Ballard-Munguia Is Official For April 23rd; Isley Withdraws From April 10th Bout!

Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN have announced that undefeated Temple Hills, MD middleweight D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard will battle former world champion Jaime Munguia on Friday, April 23rd at the Don Haskins Center at the University of Texas-El Paso.  The bout will be for Munguia's WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title and will be streamed live.

Ballard (20-0-1, 13 KO's) was offered the bout when Munguia's original opponent, Maciel Sulecki, suffered an injury in training. Ballard, like Munguia (36-0, 29 KO's), is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

"D'Mitrius Ballard has been deserving of an opportunity like this for a while now," said Golden Boy Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya.  "This is the chance to finally demonstrate to the world that he's ready for the top guys in the division.  We wish Maciej Sulecki a quick recovery, but we also want to emphasize that Ballard is no mere replacement.  He's a real threat."

"I feel very fortunate and blessed to have the opportunity to fight Jaime Munguia," said Ballard. "I feel extremely blessed especially because of the condition the world is now in with COVID-19 and all the issues we are facing.  This is the perfect opportunity to really showcase who D'Mitrius Ballard is and demonstrate my boxing abilities.  I'm going to use this fight to reintroduce myself to the world."

The live stream, on DAZN will begin at 9 PM ET.

Alexandria, VA middleweight Troy "Transformer " Isley will not be on the Saturday, April 10th card at the Osage Casino in Tulsa, OK due to a hand injury.  Isley was scheduled to take on Laquan Evans in a four-round contest on the Joe Smith-Maxim Vlasov undercard.

Three Beltway Boxers Added To South Carolina Card!

The number of Beltway Boxers that are scheduled to compete on a card at the Thomas Gymnastics Training Center in Rock Hill, SC has increased to four.

We already told you about Baltimore, MD super middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow's appearance in a six-round bout against Juan Celin Zapata of the Bronx, NY.  Now comes word that three other locals will join him.

Baltimore, MD super featherweight Malik "King" Warren will be in his first six-round contest when he faces Cameron Cain of Jeffersonville, IN.  Warren (4-0, four KO's) comes off a first-round TKO over Dreon Meriwether on February 20th in Greenville, SC.  Cain (1-12) broke a 12-bout losing streak by winning a four-round unanimous decision over John Pitts on March 6th in Louisville, KY.

Oxon Hill, MD welterweight Akeem "Action Action" Jackson makes a quick return to action when he faces Tjuan Wooten of Wilson, NC.  Jackson (3-2, three KO's) just fought on March 26th and scored a first-round KO over Juhvari Artis in Rock Hill.  All three Jackson knockouts have come in the first round.  Wooten (0-2) has yet to get out of the first round.

Also, Lanham, MD light heavyweight Aaron "The Wolf" Thorne III returns to action in a four-rounder against an opponent to be determined.  Thorne (2-0, one KO) has not fought since September of 2020 when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Therran Smalls in Rock Hill.

Ballard Under Consideration For Big April 24th Bout In Texas!

A Beltway Boxer has been mentioned for a big contest on Saturday, April 24th at the Don Haskins Center at the University of Texas-El Paso in El Paso, TX.

Former WBO Super Welterweight champion Jaime Munguia was originally scheduled to take on Maciej Sulecki of Poland in the 12-round main event on that card.  However, Sulecki withdrew from the bout after suffering a back injury in a sparring session last week.

Golden Boy Promotions is promoting this card and they are proposing a local boxer take Sulecki's place.  That boxer is undefeated Temple Hills, MD middleweight D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard, who is promoted by Golden Boy.  Ballard (20-0-1, 13 KO's) has not fought since December of 2019 when he battled Yamaguchi Falcao to a 10-round majority draw in Costa Mesa, CA.  Ballard has to be approved by DAZN, who will be streaming the bout.

Mungia (36-0, 29 KO's) last fought in October of 2020 and won a contest in Indio, CA when his opponent, Tureano Johnson, could not continue after suffering an injury to his lip in the sixth round.

Additions, Changes To April Schedule!

There are additions and changes to the April Beltway Boxing Schedule.  Here's what we have:

On Saturday, April 10th, Alexandria, VA middleweight Troy "Transformer" Isley will be in a four-round contest against LaQuan Evans of Philadelphia, PA on a card at the Osage Casino in Tulsa, OK.  Isley made a successful pro debut, winning a four-round unanimous decision over Bryant Costello on February 13th in Las Vegas, NV.  Evans (4-1, two KO's) has not fought since March of 2020 when he scored a fourth-round TKO over the debuting Anthony Young in Philadelphia.

The bout is part of the card that is headlined by the bout between Joe Smith, Jr. and Maxim Vlasov for the vacant WBO Light Heavyweight title.  Isley's bout could be streamed on ESPN+.

Baltimore, MD super welterweight Sharif "C3" Rahman has been moved to a card on Saturday, April 17th at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.  No word on his opponent will be in the four-round bout.  Originally, Rahman (4-0, three KO's)  was supposed to compete in Southhaven, MS on Friday, April 23rd.  Rahman last fought on February 6th and won by third-round TKO over Gladimir Jacinto in Philadelphia, PA.  Annapolis, MD  super lightweight David "The Demolisher" Veras Pena (0-4) will be looking for his first pro win as he faces Antonio Allen of Philadelphia, PA in a four-round contest on this card.

Possibly, Frederick, MD cruiserweight Larry "Hitman" Pryor (13-23, seven KO's) could have a different opponent for his bout on Saturday, April 17th at the Sports Zone in Derry, NH.  Boxrec still has Scott Lampert as the opponent for Pryor in a rematch for the vacant New Hampshire State Cruiserweight title.  However, Dan Rafael's Fight Freaks Unite blog has Pryor facing Jake Paradise of Worcester, MA (3-2, three KO's) in a six-round contest.  Paradise has not fought since February of 2020 when he won by second-round TKO over Rogerio Dionizio in Worcester.

Cox Loses By Third-Round TKO In Philadelphia!

Glen Burnie, MD lightweight "The Red Comet" Dante Cox lost by third-round TKO to Nahir Albright of Sicklerville, NJ on Saturday, April 3rd at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.

According to reports, Cox was dropped twice in the second round and, as Albright was putting on the pressure in the third round, the bout was stopped at 2:53.  Cox falls to 6-2, four KO's while Albright is now 11-1, five KO's.

Beltway Amateurs Win Titles At USA National Championships!

A good number of Beltway Amateur Boxers took home titles at the recent USA Boxing National Championships in Shreveport, LA this past week.

The Junior Male 132 KG title bout turned out to be an all-DC affair as Khaliq Harrison won a 5-0 decision over Marcell Steele.

Marcus Luther of DC captured the Intermediate Male 119 KG championship with a 5-0 decision over David Lona of Texas.

DC's Benjamin Johnson won a 5-0 decision over Juan Rivera of PA to win the Junior Male 138 KG title.

Quincey Williams of Maryland took the Youth Male 152 KG crown with a 5-0 decision over Dominick Reed of California.

Jamal Harvey of Maryland captured the Elite Male 125 KG title with a close 3-2 decision over Jonathan Mansour of California.

Jordan Roach of Maryland won the Youth Male 108 KG championship with a 4-1 decision over Ryan Williams of Ohio. Roach is the younger brother of pro boxer Lamont Roach, Jr.

Among the locals capturing silver medals (along with Marcell Steele) were Patrick O'Connor of Maryland, Brandon Chestnut of DC, and Jeremiah Jimason of Maryland.

Hinton Funeral Services Announced!

The funeral arrangements have been announced for Beltway Boxing legend Jemal Hinton, Sr.  There will be a public viewing and visitation on Wednesday, April 14th from 7-9 PM at the Unity Presbyterian Church located at 4401 Brinkley Road in Temple Hills, MD.

The service will be on Thursday, April 15th from 10 AM to noon.  The service will be private but it will also be live-streamed.

April Schedule Is Very Busy!

 The April Schedule looks like it should be very busy.  Here's who is on it.

Saturday, April 3rd -- Buckhead Fight Club, Atlanta, GA -- Laurel, MD super middleweight Mansaborie "The Punisher" Conde will be in a four-round bout against William Lorenzo of Aguada, Puerto Rico.  Conde (2-0, one KO) comes off a four-round unanimous decision win over Tyler Perkins on February 20th in Greenville, SC.  Lorenzo (3-31, one KO) will be trying to break a 17-bout losing streak.

Saturday, April 3rd -- 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- Glen Burnie, MD lightweight "The Red Comet" Dante Cox is scheduled for a six-round contest against Nahir Albright of Sicklerville, NJ.  Cox (6-1, four KO's) has not fought since February 2020 when he scored a third-round TKO over Christopher Johnson in Vienna, VA.  Albright (10-1, four KO's) will try to build on back-to-back TKO's in his last two outings.

Saturday, April 10th -- Vero Beach, FL -- Undefeated Upper Marlboro, MD heavyweight Mike "Silverback" Balogun will be in an eight-round contest against Keith "No Holds" Barr of Glenville, WVA. Balogun (16-0, 12 KO's) stopped Adnan Buharalija in the second round in February of 2020 in Vienna, VA.  Barr (20-13-1, eight KO's) last fought in January 2020 and lost by third-round TKO to Apti Davtaev in Atlantic City, NJ.

Saturday, April 10th -- Thomas Gymnastics Training Center, Rock Hill, SC -- Veteran Baltimore, MD super middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow will be in a six-round bout against Juan Celin Zapata of The Bronx, NY by way of Honduras.  Nicklow (27-10-3, nine KO's) has not competed since losing by first-round TKO to Demond Nicholson in March of 2019 in Hanover, MD.  Zapata (6-17-2, four KO's) has lost his last five bouts, all by knockout.

