Weights From Rosecroft!

Here is the scale watch for Saturday's Keystone Boxing card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD:

Alantez Fox 154 vs. Julius Kennedy 154

Kevin Rivers 127 vs. Giovanni Vasquez 123

Jarrett Hurd 153 vs. Trenton Titsworth 148

Jerry Odom 167 vs. Anthony Madden 170

Greg Newby 174 vs. John Terry 173

Renaldo Gaines 133 vs. Darrell Martin 134

DeAndre Davis 138 vs. Coy Lambert 142

Mario Murphy 199 vs. Lamont Capers 198

We'll be blogging live with results from Rosecroft starting about 8 PM ET!  Hope you can join us!

A. Douglas Stops Harvey In First in NY!

Burke, VA middleweight Antoine "Action" Douglas scored a first-round TKO over Stanley Harvey of Norfolk, VA Thursday night at Cordon Bleu in Queens, NY.

According to boxing writer Jack Obermayer, the bout was a mismatch as Douglas dominated the game Harvey.  Douglas then dropped Harvey and the referee stopped the contest at 2:37.

Douglas is now 3-0, three KO's.  Harvey falls to 1-3, one KO.

Quarles Weighs 153 For ShoBox Card in California!

Brandon Quarles weighed in at 153 pounds for his eight-round bout Friday night at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA.  Quarles's opponent, Daquan Arnett, weighed in at 157 pounds -- over the weight requirement for the bout (154).  The bout will still go on with Arnett losing some money behind it.

The bout will be shown on ShoBox on Showtime at 11:15 PM ET.

Peterson-Holt 'A Done Deal;' Leonard Has Thoughts on Russell!

RingTV.com's Lem Satterfield is reporting that DC's Lamont Peterson will indeed defend his IBF Junior Welterweight title against former world champion Kendall "Rated R" Holt of Paterson, NJ on Friday, February 22 at the DC Armory.

Satterfield quotes the IBF Public Relations Department as saying contracts from both fighters were received by the IBF on Monday and the fight is "a done deal."  There is speculation that Anthony Peterson and Dusty Harrison may appear on the card.

In another article, Satterfield talked to Hall of Fame boxer and Beltway Boxing Legend Sugar Ray Leonard about a number of young pro boxers around the world including undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr.  Here's what Leonard told Satterfield:

"I know Gary Russell, because back a few years ago, there was a lot of talk about this kid, Gary Russell. The fact that he's from D.C., I became a fan really quick. J.D. Brown, who was a member of my camp back in the day, J.D. was actually the one who first told me about Gary Russell," said Leonard.
"Everyone talks about how great of a fighter he is and his potential. That's why I see incredible potential. This kid just has to fight more often. You've got to fight, man, if you want to get better, and if you want to get recognized and acknowledged. You've got to fight so that the fans can see you, and, at the same time, you become more experienced."

Douglas Weighs 163 For New York Bout; Williams Gets New Opponent And TV Exposure in Florida!

Antoine Douglas weighed in at 163 pounds for his four-round contest tonight at Cordon Bleu in Woodhaven, NY.  Douglas's opponent, Stanley Harvey, tipped the scales at 166.

The opponent for Thomas Williams's Saturday, January 12 bout at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, FL has changed.  The undefeated light heavyweight from Fort Washington, MD (11-0, eight KO's) will now face Jason Smith of Logan, WVA (8-1, six KO's) in the eight-round encounter.  This will be Smith's first bout away from his home state.  The bout is the co-feature on this card and will be shown on Fox Sports Net and on Fox Deportes.

Bleacher Report Profiles 'SlyAza' Fox!

Local boxing writer Michael Walters has a nice profile of undefeated Forestville, MD junior middleweight Alantez "SlyAza" Fox.  With Fox's height and reach, Walters, a featured columnist with Bleacher Report, asks the question: could Fox be the next Paul Williams.

Fox will be in the main event against Baltimore's "Relentless" Julius Kennedy on Saturday, January 12 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

Here's the link to the article:

Will Fox be the next Paul Williams?

Virginia Amateurs Travel To Bermuda February 2!

Two Virginia amateur boxers will be heading to Bermuda on Saturday, February 2 to participate on a pro-am card.  Diego and Matt -- The Abregu Brothers  -- are novice boxers who are from Craig Fladger's boxing program in Ashburn, VA.  Their gym mate -- WIBA Middleweight champion Tori "Sho Nuff" Nelson -- will be in the main event when she takes on WBA Middleweight titleholder Teresa Perozzi in a rematch for the vacant WBC Middleweight crown at the Cedarbridge Academy Gymnasium in Pembroke, Bermuda.

