at least for the time being, not have proposed bouts against boxers such as IBF Super Featherweight champ Tevin Farmer or WBC Featherweight titleholder Gary Russell, Jr., a contest against Lomachenko would be an incredible pay-per-view showdown.   BATB will keep you posted on any developments.

Beltway Boxers Win Bouts In Minneapolis!

Two local boxers picked up victories Saturday at the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN.

Landover, MD welterweight Tyrek "I.G.B" Irby scored a fifth-round knockout over Lucas Andres Dadamo of Capitan Bermudez, Santa Fe, Argentina.  No word on the time of the knockout.  Irby remains undefeated at 8-0, three KO's while Dadamo evens his record at 2-2-2, one KO.

Also, Baltimore, MD middleweight Aaron Anderson won a six-round unanimous decision over Akeem Black of Milwaukee, WI.  No scores were available.  Anderson is now 6-0, four KO's while Black falls to 5-4, two KO's.

Hines Drops Unanimous Decision in Pasadena!

Washington, DC welterweight Cornell "Hitman" Hines has lost a six-round unanimous decision to undefeated Eben "El Rayo" Vargas of Mesa, AZ tonight at Pasadena City Hall in Pasadena, CA.

In his first six-round contest, Hines started well as he was able to land good punches in the first round.  However, Vargas was able to pressure Hines and move him backward throughout the contest.  Hines fought from a defensive posture the rest of the way.

All three judges scored the bout 59-55.  Hines loses for the first time and he is now 5-1, two KO's.  Vargas remains unbeaten and he is 11-0, five KO's.

Hines Tips Scales in Pasadena!

Cornell Hines weighed in at 146.2 pounds for his six-round contest against fellow undefeated boxer Eben Vargas tonight at Pasadena City Hall in Pasadena, CA.  Vargas came in at 146.6 pounds.

The bout will be shown on the Golden Boy Fight Night Live Facebook page.

Crews-Dezurn To Defend WBC Super Middleweight Title Against Heavyweight Champ Jimenez September 14th In Carson, CA!

WBC Super Middleweight champion "The Heavy-Hitting Diva" Franchon Crews-Dezurn of Baltimore, MD will make the first defense of her title on Saturday, September 14th at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA.

The opponent for Crews-Dezurn will be a formidable one as she will take on the reigning WBC Heavyweight champion Alejandra "La Tigre" Jimenez of Mexico City, Mexico.  In her last outing, Crews-Dezurn (5-1, two KO's) won a non-title bout by fifth-round TKO over Kayla Williams on June 20th in Atlantic City, NJ. 

Jimenez (12-0-1, nine KO's) competes in the United States for the first time.  All of her previous bouts have been in her native Mexico.  Jimenez won the heavyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Martha Salazar in March of 2016 in Cancun.  Three of her next four bouts were in the heavyweight division.  Since April of 2018, Jimenez has competed at the light heavyweight and super middleweight level with her last contest being an eight-round unanimous decision win over Irais Hernandez on February 16th in Cancun.

This bout will be part of the card that will be headlined by Jaime Munguia defending his WBO Junior Middleweight title against Patrick Allotey.  The card will be streamed live on DAZN.

Beltway Boxers Travel To Minnesota August 31st!

Two undefeated Beltway prospects will head to the Minneapolis Armory in Minneapolis, MN for six-round contests.

Landover, MD welterweight Tyrek "I.G.B" Irby will take on Lucas Andres Dadamo of Capitan Bermudez, Santa Fe, Argentina.  Irby (7-0, two KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Dennis Okoth on March 2nd in Brooklyn, NY.  Dadamo (2-1-2, one KO) makes his US debut after competing exclusively in his native Argentina.  Dadamo last fought in March of 2018 and lost a six-round unanimous decision to Hugo Alberto Roldan in La Banda, Argentina.

Baltimore, MD middleweight Aaron Anderson will face Akeem Black of Milwaukee, WI in a six-round encounter.  Anderson (5-0, four KO's) comes off a first-round TKO over Carlos Galindo on May 11th in Fairfax, VA.  Black (5-3, two KO's) looks to bounce back from a six-round unanimous decision loss to Joey Spencer on June 23rd in Las Vegas, NV.

Beltway Boxers Split Bouts In Houston!

Two Beltway Boxers split bouts at the Arabia Shrine Center in Houston, TX on Friday.

Washington, DC super bantamweight Marcus "Dreamcrusher" Bates won an eight-round unanimous decision over Saul Eduardo "Babe" Hernandez of Lakeside, CA by way of Tijuana, Mexico.  Bates won the bout by scores of 79-73 (twice) and 78-74.  Bates, who is ranked #15 in the world by the WBA, is now 10-1-1, eight KO's.  Hernandez falls to 13-14-1, eight KO's.

Also on the card, Hagerstown, MD super middleweight "The Sexy Albanian" Genc Pllana suffered his first pro loss, dropping an eight-round majority decision to Raphael "Trouble" Igbokwe of Fresno, TX.    According to ringside photographer David Algranati, Ibgokwe pressured for most of the fight, with Pllana having his moments with effective counters and his unconventional style.  Igbokwe slowed a bit in the sixth and in particularly in the seventh, where Pllana outclassed him throughout the round.  Both fighters had their moments in the eight, but more punch volume and effective punching from Igbokwe in the final round gave him the win.

One judge scored the bout a draw at 76-76 but the two other judges saw the bout for Igbokwe, 79-73 and 78-74.  Pllana is now 5-1, two KO's while Igbokwe rises to 13-2, six KO's.  

This was a King's Promotions and Force Train Promotions card.

Amateur Events Taking Place Over The Next Two Weekends!

There are a number of amateur boxing events that will be taking place in and out of the Beltway over the next two Saturdays.  Here is a brief synopsis:

On Saturday, August 24th, the Potomac Valley Association of USA Boxing along with the HeadBangers Gym are bringing the Mayor's Cup back.  Also, the event will be held at a place where it was held on an annual basis for many years -- The Burr Gymnasium on the campus of Howard University in Washington, DC.  Some of the best amateur talent in the Beltway and along the East Coast are scheduled to participate in the event.  The card begins at 2 PM and is free and open to the public.

In Waldorf, MD, the Last Round Boxing Club will have the return of the King And Queen of The Ring.  There will be male and female amateurs that will compete on this card, which will be held at the Last Round Boxing Club located at 3235 Old Washington Road in Waldorf.  The card begins at 6 PM. Tickets are $15, $25, $40 and $60.  Call (202)568-2452 for details.

