Beltway Brings Back Eight National Silver Glove Titles!

I am receiving word that eight Beltway amateurs won national titles at the Silver Gloves Championships in Independence, MO. Congratulations to the following champions:

Zimmie Dickinson 10/11 year old 65lbs. (Sugar Ray Leonard)
Gervonta "Tank" Davis 10/11 year old 80lbs. (Upton Boxing)
Vernon Spriggs 10/11 year old 95lbs. (Benning Park)
Robert "KC" Clark 12/13 year old 139lbs. (Old School)
Darryl Little 14/15 year old 80lbs. (Headbangers)
Marcus Gaddis 14/15 year old 119lbs. (Sugar Ray Leonard)
Antonio Magruder 14/15 year old 112lbs. (Headbangers)
Greg Outlaw 14/15 75lbs. (Sugar Ray Leonard)


Dickinson was also named the Outstanding Boxer for the 10/11 year old division.

My thanks to KD for the results and for the videos.

Here are a number of videos from the championship day at the Silver Gloves:

Scattered Results from Silver Gloves!

I'm getting some results from the National Silver Gloves in Independence, MO. According to reporter Bobby Breen, both Alantez Fox and Dusty Harrison lost their opening bouts in the tournament.

UPDATE: Zimmie Dickinson defeated Daniel Guzman in his bout at the 10/11 65 pound division. The footage is shown here:



It has been VERY difficult getting information from this tournament. I may not get a full report until after the tournament is over.

Aiken Stopped in the Seventh Round!

Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken was stopped in the seventh round by Monty Meza-Clay in front of a nationally televised ESPN2 audience in Monroeville, PA. Aiken showed a lot of heart in the bout but Meza-Clay was very effective inside, stopping the former IBF champion at 39 seconds of the seventh.

Aiken has now lost three of his last four bouts, all by knockout. The other bout against Cruz Carvajal was a draw. His record is now 16-7-1, 12 KO's. Meza-Clay is now 27-1, 18 KO's.

Aiken Weighs in 126 3/4 for Tonight's ESPN Bout!

Former IBF Featherweight champion Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken tipped the scales at 126 3/4 for his ESPN2 main event bout against Monty Meza-Clay at the Expo Mart in Monroeville, PA (near Pittsburgh). Meza-Clay weighed in at 129 pounds.

Tonight's telecast begins at 9 PM ET.

Bizarre Night in the Ballroom!

Here are the results from last night's Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD -- one of the more bizarre nights in recent Beltway Boxing history.

Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin of Baltimore and Dallas, TX's Jesse Orta fought to a six-round majority draw. Judge Malik Waleed scored the bout 58-56 for Arvin but judges John Gradowski and Don Risher saw the draw at 57-57. A Maryland State Athletic Commission official said that the round-by-round scorecards of both Gradowski and Risher were exactly the same, meaning both judges saw the contest the exact same way.

This is the second straight draw for Arvin since he returned to action after a 15-month hiatus. Arvin's record is now 14-1-4, six KO's. Orta is now 7-11-2, four KO's.

The co-feature saw "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall of Pasadena, MD remain undefeated with a second-round TKO over Wilson, NC's Gary Lavender. However, the Lavender camp may file a protest. Early in the second round, Lavender fell through the ropes and hit his head on the edge of the timekeeper's table before landing on the floor. Lavender seemed to claim that Paschall gave him a push. Still holding his head, Lavender eventually got back in the ring and tried to go on. But Paschall punished Lavender, knocking him down twice in the round and the bout was stopped at 2:25 of the second.

Paschall is now 15-0-1, three KO's while Lavender loses for the second straight time in the Ballroom (back in November, Lavender was stopped in the fourth by Carlos Jones) and his record is now 5-12, five KO's.

But the most surreal moment of the night took place in the third bout of the night. Heavyweights Askia Schneider of Baltimore and "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA were slated to meet in a four-round contest. However, when Felton entered the ring, he began to move toward Schneider and began to taunt him. One of Schneider's cornerman tried to move Felton away with a little push. Felton pushed back, Schneider jumped in and a full-scale two-man brawl ensued with both men ending up on the mat. The bout never happened and was ruled no contest. Maryland State Athletic Commission members said there will be a full scale investigation and a hearing that will probably lead to fines and/or suspensions.

In other bouts on the card, "The Capitol Punisher" Spencer Harsley lost a four-round unanimous decision to debuting welterweight Stephen Bass of Hilton Head, SC. Harsley is now 1-5-2. Also, Islip, NY heavyweight Darrel "King David" Madison won a six-round unanimous decision over Philadelphia, PA's Michael Rhoades, who came in weighing 337 1/4 pounds compared to 247 1/2 for Madison, who raised his record to 9-1, three KO's. Rhoades is 3-3-3, one KO.

In the key amateur bout of the evening, Glen Burnie, MD's Nick Kisner won his very first open competition bout, taking a decision from Alex Guerrero of Salisbury, MD. Guerrero is the brother of Beltway rookie Fernando Guerrero.

Here is the COMPLETE BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up show, which not only recaps the card but also has some breaking news concerning the upcoming Beltway Boxing schedule.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #97 - Bizarre Night in the Ballroom!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap the Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD -- one of the most surreal nights in Beltway Boxing History and give breaking news on the upcoming Beltway Boxing Schedule.




And yes, starting with this post, Anonymous comments can now be left on the blog.

Scale Watch for Glen Burnie!

Here are the weights for tomorrow night's Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD:

Mike Paschall 174 1/4 vs. Gary Lavender 175 1/2

Ishmail Arvin 154 1/4 vs. Jesse Orta 154

Darrell Madison 247 vs. Michael Rhoades (will weigh-in tomorrow)

Jonathan Felton 230 1/2 vs. Askia Snyder 220 3/4

Spencer Harsley 151 1/2 vs. Stephon Bass 148

Ariel Espinal is also slated to be on the card.

There will be at least three amateur bouts on the card including a scheduled matchup for the 201+ pound South Atlantic Championship between Nick Kisner and Alex Guerrero.

Gary Lavender (4-10, four KO's) is the third opponent slated to face Paschall. Lavender was in the Ballroom on November 29 and was stopped by Carlos Jones in the fourth round.

"The Capitol Punisher" Spencer Harsley (1-4-2)has not fought since his four-round draw at Rosecroft Raceway with Kendrick Walker.


Be sure to listen to the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up tomorrow night (or early Friday morning). I'll have some news on some upcoming Virginia cards and I will make a formal declaration on the "Anonymous" posting. I decided not to wait until the end of February.

This Just In: Lockett Out of New York Bout!

I've just received word that Willis "The Prophet" Lockett has pulled out of tomorrow night's bout against Elvir Muriqi in New York. Lockett apparently hurt his hand in training. Details as they become available.

Lockett-Muriqi Bout Available Free on GoFightLive.TV!

There will be a free boxing card available on the internet on Thursday, January 31 over www.gofightlive.tv. The card is free, but you have to register for the site (registration is also free).

The card will originate from the Paradise Theater in the Bronx, NY and one of the bouts on the card will feature Beltway Boxer Willis "The Prophet" Lockett of Takoma Park, MD as he squares off against "The Kosovo Kid" Elvir Muriqi in a scheduled 10-round contest that will be the co-main event.

Those of you who, like me, will be at Michael's Eighth Avenue on Thursday night, will not have to worry because the card is archived on that site.

Boxing Returns to Winchester on February 23!

There will be a Left Hook Boxing Promotions card coming back to the Winchester Sportsplex in Winchester, VA on Saturday, February 23.

Front Royal, VA lightweight Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer (9-1, six KO's) is slated to headline the show, taking on tough Edward "Nuckie" Anderson (4-10, three KO's) of Richmond, VA in a six-round contest. Farmer had a perfect 2007 (5-0) with his last victory being a tough six-round split decision over Curtis Smith on November 17 in Springfield, VA. Anderson has lost three straight (to Beltway Boxers Jamie Palma, Todd Wilson and Bayan Jargal), all by unanimous decision.

Another matchup for this card includes the return of Dumfries, VA cruiserweight "Cold Blood" Patrick Budd as he faces Ozgur Yardimci of Salisbury, MD in a four-round contest. Budd (1-0) has not fought since making his pro debut on April 28 in Fisherville, VA. Budd has, however, been a noticable presence working in the corners of young pros. Yardimci (0-2) lost by fourth-round TKO to Joe Haggler on December 15 in Dulles, VA.

And in what should be an exciting matchup, "The Berlin Bomber" Josh Snyder of Salisbury will battle Richmond, VA's Charles "Murdock" Norwood in a six-round junior middleweight contest. Snyder (5-3, two KO's) will try to bounce back from a tough eight-round majority decision loss to Jessie Nicklow on January 18 in Pikesville, MD. Norwood (3-2, one KO) lost a four-round unanimous decision to John Mackey on November 17 in Springfield in his last outing.

Also slated to be a part of this card are Todd "White Lightning" Wilson, George "War Time" Rivera, Tommy "Sparkplug" Neal, Travis "O.T.T" Mallin and Tommy Smith.


There is also a card scheduled for the Lincoln Theatre in DC on February 23. All I know so far is that undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Thomas "KO" Snow will headline.

Results From Belfast-Beltway Boxing Classic!

Here are the results from the first annual Belfast-Beltway Boxing Classic held last night in front of a sellout crowd at the Westin Washington, DC City Center Hotel:

Brady Sensibaugh defeated Thomas James Waite -- 64 pound weight class -- by decision

Derek Potter over Mykal Fox - 85 pound -- by decision.

Dusty Harrison stopped Ross Irvine - 95 pound
(Fight stopped by trainer)

Alex Rosa over John Paul Taggart - 130 pound -- by decision

Trayon Bynum stopped Christopher McKenna - 130 PWC

Chris Warden over Neil Murphy - 145 pound

Mason Jordan over Matthew Orr - 151 pound

Nate Davis over David James McAllister 168 PWC

Marc Johns over Aaron Kelly - 176 PWC

Barry Trotter over Marc Fleming - 178 PWC

Robert Clark over Damien McLaughlin - 185 PWC

Due to a prior commitment, I was unable to attend this event personally, so I am thankful for two very nice photo galleries of this event. You can't go wrong with either of these.