Saturday, April 17th -- Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA -- Baltimore, MD middleweight Lorenzo "Truck" Simpson competes in an eight-round bout against  Francisco Emanuel Torres of Jose Leon Suarez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Sinpson (9-0,five KO's) last fought in October of 2020 when he won an eight-round unanimous decision over Sanny Duversonne in Las Vegas, NV.  Torres (16-3, five KO's)is riding an eight-bout winning streak including an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Louis Hernandez on February 20th in Shelbyville, NC.

Saturday, April 17th -- Sports Zone, Derry, NH -- Frederick, MD cruiserweight Larry "Hitman" Pryor will be in a six-round rematch against Scott Lampert of Dover Plains, NY.  The bout will be for the vacant New Hampshire Cruiserweight title.  The two men fought in November of 2020 at the Sports Zone with Pryor scoring a first-round knockout/  Pryor (13-23, seven KO's) will look to bounce back from a first-round stoppage loss to Brandon Glanton in December 2020 in Los Angeles, CA.  Lampert (1-1, one KO) scored a first-round TKO over Rico DePaolis on March 13th in Windham, NH.

Saturday, April 17th -- 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- Annapolis, MD  super lightweight David "The Demolisher" Veras Pena will be looking for his first pro win as he faces Antonio Allen of Philadelphia, PA in a four-round contest.  Pena (0-4) lost by first-round TKO to Joshua Jones on January 16th in Chester, PA.  Allen (1-11-1, one KO) broke a 12-bout winless streak with a second-round TKO over Rick Odgen on March 6th in Jonesboro, GA.

Thursday, April 22nd -- Landers Center, Southhaven, MS --  Baltimore, MD super welterweight Sharif "C3" Rahman will be in a four-round bout against an opponent to be determined.  Rahman (4-0, three KO's) last fought on February 6th and won by third-round TKO over Gladimir Jacinto in Philadelphia, PA.

Saturday, April 24th -- Silver Spurs Arena, Kissimmee, FL -- Laurel, MD super middleweight Demond "D'Best At It" Nicholson will be in the biggest bout of his career when he tries to stop the undefeated knockout streak of "The Chosen One" Edgar Berlanga of New York City in an eight-round bout that will be televised on ESPN..  Nicholson (23-3-1,20 KO's) hasn't fought since February of 2020 when he won a 10-round split decision over Mike Guy in Hanover, MD.  Berlanga is 16-0 with 16 first-round knockouts.  Berlanga's last outing was a knockout over Ulises Sierra in December of 2020 in Las Vegas.

Saturday, April 24th -- 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- This will be the closest we will get to a Beltway card. This will be a Jeter Promotions card that is scheduled to feature six Beltway Boxers. No one has an opponent yet.  Scheduled to be on this card are Owings Mills, MD heavyweight Colby Madison (8-2-2, five KO's), Gwynn Oak, MD lightweight Brandon "The Hitter" Chambers (3-0-1, one KO), Germantown, MD featherweight Ebrima Jawara (4-1, one KO), and returning Baltimore, MD middleweight Stephon "The Surgeon" Morris (4-1, three KO's).  Two boxers will make their pro debuts on this card: Baltimore heavyweight Evan Harker and Forestville, MD's Jaqeem Hutcherson.

Saturday, April 24th, Vienna, WVA -- Baltimore, MD super welterweight "Bazooka" Joe Veazey will be in a four-rounder against an opponent to be determined.  Veazey (2-0, one KO) comes off a third-round TKO over Davon Foxx on January 23rd in Parkersburg, WVA.  Also on the card will be Baltimore's Tyrell Boyd, who will be making his pro debut.against Jonathan Cooper of Dunbar, WVA (0-3).

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Jemal Hinton, Former Undefeated Beltway Boxer, Passes Away In Car Accident!

 He was one of the best Beltway Boxers to never win a world title.  That was only because he didn't want one.

Jemal Hinton, a legendary boxer from District Heights, MD, passed away recently from injuries suffered in a car accident.

Mr. Hinton was an outstanding amateur boxer with a record of 98-14.  He came very close to making the 1988 United States Olympic Team, losing in the finals of the Olympic Trials to Kennedy McKinney, a boxer Mr. Hinton had defeated at the United States Championships earlier in the year.

Mr. Hinton would be trained by his father, Junious, throughout his amateur career.  When he turned pro, another legendary name would join them.  Mr. Hinton moved to the Kronk Gym in Detroit, MI where he would be trained by Emanuel Steward.  He would make his pro debut on October 17th, 1988, where he would score a second-round knockout over Juan Lopez in Tucson, AZ.

Mr. Hinton would knock out his first five opponents before winning a six-round majority decision over Ruben Nevarez on February 7th, 1989 in Atlantic City, NJ.

In his 11th pro bout, Mr. Hinton would score what would turn out to be his biggest pro victory, an 11th round TKO over 1984 Olympian Robert Shannon to win the WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight title on November 16th, 1989 in Atlantic City.  He would defend the title five times.

Mr. Hinton's last bout would be on January 21st, 1992 when he would win a 10-round unanimous decision over Lucilo Nolasco in Canton, MI.  The win would keep him undefeated at 22-0, 17 KO's.  At 22 years old and with a world title shot seemingly on the horizon...

Mr. Hinton decided to quit the sport. Permanently.

In 2013, Mr. Hinton explained his reasons for quitting to LiveFight.com:

"I began to lose the desire that was needed to be victorious in battle, and a few other things that happened made me realize I needed to retire. ... There was something taking place inside me, spiritually and mentally, and it was causing me to tire of boxing. It was causing me to become confused about the whole idea of training and beating people up. ... Retiring was the bravest, most stand-up decision I'd ever made, my feelings about boxing were changing and for the first time in my life I felt free."

Mr. Hinton would eventually coach his son, Jemal, Jr. in boxing.  No details have been given on the accident that would claim his life.

Jemal Hinton was one of the most exciting boxers in Beltway history.  He had the speed, power, and technical skill to be a long-time world champion.  He quit on his terms and that has to be respected.  He also had tremendous charisma with one of the nicest smiles I ever saw.  I always enjoyed talking with him and will miss our conversations. BATB sends its deepest condolences to the Hinton family.

Late News: Corley Loses Bare Knuckle Debut; Davis Faces Multiple Charges In Hit And Run!

 Because of personal and technical issues, I have been unable to post on a regular basis.  But we have a couple of news items that need to be posted here.

Former WBO Super Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley lost his debut as a bare-knuckle boxer as he was stopped in the fourth round by Reggie Barnett, Jr. of Chesapeake, VA on  Friday, March 19th at the Civic Center of Biloxi, MS.  Barnett battered Corley throughout the contest until Corley could not come out for the fifth round.

Barnett is 6-1, two KO's in Bare-Knuckle competition.  Corley mentioned on a Facebook Page that he is non-committal about trying bare-knuckle boxing again.

The Baltimore, MD State's Attorney's Office has charged WBA Lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis with 14 counts of various traffic violations during an alleged hit-and-run in Baltimore in November.

Among the counts are four counts of Failure to immediately return and remain at the scene of an accident involving bodily injury and driving with a suspended and revoked license.  This was after a two-vehicle collision between a 2020 Lamborghini Uris and a 2004 Toyota Solara during the early morning hours of November 5th of 2020.  Four people in the Toyota Solara were injured. 

After the collision, witnesses and video revealed that a black Camaro arrived at the scene and people began transferring items from the Lamborghini to the Camaro.  Allegedly, Davis and an unidentified female passenger were captured on camera leaving the scene in the Camaro.  If convicted of all charges, Davis faces a potential maximum of seven years and 55 days in prison.

Davis still faces three domestic violence charges in Miami, FL that come from an incident during Super Bowl week in February 2020.

Davis (24-0, 23 KO's) is coming off the biggest win of his career, knocking out Leo Santa Cruz in the sixth round on October 31st at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX.  The bout headlined a Showtime Pay-Per-View card and the knockout was chosen as the KO Of The Year by The Ring magazine.

'Action Action' Jackson Scores First-Round Knockout In South Carolina!

Oxon Hill, MD welterweight Akeem "Action Action" Jackson scored a quick first-round knockout over Juhvari Artis of Winston-Salem, NC on Saturday, March 27th in Rock Hill, SC.

Jackson clipped Artis with an overhand left to drop Artis early in the bout.  Artis beat the 10-count but Jackson landed another quick left hand to end the bout at 1:27.

Jackson is now 3-2, three KO's while Artis remains winless at 0-4.

Fred Hurd Viewing And Service Held Thursday and Saturday!

The Viewing and Service for Fred Hurd, Sr. will be held this week.   The viewing actually will be held later this evening beginning at 6:30 PM at Reese Funeral Professionals located at 311 N. Patrick Street in Alexandria, VA.

The service will be held on Saturday, March 20th at the Camp Springs Community Church on 8040 Woodyard Road in Clinton, MD from 10 to 11 AM.

The Homegoing service will be private and open to only immediate family due to COVID-19 and building capacity limits.

Fred Hurd, Sr., Father of Former Champion Jarrett Hurd, Passes at 63!

Very sad news to report.  Fred Hurd, Sr.,  the father of former world super welterweight champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd, has passed away at the age of 63.  Reports are that Mr. Hurd suffered a heart attack in his home.

Mr. Hurd, along with his wife, Brenda, was the major support system behind Jarrett, Justin, and Fred, Jr.  I remember meeting the family during the celebration for Jarrett Hurd at the Prince George's County Government Office in April of 2019.  It was beautiful talking to them and seeing the pride they had.

BATB sends our deepest condolences to the entire Hurd family.

White Scores 6th Round TKO In Connecticut!

Waldorf, MD super featherweight Jordan "Shortdog" White registered a sixth-round technical knockout over previously undefeated Misael Lopez of Denver, CO on Wednesday, March 10th at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.  The bout was the co-feature of a Shobox quadruple-header on Showtime.

After four very close rounds, Lopez looked to have gained an advantage over White in the fifth round by using strong body shots.  But just as Lopez seemed to take control, White landed strong right hands in the sixth that dropped Lopez twice to the canvas.  After the second knockdown, referee Arthur Mercante, Jr. stopped the contest at 2:40 of the sixth.

