If everything goes according to plan, the next three months will be busy ones for Boxing Along The Beltway. There are eight pro cards scheduled for the fall. Here is the schedule with all dates subject to change without notice.
Thursday, Sept 29, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD. There are some interesting plans for this Ballroom Boxing card and I hope to have concrete knowledge on this in the next couple of days.
Friday, Oct. 7, BXF Gym, Millersville, MD. This is the Boxing and Extreme Fitness Gym, run by Jim Crossen. They are starting a series of pro-am shows on the first Friday of every month. One of the boxing coaches there is Roger Leonard, brother of Sugar Ray Leonard.
Friday, Oct 14, Waldorf Jaycees, Waldorf, MD. This is the annual pro card promoted by the "Don King of Southern Maryland," Bobby Magruder.
Thursday, October 27, Martin's West, Woodlawn, MD. The next Baltimore Pro Boxing show promoted by Jake "The Snake" Smith. Undefeated Tony "Cyclone" Cygan and Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall along with Mike Ricasa, "Smokin'" Jay Krupp and Henry "Hurricane" Mayes are scheduled to appear on the card.
Friday, November 4, BXF Gym, Millersville, MD
Thursday, November 10, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD
Friday, December 2, BXF Gym, Millersville, MD
Thursday, December 7, Martin's West, Woodlawn, MD
So if you really love pro boxing, you have no excuse not to attend at least one of these shows. I assure you. You will have a great time! I will get you details on each show as they become available.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Monday, September 19, 2005
Corley Conquers in Coushatta!
Congratulations to former WBO Junior Welterweight champion and DC native DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley who scored a ninth round technical knockout over Johnny "Live Wire" Walker on Sept. 17 in Coushatta, LA.
According to GulfCoastBoxing.com, Corley controlled the first seven rounds before finally dropping Walker in the eighth round. Finally in the ninth, Corley walked in and landed a straight right hand that dropped Walker for a second time. The referee finally stopped the bout at :48 seconds of the round. Walker has now lost 15 straight bouts and is now 18-18 with 12 KO's.
Corley's record now rises to 31-4-1 with 17 KO's.
According to GulfCoastBoxing.com, Corley controlled the first seven rounds before finally dropping Walker in the eighth round. Finally in the ninth, Corley walked in and landed a straight right hand that dropped Walker for a second time. The referee finally stopped the bout at :48 seconds of the round. Walker has now lost 15 straight bouts and is now 18-18 with 12 KO's.
Corley's record now rises to 31-4-1 with 17 KO's.
More Battle of Virginia Notes!
More information from the Battle of Virginia!
There were a couple of interesting sightings at the Patriot Center. I ran into two men who have not been in the ring in quite some time, but are planning to make in-ring returns soon.
Columbia, MD junior middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter (pronounced JET-er) will be making his return either on Oct. 7 in Millersville, MD or Oct. 14 in Waldorf, MD. Jeter has not been in the ring since October of 2001 when he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Kwame Bumphus in Philadelphia. His record is 3-1, 1 NC with three KO's.
And DC junior middleweight Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller will be making his return after a five-year hiatus. Miller was one of the most exciting prospects along the Beltway in the mid to late 90's and he definitely had the best ring entrance in the area as he was accompanied by a full scale brass band as he walked down the aisle. Miller also had loads of talent but has not fought since April of 2000 when he lost a majority decision to Robert "Push Up" Frazier. Miller's record is 21-3, 17 KO's. The only other losses came to perennial contenders Carl Daniels and Raul Frank.
It will be interesting to see what these exciting competitors still have after all these years.
Meanwhile, I also heard some very disturbing news about a boxer in a recent bout. Remember when Luther Smith was stretched in an ESPN bout in Connecticut last month? Well, a very reliable source whom I will not name told me that Smith walked into the ring that night LEGALLY BLIND!
The source told me that there were some questions raised during gym sessions because Smith had trouble avoiding the right hand. Smith said that he was all right. Somehow, Smith faked the eye exam and was allowed to box that night. This is just plain ridiculous!! Hopefully Smith will not try this again.
In happier news, Smith's cousin, featherweight Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken, told me he will be fighting for the NABF title against undefeated NABF champ Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero on Dec. 2 in California. The bout will be on ShoBox on Showtime. This looks like a tough one for Aiken because Guerrero has knocked out his last five opponents.
I also had a nice talk with Silver Spring cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson. Wilson talked to me about his recent loss to Vadim Tokarev in Russia. I plan to print the interview in its entirety later this week, but Wilson said his loss had to do with a sleep deprivation condition he has been battling. I will go into detail when I print the interview.
One other note. I will be talking this week with William Joppy's attorneys concerning this situation with Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan. Joppy's attorneys claim there are some inaccuracies in the Washington Post article as well as the article I wrote for this site and for Fightnews.com (which was basically a rewrite of the Post article). We'll see what happens after the conversation.
There were a couple of interesting sightings at the Patriot Center. I ran into two men who have not been in the ring in quite some time, but are planning to make in-ring returns soon.
Columbia, MD junior middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter (pronounced JET-er) will be making his return either on Oct. 7 in Millersville, MD or Oct. 14 in Waldorf, MD. Jeter has not been in the ring since October of 2001 when he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Kwame Bumphus in Philadelphia. His record is 3-1, 1 NC with three KO's.
And DC junior middleweight Purcell "Hard Rock" Miller will be making his return after a five-year hiatus. Miller was one of the most exciting prospects along the Beltway in the mid to late 90's and he definitely had the best ring entrance in the area as he was accompanied by a full scale brass band as he walked down the aisle. Miller also had loads of talent but has not fought since April of 2000 when he lost a majority decision to Robert "Push Up" Frazier. Miller's record is 21-3, 17 KO's. The only other losses came to perennial contenders Carl Daniels and Raul Frank.
It will be interesting to see what these exciting competitors still have after all these years.
Meanwhile, I also heard some very disturbing news about a boxer in a recent bout. Remember when Luther Smith was stretched in an ESPN bout in Connecticut last month? Well, a very reliable source whom I will not name told me that Smith walked into the ring that night LEGALLY BLIND!
The source told me that there were some questions raised during gym sessions because Smith had trouble avoiding the right hand. Smith said that he was all right. Somehow, Smith faked the eye exam and was allowed to box that night. This is just plain ridiculous!! Hopefully Smith will not try this again.
In happier news, Smith's cousin, featherweight Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken, told me he will be fighting for the NABF title against undefeated NABF champ Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero on Dec. 2 in California. The bout will be on ShoBox on Showtime. This looks like a tough one for Aiken because Guerrero has knocked out his last five opponents.
I also had a nice talk with Silver Spring cruiserweight Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson. Wilson talked to me about his recent loss to Vadim Tokarev in Russia. I plan to print the interview in its entirety later this week, but Wilson said his loss had to do with a sleep deprivation condition he has been battling. I will go into detail when I print the interview.
One other note. I will be talking this week with William Joppy's attorneys concerning this situation with Henry "Sugar Poo" Buchanan. Joppy's attorneys claim there are some inaccuracies in the Washington Post article as well as the article I wrote for this site and for Fightnews.com (which was basically a rewrite of the Post article). We'll see what happens after the conversation.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Battle of Virginia Recap!