Next Saturday, August 31st, there will be the annual Cease Fire Don't Smoke The Brothers and Sisters picnic and amateur boxing event that will take place at the Upshur Recreation Center on 4300 Arkansas Avenue in Northwest DC.  This is an event that is into its 12th year.  This is a free event that includes free food and amateur boxing.  The organizers, led by Al-Malik Farrakhan, also ask for a six-month moratorium to stop the killings in the city.  For more information on the boxing portion of the event, call (240) 353-0564.

Also, there will be the Battle Of The Commonwealth amateur card that will take place at The Palace, located at 13989 Jefferson Davis Highway in Woodbridge, VA.  General Admission is $20 and $10 for kids under 10 years old.  This card begins at 3 PM.  For more information, call (301) 532-8169.

Beltway Boxers Hit Scales In Houston!

Two locals weighed in for eight-round bouts on Friday, August 23rd at the Arabia Shrine Center in Houston, TX.

Genc Pllana tipped the scales at the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds for his contest against Raphael Igbokwe, who came in at 166 pounds.

Marcus Bates weighed in at 120.4 pounds for his bout against Saul Hernandez, who tipped the scales at 122 pounds.

This will be a Kings Promotions/Force Train Promotions card.

Pllana Has First Eight-Round Bout; Bates Faces Veteran On August 23rd In Houston, TX!

Two Beltway Boxers will appear on a card at the Arabia Shrine Center in Houston, TX on Friday, August 23rd.

Undefeated Hagerstown, MD super middleweight "The Sexy Albanian" Genc Pllana is trying to make quick moves in his career.  After just five previous pro bouts, Pllana will move up to the scheduled eight-round level for the first time when he takes on Raphael "Trouble" Igbokwe of Fresno, TX.

Pllana (5-0, two KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Dennis Williams on June 29th in Laurel, MD.  Igbokwe (12-2, six KO's) last fought on June 1st at the Arabia Shrine Center and lost an eight-round split decision to Alexis Gaytan.

Also on the card will be Washington, DC super bantamweight Marcus "Dreamcrusher" Bates who will also be in an eight-rounder against Saul Eduardo "Bebe" Hernandez of Lakeside, CA by way of Tijuana, Mexico.

Bates (9-1-1, eight KO's) competed for the first time in more than a year on April 13th when he stopped Jesse Angel Hernandez in the third round in Atlantic City, NJ.   Hernandez (no relation, 13-13-1, eight KO's) will face a Beltway Boxer for the second straight time.  Hernandez lost by six-round technical decision to Antonio Russell on May 18th in Brooklyn, NY.

Hurd To Have Rematch Against Williams In December!

According to BoxingScene.com, former WBA/IBF/IBO Super Welterweight champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd will get his opportunity to regain those titles in a rematch against new champion Julian "J-Rock" Williams on Saturday, December 14th at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

The first bout between the two men was a fight of the year candidate held on May 11th at the Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax, VA that saw Hurd, of Accokeek, MD (23-1, 16 KO's) lose his titles by unanimous decision to Williams of Philadelphia, PA, (27-1-1, 16 KO's).

If and when the bout takes place, it will be the first for Hurd without his long-time trainer, Ernesto Rodriguez.  The two parted ways in June. No word on who will work with Hurd for this bout.  Like the first bout, the second contest is scheduled to be a Premier Boxing Champions contest.  No word yet on what TV network will carry the bout.

Davis Wins Silver Medal At Pan American Games!

Alexandria, VA light welterweight Keyshawn Davis earned a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.  Davis lost his championship bout by a 4-1 decision to Andy Cruz of Cuba on Friday, August 2nd.

Davis's Alexandria teammate, Troy Isley, captured a bronze medal at the same event.  Team USA won 10 medals, one gold, four silver, and five bronze medals.  This was the USA's best performance at the Pan Am Games since 1983.

Breedy Wins Unanimous Decision, Williams Scores First-Round KO In Brooklyn!

Two Beltway Boxers secured victories at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday.

Hyattsville, MD featherweight Cobia "The Soldier" Breedy obtained the biggest win of his career to date as he captured a 10-round unanimous decision over Ryan Lee "Stone" Allen of Las Vegas, NV.

No word on the scores but it was Breedy's first 10-round bout and his first win outside of the Beltway area. Breedy remains undefeated at 14-0, four KO's while Allen falls to 10-4-1, five KO's.

Welterweight "The Next Big Thing" Keeshawn Williams of District Heights, MD made short work of Mario Alberto Perez Navarro of San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico, scoring a first-round knockout.  Williams landed a strong straight left hand to drop Navarro.  The bout was immediately stopped at two minutes of the round.  Williams is 6-0-1, two KO's while Navarro is 5-4-2, two KO's.

Bujaj Outlasts Smith In Hanover, MD!

New York City cruiserweight Stivens "Superman" Bujaj won an eight-round unanimous decision over Luther "Lights Out" Smith of Bowie, MD in the main event of a Jeter Promotions card held in front of a packed house at Live! Casino in Hanover, MD.

The first two rounds saw both men feel each other out and trade jabs and hooks evenly.  By the fourth round, however, Bujaj started to take control as Smith's output began to decrease.  Smith would actually stay in the contest by switching from his natural southpaw stance to conventional.  However, Bujaj would land the more telling blows in the contest and go on to the victory.  Judges David Braslow and John Gradowski scored the bout 78-74 while Brent Bovell saw the contest 77-75 for Bujaj, who returned to action for the first time since October of 2017.  Bujaj's record rises to 17-2-1, 11 KO's.  Smith falls to 12-5, 10 KO's.

The co-feature contest saw the local return of Bowie, MD super middleweight "The King's Son" Jerry Odom, who scored a second-round TKO over Tahir Thomas of Salisbury, MD.  Odom, who only had one overall bout since November of 2016 and had not competed in the Beltway since April of 2014, took Thomas's best punches in the first round only to come back in the second and send a wicked right hand to Thomas's head that dropped him to the canvas.  Referee Brent Bovell immediately called the bout off at 2:10 of the second.  Odom is now 16-3-1, 15 KO's while Thomas, who competed for the first time since January of 2017, falls to 4-2-1, three KO's.

Washington, DC featherweight Jordan "Shortdog" White stopped Vincent Jennings of Kentwood, MI at 1:34 of the fourth round.  White put on a nice performance, landing shots early to Jennings's head and body.  In the fourth round, White landed two solid left hands that dropped Jennings.  White then swarmed Jennings, forcing referee David Braslow to stop the contest.  White is now 9-1, seven KO's while Jennings drops to 6-9-2, four KO's.

