Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Beltway Cards in Woodlawn and Staunton in January!

The January schedule of Beltway Boxing cards is starting to fill up rapidly.

The next Baltimore Pro Boxing card will be on Friday night, January 23 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD. Here's what is scheduled to be on tap for that card:

In an eight-round rematch, East Coast Light Heavyweight champ Willie "For Real" Williams will defend his title against fellow Baltimore boxer Henry "Hurricane" Mayes. Williams (12-3-1, three KO's) recently had his seven-bout unbeaten streak broken with a six-round majority decision loss to Jesse Blount on December 12 in Jacksonville, FL. Mayes (7-6-2, four KO's, three NC's) last fought on November 6 when he fought to a no-contest against Willis Lockett.

This bout will be a rematch of a six-round contest that took place on October 3 in Salisbury, MD that ended in a draw.

Also on the card will be a six-round heavyweight contest between undefeated Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell of Brandywine, MD and Adah, PA's Jason Bergman. Mitchell (8-0-1, five KO's) is coming off a solid first-round knockout over Dan Whetzel on November 7 in Upper Marlboro, MD. Bergman (8-7-2, five KO's) won a four-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Felton in his last outing on November 15 in Morgantown, WVA.

There is another rematch scheduled for this card. Robert "Mack Attack" McConnell of Ellicott City, MD (2-2) will take on Eddie Otts of Salisbury, MD (0-4-1) in a four-round cruiserweight bout. McConnell won the last meeting on November 26 at Martin's West.

Also slated to appear on this card will be undefeated Baltimore welterweight James "Keep 'em Sleepin'" Stevenson in his first six-round contest as well as super middleweight "Irish" Glenn Williams of Catonsville.

THIS JUST IN: Another bout has just been made for the January 23 card. Undefeated Laurel, MD heavyweight "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae (3-0, three KO's) will take on Maurice Winslow of Wilson, NC (3-7-1, three KO's) who has won his last two bouts here along the Beltway, stopping Joe Gardner and Boone Pultz.


On Saturday, January 31, Major League Boxing will have a pro-am card at the Staunton Armory in Staunton, VA. Slated to appear on the pro side of the card will be Charlottsville, VA middleweight George "War Time" Rivera (9-3, three KO's) who will battle Rodney Green of Wilson, NC (6-5-1, two KO's).

Waynesboro, VA cruiserweight "El Guerro" Juan Carlos Robles (10-2, five KO's) will take on Gary "The Bull" Winmon of Pittsburgh, PA (25-16, 17 KO's). Winmon has not fought since August of 2005 and will be trying to break a 14-bout losing streak.

Also, Bedford, VA light heavyweight Scott "Cujo" Sigmon (3-1, one KO) is slated to be on the show against an opponent to be determined.

One other note: We've been told that the pro debut for Capitol Heights, MD featherweight Gary Russell, Jr. will now take place on Friday, January 16 at the Million Dollar Elm Casino in Tulsa, OK. Russell's slated opponent will be Antonio "The Juggernaut" Reyes of Dallas, TX (3-2).

BATB 2008 Year-In-Review: Prospect of the Year!

BATB’s choice for 2008 Beltway Boxing Prospect of the Year is…

“The Mongolian Mongoose” Bayan Jargal, junior welterweight, Arlington, VA, 9-0-1, six KO’s.

BATB’s 2007 Rookie of the Year advanced nicely in 2008 with four victories against opponents with .500 or better win-loss records. Jargal’s bouts also took him around the country as he fought in York, PA, Salem, VA, San Jacinto, CA and then back to DC.

Jargal’s August 9th bout against Maurice Chalmers was particularly impressive as Jargal scored a third-round technical knockout. Despite the short distance, both boxers received bonuses from the promoters for their efforts.

Jargal’s November 6 victory against Doel Carrasquillo during his second straight Fight Night appearance at the Washington Hilton and Towers was a relatively easy debut into the eight-round category and more than likely solidified his recent promotional contract signing with Let’s Get it On Promotions. Jargal already has two bouts lined up in the first two months of the year.

Others deserving consideration:

Willie “For Real” Williams, super middleweight, Baltimore, MD, 12-3-1, three KO’s.

Despite a mid-December majority decision loss in Florida, 2008 is still a year that Williams can be proud of.

Williams gained two tough victories over Alfred Kinsey and Jameel Wilson during the year. The Wilson victory gave him the East Coast Light Heavyweight title. Williams upgraded his level of competition fighting mostly against guys who had winning records. The loss to Jesse Blount in Jacksonville, Florida on December 12 does add a little bit of uncertainty going into 2009.

Tyrell “Da Show Shock’A” Samuel, featherweight, Baltimore, MD, 11-2, five KO’s.

Samuel battled through personal health issues and bout cancellations throughout 2008 to have a pretty successful year.

After the much-anticipated Maryland State Featherweight title bout against Thomas Snow was pulled at the last minute, Samuel had to battle tough heart diagnoses that threatened to stop his career.

Once those problems were overcome, Samuel was able to get back into the ring and have two solid bouts with fellow Beltway featherweight Ron Boyd. Both were Samuel victories. The second of the two bouts was Samuel’s first full 10-rounder where he dropped Boyd three times in the last three rounds en route to winning the Maryland State Super Featherweight title. Samuel now looks towards receiving bouts for regional titles in the first quarter of 2009.

Tony “Mo Better” Jeter, junior middleweight, Jessup, MD, 7-2, six KO’s.

Jeter won the fans balloting as Prospect of the Year with 27 percent of the votes cast.. Jeter made a strong return to boxing after a three-year absence. Jeter was one of the few to make an impact in and out of the ring as he added promoter and matchmaker to his resume.

In the ring, Jeter notched three wins against under-.500 competition, however he scored knockouts in two of the three victories and his unanimous decision win over Chris Cook was fought while Jeter was battling a flu that landed him in an area hospital a few days before.

It will be interesting to see which of Jeter’s accomplishments will have the biggest impact on the area. Jeter leads a strong promotional company (Better Promotions) and showed his skill as a matchmaker as well. Inside the ring, Jeter is also looking for bigger and, yes, better things.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

BATB Year-In-Review: Rookie of the Year!

Today, we begin our look back at 2008. I've decided to break this review in parts, starting with the Rookie of the Year. I give my choice and also list the fans's choice for this award as well as the prospect and boxer of the year.

BATB’s choice for 2008 Beltway Boxing Rookie of the Year is…

Fernando Guerrero, middleweight, Salisbury, MD, 12-0, 11 KO’s.

In a deep year for Beltway rookie candidates, Guerrero officially made this race non-competitive in October, when he drew 6,000 people to the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury for a nationally televised co-feature bout.

Guerrero started his career in December of 2007 with a second-round TKO over Derrick Douglas in Tunica, MS. The bout turned out to be just the start of a very busy run for the Dominican-born middleweight who came off a stellar amateur career. Guerrero knocked out his first nine opponents and made one nationally-televised (ESPN) appearance before his October 3 hometown date against undefeated Tyrone Watson. Guerrero went the distance for the first time (in his first eight-rounder) and scored a shutout on all three judge’s cards.

The future looks bright for Guerrero as he has been successful fighting under the Prize Fight Promotions banner throughout 2008. Immediately on tap will be another ESPN appearance in Salisbury in mid-February.


Others deserving consideration:

Mark “TNT” Tucker, light heavyweight, Eldersburg, MD, 6-0, five KO’s.

Tucker won the fan voting with 48 percent of the votes counted. The mohawk-sprouting light heavyweight had a solid rookie campaign with his first four bouts ending in first-round knockouts. Tucker advanced to six-round bouts after his first two bouts. Tucker defeated dangerous veteran Carlos Jones by fourth-round TKO before going the six-round distance for the first time against Terrence Wilson on November 1 in Las Vegas on the Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.-Matt Vanda undercard. The bout was shown live worldwide over the internet.