Before I start, let me send my prayers to former IBF Lightweight champion Leavander Johnson, who is fighting for his life after suffering injuries in his title loss to Jesus Chavez Sept. 17 in Las Vegas.
Johnson may be familiar to Beltway Boxing fans, because he gave Sharmba Mitchell his first professional loss (by knockout) back in March of 1994. Johnson also stopped Virginian Anthony Suggs in the third round in February of 2002 and scored a first round TKO over DC's Floyd Favors in June of 2002. I wish him well.
Now as far as the Battle of Virginia is concerned, lots to talk about. Let's start with the card itself, which was a fine one.
In the main event, Jimmy Lange showed how to make a no-win situation a positive one. In winning the lightly-regarded WBE Junior Middleweight title at the George Mason University Patriot Center, Lange beat a guy in Perry Ballard who didn't have the talent nor the experience that Lange had. The no-win situation was if Lange won, he was supposed to. If Lange lost, it probably meant finis to his career.
Therefore, Lange had to win convincingly. Lange did exactly that. The former "Contender" from Great Falls, VA did an outstanding job using the left jab. Lange used his left so well, I really thought there was something wrong with his right hand. When Lange finally landed the right in the third, he dropped Ballard. Then in the fourth, Lange dropped Ballard twice with shots to the head and the body and put him away.
When I talked to Lange a month ago when this card was announced, he looked like if he could be anywhere else in the world than this press conference, he would be there. Lange was very smart from a mental aspect in this fight. He knew that it would be tough getting up for this bout, so he said he turned the preparation for this bout into a mental exercise with the goal of staying focused for this bout. He succeeded with honors last night.
To Ballard's credit, he was very gracious in defeat, calling Jimmy a "first-class act." Ballard proved to be one as well. Ballard did make one interesting point. This bout was originally scheduled to be fought at 147 pounds and was supposed to be for Ballard's World Boxing Empire Welterweight title. Somewhere along the line, the bout turned into a contest for the WBE vacant 154-pound title. Ballard seemed to have been forced to fight for this title. Ballard weighed in at 147 pounds. Lange came in at 150, so the pounds didn't play as big a part. But I can vouch for the fact that the bout was originally announced as a 147-pound bout.
The bout was a great one for Northern Virginia. The card brought out a lot of people who probably arent boxing fans, or at the very least, never been to a boxing card. Hopefully, either Lange or Ballard (or both, in separate bouts) can continue to be a part of Keystone Boxing's Virginia promotions.
Meanwhile, if there was a fighter of the night award for this card, my vote would go to Lamont "Bay" Pearson. The Capitol Heights native looked dominant in his fifth-round knockout over Shamir Reyes. Pearson looked like the Pearson who received a world title shot a few years ago, before he had trouble with his hands.
Pearson broke down Reyes gradually in this bout. By the third round, Reyes could offer NO offense. Pearson finally finished Reyes with a solid body shot and Reyes could not recover before the count of 10.
By winning his third career regional title (two USBA, one NABA), I think Pearson put himself right back in the world Super Featherweight title picture. When he is on (as he was tonight) no one is more talented along the Beltway than Lamont Pearson.
For me, the biggest disappointment of the night was the non-performance of Orazio "The Razor" Robinson. The junior middleweight from Manassas, VA was stopped early by Jesse Orta of Dallas, TX. Robinson suffered two crushing right hands in the first round of the bout and was put away. I know it's early but that loss was a major setback for Robinson.
In the first two bouts, Alexandria, VA junior welterweight Kay Koroma made his pro debut a successful one with a four-round unanimous decision over Terrell Davis. Koroma has talent but right now, he can't crack an egg. He has no power at this stage.
Also, Tim Coleman of Baltimore scored an easy victory over DC's Spenser Harsley, stopping him in the third round.
Still to come, some news and sightings from the Battle of Virginia!
Johnson may be familiar to Beltway Boxing fans, because he gave Sharmba Mitchell his first professional loss (by knockout) back in March of 1994. Johnson also stopped Virginian Anthony Suggs in the third round in February of 2002 and scored a first round TKO over DC's Floyd Favors in June of 2002. I wish him well.
Now as far as the Battle of Virginia is concerned, lots to talk about. Let's start with the card itself, which was a fine one.
In the main event, Jimmy Lange showed how to make a no-win situation a positive one. In winning the lightly-regarded WBE Junior Middleweight title at the George Mason University Patriot Center, Lange beat a guy in Perry Ballard who didn't have the talent nor the experience that Lange had. The no-win situation was if Lange won, he was supposed to. If Lange lost, it probably meant finis to his career.
Therefore, Lange had to win convincingly. Lange did exactly that. The former "Contender" from Great Falls, VA did an outstanding job using the left jab. Lange used his left so well, I really thought there was something wrong with his right hand. When Lange finally landed the right in the third, he dropped Ballard. Then in the fourth, Lange dropped Ballard twice with shots to the head and the body and put him away.
When I talked to Lange a month ago when this card was announced, he looked like if he could be anywhere else in the world than this press conference, he would be there. Lange was very smart from a mental aspect in this fight. He knew that it would be tough getting up for this bout, so he said he turned the preparation for this bout into a mental exercise with the goal of staying focused for this bout. He succeeded with honors last night.
To Ballard's credit, he was very gracious in defeat, calling Jimmy a "first-class act." Ballard proved to be one as well. Ballard did make one interesting point. This bout was originally scheduled to be fought at 147 pounds and was supposed to be for Ballard's World Boxing Empire Welterweight title. Somewhere along the line, the bout turned into a contest for the WBE vacant 154-pound title. Ballard seemed to have been forced to fight for this title. Ballard weighed in at 147 pounds. Lange came in at 150, so the pounds didn't play as big a part. But I can vouch for the fact that the bout was originally announced as a 147-pound bout.
The bout was a great one for Northern Virginia. The card brought out a lot of people who probably arent boxing fans, or at the very least, never been to a boxing card. Hopefully, either Lange or Ballard (or both, in separate bouts) can continue to be a part of Keystone Boxing's Virginia promotions.
Meanwhile, if there was a fighter of the night award for this card, my vote would go to Lamont "Bay" Pearson. The Capitol Heights native looked dominant in his fifth-round knockout over Shamir Reyes. Pearson looked like the Pearson who received a world title shot a few years ago, before he had trouble with his hands.
Pearson broke down Reyes gradually in this bout. By the third round, Reyes could offer NO offense. Pearson finally finished Reyes with a solid body shot and Reyes could not recover before the count of 10.
By winning his third career regional title (two USBA, one NABA), I think Pearson put himself right back in the world Super Featherweight title picture. When he is on (as he was tonight) no one is more talented along the Beltway than Lamont Pearson.
For me, the biggest disappointment of the night was the non-performance of Orazio "The Razor" Robinson. The junior middleweight from Manassas, VA was stopped early by Jesse Orta of Dallas, TX. Robinson suffered two crushing right hands in the first round of the bout and was put away. I know it's early but that loss was a major setback for Robinson.
In the first two bouts, Alexandria, VA junior welterweight Kay Koroma made his pro debut a successful one with a four-round unanimous decision over Terrell Davis. Koroma has talent but right now, he can't crack an egg. He has no power at this stage.
Also, Tim Coleman of Baltimore scored an easy victory over DC's Spenser Harsley, stopping him in the third round.
