Monday, February 29, 2016

Corley Scores Knockout In Denmark!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley scored a sixth-round TKO over previously undefeated Osama Hadifi of Copenhagen, Denmark on February 26 at the Cerus Arena in Aarhus, Denmark.

The 41-year-old Corley, now fighting as a lightweight, dropped Hadifi in the second round.  After escaping a knockdown in the third, Corley took control of the bout, taking Hadifi past the fourth round for the first time in his career.  Hadifi began to tire and Corley scored a standing eight in the sixth round before forcing the referee to stop the bout at 42 seconds of the sixth.

Corley breaks a four-bout losing streak with the win and raises his record to 43-26-1, 26 KO's.  Hadifi is now 11-1, 11 KO's.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Taylor Stops Acuna In New York City!

Baltimore, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor scored a sixth-round TKO over Wilfredo Acuna of Managua, Nicaragua Saturday night at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on the undercard of the Terrence Crawford-Hank Lundy title bout at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

According to Fightnews.com reporters John DiSanto and Arvin Nundloll, Taylor looked sharp as he softened his rugged foe with a trio of left hooks early in round six. Then as the round wound down, Taylor unleashed a two-fisted flurry that dropped Acuna. Referee David Fields reached the count of ten just before the bell sounded to end the round. The time was 2:59 of the sixth.

Taylor breaks a two-bout losing streak with the win and raises his record to 19-4, 13 KO's.  Acuna falls to 16-19, 12 KO's.

Results From Washington Convention Center!

Here are the results from the Kings Promotions card that took place in front of a sellout crowd at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC:

(Photos by Wallace Barron)


DC lightweight Ty Barnett made a successful return after an almost two-year absence and scored an eighth-round TKO over DC veteran Daniel "The Prophet" Attah.  Both men fought a tactical bout in the first three rounds as Barnett looked to land his left jab and straight right hand while Attah attempted to drop power shots with his left hand.

Eventually, Barnett wore down Attah and finally found a home for his right hand which dropped Attah to the canvas early in the eighth round.  Barnett would finish the job with another right late in the round forcing referee Joe Cooper to stop the bout at 2:46 of the round.   Barnett is now 23-4-1, 15 KO's while Attah has now lost nine in a row and he is 28-22-1, 11 KO's.


In the co-feature, Kings Promotions signee Mykal "The Professor" Fox of Forestville, MD won a six-round unanimous decision over veteran Claudinei Lacerda of Sombrio, Brazil in a super lightweight bout.  Fox used his height and reach advantage together with great foot movement to keep Lacerda at bay throughout the contest.  Fox would win by shutout on two scorecards (60-54) and the other score was 59-55.  Fox remains undefeated with the win at 9-0, two KO's).  Lacerda is now 17-14-1, 12 KO's.

Also on the card, Laurel, MD middleweight Demond "D' Best At It" Nicholson made short work of Jose Valderrama of Manati, Puerto Rico scoring a knockout at 1:46 of the first round.  Nicholson did the damage with a crushing left hand that dropped Valderrama to one knee.  Valderrama could not beat referee Billy Johnson's count.  Nicholson is now 16-1, 16 KO's while Valderrama falls to 4-13, three KO's.

Greenbelt, MD cruiserweight "The Vanilla Gorilla" Sam Crossed drew a nice portion of the sellout crowd as fans came to see the boxer who was knocked out by Mike Tyson in a DC-area Super Bowl TV commercial.  Crossed (pronounced Cross-ed) won his bout by four-round unanimous decision over Martez "I Am Legend" Williamson of Akron, OH. . Crossed, participating in just his second pro bout, had some difficulty getting his offense on track at times but faced an opponent who spent a great deal of the bout clowning and posing.  Crossed won the bout by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 (twice) to raise his record to 2-0, one KO.  Williamson is 1-10.

Super lightweight Antonio "Teflon" Magruder of DC made his return after an almost three-year absence and stopped Terrell "The Terminator" James of Philadelphia in the third round.  Magruder knocked down James twice in the first round before finishing the job at 1:50 of the third round. Magruder is now 4-0, three KO's while James drops to 1-3-1.

Cruiserweight Jordan Shimmell of Hudsonville, MI won by fourth-round disqualification over Takoma Park, MD's Willis "The Prophet" Lockett.  Shimmell dropped Lockett twice in the second round and the knockdowns put Lockett in survival mode.  However, Lockett was penalized twice for holding and lost two points.  Referee Johnson eventually disqualified Lockett for excessive holding at 1:23 of the fourth.  Shimmell is 20-1, 16 KO's while Lockett drops to 14-16-5, five KO's.

Super lightweight Patrick Harris of DC had an early knockout of the year candidate as he stopped Christopher Russell of Shattuck, OK in the first round.  Harris landed a vicious right-left combination that froze Russell in his tracks for about two seconds before Russell fell face-first to the canvas.  The bout was immediately waived off at 2:03.  Harris remains undefeated at 8-0, five KO's while Russell is 3-16-1, two KO's.

Bowie, MD heavyweight Luther "Lights Out" Smith scored a second-round knockout over DC's Charlemagne Jones. Smith, who stopped opponents in the first round in his first three contests, took a little while longer to figure out the awkward Jones although Smith dropped Jones in the first.  In the second, Smith teed off on the defenseless Jones forcing referee Brent Bovell to stop the bout at 47 seconds of the second.  Smith is now 4-0, four KO's while Jones is 2-5-1, two KO's.

In the opening bout, Wesley Triplett of Youngstown, OH won a four-round split decision over DC's Alando Pugh in a heavyweight encounter.  Triplett won by scores of 39-37 twice.  Pugh also received a 39-37 score from one judge. Triplett is 3-0, one KO.  Pugh falls to 1-7-1, one KO.