White's record is now 11-1, nine KO's.   Lopez falls for the first time and he is now 11-1, five KO's.

March Beltway Schedule!

We are a little late with the March schedule but we will still be busy with locals competing in bouts around the country.  One boxer will also break new ground as he will be the first prominent Beltway Boxer to compete in Bare-Knuckle competition.  Here is the schedule:

Friday, March 19th -- Bryan Glazer Family JCC Auditorium, Tampa, FL -- Baltimore, MD heavyweight Cortez Dunston will be in a four-round contest against Demonte Cherry of Wilson, NC.  Dunston (2-0, one KO) is coming off a four-round unanimous decision win over Joseph Coats on February 20th in Miami, FL.  Cherry (1-8, one KO) has lost his last four bouts by first-round knockout.  This will be the second time Cherry has faced a Beltway Boxer.  Cherry lost by first-round TKO to Mike Balogun in Washington, DC in December of 2016.

Friday, March 19th -- Civic Center, Biloxi, MS -- Former WBO Super Lightweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley will compete in a five-round bare-knuckle bout against Reggie Barnett, Jr. of Chesapeake, VA, Corley, who has a record of 51-33-1, 28 KO's as a pro boxer, has never participated in a bare-knuckle bout.  Barnett (6-2, two KO's as a pro boxer) is 5-1, one KO in bare-knuckle bouts.

Saturday, March 20th -- Greenville, SC -- "The Educated Boxer" Dorian Bostic of Dundalk, MD will be in a six-round contest against an opponent to be determined.  Bostic (5-0, five KO's) comes off a fourth-round TKO win over Miguel DeJesus Fuentes on December 18th in Ocotlan, Mexico.

Friday, March 26th -- Medley, FL -- Two Baltimore Boxers will face off on this card.  Welterweight Samuel "Unbelievable" Neequaye will take on Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. in a six-round bout.  Neequaye, a native of Accra, Ghana (23-3, 16 KO's) has not fought since losing a 10-round split decision to Blair Cobbs in February of 2020 in Anaheim, CA.  Neequaye was challenging for the NABF Welterweight title.  Womack (9-20-4, seven KO's) has not fought since December of 2019 and has been stopped in his last three contests.

Saturday, March 27th -- Thomas Gymnastics Training Center, Rock Hill, SC -- Four locals will participate on this card.  Baltimore, MD super featherweight Malik "King" Warren will compete in his first scheduled six-round encounter against an opponent to be determined.  Warren (4-0, four KO's) comes off a first-round TKO win over Dreon Meriweather on February 20th in Greenville, SC.

Baltimore female super featherweight Mia "Killerbee" Ellis is looking for an opponent for her four-round encounter.  Ellis (2-0, two KO's) has scored first-round TKO's in both her previous bouts.

Oxon Hill, MD welterweight Akeem "Action Action" Jackson will be in a four-round bout against an opponent to be determined,  Jackson (2-2, two KO's) scored a first-round knockout over Jakhari Ross on December 11th in North Charleston, SC.

The only local to have an opponent will be super lightweight Stacey Selby of Upper Marlboro, MD who will face Roderick Gilkey of Memphis, TN in a four-round encounter.  Selby made a successful pro debut winning by second-round TKO over Jean Saint Phard on January 30th in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Gilkey (0-8-1) has been knocked out in his last three bouts.

White Weighs 130 For Nationally-Televised Eight-Rounder In Connecticut!

Jordan White tipped the scales at 130 pounds for his eight-round contest against Misael Lopez Wednesday at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.  Lopez came in at 129 3/4 pounds.  The bout will be part of a ShoBox quadruple-header on Showtime that begins at 9 PM ET.

Russell Agrees To Defend WBC Featherweight title Against Vargas!

WBC Featherweight champion "Mr" Gary Russell, Jr. has agreed to defend his title against former junior featherweight champion Rey Vargas of Otumba, Mexico.  No word yet on where or when this bout will take place.

Russell (31-1, 18 KO's) will make the sixth defense of his title.  His last defense was a unanimous decision victory over Tugstsogt Nyambayar in February of 2020 in Allentown, PA. The undefeated Vargas (34-0, 22 KO's) won the WBC Junior Featherweight title in 2017 and made five title defenses before vacating the belt.  Vargas has not fought since July of 2019 when he won a unanimous decision over Tomoki Kameda in Carson, CA.  Vargas recovered from a broken leg and the coronavirus pandemic.

Jalil Hackett Signs Contract With Mayweather Promotions!

Washington, DC amateur standout Jalil Hackett has signed a professional promotional contract with Mayweather Promotions and will compete as a welterweight.

Hackett had an impressive amateur record of 140-19 with five Title Tournament titles, two Junior Olympic championships, and a Silver Gloves title on his resume.  Hackett also graduated from high school a year early with a 3.7- grade point average.

"It means a lot to be signed with Mayweather Promotions," Hackett said in a press release.  "When you think Floyd Mayweather, you think 'The G.O.A.T.'  To be signed to him and be one of the youngest at that, is a dream come true.  Most fighters dream of this and this is now my reality.  It was important to me that I signed with a black-owned company and I'm with the best one, which is Mayweather Promotions."

Hackett put himself on the radar of Mayweather Promotions when he sparred with four-time world champion Gervonta Davis in preparation for Davis's title bout in Baltimore against Ricardo Nunez in 2019.  Hackett now joins Davis, Malik Hawkins, Lorenzo Simpson, and Malik Warren in the Mayweather Promotions camp.

White Returns For Eight-Round Bout In Connecticut!

Washington, DC super featherweight Jordan "Shortdog" White returns to action in an eight-round bout against undefeated Misael Lopez of Denver, CO by way of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico on Wednesday, March 10th at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.

White (10-1, eight KO's) hasn't fought since February of 2020 when he scored a seventh-round TKO over Ronaldo Solis to win the vacant WBC Youth Intercontinental Super Featherweight title in Hanover, MD. Lopez (11-0, five KO's) last fought in October of 2019 and battled to a six-round no-decision with Nestor Robledo in Houston, TX.  This bout is scheduled to be part of a quadruple-header that will be televised on Showtime.

Sykes Suffers Knockout; Davis Wins Pro Debut; Forrest Recovers To Earn Majority Draw In Miami!

Three Beltway Boxers had three widely-different results on a card at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL on Saturday, February 27th.

Columbia, MD super middleweight Ashton "The Goon" Sykes was stopped in the fifth round by undefeated Alexis Espino of Las Vegas, NV. Sykes fought gamely in the bout but in the fifth, Espino landed a strong left hand that stunned Sykes.  Espino turned on the power, forcing referee Chris Yong to stop the contest at 2:03.  The loss breaks a three-bout winning streak for Sykes, whose record falls to 5-4, one KO.  Espino remains undefeated at 7-0, five KO's.

Alexandria, VA lightweight Keyshawn Davis made a successful pro debut by scoring a second-round knockout over Lester Brown of Nassau, Bahamas.  Davis established his jab early and often on Brown before knocking him down with a right hook with a minute to go in the second round.  Davis kept on the pressure before referee Telis Assimenios stopped the bout at 2:50 of the round.  Brown's record drops to 4-4-3, one KO.

Newport News, VA heavyweight Jerry "Slugger" Forrest came back from suffering three knockdowns in the first three rounds to earn a 10-round majority draw against Zhilei "Big Bang" Zhang of Bloomfield, NJ by way of Zhoukou, China.  Zhang dropped Forrest late in the first round with a counter left hook to the body.  In the second round, Zhang sent Forrest to the canvas with a sweeping right hook.  Forrest would fall again in the third because of a short Zhang right hand.

However, Forrest would come back and dominate the second half of the bout as Zhang started to tire.  In the ninth round, Zhang would lose a point for holding as Forrest would land quality shots to the head and the body.  Forrest finished the bout with a strong 10th round.  Forrest would win one scorecard, 95-93 but the other two judges scored the contest even at 93-93.  Forrest's record is now 26-4-1, 20 KO's while Zhang remains undefeated 22-0-1, 17 KO's.

Dezurn Scores First-Round KO In Kentucky!

Baltimore, MD super bantamweight Glenn Dezurn returned to action with a first-round knockout of Dakota Laster of Hannibal, MO on Friday, February 26th at Hits 55 in Covington, KY.  No word on the time of the knockout.

Dezurn has won four bouts in a row and his record is now 13-2-1, nine KO's.  Laster falls to 3-13-1, three KO's.

Sykes, Davis, Forrest Tip Scales in Miami!

Three Beltway-area boxers weighed in for bouts Saturday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL

Ashton Sykes tipped the scales at 164.2 pounds for his six-round contest against Alexis Espino, who came in at 167.8.

Keyshawn Davis weighed in at 136.6 pounds for his four-round pro debut against Lester Brown, who weighed 134,6 pounds.

Jerry Forrest weighed in at 236 pounds for his 10-round bout against Zhilei Zhang, who tipped the scales at 256.2 pounds.

The card will be streamed live on DAZN.

Dunston Wins Unanimous Decision In Miami!

Baltimore, MD heavyweight Cortez Dunston won a four-round unanimous decision over the debuting Joseph Coats of New Bern, NC on Saturday, February 20th at the Doubletree Miamimart Hotel in Miami, FL.

Dunston won by shutout (40-36) on two of the judge's scorecards and 39-37 on the third card to raise his record to 2-0, one KO.

Warren, Conde, Sigmon Victorious In South Carolina!

Three Beltway-Area boxers earned victories on Saturday, February 20th at the Escape Ballroom in Greenville, SC.

Baltimore, MD super featherweight Malik "King" Warren kept his perfect record intact with a bruising first-round TKO of the debuting Deron Meriweather.  Warren battered Meriweather throughout the round before the referee stopped the bout at 2:57 of the first round.  Warren is now 4-0, four KO's.

Laurel, MD super middleweight Mansaborie "The Punisher" Conde was in a tough four-round bout with the debuting Tyler Perkins of Antioch, TN,  Conde would win a unanimous decision to raise his record to 2-0, one KO.

