'Lights Out' Smith To Face 'Too Smooth' Capers On November 30th MGM Card!

Bowie, MD cruiserweight Luther "Lights Out" Smith has been added to the Thursday, November 30th Golden Boy Promotions card at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, MD.  Smith (9-1, eight KO's) will take on Lamont "Too Smooth" Capers of Hawley, PA(7-10-3)  in a four-round contest.

Smith is coming off a first-round knockout of Martez Williamson on July 15th in Washington, DC.  Smith has knocked out his last four opponents.  Capers is winless in his last three bouts.  However, he can be tough at times.  In his last outing, Capers fought to an eight-round split decision draw with former world champion Imanu Mayfield. Capers also owns a split decision victory over Beltway Boxer Nick Kisner.  Capers lost to locals Travis Reeves (twice), Shaborn Ryals and Mario Murphy.

The weigh-in for the card is today at 4 PM ET at the MGM National Harbor and it is open to the public.  The weigh-in will be streamed live on RingTV.com.  On Friday, the doors will open at 5 PM with the first bout starting at 6:30 PM.  It will be streamed live on ESPN3.  ESPN Deportes will pick up the coverage at 8 PM.  ESPN2 will air the card at 11 PM ET.

Bates, Madison Compete on December 1 Card in Philadelphia!

Two Beltway Boxers will be on a card at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA on Friday, December 1st.

Washington, DC super bantamweight Marcus "The Dreamcrusher" Bates will be in a six-round contest against Antonio Rodriguez of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico.  Bates (7-0-1, six KO's) will try to continue his momentum from  a six-round unanimous decision victory over Roberto Pucheta on June 24 at the 2300 Arena.  Rodriguez (11-19-1, five KO's) has lost three straight contests including a fifth-round TKO loss to Cesar Diaz on September 1 in Los Angeles, CA.

Owings Mills, MD heavyweight Colby Madison faces off with Randy Easton of Sunbury, PA in a four-round contest.  Madison (4-0-1, three KO's) looks to improve after a six-round majority draw against Joel Caudle on the June 24th card at the 2300 Arena.  Easton (4-9-2, four KO's) has not fought since knocking out Wesley Triplett in November of 2016 in the second round in Chester, PA.  Triplett was 4-1 going into the bout.

Dave Arbogast Services Announced!

The services for Maryland State Athletic Commission inspector David Arbogast have been announced.  There will be a memorial on Sunday, November 26 from 2-4 PM and from 7-9 PM at the Evans Funeral Chapel located at 16924 York Road in Monkton, MD.  The funeral will be held on Monday, November 27th at the same location beginning at 11 AM.

Memorial contributions in Mr. Arbogast's name can be sent to paypal.me/rememberingdarbogast. 

Douglas Battles O'Sullivan For Vacant WBO Inter-Continental Title December 16th In Montreal!

Another big opportunity has come for Burke, VA middleweight Antoine "Action" Douglas as he will battle Gary "Spike" O'Sullivan of Cork, Ireland in a 10-round bout for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight title on Saturday, December 16 at the Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada.  The bout will be the co-feature to the WBO Middleweight championship between titleholder Billy Joe Saunders and challenger David Lemieux and will be televised live on HBO.

Douglas (22-1-1, 16 KO's) will be challenging for his sixth regional title, having won the WBC Fecarbox title twice as well as the NABA, WBO International and WBA Fedalatin Middleweight titles.  Douglas is coming off a fourth round TKO over Juan DeAlba on July 14th in Miami, OK.

O'Sullivan (26-2, 18 KO's) is riding a four-bout winning streak including a fourth-round TKO over Nick Quigley on September 30th in Boston, MA.  O'Sullivan's only losses have come to Saunders and Chris Eubank, Jr., who will be competing for a world title in February of 2018.

David Arbogast, Maryland State Athletic Commission Inspector, Passes At 53!

(Courtesy photo)

Another tough loss for the Beltway.  David "Dave" Arbogast, who served as an inspector for the Maryland State Athletic Commission, passed away on November 21st at the age of 53.

Mr. Arbogast was a familiar face to many boxers and cornermen who have completed the required paperwork at boxing weigh-ins and who have participated in boxing shows in Maryland, Dave worked for the Maryland Commission for the past four years.  Mr. Arbogast also worked pro wrestling and mixed martial arts shows throughout the state.  Known for his calm demeanor and straightforward personality, he was well-liked and well-respected by the entire combat sports community and will be missed by all.  A real nice person.

BATB sends its deepest condolences to the Arbogast family.

Grayton Drops Unanimous Decision; Russell Brothers Score First-Round Victories; Fox Captures UBF Title; Early Loses Decision; Alexander Falls By KO!

Lots of results from the two cards that took place on Tuesday evening in St. Petersburg, FL and in Bethlehem, PA.

At the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, Washington, DC welterweight David "Day-Day" Grayton lost a tough 10-round unanimous decision to undefeated Miguel Cruz of Lake Mary, FL.  The bout was nationally televised on FS1.  Grayton stunned Cruz in the second round but Cruz came back and hurt Grayton in the third.  Cruz, however, suffered a cut under the right eye in the third round.

Cruz was able to drop Grayton in the sixth with a right jab but Grayton was able to recover and pressure Cruz in the eighth round and open another cut above Cruz's right eye.  Both men were throwing wildly at the end of the contest.  Grayton lost the bout by a 96-93 score across the board.  Grayton is now 15-2-1, 11 KO's while Cruz remains undefeated at 17-0, 11 KO's.

On the undercard, The Russell Brothers of Capitol Heights, MD scored first-round knockout victories.  Antonio Russell knocked out Marco Antonio "La Maquina" Mendoza Chico at 1:15 to raise his record to 10-0, eight KO's while Chico is 11-6-1, seven KO's. Antuanne Russell scored his third straight first-round stoppage, defeating Larry Yanez of Fort Lauderdale, FL at 2:21.  Russell is 3-0, three KO's while Yanez falls to 4-8-2.

(Photo by Daniel Cork)

At the Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, PA, Mykal "The Professor" Fox of Forestville, MD captured the UBF All-Americas Welterweight title with an eight-round unanimous decision over Manuel Alejandro Reyes.  Fox, in his first bout at welterweight, won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 to remain undefeated at 15-0, four KO's.  Reyes drops to 11-4-1, five KO's.

Seat Pleasant, MD featherweight James "Too Slick" Early lost a four-round unanimous decision to Juan Sanchez of Allentown, PA.  Early lost by scores of 39-37 across the board.  Early is now 2-2 while Sanchez remains undefeated at 4-0, one KO.

Also, heavyweight Ralph Alexander of Lanham, MD lost by first-round knockout to the debuting Michael Polite-Coffie of Brooklyn, NY.  Coffie stopped Alexander at 1:01.  Alexander is 0-2.

Weights From St. Petersburg, FL and Bethlehem, PA!

Beltway Boxers tipped the scales for bouts Tuesday in both St. Petersburg, FL and Bethlehem, PA.

At the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, both David Grayton and Miguel Cruz weighed in at 146.8 pounds for their 10-round co-feature bout.

Antonio Russell came in at 117.2 pounds for his six-round contest against Marco A. Mendoza who tipped the scales at 119.2 pounds.  Also, Antuanne Russell weighed in at 139 pounds for his six-rounder against Larry Yanez, who came in at 140.8.  The card will be shown live on FS1 beginning at 7:30 PM ET.  Grayton is definitely scheduled for the telecast and the Russell Brothers may make the TV version as well.

Meanwhile at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center, Mykal Fox weighed in at 143 pounds for his now 10-round contest against Manuel Reyes.  The bout is now the main event on the card because one of the boxers scheduled for the feature bout came in 15, yes, 15 pounds overweight and the bout was scratched.  Also, the contest is for a UBF title.

Overweight boxers seemed to be the order of the day because Reyes originally weighed 147.9 pounds.  Reyes then hit the scales again and came in at 146.7 pounds.

James Early also came in over the contracted weight for his four-round contest against Juan Sanchez.  Early first weighed 129.2 four pounds over the 125 (+1) contract.  Early weighed again at 128 1/2 and lost money for being overweight.  The fight will still go one as Sanchez weighed in at 126 pounds.

Ralph Alexander came in at 229.8 pounds for his four-round bout against Michael Polite-Coffie who tipped the scales at 273.8.

Six Beltway Boxers To Appear on Two Cards on November 21st!

Tuesday, November 21st will be a huge day for Beltway Boxers as six locals will be on two cards in two separate locations.

Three Beltway Boxers will appear on a card at the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL and one of the boxers will be in the co-feature contest that will be nationally-televised on FS1.

That boxer will be Washington, DC welterweight David "Day-Day" Grayton who will be in a 10-round contest against undefeated Miguel Cruz of Lake Mary, FL by way of Cincinnati, OH.

Grayton (15-1-1, 11 KO's) looks to build off a five-round technical draw against former world champion Kermit Cintron on March 17th in Reading, PA.  The two clashed heads causing a cut over Cintron's right eye. The referee ruled Cintron could not continue the bout.  Grayton's last win was an eighth-round TKO over fellow local Kareem Martin in August of 2016 in Bethlehem, PA.

Cruz (16-0, 11 KO's) last fought on June 27th and won a 10-round unanimous decision in a rematch against Alex Martin in Bethlehem.  This will be the second time Cruz has fought a Beltway Boxer.  Cruz knocked out Juan Rodriguez in the fourth round in May of 2015 in Philadelphia, PA.

On the undercard, The Russell Brothers -- Antonio and Antuanne of Capitol Heights, MD -- will both be in six-round bouts.  Antonio Russell (9-0, seven KO's) will battle against Marco Antonio Mendoza Chico of Mexico City, Mexico.  Russell comes off a third-round knockout win over Cristian Renteria on September 19th in Bethlehem.  Chico (11-5-1, seven KO's) fights for the first time in 2017 and defeated Jose Pozo by second-round TKO in December of 2016. This will be Chico's first time competing in the United States.