A host of boxing celebrities and other luminaries were in attendance including Dominic Wade, The Peterson Brothers, D'Mitrius Ballard, Lamont Roach, Jr., Phil Jackson-Benson, Kareem Martin, Gervonta Davis as well as Adrian Broner, who will be competing in DC on April 1. Former world champions Keith Holmes and International Boxing Hall of Famer Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson were also in attendance.  Also attending the card was the Governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Weights From Washington, DC And New York City!

Here is the scale watch for tonight's King's Promotions card at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC:

Ty Barnett 138 vs. Daniel Attah 136

Mykal Fox 139.2 vs. Claudinel Lacerda 141

Wesley Triplett 213 vs. Alando Pugh 238

Demond Nicholson 163 1/2 vs. Jose Valderrama 162

Sam Crossed 192 vs. Martez Williamson 186

Antonio Magruder 140 vs. Terrell James 138

Jordan Shimmell 195 vs. Willis Lockett 197

Patrick Harris 138 vs. Christopher Russell 134

Luther Smith 216 vs. Charlemagne Jones 230

As far as the bouts in Madison Square Garden in New York City, Mike Reed's scheduled bout will not take place.  Reed's opponent could not pass his physical.  Emmanuel Taylor and Wilfredo Acuna both weighed in at 144 pounds for their eight-round contest.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Changes On February 27 DC Card; Williams-Rodriguez March 12 Bout Scratched!

A few changes to some upcoming cards.  The Saturday, February 27th King's Promotions card at the Washington Convention Center has had some alterations.

The opponent for Laurel, MD middleweight Demond "D Best At It" Nicholson (15-1, 15 KO's) will now be Jose Valderrama of Manati, Puerto Rico.  Valderrama (4-12, three KO's) is no stranger to the Beltway region as this will be his fourth appearance in the area and his second time competing at the Convention Center.  Valderrama lost his last bout by four-round unanimous decision to Malik Hawkins on December 12 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, MD.  Valderrama is the only boxer so far to take Hawkins the distance.  Valderrama also faced David Grayton in August of 2015 and lost by sixth-round TKO.  Valderrama's last win came in DC as he took a four-round unanimous decision against previously undefeated Chris Alexander at the DC Armory in April of 2014.

Also, "The Vanilla Gorilla" Sam Crossed of Greenbelt, MD has a new opponent in Martez Williamson of Akron, OH. Williamson (1-9) won his pro debut in March of 2013 but has since lost nine in a row.

The scheduled bout between Thomas Snow and Stephon McIntyre is also off the card.

As far as Saturday, March 12 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT, the entire card has been scratched.  This includes the scheduled 10-round bout between Thomas "Top Dog" Williams, Jr. and Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez.  The card could not be salvaged after the main event WBA Welterweight title bout between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter was called off because of injuries Thurman suffered in a car accident.


Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Douglas to Face New Opponent March 5 In Bethlehem, PA!

Antoine "Action" Douglas has a new opponent for his Saturday, March 5 card at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, PA.

The new opponent for Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KO's) will be Avtandil "Tazman" Khurtsidze of Brooklyn, N.Y. by way of Kutaisi, Georgia (31-2-2, 20 KO's) for this 10-round contest.  Khurtsidze has won eight straight since suffering his last loss, a 12-round unanimous decision to Hassan N'Dam for the interim WBA Middleweight title in Paris, France in October of 2010.  Six of those wins have come by knockout.

Khurtsidze replaces Sam Soliman who has had issues with a bad knee and needs arthroscopic surgery.

The bout will be a co-feature contest on a Showtime Boxing: Special Edition telecast.  Opening the telecast will be Fernando Guerrero's 10-round bout against Tony Harrison.

This means there will be three Beltway Boxers on national TV on March 5.  Douglas and Guerrero are on Showtime and Tony Thompson's title bout against WBA Interim Heavyweight champion Luis Ortiz will be on HBO from the DC Armory.


Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Scheduled Bouts For This Week's Washington Golden Gloves Action!

Here is this week's scheduled bout sheet for the Washington Golden Gloves at the Sugar Ray Leonard Community Center in Palmer Park, MD on Saturday, February 27.  The first bout is at 7:30 PM.

Junior Division:

9-10, 75 Pounds (Championship): Marcell Steele (Unattached) vs. Keon Jay (Keystone)

10, 75 Pounds (Championship): Darari Philson (No Xcuse) vs. Richard Dodson (Unattached)

11-12, 75 Pounds (Championship): Lonzo Malcolm (Unattached) vs. Qwantel Watkins (Dog Pound)

9-10, 80 Pounds (Championship): Kareem Rivers (Hagerstown) vs. Yeshaya Franklin (Hagerstown)

11-12, 80 Pounds (Championship): Quentin Watts (Tony's Athletic) vs. Benjamin Johnson (No Xcuse)

12-13, 80 Pounds: Mehki Phillips (Keystone) vs. Teon Jackson (Lyfestyle)

11-12, 90 Pounds (Championship): John Shipley (Mack Lewis) vs. Malik Mason (Laurel)

14, 141 Pounds (Championship): Edwin Angel (No Xcuse) vs. Coby Moore (Main Street)

14-15, 150 Pounds (Championship): Michael Tymas, III (No Xcuse) vs. Luis Gomez, Jr. (Old School)

Unopposed Champions:

9, 90 Pounds: Jelani Hill (No Xcuse)

10, 90 Pounds: Khaliq Harrison (Warriors)

12, 95 Pounds: Erick Acosta (Main Street)

15-16, 105 Pounds (Female): Abbe Pannucci (Bowerhouse)

14, 152 Pounds (Female): Alyahnah Burke (Upton)

Novice Division:

123 Pounds: Jaiquan Johnson (Langdon) vs. Marcus Johnson (Limelite)

123 Pounds: Jaqueem Hutcherson (Keystone) vs. Elliott Strickland (Switch Hitters)

132 Pounds: Jamie Statchowski (Down Under) vs. Micah Johnson (Tony's Gym)

132 Pounds: Ahmad Jones (UMAR) vs. Winfield Goldring (Upton)

141 Pounds: Luis Martinez (Old School) vs. Winfield Goldring, Jr. (Upton)

152 Pounds: Mike Crain (Dog Pound) vs. Wesley Scott (First Class)

152 Pounds: Davonte Warren (Odenton Fitness) vs. Corey Russ (Woodland)

165 Pounds: Aaron Liang (Unattached) vs. Dwayne Wheeler (Benning Park)

165 Pounds: Victor Miles (BoxWob) vs. Antonio Haywood (Hillcrest)

165 Pounds: Dorion Taylor (Tony's Athletic) vs. Ashton Sykes (Switch Hitters)

Open Division:

123 Pounds: Christopher Glen (Hagerstown) vs. Malik Lofton (Unattached)

141 Pounds: Gregory Outlaw (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Alejandro Rodriguez (Mack Lewis)

165 Pounds: Justin Hurd (Hillcrest) vs. Rashad Kilpatrick (BoxWob)


Monday, February 22, 2016

Injury Bug Affecting Cards Featuring Beltway Boxers!

Injuries are starting to pop up on out-of-town cards that were scheduled to feature Beltway Boxers in the next few weeks.

BATB already talked about the injury suffered by Sam Soliman that forced the postponement of the Saturday, March 5 bout with Antoine Douglas at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA.

Now comes word that the Saturday, March 12 WBA Welterweight title bout between champion Keith Thurman and challenger Shawn Porter has been postponed because Thurman suffered injuries in a car accident.  The card that was scheduled to be at Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, CT is now in jeopardy, including the 10-round co-feature bout between Fort Washington, MD light heavyweight Thomas "Top Dog" Williams, Jr. and Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez.

DiBella Entertainment, one of the promoters for the card, said in a press release that they are weighing their options on what to do with the card, which was scheduled to have the feature bouts shown on CBS. According to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, WBC Featherweight champion "Mr" Gary Russell, Jr. was penciled in to make his first title defense against Patrick Hyland of Ireland on this card.  Russell recently returned to training after suffering an injury that forced a cancellation of a voluntary defense against Oscar Escandon.  Escandon will take on Robinson Castellanos in a bout for the interim WBC featherweight title on Saturday, March 5 at the DC Armory on the Luis Ortiz-Tony Thompson card.

Another Beltway Boxer -- "Swift" Jarrett Hurd -- was also slated to be on this card.  However, Hurd recently had hand surgery and will be out of action.

Baltimore Business Journal Celebrates Jake Smith's 20-Year Journey!



Interesting boxing press from a non-boxing source.  The Baltimore Business Journal has an article on Baltimore promoter and gym owner Jake "The Snake" Smith who celebrated more than 20 years in those roles.

The former Baltimore pro has been one of the more consistent pro and amateur promoters during that 20-year-plus period as he has had memorable shows at such locations as Du Burns Arena, the Pikesville Armory, Martin's West and Michael's Eighth Avenue.  

Also, a number of quality boxers have come out of his gym in the Fells Point section of Baltimore.

The next Baltimore Boxing amateur card will be on Thursday, March 10 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

Beltway Boxers To Compete In Norfolk, VA March 5!

A number of Beltway Boxers will be competing on a card at the Masonic Temple in Norfolk, VA on Saturday, March 5.

The card is being co-promoted by Ponytail Promotions and Sho-Nuff Promotions.  Noted Baltimore, MD trainer James Hogan runs Ponytail Promotions and this will be the debut promotional effort for multi-time women's world champion and two-time Beltway Boxer of the Year Tori "Sho-Nuff" Nelson.

Among the Beltway contingent on this card are a trio of undefeated Virginia lightweights.  Eric "El Torito" Hernandez of Leesburg will take on Darrell Jones of Jacksonville, FL in a six-round contest.  Hernandez (6-0, four KO's) is coming off a first-round TKO win over Brandon Hinnant on October 31 in Goldsboro, NC.  Jones (3-14-1, one KO) will be trying to break a five-bout losing streak including a four-round unanimous decision loss to Matt Conway on September 6 in Weirton, WVA.  The streak started with a first-round TKO loss to Dusty Hernandez Harrison in September of 2012 in Washington, DC.

Ashburn, VA's Seth "Killer B" Billups will face Corey McCants of Cincinnati, OH in a four-round bout.  Billups (7-0, six KO's) makes his second straight visit to the Masonic Temple as he knocked out Reggie Nash on September 26. McCants (2-11-2, one KO) hasn't fought since April of 2013 and is 0-2-2 in his last four contests.

Also, Leesburg's Matthew Abregu will take on Arthur McCrow of Greensboro, NC in a four-rounder.  Abregu (1-0, one KO) made his pro debut on December 5 and scored a first-round knockout over Patrick Barnes in Raleigh, NC. McCrow (0-1) lost his pro debut by first-round TKO on October 31 in Goldsboro to Maynard Allison.


Sunday, February 21, 2016

Results From Opening Night Of Washington Golden Gloves!

The first week of competition in the 2016 Washington Golden Gloves kicked off Saturday night in front of a packed house at the Sugar Ray Leonard Community Center in Palmer Park, MD.

The Junior Division was incredibly competitive on opening night with some great bouts.  Three champions were crowned. In the 9-10, 60 Pound class, Cardarius Johnson of Headbangers added to his silver medal at the National Silver Gloves by winning the title over Justin Johnson of Tony's Gym.