CD Brown of DC Urban Sports has this gallery:

"http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/4235692#247804494"


While Linda "Great Shot" Siadys shows her view of the event here:

"http://photodawg1.smugmug.com/gallery/4220628#247136370"

Barnette, Guerrero Win in Mississippi!

DC's Ty Barnette remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision win over veteran John "The Eastern Beast" Brown last night at the Fitzgerald Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS.

According to Memphisboxing.com, Barnette would spend his welterweight bout being constantly frustrated by his charging, but one-foot shorter opponent. The fight would go the distance in part due to Brown’s charging style that allowed him to shrink himself even further to get past Barnette’s defenses, but once he got in, he relied on wild overhand rights that only landed glanced his opponent’s head.

Barnette seemed unwilling or unable to use a jab to keep Brown away from him, despite the height and skill advantage. Barnette dropped Brown once in the fourth round, but Brown was able to get up and go the distance before losing a 59-54 unanimous decision.

Barnette's record rises to 13-0-1, nine KO's while Brown's record falls to 23-16-2, 11 KO's.

Also on the card, Beltway rookie Fernando Guerrero of Salisbury, MD made it two straight as he scored a first-round knockout over previously undefeated Anthony Reese. Guerrero landed a right to Reese’s jaw that sent him across the ring, into the ropes and out at 1:03 of the opening round. Guerrero is now 2-0, two KO's.

Barnette Opponent Changed in Mississippi!

The opponent for undefeated DC lightweight Ty Barnette has changed. Barnette (12-0-1, nine KO's) will now face rugged veteran "The Eastern Beast" John Brown of Atlantic City, NJ tonight at the Fitzgerald Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS.

Brown (23-15-2, 11 KO's) has challenged for world titles four times in his career against Diego Corrales, Shane Mosley and twice against Steve Forbes. However, Brown is truly on the downside of his career, going winless (0-7-2) in his last nine bouts, including an eighth-round TKO loss to Lamont Peterson in DC last May. Barnette will be the fourth straight undefeated fighter Brown has faced, joining the likes of Peterson, Herman Ngoudjo (who recently challenged Paul Malignaggi for the IBF Welterweight title) and Vernon Paris.

Here is the Scale Watch for this card for the Beltway Boxers involved:

Ty Barnette 142 1/2 vs. John Brown 145

Fernando Guerrero 163 vs. Anthony Reese 153

City Paper Profiles Cutman Chris Ray!

In his Cheap Seats column in the Washington City Paper, reporter Dave McKenna has a nice profile on ace Beltway cutman Chris Ray.

If you've been around the area long enough, chances are you know Ray. He was an integral part of the career of three-time world champion Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson and still continues working with local and national boxers.

The column can be found here:

"http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/columns/cheapseats/"

Belfast and the Beltway Come Together!

(Photo by Linda "Great Shot" Siadys)

The Beltway Boxers who will be participating in the Belfast-Beltway Boxing Classic amateur boxing event had an opportunity to meet their Belfast, Ireland counterparts yesterday at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center. Tomorrow, the two teams will send representatives into the ring against one another at the Westin Washington, DC City Center Hotel where they will do battle in front of a sell-out audience.

Paschall Has New Opponent in the Ballroom!

Undefeated Baltimore light heavyweight Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall has a new opponent scheduled for the Ballroom Boxing card on Thursday, January 31 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Instead of Andre Hemphill, Paschall will now face Philadelphia, PA veteran Tyrone "Sugarfeet" Glover in an eight-round contest. Glover (11-9-3, two KO's) has been inactive since September of 2006 and is trying to break a four-bout losing streak. This will be the fourth straight boxer who was undefeated at the time Glover faced him. His last three losses (all by unanimous decision) have come to Beltway Boxers Corey Cummings and Henry Buchanan and Max Alexander from the third season of "The Contender."

Paschall comes into the bout with a record of 14-0-1, two KO's.

The co-feature bout remains the same: Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin (14-1-3, six KO's) will take on Jesse Orta (7-11-1, four KO's) in another eight-round bout.

Barnette, Guerrero Return to Mississippi January 26!

Two Beltway Boxers make return visits to Tunica, MS on Saturday, January 26 as part of the new season of "Fights At The Fitz" at the Fitzgerald Hotel and Casino.

Undefeated DC junior welterweight Ty Barnette will be involved in the co-feature bout of the evening, taking on veteran Billy "Superman" Gates of Mobile, AL in an eight-round contest. This will be Barnette's third straight appearance at The Fitz. In his last outing, Barnette (12-0-1, nine KO's) scored a first-round knockout over Anthony Cobb on December 8. Gates (9-8, eight KO's) has lost three in a row, including a 10-round unanimous decision to Favio Medina on August 9 in Worley, Idaho.

Also on the card, rookie middleweight Fernando Guerrero of Salisbury, MD will take on Anthony Reese of Mississippi. Both men are 1-0 with one KO's.

Matchups Announced for Belfast-Beltway Boxing Classic!

We have the majority of the matchups for the Saturday, January 26 Belfast-Beltway Boxing Classic Amateur event at the Westin Washington, DC City Center Hotel, 1400 M Street, NW in DC.

The Beltway Boxing team are made up of members of the "Sugar Ray Leonard Sharp Shooters" and representatives from Supreme Defence Gym.

Here are the matchups:

Shaborn Ryles (Supreme Defence) vs. Thomas James Waite (B) – 64 lbs

Mykal Fox (SugarRay Leonard) vs. Derek Potter (B) – 85 lbs.

Dusty Harrison (SRL) vs. Ross Irvine (B) – 95 lbs

Treyon Bynum (SD) vs. John Paul Taggart (B) – 130 lbs

Mark Johns (SRL) vs. Christopher McKenna (B) – 130 lbs

Emmanuel Johnson (SRL) vs. Neil Murphy (B) – 145 lbs

Chris Warden (SRL) vs. Matthew Orr (B) – 151 lbs

Reyes Marquez (SD) vs. David James McAllister (B) – 168 lbs

Barry Trotter (SRL) vs. Aaron Kelly (B) – 176 lbs

Dustin Narcisse (SD) vs. Marc Fleming (B) – 178 lbs

TBA vs. Damien McLaughlin (B) – 185 lbs


Tickets are still available for this event and can be purchased by calling 703 862-4337.

New Poll: Should 'Anonymous' Live on BATB?

As you've probably noticed, comments on BATB have been down since I stopped anonymous comments on the site. In Pikesville last Friday, I had a number of people tell me that I should allow anonymous comments on the site because it brings flavor to the site.

So I decided to leave it up to you: The new poll is up and simply asks "Should 'Anonymous' comments be allowed on Boxing Along The Beltway?

The poll will be available until Saturday, February 29.

Mitchell Draws Praise From Heavy Hitters!

Throughout the week, I've been saying that the debut of Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell was one of the most anticipated pro debuts along the Beltway in some time.

Apparently, there were some outside the Beltway who were looking forward to Mitchell's debut as well. One of those, long-time manager and legal counsel, Shelly Finkel was in attendance Friday night at the Pikesville Armory to watch Mitchell win a four-round unanimous decision over Mike Miller.

Finkel made no comment after the card, but did have a lengthy meeting with Mitchell prior to the bout. There is talk that Mitchell is very close to signing a promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions.

While Mitchell was an amateur, another well-known boxing name -- hall of fame trainer Lou Duva -- saw the young heavyweight in action at Du Burns Arena last October and came away very impressed.

“This kid is already the complete package. When I found out that Seth has only been fighting competitively for eight months, I nearly hit the floor. No one develops that quickly unless he has God given talents. He’s extremely committed and extremely coachable," Duva said in a press release.

The 2008 Beltway rookie class is off to a good start with Mitchell, Ekim Orji, Stennis Floyd, Lenwood Dozier and Fernando Guerrero all making strong pro debuts.

Corley Loses 12-Round Decision in New York!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champ DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley lost a 12-round decision to undefeated Devon Alexander in New York tonight.

Corley lost by score of 118-109 (twice) and 116-111. Corley's record is now 31-8-1, 17 KO's while Alexander rises to 14-0, eight KO's.

UPDATE: Corley told ESPN.com and other reporters that he now plans to retire.

Nwodo Scores Second-Round KO in New York!

Baltimore cruiserweight Emmanuel "Chukwu" Nwodo scored a vicious second-round knockout over Ezra Sellers in the opening bout on the Jones-Trinidad undercard at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

In the last minute of the second, Nwodo hit Sellers with a solid right hand that dropped him to the canvas. As Sellers was on his knees, Nwodo's momentum caused him to hit Sellers in the back of the head.

With 10 seconds remaining in the round, Nwodo landed a blistering right hand that dropped Sellers for the second time to the canvas, this time to stay.

Nwodo's record rises to 22-4, 18 KO's. Sellers falls to 29-8, 26 KO's. All eight of Sellers's losses have come by knockout.

Nwodo-Sellers May Be Seen on Internet!

I am still double-checking this, but it looks like the bout between Emmanuel Nwodo and Ezra Sellers will be able to be seen on the internet via ESPN360.com. According to what I've been reading, ESPN360 is carrying tonight's bouts from Madison Square Garden live starting at 7 PM ET.

UPDATE: I can confirm that Nwodo-Sellers and the rest of the undercard from the Garden will be shown live on ESPN360.

Results from Pikesville!

Here are the results from last night's pro action from the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD:

Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow of Baltimore, MD remains undefeated with an eight-round majority decision over "The Berlin Bomber" Josh Snyder of Salisbury, MD. Nicklow is now 15-0-1, five KO's while Snyder is 5-3, two KO's. Judge Kenny Chevalier scored the bout a draw, 76-76. Judge John Gradowski viewed the contest 77-74 and Judge Don Risher saw the bout 79-73. My unofficial scorecard: Nicklow, 78-73.

Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell made his pro debut a successful one with a four-round unanimous decision over Mike Miller of Akron, OH. Miller's record is 2-8-1, two KO's.

Heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant of Bowie, MD won a six-round split decision over Cornelius Ellis of Wilson, NC. Judges Gary Camponeshi and Malik Waleed scored the bout 58-55 for Grant, while Judge Risher saw the contest for Ellis, 58-55. Grant has now won 10 in a row and raised his record to 11-1, seven KO's. Ellis is now 10-15-1, six KO's. My scorecard: Grant, 58-55.