Tucker has trained with some of the best light heavyweights in the world, including former champ Glen Johnson and current champ Antonio Tarver, who claimed Tucker had the fastest hands he’s ever seen in the light heavyweight division.


Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell, heavyweight, Brandywine, MD, 8-0-1, five KO’s.

The former Michigan State football standout made a gradual and at times, seemingly smooth transition to boxing in 2008, coming off a limited but successful amateur career. After a close, four-round unanimous decision victory over Mike Miller, Mitchell won by knockout over Maurice Winslow, then signed a promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions. Mitchell’s Golden Boy debut ended in a draw in March against Alvaro Morales, a last-minute opponent. Mitchell turned the minor setback into a positive and proceeded to knock out four of his next six opponents while moving into the six-round ranks.

One of the six-round distance bouts was a much better showing in a rematch against Miller. Mitchell upgraded his arsenal and did a fine job going inside en route to an easier unanimous decision. Mitchell is still learning the boxing game but thus far, he has proven to be an apt pupil.


James “Keep ‘em Sleepin’” Stevenson, Jr., welterweight, Baltimore, MD, 5-0, five KO’s.

Only a pro since September, Stevenson has quickly turned a number of heads during his rookie campaign. None of his bouts have gone past the third round and Stevenson has also been able to knock people out on the road. Stevenson is scheduled to fight next in Winston-Salem, NC in late January.

Monday, December 29, 2008

New Poll: Who is the 2008 Beltway Boxer of the Year?

While we did not have a Beltway Boxer take a big step in 2008, a number of boxers made solid advancements in their careers this year. So here are the top 10 candidates for Beltway Boxer of the Year in 2008:

Ishmail "The Arsenal" Arvin, middleweight, Baltimore, MD (1-0-1, one KO in 2008, 15-1-4, seven KO's overall)

Ty Barnett, junior welterweight, Washington, DC (4-0, two KO's in 2008, 16-0-1, 11 KO's)

Fernando Guerrero, middleweight, Salisbury, MD (12-0, 11 KO's in 2008 and overall)

"The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal, junior welterweight, Arlington, VA (4-0, three KO's in 2008, 9-0-1, six KO's overall)

"The Persecutor" Mike Paschall, super middleweight, Baltimore, MD (4-1, two KO's in 2008, 18-1-1, four KO's overall)

Anthony Peterson, lightweight, Washington, DC (3-0, one KO in 2008, 28-0, 19 KO's overall)

Lamont Peterson, junior welterweight, Washington, DC (3-0, one KO in 2008, 26-0, 12 KO's overall)

Tyrell "Da Show Shock 'A" Samuel, featherweight, Baltimore, MD (2-0 in 2008, 11-2, five KO's overall)

"The OC Bomber" Joshua Snyder, middleweight, Ocean City, MD (3-1-1, one KO in 2008, 8-3-1, three KO's overall)

Willie "For Real" Williams, super middleweight, Baltimore, MD (3-1-1, one KO in 2008, 12-3-1, three KO's overall)


Eight of the 10 boxers on this list made national TV appearances. Seven of the eight boxers were victorious on national TV and Paschall, who suffered the only loss, did not hurt his stock in his loss to Andre Dirrell. Five of the boxers held some sort of local or regional title.

By the way, I am still working on the year in review. Holiday happenings have gotten in the way, but it is in the works. I may give it to you in sections starting tomorrow.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Snyder Wins Split-Decision Over Pryor in Cincinnati!

Big win for the "OC Bomber" Joshua Snyder last night in Cincinnati, OH. Snyder won an eight-round split decision over previously undefeated Aaron Pryor, Jr at the Cintas Center on the campus of Xavier University.

Pryor won by scores of 77-75 (twice). One judge scored the bout 79-72 for Pryor, son of the hall of fame welterweight champion.

The Snyder camp says that their boxer was able to get inside the taller Pryor and eventually won the crowd over. The Snyder corner also received kudos for their coaching abilities.

Snyder raises his record to 8-3-1, three KO's and he is unbeaten in his last four bouts. Snyder has also defeated four of the five undefeated boxers he has faced in his career (Earl Cole, Jimmy Lubash, John Mackey and Pryor). The only loss came in a tough eight-round majority decision to Jessie Nicklow in January of this year.

Snyder also pins the first loss on Pryor's career and he is now 11-1, eight KO's.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Bouts Announced for January 17 Card in Springfield!

Some of the bouts have been announced for the Left Hook Boxing card slated for Saturday, January 17 at the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA. This is the first Beltway card of 2009.

The main event will be an eight-round junior welterweight contest between Front Royal, VA's Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer and veteran Carlos "El Perro" Cisneros, fighting out of Bladensburg, MD.

Farmer (11-1, seven KO's) is coming off a solid performance in Salem, VA on August 9 when he won an eight-round unanimous decision over Cesar Vega. Cisneros (9-16-1, six KO's) will be trying to bounce back from a lackluster performance, losing a six-round technical decision against Curtis Smith on November 1 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. Cisneros, a native of El Salvador, was cut by an accidental headbutt in the fifth round of the contest.

The co-feature bout should be a good one as Front Royal cruiserweight Terry "T-Brick" Roy will battle Caroline, VA's Adam "The Real Deal" Seal in a six-round encounter.

Roy (7-1-2, six KO's) will try to right his fortunes coming off a fifth-round technical knockout loss to Nicholas Ianuzzi on November 7 in Tampa, FL. Seal (5-1, four KO's) last fought on May 9 in Fredricksburg, VA when he stopped Derek Amos in the fourth round.

Also slated for this card will be Salem, VA-based cruiserweight Jon Haggler (18-3, 13 KO's). This will be Haggler's first bout since losing by seventh-round TKO to Shane Cameron on April 11 in Auckland, NZ. That bout was for three Asian titles. Haggler will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak. Haggler's other recent loss was in a heavyweight bout against Chazz Witherspoon.

Other boxers slated for the card include Haymarket, VA rookie welterweight Juan "The Savior" Rodriguez (1-0, one KO) who is coming off a bout many consider the Bout of the Year along the Beltway -- his third-round stoppage of Benjamin Borteye on November 7 at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. Rodriguez's opponent is TBD.

Also, Arlington, VA light heavyweight Otganbayer Daivii (1-1-1, one KO) will be looking for an opponent for this card. Daivii, a native of Mongolia, will be dropping down from cruiserweight for the first time in this bout.

Portsmouth, VA-based junior welterweight Jeremiah Wiggins will be making his pro debut against DC's Calvin "Shotgun" Aughtry (0-4, one NC).

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Boxing History Chronicled In Book of 'DC Sports Lists!'

If you are a sports fan and are into DC history, then "The Great Book of Washington, DC Sports Lists" by ESPN 980's Andy Pollin and Leonard Shapiro of The Washington Post is a very good read.

The book chronicles many aspects of DC sports history, including boxing. The authors asked for lists from different people.

There are two lists of The Top Ten DC-Area Boxers sent in by Washington Times columnist Thom Loverro and Post Columnist William Gildea. Loverro currently covers boxing and baseball among other sports, while Gildea covered a number of world title bouts during his long career.

Here is Loverro's list:

1. Sugar Ray Leonard

2. Bob Foster

3. Mark Johnson

4. Simon Brown

5. Sharmba Mitchell

6. William Joppy

7. Maurice Blocker

8. Keith Holmes

9. Holly Mims

10. Johnny Gant


A good list. Bob Foster was born in New Mexico, but claimed DC as his home when he won the light heavyweight title. Mims is regarded by some as the best boxer to ever come out of DC, even though he never was a world champion.