Germantown, MD super featherweight Ebrima Jawara survived a third-round knockdown to defeat Marq "Monster" Johns of Fort Washington, MD.  Jawara looked poised in the first two rounds of the bout as he landed quality shots.  However, in the third, Johns caught Jawara with a strong left hand and sent him to the canvas.  After taking a nine-count, Jawara would recover and finish the round with a flurry.  Jawara would regain the advantage in the second half of the bout as he went back to his strong offensive output to win the bout.  Judges Dave Braslow and Eric Irizarry scored the bout 58-55 while Bill Clancy saw the bout 57-56.  Jawara, who completed six rounds for the first time after just two previous bouts, is now 2-1, one KO.  Johns, who had not fought since March of 2017, is now 7-2-2, six KO's.

Suitland, MD super featherweight "The Ambitious One" Malik Loften won a dominant four-round unanimous decision over Carlos "Talented" Marrero of Bridgeport, CT.  Loften was in complete control as he started his attack by landing jabs to Marrero's body.  Loften was trying to land a right hand over the top off the jab but couldn't consistently land the shot. However, Loften did more than enough to easily win the bout.  All three judges (Brent Bovell, Bill Clancy, and Eric Irizarry) scored a shutout (40-36) for Loften, whose record rises to 3-1, one KO.  Marrero's record falls to 1-3-1.

Super middleweight AJ "We Are" Williams of Cockeysville, MD won a four-round unanimous decision over Brock Willis of Clarksburg, WVA.  Williams was the taller of the two boxers and he used his height very well as his long jab would successfully keep Willis at bay.  Williams was able to win the bout with solid lefts and rights to Willis's head and body.  Williams would win by shutout across the board.  Williams is now 2-1, one KO while Willis is 1-4, one KO.

Elkridge, MD lightweight "The Red Comet" Dante Cox scored a TKO when his opponent, Hakim Smith of Philadelphia, PA could not come out for the third round.  Cox, competing in front of his fans as well as his Live! Casino co-workers was very effective in the first and second rounds as he landed great punches to the head and body.  In the second round, Cox increased his offensive output and battered Smith with uppercuts and right hands to the face and body.  At the end of the second round, the Smith corner decided not to send their boxer out for the third.  Cox is now 4-1, three KO's while Smith is 1-3-1.

Cockeysville, MD lightweight Brandon "Brody" Chambers won by TKO over Fred "Lightning and Thunder" Thornton of Shelby, NC at 1:16 of the second round.  Chambers, a Baltimore City Police Officer, weakened Thornton in the first round with consistent pressure.  Chambers stepped up his attack in the second round as he was able to find his distance and throw right hands to stun Thornton before referee Bill Clancy stopped the contest.  Chambers wins his first pro bout and he is now 1-0-1, one KO.  Thornton is 0-2.

In the opening bout, Philadelphia, PA welterweight Corey "The Thoroughbred" Weekley spoiled the pro debut of Champ "Preacherman" Moultrie of Ellicott City, MD by knocking him out in the third round.  Moultrie had little offensive for Weekley as his punches had virtually no effect.  Weekley was able to land quality punches, eventually landing a strong combination in the final minute of the third round.  Weekley would drop Moultrie with a strong right hand, causing referee Brent Bovell to stop the bout at 2:29 of the third.  Weekley wins his first bout and he is 1-2, one KO.

The husband and wife team of Tony and Christen Jeter head Jeter Promotions.  The matchmaker was Nick Tiberi.  The ring announcer was Henry "Discombobulating" Jones.

Weights From Live! Casino!

Here is the scale watch for the Jeter Promotions card that will take place Friday, August 2 at Live! Casino in Hanover, MD:

Luther Smith 199.2 vs. Stivens Bujai 199.6

Jerry Odom 168.8 vs. Tahir Thomas 166.2
(Odom originally weighed 170.2 then had to reweigh)

Jordan White 127.8 vs. Vincent Jennings 128.6

Ebrima Jawara 129 vs. Marq Johns 128.6

Malik Loften 129 vs. Carlos Marrero 128

AJ Williams 165.4 vs. Brock Willis 166.6

Dante Cox 134.2 vs. Hakim Smith 136.2

Brandon Chambers 134.2 vs. Fred Thornton 134.6

Champ Moultrie 146.8 vs. Corey Weekly 147.2

The bout between Jay Stancil, III and Deshawn Wilkerson is reportedly off the card.  Wilkerson was well under the weight for the bout.

The card is scheduled to get underway at 7 PM and will be broadcast live on the Boxing Along The Beltway Podcast Network that can be heard on Spreaker.com, Stitcher.com, IHeartRadio.com, and Tunein.com.

Balogun Wins Unanimous Decision In Monroeville, PA!

Upper Marlboro, MD heavyweight Mike "Silverback" Balogun won an eight-round unanimous decision over Ed Fountain of St. Louis, MO Thursday at the Convention Center in Monroeville, PA.

Balogun won the bout by scores of 77-74 (twice) and 78-73 to win his first professional eight-round contest.  Balogun remains undefeated and his record is now 14-0, 10 KO's.  Fountain's record falls to 12-6, five KO's.  His last three opponents have all had undefeated records.

Davis Advances to Pan American Games Final; Isley Loses Semifinal!

Alexandria, VA amateurs had a split decision day Tuesday at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.  Light welterweight Keyshawn Davis advanced to the finals with a 5-0 decision over Michael Alexander of Trinidad and Tobago.  Davis's championship bout will be on Friday, August 2. Meanwhile, middleweight Troy Isley lost a 4-1 decision to Herbert Carvalho Da Conceic of Brazil.

August 2nd Live Casino Card Comes Together!

The Jeter Promotions card that will take place on Friday, August 2nd at Live! Casino in Hanover, MD is starting to come together.

As previously mentioned, the main event of this card will be an eight-round bout between Catonsville, MD cruiserweight Luther "Lights Out" Smith and Stivens "Superman" Bujai of New York City by way of Albania.

Smith (11-4, nine KO's) broke a two-bout losing streak by winning a six-round split decision over Joshua Temple on December 8th in Bowie, MD.  Bujai (16-2-1, 11 KO's) will be looking to break a two-bout losing streak and he has not fought since October of 2017 when he was stopped by Mateusz Masternak in the seventh round in Newark, NJ.  Bujai makes his sem.cond appearance in the Beltway, winning a six-round unanimous decision over Larry Pryor in January of 2016 in Springfield, VA.