We also heard that Bedford, VA super middleweight Scott "Cujo" Sigmon stopped Anthony Williams of Whitesville, WVA after the third round.  Sigmon's record is now 35-14-1 with 18 KO's.  Williams's record drops to 5-12-1, three KO's.

'Transformer' Isley Wins Pro Debut In Las Vegas!

Alexandria, VA middleweight Troy "Transformer" Isley has made a successful pro debut winning a four-round unanimous decision over Bryant Costello of Fayetteville, NC on Saturday, February 13th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

Isley won the bout by shutout, 40-36.  Costello, a native of Humacao, Puerto Rico, falls to 1-2, one KO.

Isley Weighs 157 For Pro Debut In Las Vegas!

Troy Isley tipped the scales at 157 pounds for his four-round pro debut against Bryant Costello on Saturday, February 13th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. Costello came in at 158 pounds.

The bout will be streamed on ESPN+.  Their broadcast begins at 8:15 PM ET.

Rahman Scores Knockout; Early Loses Unanimous Decision In Philadelphia!

It was a split night for two Beltway Boxers participating on a card at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, February 6th.

Baltimore, MD super middleweight Sharif "C3" Rahman scored a third-round TKO over Gladimir Jacinto of Fresno, CA by way of Haiti.  Rahman landed at will throughout the contest, landing two overhead rights to drop Jacinto in the third round. The battering continued until the referee stopped the contest.  No official word on the time of the stoppage.  Rahman remains undefeated at 4-0, three KO's.  Jacinto remains winless at 0-3.

Seat Pleasant, MD super featherweight James "Too Slick" Early lost a six-round unanimous decision to undefeated Rashiem Jefferson of Philadelphia.  No word on the scorecards.  Early falls to 5-7 while Jefferson rises to 4-0.

Rahman, Jr. Scores Second-Round Knockout In Mexico!

Baltimore, MD heavyweight Hasim "Goldblooded" Rahman, Jr. delivered a second-round knockout to Alejandro De La Torre of Valle Hermoso, Tamaulipas, Mexico on Friday, February 5th at the Salon De Eventos in Matamoros, Mexico.  No word on the time of the knockout.

This was the second time that Rahman, Jr. defeated De La Torre.  Rahman, Jr. won a four-round unanimous decision in their last outing almost a year ago in Matamoros.  Rahman, Jr. remains undefeated at 10-0, five KO's.  De La Torre falls to 2-10, two KO's.

Rahman, Early Hit Scales For Bouts In Philadelphia!

Two Beltway Boxers weighed in on Friday for their bouts at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, February 6th.

Sharif Rahman tipped the scales at 154.8 pounds for his four-round contest against Gladimir Jacinto, who came in at 156 pounds.

James Early weighed in at 130 pounds for his six-rounder against Rashiem Jefferson, who weighed 126.8 pounds.

This card will be streamed live on the FITE TV app for a cost of $9.99. The card begins at 7 PM ET.

Ellis, Selby Score Knockout Wins In South Carolina!

Two Baltimore, MD-based boxers won bouts by knockout on Saturday, January 30th at the Crown Reef Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Super featherweight Mia "Killerbee" Ellis needed just 46 seconds to knock out Myasia Oglesby of North Carolina.  Ellis hit Oglesby with a right hand to the head followed by a wicked right-left combination to the body to drop her to the canvas. Oglesby could not recover.  Ellis is now 2-0 with two first-round knockouts.  Oglesby remains winless at 0-8 and she has been knocked out in every contest.

Also on the card, Laurel, MD's Stacey Selby, who trains in Baltimore, made a successful pro debut by stopping Jean Saint Phard of Wilson, NC by way of Haiti in the second round.  Selby used a mixture of head and body shots to send Phard to the canvas three times before the bout was stopped.  No official word on the time of the stoppage. Phard is now 0-3.

Keyshawn Davis Removed From US Olympic Team; Will Turn Pro!

Since the 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed, there has been speculation on whether Alexandria, VA boxer Keyshawn Davis, who made the United States Olympic Team, would try to qualify for the Tokyo games or turn pro.

Apparently, USA Boxing has made Davis's decision for him.  USA Boxing has removed Davis from its Olympic Qualification Team due to the violation of the USA Boxing Athlete Selection Procedures.

USA Boxing did not elaborate on how Davis violated its procedures.  A statement only wished Davis "the best of luck in his future endeavors inside and outside the ring."

Davis looks to turn pro under the continued guidance of Kay Koroma, the assistant coach of the US Olympic Team.  Koroma also trains Davis's long-time amateur teammate Troy Isley, who is scheduled to have his pro debut on February 13th in Las Vegas, NV.

Beltway Boxers On February Schedule!

A number of local boxers are scheduled to be in action during the month of February. Here is the schedule at this time.

Saturday, February 6th, 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- Two Beltway Boxers are slated to be on this card.  Baltimore, MD super middleweight Sharif "C3" Rahman will be in a four-round contest against Gladimir Jacinto of Fresno, CA by way of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti.  Rahman, the youngest of former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman's sons (3-0, two KO's, has not fought since June of 2018 when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Tahlik Taylor in Woodlawn, MD.  Jacinto (0-2) lost by second-round TKO to Kam'Ron Hills in January of last year in Shreveport, LA.

Also on the card will be Seat Pleasant, MD super featherweight James "Too Slick" Early will be in a six-round bout against undefeated Rashiem Jefferson of Philadelphia.  Early (5-6) looks to build on a six-round split decision victory over previously undefeated Curtis Johnson on August 22nd in Bonita Springs, FL.  Early could have won a minor title with the victory but he came into the bout overweight.  Jefferson (3-0) comes off a four-round unanimous decision win over Steve Garagarza on October 9th in Las Vegas, NV. This will be the first scheduled six-rounder for Jefferson.

Saturday, February 6th, Washington County Fairgrounds, Washington, PA -- Lusby, MD super featherweight Nathaniel Lee "ASAP" Davis will be in a four-round contest against Johnny Spell of Pittsburgh, PA.  Davis (2-1, one KO) comes off a four-round majority decision victory over Varon Webb on February 9th in Vienna, VA.  Spell (2-0, two KO's) has not fought since December of 2019 when he scored a first-round TKO over Philip Ryan Carroll in Salem, WVA.

Clinton, MD featherweight Jay Stancil III will be in a four-round contest against an opponent to be determined.  Stancil (2-0, one KO) comes off a first-round TKO of Antonio Lucaine on February 28th in Hanover, MD. 

Glen Burnie, MD super welterweight Duane Thompson II will be in a four-round bout against Leonidas Fowlkes of Winchester, VA by way of Baltimore, MD.  Thompson (1-0, one KO) won his pro debut on October 31st with a first-round TKO of Xzaviar Ford in Columbia, SC.  Fowlkes (1-0) was also successful in his pro debut, capturing a four-round majority decision over Adrian Diaz in Parkesburg, WVA on November 7th.

Friday, February 12th, Orlando, FL -- Undefeated female super featherweight "The Dark Menace" Tiara Brown will be in an eight-round rematch bout against Vanessa Bradford of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  Brown (10-0, six KO's) recently moved from Washington, DC back to her hometown of Fort Myers, FL.  Brown has not fought since December of 2019 when she won an eight-round unanimous decision over Simone Aparecida Da Silva in Sterling, VA.  Bradford (5-2-2) has not competed since losing an eight-round majority decision to Brown in October of 2019 in Brooklyn, NY.

Saturday, February 13th, MGM Grand Hotel Conference Center, Las Vegas, NV -- Alexandria, VA middleweight Troy Isley will make his pro debut on this card against an opponent to be determined.

Saturday, February 20th, Doubletree Miamimart Hotel, Miami, FL -- Baltimore, MD heavyweight Cortez Dunston will be in a four-round bout against Matthew Glover of Kerrville, TX.  Dunston won his pro debut by first-round TKO over Gary Kelly on November 21st in Tampa, FL.  Glover (1-3, one KO) has lost his last three bouts by TKO.

Saturday, February 20th, Escape Ballroom, Greenville, SC -- Baltimore super featherweight Malik "King" Warren will be in a four-rounder against the debuting Deron Meriweather. Warren (3-0, three KO's) has won all of his bouts by second-round TKO but has not fought since December of 2019 in Atlanta, GA.   Also on the card will be Laurel, MD super middleweight Mansaborie "The Punisher" Conde, who will be in a four-rounder against an opponent to be determined.  Conde (1-0, one KO) won his pro debut with a third-round TKO over Ricardo Vasquez Becerril on December 19th in Greenville.

Saturday, February 27th, Shrine Exposition Center, Los Angeles, CA -- Upper Marlboro, MD super middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox will be in an eight-round bout against undefeated Jose Armando "Toro" Resendiz of Compostela, Nayarit, Mexico.  Fox (27-2-1, 12 KO's) comes off a 10-round unanimous decision over Marcos Hernandez on December 26th at the Shrine Exposition Center.  Resendiz (11-0, eight KO's) makes his American debut after competing in all of his bouts in Mexico.  Resendiz stopped Joaquin Murrieta in the eighth round in January of 2020 in Tepic, Mexico.

Saturday, February 27th, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL --  Columbia, MD super middleweight Ashton "The Goon" Sykes will be in a six-round contest against undefeated Alexis Espino of Las Vegas, NV.   Sykes (5-3, one KO) will try to extend a three-bout winning streak including a four-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Isiah Hart on March 7th in Cheswick, PA.  Espino (6-0, four KO's) comes off a six-round unanimous decision over Delvecchio Savage on February 29th in Frisco, TX.

Veazey Returns With Third-Round TKO in West Virginia!

Baltimore, MD super welterweight "Bazooka" Joe Veazey made a successful return to boxing with a third-round TKO over Davon Foxx of Washington, DC on Saturday, January 23rd at the Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg, WVA.