Mims lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Sugar Ray Robinson in 1951. Mims also fought the likes of Dick Tiger, Emile Griffith, and Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Mims also split two middleweight bouts with Jimmy Ellis, who would later win the heavyweight title.

Gant was actually born in Baltimore, but fought many times in DC. Gant made his pro debut in DC in 1968 stopping Hurricane Hart in four rounds. Gant is probably best known for his 12-round bout against Sugar Ray Leonard for the Mid-Atlantic Welterweight title on January 11, 1979 at the old Capital Centre in Landover. Gant was stopped in eight rounds.

Little known facts: Gant also lost to Leonard's brother, Roger at the Capital Centre in March of 1980. Earlier in his career, Gant lost bouts to Adrian Davis and former world champion Esteban DeJesus.

Like Davis, Gant is now a well-known trainer, albeit in Atlanta, GA.

Now, here is William Gildea's list:

1. Sugar Ray Leonard

2. Bob Foster

3. Mark Johnson

4. Riddick Bowe

5. Simon Brown

6. Holly Mims

7. Georgie Abrams

8. Maurice Blocker

9. Sharmba Mitchell

10. Darryll Tyson


Gildea's list brings up a long-time debate: Should Riddick Bowe be considered a DC-area fighter? I always say no because unlike Foster, who claimed DC as his home when he won the light heavyweight title, Bowe never claimed Fort Washington, MD as his boxing hometown when he won the heavyweight crown; he always listed his home base as Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY. That is why I never put Bowe on any list or included him in a list of Beltway champions. Some may disagree with that.

Georgie Abrams was a middleweight contender in the 40's who lost a 15-round decision to Tony Zale for the world title and also lost 10-round distance bouts to world champions Sugar Ray Robinson and Marcel Cerdan. Abrams also drew with legendary boxer Charley Burley. Abrams fought 28 of his 61 bouts in DC, either at Turner's Arena or at Griffith Stadium or in Baltimore.

I found it interesting that Gildea had two similar boxers in Abrams and Darryll Tyson on his list. Like Abrams, Tyson was a quality contender in his weight classes (lightweight and junior welterweight) who fought most of the great boxers available, but just couldn't capture a world title.

Tyson fought 10 former world champions in his career stretching from Jimmy Paul (twice - splitting two bouts, including a 15-round unanimous decision loss for the IBF Lightweight title) to DeMarcus Corley (in his final bout).

This includes a period from December 1992 to October 1993 where Tyson fought four now-former world champions in succession -- Miguel Angel Gonzalez (a 12-round unanimous decision loss for the WBC Lightweight title), Livingstone Bramble (a 10-round draw at the Washington Convention Center), Rafael Ruelas (a bout in Las Vegas that took place 15 days after the Bramble bout. Tyson lost a 10-round unanimous decision) and Roger Mayweather (a 12-round split decision win for the USBA Junior Welterweight title).

Also like Abrams, Tyson stayed true to his area, fighting 30 out of 65 bouts (25 in the DC area) along the Beltway. This includes memorable bouts against Reggie Green, Freddie Pendleton, Anthony Suggs and Zab Judah.

These list are there to debate and I do appreciate Loverro, Gildea, Pollin and Shapiro for their efforts.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Ringside Report Chronicles Championship Card in DC!

In his return to coverage of the Beltway Boxing scene, "Bad" Brad Berkwitt of RingsideReport.com filed this report from the Babie Girl Productions card at Howard University's Burr Gymnasium. The report also features great photos from RSR Photographer Eric Fleming.

Here's the link:

"http://www.ringsidereport.com/rsr/news.php?readmore=1456">

Koroma Loses GBU Title in Kenya; Russell Jr. Debut Moved to Mississippi!

Alexandria, VA junior welterweight Kay Koroma lost his Global Boxing Union Intercontinental Junior Welterweight title this past Saturday by a 12-round split decision to Nassar Athumani of Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya.

According to the Kenyan newspaper The Standard, the decision was one of a number of reportedly controversial decisions that allowed hometown boxers to win decisions.

The Standard did not give details on the Koroma contest, however, Richard Mwangi, a reporter for another Kenyan media outlet -- The Daily Nation -- said that "Koroma spent most of the time faking all manner of injuries and by the time the 12 rounds were over, he had become very unpopular with the crowd."

Koroma loses for the first time in his career, falling to 5-1, three KO's. Athumani is now 21-6-2, 16 KO's.

Koroma's manager, the Beltway's own "Fight Lady" Wanda Bruce, was involved in not only Koroma's contest also a bout that featured veteran female boxer Belinda Laracuente. The Standard reported that the decision in that bout that gave Kenyan boxer Fatuma Zarika the victory was so controversial that spectators carried Laracuente on their shoulders and chanted "USA, USA" and "Obama."

Bruce made her feelings publicly known to Erick Ochieng of The Standard:

"Yesterday we slept on cold floor here at the airport. We are feeling terrible, we have nothing, we have no tickets, we haven’t been paid and the promoter is doing nothing."

Meanwhile, the pro debut for Capitol Heights, MD's Gary Russell, Jr. seems to have finally found a home. The bout is slated to take place at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, MS on Saturday, January 17. The featherweight contest will be on the non-televised portion of the HBO telecast featuring the WBC Welterweight title bout between champion Andre Berto and challenger Luis Collazo.

Jargal Signs Promotional Contract That Says: 'Let's Get It On!'

As BATB mentioned on the most recent Post-Fight Wrap-up, undefeated Arlington, VA lightweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal has signed a promotional contract with Let's Get It On Promotions of Reno, NV.

Jargal (9-0-1, six KO's) is slated to make his first appearance under the Let's Get It On banner on Friday, January 23 at the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. The native of Mongolia is also scheduled to be on the undercard of the Jesse Brinkley-Joey Gilbert bout on Saturday, February 14 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, NV.

Jargal is managed by DC Boxing Hall of Famer J.D. Brown , who was very much involved with the careers of former world champions and Beltway legends Sugar Ray Leonard and William Joppy, among others.

In a conversation with BATB, Let's Get It On CEO Terry Lane called Jargal, "one of the best lightweight prospects in the world."

"We have big plans for Bayan," Lane said. "We plan on having him fight on the west coast and a few bouts in Asia as well."

But Lane assured BATB that Jargal will continue to compete in front of his fans in the Beltway area. Jargal's last bout was on November 6 at the Washington Hilton and Towers in DC where he won by eight-round TKO over Doel Carrasquillo.

Let's Get It On Promotions is based in Reno and it is the promotion founded by legendary referee Mills Lane in 2000. Lane's sons Terry and Tommy handle the day-to-day operations.

Trying Something Different!

Thanks to "Bad" Brad Berkwitt and Geno McGahee at RingsideReport.com, I received some inspiration to try something different with BATB. Brad and Geno made this nice banner that you see at the head of the blog.

I decided to change the template colors to better enhance the change. Plus the new colors go with the new business cards I've ordered.

I'm still playing with it so let me know what you think!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Beltway Boxing 2009 Begins January 17 in Springfield, VA!

For those who have not heard the most recent BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up, the first Beltway Boxing card of 2009 will take place on Saturday, January 17 when Left Hook Boxing will host a card at the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA.

Beltway favorites Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer and Terry "T-Brick" Roy will be among the participants on this card.

Also, there will be an amateur show on Saturday, January 24 and Saturday, January 31 at Tony's Boxing Gym, located at 2201 Shannon Place, SE in DC. This will be the 2009 USA Open Tournament. Proceeds from the two-day event will go towards travel for advancing boxers.

A reminder: There will also be a pro show at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD on Friday, January 23.

Grant, McRae Win By Knockout; Qato Regains WBF Middleweight Crown!