Antuanne Russell (2-0, two KO's) will compete in a six-rounder for the first time in his young pro career when he takes on Larry Yanez of Fort Lauderdale, FL by way of Cuba.  The 2016 US Olympian Russell has won both of his previous pro bouts by first-round knockout.  Yanez (4-7-2) broke a four-bout losing streak with a four-round majority decision victory over Brian Meadows on May 20th in Tampa, FL.

Three more Beltway Boxers will appear on a King's Promotions card at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, PA.  Undefeated Forestville, MD welterweight Mykal "The Professor" Fox will be in an eight-round co-feature contest against Manuel "El Chino" Reyes of Los Angeles, CA.  Fox (14-0, four KO's) last fought on June 3rd and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Daniel Sostre in Fort Washington, MD.  Reyes (11-3-1, five KO's) is currently riding an eight-bout winning streak that includes an eight-round unanimous decision over Manuel Garcia on June 2nd in Tijuana, Mexico.

Also, Seat Pleasant, MD featherweight James "Too Slick" Early will be on the card in a four-round bout against undefeated Juan Sanchez of Allentown, PA by way of New York City.  Early (2-1) looks to bounce back from a six-round majority decision loss to Reggie Barnett on December 10th in Springfield, VA.  Sanchez (3-0, one KO) looks to build his record after winning a four-round unanimous decision over Gorwar Karyah on September 19th at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center.

Lanham, MD heavyweight Ralph Alexander returns to action when he takes on the debuting Michael Polite-Coffie of Brooklyn, NY in a four-rounder.  Alexander (0-1) lost his pro debut by first-round TKO to Hasim Rahman, Jr. on April 14th in Oxon Hill, MD.  Polite-Coffie is a former Marine who won the New York City Golden Gloves championship and was ranked number one in the country at super heavyweight.

Results From the Merrick Center!

Washington, DC welterweight Jonathan "Bad Badger" Baxter scored a fourth-round TKO over Joseph "Trouble" Figueroa of the Bronx, NY in the main event of the TAC Promotions/Putney Promotions card at the Merrick Recreation Center in DC.

Badger hammered Figueroa all throughout the contest with head and body shots.  Figueroa resembled a punching bag with feet, throwing very little back offensively in return.  Baxter made Figueroa drop to one knee with a right to the body in the third round.  Early in the fourth, Figueroa fell to his knees again, although it seemed to be more from a tangle than from a Baxter punch.  However, referee Sharon Sands had seen enough and waived the bout off at 35 seconds of the round.   Badger, who competed in his hometown for the first time as a pro, is now 9-1, eight KO's.  Figueroa, who was knocked out for the first time in more than seven years, falls to 11-63-5, three KO's.

The co-feature saw Glenarden, MD super lightweight Drayvontay Speed Rawls bounce back from his first pro loss and win a four-round unanimous decision over Robert "Hitman" Hill of Gulfport, MS.  Speed Rawls used his punching speed to his advantage in the early part of the bout.  Hill challenged at times but Speed Rawls was able to outpunch his foe throughout the bout.  Speed Rawls won by shutout (40-36) on all three scorecards.  Speed Rawls is now 9-1-1, six KO's.  Hill drops to 7-35-1, two KO's.

DC welterweight Cornell "Hitman" Hines scored a first-round TKO over Clifford "The Magician" McPherson of Cleveland, OH.  Near the halfway point of the bout, Hines landed a solid right hand that dropped McPherson.  The effect of the punch seemed to damage McPherson's shoulder to the point that he could not continue.  The bout was stopped at 1:31.  Hines is 2-0, with both wins coming by first-round knockout.  McPherson falls to 2-34-1, one KO.

Another DC welterweight, Dionte "Mr. Untouchable" Burts, made his pro debut a successful one with a first-round TKO over Molique Artis of Wilson, NC.  Burts landed a double left hand and dropped Artis early in the first then followed it up with another left hand to put him down for the second time.  The boxers tangled later in the round and Artis fell again after which he decided not to continue.  The bout was stopped at 2:09.  Artis falls to 0-5.  Both Hines and Burts are trained by three-time world champion and International Boxing Hall of Famer Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson.

In women's action, "The Dark Menace" Tiara Brown of Bladensburg, MD won an easy four-round unanimous decision over Natalie King of Wilson, NC in a rematch of a bout that Brown won in March.  Much like the first bout, Brown laid a beating on King, landing every kind of punch from every kind of angle.  Much like the first bout, King refused to go down.  Brown would win by shutout to raise her record to 4-0, two KO's while King remains winless at 0-8.  Brown, by the way, is also a Washington, DC police officer.  The city's police chief, Peter Newsham, was in attendance at the card.

Yonkers, NY middleweight Bryant "Spartan" Pappas won a second-round TKO over Jason "Micro Tyson" McClure of Paris, AR.  The bout, a rematch from a 2010 contest Pappas won by fourth-round TKO in Paris, resembled a sparring session in the first round as both men seemed to pitty-pat their punches against one another.  Finally, in the second round Pappas put more mustard on his punches and went exclusively to McClure's body to put him down and end the contest at 1:54.  Pappas is now 17-2-1 with all 17 wins by knockout.  McClure drops to 1-10.

The curtain-raising contest saw light heavyweight Alan Lawrence of Newark, NJ stop Henry Mercer of Rocky Mount, NC at the beginning of the third round.  Lawrence landed a series of body shots on Mercer throughout the contest.  Eventually, the body shots proved to be too much for Mercer and he could not answer the bell for the third round.  Lawrence is now 3-0, three KO's while Mercer falls to 2-14, one KO.

Martin Loses Unanimous Decision; Williams Wins Pro Debut In Flint, MI!

Washington, DC welterweight Kareem "Reemo" Martin has lost an eight-round unanimous decision to Ryan "Cowboy" Karl of Milano, TX at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, MI.  The bout was televised on FS1.

Martin got off to a good start in the first two rounds as he landed crushing right hooks and left hands.  Martin caused a cut on Karl's forehead.  However, Karl started to establish his jab and used his height and reach advantage to gain control of the contest the rest of the way.  Martin lost by scores of 78-74 (twice) and 77-75.  Martin's record falls to 9-2-1, three KO's.  Karl is now 15-1, nine KO's.

On the undercard, DC's Keeshawn Williams made an impressive pro debut as he scored a crushing first-round knockout over the equally debuting Christian Sales of Mexico.  No word on the official time but Williams landed a solid left hand after a Sales flurry and knocked him down.  Moments later, Williams landed a vicious right hand that toppled Sales for the finish. 

Weights From DC!

Here is the scale watch for the TAC Promotions/Putney Promotions card that will be held Saturday at the Merrick Recreation Center in Washington, DC:

Jonathan Baxter 148.6 vs. Joseph Figueroa 153.8

Drayvontay Speed Rawls 138.6 vs. Robert Hill 140.4

Tiara Brown 132.6 vs. Natalie King 132.6

Cornell Hines 144.2 vs. Clifford McPherson 146.8

Dionte Burts 134.4 vs. Molique Artis 137.6

Alan Lawrence 178 vs. Henry Mercer 174.4

Bryant Pappas 167 vs. Jason McClure 169.4

Beltway Amateurs Competing In Elite National Championships In December!

Three Beltway Amateurs will be competing in the USA Elite National Championships December 3-9 in Salt Lake City, UT.

Leading the local contingent will be 2017 National Golden Gloves champion Keyshawn Davis of Alexandria, VA, who will be competing at 132 pounds and fellow Alexandria resident Troy Isley who will be in the 165 pound division.  Davis qualified for this tournament by his performance in the Eastern Qualifier while Isley advanced through the National championships in 2016.

On the women's side, Alexandria's Amelia Moore will try to cap off an outstanding 2017 as she will compete at 141 pounds.  Moore has already won a National Golden Gloves championship, a Ringside World title and a National PAL title this year. 

Martin, Williams Tip Scales In Flint, MI!

Kareem Martin and Keeshawn Williams weighed in for their bouts Friday at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, MI.

Martin weighed 143.2 pounds for his eight-round contest against Ryan Karl, who tipped the scales at 142.8.  This bout may be on the FS1 telecast that will take place at 10:30 PM ET.

Williams, a junior welterweight from DC, came in at 146.8 pounds for his pro debut against Christian Salas of Tlaxcala, Mexico (1-0).  Salas weighed 144 pounds.

Russell, Davis, Hurd Crack 'Ring 100!'

Three Beltway Boxers have entered Ring Magazine's 2017 list of the 100 Best Fighters in the World. The list can be found in the January 2018 issue.

WBC Featherweight champion Gary Russell, Jr. moved up five spaces to number 25.  Russell (28-1, 17 KO's) was credited by the Ring staff for the lightning speed that he throws punches but he has only fought twice since he won the WBC title almost three years ago.  "The tools are there, the big wins aren't there just yet," said the Ring.

Former IBF Super Featherweight champ Gervonta Davis entered the Ring 100 at number 42.  Despite losing the title on the scales before his last win, Davis (19-0, 18 KO's).  The Ring staff said Davis demonstrated considerable speed and power capturing a world title at the age of 22.  However, Davis was compared to Adrian Broner as he lost the title because he was overweight. 

IBF Junior Middleweight titleholder Jarrett Hurd makes his first appearance on the list at number 70.  Hurd (21-0, 15 KO's) received enormous credit for showing what the Ring called, "poise, technique and talent" in his time in the spotlight.  The Ring editors did question how those traits will measure when Hurd faces the top junior middleweights.  The ranking, however, was completed prior to Hurd's stoppage of Austin Trout in October.

Kemeh Competes For NABO Welterweight Title Friday in Ontario, CA!

One of the newest Beltway transplants, Dodzi Kemeh, will battle for the NABO Welterweight title on Friday, November 17 against undefeated Giovanni "Gallo De Oro" Santillan at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA.