The card is scheduled to mark the return of Washington, DC super middleweight "The King's Son" Jerry Odom who will battle Tahir Thomas of Salisbury, MD in a six-round encounter  Odom, who has recently relocated to Covington, GA (15-3-1, 14 KO's), returned to the ring on November 3rd when he scored a fourth-round TKO over Ruddy Sanchez in the Dominican Republic.  This was Odom's first bout since November of 2016.  Thomas (4-1-1, three KO's) has not competed since January of 2017 when he lost a six-round unanimous decision to Donald Wallace in Glen Burnie, MD.

In a six-round featherweight bout, Jordan "Shortdog" White of DC will take on Vincent Jennings of Kentwood, MI.  White (8-1, six KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision to Christian Esquivel on May 18th in DC.  Jennings (6-8-2, four KO's) will try to break a three-bout losing streak including an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Oleg Dovhun on July 13th in Munhall, PA.

In an interesting, all-Beltway, six-round super featherweight bout, Germantown, MD's Ebrima Jawara will battle the returning Marq "Monster" Johns of Fort Washington, MD.  Jawara (1-1, one KO) bounced back from losing his pro debut to stop Dammeon Campbell in the second round on April 27th in Vienna, VA. Johns (7-1-2, six KO's) has not fought since March of 2017 when he battled to a four-round draw for the second time with Stephon McIntyre in DC.

Suitland, MD featherweight Malik "Lil' Leak" Loften will be in a four-round contest against Carlos "Talented" Marrero of New Britain, CT.  Loften (2-1, one KO) is coming off that four-round split decision win over Jawara on the last card at Live! Casino on March 8th.  Marrero (1-2-1) picked up his first win by four-round unanimous decision on March 15th in Worcester, MA.

Cockeysville, MD super middleweight AJ "We Are" Williams will be in a four-rounder against Michael Brock Willis of West Virginia.  Williams (1-1, one KO) scored a third-round TKO over Dameron Kirby on the March 8th Jeter Promotions card in Hanover.  Willis (1-3, one KO) lost a four-round unanimous decision to Nick Browne on March 30th in Salem, WVA.

Elkridge, MD lightweight and Live! Casino employee "The Red Comet" Dante Cox will face late substitute Hakim Smith of Philadelphia, PA in a four-round bout.  Cox (3-1, two KO's) looks to bounce back from a third-round TKO loss to Drayvontay Speed Rawls at Live! Casino on March 8th.  Smith (1-2-1) lost a four-round unanimous decision to Justin Riley on May 18th in Hockessin, DE.

A battle of debuting boxers finds Clinton, MD super bantamweight Jay Stancil, III battling Dashawn Wilkerson of Philadelphia.  Stancil fought a number of times in the Washington Golden Gloves tournament.

Owings Mills, MD lightweight Brandon Chambers will take on Fred Thornton of Shelby, NC in a four-round bout.  Chambers, a Baltimore City Police Officer (0-0-1), battled to a four-round draw with Christopher Haney on the March 8th card in Hanover.  Thornton (0-1) lost his pro debut by first-round knockout to Oscar Benitez on April 20th in Greensboro, NC.

Bowie, MD cruiserweight Chester Stewart takes on Jerome Morris of Darby, PA by way of Trinidad and Tobago in another four-rounder.  Stewart, who is making a transition from pro football, lost his pro debut by third-round TKO to Charles Johnson on the August 18th card at Live! Casino.  Morris (1-0, one KO) won his pro debut by first-round TKO to Brian Haneschlager on March 30th in Hockessin, DE.

Ellicott City, MD welterweight Champ Moultrie will make his pro debut against Corey Weekly of Philadelphia.  Moultrie also competed in the Washington Golden Gloves in the Novice and Open Divisions.  Weekly (0-2) lost both his bouts by four-round unanimous decision.

Isley, Davis Advance In Pan American Games!

Alexandria, VA amateur boxers Troy Isley and Keyshawn Davis won their first contests at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru on Monday.   Both men have clinched bronze medals in the tournament.

Isley took a 3-2 decision over Jorge Vivas of Colombia in the middleweight division.  Davis won his bout at light-welterweight by walkover against Luis Arcon of Venezuela.

Both men will try to improve their status today as they will compete in the semifinals.  Isley will battle Herbert Carvalho Da Conceic of Brazil while Davis takes on Michael Alexander of Trinidad and Tobago.

Warren Wins Pro Debut With First-Round TKO!

Baltimore, MD lightweight Malik Warren made a successful pro debut in the walkout bout on Saturday at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, scoring a first-round TKO over Davonte McCowen of Lancaster, CA.   Warren took some shots but was able to land more telling blows before referee David Braslow stopped the bout at 2:57 of the round.  McCowen is now 0-1-1.

Davis Dominates Before Sellout Crowd In Baltimore!

In front of a raucous and partisan sellout crowd at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD, and a nationally-televised audience watching on Showtime, undefeated hometown hero Gervonta "Tank" Davis scored a second-round TKO over mandatory challenger Ricardo "Cientifico" Nunez of  La Chorrera, Panama to successfully defend his WBA Super Featherweight title.

In the second round, Davis rocked Nunez with a left hand that snapped his head against the ropes.  Davis finished with hard shots that forced referee Harvey Dock to stop the contest at 1:33.  Nunez complained about the stoppage, to no avail.

The win was Davis's second defense of the WBA title and his 13th consecutive knockout.  Davis is now 22-0, 21 KO's.  Nunez falls to 21-3, 19 KO's.

Hawkins Wins Unanimous Decision In Baltimore!

Undefeated Baltimore super lightweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins has won an eight-round unanimous decision over a very game Jonathan Steele of Duncanville, TX.  Hawkins took some early punishment in the first round as Steele landed some solid shots.  However, Hawkins righted the ship early and was able to use punishing uppercuts and left jabs to win the bout relatively easy.  Judge
Lynne Carter scored the bout 78-74 while judges Dave Moretti and Larry Hazzard, Jr. each saw the bout,79-73 for Hawkins, who is now 16-0, nine KO's.  Steele's record falls to 9-5-1, six KO's.

Martin Handles Avila In Baltimore!

At the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD, super lightweight Kareem "Reemo" Martin of Washington, DC hammered Luis Avila of Mexico over three rounds to gain a TKO stoppage when Avila could not come out for round four.

Martin started his attack early with solid lefts and rights.  Avila had no defense but to take punches throughout the contest.  Finally at the end of the third round.  Avila's corner told referee Harvey Dock that the fight was over.

Martin has won four in a row and is now 13-2-1, four KO's.  Avila falls to 8-14-3, five KO's.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I am not attending tonight's card.

Weights From Baltimore!