Diego Abregu was a star basketball player at Dominion High School in Sterling, VA where he once scored 41 points in a game.  As a boxer, Diego competes at 141 pounds and won a subnovice championship in that weight class.

Matt Abregu, the older of the brothers, has seven boxing bouts to his credit and has also had a contest in mixed martial arts. Matt battles at 154 pounds.

Taylor-Serrano Bout Becomes ShoBox Co-Feature!

The 10-round bout between Baltimore, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor and Raymond "Tito" Serrano of Philadelphia, PA will now be a co-feature contest on Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, January 25 at the Paramount in Huntington, Long Island, NY.

Taylor is 15-1, 10 KO's.  Serrano, who is now trained by DC's Barry Hunter, is 18-1, eight KO's.

Update on January 12 Card at Rosecroft!

The Saturday, January 12 Keystone Boxing card at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD is just about complete.  As BATB announced earlier, the main event on the card will be a six-round all-Beltway encounter between junior middleweights Alantez "SlyAza" Fox of Forestville, MD (8-0-1, four KO's) and Baltimore, MD's "Relentless" Julius Kennedy (7-2-1, three KO's).

In other bouts slated for the card (all four-rounders), Palmer Park, MD super featherweight Kevin "K-Smoov" Rivers, Jr. (3-0, two KO's) will take on Giovanni Vasquez of Columbia, SC (0-2).

Accokeek, MD junior middleweight "Swift" Jarrett Hurd (3-0, three KO's) battles veteran Trenton Titsworth of Omaha, NE (5-14-1, two KO's).

DC light heavyweight Greg Newby (3-0, three KO's) will also face a veteran in John Michael Terry of Portsmouth, VA (4-25-3, one KO).

DC light heavy "The King's Son" Jerry Odom (1-0, one KO, one NC) faces Anthony Madden of Biloxi, MS (0-2).

District Heights, MD super featherweight Renaldo "Misunderstood" Gaines (3-1) battles Baltimore, MD's Darrell Martin (4-13, one KO).

Palmer Park, MD cruiserweight Mario Murphy makes his pro debut against Lamont Capers of Hawley, PA (1-0).

DC junior middleweight DeAndre Davis, the grandson of trainer Adrian Davis, will make his pro debut against Coy Lambert of Columbia, SC (1-5, one KO).

Williams Takes On Singleton January 12 in Florida!

Undefeated Fort Washington, MD light heavyweight Thomas "Top Dog" Williams, Jr. now has an opponent for his eight-round contest on Saturday, January 12 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, FL.  The 2012 Beltway Boxing Prospect of the Year will face Damar Singleton of Toledo, OH.

Williams (11-0, eight KO's) is coming off his fourth straight knockout victory -- a fifth-round TKO of Ricardo Campillo on December 8 in Anaheim, CA.  Singleton (8-1, four KO's) will try to bounce back from suffering his first pro loss -- a six-round unanimous decision to undefeated Sullivan Barrera last January 21 in Philadelphia, PA.

Beltway Amateurs Travel to Junior World Team Open in Reno January 7-11!

Three local amateurs will be participating in USA Boxing's first Junior World Team Open January 7-11 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, NV.  The event is slated to showcase many of the nation's top 15-16 year old boxers. Winners in the men's competition will advance to the AIBA Junior Men's World Championships in Kiev, Ukraine in August.

The boxers that will be in the event are:

Jordan White, Waldorf, MD (101 pounds)

Keeshawn Williams, Washington, DC (114 pounds)

Iesha Kenney, Alexandria, VA (132 pounds female)

The bout will be streamed live on USAboxing.org.  The site is offering a full tournament pass for $14.95.

Ringside Report Talks To Kisner; Kisner Calls Out July!

My good buddy, "Bad" Brad Berkwitt, the editor of Ringside Report, recently spoke to undefeated cruiserweight "Slick" Nick Kisner about his career. A big part of the interview was Kisner's wish list for 2013 which includes a bout with fellow undefeated Beltway cruiser Venroy "Hardwork" July. 

Is this a bout Beltway fans want to see happen in 2013?

Before I post the link, let me say something in the interest of full disclosure.  Kisner (11-0-1, five KO's) also spoke to me about this subject. I wanted to wait until we finished with the year-end awards before I put something out about this, since I believe this will be something that will garner a lot of discussion.  In the meantime, I also wanted to talk to July (12-0-2, five KO's) to get his view on the subject.  July would not comment on a proposed bout.  Since Brad's story already covers what I wanted to talk about, I'm posting his interview with Kisner instead.