Kemeh, a native of Accra, Ghana, is now living and training in Frederick, MD.  Kemeh (19-1, 17 KO's) is coming off a fourth-round TKO over Francis Appalo on February 17th in Accra.  This is Kemeh's first bout in the United States.  According to his training staff, he has been sparring with Beltway Boxers Justin Hurd and David Grayton to get ready for this bout.

Santillan (22-0, 12 KO's) is a native of San Diego, CA and is making the first defense of his NABO title that he won with a second-round TKO over previously undefeated Sammy Valentin on July 7th in Tampa, FL.  Santillan is a fixture at the Doubletree Hotel as this will be the 16th time he has competed there in his pro career.

Weigh-In For November 18th Card Open To Public on Friday!

The weigh-in for the TAC Promotions/Putney Promotions card will be held on Friday, November 17th at the TKO Burger located next to the Carolina Kitchen on 2350 Washington PL in Northeast DC.  The weigh-in gets underway at 5 PM and is free and open to the public.

Once again, the card will be on Saturday, November 18th at the Merrick Recreation Center in Southeast DC beginning at 7 PM.

Martin Returns In Eight-Round Contest Friday In Flint, MI!

Washington, DC welterweight Kareem "Reemo" Martin returns to action on Friday, November 17th in an eight-round contest against "Cowboy" Ryan Karl of Houston, TX at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, MI.

Martin (9-1-1, three KO's) bounced back from suffering his first pro loss to David Grayton by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Evincii Dixon on August 12th in DC.  Karl (14-1, nine KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Carlos Winston Velasquez on July 18th in Alexandria, LA.  The win came after Karl had his first pro defeat at the hands of Eddie Ramirez on February 2nd in Tunica, MS.  Ramirez won by ninth-round stoppage.  

The bout may make the FS1 telecast that is scheduled to begin at 10:30 PM ET.

November 17th Amateur Card To Raise Cancer Awareness!

The next Baltimore Boxing Promotions amateur boxing card will take place at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD will be on Friday, November 17th and this will be a very special card.

The card is called "Who's The Next Shining Star" and will feature eight amateur bouts.  However, this card will also honor the memory of Baltimore native Crystal Beard, who was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer in August of 2016.  This was an extremely aggressive cancer that eventually spread throughout her body.  Despite six chemo treatments and a double mastectomy in February, Ms. Beard sadly passed away on October 28th.  She was only 37 years old and left behind a 17-year-old daughter, a seven-year-old son and a three month old grandchild.  Ms. Beard did not have life insurance and the father of the children lives in Arizona.  Her children and grandchild will be cared for by Beard's sister and mother.

The family is still looking at medical bills and Beard's daughter is hoping to attend college as she is a senior in high school this year.  The fight night will include a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction.  Fans can also donate a block of tickets to the family that can be resold.

“In all of my years as a promoter working with people and organizations, this is the most devastating,” said Smith, a fixture in Baltimore’s boxing scene for more than 30 years. “A woman that should’ve had many happy and healthy years ahead of her passed away at 37 leaving behind two children and a grandchild that face an extremely difficult situation. We will do all we can to raise as much money and awareness as possible while honoring her legacy on the 17th because nothing in life is guaranteed and every day you get to enjoy is a blessing.”

Donations can also be made to Beard's family at gofundme.com/in-memory-of-crystal-beard.

Tickets for the event start at $40 and can be purchased by going to www.baltimoreboxing.com/events or by calling 410-375-9175.  The first bout is scheduled for 8:30 PM.

Reed Loses By Second-Round TKO; Dezurn Drops Unanimous Decision; Womack Scores TKO Upset!

A very interesting and, indeed a very tough Saturday night for Beltway Boxers as two of our undefeated competitors lost for the very first time while a local boxer fighting on very short notice scored a huge upset.

At the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, CA, Waldorf, MD super lightweight Mike "Yes Indeed" Reed lost by second-round TKO to undefeated Jose Ramirez of Avenal, CA.  The bout was televised by ESPN.  Reed tried to engage with Ramirez but Ramirez's physicality proved to be too much as he landed solid left hooks to Reed's body.  Reed was knocked down in the first minute of the second round and Ramirez's follow-up barrage forced referee Jack Reiss to stop the contest at 1:43. Reed disagreed with the stoppage, however, Reed did not throw any punches during the final barrage.

Reed 's record falls to 23-1, 12 KO's.  Ramirez regained the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight title with the victory and will go on the fight for the now vacant WBO world title.  Ramirez is now 21-0, 16 KO's.

Baltimore, MD super featherweight Glenn Dezurn, Jr. dropped an eight-round unanimous decision to Jesse Angel Hernandez of Fort Worth, TX at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, NY.  No details given on the contest but Dezurn lost by scores of 79-73, 78-74, and 77-75.  Dezurn falls to 9-1-1, six KO's while Hernandez is 10-1, seven KO's.

The big shocker came in Hockessin, DE at the Hockessin PAL Center where late sub Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. of Baltimore scored a major upset, knocking out Joey Tiberi, Jr. of Newark, DE in the first round.  Womack, who took the bout on 48 hours notice, dropped Tiberi three times en route to the win.  No official word on the time of the stoppage. Womack captured the USBU Americas Junior Welterweight title with the win.  Womack is now 8-14-4, six KO's while Tiberi falls to 15-3, eight KO's.  This is the second time Tiberi has lost to a Baltimore Boxer.  Tiberi dropped a six-round unanimous decision to Tyrell Samuel in May of 2014 in Dover, DE.

Womack Weighs 143 Pounds For Six-Round Bout In Delaware!

Kevin Womack, Jr. came in at 143 pounds for a six-round contest against Joey Tiberi Saturday at the Hockessin PAL in Hockessin, DE.  Tiberi weighed 141.1 for the bout.  The bout is apparently for the USBU Americas Junior Welterweight title.

Womack (7-14-4, five KO's), a native of Baltimore, MD, was a late substitute for this contest.  He last fought on May 26th and battled Tony Morris to a four-round majority draw in Raleigh, NC.  Tiberi (15-2, eight KO's) comes off a second-round TKO victory over Marlon Lewis on June 23rd in New Castle, DE.

Reed Weighs 139.6 For 10-Round Regional Title Tilt!

Mike Reed tipped the scales at 139.6 pounds for his 10-round contest against WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight champion Jose Carlos Ramirez Saturday at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, CA.  Ramirez weighed in at 139 pounds. 

The bout will be shown on ESPN Saturday at 10:30 PM ET.

Roach, Jr. To Defend WBC Youth Silver Super Featherweight Title November 30th At MGM National Harbor!

Boxing returns to the MGM National Harbor and Casino in Oxon Hill, MD on Thursday, November 30th with a nationally-televised (ESPN2) Golden Boy Promotions card that will feature one of the rising Beltway Boxers.

Undefeated Upper Marlboro, MD super featherweight Lamont Roach, Jr. will defend his WBC Youth Silver Super Featherweight championship against Rey "Flash" Perez of Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines in a 10-round feature bout.  Roach (15-0, six KO's) comes off a first-round TKO over Luis Hinojosa on October 21st in Verona, NY.  Perez (21-8, six KO's) broke a two-bout losing streak with a second-round TKO over Noel Adelmita on June 4th in Dipolog City, Philippines.

Also on the card will be the Rincon Brothers of Carrollton, TX, who train in the Beltway area.  Alex Rincon, a super welterweight (3-0, three KO's) will be in a scheduled four-round contest.  George Rincon, a welterweight (2-0) will also be in a bout scheduled for four rounds.  Both are looking for opponents.

The other featured bout matches Jose "Wonder Boy" Lopez of Carolina, Puerto Rico and Miguel Angel "Silky Smooth" Gonzalez of Cleveland, OH in a 10-round super featherweight bout for the WBO International Super Featherweight championship.  Lopez, the titleholder (19-1-1, 14 KO's), is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision over Orlando Cruz on June 17th in Caguas, Puerto Rico.  Gonzalez (24-4, 16 KO's) has not fought since November of 2015 when he won an eight-round majority decision over Fedor Papazov in Las Vegas, NV.

PVA All-Stars Battle Philadelphia November 10th At Rosecroft!

There will be an amateur boxing card that will take place on Friday, November 10th at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

The Potomac Valley Association (PVA) All-Stars will be in action against a team from Philadelphia, PA.  Tickets start at $20 for general admission and the first bout is scheduled to begin at 7 PM.

Undefeated Dezurn Battles Once-Beaten Hernandez November 11th In Uniondale, NY!

Undefeated Baltimore, MD super bantamweight Glenn Dezurn, Jr. will be in an eight-round contest against Jesse Angel Hernandez of Fort Worth, TX on Saturday, November 11th at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, NY.

Dezurn (9-0-1, six KO's) is coming off an eight-round split-decision draw against Adam Lopez on July 14th in Miami, OK.  Hernandez (9-1, seven KO's) scored a fifth-round TKO over previously undefeated Vladimir Tikhonov on August 4th in Detroit, MI.

The bout will be on the undercard of an HBO tripleheader card on November 11th.

Undefeated Reed Faces Undefeated Ramirez November 11th In Fresno, CA!

Undefeated Waldorf, MD super lightweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed will battle fellow undefeated boxer Jose Carlos Ramirez of Avenal, CA in a 10-round bout on Saturday, November 11th at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, CA.  The bout will be for Ramirez's WBC Continental Americas championship and will be shown on ESPN, marking Reed's first time on national television.

Reed (23-0, 12 KO's) comes off two straight 10-round unanimous decision victories against veteran opponents.  On April 8th, Reed did not have a strong performance in a win over Reyes Sanchez in Oxon Hill, MD.  Reed then had a solid showing in a victory over Robert Frankel on August 19th in Lincoln, NB.  Reed is ranked 9th by the WBO.