Beltway heavyweights Horace "The Reason" Grant and "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae scored knockout victories while Albania's Kreshnik "The Eagle" Qato retained his WBF (World Boxing Foundation) Middleweight championship by KO during the Babie Girl Productions card at Howard University's Burr Gymnasium.

Grant, now fighting out of Riverdale, MD, scored a third-round TKO over late sub Kevin Hood of Coatesville, PA. Grant dropped Hood in the second round with a solid uppercut and went on to the relatively easy win. The bout was stopped at 1:20 of the third round. Grant is now 14-2, nine KO's while Hood is 5-11-1.

Laurel, MD's McRae tallied a first-round knockout over "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA. After both men came into the ring with colorful and interesting entrances, it was McRae who went to work first, landing shots early in the round. At one point, Felton picked up McRae and tossed him to the mat.

Felton fought from a crouch and tried to make himself a smaller target for the taller McRae, but McRae was still able to land shots. McRae landed enough punches for Felton's cornerman -- DC Boxing Hall of Famer "Juice" Gatling -- to call for the bout to be stopped after 2:31 of the first.

Felton disagreed with his corner's stoppage and went into a frenzy, trying to pick up and toss ringside chairs and climbing onto a nearby basketball support before he was physically escorted to the locker room area. The baskets remained on the court in preparation for a Howard-George Mason women's basketball game on Sunday afternoon.

McRae is now 3-0, three KO's while Felton, who could be facing his second fine or suspension this year, is now 5-14, five KO's.

The main event saw Albanian native Qato successfully defend his WBF World Middleweight title with a sixth-round TKO over David "The Weezil" Estrada of Chicago, IL.

Although Qato was fighting in the United States for the first time in his pro career, the atmosphere in the Burr must have felt like a slice of home as numerous supporters from Qato's home country were in attendance and were VERY vocal. There were also video crews from Albanian Community Television and the Albanian Bureau of the Voice of America.

Qato proved to be technically sound, showing good defense and solid output. Estrada was game but could not keep up with the increasing output from the champion. Qato landed solid shots to the head and body. The fifth round looked like it could have easily been scored a 10-8 round as the champion dominated. The sixth round proved to be academic as Qato continued his assault and the Estrada corner threw in the towel. The bout was stopped at 2:18 of the sixth round.

Qato is now 18-6, three KO's while Estrada falls to 12-11, nine KO's.


In the co-feature, Wayne "The Cobra" Cooper of Evansville, IN and William Prieto of Lorain, OH fought to an eight-round draw for the WBF All-Americas Super Middleweight crown. Both guys had their moments in this one. Prieto, who had not fought since September of 2007, came out early and landed crushing shots against Cooper. Prieto owned the early part of the contest.

But Cooper came back, helped in part by a seemingly intentional body slam of Prieto in the fourth round. However, things evened out in the sixth when Cooper seemingly landed a right hook that dropped Prieto. However, referee Kenny Chevalier ruled there was no knockdown.

Judge Tammye Jenkins scored the bout 77-75 for Cooper. Judge Paul Wallace saw the contest 78-74 for Prieto. Judge Paul Artisst witnessed the fight as a draw 77-77, apparently scoring one round a 10-10 round. BATB saw the contest a draw at 76-76.

The bout was arguably the best of the night and the only one to reach the distance. A rematch is definitely in order. Cooper is now 8-1-2, five KO's while Prieto is 5-3-1, two KO's.

Other bouts on the card saw Jesse Brinkley of Las Vegas, NV score a relatively easy third-round TKO over "Gentleman" James Johnson of Shreveport, LA. The bout was stopped at 1:54 of the third round. Brinkley can now focus on his February 14 bout against fellow Contender: Season One star Joey Gilbert on February 14 in Las Vegas. Brinkley will enter the bout with a record of 32-5, 22 KO's. Johnson falls to 23-31-2, 12 KO's.

Also rookie middleweight Bastie "The Beast" Samir of Ghana (by way of Las Vegas) scored a crushing first-round TKO over William "Bam Bam" Armstead of Columbus, OH. Samir repeatedly dropped Armstead with crushing body shots before referee Michelle Hall stopped the contest at 1:02 of the round.

Samir is now 3-0, three KO's -- all coming in the first round. Armstead falls to 2-9, one KO.

There were also two amateur bouts on the card. Robert Taylor of Tony's Boxing Gym in DC won by decision over Baltimore's Sherman Artisst in a 165-pound novice bout. Also, Marquis Taylor of Tony's Gym stopped Jimmy Romano of the Annandale Boxing Club in the second round of a 152-pound bout.

Before we get to the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up, let me say that promoter Cassandra White put together a solid promotion. In a smaller location, the crowd that attended the show would have looked like a packed house. The Burr Gymnasium seats 2,700 for basketball without the floor seats. Given the time of year, I thought it was a good crowd.

White also has, perhaps for the first time, some blocks to build on. With the Albanian crowd coming out in good numbers, White obviously has built contacts with the Albanian community and her association with the World Boxing Foundation has the potential to be a very fruitful one.

Personally, I think a title bout between Qato and one of the Beltway middleweight contenders/prospects (Jimmy Lange, George Rivera, Ishmail Arvin, Jessie Nicklow, to name a few) would be a nice matchup that would draw a lot of people. All four of those Beltway middleweights have better records than David Estrada and Arvin actually holds a win over Estrada.

Also, White has built a solid partnership with Howard University, so solid that Deborah Johnson, White's contact at Howard, announced to the crowd that the university wants to continue hosting pro boxing at The Burr-- but ONLY with Babie Girl Productions!

Let's now go to the wrap-up that not only gives more commentary on this card, but also contains exclusive announcements on when and where the first Beltway pro card of 2009 will take place and big news concerning one of our Beltway prospects.

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #142 - Results From a Championship Night in DC!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I are joined by Ringside Report.com CEO "Bad" Brad Berkwitt as we discuss the WBF Middleweight title clash and the entire Babie Girl Productions card at Howard University's Burr Gymnasium. We also have breaking news involving a Beltway Boxing prospect!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Weights From...The Burr!

Here are the weights for Saturday night's Babie Girl Promotions card at the Howard University Burr Gymnasium:

Kreshnik Qato 160 vs David Estrada 159

Wayne Cooper 163 vs. William Prieto 164

Dwayne McRae 249 vs. Jonathan Felton 228

Horace Grant 255 vs. Kevin Hood (will weigh-in Saturday morning)

Jesse Brinkley 173 vs. James Johnson 175

Bastie Samir 158 vs. William Armstead 158

Kevin Hood of Coatesville, PA (5-10-1) is a late substitution for Akron, OH's Mike Miller.

By the way, there will be a television crew from Armenian television covering Qato's participation on the card. This will be Qato's American debut.

Son of Baltimore Fan Favorite Heads to UNLV on Football Scholarship!

Thought this was an interesting story to pass on. Many long-time Beltway Boxing fans may remember "The Runstopper" Courtney Bridget, a popular Baltimore cruiserweight from the mid-90's (4-1, one KO) who is now training a number a boxers in the area.

Apparently, Bridget's athletic genes have been passed down to his son, albeit in another sport. Matt Bracken of Baltimoresun.com's Recruiting Report is reporting that Courtney Bridget, Jr., a cornerback at Dunbar High School in Baltimore, recently made a verbal commitment to play football at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

The younger Bridget (6-3, 190) recently finished his senior season where he helped the Poets to a 13-1 season and the Maryland 1A State Championship. At cornerback, Bridget had 73 tackles and 10 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. Bridget transferred from Calvert Hall to Dunbar before his senior season. A number of schools including Maryland, Oregon and Duke were recruiting Bridget after his junior year. Oregon was high on his list, but Bridget made his commitment after his visit to UNLV.

