Boxing Returns To UDC March 25!

With the postponement of the March 11th card in Oxon Hill, MD, the next scheduled Beltway Boxing pro card will be on Saturday, March 25th at the Physical Activities Center on the campus of the University of the District of Columbia.  This will be the third time that boxing has been held on the UDC campus. A new promotional group -- GQ Promotions -- will promote the card.

The "GQ" in GQ Promotions will headline the card.  Undefeated Montgomery Village, MD welterweight Gerome Quigley will battle James Wayka of Mounds View, MN in a 10-round contest.  Quigley (15-0, 14 KO's) last fought on June 4 in Springfield, VA and scored a first-round knockout over Reggie Nash.  Five of Quigley's last six bouts -- including his last three -- have ended in the first round, including a win over Vito Vendetta in Hessen, Germany for the vacant IBA Intercontinental Super Welterweight title.

That fact may mean that things may not bode well for Wayka (16-14-1, eight KO's) who has lost his last two bouts by first-round knockout to Beltway Boxers.  Wayka was stopped by Tony Jeter in December of 2014 in Springfield, VA and by Dusty Hernandez Harrison in Norfolk, VA in September of 2015.  Wayka has not fought since the Harrison bout.

Speaking of Harrison, the undefeated USBA Welterweight champion will appear on this card in a 10-round, non-title bout against Matthew "Mayhem" Strode of Greensboro, NC.  Harrison (30-0-1, 16 KO's) won the USBA title in his last outing, a 10-round unanimous decision win over Thomas LaManna on September 15 in Philadelphia, PA.  The last time a boxing card was held at UDC, Harrison was in the main event, winning by fifth-round TKO over Edgar Soto in May of 2013.

Strode (24-4, nine KO's) will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak which includes a fourth-round TKO loss to Ramon Alvarez on December 17 in Chiapas, Mexico.

In six-round contests, Clinton, MD super lightweight Cobia "The Soldier" Breedy returns to action in his first scheduled six-round contest when he takes on Dominic Coca of Watts, CA.  Breedy, a native of Bridgetown, Barbados (8-0, four KO's), is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over Nicholas Rodriguez on December 10 in Springfield, VA.  Coca (8-11, twota KO's) will be trying to break a nine-bout losing streak.  Coca has not fought since losing by second-round TKO to Fernando Martinez in February of 2016 in Los Angeles, CA.  Seven of the losses in this losing streak have come to undefeated boxers.

Glenarden, MD super lightweight Drayvontay Speed-Rawls will compete in a six-round bout against veteran Roy Garcia of Alice, TX.  Speed-Rawls (7-0-1, five KO's) is coming off a first-round knockout victory over David Perez on June 4 in Springfield, VA.  Garcia (3-21-1, two KO's) has lost 10 in a row and will be competing outside the state of Texas for just a six-round unanimous decision to Eric Hernandez on December 10 in Springfield.

An all-Maryland heavyweight contest highlights the four-rounders on the card as undefeated Mike "Silverback" Balogun of Upper Marlboro matches up with "The DC Diamond Cutter" Carlos Black" fighting out of Rockville.  Last time out, Balogun (9-0, eight KO's) scored a first-round TKO over Brandon Lee Hinkle on October 20 at the Mayflower Hotel in DC.  Black (1-4) was knocked out by the debuting Darmani Rock in his last outing on May 13 at the DC Armory.

Two women's bouts are on the card.  Multi-time amateur champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn will take on Latashia Burton of Houma, LA.  Crews-Dezurn made her pro debut on November 19 and lost a four-round unanimous decision to two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields in Las Vegas, NV.  Burton (4-8)  has lost six in a row.

Also on the card will be super featherweight "The Dark Menace" Tiara Brown of Bladensburg, MD who will take on the debuting Olivia Fisher of South Carolina.  Brown, who was a world amateur champion in the amateurs, made her pro debut on September 30th at the Sphinx Club in Washington, DC and scored a first-round TKO over Khadija Sanders.

The card will also mark the pro debuts of DC super middleweights The Bell Twins -- Jason and Justin.  Both men competed in the local and regional Golden Gloves.  Justin Bell will battle Brandon Pennington of Virginia Beach, VA (1-0) who made his pro debut on December 10 in Springfield, VA and won a four-round majority decision over Carlos Cruz.  Jason Bell will take on David "Rock Steady" Rohn of Villa Park, IL.  Rohn (0-7-1)  will face his sixth straight Beltway Boxer.

Also on the card will be undefeated Reading, PA super middleweight Shakeem Hodge who will take on Dustin Caplinger of Chillicothe, OH.  Hodge (4-0, three KO's) is coming off a four-round technical decision over Noe Lazano on December 10 in Springfield, VA. Caplinger (2-10, one KO) has lost nine in a row.