Veazey attacked his foe and landed a nice left hand to the body to stop Foxx at 1:01 of the third round.  This was Veazey's first bout since making his pro debut in October of 2016.  Veazey is now 2-0, one KO.  Foxx is still winless at 0-5.

Isley, Standout Amateur, Signs With Top Rank!

Alexandria, VA standout amateur boxer Troy Isley will step into the professional ranks as a member of the Top Rank promoters group.  The 22-year-old Isley will make his pro debut on Saturday, February 13th at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.  Top Rank will co-promote Isley with Antonio Leonard Promotions.

Isley won numerous medals at the international amateur level, including a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships, a silver at the Strandja Tournament in 2018, and a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games.

Isley will continue to be trained by Kay Koroma, the assistant coach for the United States Boxing Team. Koroma, an Alexandria-based trainer, has worked with Isley since the age of nine years old.

Veazey Returns For Four-Round Contest In West Virginia January 23rd!

Baltimore, MD super welterweight "Bazooka" Joe Veazey makes his return to boxing on Saturday, January 23rd when he competes in a four-round bout against Davon Foxx of Washington, DC at the Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg, WVA.

Veazey, who was born in Charleston, WVA, has not fought since making his pro debut way back in October of 2016 when he won a four-round decision against Alberto Delgado in Winchester, VA.  Foxx, a native of Wilson, NC (0-4), has been knocked out in every bout he has competed in.

Davis-Santa Cruz Contest Wins WBA Awards For Bout, Knockout Of The Year!

The October 31st dual championship bout between Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX earned two awards from the World Boxing Association.  The bout was named the WBA's Bout Of The Year and Davis's devastating sixth-round knockout of Santa Cruz was named the Knockout Of The Year.

The bout was full of frantic action as Santa Cruz's straight-ahead style clashed with Davis's technical style. However, in the sixth, Davis landed a powerful left uppercut that crashed into Santa Cruz's jaw and sent him crumpling to the canvas. 

With the win, the undefeated Davis (24-0, 23 KO's) defended his WBA Super Featherweight championship and won the WBA Lightweight title and took one step closer to becoming one of the elite boxers in the sport.

Ellis, Selby Compete In South Carolina January 30th; Davis, Stancil Bouts Move To February!

In an addition to the January Beltway Boxing Schedule, two locals will be competing on a card in South Carolina while two more Beltway Boxers will have their bouts moved to February.

There will be a card at the Crown Reef Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC on Saturday, January 30th. On the card will be Baltimore, MD female lightweight Mia "Killerbee" Ellis who will be in a four-round contest against Myasia Oglesby of North Carolina. Ellis made her pro debut in December of 2019 and scored a first-round TKO over Uneaka Best in Atlanta, GA.  Oglesby has lost her first seven contests and has been TKO'd in every one of them.

The card will also mark the pro debut of Upper Marlboro, MD's Stacey Selby who will take on Jean Saint Phard of Wilson, NC.  Selby has been a very successful amateur for many years, including wins on the local and national levels.  Phard (0-2) comes off a four-round unanimous decision loss to Mikahail Hernandez Hernandez on November 21st in Fort Mill, SC.  This card is being promoted by boxing hall of famer Christy Martin. 

Meanwhile, the card originally scheduled for January 16th has now been moved to Saturday, February 6th at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Washington, PA.  This card will feature locals Nathaniel Lee "ASAP" Davis and Jay Stancil III.  Davis, a super featherweight from Lusby, MD (2-1, one KO) will face undefeated Johnny Spell of Pittsburgh, PA (2-0, 2 KO's) in a four-round bout.  Stancil, a featherweight from Clinton, MD (2-0, one KO) is still looking for an opponent.

Dunton-El Returns For Four-Rounder In Texas!

Baltimore, MD super featherweight Antonio Dunton-El returns to boxing in a four-round contest against Floyd Schofield of Austin, TX on Friday, January 8th at Club Nuestra Raza in Houston, TX.

Dunton-El has not fought since making his pro debut in October of 2019.  He fought to a four-round draw against Blaze Fidler Hernandez in Hanover, MD.  Schofield was successful in his pro debut, scoring a first-round knockout over Richard Esquibel on October 9 in Kissimmee, FL.

Crews-Dezurn Dominates In Dallas Non-Title Affair!

WBC/WBO Female Super Middleweight champion "The Heavy-Hitting Diva" Franchon Crews-Dezurn of Baltimore, MD was dominant en route to a relatively easy eight-round unanimous decision over Ashleigh Curry of St. Joseph, MO Saturday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX.

Crews-Dezurn landed at will during the non-title affair with head and body shots.  Curry, who came in overweight for the bout, was punished throughout.  Crews-Dezurn would win by shutout on the scorecards, 80-72.

Crews-Dezurn raised her record to 7-1, two KO's while Curry dropped to 8-14-4, one KO.

Crews-Dezurn Weighs 171.4 For Eight-Rounder In Dallas!

Franchon Crews-Dezurn weighed in at 171.4 pounds for her eight-round non-title bout against Ashleigh Curry on Saturday, January 2nd at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX.  Curry came in at 176.2 pounds.   The bout will be part of a card that will be streamed on DAZN.

January Schedule Gets 2021 Started!

A number of Beltway Boxers will be in action to kick off 2021 in the hopes that the next year will be better than the previous one.  Here is the January schedule:

Saturday, January 2nd, American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX:  WBC/WBO Super Middleweight champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn of Baltimore, MD will be in a non-title, eight-round bout against Ashleigh Curry of St. Joseph, MO.  Crews-Dezurn (6-1, two KO's) received her titles back when her 10-round split decision loss to Alejandra Jimenez on January 11th in San Antonio, TX was changed to a no-decision because Jimenez tested positive for a banned substance. Curry (8-13-4, one KO) has not fought since October of 2019 when she lost by third-round TKO to Savannah Marshall in Newcastle, England.

Saturday, January 16th, Elevations Event Center, Chester, PA:  Silver Spring, MD super lightweight Dieumerci "Elephant" Nzau will be in a six-round contest against Shinard Bunch of Trenton, NJ.  Nzau, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11-13, eight KO's), will look to break a nine-bout losing streak that includes a four-round unanimous decision loss to Daiyan Butt on November 7th in Philadelphia, PA.  Bunch (10-1, nine KO's) has knocked out six of his last seven opponents, including a first-round KO of Christian Danilo Guido on November 7th in Rock Hill, SC.

Also on this card will be Annapolis, MD super lightweight David "The Demolisher" Veras Pena who will be in a four-rounder against Tahmir Smalls of Philadelphia, PA.  Pena (0-3-1) last fought on November 7th in Philadelphia and lost by first-round TKO to Nafear Charles.  Smalls (2-0, two KO's) scored a fourth-round knockout of Kaywann Sistrunk on February 29th in Hockessin, DE.

Saturday, January 16t, Washington County Fairgrounds, Washington, PA:  Lusby, MD super featherweight Nathaniel Lee "ASAP" Davis will be in a four-round contest against Johnny Spell of Pittsburgh, PA.  Davis (2-1, one KO) comes off a four-round majority decision victory over Varon Webb on February 9th in Vienna, VA.  Spell (2-0, two KO's) has not fought since December of 2019 when he scored a first-round TKO over Philip Ryan Carroll in Salem, WVA.

Clinton, MD featherweight Jay Stancil III will be in a four-round contest against an opponent to be determined.  Stancil (2-0, one KO) comes off a first-round TKO of Antonio Lucaine on February 28th in Hanover, MD. 

Suitland, MD middleweight Davonn Boone will be in a four-rounder against Eric Lomax of Pittsburgh, PA.  Boone (1-2) lost by four-round unanimous decision to Jahvel Joseph on February 8th in Atlantic City, NJ.  Lomax (2-0, one KO) scored a second-round TKO over Ryan McIntosh on March 7th in Cheswick, PA.

Glen Burnie, MD super welterweight Duane Thompson II will be in a four-round bout against Leonidas Fowlkes of Winchester, VA by way of Baltimore, MD.  Thompson (1-0, one KO) won his pro debut on October 31st with a first-round TKO of Xzaviar Ford in Columbia, SC.  Fowlkes (1-0) was also successful in his pro debut, capturing a four-round majority decision over Adrian Diaz in Parkesburg, WVA on November 7th.

Saturday, January 30th, Shrine Exposition Center, Los Angeles, CA:  Upper Marlboro, MD super middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox is scheduled to be in a 10-round contest against undefeated Jose Armando Resendiz of Compostela, Nayarit, Mexico.  Fox (27-2-1, 12 KO's) comes off a big 10-round unanimous decision victory over Marcos Antonio Hernandez on December 26th at the Shrine Expo Center.  However, he did suffer a cut over his left eye.  According to Boxrec, Fox has been suspended by the California State Athletic Commission until February 24th.  Resendiz (11-0, eight KO's) competes for the first time in the United States after winning all of his contests in his native Mexico.

Fox Battles And Earns Win In Los Angeles!

Upper Marlboro,  MD super middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox didn't let a cut deter him from putting together a nice performance in winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Marcos "Madman" Hernandez on Saturday at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, CA.  The bout headlined a PBC Fight Night telecast on FS1 and Fox Deportes.

In the fourth round, the two boxers clashed heads and Fox suffered a cut over his left eye.  Fox went back to work and used an outstanding jab to control the rest of the bout and win by scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 98-92.  

Fox raises his record to 27-2-1, 12 KO's while Hernandez falls to 14-4-1, three KO's.

Fox Weighs 167.2 For 10-Rounder In Los Angeles!

Alantez Fox tipped the scales at 167.2 pounds for his 10-round encounter with Marcos Hernandez on Saturday, December 26th at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, CA.  Hernandez weighed in at 166.6 pounds.  The bout will headline a card that will be shown on FS1 and Fox Deportes beginning at 6 PM ET.

RIP Tracy Fagan -- 1968-2020!

I purposely waited a while before I posted this.  I wanted to get more information and, hopefully, get an official statement.  I was unsuccessful.  Probably because the recent passing of Tracy Fagan has hit a lot of people very hard.