“I can’t even put it into words how happy I am,” Bridget told Baltimoresun.com. “I’ll be playing for a program on the rise that was one game away from going to a bowl. They’re returning the most starters in the Mountain West conference next year. So I think they have a good shot to win that title. I just went out there and bonded with a couple of the other commitments. It was big and I felt at home.”

Bridget will participate in the Maryland Crab Bowl All-Star team on Saturday at Towson University's Johnny Unitas Stadium. The game (which starts at 1 PM) matches a team from Baltimore versus a squad from the DC-area Maryland suburbs.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

'OC Bomber' Snyder Scheduled to Battle Aaron Pryor Jr. Dec. 27!

BATB is hearing that Ocean City, MD middleweight "The OC Bomber" Joshua Snyder is slated to battle Aaron Pryor, Jr. in a scheduled six-round contest on Saturday, December 27 at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, OH.

Snyder (7-3-1, three KO's) is coming off a draw and a win in his last two bouts, both against John Mackey. The draw took place in Snyder's last bout on November 6 during Fight Night at the Washington Hilton and Towers in DC.

Pryor, son of the hall of fame junior welterweight champion (11-0, eight KO's) and a native of Cincinnati, is coming off a third-round TKO over Dante Craig on August 30 at the Cincinnati Gardens.

BATB will keep you posted on this development.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Additions, Changes to December 20 Card at Howard University!

Here's an update on the Babie Girl Promotions card coming to the Howard University Burr Gymnasium on Saturday, December 20.

Bowie, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant will battle veteran Mike Miller of Akron, OH in a six-round bout that will be a rematch of their April 18th bout at the Pikesville National Guard Armory in Pikesville, MD. Grant (13-2, eight KO's) won the first encounter by six-round majority decision. Miller(6-13-2, three KO's) won his last bout on November 14 at the Maryland Sportsplex in Millersville, MD by second-round disqualification over Kareem Wilson.

"Contender -- Season One" participant Jesse Brinkley of Las Vegas, NV (31-5, 21 KO's) will prepare for his February 14th battle with fellow Contender star Joey Gilbert by taking on veteran "Gentleman" James Johnson of Shreveport, LA in a six-round contest.

Also, 2008 Ghanaian Olympian Bastie "The Beast" Samir (2-0, two KO's) is slated to be on the card. Samir, now living in Las Vegas, NV has scored first-round knockouts in both his bouts.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Photos and Video Available from Silver Gloves!

There are photos and video from this past weekend's DC Silver Gloves Tournament available online.

Linda "Great Shot" Siadys has a HUGE photo gallery from the event that took place at Rosecroft Raceway that can be viewed by going to this link:

"http://photodawg1.smugmug.com/gallery/6813566_GCE8b#435619892_UQjSh">

Also, there is lots of video from the tournament by going to the DC Amateur Boxing website. The link to that site is located in the links section of this blog.

Corley Scores First-Round KO in Washington!

DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley broke a six-bout losing streak with a first-round knockout over veteran Donnell Logan this past Saturday in Bellevue, WA. Corley is now 32-10-1, 18 KO's while Logan is 11-18-2, six KO's.

Also this past Saturday, John 'No Mercy" Mackey lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Anthony "Ice" Greenridge for the NABA US Middleweight title. The scores were 98-94 and 97-93 (twice). Mackey is now 11-2-1, five KO's while Greenridge is 13-1-1, five KO's).

By the way, I have not received any word on the card that took place in Jacksonville, FL this past Friday night. That card featured Baltimore boxers Willie "For Real" Williams and James "Keep 'em Sleepin'" Stevenson .

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Congratulations to Beltway Silver Gloves Winners!

Congratulations to all the 2009 DC Area Silver Gloves Champions. The Regionals will be held January 7th through the 10th in Wilmington, NC. All male boxers 10 years and older (in italics) will advance to the Regional Tournament.


8-9 year old Champions
55lbs. Malcolm Lowery, Jr. (Benning Park)
70lbs. Lorenzo Simpson (Upton)
70lbs. Mia Ellis (Female Champion)
75lbs. Danardo Johnson (No Xcuse)
80lbs. Daniel Walsh III (Old School Boxing)
85lbs. Reco Todd, Jr. (Upton)


10-11 year old Champions
50lbs. Jerome Williams (Headbangers)*
60lbs. Dwayne Holmes, Jr. *
65lbs. Jordan White
70lbs. Zimmie Dickinson (Dream Team)
75lbs. Not recorded
80lbs. Joey Veazey (Baltimore Boxing) - Outstanding Boxer Award Winner
95lbs. Keegan Grove (Hagerstown Boxing)*
100lbs. Kashif Muhammad-Brown*
165lbs. Shaka Williams (Nomis)*

12-13 year old Champions
70lbs. Devonte Jefferson (Headbangers)*
75lbs. Anthony Stuckey (Main Street Gym)
80lbs. Gary Antaunne Russell (Keystone) - Outstanding Boxer Award Winner
85lbs. Aujee Tyler*
90lbs. Jalonte Cole (Headbangers)
95lbs. Cartlton Gray (Dream Team)
100lbs. Christopher Forbes (Sugar Ray Leonard)*
106lbs. Lamont Roach, Jr. (No Xcuse)
125lbs. Demetrius Martin (Headbangers)*
132lbs. Kareem Martin (Headbangers)*
139lbs. Da'Quan Johnson (No Xcuse)*
201+ Jerome Rassool-Abdul Aiken*

14-15 year old Champions
75lbs. Brady Sensibaugh (Old School)
80lbs. Greg Outlaw (Sugar Ray Leonard)
85lbs. Lawrence Singh (Headbangers)*
90lbs. Marquell Tyler (Headbangers)*
95lbs. Gervonta Davis (Upton)
100lbs. Patrick Harris (Headbangers)
106lbs. Gary Antonio Russell (Keystone)*
119lbs. Elijah Mack (Dream Team)
125lbs. Eric Hernandez (Old School)
132lbs. Dusty Harrison (Old School)
139lbs. Mike Reed (Dream Team)
147lbs. Ronald Gilbbs (Upton)
156lbs. Demond Nicholson (Cherry Lane)
165lbs. Dimitrius Ballard (No Xcuse)
178lbs. Jerry Odom (No Xcuse)*
201+ Stanley Williamson (Cherry Lane)*


Female Champions
70lbs. Mia Ellis*
95lbs. Ronisha Moore (Benning Park)*
106lbs. Raynisea O'Neal (Lime LIte)*
132lbs. 14-15 year division old Aisha Stevenson - Outstanding Boxer Award Winner


*Unopposed Champion

Thanks once again to DC Amateur Boxing for the coverage of the tournament.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Rahman Loses by Seventh-Round KO in Championship Bout!

Former heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman was knocked out in the seventh round by Wladimir Klitschko tonight in Manheim, Germany.

According to Fightnews.com, Klitschko was in command with his jab from the beginning, while Rahman was looking to land a big shot, as he did against Lennox Lewis in 2001. That punch never came, however, as Klitschko punished "The Rock," in all rounds, finally dropping him in round six a series of left hooks. In round seven, referee Tony Weeks waved off the bout after Rahman took more shots. Time was :44.

Rahman falls to 45-7-2, 36 KOs. Klitschko's record is 52-3, 46 KOs.

Corley Continues Comeback in Washington State!

Tonight in Bellevue, WA, former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley continues his comeback in a scheduled eight-round bout against veteran Donnell Logan of Covington, TN at the Meydenbauer Center.

Corley (31-10-1, 17 KO's) has lost six straight bouts -- all to quality opposition. Logan (11-17-2, six KO's) has lost three of his last four but defeated a pretty good foe in Ivan Fiorletta by six-round TKO.