Still to come, some news and sightings from the Battle of Virginia!
Complete Battle of Virginia Commentary All This Week!
Let me just say that I will have complete results and commentary on the Battle of Virginia Card all this week. I want to congratulate Lamont Pearson on his USBA title victory and Jimmy Lange on his WBE championship win.
I will give you details and commentary about this card this week, because there is a LOT to talk about for this card, not only in the ring but outside it as well. There were some VERY surprising sightings in the crowd and some info about a boxer that I can ONLY share here.
I also had an interesting conversation with Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson that I will share here and on Fightnews.com
Let me say off the bat, though, that Thom Loverro of the Washington Times was wrong!! Keystone Boxing, led by Gene Molovinsky, did an OUTSTANDING job in promoting this card. An estimated 5,100 were at the George Mason University Patriot Center for this card. That's a great total. Based on that, it looks like Virginia may indeed have a promising boxing future.
I also want to send my best wishes to "Money" Mike Sawyer. Sawyer was supposed to make his pro debut last night, but he collapsed 90 minutes before showtime. He was taken to a local hospital where doctors said he was suffering from dehydration.
The word is that he is doing fine and did want to box, but doctors and officials wisely ruled against that.
More to come on this card and the people involved, coming soon, because I have a lot to say about this show.
I will give you details and commentary about this card this week, because there is a LOT to talk about for this card, not only in the ring but outside it as well. There were some VERY surprising sightings in the crowd and some info about a boxer that I can ONLY share here.
I also had an interesting conversation with Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson that I will share here and on Fightnews.com
Let me say off the bat, though, that Thom Loverro of the Washington Times was wrong!! Keystone Boxing, led by Gene Molovinsky, did an OUTSTANDING job in promoting this card. An estimated 5,100 were at the George Mason University Patriot Center for this card. That's a great total. Based on that, it looks like Virginia may indeed have a promising boxing future.
I also want to send my best wishes to "Money" Mike Sawyer. Sawyer was supposed to make his pro debut last night, but he collapsed 90 minutes before showtime. He was taken to a local hospital where doctors said he was suffering from dehydration.
The word is that he is doing fine and did want to box, but doctors and officials wisely ruled against that.
More to come on this card and the people involved, coming soon, because I have a lot to say about this show.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Joppy Charged with Assault on Sugar Poo!
It was tough waking up to the following story:
The Washington Post is reporting that former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy has been charged with first degree assault in a Washington, DC suburb. The charge comes from an incident that took place on Sept. 8.
The Post says the victim of the alleged assault is undefeated middleweight prospect Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capital Heights, MD according to representatives for both Joppy and Buchanan. The Post quoted a news release issued by the Prince George’s County Police Department. The release did not mention Buchanan by name, but said Joppy approached an individual around 5 pm at Ritchie Road and Walker Mill. The release said the two began to argue and Joppy reached into the person’s vehicle and began to choke him before the person drove away.
According to the release, Joppy then got into his own vehicle, chased the other car and hit it multiple times, causing it to spin out of control.
Joppy turned himself into police earlier this week and was released on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 12.
The Washington Post is reporting that former three-time WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy has been charged with first degree assault in a Washington, DC suburb. The charge comes from an incident that took place on Sept. 8.
The Post says the victim of the alleged assault is undefeated middleweight prospect Henry “Sugar Poo” Buchanan of Capital Heights, MD according to representatives for both Joppy and Buchanan. The Post quoted a news release issued by the Prince George’s County Police Department. The release did not mention Buchanan by name, but said Joppy approached an individual around 5 pm at Ritchie Road and Walker Mill. The release said the two began to argue and Joppy reached into the person’s vehicle and began to choke him before the person drove away.
According to the release, Joppy then got into his own vehicle, chased the other car and hit it multiple times, causing it to spin out of control.
Joppy turned himself into police earlier this week and was released on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 12.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Weights for Battle of Virginia!
Here are the official weights for tomorrow night's "Battle of Virginia" card at the George Mason University Patriot Center:
Jimmy Lange 150.5 vs. Perry Ballard 147(WBE jr. middleweight title)
Shamir Reyes 131 vs. Lamont Pearson 127.5(USBA jr. lightweight title)
Orazio Robinson 154.5 vs. Jesse Orta 154.5
Tim Coleman 144.5 vs. Spencer Hansley 142
Kay Keroma 138.5 vs. Terrell Davis 138.5
Mike Sawyer 154.5 vs. Chris Govan 154.5
Jimmy Lange 150.5 vs. Perry Ballard 147(WBE jr. middleweight title)
Shamir Reyes 131 vs. Lamont Pearson 127.5(USBA jr. lightweight title)
Orazio Robinson 154.5 vs. Jesse Orta 154.5
Tim Coleman 144.5 vs. Spencer Hansley 142
Kay Keroma 138.5 vs. Terrell Davis 138.5
Mike Sawyer 154.5 vs. Chris Govan 154.5
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Former DC Boxing Official Runs for Mayor!
If you live in the Beltway Boxing area, you probably know about this. I made it a more boxing-friendly article.
Michael A Brown, former vice chair of the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission, has officially announced his intention to run for mayor of the Nation’s Capital.
The 40-year-old Brown served on the commission from 1996 until April of this year, when current DC Mayor Anthony Williams decided not to reappoint him to the position.
In recent years, Brown became the most visible figure on the commission, especially during the city’s attempts to give a boxing license to Mike Tyson in 2003 and to bring the Tyson-Lennox Lewis bout to DC in 2003. Brown’s efforts helped land Tyson in DC on June 11 of this year when Tyson lost to Kevin McBride.
Some reports speculated that it was the increased visibility Brown received that led to Brown’s removal from the commission by Mayor Williams, who has not ruled out the notion of seeking a third term.
Brown, son of the late Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown, is the managing partner of a government and public affairs firm that specializes in legislative and regulatory affairs, communications, government marketing and procurement.
This will be interesting to watch and I wonder how many times will Brown's willingness to bring Tyson to DC come up in debate situations. Brown will be facing folk during the campaign like current Ward 4 councilmember Adrian Fenty, who was totally against bringing Tyson here.
DC has had government outsiders become Mayors before (Sharon Pratt Kelly is the big example). Even though I am no political analyst, I think Michael Brown has a tough road ahead.
Michael A Brown, former vice chair of the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission, has officially announced his intention to run for mayor of the Nation’s Capital.
The 40-year-old Brown served on the commission from 1996 until April of this year, when current DC Mayor Anthony Williams decided not to reappoint him to the position.
In recent years, Brown became the most visible figure on the commission, especially during the city’s attempts to give a boxing license to Mike Tyson in 2003 and to bring the Tyson-Lennox Lewis bout to DC in 2003. Brown’s efforts helped land Tyson in DC on June 11 of this year when Tyson lost to Kevin McBride.
Some reports speculated that it was the increased visibility Brown received that led to Brown’s removal from the commission by Mayor Williams, who has not ruled out the notion of seeking a third term.
Brown, son of the late Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown, is the managing partner of a government and public affairs firm that specializes in legislative and regulatory affairs, communications, government marketing and procurement.
This will be interesting to watch and I wonder how many times will Brown's willingness to bring Tyson to DC come up in debate situations. Brown will be facing folk during the campaign like current Ward 4 councilmember Adrian Fenty, who was totally against bringing Tyson here.