In a junior middleweight matchup, Lenwood Dozier of Glen Burnie, MD and Lawrence "Bad to the Bone" Jones of Reston, VA fought to a four-round majority draw. Dozier, who was making his pro debut, got the win on the Waleed card, 39-37 while judges Camponeshi and Risher saw the draw, 38-38. Jones's record is now 2-1-1, one KO. My scorecard: Dozier, 40-36.

Here is the complete BATB Post-Fight Wrap-up which details a lot more of the scoring situation:

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #96 - BATB Post-Fight Wrap from Pikesville, MD!

In the first Post-Fight Wrap-Up of 2008, "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I review a strange night from the Pikesville National Guard Armory!

Weights from New York!

Here are the weights for the Beltway Boxers participating on the Roy Jones-Felix Trinidad card tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden in New York City:

DeMarcus Corley 138 1/4 vs. Devon Alexander 138

Emmanuel Nwodo 206 3/4 vs. Ezra Sellers 206 1/4

Nwodo-Sellers will be on the off-TV card. Corley-Alexander will be the opening bout on the pay-per-view telecast.

Weights from Pikesville!

Here are the weights for tonight's Baltimore Pro Boxing card at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD:

Jessie Nicklow 157 3/4 vs. Josh Snyder 157 1/2

Horace Grant 251 3/4 vs. Cornelius Ellis 228 1/2

Seth Mitchell 242 vs. Mike Miller 249 1/2

Lenwood Dozier 152 3/4 vs. Lawrence Jones 155 1/4

There are five amateur bouts slated for this card.

Pikesville Weigh-in Postponed!

Due to the inclement weather in the Beltway area, tonight's scheduled weigh-in for tomorrow night's card in Pikesville has been postponed until tomorrow morning around 9 AM.

The card is still on for tomorrow night at the Pikesville National Guard Armory.

Corley Takes All or Nothing Approach to Saturday Night!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champ DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley of DC is looking at his bout against undefeated prospect Devon Alexander this Saturday night in New York City as a "Do or Die" contest.

"It's do or die for me right now," says Corley (31-7-1, 17 KOs), who is hoping to end a three fight losing streak against Alexander (13-0, 8 KOs) on the Jones vs Trinidad "Bring on the Titans" boxing event at Madison Square Garden and on HBO Pay-Per-View.

"I'm fighting on one leg. I'm like a dog with a broken leg. If I lose this one I'm out. I can't call Don King and ask for another match if I lose another fight."

Corley, however, thinks he can remove the 'O' from Alexander's ledger. "If I knock this kid Devon Alexander out it would help me," continued Corley. "Just getting past him is not enough. I need to knock him out. He and his team have shown me a lot of respect. I appreciate that. After the stare down at the press conference, I told him to bring his "A" game. He asked for me. You gotta be careful what you ask for because you might get it."

Another Opinion on Beltway Prospects!

It is nice to know that other boxing reporters around the country are taking a look at our Beltway Boxing prospects. Tom Luffman, a former Fightnews.com colleague who now writes for my good buddy "Bad" Brad Berkwitt at Ringsidereport.com, did a thumbnail sketch of a number of boxers in Maryland, Virginia and Philadelphia. Here's what Luffman (who did a BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up with me in Ocean City last August) said about some of the Maryland prospects:


Darnell “Ding-a-ling Man” Wilson who hails from Takoma Park, which is about 17 miles away from Sugar Ray Leonard’s crib, is 22-5, 19 KO’s. It’s not often you’ll see a guy with five losses hailed as a prospect, but Wilson’s rise is as sure as it has been precarious. Entering his August 18th, 2005, match with fellow cruiserweight prospect Vadim Tokarev, the Ding-A-Ling Man had a decent record of 18-1-3, 15 KO’s. Tokarev totally dominated the match and won every round on two cards. This trouncing would begin a four-fight skid that saw Wilson lose decisions to Owen Beck, Felix Cora, JR., and Andre Purlette. However, since then Wilson has knocked out four in a row starting with Daniel “Zab’s brother” Judah, contender Dale Brown, former IBF Cruiserweight Champ, Kelvin Davis and Emmanuel Nwodo. The last performance was on ESPN 2’s “Fight Night Fights.” Wilson was losing on the cards when he knocked Nwodo down in the tenth. He followed that with a brilliantly brutal left hook knockout in the next round that Teddy Atlas called the most devastating he had ever seen on the program. Next up for Wilson is BJ Flores on the February 8th. Flores is 20-0, 13 KO’s, but largely untested.

Featherweight Thomas Snow 10-0, 8 KO’s, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, is a rare hard punching 125 pounder who can box and close the show. He’s a work in progress, but locals have compared him to Super Bantamweight kingpin Rafael Marquez.

Severn, Maryland, product light middleweight Jessie “Beast” Nicklow 14-0-1, 5 KO’s, is a slick boxer who avenged his draw to Matt Berkshire in the rematch last May with a 3rd TKO. He has fought four more times since against club level fighters and won them all. He’s only 20, but his fast hands and movement around the ring belay his perceived deficit in years aged.

Southpaw light heavyweight Mike “The Persecutor” Paschall 14-0, 2 KO’s from Baltimore, like Nicklow, has fast hands and is defensive minded. His current claim to fame is his victory over Mike “No Joke” Stewart’s little brother Richard.

Site News: 'Anonymous' No Longer Lives Here..For Now!

After much consideration on this matter, I have decided to try and get rid of the numerous "anonymous" postings that frequent this blog.

I know that many of you who comment are people that are in the business but feel there could be a backlash against you if you were to put your names behind these comments. I understand that and respect that. That is why I have fought against this for so long, because many of those comments still have been informative and constructive in their criticism.

However, there are too many people who give cowardly, insulting comments and don't have the guts to put their names behind what they say. They write too many insults about the fighters, promoters, commissioners, etc. and they feel they can get away with it because they're too cowardly to put a name behind it. Because of this, I want to see if taking off the anonymous label will help.

Those of you who want to give comments and stay with me on this journey, I thank you. Those of you who think that because the anonymous label has been taken away you can't stay with us, you weren't the true fans we were looking for anyway!

We'll try this for awhile and see how it works!

Nicklow-Snyder Headlines January 18 Card in Pikesville,MD!

The main event for this Friday's Baltimore Pro Boxing card at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD should be a good one as undefeated Severn, MD junior middleweight Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow takes on "The Berlin Bomber" Josh Snyder of Salisbury, MD in a six-round contest.

I've also been told that undefeated light heavyweight Alexander "The Great" Johnson of Oxon Hill, MD will not be on this card, due to what has been referred to as "personal reasons."

The card will also feature the long-awaited pro debut of Brandywine, MD Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell.

I hope to get the complete card later this week.

Tough Night for Locals in New Jersey!

It wasn't a good night for Beltway Boxers near Salem, NJ. Baltimore heavyweight Bernard "Bad Ass" Brown was disqualified in the first round of the main event against hometown Mark "Oak Tree" Brown.

Here's how my Fightnews colleagues Rick Scharmberg and Kurt Wolfheimer described the action:

Late in the opening round, Bernard Brown 249, lunged at Oak Tree with a wild right hand, which forced the second rugged clinch of the fight. Both fighters wrestled and punched in the clinch before referee Allen Huggins was finally able to force himself in between them. Before he could wave the bout on again, Bernard Brown attacked an unprepared Mark " Oak Tree" Brown with a right hook up top that just missed and forced a wild MMA style-wrestling melee. Referee Allen Huggins immediately disqualified Bernard Brown who continued to fight while he tried to break them. Mark "Oak Tree" Brown a former state wrestling champion finally slammed him to the canvas and began to ground and pound, MMA style as both fighters swung away until their corners were able to separate them after the fight was over. After a few tense moments as the crowd chanted, "Let them fight!!" it was announced that Bernard "Bad Ass" Brown was disqualified for his tactics and Mark "Oak Tree" Brown was declared the winner late in round one. No time of the stoppage was available after the fight.

Brown is now 5-3-2, three KO's. Mark Brown is now 11-1, four KO's.

In another bout on the card, Salem, NJ rookie super middleweight "Dazzling" Desmond Bolden stopped DC's Jessie Horton after two rounds when Horton retired in his corner. According to Fightnews, Horton opened the bout with a couple wild flurries, but Bolden weathered the early shots and set down with a nice upper cut and a couple of straight rights to capture the opening stanza. Round two became a brawl as both fighters swung away, but Bolden won most of the exchanges with straighter combinations. Late in the second round a right hook appeared to buckle the knees of Horton and forced a clinch. Horton tried to fight back, but the continual exchanges zapped the energy from most of his punches late in round two. In his corner between rounds, Horton told referee Brian O'Melia, he was too tired to continue and the bout was waved off between rounds.

Horton is now 0-3 on his career. Bolden won his pro debut.

Brown Tries to Knock Down an 'Oak Tree' Tonight in New Jersey!

Baltimore, MD heavyweight Bernard "Bad Ass" Brown will try to bounce back from last month's loss to Dana Dunston tonight in Carneys Point, NJ when he faces off against Mark "Oak Tree" Brown of Salem, NJ in a scheduled eight-round contest.

Brown (5-2-2, three KO's) lost a four-round split decision to Dunston on December 15 in Dulles, VA. Mark Brown (10-1, four KO's) will come into the bout riding a three-bout winning streak. Neither boxer has gone the eight-round distance.

Also on this card is DC super middleweight Jessie Horton (0-2) who will be looking for his first win as he faces the debuting "Dazzling" Desmond Bolden of Salem, NJ in a four-round contest.

And there will be an interesting battle between two non-Beltway Boxers who have made appearances in the Beltway area. Wilmington, DE light heavyweight Reuel Williams will take on Philadelphia's Zefferino Albino in a six-round battle. Williams (5-1, two KO's) holds stoppage victories over Beltway Boxers Nick Caroleo and Henry Mayes. Albino (3-3, one KO) lost to Alexander Johnson by four-round decision last November at Rosecroft Raceway.