Also tonight, John "No Mercy" Mackey of Montgomery, AL (by way of DC) challenges Anthony Greenridge of Brooklyn, NY for the NABA US Middleweight title in Atlanta, GA.

Results From Silver Gloves -- Day 1!

Courtesy of DC Amateur Boxing, here are some of the results from Day 1 of the Silver Gloves at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD:

8-9 year old division

1.) 55 lb Malcolm Lowery, Jr. (Benning Park) def. Chris Normile (Laurel B & G Club)
2.) 55 lb Chamar Flowers (Headbangers) def. Byron Hill (Hillcrest)
3.) 70 lb Lorenzo Simpson (Upton) def. Melvin Babbitt (Benning Park)
4.) 75 lb Championship - Da' Nardo Johnson (No Xcuse) def. Mansaborie Conee (Laurel B & G Club)

10-11 year old division

5.) 65 lb Championship Jordan White (Unattached) def. Jabar Henson (Headbangers)
6.) 70 lb Zimmie Dickinson (Dream Team) def. Anwar Henson (Headbangers)
7.) 75 lb Championship Keeshawn Moore (Keystone) vs. Deonte' Washington (Unattached) - Not recorded
8.) 80 lb Edwin Jovel (SRL) def. Theron Johnson II (Unattached)
9.) 85 lb Championship Avery Anderson (Headbangers) def. Mack Allison II (Upton)

12-13 year old division

10.) 75 lbs. Marcus Wright (Dream Team) def. Corey Moore (Main Street Gym)
11.) 90 lb Jalonte Cole (Headbangers) def. Mykal Fox (Dream Team)
12.) 106 lb Lamont Roach, Jr. (No Xcuse) def. Jawon Ennis (Laurel B &G Club)
13.) 112 lb Roemello Webster (Headbangers) def. Malik Hawkins (Upton)

14-15 year old division

14.) 100 lb Chauncey Anderson (Supreme Defense) def. Brandon Patterson (Laurel B & G Club)
15.) 119 lb Elijah Mack (Dream Team) walkover win over Roland Moss (No Xcuse)
16.) 132 lb Carl Harper (SRL) vs. Quaron Love (Charm City) - DID NOT TAKE PLACE
17.) 139 lb Michael Reed (Dream Team) def. Kendall Brooks (Old School Boxing)
18.) 147 lb Gary Derricke Russell (Keystone) walkover over Andres Perdomo (Nomis)
19.) 156 lb Demond Nicholson (Cherry Lane) walkover over Xavier Ward (Supreme Defense)


Tonight's event is an All-Championship Affair beginning at 7 PM.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Rahman Weighs 253 For Title Challenge!

Former heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman weighed in at 253 pounds for his title challenge against IBF/WBO/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko tomorrow night at the SAPP Arena in Manheim, Germany. Klitschko tipped the scales at 244 pounds.

The bout will be shown live on HBO at 4:45 PM ET.

Baltimore Boxers Hit the Scales in Jacksonville, FL!

Two Baltimore boxers are involved in a card in Jacksonville, FL tonight.

Light heavyweight Willie "For Real" Williams weighed in at 174 1/2 pounds for his co-feature bout with Jesse Blount of Atlanta, GA. Blount tipped the scales at 175 1/2 pounds.

Junior middleweight James "Keep 'em Sleepin' Stevenson hit the scales at 157 pounds while his opponent Kenneth Meeks of Sharpsburg, NC came in at 156 pounds.

Originally, Baltimore-area boxers Cecil McCalla and Lenwood Dozier were also supposed to be on this card, but no word yet on whether they weighed in.

My thanks to Brother Chin from the Honeycomb Boxing Gym for sending me this information.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Gary Russell, Jr. To Turn Pro in January, Says Washington Post!

The Washington Post's Les Carpenter is reporting that 2008 Olympian and Capitol Heights, MD resident Gary Russell, Jr. will make his professional debut in January.

Carpenter reports that the 20-year-old Russell will compete as a featherweight (126 pounds) in the pro ranks after boxing as a bantamweight (119 pounds) as an amateur. Russell has signed with manager Al Hayman and is slated to make his pro debut on January 17, possibly in Vancouver, British Columbia against an opponent to be determined on the undercard of the Andre Berto-Luis Collazo WBC Welterweight championship bout. This card was originally slated to be in New York City, but promoter Lou DiBella recently scrapped those plans when a proposed bout between Ronald Hearns and John Duddy fell through.

Hayman, by the way, also manages current and former champions Berto, Paul Williams, Jermain Taylor, Antonio Tarver and Vernon Forrest along with heavyweight contender Cristobal Arreola.

Carpenter says that some in boxing, including legendary promoter Don King, speculated that Russell's collapse in Beijing during the Olympics might not help him land a pro contract, Russell and his father/trainer Gary Russell, Sr. said they had a number of offers from several promoters and spent much of the fall months sifting through them.

Gary Sr. told the Post that he briefly considered having Gary Jr. remain in the amateur ranks so he could compete in the 2012 Olympics in London. Two of Russell's other sons -- Allen and Antonio -- are ranked in the top 13 in the world in their weight classes and are possible contenders for the London Olympics.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Salisbury Gets ESPN Date February 6!

ESPN2's Friday Night Fights will come to the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury, MD on Friday, February 6.

Yes, Salisbury's own Fernando Guerrero (12-0, 11 KO's) will be on the card in the co-featured bout against an opponent to be determined. Boxrec.com and other sites had Guerrero taking on Gabriel Rosado in a scheduled 10-round contest, however, Rosado is unable to take the bout. Also, the number of rounds was not approved by either boxer as the Guerrero camp is still deciding if they will accept an eight or a 10-round contest.

Of course, the last time Guerrero fought in front of his home crowd, he made 7,000 fans proud of their hometown hero with an eight-round unanimous decision over Tyrone Watson on October 3. The bout was also in front of a Showtime (Shobox) nationally-televised audience.

UPDATE: There will be a press conference to officially announce the Guerrero bout at The Black Diamond in Fruitland on Sunday, December 14 at noon. The conference is open to the public with no fee. If you do attend, you are asked to bring a canned food item with you. The cans will be collected and given to local charities.

The main event for this card will be a 10-round bout for the NABA and NABF Light Heavyweight titles. Yusef Mack of New York City by way of Philadelphia, PA (26-2-2, 16 KO's) will carry the NABA title into the bout against NABF titleholder Chris Henry of Houston, TX (23-1, 18 KO's).

Mack won his title against Daniel Judah by 10-round unanimous decision on June 4 in Brooklyn, NY then defended it with a six-round knockout over Omar Pittman on September 26 in Philadelphia.

Henry, who has already held both the NABA and NABF titles simultaneously once before, will be making the second defense of the NABF crown. Henry's last bout was the first successful defense of his title as he won a 12-round unanimous decision over Corey Cummings on November 6 in Dallas, TX. Henry's only loss was a 12-round unanimous decision over Adrian Diaconu for the interim WBC Light Heavyweight crown.

New Beltway Boxing Poll: Who is the 2008 Beltway Boxing Prospect of the Year?

In our new poll, we ask the question who is the 2008 Beltway Boxing Prospect of the Year?

This poll is for boxers who have more than one year of experience (so the rookie class is not eligible) and who are not ranked in the top 20 of any major governing body.