Ramirez (20-0, 15 KO's) has scored knockouts in his last three outings.  Ramirez scored a fourth-round TKO over Tomas Mendez in July of 2016 in Lemoore, CA.  That was followed by a sixth-round knockout over Issouf Kinda in December of 2016 at the Save Mart Arena.  In his last outing, Ramirez delivered a second-round TKO over Jake Giuriceo on May 5th in Reno, NV.  This will be Ramirez's fourth defense of the title he won in December of 2015.  Ramirez is ranked 5th by the WBC and the WBO.

The telecast is scheduled to begin at 10:30 PM ET.  Reed-Ramirez will be the co-feature on the card.

Boxing Comes To New Location In DC November 18th!

There will be a pro boxing card coming to a new location in Washington, DC.  A TAC Promotions/Putney Promotions card will take place on Saturday, November 18th at the Merrick Recreation Center located at 4275 4th Street in Southeast DC.

Headlining the card will be the return of DC welterweight Jonathan "Bad Badger" Baxter who will be in a six-round contest against veteran Joseph "Trouble" Figueroa of the Bronx, NY.  Baxter (8-1, seven KO's) lost his pro debut in November of 2016 but has won eight straight bouts in North Carolina and Georgia.  This includes a second-round TKO of Isaiah Robinson on August 19 in Greensboro, NC.  Figueroa (11-62-5, three KO's) will be the most experienced foe Baxter has faced.  Figueroa has lost eight in a row but has gone the distance in every bout.  Figueroa is coming off a four-round unanimous decision loss to Osnel Charles on April 27 in Durham, NC.

Baxter's cousin, Quinton Taylor, a cruiserweight from DC, is scheduled to be on the card in a four-round bout against an opponent to be determined.  Taylor (1-0, one KO) won his pro debut on August 19th in Greensboro, scoring a first-round TKO over Keshai Daquan Lindsey.

Bladensburg, MD featherweight "The Dark Menace" Tiara Brown (3-0, two KO's) will be on the card in a four-round rematch against Natalie King of Wilson, NC (0-7).  The two met each other on March 25 at the University of the District of Columbia and Brown won by four-round unanimous decision.

Glenarden, MD super lightweight Drayvontay Speed Rawls will be in a scheduled six-round contest against Matt Murphy of East St. Louis, IL.  Speed Rawls (8-1-1, six KO's) will look to bounce back from suffering his first pro loss -- a six-round split decision to Dion Richardson on July 13th in Glen Burnie, MD.  Murphy (3-17-3, two KO's) looks to bounce back from a six-round unanimous decision loss to Eben Vargas on October 14th in Phoenix, AZ.  Murphy will compete for the 15th time in 2017.

DC welterweight Cornell Hines will take on veteran Clifford "The Magician" McPherson in a four-round bout.  Hines (1-0, one KO) made his pro debut on April 29th in Springfield, VA and scored a first-round TKO over Zachary Johnson.  McPherson (2-33-1, one KO) has lost 31 bouts in a row including a second-round TKO to Lavonte Earley on February 11th in Chattanooga, TN. 

Also on the card, Yonkers, NY middleweight Bryant Pappas will return to action for the first time in 2017 when he takes on Jason "Micro Tyson" McClure of Paris, AR, who has not fought since October of 2011.  Pappas (16-2-1, 16 KO's) last fought in December of 2016 and notched a first-round TKO over Andrew Hartley in Johnson City, TN.  McClure (1-9) lost by second-round KO to Elliott Forman in Russellville, AR.  McClure and Pappas met one time before in September of 2010.  Pappas scored a fourth-round TKO in Paris.

Nelson Reportedly To Face Two-Time Gold Medalist Shields January 12th in Verona, NY!

Moments after her second-round TKO victory over Latashia Burton Saturday night at the Silver Eagle Group Arena in Ashburn, VA, multi-time world champion Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson, along with ring announcer Henry "Discombobulating" Jones, relayed some big news to the standing-room only crowd.

Reportedly, Nelson's next bout will be against two-time Olympic gold medalist and reigning IBF and WBC Super Middleweight champion Claressa "T-Rex" Shields of Flint, MI.  The bout is slated to take place on Friday, January 12th at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY and is scheduled to be part of an Showtime Shobox telecast.

Shields (4-0, two KO's) won the IBF and WBC titles by scoring 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 and won a four-round unanimous decision.  In a June 2017 article that appeared in the Detroit Free Press, Shields said the following:

“I always tell my promoter (Salita Promotions) that I want the girls with the (zeroes) on their records like Tori Nelson, (World Boxing Council super middleweight champion) Nikki Adler and (WBC middleweight champion) Christina Hammer because I feel I have the skills to beat them."

The last time Nelson faced a boxer of Shields's magnitude was when she knocked out legendary women's champion Mia St. John in the second round in May of 2014 in Annandale, VA.

If the bout comes to fruition, it will be the first part of a big Beltway Boxing weekend because former three-time world champion Lamont Peterson of DC is scheduled to battle Errol Spence for Spence's IBF Welterweight championship on Saturday, January 13th at a location to be determined.  That bout will also be shown on Showtime.

Nelson Scores TKO In Ashburn Homecoming!

Undefeated Ashburn, VA super middleweight Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson scored a second-round TKO over Latashia Burton of Houma, LA in the main event of a Shabazz Brotherz card in front of a standing-room only crowd at the Silver Energy Group Arena in Ashburn.

Performing in front of her hometown crowd for the first time in her career, 11-time world champion Nelson went to work quickly, hammering Burton with solid left and right hands.  Burton gave little resistance to Nelson's onslaught.  After the second round ended, Burton appeared to fall ill, vomiting in her corner.  The ringside physician advised referee Michelle Myers to stop the contest.  Nelson is now 17-0-3, two KO's while Burton falls to 4-10.

In the co-feature, Bethesda, MD super flyweight Alexandru "Spartan" Marin won an eight-round unanimous decision over Juan Gabriel Medina of La Romana, Dominican Republic. Marin, a native of Romania, was able to exchange with Medina throughout the contest.  At one point in the contest, Marin appeared to drop to one knee after Medina landed a right hand.  However, referee Billy Johnson did not call a knockdown.  Seconds later, Marin landed a counter right hand that knocked Medina to the canvas.  Once Medina recovered, he stayed on his bicycle throughout, trying to avoid Marin's attack.  Marin cut Medina off in the corners and landed shots, however, he took some from his opponent as well.  Marin, who had former three-time world champion William Joppy as one of his trainers, was able to win by scores of 80-71, 79-72 and 80-72 to remain undefeated at 15-0, 10 KO's.  Medina has lost two straight and he is now 10-2, nine KO's.

Baltimore, MD welterweight prospect Malik "Iceman" Hawkins stopped Juan Jesus Rivera of Aguascalientes, Mexico after seven rounds of action.  Hawkins was able to knock down Rivera with the first right hand he threw.  The bout turned contentious in the middle rounds as both men landed some questionable shots.  Rivera lost a point in the fifth round for hitting Hawkins behind the head.  After the seventh round, Rivera could not continue to compete in the contest.  Hawkins's record rises to 12-0, nine KO's.  Rivera drops to 28-19, 18 KO's.

Baltimore-based super flyweight Tyrieshia "Lady Tiga" Douglas scored a eighth-round TKO over "The Baby-Faced Assassin" Crystal Hoy of Las Vegas, NV.  Douglas, a native of Washington, DC, scored a knockdown in the second round with an impressive three-punch combination ending with a right hand.  Hoy recovered from the knockdown and fought gamely in the bout but was unable to overcome Douglas's combination of speed and power.  Finally, Douglas was able to batter Hoy in the seventh and eighth rounds before referee Myers stopped the bout at 1:09 of the eighth.  Douglas, a five-time world champion, is now 13-1, six KO's.  Hoy, who returned to the ring for the first time since October of 2014, is now 5-8-4, two KO's.

Undefeated Ashburn lightweight Seth "Killer B" Billups won a workmanlike six-round unanimous decision over durable Lamont White of Washington, DC.  Billups was able to land shots with relative ease in the contest.  White, who has never been knocked out in a contest, wasn't going anywhere in this bout either.  However, he was unable to mount any sustained offense.  Billups won the bout by shutout across the board (60-54) and he is now 10-0, six KO's.  White falls to 1-11, one KO, one no contest.

In the curtain-raising contest, Baltimore heavyweight Hasim "Gold Blooded" Rahman, Jr. scored a first-round TKO over veteran James Jones of Nashville, TN.  Rahman had an easy time in the contest as he knocked down Jones three times before referee Johnson stopped the bout at 2:21.  Rahman is now 3-0 with all three wins by knockout in the first round.  Jones is 4-12, three KO's.

The Ronald Ellis-Taneal Goyco bout was a last-minute scratch due to weight issues.  Brian Dillon served as matchmaker for the card and the ring announcer was Henry "Discombobulating" Jones.

Here is the Post-Fight Wrap-Up show I recorded after the card:

Listen to "BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up Show On November 4th Card" on Spreaker.

Weights From Ashburn, VA!

Here is the scale watch for the Shabazz Brothers card at the Silver Eagle Group Arena in Ashburn, VA:

Tori Nelson 164 vs. Latashia Burton 157

Tyrieshia Douglas 114 vs. Crystal Hoy 114

Malik Hawkins 145 vs. Juan Jesus Rivera 147

Seth Billups 133 vs. Lamont White 135

Hasim Rahman, Jr. 229 vs. James Jones (will weigh-in later today)

Alexandru Marin 115 vs. Juan Medina 115

Ronald Ellis 166 vs. Taneal Goyco 170

The card is scheduled to get underway at 7 PM ET.  Check the BATB Pages on Spreaker.com and Iheartradio.com as well as the Boxing Along The Beltway Google App For Android for live blow-by-blow coverage.

Bouts Added To November 4th Ashburn Card; Other Locals Competing On Saturday!