Jeramaih Jimason (Oxon Hill) captured the 11, 65 Pound class with a win over Kardan Chatman (No Xcuse).  Also, Nicem Somerville (Cherry Lane) won the 9-10, 70 Pound title by walkover.

Here are the rest of the results from the Junior Division:

9-10, 75 Pounds: Marcell Steele (Unattached) over Joshua Briggs (Oxon Hill)

11-12, 75 Pounds: Qwantez Watkins (Dog Pound) over Jalen Garrett (Deanwood)

14-15, 85 Pounds: Joseph Gordan (Lyfestyle) over Ervin Canlas (No Xcuse)

Damari Philson (No Xcuse) won his bout in the 10, 75 Pounds division by walkover.

Here are the results from the Novice Division:

123 Pounds:  Oscar Bonilla (Old School), Sang Kim (Unattached) and Jaiquan Johnson (Langdon) all won bouts by walkover.

123 Pounds: Jaqeem Hutcherson (Keystone) over Rapheal Proctor (NOMIS)

141 Pounds: Luis Martinez (Old School) over Trenton Smith (Tony's Gym)

141 Pounds: Tariq Harris (1st Class) over Ibrahim Toure (MVJ Athletics)

141 Pounds:  Donnell Poe (Old School) over Adonis Wilkins (MVJ Athletics)

152 Pounds:  Kalonni Daly (Sugar Ray Leonard) won his bout by walkover.

152 Pounds: Felix Manzuetta (Dog Pound) over Camillus Santiful (St. John's)

152 Pounds: Mike Crain (Dog Pound) over Steven Tran (Champions)

152 Pounds: Davonte Warren (Odenton Fitness) over Steven Jackson (Hillcrest)

165 Pounds: Dwayne Wheeler (Benning Park) and Champ Moultrie (Laurel) won their bouts by walkover.

165 Pounds: Victor Miles (BoxWob) over Alfred Williams (Unattached)

165 Pounds: Antonio Haywood (Hillcrest) over Yohan Rezene (Switch Hitters)

165 Pounds: Ashton Sykes (Switch Hitters) over Charles Thompson (Fighting For The Future)

Golden Gloves action continues Saturday, February 27 at the Sugar Ray Leonard Center.  First bell is at 7:30 PM.




Saturday, February 20, 2016

Broner-Theophane Title Bout Comes To DC Armory April 1; Beltway Boxers Featured On Undercard!

Washington, DC has received another nationally-televised card that will have a world-title bout as its headliner.

The DC Armory will host a card on Friday, April 1 that will feature WBA Super Lightweight champion Adrian "The Problem" Broner of Cincinnati, OH defending his title against Ashley "Treasure" Theophane of Las Vegas, NV by way of the United Kingdom.  Broner (31-2, 23 KO's) is making the first defense of the title he won against Khabib Allakhverdiev by 12th round TKO on October 3 in Cincinnati.   This is Broner's first bout in DC but he is no stranger to the area as he has trained with boxers at the Headbangers Gym.  Broner has also supported young boxers in the area by attending events such as the Golden Gloves.

Theophane (39-6-1, 11 KO's) is on a six-bout winning streak that includes a 10-round unanimous decision over Steve Upshur Chambers on September 12 in Las Vegas.  This will be the first attempt at a world title for the 35-year old Theophane.

Beltway Boxers will figure prominently on this card.  Scheduled to appear are undefeated Baltimore, MD featherweight Gervonta "Tank" Davis (14-0, 13 KO's), undefeated DC welterweight Kareem "Reemo" Martin (7-0-1, three KO's), undefeated Hyattsville, MD super lightweight Patrick Harris (7-0, four KO's), Rockville, MD super welterweight Shynggyskhan Tazhibay (2-0, two KO's) and DC lightweight Anthony Peterson (36-1, 24 KO's).

Bouts from this card will be televised on Spike TV.  This will be the second major card to be held at the DC Armory in less than a month.  The card featuring the Luis Ortiz-Tony Thompson WBA Interim Heavyweight title bout will be at the Armory on Saturday, March 5 with bouts televised on HBO.




Antuanne Russell Scores First Victory In World Series Of Boxing Competition!


(Photo courtesy of USA Boxing)

United States Olympic Team member Antuanne Russell (right) notched his first victory in World Series of Boxing competition on Friday when he scored a fourth-round TKO over Abedlhaq Nadir of Morocco in Casablanca.

The win helped Russell's USA Knockouts team score a 3-2 victory over the Morocco Atlas Lions.  Russell, of Capitol Heights, MD, was in complete control in the contest, showing great hand speed and power.  Russell got a standing eight count on Nadir in the third round and followed with a crushing left hand that dropped Nadir to the canvas.  Nadir's corner did not let their boxer come out for the fourth round.

Russell is now 1-1 ,one KO in WSB competition and will now head back to the US Olympic Training Center to prepare for the International Olympic Qualifying event that will take place March 11-19 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  A Beltway-based coach, Kay Koroma, will be one of Team USA's coaches for this event.  Koroma was also in Casablanca for the WSB competition.

Wade Shows No Fear Of Triple G!


(photo by Will Hart/K2 Promotions)

Undefeated Largo, MD middleweight Dominic "Lights Out" Wade is showing no fear as he gets ready to face one of the best boxers in the business -- "Triple G" Gennady Golovkin -- on Saturday, April 23 at the Forum in Inglewood, CA.

At a recent press conference in New York, Wade told reporters that there was no way he was going to pass up this opportunity.

"April 23 is going to be a big day for me, a life changing event," Wade said. "I'm prepared. I'm ready. I'm just coming there to do what I have to do. I'm definitely hungry. I definitely want the titles. When my manager called me and told me about the fight I was excited. I could have run 30 miles right there. It's gonna be a show. I ain't scared."