Here are the nominees in alphabetical order along with their overall record and 2008 information:

Andrew "Doo Man" Farmer, junior welterweight, Front Royal, VA (11-1, seven KO's overall; 2-0, one KO in 2008)

Horace "The Reason" Grant, heavyweight, Bowie, MD (13-2, eight KO's overall; 2-1, one KO in 2008 -- has one more bout scheduled in the year on December 20)

"The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal, welterweight, Arlington, VA (9-0-1, six KO's overall; 4-0, three KO's in 2008)

Tony "Mo Better" Jeter, junior middleweight, Columbia, MD, (7-2, six KO's overall; 3-0, two KO's in 2008)

Alexander "The Great" Johnson, light heavyweight, Oxon Hill, MD (5-0, three KO's overall; 2-0 in 2008)

Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow, middleweight, Baltimore, MD (19-1-1, seven KO's overall; 5-1, two KO's in 2008)

Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall, super middleweight, Baltimore, MD (18-1-1, four KO's overall; 4-1, two KO's in 2008)

George "War Time" Rivera, middleweight, Charlottsville, VA (9-3, three KO's overall; 3-2 in 2008)

Tyrell "Da Show Shock 'A" Samuel, featherweight, Baltimore, MD (11-2, five KO's overall; 2-0 in 2008)

Willie "For Real" Williams, light heavyweight, Baltimore, MD (12-2-1, three KO's overall; 4-0, one KO in 2008 -- has one more bout scheduled for December 12)


Five of these boxers (Grant, Jargal, Johnson, Paschall and Rivera) all made nationally televised appearances. Jargal and Johnson were victorious.

Quick BATB blog note: This post is number 1,501 in the four-year history of BATB!


Two boxers (Paschall and Williams) won East Coast championships while Samuel won a Maryland State title.

Monday, December 08, 2008

Klitschko-Rahman on HBO December 13!



(Photo by Pavel Terekhov)

The IBF/WBO/IBO heavyweight title bout between champion Wladimir Klitschko and Hasim Rahman will be shown live on HBO from the SAP Arena in Manheim, Germany at 4:45 ET on Saturday, December 13.

Both men participated in a press conference today in Manheim. Here are some comments:

Wladimir Klitschko: "Hasim Rahman is a real challenger. For him it's probably his last chance at the title. He has certainly not come to lose....I'm prepared to go twelve rounds, but a clear win means an early win. It can happen in any round. I will try to win the fight as clearly as I can."

Emanuel Steward: "Wladimir has worked very intently. He knows what Rahman can do and takes him very seriously. We have big respect for Rahman, because he's a dangerous opponent."

Hasim Rahman: "I've learned from the past and I'm very well prepared. The area here is still Klitschko-land, but on Sunday morning this will be Rahman-land. I will win the fight early."

Sunday, December 07, 2008

'The Big Ticket' VS 'The People's Champion' Added to Dec. 20 Card in DC!

A Beltway crossroads heavyweight battle has been added to the Babie Girl Promotions card at Howard University's Burr Gymnasium in DC on Saturday, December 20.

Undefeated rookie "The Big Ticket" Dwayne McRae of Laurel, MD will battle "The People's Champion" Jonathan Felton of Stafford, VA in a four-round contest.

McRae (2-0, two KO's) is coming off a first-round knockout over Jerry Chaney on November 20 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Felton (5-13, five KO's) is winless in his last six contests but his last victory came at Howard University when he stopped Eric Starr in two rounds on June 23, 2007.

Also, DC middleweight Antonio Walls (2-0, one KO) will also appear on the card.

By the way, those of you who enjoy mixed martial arts and were coming to see that on this show, will not be able to do so. Howard University officials did not agree to have MMA on this show.

Saturday, December 06, 2008

DC Area Silver Gloves Comes to Rosecroft Raceway December 12 and 13!

The DC Area Silver Gloves Amateur Boxing Tournament will be held at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD on Friday and Saturday, December 12 and 13. The first bout begins at 7 PM.

Boxers from DC, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware will be competing in this tournament with the winners(10 years old and older) heading to Wilmington, NC for the regional championships in the first week of January.

Courtesy of DC Amateur Boxing (www.dcboxing.blogspot.com), here is a listing of the first round matchups:

Friday Bouts


8-9 year old divisions
1.) 55 lb Chris Normile (Laurel B & G Club) vs. Malcolm Lowery, Jr. (Benning Park)
2.) 55 lb Chamar Flowers (Headbangers) vs. Byron Hill (Hillcrest)
3.) 70 lb Lorenzo Simpson (Upton) vs. Melvin Babbitt (Benning Park)
4.) 75 lb Championship Mansaborie Conee (Laurel B & G Club) vs. Da' Nardo Johnson (No Xcuse)

10-11 year old division
5.) 65 lb Championship Jabar Henson (Headbangers) vs. Jordan White (Unattached)
6.) 70 lb Anwar Henson (Headbangers) vs. Zimmie Dickinson (Dream Team)
7.) 75 lb Championship Keeshawn Moore (Keystone) vs. Deonte' Washington (Unattached)
8.) 80 lb Edwin Jovel (SRL) vs. Theron Johnson II (Unattached)
9.) 85 lb Championship Avery Anderson (Headbangers) vs. Mack Allison II (Upton)

12-13 year old division
10.) 75 lb Corey Moore (Main Street Gym) vs. Marcus Wright (Dream Team)
11.) 90 lb Jalonte Cole (Headbangers) vs. Mykal Fox (Dream Team)
12.) 106 lb Jawon Ennis (Laurel B &G Club) vs. Lamont Roach, Jr. (No Xcuse)
13.) 112 lb Roemello Webster (Headbangers) vs. Malik Hawkins (Upton)

14-15 year old division
14.) 100 lb Brandon Patterson (Laurel B & G Club) vs. Chauncey Anderson (Supreme Defense)
15.) 119 lb Elijah Mack (Dream Team) vs. Roland Moss (No Xcuse)
16.) 132 lb Carl Harper (SRL) vs. Quaron Love (Charm City)
17.) 139 lb Kendall Brooks (Old School Boxing) vs. Michael Reed (Dream Team)
18.) 147 lb Andres Perdomo (Nomis) vs. Gary Derricke Russell (Keystone)
19.) 156 lb Demond Nicholson (Cherry Lane) vs. Xavier Ward (Supreme Defense)



Saturday Bouts


8-9 year old division
1.) 55 lb Championship Winner Friday Fight 1 vs. Winner Friday Fight 2
2.) 70 lb Championship Ameer Brown ( Unattached) vs. Winner Friday Fight 3


10-11 year old division
3.) 70 lb Championship Demitrius Young (SRL) vs. Winner Friday Fight 6
4.) 80 lb Championship Joseph Veazey (Baltimore Boxing) vs. Winner Friday Fight 8


12-13 year old division
5.) 75 lb Championship Anthony Stickey (Main Street Gym) vs. Winner Friday Fight 10
6.) 80 lb Championship Tarryl Robinson, Jr. (Headbangers) vs. Gary Antaunne Russell Keystone
7.) 90 lb Championship Byron Oliver (Umar) vs. Winner Friday Fight 11
8.) 95 lb Championship Tommy Avelar (SRL) vs. Carlton Gray (Dream Team)
9.) 106 lb Championship DuQuan Love (Charm City) vs. Winner Friday Fight 12
10.) 112 lb Championship Reginald Parsons (Charm City) vs. Winner Friday Fight 13
132 lb Championship Kareem Martin (Headbangers) vs. Rashad Board (Keystone)