DC has had government outsiders become Mayors before (Sharon Pratt Kelly is the big example). Even though I am no political analyst, I think Michael Brown has a tough road ahead.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Corley's Louisiana Opponent Named!
According to Fightnews. com, the opponent for former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley in his Sept. 17 appearance in Kinder, LA will be journeyman Johnny "Livewire" Walker of St. Petersburg, FL.
Walker (18-17, 12 KO's) has not been a live wire of late, having lost his last 14 contests. Corley (30-4-1, 16 KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Kevin Carter on July 29 in North Charleston, SC.
In an interesting bit of Beltway Boxing information, Corley is currently being trained by former Beltway Boxer Andrew Council, one of the more popular boxers to come out of the area.
Walker (18-17, 12 KO's) has not been a live wire of late, having lost his last 14 contests. Corley (30-4-1, 16 KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Kevin Carter on July 29 in North Charleston, SC.
In an interesting bit of Beltway Boxing information, Corley is currently being trained by former Beltway Boxer Andrew Council, one of the more popular boxers to come out of the area.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Public Workout, Weigh-in for 'Battle Of Virginia!'
As the days wind down towards the “Battle of Virginia” on Saturday, Sept. 17, fans in the Washington, DC metropolitan area will have an opportunity to have an up-close look at some of the participants involved with the card.
On Thursday, Sept. 15, there will be a free public workout for some of the boxers at George Mason University during the school’s Patriot Day celebration. The Patriot Day celebration is a free outdoor festival with food, games and live music. The workout will be from 11 am to 2 pm and will be held in front of the Johnson Center clock tower on the main campus. Jimmy Lange, Perry Ballard, Lamont Pearson, Shamir Reyes and George Mason University alumnus “Money” Mike Sawyer are scheduled to participate. George Mason students can compete to become a guest ring announcer for the card.
The weigh-in will also be free and open to the public. The weigh-in will be held on Friday, Sept. 16 from 1-3 pm at PJ Skidoos, 9908 Lee Highway in Fairfax, VA.
Tickets for the card, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, will be on sale at both events.
On Thursday, Sept. 15, there will be a free public workout for some of the boxers at George Mason University during the school’s Patriot Day celebration. The Patriot Day celebration is a free outdoor festival with food, games and live music. The workout will be from 11 am to 2 pm and will be held in front of the Johnson Center clock tower on the main campus. Jimmy Lange, Perry Ballard, Lamont Pearson, Shamir Reyes and George Mason University alumnus “Money” Mike Sawyer are scheduled to participate. George Mason students can compete to become a guest ring announcer for the card.
The weigh-in will also be free and open to the public. The weigh-in will be held on Friday, Sept. 16 from 1-3 pm at PJ Skidoos, 9908 Lee Highway in Fairfax, VA.
Tickets for the card, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, will be on sale at both events.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Pearson Tries for Vacant USBA Title!
There will now be two title bouts on the “Battle of Virginia” card on Saturday, September 17 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. One bout will feature former USBA and NABA Super Featherweight champion Lamont “Bay” Pearson of Capitol Heights, MD. Pearson will try to win the USBA title again as he faces Shamir Reyes of Brooklyn, NY for the vacant title.
Pearson (21-3-1, 11 KO’s) is appearing in just his second contest since his August 2003 loss to now-IBF Super Featherweight champ Robbie Peden. Pearson’s bout with Peden was also for the USBA title. In his last outing, Pearson scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Ivan Alvarez on January 27 in Glen Burnie, MD. A win over Reyes may move Pearson closer to a second try at a world title. Pearson lost a title bid to former WBA champion Yodsanan Sor Nanthanchai in May of 2002 in Thailand.
Reyes (18-3-2, seven KO’s) is coming off a stunning first-round TKO over Luis Antonio Arceo on July 22 in Las Vegas. However, Reyes has been stopped twice in tries for regional titles. Former WBA Super Bantamweight and Featherweight champion Antonio Cermeno scored a 10th round TKO against Reyes in a bout for the vacant WBA Fedalatin Super Featherweight title in May of 2002 and Reyes lost by 12th round TKO to Gairy St.Clair for the WBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight crown in February of this year.
The other title bout will be for the vacant World Boxing Empire (WBE) Junior Middleweight title. Jimmy Lange of Great Falls, VA (25-2-1, 17 KO’s) against Perry Ballard of Martinsburg, WVA by way of Leesburg, VA. (17-0, 13 KO’s)
Other boxers appearing on the card include Woodbridge, VA junior middleweight Orazio "The Razor" Robinson(5-1-2, four KO's), debuting junior welterweight Kay Koroma of Alexandria, VA and debuting junior middleweight “Money” Mike Sawyer of Fairfax, who is a graduate of George Mason University. As mentioned earlier, Sawyer recently announced that he is donating half his purse to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Noted Washington, DC-area trainer Adrian Davis is also donating part of his purse.
Pearson (21-3-1, 11 KO’s) is appearing in just his second contest since his August 2003 loss to now-IBF Super Featherweight champ Robbie Peden. Pearson’s bout with Peden was also for the USBA title. In his last outing, Pearson scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Ivan Alvarez on January 27 in Glen Burnie, MD. A win over Reyes may move Pearson closer to a second try at a world title. Pearson lost a title bid to former WBA champion Yodsanan Sor Nanthanchai in May of 2002 in Thailand.
Reyes (18-3-2, seven KO’s) is coming off a stunning first-round TKO over Luis Antonio Arceo on July 22 in Las Vegas. However, Reyes has been stopped twice in tries for regional titles. Former WBA Super Bantamweight and Featherweight champion Antonio Cermeno scored a 10th round TKO against Reyes in a bout for the vacant WBA Fedalatin Super Featherweight title in May of 2002 and Reyes lost by 12th round TKO to Gairy St.Clair for the WBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight crown in February of this year.
The other title bout will be for the vacant World Boxing Empire (WBE) Junior Middleweight title. Jimmy Lange of Great Falls, VA (25-2-1, 17 KO’s) against Perry Ballard of Martinsburg, WVA by way of Leesburg, VA. (17-0, 13 KO’s)
Other boxers appearing on the card include Woodbridge, VA junior middleweight Orazio "The Razor" Robinson(5-1-2, four KO's), debuting junior welterweight Kay Koroma of Alexandria, VA and debuting junior middleweight “Money” Mike Sawyer of Fairfax, who is a graduate of George Mason University. As mentioned earlier, Sawyer recently announced that he is donating half his purse to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Noted Washington, DC-area trainer Adrian Davis is also donating part of his purse.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
One Beltway Boxer Replaces Another!
According to Fightnews.com, the September 17 boxing card at the Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, LA (located in southwestern Louisiana and not affected by Hurricane Katrina) will go on as planned, but without former three-time WBA middleweight champ and DC native William Joppy. Joppy suffered an injury that will knock him off the card.
The main event at "Knockouts at Coushatta IX" will now feature another DC native --flamboyant former WBO jr welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley.
"We are fortunate to have secured "Chop Chop" Corley as our new main event fighter—he's fast, he's flashy, and he fights like a tiger in the ring. It's going to be a super exciting show," said Nora Popillion, the casino's events & promotions manager.
The last time Joppy and Corley were in a ring was when they appeared on a card in Charleston, South Carolina on July 28. Both men posted easy knockout victories.