"No nerves. I'm cool. I'm ready," Wade said. "I think (Golovkin) can fight. He's a good fighter, but I think he's basic as well. (His style is) straight up and down. It's not a style I haven't seen before. He puts his shoes on the same way I do. He's just a person like I am."

"He has a little power," Wade said. "I don't think it's unbelievable or he's untouchable. Most of the people he's fighting are probably scared of him and went with the whole, 'He hits so hard type thing.' But I was excited (to get the fight). I took it and I ran with it.


"A lot of guys don't really have that heart (to fight him) and question themselves. (Saunders) didn't accept the fight. I can't believe it. I've got the best of both worlds -- I box, I can bang. I got power and speed with my power. Every one of my fights has prepared me for this. (Winning) would mean the world to me. I'm really excited."

The always-classy Golovkin showed respect for Wade for taking the bout.

"I respect Dominic Wade," Golovkin said. "He's undefeated mandatory challenger. It's very serious. I don't know who will win. I'm not God. This is boxing."

The bout will be shown live on HBO.

Soliman Knee Injury Causes Withdrawl From Bout With Douglas!

Undefeated Burke, VA middleweight Antoine "Action" Douglas will not be facing former world champion Sam Soliman on Saturday, March 5.  Soliman has withdrawn from the scheduled contest because of a knee injury.

The two were scheduled to face each other at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA on a nationally televised (Showtime) card.  However, Soliman has been dealing with a bad knee for some time and could not deal with it any longer.

"I was powering along, and was in what I considered the best form of my career, but I'm taking the advice of medical experts and am going to get myself right again," Soliman told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. "I'm no shirker, but I would have been letting myself and my fans down if I went into the fight knowing I was injured."

Soliman's management says that Soliman will have to have arthroscopic surgery and will not be able to return to training for six weeks.  No new opponent for Douglas has been announced.

Hawkins Scores First-Round Knockout In Iowa!

Baltimore, MD welterweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins remained undefeated with a first-round TKO over Cody Peterson of Liberty, MO Friday night at the WinnaVegas Casino and Resort in Sloan, IA.  The bout was shown on the CBS Sports Network.

Hawkins dominated the bout from the opening bell, knocking Peterson down three times before the bout was stopped at 2:03.  Hawkins is now 6-0, 5 KO's.  Peterson is 1-1.

Odom Battles To Eight-Round Draw In Atlantic City!

Bowie, MD super middleweight "The King's Son" Jerry Odom has battled to an eight-round draw tonight with undefeated Ronald "Flatline" Ellis of Lynn, MA in front of a nationally-televised audience at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.

Odom started off slowly in the first three rounds as Ellis landed quick punches to Odom's face.

Odom went to the body effectively in the middle rounds, slowing down Ellis, who tried to showboat at times.  Odom finshed very well in the last two rounds but couldn't get the win.

One judge scored the bout for Ellis, 78-74 but the two other judges saw the draw, 76-76.

Odom is now 13-2-1, 12 KO's while Ellis is 12-0-1, 10 KO's.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Odom, Hawkins Hit Scales For Friday Nationally-Televised Bouts!

Beltway Boxers Jerry Odom and Malik Hawkins weighed in for their nationally-televised bouts that will take place tonight.


(Photo by Rosie Cohe/Showtime)

Odom weighed in at 167 1/2 pounds for his eight-round bout against Ronald Ellis at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Ellis tipped the scales at 166 1/2 pounds.  The bout will be shown as part of the Showtime ShoBox card that will begin at 10 PM ET.

Hawkins tipped the scales at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds for his four-round contest against Cody Peterson at the WinnaVegas Casino and Resort in Sloan, IA.  Peterson weighed 146 pounds.  This contest will open the CBS Sports Network telecast at 11PM ET.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Jeter Promotions Signs Undefeated Pennsylvania Boxer!


Beltway-based promotional company Jeter Promotions has signed undefeated York, PA welterweight Steve Weimer (left) to an exclusive promotional contract.   Jeter Promotions is headed by Tony "Mo Better" Jeter.

Weimer (9-0, two KO's) looks to return to the ring after an almost four-year hiatus.  During the time away from boxing, Weimer earned his degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology from York College.

The 26-year-old Weimer had an amateur record of 105-31 and was a three-time Pennsylvania Junior Golden Gloves champion and also won a Pennsylvania open class Golden Gloves title.  He holds an amateur win over 140-pound contender Emmanuel Taylor and held his own in a fight with future U.S. Olympian Sadam Ali.

Weimer turned professional in 2008 with a third round stoppage over Spencer Harsley.  Weimer racked up those nine pro wins in a three and a half year run, before heading off to college.  One of those wins was a first-round TKO over Juan Thompson in September of 2008 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.

"I know Jeter Promotions can get me to the top,"said Weimer.  I saw what Jeter Promotions did for Tony Jeter for his career and I know what Jeter Promotions can do for mine.  Combine all that with my ability and I know I will fight consistently.  With Jeter Promotions, I know I can get to the top and be in big fights.

"Jeter Promotions is excited to add Steve to our roster.  Jeter Promotions will do for him as it did for my career.  Jeter Promotions will build him to get him rated and I can see him being in a lot of big fights in the future and eventually win a world title, " Said Jeter.

Weimer will make his first appearance under the Jeter Promotions banner at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA on Saturday, April 9.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

First Washington Golden Gloves Bouts Announced!