Tracy Fagan, a lady many called the backbone of the Virginia Department of Licensing and Occupational Regulations, passed away on December 9th at the age of 52.  Yes, David Holland was the Chair but Tracy made sure everything went smoothly.

Tracy was an absolute joy to work with, whether as a reporter or a ring announcer.  You could tell that she loved her job and was very serious about her work. One of my favorite moments with Tracy was a historic one.  In September of 2014 on a card at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA, Tori Nelson fought Arlene Blencowe for the vacant WIBA Welterweight title.  The two boxers were women.  The referee was a woman.  All three judges were women and Tracy was the event inspector.  The only male in the situation was me as the ring announcer.  There was a lot of pride that night and Tracy was a major reason why.

Tracy was a remarkable woman.  On the job, she was definitely no-nonsense.  Off the job, she was as friendly and caring as anyone could be.  It will be very tough going to a Virginia boxing card and not see her there.  She will definitely be missed and eternally loved.

Fox Battles Hernandez In Televised 10-Rounder December 26th In Los Angeles!

Upper Marlboro, MD super middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox will participate in a 10-round contest against Marcos "Madman" Hernandez of Fresno, CA on Saturday, December 26th at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, CA.  The bout will headline a PBC Fight Night on FS1 and Fox Deportes that will begin at 6 PM ET.

Fox (26-2-1, 12 KO's) last fought on August 15th against Habib Ahmed and battled to a no-contest.  Prior to that contest, Fox lost an opportunity to win the WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight title in December of 2019, getting knocked out by Liam Williams in the fifth round in London, England.

Hernandez (14-3-1, three KO's) will look to bounce back from an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Kevin Newman on November 1st in Las Vegas, NV. Hernandez has fought quality opponents including former world champion Jeison Rosario and Quatavious Cash.  Hernandez was one of the boxers on the fifth season of The Contender in 2018.

Conde Scores TKO In Pro Debut!

Laurel, MD super middleweight Mansaborie "The Punisher" Conde won his professional debut scoring a third-round TKO over Ricardo Vasquez Becerrill of Kinston, NC on December 19th at the Escape Ballroom in Greenville, SC.

Conde swarmed Becerill throughout the contest landing head and body shots.  A nice left hand to the body finished the bout at 1:38 of the third round.  

Becerrill's record falls to 1-4-1, one KO.

Russell Wins Technical Decision In Connecticut!

Capitol Heights, MD bantamweight Antonio "Another" Russell won a seventh-round technical decision over former world champion Juan Carlos Payano of Miami, FL by way of the Dominican Republic on Saturday, December 9th at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.  The bout was shown on Showtime.

The two men clashed heads in the fifth round, leading to a nasty cut over Payano's left eye.  The bout would be halted one second into the seventh round. Russell was leading on the scorecards, 58-56 and 59-55 (twice).  With the win, Russell remains undefeated at 18-0, 12 KO's while Payano falls to 21-5, nine KO's.

Quarles Scores Third-Round TKO in Mexico!

Alexandria, VA middleweight Brandon "Bulldog" Quarles scored a third-round TKO over Lauro Alcantar of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico on Friday, December 18th at the Gimnasio Profit Cross in Agua Prieta.  This was Quarles's first bout in more than a year as he spent that time recovering from a nearly fatal motorcycle accident.

Quarles sent Alcantar to the canvas in the first and second rounds before a nice body shot earned Quarles the stoppage in the third round.  Quarles now has a record of 22-5-1, 11 KO's while Alcantar falls to 9-10-1, one KO.

Russell, Payano Weigh 199 For Showtime Battle in Connecticut!

Antonio Russell and Juan Carlos Payano both weighed in at 119 pounds for their 10-round nationally-televised bout on Saturday, December 19th at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.

The bout will be the first bout on a Showtime tripleheader that will begin at 10 PM ET.

Dezurn Scores Second-Round TKO In South Carolina!

Baltimore, MD featherweight Glenn Dezurn picked up another knockout victory on Saturday, December 11th scoring a second-round TKO over veteran Pablo Cupul of San Diego, CA by way of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico at the Convention Center in North Charleston, SC.

The knockout came at 2:50 of the second round.  The win was the third straight for Dezurn and raises his record to 12-2-1, eight KO's.  Cupul loses for the sixth consecutive time and his record falls to 10-32, five KO's.

Antonio Russell Returns For 10-Rounder in Connecticut!

Undefeated Capitol Heights, MD bantamweight Antonio "Another" Russell returns to action in a scheduled 10-round contest against former world champion Juan Carlos "Baby Pacquiao" Payano of Miami, FL by way of La Vega, Dominican Republic.  The bout will be held at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT, and will kick off a Showtime telecast.

Russell (17-0, 12 KO's) last fought on February 8th and won by six-round disqualification over Jesus Martinez in Allentown, PA.  Russell will compete with a heavy heart because of the recent passing of his younger, non-boxing brother known as Bussa.

Payano (21-4, nine KO's) will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak.  Payano lost by 12-round unanimous decision to Daniel Roman on September 26th at Mohegan Sun. Payano held the WBA Bantamweight title from 2014-2016.

Quarles Returns For Six-Rounder In Mexico!

Alexandria, VA middleweight Brandon "Bulldog" Quarles returns to action on Friday, December 18th when he takes on Lauro Alcantar of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico in a six-round contest at Gimnasio Profit Cross in Agua Prieta.

Quarles (21-5-1, 10 KO's) has not fought since March of 2019 when he lost an eight-round split decision to Aaron Coley in Oxon Hill, MD.  Alcantar (9-9-1, one KO) is 0-6-1 in his last seven bouts and is coming off a second-round TKO loss to Hector Nava on November 24th at the Gimansio Profit Cross.

Chaney Knocks Out Bergman In Three!

 Undefeated Baltimore, MD heavyweight Cassius Chaney scored a third-round knockout over Jason "Ironman" Bergman of Birmingham, AL on Saturday, December 12th at the Champion Boxing Gym in Jonesboro, GA,

According to reports, Chaney stalked Bergman for two rounds, then dropped him with a barrage of punches in round three. Bergman beat the count but was floored again by a big right hand. The time was 2:23.  Chaney is now 20-0, 14 KO's while Bergman falls to 27-19-2, 18 KO's.

Jackson Scores First-Round Knockout In South Carolina!

 Oxon Hill, MD welterweight Akeem "Action Action" Jackson scored a first-round knockout over Jakhari "The Riddler" Ross of Charleston, SC by way of Fort Knox, KY on a card in North Charleston, SC.

According to reports, Jackson used a jab to set up a straight left hand and knocked out Ross at the two-minute mark.  The win evens Jackson's record at 2-2, two KO's.  Ross is now 1-1, one KO.

December Beltway Schedule!

 Here is a list of where Beltway Boxers are scheduled to compete during December:

Friday, December 11th, North Charleston, SC -- Baltimore, MD super bantamweight Glenn Dezurn will be in a six-round contest against Pablo Cupul of San Diego, CA by way of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.  Dezurn (11-2-1, seven KO's) last fought on December 14th and won a four-round unanimous decision over Michael Gaxiola in Covington, KY.  Cupul (10-31, five KO's) will be trying to break a five-bout losing streak including a first-round TKO loss to Martino Jules on February 8th in Allentown, PA.

Saturday, December 12th, Champion Boxing Gym, Jonesboro, GA -- Two undefeated Baltimore heavyweights are in separate bouts against opponents to be determined.  Cassius Chaney will be in a scheduled eight-round bout.  Chaney (19-0, 13 KO's) is coming off a fourth-round TKO win over Chauncy Welliver on August 28th in Kissimmee, FL. Muhsin Cason (6-0, three KO's) returns for a four-round encounter.  Cason has not fought since November of 2019 when he won a six-round unanimous decision over Montez Brown in Glen Burnie, MD.

Saturday, December 19th, Escape Ballroom, Greenville, SC -- Two locals are slated for this card.  Frederick, MD cruiserweight Larry "Hitman" Pryor will battle another veteran in Tahlik Taylor of Freeport, NY. No word on how many rounds this is for.  Pryor (13-22, seven KO's) is riding a two-bout winning streak with back-to-back first-round knockouts.  Taylor (3-15-1, one KO) will look to break a five-bout losing streak over a three-year period.  The card will also mark the pro debut of Laurel, MD middleweight Mansaborie "The Punisher" Conde who will take on Ricardo Vasquez Becerril of LaGrange, NC.  Conde was a veteran participant in the Washington Golden Gloves tournament.  Becerril (1-3-1, one KO) looks to build off his first pro victory, a second-round TKO over Alexander Akkan on November 21st in Fort Mill, SC.

Saturday, December 19th, Alamodome, San Antonio, TX -- Columbia, MD super middleweight Ashton "The Goon" Sykes will take on undefeated Alexis Espino of Las Vegas, NV in a six-round bout that will be on the Canelo Alvarez-Callum Smith undercard.  Sykes (5-3, one KO) looks to build on a three-bout winning streak featuring a four-round unanimous decision win over previously undefeated Isiah Hart on March 7th in Cheswick, PA.  Espino (6-0, four KO's) comes off a six-round unanimous decision over Delvecchio Savage on February 29th in Frisco, TX.

Pryor Scores Second Straight Knockout In New Hampshire!

Frederick, MD cruiserweight Larry "Hitman" Pryor scored his second consecutive first-round knockout at the SportsZone in Derry, NH on Saturday, November 14th.  Pryor knocked out debuting Scott Lampert of Dover Plains, NY in just 78 seconds.  Lampert was making a transition from Mixed Martial Arts to boxing.

On August 29th, Pryor scored a first-round TKO over Francisco Ariri Neto in the same SportsZone location.  Pryor's record is 13-22, with seven KO's.

Growing Pandemic Cancels Pllana Bout In Philadelphia!