Here is the link:  Ringside Report Interview with Nick Kisner

Peterson Defends IBF Title Against Kendall Holt February 22 At DC Armory..Maybe!

ESPN.com is reporting that IBF Junior Welterweight champion Lamont Peterson will return to action on Friday, February 22 and defend his title against former WBO champion Kendall Holt of Paterson, NJ at the DC Armory.  The report says the bout will be televised on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights.

Late word from the Peterson camp says, however, that the bout is not a done deal as of yet.  A spokesperson for the Peterson camp tells BATB that the bout is a"viable option," but still not definite as there are other choices on the table, including a rematch with former world champ Timothy Bradley. 

If the bout takes place, Peterson (30-1-1, 15 KO's) will fight for the first time since winning the title against Amir Khan on December 10, 2011 at the Washington Convention Center.  Peterson also captured the WBA title but was stripped after he tested positive for synthetic testosterone.  Holt (28-5, 16 KO's) last fought on March 16, knocking out Tim Coleman in two rounds in Cabazon, CA. We'll keep you posted on details.

Beltway Boxing 2012 -- Boxer of the Year!

And now, the big award -- The Beltway Boxing Boxer of the Year for 2012!


In a year where few pro Beltway Boxers had solid years, the selection for the 2012 Beltway Boxer of the Year was an easy one.  However, the year this man had would have made him a clear choice in any year unless the boxer in front of him had won a world championship in the same year.

The boxer chosen this year is one of the most popular – and controversial – Beltway Boxers to compete in a long time and in 2012, he made one of the biggest and quickest jumps from prospect to contender ever seen in the BATB era.  As in 2011 with Lamont Peterson, there is no doubt whom the Beltway Boxer of the Year is for 2012.


The 2012 Beltway Boxer of the Year is:

Tony “Mo Better” Jeter, (15-3-1, 10 KO’s), Middleweight, Stevensville, MD

The year did not start well for Jeter as he was still licking his wounds from his fifth-round TKO loss to Jose Felix in November of 2011.  Jeter’s first priority was to avenge the loss, which he did on his first self-promoted (Jeter Promotions) card of the year on February 25 at Club One Fitness in Millersville, MD.  Jeter won an eight-round unanimous decision over Felix and captured the UBO (Universal Boxing Organization) All-Americas title.

Yes, the title was a minor one, but it did prove to be a stepping stone to better things.  On September 22 in another self promotion at Club One, Jeter didn’t make it easy on himself by choosing a quality opponent in Tyrel Brown who was 7-2 at the time of the bout.  With the vacant WBC Fecarbox title and a top 30 rating in the WBC on the line, Jeter turned a very competitive bout into a fifth-round TKO victory with a series of right hands.

However, it was Jeter’s performance – and victory – over Jimmy Lange on October 27 that opened the most eyes around the boxing world.  Jeter walked into “The House Jimmy Lange Built” – The Patriot Center and took it right to Lange in his own backyard.  Despite coming perilously close to being disqualified with four points deducted for low blows, Jeter won a 10-round split decision over the more highly-regarded Lange.

Jeter finished 2012 with two regional titles, a number 29 rating by the WBC and a top 15 ranking in both the USBA and NABA.  This is a quality year in anybody’s book.

Honorable Mention:

DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (39-20-1, 23 KO’s), Junior Welterweight, Washington, DC

The former WBO Junior Welterweight champion had a solid 2012 with two solid upset wins.  Corley’s 10-round unanimous decision on January 21 in New York City over previously undefeated Gabriel Bracero for the NABF title opened a lot of eyes.  However, when Corley traveled to Belfast, Northern Ireland and stopped hometown hero Paul McCloskey in the 10^th round on May 5, we were looking at one of the best ring comebacks in recent memory.

Corley’s only loss was in the Ukraine against a taller, undefeated Viktor Postol on October 27, but new life has been sprung in his career, so much so that Corley plans to compete as a lightweight and says he can win a title in 2013. 

 
“Mr.” Gary Russell, Jr. (21-0, 13 KO’s), Featherweight, Capitol Heights, MD

Russell’s two bouts in 2012 ended in crushing third-round knockouts against Christopher Ruiz and Roberto Castaneda, both men who had 20 wins each but had fought mostly in Mexico and hardly been tested in the United States.  Russell’s knockout of Castaneda was one of the best of the year.