The Washington Golden Gloves get underway on Saturday, February 20 at the Sugar Ray Leonard Community Center in Palmer Park, MD.  There will be action in both the Junior and Novice Divisions and the first bout will begin at 7:30 PM. Here is the scheduled bout sheet:

Junior Division:

9-10, 60 Pounds (Championship): Cardarius Johnson (Headbangers) vs. Justin Johnson (Tony's Gym)

11, 65 Pounds (Championship): Jeramiah Jimason (Oxon Hill) vs. Kardan Chatman (No Xcuse)

9-10, 70 Pounds (Championship): Raynard Simon (Headbangers) vs. Nicem Somerville (Cherry Lane)

9-10, 75 Pounds: Marcell Steele (Unattached) vs. Joshua Briggs (Oxon Hill)

10, 75 Pounds: Damari Philson (No Xcuse) vs. Darnell Patterson (The Answer)

11-12, 75 Pounds: Jalen Garrett (Deanwood) vs. Qwantez Watkins (Dog Pound)

14-15, 85 Pounds: Joseph Gordan (Lyfestyle) vs. Ervin Canlas (No Xcuse)

Unopposed Champions:

9, 65 Pounds: Marcus Luther (Headbangers)

12-13, 65 Pounds: Jordan Roach (No Xcuse)

12, 85 Pounds: Anthony Wheeler (No Xcuse)

15-16, 85 Pounds: Nikko Williams (Headbangers)


Novice Division:

123 Pounds: Lorenzo Crawford (NOMIS) vs. Oscar Bonilla (Old School)

123 Pounds: Jacque Beale (Last Round) vs. Sang Kim (Unattached)

123 Pounds: Anthony Echols (Old School) vs. Jaiquan Johnson (Langdon)

123 Pounds: Jaqueem Hutcherson (Keystone) vs. Rapheal Proctor (NOMIS)

141 Pounds: Luis Martinez (Old School) vs. Trenton Smith (Tony's Gym)

141 Pounds: Sean Cormier (Kicked-Up) vs. Spencer Taylor (Champions)

141 Pounds: Ibrahim Toure (MVJ Athletics) vs. Tariq Harris (1st Class)

141 Pounds: Adonis Wilkins (MVJ Athletics) vs. Donnell Poe (Old School)

152 Pounds: Kalonni Daly (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Quinton Stevens (Headbangers)

152 Pounds: Felix Manzuetta (Dog Pound) vs. Camillus Santilful (St. John's)

152 Pounds: Steven Tran (Champions) vs. Mike Crain (Dog Pound)

152 Pounds: Steven Jackson (Hillcrest) vs. Davonte Warren (Odenton Fitness)

165 Pounds: Westley Best (Enigma) vs. Dwayne Wheeler (Benning Park)

165 Pounds: Victor Miles (Boxwob) vs. Alfred Williams (Unattached)

165 Pounds: Yohan Rezene (Switch Hitters) vs. Antonio Haywood (Hillcrest)

165 Pounds: Ashton Sykes (Switch Hitters) vs. Charles Thompson (Fighting For The Future)

165 Pounds: Champ Moultrie (Laurel) vs. Brandon Mullins (MVJ Athletics)



Brooklyn Boxing Website Profiles Baltimore's Calvin Ford and Waldorf's Mike Reed!

There are two very nice profiles on a website called Brooklyn Fights on one of the Beltway's top trainers -- Calvin Ford of the Upton Boxing Gym in Baltimore, MD -- and one of the Beltway's top boxers, Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed.

Xavier Porter writes solid pieces on both men and their continuing contributions to the Beltway scene.  Thank you so much, Xavier!

Here is the Ford story:   http://brooklynfights.com/boxer/coach-calvin-ford-the-mayor-of-baltimore-boxing/

And the Reed story can be found at this link:

http://brooklynfights.com/boxer/mike-reed-yes-indeed-im-ready/


Hawkins Battles Peterson February 19 in Iowa!

Undefeated Baltimore, MD super welterweight Malik "Iceman" Hawkins returns to action on Friday, February 19 when he takes on Cody Peterson of Liberty, Missouri in a four-round contest at the WinnaVegas Casino and Resort in Sloan, IA.

The last time Hawkins (5-0, four KO's) was in the ring was on December 12 when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Valderrama at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore. . Peterson (1-0) made his pro debut on December 9 and won a four-round unanimous decision over Darin Hampton in Kansas City, MO.

The bout is part of a card in which bouts will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.  Reportedly, Hawkins's bout will make the telecast.  If that is the case, this will mean that there will be two Beltway Boxers on national TV on February 19. Jerry Odom will be in one of the bouts shown on Showtime that evening.

Friday, February 12, 2016

February 27 DC Card Is Now Complete!

The King's Promotions card on tap for Saturday, February 27 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC is now complete as all slots have been filled.

The remaining bouts are as follows:

Undefeated Forestville, MD lightweight Mykal "The Professor" Fox will battle his most experienced foe to date as he battles Claudinei Lacerda of Sombrio, Brazil in a six-round contest.  Fox (8-0, two KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Adam Mate on December 4 in Fort Washington, MD.  Lacerda (17-13-1, 12 KO's) is a well-traveled veteran who will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak that includes an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Breidis Prescott on November 7 in Miami, FL.

Super lightweight Patrick Harris of Hyattsville, MD will try to remain undefeated when he faces Korey Sloane of Philadelphia, PA in a four-round contest.  Harris (7-0, four KO's) last fought on August 28 and won a six-round unanimous decision over Irvin Hernandez at the Convention Center.  Sloane (2-8-2) looks to bounce back from being knocked out in the third round by Carlos Rosario on September 19th in Chester, PA.

DC super lightweight Antonio "Teflon" Magruder returns to action for the first time in more than two years when he takes on Terrell James of Philadelphia, PA in a four-round affair.  Magruder (3-0, two KO's) last fought in October of 2013 and won a four-round unanimous decision over David Warren Huffman at the Convention Center.  James (1-2-1) was stopped in the third round in his last bout by Nathaniel Rivas in March of 2014 in Bethlehem, PA.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Nicholson To Face Kpadenou February 27 in DC!