The King's Promotions card that was scheduled to feature Hagerstown, MD super middleweight "The Sexy Albanian" Genc Pllana taking on Khainell Wheeler at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, November 21st has been canceled due to new Covid-19 restrictions implemented by the city on Monday, November 16th.  No new date has been given.

Here's An Actual Beltway Boxing Schedule!

We have a group of Beltway Boxers that will be in bouts through the rest of November.  Here is the schedule:

Saturday, November 14th, Hits 55, Covington, KY -- Baltimore, MD super bantamweight Glenn Dezurn will be in a six-round contest against veteran Dakota Laster of Hannibal, MO.  Dezurn (11-2-1. seven KO's) looks for his third straight win at Hits 55.  Last time out Dezurn won a four-round unanimous decision over Michael Gaxiola on December 14th.  Laster (3-11-1, three KO's) has lost by knockout in his last three outings.

Saturday, November 14th, Sportszone, Derry, NH -- Frederick, MD cruiserweight Larry "Hitman" Pryor participates in a four-round bout against the debuting Scott Lampert of Dover Plains, NY by way of Poplar Bluff, MO.  This will be the second straight appearance at the Sportszone for Pryor (12-22, six KO's).  In his last outing, Pryor scored a first-round TKO over Francisco Ariri Neto on August 29th. Lampert will be trying to make a transition from Mixed Martial Arts where he is 1-0 as an amateur.

Saturday, November 21st, 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA -- Hagerstown, MD super middleweight "The Sexy Albanian" Genc Pllana will headline in a six-round contest against undefeated Khainell Wheeler of Bethlehem, PA.  Pllana (8-2-1, four KO's) looks to bounce back from an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Maidel Sando on September 23rd in Los Angeles, CA.  Wheeler (4-0, four KO's) has yet to get out of the first round in any bout.  Wheeler needed just 37 seconds to knock out Patrick Pierre on December 14th in Harrisburg, PA.

Saturday, November 21st, Fort Mill, SC -- Oxon Hill, MD welterweight Akeem "Action Action" Jackson will be a four-round bout against Brandon Cisneros of North Carolina.  Jackson (1-2, one KO) comes off a first-round knockout loss to Kahshad Elliott on October 29th in Las Vegas, NV.  Cisneros (0-1) lost his pro debut by first-round TKO in February of 2019 in Charlotte, NC.  Also scheduled for this card is Dundalk, MD lightweight "The Educated Boxer" Dorian Bostic (3-0, three KO's) who has a four-round bout against an opponent to be determined.  Bostic, a native of Cheraw, SC, last fought on September 26th and scored a second-round TKO over Juwan Jones.

Saturday, November 21st, Bryan Glazer Family JCC Auditorium, Tampa, FL -- Baltimore heavyweight Cortez Dunston will make his long-awaited pro debut against Gary Kelly of Montgomery, AL.  Dunston was a Regional Golden Gloves champion in 2016.  Kelly (1-11, one KO) lost by four-round unanimous decision to debuting Arhan Castillo on October 17th in Lakeland, FL.

Friday, November 27th, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel And Casino, Hollywood, FL -- Columbia, MD super middleweight Ashton "The Goon" Sykes will be in a contest against undefeated Alexis Espino of Las Vegas, NV.  The bout is scheduled for either four or six rounds.  Sykes (5-3, one KO) will try to extend a three-bout winning streak including a four-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Isiah Hart on March 7th in Cheswick, PA.  Espino (6-0, four KO's) comes off a six-round unanimous decision over Delvecchio Savage on February 29th in Frisco, TX.

Beltway Boxers Lose Bouts In Philadelphia!

Two locally-based boxers lost contests on a card at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, November 7th.

Silver Spring, MD super lightweight Dieumerci "Elephant" Nzau lost by four-round unanimous decision to undefeated Daiyaan Butt of Philadelphia. All three judges scored the bout 40-36.  Nzau, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is now 11-13, eight KO's. Butt's record rises to 6-0 with three KO's.

Annapolis, MD super lightweight David "The Demolisher" Veras Pena was stopped in the first round by undefeated Nafear Charles of Philadelphia.  The bout was over at 1:25.  Pena, who is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, remains winless at 0-3-1 while Charles is 5-0 with all five wins by knockout.

Burrs Wins Four-Round Split Decision Over Gubkin In West Virginia!

Two Beltway Boxers battled on Saturday, November 7th at the Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg, WVA.  Frederick, MD super welterweight Jonathan Ryan "The Lion King" Burrs won a four-round split decision over Vitalii Gubkin of Alexandria, VA by way of Suzun, Russia.

Two judges scored the bout for Burrs 38-37 while one judge saw the bout for Gubkin by the same score.  The win breaks a two-bout losing streak for Burrs and evens his record at 3-3.  Gubkin falls to 1-2, one KO.

Davis Scores Stunning Sixth-Round Knockout In San Antonio!

Baltimore, MD's Gervonta "Tank" Davis stopped a really close fight with Rosemead, CA's Leo Santa Cruz with a devastating left uppercut in the sixth round to knock out Santa Cruz and win two world titles on Saturday, October 31st at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX.  The bout headlined a Showtime Pay-Per-View.

Both champions fought in close quarters the entire contest -- battling valiantly and with loads of heart when suddenly, Davis landed a brutal left uppercut that sent Santa Cruz crashing to the canvas.  Referee Rafael Ramos immediately stopped the contest at 2:40 of the sixth round. The knockout will be listed among the best of 2020.

The three judges scorecards all had Davis ahead 48-47 at the time of the knockout.  Davis is now both the WBA Lightweight champion and the WBA Super Lightweight titleholder.  He remains undefeated at 24-0, 23 KO's and now has to be considered among the top pound-for-pound boxers in the sport.  If that becomes true, Davis will be the first Beltway Boxer to reach that plateau since International Boxing Hall Of Famer Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson.

Santa Cruz, who fought with a true champion's heart, suffers his second loss and is now 37-2-1, 19 KO's.

Roach Scores Third-Round KO In California!

Upper Marlboro, MD super featherweight Lamont Roach, Jr. has scored a third-round knockout over Neil John Tabanao of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA.  The bout was streamed on DAZN.

Roach, Jr. was in complete control of the contest, dropping Tabanao with a body shot in the first round. In the third round, Roach dropped Tabanao again, forcing the bout to be stopped at 34 seconds.

Roach, Jr. successfully bounced back from his WBO Super Featherweight title challenge loss to Jamel Herring in November of 2019 and raised his record to 20-1-1, eight KO's.  Tabanao loses for the fourth straight time and he is now 17-8, 11 KO's.

Davis Weighs 129.8 For Double Title Bout In San Antonio!

Gervonta Davis weighed in at 129.8 pounds for his two-title pay-per-view bout against Leo Santa Cruz Saturday, October 31st at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. Santa Cruz came in at 129.6 pounds.

Davis's WBA Lightweight Championship and Santa Cruz's WBA Super Lightweight title will be on the line in this bout. This will be a Showtime Pay-Per-View.

Roach, Jr., Tabanao Weigh 129.8 Pounds For 10-Rounder In Indio!

Both Lamont Roach, Jr. and Neil John Tabanao weighed in at 129.8 pounds for their 10-round contest on Friday, October 30th at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA.  The bout will be streamed on DAZN.

This will be the first bout for Roach, Jr. (19-1-1, seven KO's) of Upper Marlboro, MD since his unanimous decision loss to Jamel Herring for the WBO Super Featherweight Title on November 9th in Fresno, CA.

Tabanao, of Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines (17-7, 11 KO's) will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak including a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Irving Turrubiartes in August of 2019 in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Bouts Altered For Beltway Boxers!

A couple of upcoming matchups scheduled to feature Beltway Boxers have changed for various reasons.  

Undefeated DC boxer Dusty Hernandez Harrison has pulled out of his Friday, November 27th bout against Demetrius Andrade at the Seminole Hard Rock and Casino in Hollywood, FL because of reported weight issues.  Harrison (34-0-1, 20 KO's) fought his last bout on February 8th at 175 pounds and reportedly has blown up to about 200 pounds and the weight was too much to lose in a month's time.

Right now, there is no word on Andrade's new opponent but there is the word that one of the possibilities is another undefeated Beltway Boxer, D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard of Temple Hills, MD who has not fought since December 5th when he battled Yamaguchi Falcao to a 10-round draw in Costa Mesa, CA for the vacant NABF Middleweight title.  Ballard is 20-0-1, 13 KO's.

By the way, Columbia, MD super middleweight Ashton "The Goon" Sykes (5-3, one KO) is still scheduled to be on the card to take on undefeated Alexis Espino of Las Vegas, NV (6-0, four KO's) in a contest scheduled for either four or six rounds.

There are also reports that Hagerstown, MD super middleweight "The Sexy Albanian" Genc Pllana will have a new opponent for his Saturday, November 21st contest at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.  Khainell Wheeler of Bethlehem, PA will replace Brandon Robinson in the six-round contest.  Wheeler is 4-0 with four first-round knockouts.  Wheeler needed just 37 seconds to win his last bout against Patrick Pierre on December 14th in Harrisburg, PA.  Pllana has a record of 8-2-1, four KO's.

Hawkins Stopped In Seventh In Connecticut!

 Baltimore, MD super lightweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins has been stopped in the seventh round by Subriel "Browny" Matias of Fajardo, Puerto Rico Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.  The bout was televised by Showtime.

Hawkins started the bout well in the first round by using his jab effectively.  However, as the bout continued, he found it difficult to keep the forward-charging Matias off of him.  Matias was very effective with punches to the head and the body.  Hawkins had little defense against Matias's offense.  Eventually, the ringside doctor said that Hawkins could not continue and the bout was stopped at the first second of the seventh round.

Hawkins loses for the very first time and he is now 18-1, 11 KO's.  Matias bounces back from his first pro defeat and he is now 16-1, 16 KO's.

Hawkins Weighs 140 1/4 For 10-Rounder In Connecticut!

(Photo by Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME)

Malik Hawkins tipped the scales at 140 1/4 pounds for his 10-round nationally televised contest against Subriel Matias on Saturday, October 24th at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.  Matias came in at 139 1/2 pounds.