This could be the year that Russell does what everyone seems to be asking him to do – step up in competition.  Russell has a 10-round contest slated for March 2 in New York City.  We have to wait and see what happens in that instance as the opponent has not been selected.


Previous BATB Beltway Boxers of the Year:

2006: Eric Aiken
2007: Darnell Wilson
2008: Lamont Peterson/Joshua Snyder
2009: Fernando Guerrero
2010: Tim Coleman
2011: Lamont Peterson

That concludes the awards.  We will have a special recognition commentary this weekend.

Rivera Rematches Against Collins February 9 in Allentown; A. Douglas Also On Card!

Charlottesville, VA middleweight George "Wartime" Rivera returns to action on Saturday, February 9 in an eight-round rematch contest against veteran Keenan Collins at the Rodeway Inn in Allentown, PA.

Nothing was settled in the first bout on April 27 in Reading, PA as both men battled to an eight-round draw. Neither Rivera (13-7-1, four KO's) nor Collins (14-7-3, nine KO's) have fought since their last encounter.

Also scheduled to appear on the card will be undefeated Burke, VA middleweight Antoine "Action" Douglas (2-0, two KO's) who is actually slated to have a four-round bout on Thursday, January 10 at the Cordon Bleu in Woodhaven, NY against Stanley Harvey of Norfolk, VA (1-2, one KO).

Al Scott Funeral Arrangements Announced!

The funeral services for noted Beltway trainer Al Scott (AKA James Alan Scott) have been announced.

The services will be held on Friday, January 11 at Zion Church, which is located at the ministry center of First Baptist Church of Glenarden.  The address is 3600 Brightseat Road in Landover, MD.  The wake begins at 9:30 AM and the funeral service will be at 10:30 AM.

Beltway Boxing 2012 -- Card of the Year!

Now, time for the 2012 Card of the Year!
The Card of the Year was truly the most-talked about card of 2012, generating the most hype for a non-championship contest in years. The card also had two of the best bouts of the year – with one being one of the most controversial in recent memory and a couple of upsets as well.

The 2012 Beltway Boxing Card of the Year took place on:

October 27 at George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA – Jimmy Lange vs. Tony Jeter, Brandon Quarles vs. John Mackey

The hype on the main event on the card had built for weeks. The excitement level of the bout matched that. Quarles-Mackey, as stated before, was the bout of the year. Also on the card, there were solid pro debuts by Jerry Odom and Antoine Douglas as well as quality upset wins by out-of-towners Damon Antoine and David Warren Huffman. Also there was a solid contest between rookies Mark Baltimore and Immanuwel Aleem and a win by Harry Joe Yorgey over local Zain Shah.

Honorable Mention:

August 25 at the Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC – Dusty Harrison vs. Marques Jackson, Richie Andrews vs. Harold Parker, Renaldo Gaines vs. David Warren Huffman

Locals received no pity on this show as three Beltway Boxers suffered their first pro losses and the man most came to see came perilously close to suffering the same fate. This was the card where Dusty Harrison was knocked down in the sixth round of his bout with Marques Jackson. Harrison had never been knocked down before as an amateur or pro. Richie Andrews won a split decision over highly-touted Harold Parker. Renaldo Gaines lost to David Warren Huffman and Josh Rupard was stopped by veteran Jimmy LeBlanc. A lot of surprises made this card special.

February 25 at Club One Fitness, Millersville, MD – Tony Jeter vs. Jose Felix II for the UBO Middleweight title, Brandon Quarles vs. Omar Sims

Nice, competitive bout as the promoter did not put himself in with a patsy opponent. As a matter of fact, Jeter knew Felix all TOO well as Felix upset Jeter in Arlington, VA the previous November. Jeter was fighting for redemption in what was one of just four pro bouts. The co-feature of Quarles and Sims as well as a good opening bout between Lee Snow and Stephen Franklin helped this card nicely.

June 23 at Fort Myer/Henderson Hall Joint Military Base, Arlington, VA – Todd Wilson vs. John Willoughby, Christian Steele vs. Juan Rodriguez

There was a lot of drama on this card. Wilson battles adversity with a broken hand and a cut along the right eye to win a unanimous decision. Steele upsets Rodriguez by majority decision, Duane Mobley recovers from a first-round knockdown to stop Kevin Johnson and solid pro debuts from Mark Baltimore and Immanuwel Aleem that helped set up their bout against each other in October.