The main event at "Knockouts at Coushatta IX" will now feature another DC native --flamboyant former WBO jr welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley.
"We are fortunate to have secured "Chop Chop" Corley as our new main event fighter—he's fast, he's flashy, and he fights like a tiger in the ring. It's going to be a super exciting show," said Nora Popillion, the casino's events & promotions manager.
The last time Joppy and Corley were in a ring was when they appeared on a card in Charleston, South Carolina on July 28. Both men posted easy knockout victories.
Another Beltway Boxing Recollection!
This recollection talks about what could have been.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: Jemal Hinton
If you ask long-time Beltway Boxing experts about who was the most talented boxer never to win a world title, many people would mention the name of Jemal Hinton.
From 1988 to 1992, the boxer out of District Heights, MD was the hottest prospect going in the junior featherweight and featherweight division. He had speed and solid power. He was 16-0 with 12 knockouts and had already picked up the WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight title. A world championship seemed just a few fights away.
Then suddenly, it all stopped. Hinton decided he had enough of the sport and promptly retired. Not even his father and trainer, Junious Hinton, could change his mind. No one but Jemal Hinton knows the real reason. Some speculated that Hinton adopted the Islamic faithand would not fight because of religious convictions. Whatever the reason was, Hinton's decision left a void in Beltway Boxing that took a long time to fill.
Recently, the name Jemal Hinton popped up again in the form of Jemal Hinton, Jr. He was scheduled to box at the Mayor's Cup last month but couldn't get an opponent. I'm assuming this was Jemal's son.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: Jemal Hinton
If you ask long-time Beltway Boxing experts about who was the most talented boxer never to win a world title, many people would mention the name of Jemal Hinton.
From 1988 to 1992, the boxer out of District Heights, MD was the hottest prospect going in the junior featherweight and featherweight division. He had speed and solid power. He was 16-0 with 12 knockouts and had already picked up the WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight title. A world championship seemed just a few fights away.
Then suddenly, it all stopped. Hinton decided he had enough of the sport and promptly retired. Not even his father and trainer, Junious Hinton, could change his mind. No one but Jemal Hinton knows the real reason. Some speculated that Hinton adopted the Islamic faithand would not fight because of religious convictions. Whatever the reason was, Hinton's decision left a void in Beltway Boxing that took a long time to fill.
Recently, the name Jemal Hinton popped up again in the form of Jemal Hinton, Jr. He was scheduled to box at the Mayor's Cup last month but couldn't get an opponent. I'm assuming this was Jemal's son.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Sawyer, Davis Donate Purse Portions to Hurricane Relief!
I just confirmed an anonymous tip that Fairfax, VA welterweight "Money" Mike Sawyer and legendary trainer Adrian Davis will donate half their purse money from the September 17th boxing card to relief efforts necessary in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Well done, gentlemen!!
Chris Middendorf, the matchmaker for the Sept 17th "Battle of Virginia" at George Mason University, is checking to see if other boxers on the card will follow suit. Sawyer is making his pro debut on that card, so that is a wonderful gesture.
Chris Middendorf, the matchmaker for the Sept 17th "Battle of Virginia" at George Mason University, is checking to see if other boxers on the card will follow suit. Sawyer is making his pro debut on that card, so that is a wonderful gesture.
Teddy Reid Update!
Felix Dialosio, the manager of junior middleweight Teddy "Two-Gun" Reid of Adelphi, MD, has informed me that he is looking over a contract that would send Reid into the ring against undefeated "Tremendous" Travis Simms on Oct. 1 in Tampa FL. That would put Reid on the HBO PPV card that features the bout between James Toney and Dominick Guinn.
Reid (23-7-1, 17 KO's) is a former NABF Junior Welterweight and USBA Welterweight champ who has fought some solid performers over his career. The majority of his losses have been against tough people (Golden Johnson, Kermit Cintron and Rodney Jones to name a few). This one should be another toughie. Simms (24-0, 18 KO's) is a former WBA Junior Middleweight champ who was recently stripped of the title. Simms' twin brother, Tarvis, is also undefeated.
Reid will probably be the toughest boxer Travis Simms has faced in his career. Simms is coming off a win over Bronco McKart, but McKart is past his prime. This should be an interesting matchup if it comes off.
Another one of Dialosio's boxers, middleweight Maxell "The General" Taylor of Baltimore is going back into the ring on Sept. 29 in Martinsburg, WVA. Taylor (12-2, five KO's) is coming off a tough eight-round unanimous decision loss to "Contender" participant Ahmed Kaddour on July 22 in Santa Ynez, CA.
Reid (23-7-1, 17 KO's) is a former NABF Junior Welterweight and USBA Welterweight champ who has fought some solid performers over his career. The majority of his losses have been against tough people (Golden Johnson, Kermit Cintron and Rodney Jones to name a few). This one should be another toughie. Simms (24-0, 18 KO's) is a former WBA Junior Middleweight champ who was recently stripped of the title. Simms' twin brother, Tarvis, is also undefeated.
Reid will probably be the toughest boxer Travis Simms has faced in his career. Simms is coming off a win over Bronco McKart, but McKart is past his prime. This should be an interesting matchup if it comes off.
Another one of Dialosio's boxers, middleweight Maxell "The General" Taylor of Baltimore is going back into the ring on Sept. 29 in Martinsburg, WVA. Taylor (12-2, five KO's) is coming off a tough eight-round unanimous decision loss to "Contender" participant Ahmed Kaddour on July 22 in Santa Ynez, CA.
Cummings, Petersons Post Victories!
Three of the Beltway's brightest stars posted solid victories in the past few days.
Undefeated cruiserweight Cory "Black Ice" Cummings of Baltimore scored a 10th round TKO over Tim Bowe on September 3 in Cincinnati. According to the Fightnews report, Cummings put Bowe down in the fifth and seven rounds before finishing him off in the 10th. It was the first time Cummings going 10 rounds. Cummings is now 14-0, 11 KO's and has won his last seven by knockout. As I said before, this guy has been under the radar, but he is legitimate. Cummings is a real solid prospect.
More well-known prospects are the undefeated Peterson Brothers of DC. Both posted dominating victory on a card in Little Rock, AR on Sept. 1. Junior welterweight Lamont scored an easy eight-round unanimous decision over late sub Ron Frankel. All three judges said Peterson pitched a shutout (80-72 on all cards) to raise his record to 14-0, six knockouts. Lightweight Anthony blasted Jorge Alberto Reyes, stopping him 1:38 into the second round. Anthony is now 13-0, eight KO's.
I like both Peterson brothers, but while Lamont was the more notable amateur, I think, while they will both be solid pros, Anthony has something special about him. He has been truly dominant recently.
Undefeated cruiserweight Cory "Black Ice" Cummings of Baltimore scored a 10th round TKO over Tim Bowe on September 3 in Cincinnati. According to the Fightnews report, Cummings put Bowe down in the fifth and seven rounds before finishing him off in the 10th. It was the first time Cummings going 10 rounds. Cummings is now 14-0, 11 KO's and has won his last seven by knockout. As I said before, this guy has been under the radar, but he is legitimate. Cummings is a real solid prospect.