Laurel, MD middleweight Demond "D Best At It" Nicholson now has an opponent for the Saturday, February 27 card at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC.

Nicholson (15-1, 15 KO's) will face Victor Kpadenou of Cotonou, Benin (10-10, five KO's) in a six-round bout that will be fought at a catchweight of 164 pounds.  Nicholson is coming off a first-round TKO win over Milton Nunez on October 17 in Fairfax, VA.  Kpadenou has traveled extensively throughout his career fighting in seven countries. Kpadenou last fought on January 22 and lost a four-round unanimous decision to Godson Noel in Philadelphia, PA.  However, Kpadenou has fought six times in 12-round bouts including one for the IBF International Super Welterweight title. Kpadenou lost that bout in August of 2005 by unanimous decision.

Tuesday, February 09, 2016

White Scores First-Round Knockout In Pennsylvania!

Washington, DC super bantamweight Jordan "Shortdog" White has scored a first-round knockout over Manuel "El Terco" Ruvalcaba of Mexico tonight at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, PA.

White scored the knockout at 1:24 of the round.  White is now 2-0, two KO's, both coming in the first round.  Ruvalcaba falls to 2-16.

February 27 DC Card Updated!

With all the news about what is going on in the Beltway region in March, we have to remember that we have a card late this month and it should be a good one.

We are talking about the King's Promotions card on Saturday, February 27 at the Washington Convention Center.  We've already told you about the main event which features the return of DC lightweight Ty Barnett taking on former world title contender Daniel "The Prophet" Attah in an eight-round contest.  We can also talk about other bouts added to the card.

In another eight-round contest, cruiserweight Jordan Shimmell of Hudsonville, MI will take on veteran Willis "The Prophet" Lockett of Takoma Park, MD.  Shimmell (19-1, 16 KO's) will look to bounce back from his first pro loss as he dropped a 10-round unanimous decision to Isiah Thomas for the vacant USBA Cruiserweight title on July 25 in Las Vegas, NV.  Lockett (14-15-5, five KO's) dropped a six-round unanimous decision to Ed Latimore on January 8 in Royal Oak, MI.

Capitol Heights, MD bantamweight Thomas "KO" Snow returns to action in a four-round bout against Stephon McIntyre of Jonesboro, GA.  Snow (18-2, 12 KO's) returned to action on December 4 on the last King's Promotions card in Fort Washington, MD and stopped Tibor Nadori in the second round.  McIntyre (2-18-2) just fought on February 6 and lost a six-round unanimous decision to Raeese Aleem in Dodge City, Kansas.

Fresh off his performance in the Michael and Son Super Bowl commercial where he gets knocked out by Mike Tyson, Greenbelt, MD cruiser "The Vanilla Gorilla" Sam Crossed steps into a real ring to face Devon Mosley of Capitol Heights, MD in a four-round encounter.  Crossed (1-0, one KO) made his pro debut on the December 4 card in Fort Washington, MD and scored a first-round TKO over John Felty.  Mosley (0-4-1) is still in search of his first pro win.  Mosley was stopped in the first round by Hafiz Montgomery on November 20 in Philadelphia, PA.

Crofton, MD heavyweight Luther "Lights Out" Smith will be in a four-round contest against DC veteran Charlemagne Jones.  Smith (3-0, three KO's) has not needed to go past the first round in any of his pro bouts thus far. Smith stopped the debuting Malcolm Ware on November 14 in Springfield, VA.  Jones (2-4-1, two KO's) last fought on March 28 and was stopped in the first round by Mike Balogun.  Although Jones has only had eight pro bouts, he has fought sporadically since 1996.

Also, Youngstown, OH heavyweight Wesley Triplett (2-0, one KO) will face DC's Alando Pugh (1-6-1, one KO) in a four-rounder.  Triplett scored his first pro knockout with a first-round stoppage of Frank Barnes on April 18 in Campbell, OH.  Pugh will be trying to break a four-bout losing streak.

Boxers who are looking for bouts on this card include Laurel, MD middleweight Demond "D' Best At It" Nicholson (15-1, 15 KO's), Forestville, MD lightweight Mykal "The Professor" Fox (8-0, two KO's),  Hyattsville, MD super lightweight Patrick Harris (7-0, four KO's) and DC super lightweight Antonio "Teflon" Magruder (3-0, two KO's).

Monday, February 08, 2016

White Weighs 120 For Four-Round Bout In Pennsylvania!

Jordan White tipped the scales at 120 pounds for his four-round contest with Manuel Rubalcava Tuesday night at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, PA.  Rubalcava weighed 119 pounds.

Thompson To Challenge Ortiz For Interim WBA Heavyweight Title March 5 At DC Armory!

DC heavyweight Tony "The Tiger" Thompson will get his third opportunity at a world title when he faces "The Real King Kong" Luis Ortiz of Miami, FL for Ortiz's Interim WBA Heavyweight title on Saturday, March 5 at the DC Armory. The bout will be the main event on an HBO Boxing After Dark telecast.

For the 44-year-old Thompson (40-6, 27 KO's), this will be the first time he steps into a Beltway ring since a knockout win over Brandon Cabell on January 26, 2006 in Glen Burnie, MD.  Thompson has fought in four states and five countries and has won four regional titles since that win and has challenged for world titles two previous times, losing to Wladimir Klitschko in 2008 and 2012 by knockout.

Ortiz (24-0, 21 KO's) is coming off his biggest win as a pro, knocking out Bryant Jennings in the seventh round on December 19 in Verona, NY.  Ortiz's performance made it difficult to find opponents to face him for this contest.  Five boxers turned the contest down flat and the most recent boxer -- Alexander Dimitrenko -- had agreed to the bout but then wanted more money and did not sign the contract.