Joppy Has IBF Title Shot in February!

(Photo courtesy of La Cage aux Sports)

This is now a done deal. Former WBA Middleweight champion William Joppy (left) will challenge IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute in a title bout on Friday, February 29 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

Joppy (39-4-1, 30 KO's) is officially a three-time world champion (but Joppy only acknowledges the two title wins against Shinji Takehara and Julio Cesar Green and not his interim title win over Howard Eastman). But Joppy, who is ranked 15th at light heavyweight but has fought more as a super middleweight recently, has a daunting task against the undefeated Bute (21-0, 17 KO's), a native of Romania who is a very popular figure in his adopted hometown of Montreal.

There is also talk that this bout may be shown live on ESPN2. This is a Friday night bout and Bute is well-liked by "The Worldwide Leader." Currently, February 29 is an open date on the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights calendar.

'The Persecutor' Faces 'Da Heat' in the Ballroom January 31!

Looks like an interesting card shaping up at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD on Thursday, January 31.

The Ballroom Boxing main event is slated to be an eight-round all-Beltway matchup as undefeated Baltimore super middleweight "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall takes on Woodbridge, VA's Andre "Da Heat" Hemphill.

Paschall (14-0-1, two KO's) will headline a Ballroom Boxing card for the second consecutive time after winning a six-round unanimous decision over Randy Pogue on November 29. Hemphill (6-6-2, three KO's) has faced a number of rising east coast prospects and has proved to be a dangerous foe. Hemphill hasn't fought since August 24, 2007 when he fought to a controversial four-round draw against Simon Carr in Philadelphia.

This will be Paschall's third time in a scheduled eight-round contest; he went the distance in both previous bouts, with his bout against Dhafir Smith in October 2006 ending in a draw. This will be Hemphill's second scheduled eight-rounder, however he only lasted one round in that first bout in December 2006 against Chucky Cavallo.

The co-feature could be a good one as Baltimore middleweight Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin will battle Jesse Orta of Dallas, TX in another scheduled eight-rounder. Arvin (14-1-3, six KO's) returned to the ring for the first time in more than a year when he fought Jose Angel Rodriguez on to a six-round majority draw on December 8 in Las Vegas. Orta (7-11-1, four KO's) has lost three straight and five of his last six. In his last outing, Orta lost a six-round unanimous decision to undefeated Peter Quillin on September 5 in New York City. Orta has never been stopped in a contest and only one of his losses didn't go the distance (a disqualification loss in 2005).

Also slated to be on this card will be undefeated Arlington, VA welterweight Bayan Jargal who will take on the returning Eric Washington of DC in a six-round contest. Jargal (5-0-1, three KO's) is coming off a second-round knockout over Nathan Francis on December 15 in Dulles, VA. Washington (2-1) has not fought since winning a four-round unanimous decision over John Rudolph in November 2005 in Millersville, MD.

Stafford, VA heavyweight "The People's Champion" Jonathon Felton is also scheduled to be on this card. Felton (5-9, five KO's) will take on undefeated Askia Snyder (2-0) in a four-round contest.

There is scheduled to be at least one more pro bout and three amateur contests on this card.

Jason Turner Appointed Chair of DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission!

(Photo by Linda "Great Shot" Siadys)


There's a new head of the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission. His name is Jason E. Turner (above), a 38-year-old native of DC. Turner was appointed by DC Mayor Adrian Fenty to succeed Dr. Arnold W. McKnight who passed away on July 31 after serving as Commission chair for 12 years.

Turner has a business and sales background that, he says, will help relaunch the brand for boxing, wrestling and mixed martial arts for the Nation's Capitol.

"I'm very excited about working in this capacity," Turner said. "My management skills and my ability to work with collective groups of people will help in this position."

Turner called 2008 a "rebuilding and recycling year" for boxing in the District as the Commission looks to work with local promoters as well as the business and private sector to regulate events for the city.

In related Commission news, Steven A. Bullock recently announced his resignation from the Commission. Bullock was a commissioner for two years, beginning in 2005. In a letter read at the most recent commission meeting, Bullock wrote that his term ended this month and he would not seek reappointment.


PERSONAL NOTE: I plan to do an audio interview with Chairman Turner in the next couple of weeks, and I'm sure he would like to hear questions from Beltway Boxing fans. If you have any questions for Mr. Turner, please send them in to beltwayboxing@hotmail.com.

Please leave any jokes or funny questions out of this discussion. I think we all would like to hear what Mr. Turner's game plan would be. So please send thoughtful, intelligent questions to the mailbox and I'll read some of them to Mr. Turner during the interview.

Footage from Silver Gloves Regionals!

Thanks to the folks at the Sugar Ray Leonard Gym for allowing me to post their playlist of the championship bouts from the Silver Gloves East Regional competition.

Here is the info on the bouts on this playlist in the order they are listed.

Devonte Jefferson (DC/MD) vs. Talon Caravahlo (Florida) 10/11 60 Pound final. Jefferson in the red corner.

Zimmie Dickinson (DC/MD) vs. Joe Vega (Florida) 10/11 65 Pound final. Dickinson in the blue corner.

Marcus Wright (DC/MD) vs. Ivanson Maurice (Florida) 10/11 70 Pound final. Wright in the blue corner.

Mack Allison (DC/MD) vs. Carlos Bernal (Georgia) 10/11 75 Pound final. Allison in the red corner.

Gary Antunne Russell (DC/MD) vs. Qudri Sconion (Georgia) 10/11 80 Pound final. Russell in the blue corner.

Tarryl Robinson (DC/MD) vs. Terrence Green (Georgia) 12/13 70 Pound final. Robinson in the red corner.

Patrick Harris (DC/MD) vs. Andres Chavez (North Carolina) 12/13 85 Pound final. Harris in the blue corner.

Romello Webster (DC/MD) vs. Ezequiel Martinez (Florida) 12/13 95 Pound final. Webster in the red corner.

Dusty Harrison (DC/MD) vs. Erickson Lubin (Florida) 12/13 100 Pound final. Harrison in the red corner.

Gary Antonio Russell (DC/MD) vs. Roman Pulley (Georgia) 14/15 100 Pound final. Russell in the red corner.

Marcus Gaddis (DC/MD) vs. Kashif El-Amin (North Carolina) 14/15 119 Pound final. Gaddis in the red corner.

Alantez Fox (DC/MD) vs. Jonathan Ayala (Florida) 14/15 139 Pound final. Fox is in the red corner.

The following bouts have been added to the playlist:

Parris Chisolm (DC/MD) vs. Justin DeLoach (Georgia) 12/13 119 Pound final. Chisolm is in the blue corner.

Demond Nicholson (DC/MD) vs. Daquan Arnett (Florida) 14/15 165 Pound final. Nicholson is in the red corner (decision was not taped, Arnett was the winner)

Antoine Douglas (DC/MD) vs. Carl Perry (North Carolina) 14/15 125 Pound final. Douglas is in the red corner.

Antonio Magruder (DC/MD) vs. Dennis Galarza (Florida) 14/15 112 Pound final. Magruder is in the red corner.

DC/MD Team Wins Championship at Silver Gloves Regionals!

Congratulations to the amateurs from the DC/MD area who won championships at the East Coast Regional Silver Gloves Championships this past weekend in Augusta, GA.

The DC/MD team won the Team Championship at the event and 23 Beltway Boxers have advanced to next month's National Silver Gloves Championships in Missouri:

JO-10/11, 60 Pound: Devonte Jefferson

JO-10/11, 65 Pound: Zimmie Dickinson

JO-10/11, 80 Pound: Gary Antunne Russell

JO-10/11, 95 Pound: Veron Spriggs

JO-10/11, 175 Pound: Shaka Williams

JO-12/13, 75 Pound: Lawrence Singh

JO-12/13, 80 Pound: Gernonta Davis

JO-12/13, 100 Pound: Dusty Harrison

JO-12/13, 106 Pound: Elijah Mack

JO-12/13, 112 Pound: Kareem Martin

JO-12/13, 125 Pound: DaQuan Johnson

JO-12/13, 139 Pound: Robert Clark

JO-12/13, 147 Pound: Milton Williams

JO-14/15, 75 Pound: Gregory Outlaw

JO-14/15, 80 Pound: Darryl Little

JO-14/15, 100 Pound: Gary Antonio Russell

JO-14/15, 112 Pound: Antonio Magruder

JO-14/15, 119 Pound: Marcus Gaddis

JO-14/15, 132 Pound: Ronald Gibbs

JO-14/15, 139 Pound: Alantez Fox

JO-14/15, 156 Pound: Chris Warden

JO Female - 14/15, 132 Pound: Asia Stevenson

Out of the 28 championship bouts, 23 of them featured Beltway Boxers. Footage from a number of these bouts and other amateur contests can be found by going to YouTube and putting "Sugar Ray Leonard Gym" in the search. I will also try to put some of the championship bouts on line as well.

'The Prophet' Heads to 'Utopia' Jan. 31!

Takoma Park, MD light heavyweight Willis "The Prophet" Lockett will face his toughest opponent to date when he battles "The Kosovo Kid" Elvir Muriqi in a scheduled 10-round bout on Thursday, January 31 at the Utopia Theatre in the Bronx, NY.

Lockett (10-5-4, four KO's) will be participating in his first 10-round contest and will try to bounce back from a six-round majority decision loss to Willie Williams on December 7 in Pikesville, MD.

But Lockett faces a tough task in the Yugoslavian-born, New York City based Muriqi (34-4, 21 KO's), who will also try to come back after a loss -- a 12-round majority decision defeat to former world champion Antonio Tarver on June 9 in Hartford, CT.

'T-Brick' Out of Hospital!

Good news out of Winchester and Front Royal, VA! I have word that undefeated Front Royal cruiserweight Terry "T-Brick" Roy is now out of the hospital and recovering at home from the stab wounds he suffered a little over a week ago.

Thanks to all who sent well wishes to Roy and his family.

Petersons Continue Winning Ways in Biloxi!

In front of a nationally televised ShoBox audience, the undefeated Peterson Brothers continued their marches toward world title shots at the Hard Rock Cafe and Casino in Biloxi, MS.

