Thursday, January 19, 2006

Springfield VA Hosts February Boxing Card!

After years of inactivity on the pro boxing scene, it looks like the Northern Virginia section of the Beltway is starting to heat up. We've already talked about the card on February 18th at the Patriot Center. But there will be a card exactly two weeks before that one.

The card will be Saturday, February 4 at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA. For you long-time Beltway Boxing fans, that place was known as the ABC Auditorium in the old days. And back in the late 80's and early 90's, that place used to rock with boxing cards featuring the likes of Keith Holmes, Andrew Council and Andrew Maynard. Many people in and around the Beltway cut their boxing teeth on those shows, including a young promoter, reporter and matchmaker named Eric Bottjer, who now serves as matchmaker for Don King Productions. ABC was an important venue for the Beltway Boxing scene back then.

Another fixture on those cards is the man who will be promoting this card, the legendary former Virginia State Junior Middleweight champion Han "Sugar" Kim. Kim was one of the most popular boxers in this area and it is great to see him still a big part of the scene. I talked to Kim about this show and he says he plans to have a show at ABC every two months. I hope that will be the case.

Kim says the main event for this card is set. Takoma Park, MD heavyweight Willis Lockett (6-4-4, 1 KO) will face veteran Robert Marsh (9-37-4, four KO's) of Hickory, NC.

The card is also scheduled to mark the long-awaited debut of Fairfax, VA's "Money" Mike Sawyer (who told me about this card, thank you!). Sawyer's debut has been delayed because of injuries but he is ready to go for this card.

I hope to give you a full preview of this card in the next couple of weeks.

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