14-15 year old division
11.) 80 lb Championship Brady Senisbaugh (Old School Boxing) vs. Gregory Outlaw (SRL)
12.) 95 lb Championship Gervante Davis (Upton) vs. Malik Johnson (Lime Lite)
13.) 100 lb Championship Patrick Harris (Headbangers) vs. Winner Friday Fight 14
14.) 119 lb Championship Abdiel Rivera (Main Street Gym) vs. Winner Friday Fight 15
15.) 125 lb Championship Eric Hernandez (Old School Boxing) vs. Jonathan Baxter (Keystone)
16.) 132 lb Championship Talanlee Tillery (Keystone) vs. Asia Stevenson (Benning Park)
17.) 132 lb Championship Dusty Harrison (Old School Boxing) vs. Winner Friday Fight 16 (Female)
18.) 139 lb Championship Tavon Body (Laurel B & G Club) vs. Winner Friday Fight 17
19.) 147 lb Championship Ronald Gibbs (Upton) vs. Winner Friday Fight 18
20.) 156 lb Championship Robert Clark (Old School Boxing) vs. Winner Friday Fight 19
21.) 165 lb Championship Tae Quome Nance (Nomis) vs. Dimitrius Ballard (No Xcuse)



Unopposed Champions


8-9 year old division
80 lb Daniel Walsh III (Old School Boxing)
85 lb Reco Todd, Jr. (Upton)

10-11 year old division
50 lb Jerome Williams (Headbangers)
60 lb Dwayne Holmes, Jr.
95 lb Keegan Grove (Hagerstown Boxing)
100 lb Kashif Muhammad- Brown
165 lb Shaka Williams (Nomis)

12-13 year old division
70 lb Devonte Jefferson (Headbangers)
85 lb Aujee Tyler (Unattached)
100 lb Christopher Forbes (SRL)
125 lb Demetrius Martin (Headbanger)
139 lb Da' Quan Johnson (No Xcuse)
201+ lb Jerome Rasool-Abdul Aiken (Unattached)

14-15 year old division
85 lb Lawrence Singh (Headbangers)
90 lb Marquell Tyler (Headbangers)
106 lb Gary Antonio Russell (Keystone)
178 lb Jerry Odom (No Xcuse)
201+ lb Stanley Williamson (Cherry Lane)


Female Champions
70 lb Mia Ellis
95 lb Ronisha Moore (Benning Park)
106 lb Raynisea O'Neal (Lime Lite)

Friday, December 05, 2008

Thompson Out of December 13 Bout With Toney!

DC's Tony "The Tiger" Thompson has had to pull out of his December 13 heavyweight bout with James "Lights Out" Toney. Thompson is suffering from acute bronchitis.

Local physician Dr. Doug Frankel informed Goossen Tutor Promotions that Thompson has been given orders to stay out of the gym, so Thompson is out of the bout that will take place at Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, CA.

Veteran heavyweight Fres Oquendo will replace Thompson in the bout.

Martin Upsets Blackwell With Vicious KO in Philadelphia!

Baltimore featherweight Darrell Martin has scored a stunning upset in the Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, PA tonight. Martin scored a vicious third-round knockout over Jules Blackwell in a bout shown live on www.gofightlive.tv.

Martin had Blackwell in trouble midway through the first round landing a right hand that buckled Blackwell in Martin's corner. Martin held his advantage in the second but Blackwell seemed to make his way back into the bout.

That changed, however, in the third as Martin landed a vicious counter right hand that put Blackwell flat on his back. Referee Hurley McCall stopped the bout immediately at 2:23 of the round.

Martin has now won two straight bouts and scored the first knockout of his pro career. Martin is now 4-6, one KO. Blackwell falls to 8-2, three KO's.

In a bit of irony, Blackwell's only other loss was to highly-touted prospect Eric Hunter of Philadelphia (also by knockout in the third round). Hunter also holds a victory over Tyrell Samuel, who is Martin's cousin.

Darrell Martin Weighs 127 For Bout at Blue Horizon!

Baltimore featherweight Darrell Martin weighed in at 127 pounds for his bout versus prospect Jules Blackwell of Phoenixville, PA tonight at the Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia. Blackwell tipped the scales at 125.

Martin (3-6) will try to win his second straight contest coming off a six-round unanimous decision victory over Andre Nichols on October 18 in Springfield, VA. Blackwell (8-1-2, three KO's) bounced back from a third-round knockout loss to Eric Hunter in June to stop Javier Dennis on September 26 in Philadelphia.

This bout -- and the entire card -- can be seen live tonight on www.gofightlive.tv. beginning at 7:30 PM ET. There are a few out-of-town boxers who have fought on past local cards on this show including Jose Spearman, Harvey Jolly, Carlos Pena and Lenny DeVictoria.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Beltway Trainer Robert Fortune Passes!

Sad news to report. Longtime Beltway-area trainer Robert Fortune passed away on Thanksgiving Day, November 27 of natural causes at the age of 52.

Fortune was a well-known figure in the Beltway-area who worked with a number of Beltway stars during the 1990's including former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley, former middleweight contender Andrew Council "Of War", junior middleweight prospect Vincent "Boojay" White, and veteran middleweights Maurice "Mighty Mo" Adams and Alfonzo "Too Good For You" Daniels.

The funeral services for Mr. Fortune will be held tomorrow (December 3) at JB Jenkins Funeral Home, 7474 Landover Road in Landover, MD beginning at 10:30 AM.

My condolences to Mr. Fortune's family. I had the pleasure of interviewing and talking boxing with this great, yet quiet man during my "Boxing Spotlight" days and he will be missed.

Early Look at Beltway Boxing 2009!

It looks like the Beltway Boxing scene will be hitting the ground running in 2009. Already, there are three cards slated for January, although one card does not have a venue and another has not set a date.

The one card that has both a date and a venue will be the next Baltimore Pro Boxing card on Friday, January 23 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD.

Major League Boxing is slated to have a card somewhere in Virginia on Saturday, January 24. Virginia favorites George "War Time" Rivera, "El Guerro" Juan Carlos Robles, Todd "White Lightning" Wilson, Scott "Cujo" Sigmon and Adam "The Real Deal" Seal are all slated to be on this card.

The next Ballroom Boxing card at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD is also scheduled for January, but no date has been officially set.

Meanwhile, Fightnews.com is reporting that there will be an ESPN2 card "somewhere in Maryland" on Friday, February 6.

Also, the University of Maryland Boxing Club will host the 2009 National Collegiate Boxing Championships at Ritchie Coliseum on April 2, 3 and 4.

Monday, December 01, 2008

Beltway Boxers Invade Sunshine State December 12!

A contingent of four Beltway Boxers will be traveling to a card at Bourbon Street Station in Jacksonville, FL on Friday, December 12.

Fresh off his East Coast Light Heavyweight title victory over Jameel Wilson on November 26 at Martin's West in Woodlawn, MD, Baltimore light heavyweight Willie "For Real" Williams (12-2-1, three KO's) returns to action in the six-round co-feature against Jesse Blount of Atlanta, GA (5-2, two KO's). Williams is unbeaten in his last seven bouts (6-0-1). Blount has won his last two bouts by four-round unanimous decision and is venturing into six-round territory for the first time in his pro career.

Undefeated rookie welterweight James "Keep 'em Sleepin'" Stevenson of Baltimore will look to keep his perfect record (4-0, four KO's) intact as he faces Robert Pelaez of Georgia (0-1) in a four-round contest. Stevenson won by second-round knockout over Amos Collins on the November 26 Woodlawn card. Pelaez will step into the ring after being knocked out in his pro debut two years ago.

Also on the card will be undefeated Randallstown, MD rookie middleweight Cecil McCalla (3-0, one KO) who will face Jean Michel of Atlanta (1-6, one KO) in a four-round bout. McCalla won a four-round unanimous decision over Calvin Aughtry on the November 26 Woodlawn card. Michel will be looking to break a five-bout losing streak.

Also slated to be on the card is undefeated Glen Burnie, MD junior middleweight Lenwood "Mr. Composure" Dozier (4-0-1, two KO's). Dozier is coming off a four-round split decision victory over Warren Freeman on November 7 at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. Dozier's opponent for the December 12 card has not been determined.