A number of updates to Saturday, November 4th cards involving Beltway Boxers in the area and throughout the country.

First, bouts have been added to the Shabazz Brothers card at the Silver Eagle Group Arena in Ashburn, VA.  Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson now has an opponent for the main event on the card.  Nelson (16-0-3, one KO) will battle Latashia Burton of Houma, LA in a contest scheduled for 10 rounds.  Nelson has not fought since winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Alicia Napoleon on December 10th in Springfield, VA.  Burton (4-9) looks to bounce back from a first-round stoppage against Franchon Crews-Dezurn on March 25th in Washington, DC.

Also on the card, Bronx, NY super lightweight Marcos Suarez (5-0-1, one KO) will face veteran Anthony Dave of Canton, OH (1-17-1) in a four-round contest.  Suarez fights for the first time since winning a four-round unanimous decision over Sidney Maccow in May of 2015 in Queens, NY.  Dave lost by second-round TKO to Elijah Pierce on April 1 in Jonesboro, GA.

The Boxing Along The Beltway Google App For Android is preparing to call the action on that card beginning approximately 6:55 PM ET.

Around the country, Frederick, MD light heavyweight Larry "Hitman" Pryor will be in a six-round bout against undefeated Mike Hilton of Trenton, NJ at the Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.  Pryor (10-17, five KO's) lost a six-round unanimous decision to Eddy Lacrosse in Saint-Nazaire, France.  Hilton (7-0, six KO's) faces a Beltway Boxer for the second straight time, having scored a six-round unanimous decision to Willis Lockett on August 5 at the Claridge.

In Homestead, PA, super middleweight Eric "The Immortal" Govan will be in a four-round contest against Leemont Johnson of Pittsburgh, PA at the Carnegie Music Hall.  Govan (6-2, three KO's) will try to build on a six-round unanimous decision victory over Brandon Pennington on May 13 in Norfolk, VA.  Johnson (4-0, three KO's) won a four-round unanimous decision over Marcus Neal in Washington, PA.

Also, Capitol Heights, MD lightweight Keeshawn Williams will make his professional debut against fellow debuting boxer Christian Sales at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.  Williams was a multi-time regional Golden Gloves champion and participated in the 2016 Olympic Trials.

New Boxing League To Make Presentation November 4 In DC!

Sometimes as boxing fans, we tend to forget that boxing is also known as "prizefighting."  Many people, at different times, have tried to devise ways for boxers to make more money.

The newest endeavor is called Money Round Boxing, a new tournament-style league intended to make more money for competitors who get involved.  League CEO Howard J. Sanford will be in DC to give a free presentation on how the world-wide league will work.

The presentation will be held on Saturday, November 4th at Tony's Gym, located at 1216 Mt. Olivet Road in Northeast DC and will begin at noon.  There will be live demonstrations and explanations of the rules and regulations of the league, which hopes to be in full operation early in 2018.

Boxing Debuts In Ashburn, VA November 4!

Professional boxing makes its first appearance in Ashburn, VA as Shabazz Brothers Promotions brings a card to the Silver Eagle Group Arena on Saturday, November 4.  The Silver Eagle Group Arena is located at 44620 Guilford Drive in Ashburn.

Ashburn's own Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson is scheduled to headline the card.  The multi-time, multi-division world champion and two-time Beltway Boxer of the Year (16-0-3, one KO) is still looking for a super middleweight opponent for a scheduled 10-round bout on the card.

Another multi-time, multi-division titleholder will be on the card as Washington, DC flyweight Tyrieshia "Lady Tyga" Douglas will be in a 10-round co-feature against Crystal Hoy of Las Vegas, NV.  Douglas (12-1, five KO's) last fought on June 17th and won a fourth-round TKO over previously undefeated Ebony Rivera in Baltimore, MD to win the vacant UBF Super Flyweight championship.  Hoy (5-7-4, two KO's) has not fought since losing a 10-round majority decision to Heather Hardy in October of 2014 in New York City.

Undefeated Baltimore welterweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins will be in a scheduled eight-round contest against veteran Juan Jesus Rivera of Aguascalientes, Mexico.  Hawkins (11-0, eight KO's) scored a second-round stoppage of Carlos Soto on April 14 in Oxon Hill, MD.   Rivera (28-18, 18 KO's) will be trying to break a four-bout losing streak including a first-round knockout loss to Travell Mazion on April 20th in Verona, NY.

In another eight-rounder, Baltimore light heavyweight Travis "Seveer" Reeves will battle another veteran in Fernando "El Huracan" Castaneda of Aguascalientes, Mexico.  Reeves (15-2-2, seven KO's) will try to lengthen his 12-bout winning streak during which he has won one state and one regional title.  In his last outing, Reeves won by fourth-round disqualification over Josue Obando on June 17th in Baltimore.  Castaneda (24-12, 15 KO's) has lost two straight, both to undefeated boxers.  Castaneda dropped a 10-round unanimous decision to Sean Monaghan on December 10th in Omaha, NB.

The sons of former undisputed world heavyweight champion and Baltimore native Hasim Rahman will both be in action.  Heavyweight Hasim "Gold Blooded" Rahman, Jr.  will take on James Jones of Nashville, TN in a four-round bout.  Rahman, Jr. (2-0, two KO's) last fought on April 21st in Warren, MI and scored a first-round knockout over Demetrius Shaw.  Rahman, Jr. was scheduled to compete on October 19th in Durham, NC but his opponent decided he did not want to fight and left the ring and the building before the bout was slated to begin.  Jones (4-11, three KO's) faces a Beltway Boxer for the second straight time.  Jones lost by fourth-round TKO to Sam Crossed on July 15th in Washington, DC.  Jones has also lost to Beltway Boxers Nick Kisner, Shaborn Ryals and Greg Newby.

Middleweight Sharif "C3" Rahman will be in a four-round bout against Ashburn's Carlos Cruz.  Rahman (2-0, two KO's) returned after an almost two-year absence and scored a first-round TKO over Curt Johnson on September 30 in Kansas City, KS.  Cruz (1-2, one KO) won his pro debut in June of 2016 but has since lost two decisions including a four-round unanimous decision to George Sheppard on August 12th in Norfolk, VA.

In a Beltway lightweight matchup, undefeated Ashburn resident Seth "Killer B" Billups will battle DC's Lamont White in a six-round matchup.  Billups (9-0, six KO's) won a six-round unanimous decision over Rynell Griffin on the August 12th card in Norfolk.  White (1-10, one KO) has lost three straight since notching his first pro win in May.  White lost a four-round unanimous decision to Osvaldo Morales in his last bout on September 9th in Harrisburg, PA.  White will compete for the seventh time in 2017.

Also on the card, undefeated Lynn, MA super middleweight Ronald Akeem Ellis will face off with Taneal "Spider" Goyco of Philadelphia, PA in an eight-round bout.  Ellis (14-0-1, 10 KO's) last fought on January 20th in Atlantic City, NJ and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Christopher Brooker.  Ellis's draw came against Jerry Odom in February of 2016.  Goyco (9-10-1, four KO's) will look to bounce back from an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Travis Reeves on April 14th in Oxon Hill, MD.  Goyco also fought Odom and scored a fifth-round stoppage in November of 2016 in Philadelphia.

Undefeated Bethesda, MD bantamweight Alexandru "Spartan" Marin is also scheduled to be on this card in a 10-round bout against an opponent to be determined.  Marin (14-0, 10 KO's) is coming off a second-round TKO over Alex Palacios on August 12th in Norfolk, VA.

Andrade-Fox Bout Draws Large Viewership!

More fallout from Alantez Fox's bout against Demetrius Andrade.  Apparently, a lot of people were tuned into HBO's Boxing After Dark telecast on Saturday, October 20th primarily, it seemed, to watch that bout.

A joint press release from Banner Promotions, who co-promoted the contest and Star Boxing, who is Andrade's promoter, the bout, in which Andrade defeated Fox by 12-round unanimous decision, drew a peak number of 685,000 viewers -- more than the main event on the card (the WBA Super Featherweight championship between new champion Alberto Machado and former champion Jezreel Corrales.  The bout also outdrew the opening bout on the telecast.

The number of viewers is also significant when you look at the other sports that were on TV at the time the bout started.  This included game 7 of the American League Championship Series between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees as well as two high-profile college football games -- Penn State vs. Michigan and Notre Dame vs. USC.

More Notes From This Past Week -- Fox Suffers Separated Shoulder; Rahman, Jr. Opponent Decides Not To Fight!

Two notes from this past week's action.  Forestville, MD middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox suffered a separated left shoulder during his 12-round unanimous decision loss to Demetrius Andrade Saturday at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY.

Fox suffered the injury in the first round of the contest which he lost by scores of 118-110, 118-109, and 116-111.  The injury hampered Fox's ability to throw punches during the contest.  Mike Borao, Fox's manager, told ESPN.com that Fox tore his rotator cuff and is waiting for results of an MRI exam to give the extent of the damages.

"He was fighting with a serious injury," Borao said. "He told me the pain was excruciating but that he did not want to quit in the fight. He's known for throwing a great number of punches, which he didn't do in this fight because of the shoulder. We're waiting on the MRI report and hopefully the injury won't keep him out of the ring for too long. "

Meanwhile in Durham, NC on Thursday, October 19th, Baltimore, MD heavyweight Hasim "Goldblooded" Rahman, Jr. was slated to box a debuting boxer named Joseph Coats.  The two men went into the ring.  Then as the boxers were introduced, Coats walked out of the ring and went back to the dressing room.

After a forty-minute wait, Coats came out to the ring but then changed his mind again and walked back to the dressing room.  The bout was called off.  Coats faces a North Carolina suspension and maybe other penalties as well.  Rahman, Jr. is scheduled to be on the Saturday, November 4th card at the Silver Eagle Group Arena in Ashburn, VA.

First Look At November Schedule!