More well-known prospects are the undefeated Peterson Brothers of DC. Both posted dominating victory on a card in Little Rock, AR on Sept. 1. Junior welterweight Lamont scored an easy eight-round unanimous decision over late sub Ron Frankel. All three judges said Peterson pitched a shutout (80-72 on all cards) to raise his record to 14-0, six knockouts. Lightweight Anthony blasted Jorge Alberto Reyes, stopping him 1:38 into the second round. Anthony is now 13-0, eight KO's.
I like both Peterson brothers, but while Lamont was the more notable amateur, I think, while they will both be solid pros, Anthony has something special about him. He has been truly dominant recently.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Beltway Boxing --The Sad Side!
The following rememberance is a very sad one for me.
MOST TRAGIC SITUATIONS: The deaths of Rueben Bell, Jerry Ballard and Beethavean Scottland
During this 15-year period, the Beltway Boxing area lost three of its potentially brightest stars. I know there were many that even I'm not aware of, but these touched me personally because I had the opportunity to work around them.
Out of the three, Bell was the youngest and probably the one with the most potential. Bell was fighting as a junior middleweight and middleweight and he had tremendous power. Not only were he scoring one-punch knockouts, he was scoring FIRST-punch knockouts as in, the first punch he threw in a bout, he knocked a guy out.
Unfortunately, as Bell started to rise in competition, his attitude about the sport started to go sour. In the biggest match of his career – a 10-round bout against Paul Vaden in 1995 in which the winner was to get a world title shot – Bell came in unprepared. Talent alone made the 10-round decision a close one. If he had been in the best shape, Bell would have won easily. Vaden went on to get the title shot and defeat Vincent Pettway for the IBF Junior Middleweight title.
Two years later, September 12, 1997, Bell got another shot at glory. Now fighting as a middleweight, Bell took on former three-time world champion and DC resident Simon Brown in a nationally-televised bout in Pikesville, MD. Brown was on the downside of his great career and many thought Bell would take care of the veteran easily. Through the first three rounds, Bell did exactly that. But in the fourth and fifth rounds, something went wrong. Bell wasn't throwing as many punches and looked sluggish. At the end of the fifth round, Bell sat on his stool and didn't get back up. The bout was over.
What we didn't know then was that would be the last time we would see Bell in a boxing ring. After the Brown bout, Bell was informed that he had stomach cancer. Fortunately, it was in its early stages and could be treated. Bell immediately went for treatment at the Washington Hospital Center. The prognosis was becoming excellent for Bell's return to the ring. But fate played a part in this and Bell's past, which had been littered with numerous run-ins with the law, caught up to him.
Someone named Tomar Locker apparently watched the bout between Bell and Brown. According to later court records, Locker kept hearing Bell's nickname "Ratman" and thought it might have been the same person who organized the shooting and killing of he and his girlfriend in 1994. The girlfriend died. Bell was never formally charged with any involvement in the situation but Locker wanted revenge. He got his revenge on February 5, 1998 when he walked into the Washington Hospital Center lobby and saw Bell as he was waiting for his latest treatment. Locker opened fire and killed Bell. Locker was later found not guilty by reason of insanity. At just 24 years old, Reuben Bell's promising boxing career and, more importantly, his life had been snuffed out.
Promising heavyweight Jerry "The Technician" Ballard's passing hit hard for a couple of reasons. The DC native was seemingly on the way to rebuilding his career after a tough knockout loss to now-WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz in 1998.
Prior to that loss, Ballard had a solid career, holding victories over fellow DC native Corey "T-Rex" Sanders and former Cruiserweight contender Vincent Boulware. The Boulware bout was for the NABO Heavyweight title. His last two wins were against trial horses Jason Waller and Garing Lane. Ballard put Lane in the hospital with a devastating knockout on the "Triple Jeopardy" card at MCI Center on April 24, 1999.
During the press conference after the "Triple Jeopardy" card, I was getting ready to interview Ballard on tape for a local radio sports show. Just as we started, Don King decided to start the conference and I never got to do the interview. It would be the last time I would see Ballard alive. On August 24, 1999, Ballard was murdered at the age of 32. I truly regret never getting a chance to do that interview.
The death of Beethavean Scottland was the one most closely associated with the actual sport of boxing. On June 26, 2001, Scottland stepped into the ring aboard the USS Intrepid Museum in New York to face George Khalid Jones. Scottland took the bout on just five days notice.
Just a day before he accepted the bout with Jones, I saw Scottland at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie. Scottland was scheduled to fight there against Baltimore's Dana Rucker, but Rucker hurt his ankle and had to back out of the fight. Bee came to the show and we briefly talked. I remember telling him how disappointed I was that he wasn't able to fight that evening. At that time, neither one of us knew about the Jones bout.
When Scottland walked into the ring on the 26th, he looked ready but from the first bell, something seemed wrong. Jones was in control in the early going. Bee showed the heart that he was famous for and stayed in the bout, but he just couldn't get the full advantage. Despite all this, Scottland was ahead on one of the cards. All he had to do is survive the 10th and final round and he would have at least gotten a draw.
Unfortunately as we know, Scottland suffered a TKO in the final round and slipped into a coma. Five days later, Bee Scottland was gone at the age of 26. What a tragedy.
I have to mention something about Bee's funeral, because it provided me with probably the most touching moment I've ever shared in my sportswriting career. Just about everyone I've ever known in Beltway Boxing was there. George Khalid Jones was there also, along with his trainer, the legendary Lou Duva. Jones told folks afterwards that he really was afraid to come, thinking that people there would take out their sorrows on him. The exact opposite happened. There was a whole lot of support for him. Some encouraged him to win the light heavyweight title in Bee's memory. We all knew that this was a tough moment for him as well. Unfortunately, Jones' career did suffer because of this. The love shown for both Bee and Jones that day was just incredible.
Earlier this year, Jones fought for the first time in Maryland, taking on Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson at Michael's Eighth Avenue. In the crowd was Bee's widow, Denise, who was rooting hard for Jones. Later, the two would meet for the first time. They would become friends. Even the most positive moments can come out of the most tragic situations.
MOST TRAGIC SITUATIONS: The deaths of Rueben Bell, Jerry Ballard and Beethavean Scottland
During this 15-year period, the Beltway Boxing area lost three of its potentially brightest stars. I know there were many that even I'm not aware of, but these touched me personally because I had the opportunity to work around them.
Out of the three, Bell was the youngest and probably the one with the most potential. Bell was fighting as a junior middleweight and middleweight and he had tremendous power. Not only were he scoring one-punch knockouts, he was scoring FIRST-punch knockouts as in, the first punch he threw in a bout, he knocked a guy out.
Unfortunately, as Bell started to rise in competition, his attitude about the sport started to go sour. In the biggest match of his career – a 10-round bout against Paul Vaden in 1995 in which the winner was to get a world title shot – Bell came in unprepared. Talent alone made the 10-round decision a close one. If he had been in the best shape, Bell would have won easily. Vaden went on to get the title shot and defeat Vincent Pettway for the IBF Junior Middleweight title.
Two years later, September 12, 1997, Bell got another shot at glory. Now fighting as a middleweight, Bell took on former three-time world champion and DC resident Simon Brown in a nationally-televised bout in Pikesville, MD. Brown was on the downside of his great career and many thought Bell would take care of the veteran easily. Through the first three rounds, Bell did exactly that. But in the fourth and fifth rounds, something went wrong. Bell wasn't throwing as many punches and looked sluggish. At the end of the fifth round, Bell sat on his stool and didn't get back up. The bout was over.