Previous BATB Cards of the Year:

2006 -- December 9, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA (Jimmy Lange draws with Fontaine Cabell, Dean White defeats Dorin Spivey, JP Flaim of the Junkies loses against Jay Watts.)

2007 -- December 7, Pikesville National Guard Armory, Pikesville, MD (Tim Coleman draws with Martinus Clay, Jessie Nicklow defeats Anthony Little and John Mackey defeats Tony Cygan) and August 3, Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD (Pro-Am card -- Horace Grant over Mujaheed Moore, Thomas Snow knocks out Markel Muhammad, Seth Mitchell [his only amateur loss] falls to Abodurin Akinyanju and Dusty Harrison also on the amateur portion.

2008 -- October 18, ABC Sports Arena, Springfield, VA (John Mackey wins over Jesse Williams, Darrell Martin over Andre Nichols)

2009 -- September 25, Shipley Arena, Westminster, MD (Mark Tucker wins USBO title, Tyrell Samuel over Gustavo Dailey)

2010 -- March 20, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD (Jessie Nicklow over Scott Sigmon, James Stevenson over George Rivera)

2011 – December 10, Washington Convention Center, Washington DC (Lamont Peterson over Amir Khan for IBF/WBA Junior Welterweight title, Seth Mitchell over Timor Ibragimov)

Tomorrow: The Beltway Boxing 2012 Boxer of the Year!

Beltway Boxing 2012 -- Bout of the Year!

Now comes the choice for the best Beltway Bout of 2012.

 The Bout of the Year in 2012 took place on the biggest card of the year but it wasn’t the main event bout.  Much like Ricky Steamboat and Randy Savage stole the show from Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III in 1987, this classic battle of youth versus experience was the best and most skillful contest of that night which is why it takes the award in 2012.

The 2012 Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year is:

Brandon Quarles vs. John Mackey, six-round majority draw, October 27, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA.

The 26-year-old Quarles battled the 38-year-old Mackey for six spirited, exciting rounds and learned a lot along the way.  The first bit of education came in the first round when Quarles had to battle against adversity when Mackey scored a flash knockdown.  Mackey, meanwhile, fought very well throughout the contest and might have pulled off the upset.

However, Quarles used the second bit of knowledge gained in the bout – the ability to come back and score a knockdown late.  Quarles managed to knock Mackey off his feet with 10 seconds to go in the final round.  Mackey got the nod on one card, 57-55 but the other judges saw the draw at 56-56.  By the way, this is the second time Mackey, originally from Washington, DC but now living in Birmingham, AL, has been in a Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year in the BATB era.

 

Honorable Mention:

Venroy July eight-round unanimous decision over Justin Howes, June 16, DuBurns Arena, Baltimore, MD

For July, Justin “The Lumberjack” Howes was the most successful foe (13-2 going into the contest) that the Suitland, MD resident had faced at this point of his career.  Howes tested July almost every step of the way.  July got off to a great start dominating the first two rounds.  However, Howes came back very strong in rounds three and four.  By the fifth round, both men were trading strong head and, especially body shots. 

At the end July put in enough of what his nickname says – hard work – and managed to win by decision with scores of 78-74 (twice) and 77-75.

Tony Jeter 10 round split decision over Jimmy Lange, October 27, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA

This was certainly the most talked-about contest of 2012 – before, during and after the bout.  While this bout between the two Beltway fan favorites was not the most skillful bout we’ve seen, it was definitely exciting and controversial.  As the bout progressed, Jeter was not off to a great start, suffering a flash knockdown and losing two points for low blows in the second round. 

By the fourth round, however, Jeter was outmuscling Lange and in control but he lost another point for low blows in the fourth and again in the seventh.  Referee Steve Smoger became an integral part of the contest by not disqualifying Jeter, who would win by scores of 94-91 and 93-92.  Lange won on one card 94-91. 

Todd Wilson six round unanimous decision over Fernando Basora, February 11, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA

A nice contest as the undefeated Wilson was tested strongly by the Bronx, NY resident.  Wilson got off to a nice start, winning the first two rounds, but Basora began to test Wilson severely in the third and fourth.  Wilson completed the victory when he knocked Basora down in the sixth round and won by scores of 59-54 (twice) and 58-55.

 Previous BATB Bouts of the Year:

2006: Maxell Taylor six-round draw with Derek Ennis, March 9, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD.