November's schedule should be very exciting for Beltway Boxers as we have a number of locals performing throughout the month.  Here's a look of what is planned:

Saturday, November 4 -- Boxing card at the Silver Eagle Gun Arena in Ashburn, VA.  Tori Nelson, Tyrieshia Douglas, Alexandru Marin, Travis Reeves, Seth Billups, Malik Hawkins and Hasim Rahman, Jr. are all scheduled to be on the card.

Saturday, November 4 -- Ashton Sykes and Larry Pryor are scheduled to be on a card at the Claridge Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.  Sykes will take on the debuting Robert Terry in a four-round contest and Pryor will battle undefeated Mike Hilton in a bout scheduled for six rounds.

Saturday, November 4 -- Eric Govan scheduled to be in a four-round contest against undefeated Leemont Johnson at the Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead in Homestead, PA.

Saturday, November 4 -- Keeshawn Williams scheduled to make his pro debut against an opponent to be determined at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Saturday, November 11th -- Mike Reed will be in a 10-round contest against fellow undefeated Jose Carlos Ramirez for Ramirez's WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight championship at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, CA.  The bout will be a co-feature bout on an ESPN telecast.

Saturday, November 11th -- Antoine Douglas slated to be in a 10-round bout against an opponent to be determined at the Atrium Arena in Stone Mountain, GA.

Saturday, November 11th -- Glenn Dezurn scheduled to be in an eight-round contest against Jesse Angel Hernandez at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY.

Friday, November 17th -- Amateur Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Friday, November 17th -- Kareem Martin scheduled to be in an eight round bout against Ryan Karl at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, MI.  The card will be shown on FS1.

Saturday, November 18th -- Boxing card at the Merrick Recreation Center in Washington, DC.  Scheduled to appear on this card are Beltway Boxers  Jonathan Baxter, Quinton Taylor, Tiara Brown, Jovan Davis and Jerrell Harris. 

Saturday, November 18th -- Demarcus Corley and Derrick Brent Corley are on a card at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth, MS.

Tuesday, November 21st -- Mykal Fox will be in an eight-round welterweight bout against Marlon Aguas at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, PA.

Tuesday, November 21st -- David Grayton, Antonio Russell and Antuanne Russell are all on bouts at the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL.  Grayton's bout against Miguel Cruz will be on the FS1 telecast.

Remember, bouts are subject to change without notice.  However, this looks like a very strong list of bouts.

Results From Mayflower Hotel Alarm.com Card!

Every year, there is a boxing card held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC that is strictly for the employees of Alarm.com.  No press are allowed at the event so the results are tardy in being posted.

The card marked the pro debut of Hagerstown, MD light heavyweight Genc Pllana who made short work of DC's Dameron Kirby, scoring a first-round knockout.  Pllana, who was a Regional Golden Gloves champion, is trained by three-time world champion Simon Brown.  Kirby is now 0-2.

Also, Richmond, VA super welterweight Moshea "The Machine" Aleem fought Rayton Okwiri of Kenya to a six-round draw.  Aleem is now 4-1-2, two KO's.  Okwiri is now 1-0-1, one KO.

DC lightweight Keegan "Sandman" Grove returned to action and won a four-round unanimous decision over Vladimir Pierre of Harlem, NY.  Grove is now 2-0 while Pierre is 1-2.

The main event on the card saw heavyweight Jermaine Franklin of Saginaw, MI (14-0, 11 KO's) win an eight-round unanimous decision over Tyrell "Juice" Wright of Jersey City, NJ (9-1-2, six KO's).  There was also a female bout won by Kali Reis of Providence, RI, who won a six-round unanimous decision over Sydney "Ginger The Ninja" LeBlanc of Gretna, LA.  Reis is now 12-6-1, four KO's while LeBlanc drops to 4-5-1.

Services For Bernard Roach Announced!

Funeral arrangements for long-time Beltway trainer Bernard Roach have been announced.  There will be a wake on Thursday, October 26th at the Spirit of Faith Christian Center located at 2261 Oxon Run Drive in Temple Hills, MD.  The wake will be from 6-8 PM.

The funeral will be held on Friday, October 27th at Spirit of Faith.  The viewing will be at 9 AM and the service starts at 11 AM.  The repast following the service will be private.

There will also be a burial service on Monday, October 30 at 11 AM sharp at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Cheltenham.

Fox Drops Unanimous Decision to Undefeated Andrade; Roach, Jr., Ballard Victorious In Verona!

Beltway Boxers went two for three on a card at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY on Saturday. 

In the nationally-televised (HBO) co-feature, Forestville, MD middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox lost a 12-round unanimous decision to undefeated former world champion Demetrius "Boo Boo" Andrade.  Fox was never in the contest as he was rocked by an Andrade left hand early in the first round.  Fox did get credit for a flash knockdown in the seventh round, however replays clearly showed that Andrade slipped and Fox did not land a punch.

Fox lost by scores of 118-110, 118-109 and 116-111.  After the bout, Fox went to the hospital to treat a possibly dislocated left shoulder.  Fox loses for the first time in his career and his record is now 23-1-1, 11 KO's.  Andrade made a successful debut at middleweight as his record rises to 26-0, 16 KO's.

On the undercard, Upper Marlboro, MD super featherweight Lamont Roach, Jr. won by first round TKO when his opponent, Luis Hinojosa of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, hurt his ankle as he stepped awkwardly on the canvas.  After consulting with ringside doctors, the bout was waved off at 2:04.  Roach, Jr. is now 15-0, six KO's while Hinojosa falls to 30-13, 18 KO's.

Temple Hills, MD light heavyweight D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard won a 10-round unanimous decision over a very tough Jaime "Zarco" Solario of San Quentin, Mexico.  Ballard was able to land the better punches but Solario wasn't going anywhere and was very awkward throughout the bout.  Ballard won by scores of 98-92 and 99-91 (twice) to raise his record to 18-0, 12 KO's while Solario drops to 11-3-2, eight KO's.

Selby, White Win Championships In Chattanooga!

Two more Baltimore, MD amateurs have won championships at the Eastern Elite Qualifier and Regional Open at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga, TN.

Stacey Selby captured the Junior 132 Pound title with a 3-2 decision over Juliano Castellano of Spring Hill, FL and Donte White stopped Lemichael Moulden of Knoxville, TN to win the Junior 176+ championship.

Another Baltimore-area boxer, Malik Warren of Catonsville, MD, moved into the finals of the Youth 132 Pound class with a 4-1 victory over Dominique Francis of Opa Locka, FL.  Warren will face Adrian Benton of Cincinnati, OH in the championship today.

Beltway Boxers have won five championships so far at this tournament.

Fox, Ballard, Roach, Jr. Tip Scales In Verona!

Three Beltway Boxers weighed in for separate bouts at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY on Friday.

(Photo by HBO/Ed Mulholland)

Alantez Fox reached the middleweight limit of 160 pounds for his scheduled 12-round co-feature bout against former world champion Demetrius Andrade, who weighed in at 159 1/2 pounds.  The Fox-Andrade bout will be part of the HBO telecast that begins at 10:05 PM ET.

D'Mitrius Ballard weighed in at 171 pounds for his 10-round contest against Jaime Solorio, who came in at 172.  Also, Lamont Roach, Jr. tipped the scales at 132 for his 10-rounder against Luis Hinojosa, who weighed in at 132 1/2.

Baltimore Boxers Advance In Eastern Elite Qualifiers!

Two Baltimore, MD-based boxers advance to the next round of action at the 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifiers and Regional Open at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga, TN.

Stacey Selby, a native of Washington, DC who trains in Baltimore, won a 5-0 decision over Elijah Rios of Ozone Park, NY in the Junior 132 Pound division.

Also, Donte White also captured a 5-0 decision over Tyree Chapman of Detroit, MI in the Junior 176 Pound class.

Earlier in the day, Malik Warren of Catonsville, MD won his bout in the Youth 132 Pound division by walkover.

Davis Drops Unanimous Decision In Atlanta!

Washington, DC super featherweight Joshua "Dynamite" Davis has lost a six-round unanimous decision to undefeated Ray "Lightning Jr." Lampkin of Portland, OR tonight at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta, GA.  The bout was shown on the CBS Sports Network.

Davis had a tough time getting his offense together as Lampkin repeatedly circled him and hit him with hard right jabs.  Davis took a knee in the third round but was able to finish the contest.  Lampkin won by scores of 60-53 (twice) and 58-55.  Davis is now 11-2, five KO's while Lampkin rises to 11-0, four KO's.

Beltway Amateurs Continue Winning Ways At Eastern Qualifiers!

Two Beltway Amateurs won championships at the 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifiers at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga, TN.

Khaliq Harrison of Fort Washington, MD won the Bantam 106 Pound championship with a 3-2 decision over Malachi Davis of Albany, NY.  Also, Sa'mari Everette of Baltimore, MD captured the Pee Wee 60 Pound title with a 5-0 decision over Javon Robinson of Oxford, PA.

The Elite competition got underway on Wednesday.  In the 123 Pound division, Jaqeem Hutcherson of Temple Hills, MD won his bout by walkover.  In the Youth 123 Pound class, Jay Stancil III of Clinton, MD advanced with a 4-1 decision over Miguel Gomez of Antioch, TN.  Also, Zabreon Brown of Oxon Hill, MD won a split decision over Joey Issac of Cincinnati, OH in the Bantam 70 Pound division.

Davis Weighs 130.2 For Eight Rounder In Atlanta!

Joshua Davis weighed in at 130.2 pounds for his eight-round encounter with Ray Lampkin, Jr. Thursday from the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta, GA.  Lampkin came in at 130 pounds.

The bout will make the CBS Sports Network telecast on Thursday night beginning at 8:30 PM ET.

Maurice "Mighty Moe" Gray, Beltway Boxer, Passes At 52!