What we didn't know then was that would be the last time we would see Bell in a boxing ring. After the Brown bout, Bell was informed that he had stomach cancer. Fortunately, it was in its early stages and could be treated. Bell immediately went for treatment at the Washington Hospital Center. The prognosis was becoming excellent for Bell's return to the ring. But fate played a part in this and Bell's past, which had been littered with numerous run-ins with the law, caught up to him.
Someone named Tomar Locker apparently watched the bout between Bell and Brown. According to later court records, Locker kept hearing Bell's nickname "Ratman" and thought it might have been the same person who organized the shooting and killing of he and his girlfriend in 1994. The girlfriend died. Bell was never formally charged with any involvement in the situation but Locker wanted revenge. He got his revenge on February 5, 1998 when he walked into the Washington Hospital Center lobby and saw Bell as he was waiting for his latest treatment. Locker opened fire and killed Bell. Locker was later found not guilty by reason of insanity. At just 24 years old, Reuben Bell's promising boxing career and, more importantly, his life had been snuffed out.
Promising heavyweight Jerry "The Technician" Ballard's passing hit hard for a couple of reasons. The DC native was seemingly on the way to rebuilding his career after a tough knockout loss to now-WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz in 1998.
Prior to that loss, Ballard had a solid career, holding victories over fellow DC native Corey "T-Rex" Sanders and former Cruiserweight contender Vincent Boulware. The Boulware bout was for the NABO Heavyweight title. His last two wins were against trial horses Jason Waller and Garing Lane. Ballard put Lane in the hospital with a devastating knockout on the "Triple Jeopardy" card at MCI Center on April 24, 1999.
During the press conference after the "Triple Jeopardy" card, I was getting ready to interview Ballard on tape for a local radio sports show. Just as we started, Don King decided to start the conference and I never got to do the interview. It would be the last time I would see Ballard alive. On August 24, 1999, Ballard was murdered at the age of 32. I truly regret never getting a chance to do that interview.
The death of Beethavean Scottland was the one most closely associated with the actual sport of boxing. On June 26, 2001, Scottland stepped into the ring aboard the USS Intrepid Museum in New York to face George Khalid Jones. Scottland took the bout on just five days notice.
Just a day before he accepted the bout with Jones, I saw Scottland at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie. Scottland was scheduled to fight there against Baltimore's Dana Rucker, but Rucker hurt his ankle and had to back out of the fight. Bee came to the show and we briefly talked. I remember telling him how disappointed I was that he wasn't able to fight that evening. At that time, neither one of us knew about the Jones bout.
When Scottland walked into the ring on the 26th, he looked ready but from the first bell, something seemed wrong. Jones was in control in the early going. Bee showed the heart that he was famous for and stayed in the bout, but he just couldn't get the full advantage. Despite all this, Scottland was ahead on one of the cards. All he had to do is survive the 10th and final round and he would have at least gotten a draw.
Unfortunately as we know, Scottland suffered a TKO in the final round and slipped into a coma. Five days later, Bee Scottland was gone at the age of 26. What a tragedy.
I have to mention something about Bee's funeral, because it provided me with probably the most touching moment I've ever shared in my sportswriting career. Just about everyone I've ever known in Beltway Boxing was there. George Khalid Jones was there also, along with his trainer, the legendary Lou Duva. Jones told folks afterwards that he really was afraid to come, thinking that people there would take out their sorrows on him. The exact opposite happened. There was a whole lot of support for him. Some encouraged him to win the light heavyweight title in Bee's memory. We all knew that this was a tough moment for him as well. Unfortunately, Jones' career did suffer because of this. The love shown for both Bee and Jones that day was just incredible.
Earlier this year, Jones fought for the first time in Maryland, taking on Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson at Michael's Eighth Avenue. In the crowd was Bee's widow, Denise, who was rooting hard for Jones. Later, the two would meet for the first time. They would become friends. Even the most positive moments can come out of the most tragic situations.
Best Beltway Boxing Stable!
Here is another rememberance of Boxing Along The Beltway.
BEST BELTWAY BOXING STABLE: The HARD CORPS
The HARD CORPS represented the identity of the Beltway Boxing scene during the early-to-mid nineties. Four young undefeated boxers who were managed and trained by the same people. If you're an old-school pro wrestling fan, it was reminiscent of the "Four Horsemen" in the NWA/WCW.
For a short time, Derrell "Too Sweet" Coley, Reggie "Showtime" Green, Rueben "Ratman" Bell and Gerry "Rock" Payne were ready and poised to take over the sport. Their manager was Barry Linde, a self-made millionaire who didn't seem to be afraid to spend that money. They also had three of the top trainers around in Leonard Langley, Al Scott and Vardell McCann. How could they lose?
Unfortunately, it didn't turn out exactly the way we wanted it to. The best the group could manage was three NABF titles (two for Coley and one for Green) and two IBC titles (one for Coley and one for Payne). The group broke up in the midst of inability to move successfully to the world championship level, personal problems and untimely death (the murder of Bell in February 1998). Despite this, no local boxing camp has come close to this type of organized success.
BEST BELTWAY BOXING STABLE: The HARD CORPS
The HARD CORPS represented the identity of the Beltway Boxing scene during the early-to-mid nineties. Four young undefeated boxers who were managed and trained by the same people. If you're an old-school pro wrestling fan, it was reminiscent of the "Four Horsemen" in the NWA/WCW.
For a short time, Derrell "Too Sweet" Coley, Reggie "Showtime" Green, Rueben "Ratman" Bell and Gerry "Rock" Payne were ready and poised to take over the sport. Their manager was Barry Linde, a self-made millionaire who didn't seem to be afraid to spend that money. They also had three of the top trainers around in Leonard Langley, Al Scott and Vardell McCann. How could they lose?
Unfortunately, it didn't turn out exactly the way we wanted it to. The best the group could manage was three NABF titles (two for Coley and one for Green) and two IBC titles (one for Coley and one for Payne). The group broke up in the midst of inability to move successfully to the world championship level, personal problems and untimely death (the murder of Bell in February 1998). Despite this, no local boxing camp has come close to this type of organized success.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Random Beltway Boxing Notes!
The bout between Baltimore's undefeated junior middleweight Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin and unbeaten junior middleweight Yuri Foreman scheduled for September 2 has been cancelled. The bout was slated for the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City and was going to air on ShoBox. However, Arvin sustained an injury in training.
A poster on this site mentioned that Adelphi, MD junior middleweight Teddy "Two-Gun" Reid was slated to fight former WBO Junior Middleweight champion Verno Phillips in October. I spoke to Teddy's manager, Felix Dialosio, and he said there is no bout in the works. Reid is coming off a tough split decision loss to Rodney Jones on May 24. Dialosio told me that fight may have hurt his credibility with ESPN.
Another one of Dialosio's boxers, undefeated Baltimore cruiserweight Cory "Black Ice" Cummings, is scheduled to fight his first 10-round bout on September 3 in Cleveland, OH. This will be a Don King card that, I think, features the return of former IBF Bantamweight champ Tim Austin.