The bout will open the Showtime Boxing: Special Edition telecast beginning at 9 PM ET.

McCalla Scores Second-Round TKO In Florida!

Randallstown, MD super welterweight Cecil McCalla scored a second-round technical knockout over veteran Fidel Monterrosa Munoz of Barranquilla, Colombia on Friday, October 16th at the White Sands Treatment Center in Plant City, FL.

No details on the bout but the contest ended at 2:31 on the second round.  The win is the second straight for McCalla at the White Sands Treatment Center.  McCalla raises his record to 23-4, 10 KO's.  Munoz loses for the fifth straight time (all by knockout) and he is now 39-23-1, 31 KO's.

Final Quarter of 2020 Bring Big Bouts For Beltway Boxers!

As we approach the final months of 2020, there are some interesting bouts that will be taking place for Beltway Boxers.

We already talked about the big contests involving Baltimore Boxers Malik Hawkins and Gervonta Davis coming in the next two weeks.  We can now add a contest scheduled to feature undefeated Hyattsville, MD super lightweight Patrick "YG Pat" Harris who will be in a six-round bout in Columbia, SC on Saturday, October 31st.  No word yet on his opponent.  Harris (19-0, nine KO's) last fought on January 25th and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Clay Burns in Brooklyn, NY.

November will bring in two solid contests for locals.  On Saturday, November 21st, Hagerstown, MD super middleweight "The Sexy Albanian" Genc Pllana will be in an eight-round contest against Brandon "Brob" Robinson of Upper Darby, PA at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.  Pllana (8-2-1, four KO's) looks to bounce back from his eight-round unanimous decision loss to Maidel Sando on September 23rd in Los Angeles, CA.  Robinson (15-2, 10 KO's) looks to build on his second-round TKO win over veteran Josue Obando on March 7th at the 2300 Arena.  Robinson has a four-bout winning streak.

Then on Friday, November 27th, two Beltway Boxers will be on a card at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL.  Unbeaten DC boxer Dusty Hernandez Harrison will be in a 10-round non-title bout against undefeated WBO Middleweight champion Demetrius "Boo Boo" Andrade of Providence, RI. This bout will be fought at the Super Middleweight limit of 168 pounds.

Harrison (34-0-1, 20 KO's) last fought on February 8th when he scored a second-round knockout over Les Sherrington in Vienna, VA. Andrade (29-0, 18 KO's) made the third defense of his WBO title by knocking out Luke Keeler in the ninth round on January 30th in Miami, FL.  This will be Andrade's second contest against a Beltway Boxer.  Andrade defeated Alantez Fox by 12-round unanimous decision in October of 2017 in Verona, NY.  Fox fought most of the bout with a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder and still managed to knock down Andrade in the seventh round.

Also on the card, Columbia, MD super middleweight Ashton "The Goon" Sykes will be in a contest against undefeated Alexis Espino of Las Vegas, NV. No word on how long this bout is scheduled for.  Sykes (5-3, one KO) is currently riding a three-bout winning streak which includes a four-round unanimous decision win over previously undefeated Isiah Hart on March 7th in Cheswick, PA.  Espino (6-0, four KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Delvecchio Savage on February 29th in Frisco, TX.

 

McCalla Returns For Six-Rounder In Florida Friday Night!

Randallstown, MD super welterweight Cecil McCalla returns to action in a six-round contest against veteran Fidel Monterrosa Munoz of Barranquilla, Colombia on Friday, October 16th at the White Sands Treatment Center in Plant City, FL.

McCalla (22-4, nine KO's) comes off a first-round knockout victory over Matias Garcia on June 27th at the White Sands Treatment Center.  Munoz (39-22-1, 31 KO's) is looking to break a four-bout losing streak where he has been knocked out in all four contests. Munoz will face a Beltway Boxer for the second time in his career.  Munoz lost by fifth-round TKO to Brandon Quarles in May of 2018 at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.

Simpson Wins Unanimous Decision In Las Vegas!

Baltimore, MD super welterweight Lorenzo "Truck" Simpson has won an eight-round unanimous decision over Sanny "Sonny Prime Time" Duversonne of Avon Park, FL at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.  The bout was streamed on ESPN+.

Simpson was in control for the majority of the contest.  His only hiccup came in the fifth round when a Duversonne left hook forced Simpson off balance and made his right glove touch the canvas, making the referee call a knockdown.  Simpson would go on to win the bout by scores of 78-73 (twice) and 79-73.

Simpson remains undefeated at 9-0, five KO's while Duversonne loses for the first time and he is now 11-1-2, eight KO's.

Jackson Suffers First-Round Stoppage in Las Vegas!

Oxon Hill, MD super welterweight Akeem "Action Action" Jackson has been stopped by the debuting Kahshad Elliott of Plainfield, NJ in the first round of a bout held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

Elliott, a multi-time national amateur champion, knocked Jackson down twice with solid body shots.  An Elliott left hook sent Jackson to one knee 40 seconds into the contest.  More body shots forced Jackson to take another knee later in the round.  This time, Jackson did not get up, and referee Mike Ortega counted him out at 1:15 of the first round.

Jackson's record drops to 1-2, one KO.

Simpson, Jackson Hit Scales In Las Vegas!

Lorenzo Simpson and Akeem Jackson weighed in for their bouts Friday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.  

Simpson tipped the scales at 156.1 pounds for his eight-round contest against Sonny Duversonne, who weighed in at 154.8 pounds.  Simpson's bout is scheduled to be a part of the ESPN telecast beginning at 10 PM ET.

Jackson came in at 151.5 pounds for his four-round bout versus Kahshad Elliott, who tipped the scales at 152.8 pounds.  Jackson's contest will be shown on ESPN+ at 7:30 PM ET.

'Action Action' Jackson Travels To Las Vegas For Four-Round Bout!

Oxon Hill, MD welterweight Akeem "Action, Action" Jackson will compete in a four-round contest against the debuting Kahshad Elliott of Plainfield, NJ on Friday, October 9th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

Jackson (1-1, one KO) last fought on February 8th and scored a fourth-round TKO over Anthony Dave at Tyson's Playground in Vienna, VA. Jackson was scheduled to compete on a card in Rock Hill, SC but his bout was a last-minute cancellation.

Jackson will be the second Beltway Boxer on this card, joining Baltimore, MD's Lorenzo Simpson.

October Becomes Huge Month For Baltimore Camp!

October will be a big month for boxers from the Upton Boxing Gym in Baltimore, MD as three of their undefeated boxers will be in some interesting bouts.

On Friday, October 9th, super middleweight Lorenzo "Truck" Simpson will be in a scheduled eight-round bout against fellow undefeated boxer Sanny "Sonny Prime Time" Duversonne of Avon Park, FL.  The bout will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

This will be Simpson's first eight-round encounter and his second straight time at the Mississippi Coast Center.  Simpson (8-0, five KO's) knocked out Alex Sandro Duarte in the first round on July 11th. Duversonne (11-0-2, eight KO's) last fought on February 29th and scored a fifth-round TKO over Larry Smith in St. Petersburg, FL.  Duversonne has knocked out his last four opponents. 

The scheduled 10-round contest between super lightweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins and Subriel "Browny" Matias of Fajardo, Puerto Rico will now take place on Saturday, October 24th, and will remain at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.  This card was rescheduled from October 10th because of visa issues with one of the main event boxers.  Hawkins (18-0, 11 KO's) last fought on December 28th and scored a fifth-round TKO over Darwin Price in Atlanta, GA.  Matias (15-1, 15 KO's) will try to bounce back from his first pro loss, a 10-round unanimous decision to Petros Ananyan on February 22nd in Las Vegas, NV.  The card will be telecast on Showtime.

Then, as previously reported, all roads will lead to the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX on Saturday, October 31 with the Showtime Pay-Per-View showdown between Gervonta "Tank" Davis, and Leo "El Terremoto" Santa Cruz of Rosemead, CA by way of Mexico for Davis's WBA Lightweight championship and Santa Cruz's WBA Super Lightweight title.

Burrs Extends Polaco But Loses Unanimous Decision In Florida!

Frederick, MD super welterweight Jonathan Ryan "Lion King" Burrs was the first man to take undefeated Bryan "The Hunter" Polaco to a four-round decision.  However, Burrs would drop a unanimous decision on Friday, October 2nd at the Osceola Heritage Park Events Center in Kissimmee, FL.  The bout was part of the Boxeo Telemundo telecast.

No word on the official scores but Polaco went past the first round for the first time in his three contests.  Burrs is now 2-3 while Polaco is 3-0, two KO's.

Malik Hawkins's October 10th Bout Called Off!

The scheduled 10-round bout that was to feature undefeated Baltimore, MD super lightweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins on Saturday, October 10th at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT has been called off.

Neither Hawkins (18-0, 11 KO's) nor his slated opponent, Subrial Matias of Puerto Rico (15-1, 15 KO's) were the reason for the bout being canceled.  The entire card was taken off the schedule due to a situation in the main event between welterweights Kudratillo Abdukakhorov and Sergey Lipinets, who was scheduled to compete for the interim IBF title.  Abdukakhorov had a visa issue that would not have been cleared up in time for him to come to the United States for COVID-19 testing.

No official word if or when the Hawkins-Matias bout would be rescheduled. However, there is a possibility the bout might land on the Gervonta Davis-Leo Santa Cruz pay-per-view card that was just rescheduled for Saturday, October 31st at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX.  Davis and Hawkins are both promoted by Mayweather Promotions and they train in the same gym, the Upton Boxing Center in Baltimore.

Burrs Weighs 153 For Four-Rounder In Florida!

Jonathan Ryan Burrs tipped the scales at 153 pounds for his four-round contest against Bryan Polaco on Friday, October 2nd at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, FL.  Polaco came in at the super welterweight limit of 154 pounds.

The bout will be part of a Boxeo Telemundo telecast that is scheduled to get underway at midnight ET.