Here is the scale watch for the TGB Promotions/Mayweather Promotions card that will be held on Saturday, July 27th at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD:

(Photo by Amanda Westcott/Showtime)

Gervonta Davis 129.5 vs. Ricardo Nunez 128.8
(WBA Super Featherweight championship)

Yuriorkis Gamboa 132.6 vs. Roman Martinez 133.5

Ladarius Miller 135.5 vs. Jezzrel Corrales 134.3

These are the three bouts that will be on the Showtime Championship Boxing telecast that will begin at 9 PM ET.

Malik Hawkins 140.2 vs. Johnathan Steele 139.8

Dylan Price 115.6 vs. Samuel Gutierrez 116.4

Kareem Martin 139.8 vs. Luis Avila 139.2

These three contests will be on the Showtime Sports live stream that will get underway at 6:30 PM ET.

Malik Warren 129.6 vs. Davonte McCowen 130

This bout is a scheduled swing bout between the live stream and the cable telecast.

Immanuwel Aleem 160 vs. Freddy Hernandez 160

Jayson Velez 130.2 vs. Hector Suarez 130.8

Kenny Robles 138.8 vs. Shawn West 139.8

DeMichael Harris 130.6 vs. Terrence Harris 134

Javon Campbell 120.8 vs. Isau Duenez 122.2

The Richardson Hitchins-Tyrone Crawley bout has been scratched.

The card will get underway at 4:30 PM ET.

Lamont Roach, Jr. To Get World Title Shot In November!

Undefeated Upper Marlboro, MD super featherweight Lamont Roach, Jr., the number-one-rated challenger in the World Boxing Organization, will get his mandatory world title defense against the newly-crowned WBO champion Jamel "Semper Fi" Herring of Cincinnati, OH by way of Coram, NY.

The bout is slated to take place on Saturday, November 9th at a site to be determined and will be streamed on ESPN+.  Officials for Herring's promoter, Top Rank and Roach's promoter, Golden Boy, came to an agreement avoiding a purse bid.  Roach (19-0-1, seven KO's) is coming off a successful defense of his WBO International Super Featherweight championship winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Oquendo on May 4th in Las Vegas, NV. Roach also won the NABO Super Featherweight championship on that evening.  Herring (20-2, 10 KO's) won the WBO Super Featherweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Masayuki Ito on May 25th in Kissimmee, FL.

Isley, Davis Prepare For Pan American Games Competition In Peru!

Alexandria, VA amateur boxers Troy Isley and Keyshawn Davis are in Lima, Peru this week getting ready for competition in the Pan American Games.  The boxing begins on Saturday, July 27th.

Both men qualified for the event by winning medals at the qualifier in Managua, Nicaragua.  Isley had the best outing of any USA boxer at the qualifier as he won a gold medal defeating Arlen Lopez of Cuba, the reigning Pan Am, and Olympic champion. Davis captured a silver medal during the qualifiers.

Also attending will be Kay Koroma, the Assistant Coach for the US National team who also coaches Isley and Davis in Virginia.  The tournament lasts until Friday, August 2nd.

Times For Fight Week in Baltimore!

There are some big events surrounding the Gervonta Davis-Ricardo Nunez card that will take place on Saturday, July 27th at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD.

The weigh-in will take place at the Royal Farms Arena on Friday, July 26th beginning at 3 PM ET.  The weigh-in is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, the doors will open at 4 PM ET with the first bout starting at 4:30 PM.  The streaming portion of the card, which features Malik Hawkins's bout, will begin at 6:30 PM.  This portion of the card will be streamed live on Showtime Sports's Facebook page.

The Showtime Championship Boxing telecast will get underway at 9 PM ET.

(Photo by Amanda Westcott/Showtime)

Also, congratulations to Gervonta Davis, who received the Key to the City of Baltimore from Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young on Wednesday at Baltimore City Hall!

Maxim Dadashev Passes Away From Bout Injuries!

Very sad news to report.  Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev has passed away from injuries he suffered this past Friday night in a TKO loss to Subriel Matias at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.  He was 28 years old.

Dadashev was in a very competitive co-feature contest against Matias.  In the 11th round, Matias was able to land punches that momentarily stunned Dadashev.  Between rounds, Dadashev's trainer, Hall of Fame boxer Buddy McGirt, stopped him from going out for the 12th and final round.  After the bout, Dadashev walked out of the ring and vomited.  He was taken to Prince George's Hospital Center for emergency surgery.  According to reports, Dadashev was eventually put into a medically-induced coma before passing away earlier today.

BATB sends its deepest condolences to Dadashev's family and friends.

Beltway Amateurs Give Solid Performances In North Carolina!

Amateur boxers from the Sugar Ray Leonard Gym in Palmer Park, MD performed very well at the Christy Martin Title National Invitational Tournament on Saturday, July 20th in Lillington, NC.

Nathaniel Brown defeated Ahmed Williams of Norfolk, VA by unanimous decision to win the Pee Wee 65 Pounds championship.

Travon Marshall won the Youth Male 152 Pound title by scoring a second-round TKO over Laron Rockymore of Pittsburgh, PA.

Also, Dwayne Holmes, Jr. captured the Elite Male 123 Pound championship by second-round knockout over Vit Y of Columbia, SC.  Holmes also was named the Outstanding Male Boxer of the Tournament.

One other result:  Sarah Ardell lost a controversial decision at 115 Pounds to Savannah Ford of Oklahoma.  Ford weighed in at 122 pounds.  This was Ardell's first bout at the Female Novice level.

(photo courtesy of Brady Sensibaugh)

The tournament was hosted by legendary boxer "The Coal Miner's Daughter" Christy Martin, seen here celebrating with Holmes.

Boone Drops Pro Debut In Atlantic City!

(Photo by Daniel Cork)

Suitland, MD middleweight Davonn Boone lost his pro debut to Zach "The Kid" Dubnoff of Springfield, NJ Saturday at the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ.

Boone, who fought a number of amateur bouts in the Beltway area, lost by scores of 40-36 (twice) and 39-37.  Dubnoff (3-0, two KO's) made his pro debut in the Beltway in December of 2018 and scored a first-round TKO over Enoch Plumeri in Vienna, VA.

Lopez, Matias Win Eliminators; Harrison, Harris, Cheney Are Beltway Winners in Oxon Hill!