Our condolences to former Beltway Boxer, Maurice "Mighty Moe" Gray, who recently passed away at the age of 52.  Reportedly, he had spinal meningitis.

Gray, a heavyweight, fought out of Hillcrest Heights, MD from 1990 to 2000 (5-7, four KO's).  He lost his pro debut against veteran Marion Wilson in September of 1990 in Baltimore, MD.  Gray won his first bout against John Shields in March of 1994 by first-round stoppage in Las Vegas, NV.

Gray's last bout was in June of 2000 when he lost a six-round unanimous decision to Tony Thompson in Glen Burnie, MD.

I had the opportunity to work two of Gray's bouts against Scott Jones at Martin's Crosswinds for my TV series Boxing Spotlight.  He was an exciting boxer.  Very sorry to hear this news.

Beltway Results From Eastern Elite Qualifier In Chattanooga!

On day two of the Eastern Elite Qualifier and Regional Open Championships in Chattanooga, TN, more Beltway amateurs advanced.  However, some fell a little short.

In the Junior Male 132 Pound division, Stacey Selby of Baltimore, MD defeated Justin Swanson of Troy, NY by a 5-0 decision.

In the Pee Wee 60 Pound division, Sa'mari Everette of Baltimore defeated Michael Herrera of Aurora, CO by a 4-1 score.

The Pee Wee 65 Pound class saw Kairee Kelly of Washington, DC win a 3-2 decision over Anthony Anderson of Canton, MI.

Musa Robinson of Nottingham, MD won his bout in the Bantam 80 Pound division by a 4-1 score over Jahcere Laboy of Albany, NY

The Bantam 85 Pound division saw Richard Dotson of Capitol Heights, MD advance with a 4-1 decision over Jamil Cheatham of Las Vegas, PA.

Chamar Flowers of Accokeek, MD won his bout in the Youth 123 Pound division by a 5-0 score over Tyrese Woodward of Cincinnati, OH.

In the Youth 132 Pound class, Malik Warren of Catonsville, MD won a 5-0 decision over Sema'j Young of Lincolnton, NC.

The Intermediate 95 Pound division saw Cuttino Oliver of Baltimore move into the next round with a 5-0 decision over Khalil Smith-Rawls of Philadelphia, PA.


Tough losses today for these boxers:

Ibrahim Robinson, Nottingham, MD (Junior 138 Pounds)

Marcell Steele, Washington, DC (Bantam 90 Pounds)

Mekhi Phillips, Capitol Heights, MD (Intermediate 95 Pounds)

Nieem Somerville, Baltimore, MD (Bantam 80 Pounds)

Muhammad Robinson, Nottingham, MD (Intermediate 101 Pounds)

Beltway Amateurs Are Successful In First Day Of Competition In Tennessee!

Local amateurs got off to a good start on the first day of competition at the 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifier and Regional Open in Chattanooga, TN on Monday.

In the Bantam Male 90 Pound division, Marcell Steele of Washington, DC won a 3-2 decision over Karma Burris of Fayetteville, GA.  The Bantam Male 80 Pound class saw Musa Robinson of Nottingham, MD win a 5-0 victory over Jose Maria Rodriguez of Maywood, IL.  Also, Richard Dodson of Capitol Heights, MD won a 3-2 decision in the Bantam Male 85 Pound division over Dominic Jones of Lansing, MI.

Competition continues today at noon.  The winners from the event will advance to the National Championships in Salt Lake City, UT in December.

Beltway Boxers Davis, Rahman, Jr. Compete In Thursday Contests!

Two Beltway Boxers will be compete on separate cards in two locations on Thursday, October 19th.

Washington, DC super featherweight Joshua "Dynamite" Davis will be in an eight-round contest against undefeated Ray "Lightning, Jr." Lampkin of Portland, Oregon at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta, GA.  Davis (11-1, five KO's) comes off a seventh-round TKO over Carlos Rosario on May 19th in Philadelphia, PA.  Lampkin (10-0, four KO's) has not fought since he scored a second-round TKO over Martin Rodriguez in February of 2016 in Agua Prieta, Mexico.  Lampkin is the son of former NABF titleholder Ray Lampkin, Sr.

Also on the card will be undefeated Marquis Moore of Colorado Springs, CO.  Moore (5-0, three KO's) is originally from Fort Washington, MD and fought as an amateur here before joining the US Army in Colorado.  Moore is a two-time National Golden Gloves champion and he will face Zachary Bunce of Las Vegas, NV (2-2, one KO) in a six-round bout.  The card is promoted by hall of famer Evander Holyfield.

At the Durham Armory in Durham, NC, Baltimore heavyweight Hasim "Gold Blooded" Rahman, Jr. will compete in a four-round contest against the debuting Joe Coats of Arapahoe, NC.  Rahman (2-0, two KO's) has scored first-round TKO's in his two pro bouts.  Also on this card will be undefeated middleweight Monreco "King Reek" Goldston who currently fights out of Durham, NC.  Goldston (5-0-1, three KO's) fought in Salisbury, MD as an amateur.   Goldston will be in a six-round bout against fellow undefeated boxer Joseph Jackson of Greensboro, NC (8-0, six KO's).

Bouts For Roach, Jr., Ballard Scheduled For October 21st In Verona, NY!

There will be a total of three Beltway Boxers that will be on the card on Saturday, October 21st at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.

Undefeated Upper Marlboro, MD super featherweight Lamont Roach, Jr. will be in a scheduled 10-round contest against Luis "Barcelo" Hinojosa of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  Roach (14-0, five KO's) is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Jesus Valdez on June 30th in Indio, CA.  Roach made the first defense of his WBC Youth Silver Super Featherweight title.  That belt will not be on the line in this contest.  Hinojosa (30-12, 17 KO's) will try to break a two-bout losing streak. In his last outing, Hinojosa was knocked out in the second round by Hairon Socarras on June 9th in Miami, FL.

Temple Hills, MD super middleweight D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard will also look to stay unbeaten when he takes on Andrik "Loco" Saralegui of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico in a 10-round encounter.  Ballard (17-0, 12 KO's) won the vacant WBC USNBC Super Middleweight title in his last bout, capturing a 10-round unanimous decision over Adrian Luna Flores on May 18th in Tucson, AZ.  Ballard's belt will not be on the line in this matchup.  Saralegui (8-4, six KO's) has not fought since he lost by first-round TKO to Jesse Hart in December of 2015 in Tucson.

Roach, Jr. and Ballard join fellow Beltway Boxer Alantez Fox on this card.  Fox will be the co-feature on this card when he takes on former world champion Demetrius Andrade in a 12-round non-title co-feature.  The bout will be shown on HBO's Boxing After Dark telecast.

Beltway Boxers Prepare For Eastern Elite And Regional Open In Tennessee!

A number of Beltway amateurs are in Chattanooga, TN for the 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifiers and Regional Open this week.  Here are the locals who are slated to participate in the event that will continue through Saturday, October 21st:

Elite Female - 106 Pounds

Lydia Narayanasamy, Hanover, MD

Elite Female - 132 Pounds

Amelia Moore, Alexandria, VA

Youth Female - 132 Pounds

Mia Ellis, Baltimore, MD


Elite Male -  123 Pounds

Jaqueem Hutcherson, Temple Hills, MD

Elite Male - 152 Pounds

Nicholas Noriz, Odenton, MD


Youth Male - 123 Pounds

Chamar Flowers, Accokeek, MD

Jay Stancil, Clinton, MD

Youth Male - 132 Pounds

Reco Todd, Gwynn Oak, MD

Malik Warren, Catonsville, MD


Junior Male - 101 Pounds

Ragahleak Bartee, Washington, DC

Junior Male - 106 Pounds

Lamar Odoms, Washington, DC

Junior Male -119 Pounds

Deric Davis, Washington, DC

Junior Male - 132 Pounds

Rayquan Ford, Baltimore, MD

Stacey Selby, Baltimore, MD

Junior Male - 138 Pounds

Joshua Hill, District Heights, MD

Ibrahim Robinson, Nottingham, MD

Junior Male - 176+ Pounds

Donte White, Baltimore, MD


Intermediate Male - 85 Pounds

Lonzo Malcolm, Washington, DC

Intermediate Male - 95 Pounds

Cuttino Oliver, Baltimore, MD

Mekhi Phillips, Capitol Heights, MD

Intermediate Male - 101 Pounds

Muhammad Robinson, Nottingham, MD

Intermediate Male - 110 Pounds

Tyreek Williams, Washington, DC

Intermediate Male - 132 Pounds

Jabril Lee, Edgewood, MD


Bantam Male - 70 Pounds

Zabreon Brown, Oxon Hill, MD

Bantam Male - 80 Pounds

Musa Robinson, Nottingham, MD

Nieem Somerville, Baltimore, MD

Bantam Male - 85 Pounds

Richard Dodson, Capitol Heights, MD

Bantam Male - 90 Pounds

Marcell Steele, Washington, DC

Bantam Male - 101 Pounds

Damari Philson, Washington, DC

Bantam Male - 106 Pounds

Khaliq Harrison, Washington, DC


Pee Wee 9-10 Male - 60 Pounds

Sa'mari Everrette, Baltimore, MD

Pee Wee 9-10 Male - 65 Pounds

Kairee Kelly, Washington, DC

Hurd Stops Trout In 10th To Defend IBF Title!

(Photo by Tom Casino/Showtime)

In a bout that will get some votes for Bout Of The Year, IBF Junior Middleweight champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd of Accokeek, MD scored a 10th round TKO over former world champion Austin "No Doubt" Trout of Las Cruces, NM Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.  The bout was shown as part of a 154-pound tripleheader on Showtime.

Hurd started off slowly in the contest as Trout, who was fighting for the first time in 17 months, was able to establish his jab in the first two rounds.  Hurd started to take some control of the contest in the third as he and his challenger started to trade clean shots.  Hurd showed a great chin as he was able to seemingly walk through Trout's punches.