In the main event, Lamont Peterson won a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Antonio Mesquita. Peterson was never in real trouble during the bout and won the bout by scores of 98-93, 99-90 and 100-89. Peterson is now 24-0, 11 KO's. Mesquita falls to 34-1, 26 KO's.

In the co-feature, Anthony Peterson scored an eighth-round TKO over Jose Antonio Izquierdo. Peterson scored three knockdowns en route to the stoppage at 2:54 of the eighth. The knockout was Peterson's fourth in his last five fights and raises his record to 26-0, 19 KO's. Izquierdo has now lost two straight and his record drops to 16-2-1, 13 KO's.

Corley Faces Highly-Touted Prospect Alexander Jan.19 on Jones-Trinidad Undercard!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley of DC has signed to appear on the Roy Jones-Felix Trinidad Pay-Per-View telecast on Saturday, January 19 from Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Corley (31-7-1, 17 KO's) will open the telecast by facing undefeated and highly-touted prospect Devon Alexander of St. Louis, MO in a 10-round bout. The 33-year-old Corley will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak as he faces the 20-year-old Alexander "The Great" (13-0, eight KO's) who promoter Don King calls his hottest prospect to date.

“I insisted on putting Alexander The Great on the Jones-Trinidad pay-per-view because he is emerging and ready to become the top welterweight in the world,” King said in a press release. “Now is Devon’s time and I want everyone to see this young talent display his skills.”

Corley will be the second Beltway Boxer scheduled for this card. Baltimore cruiserweight Emmanuel "Chukwu" Nwodo will take on cruiserweight contender Ezra Sellers of Florida in a 10-round bout, that will not appear on the pay-per-view. I recently talked to Nwodo and he told me he will be heading down to train at Buddy McGirt's camp in Florida to prepare for this bout.

Beltway Action Begins in Pikesville, Glen Burnie!

Beltway Boxing begins quickly in 2008 with cards coming to Pikesville and Glen Burnie, MD in January.

On Friday, January 18, Baltimore Pro Boxing will have its first card of the year at the Pikesville National Guard Armory. The main event looks interesting as undefeated junior middleweight prospect Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow of Severn, MD faces off against "The Berlin Bomber" Josh Snyder of Salisbury, MD in a scheduled six-round contest.

Nicklow (14-0-1, five KO's) is coming off back-to-back unanimous decision victories over Anthony Little, the last one coming on December 7 in Pikesville. Snyder (5-2, two KO's) will be trying to continue a three-bout winning streak. In his last outing, Snyder won a four-round split decision over previously undefeated Jimmy Lubash on November 24 in Canonsburg, PA.

In the co-feature, Riverdale, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant will battle in another six-round contest against Wilson, NC veteran Cornelius Ellis. Grant (10-1, seven KO's) scored a first-round KO over Harvey Jolley in his last bout on November 29 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Grant has won nine in a row since suffering his only loss to Phill Brown in October of 2006. Ellis (10-14-1, six KO's) will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak. Ellis was stopped by Travis Walker in the sixth round on June 8 in Jacksonville, FL.

Also slated for this card is undefeated Oxon Hill, MD light heavyweight Alexander "The Great" Johnson who is scheduled to take on Portsmouth, VA's John "The Baptist" Terry in a four-round contest. Johnson (4-0, three KO's) went the four-round distance for the first time in his last contest, a unanimous decision over Zeferino Albino on the November 29 Glen Burnie card. Terry (2-7-2, one KO) is winless in his last eight bouts but managed draws in his two most recent bouts. This includes his last outing, a four-round draw against Henry Mayes on the December 7 Pikesville card.

This card will also feature the pro debuts of two talented amateurs. Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell steps onto the pro circuit with a four-round bout against Wilson, NC's Maurice Winslow. Mitchell was 9-1 as an amateur with nine stoppages. Winslow (1-3-1, one KO) is winless in his last three contests. He fought to a four-round majority draw against Ombey Mobley on November 17 in Wilson. This bout will mark the first time Winslow has fought outside of the Tar Heel state.

Also, Suitland, MD junior middleweight Lenwood Dozier will make his pro debut against DC's Lawrence Jones. During his amateur career, Dozier advanced to the quarterfinals of the Ringside World Championships in 2006. Jones (2-1, one KO) will be trying to bounce back after a four-round unanimous decision loss to George Rivera on August 25 at Lee High School in Springfield, VA.


On Thursday, January 31, Ballroom Boxing starts its 2008 season at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Details are sketchy about this card, but undefeated Baltimore light heavyweight "The Persecutor" Mike Paschall (14-0-1, two KO's) is slated to headline the show in an eight-round contest. Alexander Johnson is also slated to be on this card as well as the January 18 show. Johnson's bout on this card might be his first scheduled six-round encounter.

The card is also slated to mark the hometown return of Baltimore middleweight Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin who has not fought in the area since losing an eight-round majority decision to David Toribio on September 28, 2006 in Glen Burnie. Arvin recently made his return to boxing and fought to a six-round draw against Jose Angel Rodriguez on the Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton undercard on December 8 in Las Vegas.

More on these cards as info becomes available.

Peterson Brothers Go 'Through The Ropes' Tonight!

The Undefeated Peterson Brothers are scheduled to appear as guests on the national radio show "Through The Ropes" hosted by award-winning boxing writer Marc Lichtenfeld tonight at 9 PM ET. The show can be heard over the internet by visiting Sports Byline USA at

"http://www.sportsbyline.com"

Also slated to be on the show will be one of the newest members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame -- Larry Holmes.

UPDATE: The Peterson Brothers weighed in this evening for their bouts tomorrow. Ironically, they both weighed the same as their opponents -- Lamont weighed in at 143 while Anthony came in at 135 3/4.

'T-Brick' Roy Stabbed; in Stable Condition!

I can now confirm an earlier anonymous posting of this sad situation. Undefeated Front Royal, VA cruiserweight Terry "T-Brick" Roy was stabbed during an altercation in front of his home last week. Roy suffered nine stab wounds during the attack which sources tell me was the aftermath of an argument in the home.

Roy is reportedly listed in stable condition and is recovering at Winchester Medical Center. If you would like to send a card to Terry Roy, the address to the center is 1840 Amherst St, Winchester, VA 22601.

My prayers go out to Terry and his family for a speedy recovery.

DC Hosts 'Belfast-Beltway Boxing Classic' January 26!

The Nation's Capitol will play host to the first annual "Belfast-Beltway Boxing Classic" amateur boxing event on Saturday, January 26 at the Westin Washington, DC City Center Hotel, 1400 M Street, NW in DC.

Boxers from the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD will face off against boxers representing three boxing clubs in Northern Ireland in a charitable tournament that will raise money to benefit the participating gyms.

"This tournament will be a memorable experience for everyone involved. It will bring together two groups of athletes from both sides of the Atlantic for an exciting night of boxing and charity. I hope this is the beginning of a long friendship between the participating boxing gyms," said Junious Hinton, head coach of the Sugar Ray Leonard Center in a press release.

The three gyms that will visit from Ireland have interesting stories:

The Ardoyne Holy Cross (AHC) Boxing Club was reopened in 2003 after a seven year hiatus by seven fathers in Belfast as a way of getting youth off the streets and out of trouble. With suicide rates among teenage boys in Northern Ireland higher than in the entire United Kingdom, the AHC Boxing Club provides a safe and structured environment for youth. More than 140 boys from 7 to 20 years in age came out for the AHC Boxing Club’s first meeting.

Located in the basement of the Holy Cross Church in the Ardoyne section of Belfast, the boys not only learn the fundamentals of boxing, they are taught discipline, respect and responsibility. Former WBA Welterweight Champion Eamon McGee is an Ardoyne native and can be found helping the fighters train on occasion. Since 2003, the AHC has participated in 20 boxing tournaments.

The Cairn Lodge Amatuer Boxing Club (ABC) in Belfast and the Albery Foundry ABC in Newtonabbey will also send boxers to fight for the team from Northern Ireland. Both clubs are members of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association. As an example of the extraordinary political progress that has been made in Northern Ireland in recent times, the boxers traveling to the United States as a team will represent both the catholic and protestant traditions.

“The Belfast-Beltway Boxing Classic will provide a unique opportunity for these young men, many of whom have never left own neighborhood. By traveling together, as one group representing Northern Ireland, we can only hope that the political tensions that existed between protestants and catholics will be left to their parents and grandparents generations. We thank the Americans for the invitation to participate in the boxing tournament, and we look forward to this once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Charles Quinn, Chairman of the Ardoyne Holy Cross Boxing Club in a press release.

More information on this event as it becomes available.

New Foe for Anthony Peterson on Friday!

WBO number one lightweight contender Anthony Peterson will face a new foe this Friday in the co-feature bout on ShoBox from the Hard Rock Cafe Resort and Hotel in Biloxi, MS.

Peterson (25-0, 18 KO's) will now face "El Cubano Mexicano," Jose Antonio Izquierdo (16-1-1, 13 KO's). No word yet on whether Peterson's NABO Lightweight title will still be on the line.

Izquierdo, a native of Pina Del Rio, Cuba who now fights out of Chihuahua, Mexico, will try to bounce back from suffering his first pro loss in his last outing, a 10-round unanimous decision to veteran Cesar Soto on April 27 in Chihuahua. Prior to that, Izquierdo gave prospect Nick Casal his first pro loss last January. Izquierdo replaces Guadalupe Rosales, who pulled out of the bout.

The main event for the card remains the same -- undefeated Lamont Peterson, who is ranked third at junior welterweight by the WBO and sixth by the WBA, will defend his NABO Junior Welterweight championship against undefeated Antonio Mesquita. The ShoBox telecast begins at 11 PM ET on Showtime.

Beltway Boxing 2007 Year in Review!

Okay Beltway Boxing Fans! Here is my 2007 Beltway Boxing year in review. I have retroactively called this year, "The Year of Definition." After three years of doing BATB, I truly believe this was the year where we can truly define where the majority of our boxers rank. We know who our rookies, prospects and contenders are.
Because of the strong performances of many of our Beltway Boxing pros, we are poised to have a great 2008.

So here we go with my look at the Best of the Beltway in 2007:

The Five Best Beltway Boxing Cards of 2007

1a: December 7 – Pikesville National Guard Armory, Pikesville, MD.