Here are the results from the Top Rank Promotions card held Friday at MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD:

In the main event, lightweight Teofimo “El Brooklyn” Lopez of Brooklyn, NY won a 12-round unanimous decision over Masayoshi Nakatani of Osaka, Japan in an IBF Elimination bout. Lopez took control of the contest in the fourth round when he landed a solid right hand to Nakatani’s face. However, Nakatani stayed in the contest and, by the ninth round, he was able to land some quality punches of his own. However, the judges didn’t seem to give Nakatani any credit for his offense. Judges David Braslow and Larry Hazzard, Jr. saw the bout 118-110 while judge Bernard Bruni scored the contest 119-109. Lopez remains undefeated at 14-0, 11 KO’s while Nakatani falls to 18-1, 12 KO’s

In the co-feature contest, lightweight Subriel Matias of Fajardo, Puerto Rico won by TKO when his opponent, Maxim Dadashev of Oxnard, CA could not come off his stool before the 12th and final round. The bout was an IBF Super Lightweight Elimination contest. Matias was relentless in the bout as he continuously came forward and had Dadashev going backward. To his credit, Dadashev did land some shots but he couldn’t keep Matias away. In the 11th round, Matias landed some crushing lefts and rights to Dadashev’s head and body. When the bell rang to start the final round, Dadashev could not get off his stool. Matias remains perfect in his career, 14-0, 14 KO’s. Dadashev loses for the first time and he is 13-1, 11 KO’s.

After the bout, Dadashev had to be rushed to a nearby hospital after vomiting and being unable to return to the dressing room.  Dadashev lost consciousness in the ambulance and had to go into surgery to relieve heavy swelling on the brain.  Dadashev's trainer, former world champion and Hall of Famer Buddy McGirt, who stopped the bout at the end of the 11th round said, "I couldn’t convince him (to stop), but at the same time I saw he was getting hit with more and cleaner shots as the fight went on and I’m saying to myself, ’Is this worth it?’ One punch can change a whole guy’s life and I wasn’t going to let that happen. I’d rather have them be mad at me for a day or two than be mad at me for the rest of their lives.”

Washington, DC middleweight fan-favorite Dusty Hernandez Harrison scored a seventh-round TKO over Juan De Angel of Barranquilla, Colombia. Harrison was very poised in the bout and used a strong left jab to keep De Angel at bay. Finally, in the seventh round, Harrison was able to follow his left jab with a crushing straight right hand that sent De Angel to his knees. De Angel beat referee Dave Braslow’s count but was in no condition to continue. The bout was stopped at 2:37. Harrison remains undefeated at 33-0-1, 19 KO’s. De Angel falls to 21-12-1, 19 KO’s.

Milwaukee, WI lightweight prospect Rolando Vargas scored a second-round TKO over Nathaniel “ASAP” Davis of Lusby, MD. The two boxers traded powerful shots in the first round but in the second, Vargas increased the pressure and Davis wilted. Davis never went down, but referee David Braslow saw enough to stop the bout at 1:50. Vargas is 3-0, three KO’s while Davis is 1-1, one KO.

In a heavyweight matchup, undefeated Cassius “New Wave” Chaney of New London, CT by way of Baltimore, MD hammered Joel “Quiet Storm” Caudle of Raleigh, NC to win by first-round TKO. Chaney landed powerful blows that sent Caudle stumbling all around the ring. A Chaney combination actually sent Caudle tumbling out of the ring onto the floor.  Caudle bravely came back into the ring but another Chaney flurry forced referee David Braslow to stop the bout at 1:52 seconds. Chaney raises his record to 16-0, 10 KO’s while Caudle drops to 8-3-2, five KO’s.

The walkout bout on the card saw undefeated Hyattsville, MD lightweight Patrick "YG Pat" Harris win an eight-round unanimous decision over Donald "Bulldog" Ward of Memphis, TN.  Harris was in complete control of the bout despite suffering a cut along the side of his left eye.  Judges Bernard Bruni and Ron McNair saw a shutout for Harris, 80-72 while Larry Hazzard, Jr. scored the bout, 79-73.  Harris is now 17-0, eight KO's while Ward falls to 11-11-1, five KO's.


Crossville, TN middleweight Tyler “Hercules” Howard remained undefeated by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over veteran Jamaal “Da Truth” Davis of Philadelphia, PA. Howard was very accurate in the bout, landing solid lefts and rights to Davis’s face. Davis tried to stay in front of Howard but was unable to match Howard’s output. Judges Ron McNair and Joe Pasquale saw a shutout for Howard, 80-72 and judge John Gradowski saw the contest, 78-73. Howard is now 18-0, 11 KO’s and Davis is 18-15-1, seven KO’s.

Toledo, Ohio lightweight “The Golden Child” Tyler McCreary won a tough eight-round split decision over Jessie Cris “The VIP” Rosales of Cebu City, Philippines. Both men landed quality punches throughout the contest and traded well. McCreary was able to land more punches consistently to get the decision. Judges John Gradowski and Bernard Bruni scored the bout for McCreary, 77-75 and 78-74 respectively while judge Ron McNair saw the contest 77-75 for Rosales. McCreary raises his record to 16-0-1, seven KO’s while Rosales falls to 22-3-1, 10 KO’s.

In the opening contest, undefeated middleweight Esquiva Falcao of Vitoria, Brazil battered Jesus Gutierrez of Tijuana, Mexico over seven-plus rounds on the way to an eighth-round technical knockout. Falcao, a silver medalist in the 2012 Olympics, used a strong left hand to punish the head and body of his opponent. Finally, in the eighth round, a series of punches sent Gutierrez to his knees. Eventually, Falcao’s onslaught forced referee David Braslow to stop the bout at 1:35. Falcao, who is ranked seventh in the world by the WBA, WBC, and IBF, is now 24-0, 16 KO’s. Gutierrez falls to 25-4-2, 12 KO’s.

The attendance was 2,100.

Weights From MGM National Harbor Casino!

Here are the weights for the Top Rank Promotions card that will take place on Friday, July 19th at MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD:

Teofimo Lopez 134.4 vs.  Masayoshi Nakatami 134.4
(IBF Lightweight Eliminator)

Maxim Dadashev 139.2 vs. Subriel Matias 139.8
(IBF Super Lightweight Eliminator)

Dusty Hernandez Harrison 159.8 vs. Juan De Angel 164.8

Cassius Chaney 252.8 vs. Joel Caudle 255.6

Tyler Howard 161.8 vs. Jamaal Davis 161.8

Tyler McCreary 133.2 vs. Jessie Cris Rosales 134

Esquiva Falco 161.2 vs. Jesus Antonio Gutierrez 161.2

Nathaniel Davis 134.6 vs. Rolando Vargas 134.4

Patrick Harris 138.6 vs. Donald Ward 138.4

The doors will open at 6 PM ET and the card begins at 6:30 PM.  The card will be streamed live on ESPN+.

July 27th Baltimore Card Coming Together!