In the sixth round, Hurd took complete control of the contest as he hurt Trout with a right hand that staggered him into the corner.  Trout, to his credit, came back in the waning moments of that round.  In the seventh, Hurd suffered a cut over the left eye because of an accidental head butt but that didn't seem to faze the champion as he caught the former WBA titleholder with a solid right hand.

Hurd was able to damage Trout's right eye in the eighth round but Trout showed a lot of guts and was battling Hurd toe to toe.  However, by the ninth, Trout's eye was nearly swollen shut.  Hurd punished Trout in the 10th round and after the round, referee Eddie Claudio stopped the contest on the advice of the ringside doctor in Trout's corner.  This was the first time Trout had been stopped in his career.

Hurd remains undefeated with a record of 21-0, 15 KO's and looks to unify against either WBC champion Jermell Charlo or WBA titleholder Erislandy Lara, who both won their bouts on the same card.  Trout falls to 30-4, 17 KO's.

Results From Springfield, VA!

Here are the results from the Victory Boxing Promotions card at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA:

In the main event,Washington, DC super bantamweight Daron "Sweet Tay" Williams scored a first-round TKO over Marquis Pierce of Newark, NJ.  In his Beltway homecoming, Williams, who fought his first five bouts in Phoenix, AZ, went to work early overpowering Pierce before unleashing a flurry of right hands that forced referee Billy Johnson to stop the contest at 1:46 of the round.  Williams remains undefeated with a record of 6-0, three KO's.  Pierce is now 1-12.

The co-feature saw Capitol Heights, MD super bantamweight Thomas "KO" Snow return to action with a six-round unanimous decision over the always-durable Stephon McIntyre of Jonesboro, GA.  In his first action since May of 2016, Snow was able to land solid punches that helped outwork McIntyre throughout the contest  McIntyre stayed with his opponent in the bout but did not land enough punches to change the tide of battle.  Judge Brian Costello saw the bout as a shutout for Snow, 60-54.  Judge Ron Rodriguez saw the contest, 59-55 and judge Luc Belhumeur scored it 58-56 for Snow who is now 19-3, 12 KO's.  McIntyre's record is now 2-35-2.

Justin and Jason -- The Bell Twins of District Heights, MD -- were both victorious on this card.  Light heavyweight Justin scored a second-round TKO over the debuting Ben D. Williams of Benton Harbor, MI.  Bell was able to walk Williams down in the first round.  In the second, Williams tripped against the ropes and seemed to injure his left ankle.  Williams seemed to recover and attempted to exchange with Bell but Bell had the more powerful arsenal and landed a right to the body that dropped Williams to one knee and he could not beat the count.  The bout was stopped at 1:37 of the round.  Justin Bell is now 3-0, two KO's.

Jason Bell captured a four-round unanimous decision over the debuting Alan Stephenson of Richmond, VA.  Bell gained a significant advantage in the second round of the bout by using solid body shots. Bell maintained control the rest of the way, although he could not increase his advantage in the contest.  Bell did win by shutout (40-36) on all three scorecards and raised his record to 3-0, one KO.

Alexandria, VA welterweight Jean-Jacques Broussard made a successful pro debut winning a third-round TKO over the equally-debuting Tyrone Beauford of Benton Harbor, MI.  After an awkward first round, Broussard settled down in the contest and started to land shots.  Eventually, during a Broussard flurry, Beauford stopped boxing and forced referee Mark D'Attilio to stop the bout at 1:05 of the third.

Highly-touted Philadelphia, PA welterweight prospect Jaron "Boots" Ennis scored an easy first round TKO over Ayi "Bruce Lee" Bruce of Albany, NY by way of Accra, Ghana.  Ennis wasted no time in swarming Bruce with rights and lefts.  Bruce could not land a single punch and was knocked down by a left hand.  Moments later, Ennis completed the swarm and forced Johnson to stop the bout at 1:37.  Ennis remains undefeated at 16-0, 14 KO's while Bruce drops to 23-15, 15 KO's.

Super middleweight Alex Lara of Manhattan, NY made a successful pro debut stopping debuting Zameze Braswell of Elm City, NC at 2:34 of the first round.  Braswell actually landed the first couple of solid punches in the round.  However, Lara was able to right the ship by landing a right hand on top of Braswell's head and dropping him to the canvas.  Braswell tried to mount a comeback but another Lara right hand dropped Braswell for a second time and the bout was stopped.

Undefeated super welterweight Zsolt "The Phenom" Daryani of Toronto, Ontario, Canada stopped veteran Fabian Lyimo of Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania at 1:32 of the first round.  Daryani, a native of Budapest, Hungary was able to land a crushing right hand that dropped Lyimo to the canvas.  Referee D'Attilio counted to six before the bout was halted.  Daryani is now 13-0, 12 KO's.  Lyimo's record drops to 23-8-2, 15 KO's.

In the opening contest, "The Cuban Princess" Bertha Aracil of Yonkers, NY made short work of the debuting Rayven Chatman of Rocky Mount, NC.  Aracil stopped Chatman with punches that made Chatman turn her head away from the action before the bout was stopped at 52 seconds of the first round.  Aracil is now 4-0, three KO's.

The matchmaker for the contest was Brian Dillon.  The ring announcer was Henry "Discombobulating" Jones.

Bernard Roach, Master Trainer, Passes At 52!

We have incredibly sad news to report.  Longtime Beltway trainer Bernard "Boogaloo" Roach passed away on Friday from complications of a heart attack.  He was 52 years old.

A native of Washington, DC, Mr. Roach served and boxed in the military in the eighties before turning to training boxers, which he did for more than 20 years.  Mr. Roach also served as a DC firefighter for 20 years.  A strict disciplinarian, Mr. Roach helped guide the careers of legendary boxers like Andrew Council and DeMarcus Corley.  Mr. Roach was in the corner when Corley won his WBO Super Lightweight title in June of 2001.  At the time of his passing, Mr. Roach was the co-trainer of rising prospects Lamont Roach, Jr., Kevin Rivers, Jr. and D'Mitrius Ballard.

In February of 2006, Mr. Roach and his cousin, Lamont Roach, Sr. founded the No Xcuse Boxing Gym in Capitol Heights, MD where they used Christian principles to train the entire person.

There are so many great things that I can say about Bernard and yet I can't believe I have to say them at this very sad time.  I had the great pleasure of knowing him for almost 25 years.  He goes back to my days on Boxing Spotlight when he was training Andrew Council.  To say that Bernard Roach was a first-class human being is truly understating the man.  They came no better than Bernard Roach.  His way of approaching you and always having a kind word to say.  He wore his faith on his sleeve.  No matter what the situation was, he approached it with a smile and with a positive attitude.

When Council lost his first bout against Keith Holmes in September of 1994 at the Show Place Arena, I remember that while he was upset that Council had three points taken away from him for questionable low blows, he still kept his cool and had a philosophical view of the bout.  That showed me what kind of character the man had.

For a short time, I served as a cemetarian at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood, MD.  One funeral I had to oversee was a funeral for a firefighter.  Those funerals take a lot more planning than most.  Even though I had gone through the proper channels, I was still very nervous.  At one point during the ceremony, I looked to my right and I saw Bernard.  He smiled back at me and we shook hands.  Suddenly, I knew everything was going to be fine.

Bernard Roach's passing has affected the entire Beltway Boxing community.  You will not hear any bad words said about this man for he was someone that everybody in our business truly, truly loved.  I send my deepest condolences to his family.

Weights From Springfield, VA!

Here is the scale watch for the Victory Boxing Promotions card at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA:

Daron Williams 123 vs. Marquis Pierce 116

Thomas Snow 123 vs. Stephon McIntyre 122

Jason Bell 169 vs. Alan Stevenson 169

Justin Bell 172 vs. Ben D. Williams 180

Jacques Jean 147 vs. Tyrone Beauford 156

Jaron Ennis 149 vs. Ayi Bruce 144

Raven Chatman 145 vs. Bertha Aracil 152

Zamaze Braswell 161 vs. Alejandro Lora 167

Zsolt Daranyi, Jr. 154 vs. Fabian Lyimo 153

Chris Yarborough 146 vs. Alexis Arguello Smith (did not weigh in)

Hurd Weighs 153.6 For IBF Title Defense Saturday In Brooklyn!

Jarrett Hurd tipped the scales at 153.6 pounds for his 12-round IBF Super Welterweight title bout against former world champion Austin Trout Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.  Trout came in at 153.

The bout will be part of a super welterweight tripleheader on Showtime that begins at 10 PM ET.

October 14th ABC Card Updated!

A few bouts have been added to the Victory Boxing card on Saturday, October 14th at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA.

Glenarden, MD super lightweight Dravontay Speed Rawls returns to action in a four-round contest against Howard Thompson of Shelby, NC.  Speed Rawls (8-1-1, six KO's) looks to bounce back from suffering his first pro loss -- a six-round split decision to Dion Richardson on July 13th in Glen Burnie, MD.  Thompson (0-2) also lost his last bout in Glen Burnie, dropping a four-round unanimous decision to Craig Callan on May 12th.

Alexandria, VA welterweight Jacques Jean will make his pro debut on this card as he takes on the equally debuting Tyrone Beauford.  Jean is a former Virginia State Golden Gloves champion.

In another debut bout, welterweight Alexis Arguello Smith of Cincinnati, OH will battle Chris Yarborough of Fairfax, VA in a four-round contest.

The card is scheduled to begin around 7 PM ET.  If you can't make the card, join the live broadcast by downloading the free Boxing Along The Beltway Google App For Android.  IOS listeners can hear the broadcast by clicking on the BATB page on Spreaker.com  .https://www.spreaker.com/show/boxing_along_the_beltway or the BATB page on IHeartRadio.com https://www.iheart.com/podcast/boxing-along-the-beltway-22903291/.  The broadcast will get underway at 6:55 PM ET.