Rarely has there been a card in the Beltway area with so many razor-thin decisions that no one had any complaints about. This six-bout card, promoted by Baltimore Pro Boxing, saw all six bouts go the distance and three bouts end in draws. Two of the bouts ranked among the best bouts of the year and two other bouts were rematches that were either as good as or better than the first time around.

1b: August 3 – Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD

This card shares the honor of card of the year because it was the most exciting card of 2007. It was also a model card to show how the combination of amateur and pro bouts on one card is supposed to work. The amateur portion of the card featured three of the most talked about young boxers in the area (Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell, Abodurin Akinyanju and Dusty Harrison) as well as some great pro prospects in Alexander “The Great” Johnson, Horace “The Reason” Grant and Thomas “KO” Snow. There was no better consistent crowd response than on this Keystone Boxing card.

3. May 25 – DC Armory, Washington, DC

The highest-profile card of the year featured two of not only the Beltway’s best, but also the world’s best contenders. The Undefeated Peterson Brothers put on solid performances on this ESPN-televised, Peake Promotions card. NABO Lightweight champ Anthony Peterson successfully defended his title with a ninth-round TKO over Luis Ernesto Jose while Lamont Peterson scored an eighth-round TKO over veteran John Brown. On the undercard, Beltway Boxing prospects Reginald Taylor, Ty Barnette and Jessie Nicklow all remained undefeated.

4. September 16 – ABC Sports Arena, Springfield, VA

Exciting cards were plentiful in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2007. However, the Left Hook Promotions card that took place at the ABC Sports Complex was filled with competitive bouts. This included a main event that completed one of the better area stories of the year – The resurgence of junior welterweight Jaime “The Punisher” Palma who won an eight-round unanimous decision over veteran Dean “Pit Bull” White. Also, some of Virginia’s best prospects were on the show, including junior middleweight Andrew “Doo Man” Farmer, cruiserweight Terry “T-Brick” Roy and junior welterweight Todd “White Lightning” Wilson. All won in good, exciting performances.


5. June 23 – Howard University, Washington, DC

DC’s cards were few in number, but two of them managed to make this list. This Babie Girl Promotions card featured a brand new venue as well as controversy and one of the best bouts of the year. Former US Olympian Clarence Vinson made his return after more than a year’s absence and won a 10-round unanimous decision over Robert DaLuz. However, Vinson lost an opportunity to win the WBC USNBC Bantamweight title because he came in over the 118-pound limit. Also, there was an outstanding co-feature between local prospect Reginald Taylor and Philadelphia’s Jameel “Black Gold” Wilson as well as a dominating performance by local junior welter Reggie “The Mechanic” Holly. There was also history on this card as Michelle Hall became the first female to referee a pro bout in the Beltway.


Five Best Beltway Boxing Bouts of 2007

December 7 – John Mackey vs. Tony Cygan, Pikesville National Guard Armory, Pikesville, MD

This was far and away one of the best bouts seen in the Beltway area in many years. These were two prospects that simply enjoyed performing the “sweet science.” Mackey, a native of DC who now lives in Montgomery, AL, traded solid head and body shots with the Baltimore native Cygan. Both men showed incredible class as they traded smiles and gestures of sportsmanship throughout the bout. Mackey won by six-round unanimous decision.


June 23 – Reginald Taylor vs. Jameel Wilson, Howard University’s Burr Gymnasium, Washington, DC

Until the December 7 card, this six-round contest was the clubhouse leader as bout of the year. This was a classic youth vs. experience bout between undefeated light heavyweight prospect Reginald “Rat Man” Taylor and veteran Jameel “Black Gold” Wilson. Both boxers turned fighting in close quarters into an art form, trading head and body shots. Wilson took the advantage in the middle rounds but Taylor showed strong resilience to come back with a strong sixth round to win the bout.

May 12 – Jimmy Lange vs. Fontaine Cabell, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA

The rematch of one of the best Beltway bouts of 2006 had a lot of excitement and a solid performance by the hometown hero, Lange. As in the first bout, both men were very aggressive, but Lange deserves credit for fighting seven rounds with a torn rotator cuff, that he hurt in the first round. Lange did a great job in wearing Cabell down. Lange dropped Cabell with a solid right hand late in the seventh round before stopping Cabell 55 seconds into the eighth round. The win gave Lange the WBC Continental Americas Junior Middleweight title, but put him on the shelf for the rest of 2007. Lange is slated to return in March.

November 17 – Andrew Farmer vs. Curtis Smith, ABC Sports Arena, Springfield, VA

This bout proved that some fathers have no apprehension in testing the abilities of their sons. Scott Farmer of Left Hook Boxing Promotions cannot be accused of giving his son – Andrew “The Doo Man” Farmer an easy road to a title. Such was the case when Farmer fought Curtis Smith of Atlanta and won a six-round split decision. Farmer took advantage early in the bout with quick and accurate punches. But in the sixth round, Smith landed a sneaky uppercut and followed up with a barrage of punches that made Farmer slump to the canvas. However, Farmer gamely got up and managed to win the bout.

December 7 – Tim Coleman vs. Martinus Clay, Pikesville National Guard Armory, Pikesville, MD

The main event on this card was a very spirited bout between one of the busiest boxers in the Beltway in Baltimore welterweight Tim “Pit Bull” Coleman and tough veteran “Magnificent” Martinus Clay of Wilson, NC. Coleman, fighting for the ninth time in 2007, was fighting in his first scheduled 10-round contest. Clay was fighting an undefeated boxer for the seventh consecutive time. Coleman got off to a great start, landing solid shots in the first two rounds. Clay used his experience to gain a strong advantage in the middle rounds. Coleman, fighting with a right hand that was broken in the fifth round, used great defense to set his offense in the latter stages. However, both men could only manage a draw. Coleman plans to drop to 140 pounds in 2008, but he says he wants a rematch with Clay.


Five Best Beltway Boxing Knockouts of 2007 (not including Wilson-Nwodo)

There is no question that Darnell Wilson’s 11th round knockout of Emmanuel Nwodo was the knockout of the year among Beltway Boxers. ESPN.com's Dan Rafael has named it the Knockout of the Year in the entire sport. However, the bout didn’t take place in a Beltway location. These were the top five that took place in the Beltway area.


1. March 10 – Elias Bouloubassis, first-round KO over Vincent Robbins, Pikesville National Guard Armory, Pikesville, MD

This was the first pro victory for the “Golden Greek,” a super middleweight from Reisterstown, MD. The former Marine had two earlier bouts end in draws, but the one thing that was prevalent in his career was his power, which he brutally displayed in this rematch against the York, SC, -based Robbins. The first bout in December of 2006 ended because of an accidental headbutt. This time, Bouloubassis left no doubt as he jumped on Robbins early with solid left and right hands. Robbins was out on his feet. In just 15 seconds, the bout was over. The knockout is reportedly the fastest in the history of the super middleweight division, eclipsing Allen Green’s 2005 knockout of Jaidon Codrington by three seconds.


2. May 30 – Nick Collins, second-round TKO over Terrell Nixon, Michael’s Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD

This was a gutsy knockout victory for Collins, a middleweight from Bel Air, MD. Collins bounced back from being dropped in the first round by the Cincinnati, OH-based Nixon. Collins started strongly in round two, using solid shots to back Nixon off. With 10 seconds remaining in the second, Collins caught Nixon with a straight right hand that dropped Nixon to the canvas. Nixon beat the count, but was not fit to continue. Collins won the bout at 2:58 of the second round.

3. May 11 – Jessie Nicklow, third-round TKO over Matt Berkshire, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD

Nicklow, an undefeated, promising junior middleweight from Severn, MD had only one minor blemish on his record, a first-round technical draw against Matt Berkshire of Morgantown, WVA two months earlier. The rematch turned out to be a quality performance by Nicklow who dropped Berkshire with two brutal left hands. The bout was stopped at 1:20 of the third round.


4. October 7–Willis Lockett, third-round TKO over Calvin Riley, Hilton McLean Tysons Corner Hotel, McLean, VA

Yet another rematch, except the result was very similar to the first bout. Takoma Park, MD cruiserweight Willis “The Prophet” Lockett defeated Olney, MD’s Calvin Riley in the third round in August. Lockett did it again two months later scoring a crushing right hand. Riley beat the count but was unfit to continue. The time of the bout was 1:05 of the third.

5. November 17 – Stennis Floyd, first-round TKO over Ed Edwards, ABC Sports Arena, Springfield, VA

No one made a more explosive pro debut in the Beltway area than Bristow, VA light heavyweight Stennis “Hard Banging” Floyd, who scored a wicked first-round knockout over Ed Edwards of Wilson, NC. Edwards sent two solid right hands that dropped Edwards for the count at 59 seconds of the round.


Five Best Beltway Boxing Stories of 2007

1. Gary Russell Jr. becomes first Beltway Boxer since 2000 to make US Olympic Team

This was a story more than a decade in the making. Since before his teens, the 19-year-old Russell, a native of Capitol Heights, MD, has had many Beltway Boxing observers dreaming the Olympic dream.

Russell was the youngest member of the US Elite amateur team and was named the USA Boxing Athlete of the Year in 2005, so making the Olympic team was thought to be a done deal. However, Russell lost his first bout at the Olympic Trials this past August and was put into the consolation bracket. Russell regrouped and won six straight bouts in six days, including two victories over the boxer that beat him in the first round to win the berth, becoming the first Beltway Boxer since Clarence Vinson to make the Olympic Team. Only three other US amateurs –- Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr. and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. have won Olympic berths out of the consolation bracket. In October, Russell officially punched his ticket to Beijing.


2. Maryland becomes industry pioneer in promoting and regulating pro-am cards.

The state of Maryland was very busy in regulating boxing cards. Maryland regulated 18 boxing cards, marking the fourth straight year that the state has hosted more than 15 cards in a year. Sixteen of the 18 cards featured a number of amateur boxers that fought prior to the pro boxers on the show. The Maryland State Athletic Commission worked hand in hand with not only different promoters in the state, but also with both the Potomac Valley AAU and the South Atlantic Boxing Association who handled amateur programs in Prince George’s County and Baltimore, MD respectively. Fan response was very favorable and Maryland State Commission Executive Director Patrick Pannella was asked to give a presentation during USA Boxing’s Annual Convention in Houston, TX in November.