The TGB Promotions/Mayweather Promotions card that will take place on Saturday, July 27th at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD is coming together.  As previously mentioned here, the card will be headlined by Baltimore's own Gervonta "Tank" Davis defending his WBA Super Featherweight championship against Ricardo "Cientifico" Nunez of La Chorrera, Panama.  The contest will headline a Showtime Championship Boxing telecast.

A number of Beltway Boxers will participate on this card.  Undefeated Baltimore welterweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins will be in an eight-round bout against Jonathan Steele of Duncanville, TX.  Hawkins (15-0, nine KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision win against Andre Byrd on April 26th in Philadelphia, PA.  Hawkins returns to the Royal Farms Arena for the second time -- he made his pro debut in the same arena in November of 2014 and registered a first-round knockout over Terrell Coles.  Steele (9-4-1, six KO's) looks to break a two-bout losing streak.  Steele lost an eight-round majority decision to Maurice Lee on June 28th in Las Vegas, NV.  This bout will be streamed live on Showtime's YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Washington, DC super lightweight Kareem "Reemo" Martin will take on Luis Gerardo "Broccoli" Avila of Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico in a bout scheduled for eight rounds.  Martin (12-2-1. three KO's) is currently on a three-bout winning streak that includes a six-round split decision win over Joaquin Chavez on March 24th in Oxon Hill, MD.  Martin has been training in Baltimore for this bout.  Avila (8-18-3, five KO's) has lost his last five contests.  Avila was knocked out in the second round by Angel Ruiz on May 10th in Corona, CA.

Baltimore super featherweight Malik Warren will finally make his pro debut on this card in a four-round contest against Davonte McCowen of Lancaster, CA.  Warren was an amateur standout winning local and national titles.  McCowen (0-0-1) fought to a four-round majority draw with Christian Crowley on April 19th in Ontario, CA.

Also on this card will be Richmond, VA middleweight "The Chosen One" Immanuwel Aleem who will battle Freddy "The Rail" Hernandez of Mexico City, Mexico.  This bout will be a 10-round encounter.  Aleem (18-1-2, 11 KO's) last fought on May 11th and battled to a 10-round draw with Matt Korobov in Fairfax, VA.  Korobov was originally declared the winner of the bout but a scoring error changed the result to a draw.  Hernandez (34-11, 22 KO's) is a former world title challenger who will try to break a three-bout losing streak.  Hernandez lost to Serhii Bohachuk by fifth-round KO on May 19th in Hollywood, CA.  Hernandez challenged Delvin Rodriguez for the IBF Super Welterweight title in 2013 and Andre Berto for the WBC Welterweight title in 2010 and suffered technical knockouts in both bouts.

In other bouts on the card, there will be a battle of former world champions as former three-division champion Yuriorkis "El Ciclon de Guantanamo" Gamboa of Miami, FL by way of Cuba battles former super featherweight champion Roman "Rocky" Martinez of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico in a 10-round lightweight bout.  Gamboa (29-2, 17 KO's) last fought on November 10th and won a 10-round unanimous decision over Miguel Beltran, Jr. in Miami.  Gamboa has won world titles in the Featherweight, Super Featherweight, and Lightweight divisions.  Martinez (30-3-3, 18 KO's) competed for the first time since he lost to Vasyl Lomachenko in June of 2016 and scored an eighth-round TKO over William Gonzalez on March 29th in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico.  Martinez is a three-time WBO Super Featherweight champion.

In another 10-round lightweight encounter, Ladarius "Memphis" Miller of Las Vegas, NV by way of Memphis, TN will battle former world champion Jezzrel "El Invisible" Corrales of San Miguelito, Panama.  Miller (19-1, six KO's) is coming off a first-round knockout over Daulis Prescott on February 19th in Carson, CA.  Corrales (23-2, nine KO's) scored a second-round knockout over Onalvi Sierra on April 30th in Panama City, Panama.  This was the first bout for Corrales since losing his WBA Super Featherweight championship to Alberto Machado in October of 2017.

Las Vegas super middleweight Ronald "The Thrill" Gavril will take on Vaughn "The Animal" Alexander of St. Louis, MO in a 10-round bout.  Gavril (19-3, 15 KO's) bounced back from two world title losses to David Benavidez to score a second-round TKO over Antowyan Aikens on December 7th in Las Vegas.  Alexander (14-3, nine KO's) looks to rebound from a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Anthony Sims, Jr. on April 26th in Inglewood, CA.  Alexander fought in the Beltway on January 26th winning a six-round unanimous decision over Filip Stankovic in Waldorf, MD.

Super featherweight Jayson "La Maravilla" Velez of Juncos, Puerto Rico will be in a 10-round bout against Hector Rubin Ambriz "El Estudiante" Suarez of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.  Velez (28-5-1, 20 KO's) scored back-to-back knockouts in his last two bouts in his hometown.  Suarez (12-10-2, six KO's) is 0-6-1 in his last seven contests.

Las Vegas super middleweight Lionell "Lonnie B" Thompson will face off with Brian Vera of Austin, TX in another 10-round contest.  Thompson (20-5, 11 KO's) won a 10-round unanimous decision over Derrick Findley on September 22nd in Las Vegas.  Vera (26-15, 16 KO's) will be looking to break a four-bout losing streak.

Undefeated Manhattan, NY, welterweight Richardson Hitchins will be in an eight-round encounter against Tyrone Crawley, Jr. of Philadelphia, PA.  Hitchins (9-0, five KO's) comes off a third-round stoppage win over Alejandro Munera on May 18th at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.  Hitchins represented Haiti in the 2016 Olympics and will make only his second appearance away from Barclays Center, where he has competed seven times.  Crawley (7-1-1) last fought on March 8th in Hanover, MD where his bout against Greg Outlaw ended in a no-decision after the first round when Crawley hurt his leg after a clinch.

Sicklerville, NJ bantamweight Dylan Price will compete in his first eight-round contest against veteran Samuel Gutierrez of Saltillo, Mexico.  Price (8-0, six KO's) also fought on the May 18th card at Barclays Center and scored a fifth-round TKO over Manuel Salvador Manzo.  Gutierrez (16-23-6, six KO's) lost by six-round unanimous decision to Juan Carlos Camacho on June 15th in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

In a six-round super lightweight bout, Kenny Robles of Staten Island, NY will battle undefeated Shawn West of Iowa.  Robles (6-1, three KO's) scored a fifth-round TKO over Roy McGill on the May 18th card at Barclays Center.  West (3-0, one KO) leaves Davenport, IA for the first time after winning a four-round unanimous decision over Lionel Jimenez on February 2nd.