Undefeated junior welterweight Lamont Peterson of DC is scheduled to appear on a September 2 bout in Little Rock, AR. Peterson faces his most notable foe to date in former number one lightweight contender Lamar "Kid Fire" Murphy in a co-feature bout that will be telecast on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. This is a big step for the very talented Peterson because Murphy is a true veteran. If you saw the post about the Beltway Brawl, Murphy appeared on that card that was more than 10 years ago.
Both Lamont Peterson and his brother, Anthony are also scheduled to be on an October 15 card in Biloxi, MS. Unfortunately this is going to be the infamous "Ann vs. Man" card where former world champion Ann "Brown Sugar" Wolfe will box male boxer Bo Skinner.
A poster on this site mentioned that Adelphi, MD junior middleweight Teddy "Two-Gun" Reid was slated to fight former WBO Junior Middleweight champion Verno Phillips in October. I spoke to Teddy's manager, Felix Dialosio, and he said there is no bout in the works. Reid is coming off a tough split decision loss to Rodney Jones on May 24. Dialosio told me that fight may have hurt his credibility with ESPN.
Another one of Dialosio's boxers, undefeated Baltimore cruiserweight Cory "Black Ice" Cummings, is scheduled to fight his first 10-round bout on September 3 in Cleveland, OH. This will be a Don King card that, I think, features the return of former IBF Bantamweight champ Tim Austin.
Undefeated junior welterweight Lamont Peterson of DC is scheduled to appear on a September 2 bout in Little Rock, AR. Peterson faces his most notable foe to date in former number one lightweight contender Lamar "Kid Fire" Murphy in a co-feature bout that will be telecast on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. This is a big step for the very talented Peterson because Murphy is a true veteran. If you saw the post about the Beltway Brawl, Murphy appeared on that card that was more than 10 years ago.
Both Lamont Peterson and his brother, Anthony are also scheduled to be on an October 15 card in Biloxi, MS. Unfortunately this is going to be the infamous "Ann vs. Man" card where former world champion Ann "Brown Sugar" Wolfe will box male boxer Bo Skinner.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
"Battle Of Virginia" Update!
Here is an update on the "Battle of Virginia" coming to the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax on Saturday, Sept. 17. This is an article I have written for Fightnews.com.
If Jeff Foxworthy and his friends ever wanted to add sports to their “Blue Collar” comedy tour, they may want to start with the boxing card slated for September 17th at George Mason University’s Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. Some of the boxers scheduled to appear on this card also work as letter carriers, carpenters and trash collectors.
The letter carrier is former USBA and NABA Super Featherweight champion Lamont “Bay” Pearson of Capitol Heights, MD. Pearson (21-3-1, 11 KO’s) will be fighting for the vacant USBA Lightweight title against an opponent to be named later. Pearson has not fought since his eight-round unanimous decision win over Ivan Alvarez on January 27 in Glen Burnie, MD.
The carpenter is welterweight Jose Luis Almanzar of Woodbridge, VA. After Almanzar, a native of the Dominican Republic won his first four bouts and seven of his first eight, Almanzar has gone 0-4 with 1 NC. Almanzar lost his last contest by six-round unanimous decision over Jaime Palma on February 5 in Washington, DC. Almanzar will face DC’s Spencer Harsley (1-3).
The trash collector is middleweight Orazio “The Razor” Robinson of Woodbridge. Robinson gets up at 4:30 every weekday morning to collect trash for Fairfax County, VA. After losing his first bout, Robinson is 5-0-2 in his last seven bouts. Three of his last four wins have been by knockout. Robinson will take on Jesse Orta (4-5-1, three KO’s.) Orta is looking to break a five-bout losing streak.
Headlining the “Battle of Virginia” is the return of Great Falls, VA’s Jimmy Lange in his first bout since his appearance in NBC’s “The Contender.” Lange will battle Perry Ballard of Martinsburg, WVA in a 12-round match for the vacant World Boxing Empire (WBE) Junior Middleweight title.
Two highly touted Virginia amateurs will make their pro debut on this card. Junior middleweight “Money” Mike Sawyer, a George Mason University graduate from Fairfax, is waiting for an opponent to be confirmed. Sawyer is a loan officer and majored in Finance at George Mason. Also 140-pounder Kay Koroma will make his debut against Terrell Davis of DC (0-2).
The card is promoted by Keystone Boxing of Temple Hills, MD. The matchmaker is Chris Middendorf.
The tickets are priced at $30, $50, $75, $150 (reserved ringside), $225 (premium ringside) and $350 (VIP ringside) and are available through all Ticketmaster outlets including the Patriot Center box office and online at www.ticketmaster.com Also, you can purchase tickets via Phonecharge at 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT or 410-547-SEAT. GMU students receive $10 off the $30 general admission ticket by presenting a valid student ID (up to four tickets) at the Patriot Center box office.
If Jeff Foxworthy and his friends ever wanted to add sports to their “Blue Collar” comedy tour, they may want to start with the boxing card slated for September 17th at George Mason University’s Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. Some of the boxers scheduled to appear on this card also work as letter carriers, carpenters and trash collectors.
The letter carrier is former USBA and NABA Super Featherweight champion Lamont “Bay” Pearson of Capitol Heights, MD. Pearson (21-3-1, 11 KO’s) will be fighting for the vacant USBA Lightweight title against an opponent to be named later. Pearson has not fought since his eight-round unanimous decision win over Ivan Alvarez on January 27 in Glen Burnie, MD.
The carpenter is welterweight Jose Luis Almanzar of Woodbridge, VA. After Almanzar, a native of the Dominican Republic won his first four bouts and seven of his first eight, Almanzar has gone 0-4 with 1 NC. Almanzar lost his last contest by six-round unanimous decision over Jaime Palma on February 5 in Washington, DC. Almanzar will face DC’s Spencer Harsley (1-3).
The trash collector is middleweight Orazio “The Razor” Robinson of Woodbridge. Robinson gets up at 4:30 every weekday morning to collect trash for Fairfax County, VA. After losing his first bout, Robinson is 5-0-2 in his last seven bouts. Three of his last four wins have been by knockout. Robinson will take on Jesse Orta (4-5-1, three KO’s.) Orta is looking to break a five-bout losing streak.
Headlining the “Battle of Virginia” is the return of Great Falls, VA’s Jimmy Lange in his first bout since his appearance in NBC’s “The Contender.” Lange will battle Perry Ballard of Martinsburg, WVA in a 12-round match for the vacant World Boxing Empire (WBE) Junior Middleweight title.
Two highly touted Virginia amateurs will make their pro debut on this card. Junior middleweight “Money” Mike Sawyer, a George Mason University graduate from Fairfax, is waiting for an opponent to be confirmed. Sawyer is a loan officer and majored in Finance at George Mason. Also 140-pounder Kay Koroma will make his debut against Terrell Davis of DC (0-2).
The card is promoted by Keystone Boxing of Temple Hills, MD. The matchmaker is Chris Middendorf.
The tickets are priced at $30, $50, $75, $150 (reserved ringside), $225 (premium ringside) and $350 (VIP ringside) and are available through all Ticketmaster outlets including the Patriot Center box office and online at www.ticketmaster.com Also, you can purchase tickets via Phonecharge at 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT or 410-547-SEAT. GMU students receive $10 off the $30 general admission ticket by presenting a valid student ID (up to four tickets) at the Patriot Center box office.
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