Three Big Bouts To Kick Off Beltway Boxing 2018!

Action within the Beltway region has not begun yet. However, three locals will be involved in some huge bouts during the first two months of the year.

We begin on Friday, January 12th at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY where undefeated multi-time world champion Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson of Ashburn, VA faces the biggest challenge of her career when she takes on two-belt world champion and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa "T-Rex" Shields of Flint, MI in a 10-round contest for Shields's IBF and WBC Super Middleweight championships.  The bout will headline a ShoBox card on Showtime.

Nelson (17-0-3, two KO's) comes off a second-round stoppage of Latashia Burton on November 4th in Ashburn at the Silver Eagle Group Arena.  Burton injured her leg and could not continue.  Nelson, a two-time Beltway Boxer Of The Year, has won 10 world titles in four weight divisions.

Shields (4-0, two KO's) won her world titles in her last outing, a fifth-round TKO over previously undefeated Nikki Adler on August 4th in Detroit, MI.  Shields made her pro debut against another Beltway Boxer -- Franchon Crews Dezurn -- in November of 2016 in Las Vegas, NV.  Shields won a four-round unanimous decision.

Then on Saturday, January 20th, former three-time world champion Lamont Peterson of Washington, DC returns to action in a 12-round contest as he battles undefeated Errol "The Truth" Spence, Jr. of DeSoto, TX for Spence's IBF Welterweight title.  The bout will originate from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY and will also be televised on Showtime.  

Peterson (35-3-1, 17 KO's) last fought on February 18th and won a 12-round unanimous decision over David Avaneysan in Cincinnati, OH.  Peterson won the regular WBA Welterweight title but gave up the belt late in 2017.  Peterson is 6-1 in world title bouts.

Spence (22-0, 19 KO's) will be making the first defense of the title he won on May 27th in Sheffield, England.  Spence turned in a dominant performance knocking out hometown hero Kell Brook in the 11th round.  Spence, who represented the US in the 2012 Olympics, is 2-0 against current or former world champions, knocking out both Brook and Chris Algeri.

By the way, there will be a bus trip sponsored by the Potomac Valley Association of USA Boxing to this card.  All bus tickets are $60 with proceeds going to benefit the PVA Junior Olympic Program.  For more information on fight tickets, contact Ricky Womack at 202-528-7694.

Then on Saturday, February 8th, Lynchburg, VA's Scott "Cujo" Sigmon will be the final home opponent for future hall of famer and nine-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. at the Pensacola Civic Center in Pensacola, FL.

Sigmon (30-11-1, 16 KO's) comes off a 10th round unanimous decision victory over Javier Frazier on August 27th in Lynchburg.  All of Sigmon's defeats have come against quality opponents.  Sigmon has faced former world champion Kelly Pavlik and newly-crowned titleholder Caleb Truax along with the likes of J'Leon Love, Matt Korobov and Luis Arias.

Jones (65-9, 47 KO's) will be 49 years old by the time this bout takes place.  He is coming off an eighth-round TKO victory over Bobby Gunn in Wilmington, DE.  Jones is currently riding a three-bout winning streak since his last loss, a crushing knockout to former world champ Enzo Maccarinelli in December of 2015 in Moscow, Russia.  Jones has faced two other Beltway Boxers in his career, defeated Percy Harris by fourth-round TKO in December of 1992 in Atlantic City, NJ and stopping Willie Williams in March of 2015 in Concord, NC.  No official word on what weight class this bout will be fought and no word on any television coverage.

By the way, Jones won his first world title in Washington, DC defeating fellow future hall of famer Bernard Hopkins by 12-round unanimous decision at RFK Stadium on May 22, 1993.  Hopkins would win his first title on April 29, 1995 at the USAir Arena in Largo, MD knocking out Segundo Mercado in the seventh round.