3. DC licenses first female professional boxing referee – Michelle Hall works June 23 card at Howard University.

This was an extremely overlooked story. Michelle Hall, a local amateur official and inspector in Virginia, received an opportunity to work as a referee on a pro card, becoming reportedly the first female to referee a pro bout in Beltway Boxing history. Hall worked two bouts on the June 23 card at Howard University’s Burr Gymnasium and was very accomplished in her work.


4. Beltway Boxers win nine major regional titles.

A number of local boxers made solid strides in their careers by winning major regional titles. Lamont Peterson won two titles (WBC US Junior Welterweight, NABO Junior Welterweight) as did Darnell “The Ding-A-Ling Man” Wilson (Trans-America (Canada), USBA Cruiserweight and Tony “The Tiger” Thompson (WBC Continental Americas and NABO Heavyweight) Thompson and Anthony Peterson (NABO Lightweight) won regional titles en route to achieving number one contender status in their respective weight classes.

Even former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman captured the USBA Heavyweight title during his quest to regain the world title. Only one of the regional titles was won in the Beltway area. Jimmy Lange captured the WBC Continental Americas Junior Middleweight title on May 12 in Fairfax, VA.

5. Jaime Palma wins six straight bouts to go from under .500 to Virginia State Lightweight champ to ranked number 13 in USBA rankings.

Many boxing fans may remember the story of Freddie Pendleton, who went from an under. 500 record to win the IBF Lightweight title. Pendleton’s story is the blueprint that Alexandria, VA lightweight Jaime Palma has been following since 2005. At that time, Palma was 7-10-1. Palma started his six-bout winning streak in 2006 with three wins against under.500 competition. But in 2007, Palma stepped up his game with three more wins against tougher competition. A six-round unanimous decision win against tough Richmond trialhorse Edward Anderson raised some eyebrows. Palma then won the Virginia State Junior Welterweight title with a fifth-round TKO over Artie Benbury. But it was his eight-round unanimous decision win over Dean White on September 15 in Springfield, VA that caused some in the boxing world to take notice. At the end of 2007, Palma cracked the USBA rankings and is now at number 13.

The Five Best Beltway Boxing Rookies of 2007

1. Bayan Jargal, Arlington, VA (5-0-1, three KO’s) A native of Mongolia, Jargal started his career in late November of 2006 with a first-round TKO of Patrick Bozeman. Still technically a rookie, Jargal didn’t fight again until May 12, 2007 when he scored another first-round TKO over veteran Shane Gierke in Fairfax, VA. Jargal’s only minor setback came in a May 31 bout against Jaime Rodriguez in Glen Burnie, MD. Jargal battled Rodriguez to a four-round draw in the only bout where he was a little slower on the draw than usual. Since that bout, Jargal has looked very impressive and has already moved up to six-round bouts, winning by unanimous decision over Reggie Holly on November 8 in DC and scoring a second round TKO over Nathan Francis on December 15 in Dulles, VA.

Jargal is as technically sound as it comes and does show solid power and focus. He is the choice as Beltway Boxing Rookie of the Year for 2007.

(The fan's choice for Rookie of the Year: George "War Time" Rivera)


2. Alexander “The Great” Johnson, Oxon Hill, MD (4-0, three KO’s) a tall, lanky light heavyweight, Johnson has shown impressive power in his first year. Johnson has scored two first-round knockouts and was in complete control during his last outing, a four-round unanimous decision over Zeferino Albino on November 29 in Glen Burnie. If Johnson can do a better job in controlling his emotions, he could be a dominant prospect in 2008.

3. “War Time” George Rivera, Charlottesville, VA (6-1, three KO’s) A rapidly-improving junior middleweight who bounced back very well from an early loss. After winning his pro debut with a first-round knockout over Clarence Horne on February 3 in Fisherville, VA, Rivera was stunned with a second-round knockout loss to Charles Norwood just 14 days later in Winchester, VA. Since that loss, Rivera has reeled off five straight impressive victories. Rivera has also quickly attracted a large fan base, known as “La Familia” that stretches from Virginia to Rivera’s birthplace of Queens, NY.


4. Todd “White Lightning” Wilson, Arlington, VA (3-0, one KO) A boxer who, if he continues to be successful, may renew interest in collegiate boxing. A champion from VMI, Wilson has shown solid talent in his short pro career. Wilson made his pro debut with a second round TKO over Jay Watts on April 28in Fisherville, VA and has scored unanimous decision victories over starter opponents Henry Goss and Edward Anderson. Wilson is another young boxer who is gaining quick popularity in the area.

5. “The Golden Greek” Elias Bouloubassis, Reisterstown, MD (3-0-4, three KO’s) Bouloubassis, a super middleweight, has had one of the strangest rookie years of any boxer in recent memory. The four draws on his record don’t look great, especially when two of them were technical draws, caused in part by Bouloubassis’s straight-ahead style. But when he plants his feet and throws, he has as much power as anybody around, as evident by his 15-second knockout of Vincent Robbins and his knockouts of Jessie Horton and Rakeem Carter. Needs to develop a jab to progress, but he is still a fun boxer to watch.


The Five Best Beltway Boxing Prospects of 2007

1. Tim “Pit Bull” Coleman, Baltimore, MD (14-0-1, three KO’s) No boxer in the DC/MD/VA region has progressed as well as this welterweight prospect. Coleman advanced in all facets of the game – work rate, competition and length of rounds. Coleman fought nine times in 2007, working a total of 55 rounds. Coleman also progressed in his competition, defeating the likes of Jason Champion, Richard “Tiger” Lee Hall, Doel Carrasquillo and Scott Ball, before fighting a tough 10-round draw against Martinus Clay in his last outing on December 7. Also during the year, Coleman went from six-to eight to 10 rounds this year. Plans to drop to 140 pounds in 2008, where he may find an increase in power.

Because of his progression, Tim Coleman is the selection as the 2007 Beltway Boxing Prospect of the Year.

(the fans choice for Prospect of the Year: "JC Superstar" Juan Carlos Robles)

2. Mike “The Persecutor” Paschall, Baltimore, MD (14-0-1, two KO’s). Fought only four times this year, but fought solid gatekeeper-style opponents. The super middleweight advanced as a boxer-puncher with an improving ability to adapt to the opponent he is facing. In his best win of the year, Paschall won an eight-round unanimous decision over Richard Stewart on August 25 in Ocean City, MD by using movement and sharp jabs. In his last outing against Randy Pogue on November 29 in Glen Burnie, MD, Paschall was more of a puncher and was able to pound out a six-round decision.

3. Horace “The Reason” Grant, Riverdale, MD (10-1, seven KO’s). This heavyweight prospect appeared in eight contests this year, progressing nicely, All 2007 opponents had .500 or better records. Grant improved his power and scored nice knockouts against the likes of Glenn Williams, Mike Sheppard and Harvey Jolley. Grant will be a solid heavyweight prospect to watch in 2008.

4. Jessie “The Beast” Nicklow, Severn, MD (14-0-1, five KO’s). The 2006 choice for Rookie of the year, the junior middleweight prospect progressed slightly in 2007. A major difference for Nicklow was his power, as he scored three solid knockouts this year. Fought his first undefeated fighter in Matt Berkshire and after the first bout ended in a first-round technical draw, Nicklow scored his best knockout of the year in the rematch, a third-round TKO. This prospect will be looked upon to make a move in 2008.

5. Reginald “Rat Man” Taylor, Washington, DC (8-0, four KO’s). A good light heavyweight prospect who stepped up his game late in 2007, Taylor has yet to have an opponent who has an under.500 record. Put on a great performance in a six-round war against veteran Jameel Wilson in June. However, reportedly did not perform well in winning a six-round decision against 14-2 Jermain Mackey on November 17 in Turks and Caicos. If Taylor can start the year well, he could be heard from in 2008.



The 2007 Beltway Boxer of the Year is…

Darnell “The Ding-A-Ling Man” Wilson, Takoma Park, MD (22-5-3, 19 KO’s) In a year where there were many Beltway Boxing standouts, Wilson’s impact on the cruiserweight division places him slightly above his Beltway brethren. Wilson continued the turnaround that began in September 2006 with a fourth-round TKO over Daniel Judah with three quality knockout performances that set the cruiserweight division on his ear.

On January 19, Wilson traveled to Edmonton, Alberta, CA and scored a second-round TKO over hometown hero Dale Brown, marking the first time Brown had been knocked out on his home turf.

Then on February 23 in Scranton, PA, Wilson endeared himself to a nationally televised ESPN audience by scoring a third-round knockout over former IBF Cruiserweight champ Kelvin Davis.

But it was his sickening 11th round knockout over fellow Beltway Boxer Emmanuel Nwodo on June 29 in Staten Island, NY that truly sent shockwaves throughout the division. The knockout has already been a fixture on numerous year-end polls as the knockout of the year and made Wilson a household name in the Cruiserweight division. Wilson is slated to defend his USBA Cruiserweight title against undefeated BJ Flores in his third straight ESPN2 appearance on February 8 in Dover, DE. A year ago, Wilson had four straight losses and was thought of as an also-ran. Now, he is a legitimate contender and is recognized as the 2007 Beltway Boxer of the Year.

(The leader in the Beltway Boxer of the Year Poll -- Darnell Wilson. Voting continues until January 4.)

Other Beltway Boxers deserving of consideration:

Tony “The Tiger” Thompson, (heavyweight, Washington, DC, 31-1, 19 KO’s) If Wilson had not had such an impactful year, Thompson would have won this award going away. Thompson won two regional titles and leaped above two contenders in Timor Ibragimov and Luan Krasniqi, defeating the latter by fifth-round knockout in Krasniqi’s own home town of Hamburg, Germany to become the number-one ranked contender in the WBO and one of the most feared contenders in the division. Thompson continued his undefeated streak, which has now stretched over a seven-year period. If all goes well, Thompson will face the winner of the unification bout between WBO champ Sultan Ibragimov and WBC titleholder Wladimir Klitschko. Thompson is scheduled to be on the undercard of the unification bout on February 23.