2007: John Mackey six-round unanimous decision over Tony Cygan, December 7, Pikesville, MD

2008: Juan Rodriguez TKO 3 over Benjamin Borteye, November 7, Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, MD

2009: Cory Cummings TKO 9 over Demetrius Davis, May 29, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD

2010: Jessie Nicklow 10-round unanimous decision over Scott Sigmon, March 20, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD/Nicklow 10-round draw with Julius Kennedy, September 17, Du Burns Arena/Sigmon 10-round unanimous decision over Kennedy, December 11, Pikesville National Guard Armory, Pikesville, MD.

2011:  Lamont Peterson 12-round split decision over Amir Khan, December 10, Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC

Tomorrow:  The Card of the Year!

Website By Former Naval Academy Boxer Helps You Find Your 'Fighting Mojo!'

(courtesy of Fightingmojo.com)


Back in 2009, I met a young boxer named Mike Steadman while covering the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) Championships at the University of Maryland.  Steadman was in the midst of capturing his second of three NCBA titles at 175 pounds.

 I was very impressed with his work in the ring and, in an interview afterwards, I asked him whether he was thinking about turning professional.  I found out that turning professional was the furthest thing from Steadman's mind.

Steadman doesn't compete as a boxer much now but has turned his focus to helping others find and achieve their physical fitness goals, or what Steadman calls their "Fighting Mojo."  That's the name of Steadman's website -- FightingMojo.com.  Steadman says that this is not a boxing website, your goals can come from anywhere.  Boxing is just a backdrop based on his own experiences.  Here's the link in case you want to stop by:

www.fightingmojo.com

This type of post is something that I plan to do more of in 2013 -- we hear so much about boxers who aren't doing so well after their careers are over. However, there are many along the Beltway that have been involved in doing great work after their boxing days.  We will be looking to focus on that this year.

Beltway Boxing 2012 -- Knockout of the Year!

It's now time for the Knockout of the Year.  Once again, the criteria for this award is that the knockout had to be performed by a Beltway Boxer in a Beltway Boxing location.  This means that, for the second straight year, Gary Russell, Jr. is not included in this voting, even though his sickening third-round knockout of Roberto Castaneda on November 10 in Indio, CA had some boxing media rating the knockout second only to Juan Manuel Marquez's knockout of Manny Pacquiao.

Now, onto the selection.

We had a rarity this year in what was a relatively light year for this category.  The majority of the candidates for Knockout of the Year came from one card. The one chosen for this award, however, gave new meaning to the term “one-punch knockout.”

The 2012 Beltway Boxing Knockout of the Year is:

Kevin Rivers KO 1 over Bobby Wooten, November 3, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC

One-punch knockouts are somewhat common in boxing but when the one punch is the ONLY punch a boxer throws in a bout, the knockout becomes special.  Such was the case when Rivers fought Wooten.  Wooten is more known for his mixed martial arts skills and attacked Rivers by clutching and grabbing Rivers’s left hand.  Wooten didn’t last long as the rookie Rivers still had his right hand.  One punch and 31 seconds later, the bout was over. Simply brutal.

Honorable Mention:

Jarrett Hurd KO 4 over Coy Lambert, November 3, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC

This knockout suddenly ended what had been a very close bout.  Lambert gave Hurd everything he could on this night but Hurd put a stop to the proceedings with a brutal straight left hand.  The bout ended at 2:08 of the fourth.

Devar Ferhadi KO 1 over Anthony Madden, November 3, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC

Ferhadi’s knockout of Madden came with one of the more incredulous reactions we’ve ever seen, or should we say heard.  Midway through the first round, Ferhadi landed a crushing right hand to Madden’s body.  The reaction from Madden was highly audible as Madden let out a sickening cry of pain as he crumpled to the canvas.  The bout was over at 1:41.

Lee Snow KO 4 over Issa Coulibaly, June 16, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD

Another close bout ended by a brutal knockout.  This bout between these two locals could have gone either way had it gone to the scorecards.  However, Snow ended the bout with a solid right hand that sent Coulibaly to the canvas at 1:59.

Previous BATB Knockouts of the Year:

2006: Jed Phipps KO1 over David Cleage -- January 20, Pikesville Armory, Pikesville, MD.

2007: Elias Bouloubassis KO1 over Vincent Robbins -- March 10, Pikesville Armory, Pikesville, MD.

2008: Seth Mitchell TKO2 over Alexis Cruz Medina -- May 29, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD.

2009: Tony Jeter KO1 over Keith Gross -- September 26, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA.

2010: Jimmy Lange KO 10 over Joe Wyatt -- November 6, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA.

2011: Kevin Womack KO4 over Benjamin Olinga, November 19, Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, MD

Tomorrow: Bout of the Year!