Debuting Javon Campbell of Raleigh, NC will take on debuting Isau Duenez of Houston, TX by way of Monterrey, Mexico.  Campbell has been a regional Golden Gloves champion.  Duenez (1-8-1) lost a four-round unanimous decision to Charles Clark in his last outing in February of 2018 in Dallas, TX.

Russell Brothers Remain Undefeated in Minnesota!

The Russell Brothers of Capitol Heights, MD kept their undefeated streaks alive with demonstrative victories Saturday at the Armory in Minneapolis, MN.

Antonio "Another" Russell won a 10-round bantamweight battle over Francisco "Rayito" Pedroza of Tijuana, Mexico.  Russell scored a shutout (100-90) on all three judges' scorecards to raise his record to 15-0, 11 KO's.  Pedroza drops to 13-8-2, six KO's.

Super lightweight Antuanne "The Last" Russell remained perfect in his career, notching a third-round knockout win over veteran "Lightning" Larry Ventus of Detroit, MI.  Russell knocked Ventus down three times before the bout was halted.   Russell is now 10-0 with all 10 wins by knockout.  Ventus falls to 9-14-1, four KO's.

Patrick Harris Added to July 19th Card in Oxon Hill, MD!

Add another Beltway Boxer to the Friday, July 19th Top Rank Promotions card at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

Undefeated Hyattsville, MD super lightweight Patrick "YG Pat" Harris will take on Donald "Bulldog" Ward of Memphis, TN in a bout scheduled for six or eight rounds.  Harris (16-0, eight KO's) comes off a third-round disqualification victory over Anthony Woods on May 18th in Washington, DC.  Ward (11-10-1, five KO's) looks to bounce back from an eight-round split decision loss to Antonio Flores on June 15th in Aurora, CO. This will be Ward's second appearance in the Beltway.  Ward lost a six-round split decision to Anthony Young on September 22nd in Springfield, VA.

Harris will join locals Dusty Hernandez Harrison, Nathaniel "ASAP" Davis and Cassius Cheney on this card.

Beltway Boxers To Appear On August 3rd Card In Brooklyn!

Two local boxers will appear on a TGB Promotions card on Saturday, August 3rd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Undefeated Hyattsville, MD featherweight Cobia "The Soldier" Breedy will participate in his first scheduled 10-round contest when he battles Ryan "Stone" Lee Allen of Las Vegas, NV by way of Jackson, MI.

Breedy (13-0, four KO's) is coming off a six-round technical decision victory over Fernando Fuentes on March 24th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.  Fuentes suffered a bad cut after a headbutt and could not continue.  This will be the first road trip for the native of Bridgetown, Barbados.

Allen (9-3-1, four KO's) last fought on April 6th and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Edwin Tercero in Guatemala City, Guatemala.  Prior to that bout, Allen also appeared on the March 24th card in Oxon Hill and lost a six-round split decision to Ramon Cardenas.  This will also be the first 10-round bout for Allen.

Also scheduled to be on this card is District Heights, MD welterweight "The Next Big Thing" Keeshawn Williams who will be in a six-round bout against an opponent to be determined.  Williams (5-0-1, one KO) also competed on the March 24th card in Oxon Hill and won a six-round unanimous decision over Evincii Dixon.  After that bout, Williams was involved in a domestic dispute near his home which resulted in Williams shooting and killing a man in self-defense.  Williams was not charged in the incident.

Hernandez Harrison, Cheney, Davis To Have Bouts On July 19th Card At MGM National Harbor Casino!

Three Beltway Boxers will be a part of the Top Rank-promoted card on Friday, July 19th at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

Undefeated DC middleweight Dusty Hernandez Harrison will be in an eight-round contest against Juan "La Amenaza" De Angel of Barranquilla, Colombia.  Harrison (32-0-1, 18 KO's) is coming off a fourth-round knockout victory over Fred Jenkins, Jr. on April 20th in Fort Washington, MD. De Angel (21-11-1, 19 KO's) will be looking to break a two-bout losing streak.  De Angel lost by eight-round unanimous decision to Habib Ahmed on May 25th in Biloxi, MS.  This will be De Angel's second trip to the MGM National Harbor Casino.  In May of 2018, De Angel lost to Immanuwel Aleem by sixth-round stoppage.  De Angel was also knocked out in the fourth round by Antoine Douglas in July of 2017.

Baltimore, MD heavyweight Cassius Chaney will compete for the first time in the Beltway when he faces Joel "Quiet Storm" Caudle of Raleigh, NC in a bout scheduled for either six or eight rounds.  Chaney (15-0, nine KO's) notched a first-round TKO over Christian Mariscal on March 30th in Philadelphia, PA.  Caudle (8-2-2, five KO's) looks to bounce back from a six-round majority decision loss to Johnnie Langston on February 23rd in Charlotte, NC.  Caudle will compete for the second time in the Beltway.  On October 18th, Caudle won an eight-round split decision over Kimdo Bethel Boykin in Washington, DC.

In a four-round bout, Lusby, MD super featherweight Nathaniel "ASAP" Davis will take on Rolando Vargas of Milwaukee, WI.  Davis (1-0, one KO) made a quality pro debut on June 1st in Waldorf, MD when he scored a second-round TKO over Alex Rivera.  Vargas (2-0, two KO's) has knocked out both of his previous opponents in the first round.

The card, which is slated to be streamed live on ESPN+, will be headlined by two 12-round IBF elimination contests that feature four undefeated boxers.  Lightweight Teofimo "El Brooklyn" Lopez of Brooklyn, NY will battle Masayoshi Nakatani of Osaka, Japan. Lopez (13-0, 11 KO's) represented Honduras in the 2016 Olympics and is currently the holder of four regional titles and ranked fourth in the world by the IBF.  Lopez is coming off a fifth-round knockout of Edis Tatli on April 20th in New York City.

Nakatani (18-0, 12 KO's) is the current OPBF Lightweight champion and is the IBF's third-ranked boxer.  Nakatani also makes his United States debut after competing exclusively in Japan.  Nakatani last fought on December 9th and scored a fourth-round TKO over Hurricane Futa in Osaka.

In an IBF Super Lightweight elimination contest, Maxim "Mad Max" Dadashev of Oxnard, CA will take on Subriel "Browny" Matias of Fajardo, Puerto Rico.  Dadashev, a native of St. Petersburg, Russia (13-0, 11 KO's) will try to build on a fourth-round knockout win over Ricky Sismudo on March 23rd in Costa Mesa, CA.  Dadashev is ranked third in the world by the IBF.  Matias (13-0, 13 KO's) is ranked eighth by the IBF and is coming off a sixth-round knockout of Wilberth Lopez on March 2nd in Fajardo.