Anthony Peterson (lightweight, Washington, DC, 25-0, 18 KO’s). Peterson had a solid year, winning four times (with three knockouts) and has spent the year as the WBO’s number-one ranked lightweight contender. Peterson will not rest on his laurels in 2008 as he is slated to defend his NABO Lightweight title against tough Guadalupe Rosales on ShoBox on January 4.

Lamont Peterson (junior welterweight, Washington, DC, 23-0, 11 KO’s). Peterson started to shed the image of a pure boxer by scoring three stoppages in 2007. The most impressive knockout came in front of his hometown crowd on national television against veteran contender John Brown on May 25. Peterson registered an eighth-round TKO in that bout. Peterson then won the NABO Junior Welterweight title, stopping Frankie Santos in the sixth round on September 7 in Biloxi, MS. Like his brother, Anthony, Lamont Peterson looks to make a move for a world title as he defends his NABO title against undefeated Antonio Mesquita on the same January 4 ShoBox card.


In Memoriam:

Dr. Arnold W. McKnight – Chair of the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission for 12 years.

Bobby Glassmeyer – Long-time Maryland boxing trainer

Lorado Williams – Baltimore, MD amateur boxer

Truman E. Tuttle – One of the most notable names in amateur boxing. Tuttle headed the DC and the National Golden Gloves program for many years.

Alton Rice – a DC amateur and professional super middleweight boxer.

Ernest “Sonny Boy” Williams – DC lightweight who boxed in the 1950’s.

Jeffrey Arnold – the older brother of former welterweight contender Derrell Coley.


The Five Stories to Watch in 2008

1. Can the Beltway have four world champions again?

The DC/MD/VA area is poised to do something that has not been done since 1996. With Darnell Wilson, Tony Thompson and Lamont and Anthony Peterson, the Beltway is in position to win four world titles in 2008. In 1996, Mark Johnson, Keith Holmes, Sharmba Mitchell and William Joppy accomplished that feat. Going into 2008, Thompson and Anthony Peterson are ranked first in their respective division. Lamont Peterson is ranked third by the WBC and Wilson is ranked seventh by the WBO.

2. Will the 2008 Rookie Class be better than 2007?

The 2007 Beltway rookie class was one of the best in recent years. But 2008 could be even better. Three of the members -- amateur standout Fernando Guerrero of Salisbury, MD, Bristow, VA’s Stennis Floyd and Harold Orji of DC -- already made victorious pro debuts late in 2007. . Beltway Boxing fans are also anxiously awaiting the debut of Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell, who has already had a number of high-level pro boxing promoters talking about him.

3. Will DC increase its number of pro cards in 2008?

While DC only had four pro cards in 2007, two of them were quality cards. The Nation’s Capital hopes to increase its total under new Boxing and Wrestling Chair Jason Turner. A good sign of progress is that there are reportedly cards already slated for February and March of 2008. The first DC card of 2007 didn’t take place until April.

4. Will Gary Russell Jr. Medal at the Olympics?

The bulk of the summer of 2008 will focus on Russell Jr. who will be trying for an Olympic medal in Beijing, China in August. The 19-year-old from Capital Heights, MD will try to continue a standard set by the likes of Norvel Lee, Sugar Ray Leonard and Andrew Maynard – who all won gold medals in Olympic competition.

5. Will Jimmy Lange bounce back from injuries to get into world title contention?

Arguably, the Beltway’s most popular boxer, the Great Falls, VA junior middleweight won the WBC Continental Americas Junior Middleweight title in 2007 but suffered a torn rotator cuff injury in the title win over Fontaine Cabell in May. Lange is scheduled to return in late March and needs to stay healthy to be a serious contender. Who Lange will face and how he will progress will be an interesting story in the coming year.

It's Official: Wilson Vs. Flores February 8 on ESPN2!

According to ESPN and other sources, Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson will now defend his USBA Cruiserweight title against undefeated BJ Flores (20-0-1, 13 KO's) on Friday, February 8 in a nationally televised ESPN2 bout from the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in Dover, DE.

There has been no official word on whether or not Wilson (22-5-3, 19 KO's) will also be participating in an IBF Elimination bout against Flores, but that could be a possibility now that Steve Cunningham successfully defended his IBF title against Marco Huck today in Germany.

Flores, who fights out of Willard, MO is coming off a second-round TKO over Andy Sample on October 13 in Springfield, MO.

'Mighty Mouse' Aiken Faces 'Two Guns' Meza Clay on February 1 on ESPN2!

We know that Darnell Wilson will be on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights on February 8. But Wilson will not be the first Beltway Boxer to appear on the "World Wide Leader" in 2008.

That honor will go to former IBF Featherweight champion Eric "Mighty Mouse" Aiken of Forestville, MD. Aiken will take on ranked contender Monty "Two Guns" Meza Clay of Rankin, PA on Friday, February 1 at the Expo Mart Arena in Monroeville, PA. Right now, this bout is scheduled for 10 rounds, but it could end up being a 12-round contest.

Aiken (16-6-1, 12 KO's) needs a win badly because he has fallen on tough times since winning the IBF title on May 13, 2006 with an eighth-round disqualification victory over Valdemir Pereira in Boston, MA. Aiken lost the title to current IBF champ Robert Guerrero on September 2, 2006, then fought Cruz Carvajal to a 10-round draw on ESPN2 on March 16, 2007. In his last outing, Aiken was stopped by Thomas Mashaba in the ninth round in a bid for the IBO Featherweight title on November 12 in South Africa.

Meza Clay (26-1, 17 KO's) has won six straight contests since losing by 11th round TKO to Edner Cherry in May of 2006 for the NABA Featherweight title (a belt Aiken once held). In his last outing, Meza Clay scored a six-round TKO over Pasqual Rouse on November 24 in Canonsburg, PA.

Meza Clay will also be looking for his third victory against a Beltway Boxer, having previously defeated Dean White by sixth-round TKO in August of 2006 and James Baker by 10-round split decision in April 2005. Both these bouts took place in Meza Clay's boxing base of Chester, WVA.

'T-Rex' Sanders Loses in Germany!

DC heavyweight Corey "T-Rex" Sanders lost a six-round decision to Denis Bakhtov on a card in Halle, Germany. The 358-pound Sanders did score a knockdown in the fifth round but lost the bout on points.

The loss is Sanders's seventh straight and drops his record to 23-13, 15 KO's. The Russian Bakhtov's record rises to 26-5, 16 KO's.

Nwodo Returns January 19 in New York!

I have been told that former USBA Cruiserweight champion Emmanuel "Chukwu" Nwodo of Baltimore will return to ring action on Saturday, January 19 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Nwodo (21-4, 17 KO's) will take on perennial cruiserweight contender Ezra Sellers, who is originally from DC, but now makes his home in Florida. The bout will be on the undercard of the Roy Jones-Felix Trinidad card. No word yet on whether the bout will be part of the pay-per-view telecast.

This will be Nwodo's first bout since losing the USBA title to Darnell Wilson by stunning 11th round knockout on June 29 in Staten Island, NY. Sellers (29-7, 26 KO's) who was the IBO Cruiserweight champ and lost bouts for the IBF and WBO titles, is fighting for the third time since taking a three-year sabbatical from the sport. Since his return, Sellers has won two straight bouts.

Rahman Could Box in England, Says ESPN.com!

ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that former world heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman may be involved in an interesting bout in England.

Rafael says that negotiations are underway between Rahman's camp and the camp of the current recognized world cruiserweight champion David Haye of Britain. Haye won the world title last month by stopping Jean-Marc Mormeck in the seventh round. Since that bout, Haye has made no bones about wanting to move up to the heavyweight division, because he has had problems making the cruiserweight limit.

Haye wants to make a name for himself by taking on an established heavyweight in his heavyweight debut. Rahman's manager, Steve Nelson, told ESPN.com that Haye could be taking on a little too much, too soon.

"I saw Haye's fight with Mormeck. He's a tremendous puncher at cruiserweight," Nelson said. "His people have come to us about putting this together. They think we're done. I don't think we're done. I think Haye's taking on too much in one step to fight a big, strong heavyweight like Rock. It will be considered a strong win for Rock. We're very confident. I think Haye might be biting off more than he can chew. It's a big jump for him before he's built himself into a heavyweight.

"It will be a pretty big fight in England. We feel confident that Rock can beat the smaller guy."

Both guys are on winning streaks. The 35-year-old Rahman has won four straight since his championship loss to Oleg Maskaev in August of 2006. The 27-year-old Haye has won 10 in a row over the last three years. Nelson said Rahman would take a tune-up bout that may be on Thursday, February 7 and would be shown nationally on the Versus Network.

New Poll: Who is the 2007 Beltway Boxer of the Year?

Here is something to think about over the Christmas Holidays: Who is the Beltway Boxer of the Year for 2007?

This could be a fascinating debate. A number of these boxers (Lange, the Petersons, Paschall, Wilson and Thompson) all won some sort of regional belt in 2007. Coleman and Nicklow were extremely busy and successful.

There may not be as many votes tabulated for this one because I have been able to construct the poll so you will not be able to vote from the same IP address. This could make this less of a popularity poll.


I will be leaving the Prospect of the Year poll up as well. Sometime in the first two weeks of January, I will be announcing who won the polls as well as announcing my personal choices for rookie, prospect, bout, knockout, card and Beltway Boxer of the year.

To all of you..have a VERY happy holiday season!!

Is There a Change in Wilson's February 8 Opponent?

Interesting rumors coming out of the boxing internet world concerning Darnell Wilson's February 8 bout.

Undefeated Missouri cruiserweight BJ Flores told Boxingtalk.com that he has been offered the February 8 bout against Wilson in what would become a IBF elimination bout. Flores (20-0-1, 13 KO's) says that he would take the bout for "short money."

However, Flores also told BoxingTalk that the bout is not a done deal because Dino Duva, the president of Duva Boxing (Wilson's promotional company) would demand future options on Flores's fights.

Right now, Wilson is slated to take on Andre Purlette on the February 8 show at Dover Downs in Dover, DE on a nationally televised ESPN2 card.

We'll keep an eye on this situation to see if anything develops. This could very well be some "Boxing Talk."