There are three scheduled world titles on this card.  As originally announced, Jessie Vargas (26-1, nine KO's) and Sadam "World Kid" Ali (22-0, 13 KO's) will battle for the vacant WBO Welterweight title.  Also, Oscar Escandon (24-2, 16 KO's) will face Robinson Castellanos (23-11, 13 KO's) for the interim WBC Featherweight title.  Gary Russell, Jr. is still recovering from an injury and can't defend the title at this point.

As also mentioned earlier, Beltway prospects Lamont Roach, Jr., D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard and Kevin "K-Smoov" Rivers, Jr. are all scheduled to appear on this card.




Four Beltway Boxers Bring National Silver Gloves Titles Home!

Four local amateurs captured National Silver Gloves championships in Independence, MO this past weekend.

Baltimore, MD's Lorenzo Simpson made history by winning his sixth straight national title in his sixth weight class.  Simpson captured the Boys Junior Open, 14-15, 157-165 pound with a win over Alexsis Espino of Las Vegas, NV.  Only Nico Hernandez has won six consecutive titles and Simpson broke a tie with hall of famer Oscar De La Hoya and the Beltway's own Dominic Wade who both won five national Silver Gloves titles.

Three other Beltway Boxers won titles during the weekend.  Ragahleak Bartee of DC won his second straight national title defeating Randy Canaday of St. Louis, MO to capture the Boys Intermediate Open, 12-13, 76-80 pound division.  Stacey Selby of DC won his second straight championship taking the Boys Intermediate Open, 12-13, 113-119 pound class from Jose Ibarra of Shafter, CA.  Also, Jelani Hill of DC won the Boys Pee-Wee Open, 8-9, 86-90 pound division with a victory over Demarko McKinstry of Cincinnati, OH.

The DC/Baltimore contingent was part of Region 3 which stretched from Maryland to Florida.  Region 3 boxers won 14 national titles, giving the region its first team title in 20 years.

Sunday, February 07, 2016

Beltway Boxing People Featured In Michael And Son Super Bowl Commercial With Mike Tyson!

If you've watched tonight's Super Bowl in the Beltway area, you probably saw an interesting ad for Michael & Son, the plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning company based in Alexandria, VA.

The ad features a number of Beltway Boxing people along with former undisputed heavyweight champion "Iron" Mike Tyson.  The ad stars Tyson's son, Amir facing Beltway rookie cruiserweight "The Vanilla Gorilla" Sam Crossed in the ring. The referee in the spot is our very own Brent Bovell and commentating from ringside is well known collegiate boxing coach Luke Runion.

The commercial was filmed at DC's Sphinx Club in January.

For those who missed it, here is the ad:



As a bonus, here is Tyson singing the Michael and Son jingle:




Saturday, February 06, 2016

Seven Beltway Amateurs Advance To Finals of National Silver Glove Championships!

Seven local amateurs have moved into today's championship session of the National Silver Gloves Championships in Independence, MO.

Ragahleak Bartee of DC won his semifinal bout in the Boys Intermediate Open, 12-13, 76-80 pound division, defeating Barrick Wilson of Cleveland, OH.  Bartee will face Randy Canaday, Jr. of St. Louis, MO in the finals.

DC's Stacey Selby advanced in the Boys Intermediate Open, 12-13, 113-119 pound class with a victory over Lance Xiong of Hugo, MN.  Selby will meet Jose Ibarra of Shafter, CA in today's title bout.

In the heavyweight division, Dontae White of Parkville, MD won his bout in the Boys Junior Open, 14-15 class, defeating Shaquan Cox of Flint, MI.  White will take on Shohruhjon Murtazoev of Brooklyn, NY in the championship contest.

Benjamin Johnson of Silver Spring, MD defeated Bobbie Pettigrew of Brooklyn, NY to move into the finals of the Boys Bantam Open, 10-11, 76-80 pound class title bout.  Johnson will face Samuel Contreras of Palmdale, CA.

DC's Cardarius Johnson won his semifinal contest in the Boys Pee-Wee Open, 8-9, 51-55 pound division, defeating Lain Sellers of Lafayette, LA.  Johnson will take on Jair Aguilar of Las Vegas, NV in the finals.

Lorenzo Simpson of Baltimore, MD defeated Juan Vazquex of Omaha, NB in the semis of the Boys Junior Open, 14-15, 157-165 pound class.  Simpson can make history as he goes for his sixth straight national title in his sixth weight class as he faces Alexsis Espino of Las Vegas today.

Jelani Hill of DC makes his first appearance in the Silver Gloves as he takes on Demarko McKinstry of Cincinnati, OH in the finals of the Boys Pee-Wee Open, 8-9, 86-90 pound division.

The competition will be streamed live for $9.99.  Go to this link to see the action:  http://www.ringside.com/ringside/live-stream




Friday, February 05, 2016

Eight Locals Advance In Silver Gloves National Championships!

On the first day of competition at the National Silver Gloves tournament in Independence, MO, eight Beltway amateurs advanced to the next round.

Cardarius Johnson of Washington, DC won his contest in the Boys Pee-Wee Open, 8-9, 51-55 pounds competition defeating Ryan Marti of Moscow Mills, MO.

Ragahleak Bartee of DC defeated Jovanny Aguilar of Las Vegas, NV in the Boys Intermediate Open, 12-13, 76-80 pounds class.

Silver Spring, MD's Benjamin Johnson captured a win over Devin Skenadore of Keshena, WI in the Boys Bantam Open, 10-11, 76-80 pounds division.

DC's Stacey Selby won his bout in the Boys Intermediate Open, 12-13, 113-119 pound division defeating Javier Fernandez of San Antonio, TX.

Siete Shuler of Laurel, MD took his first round bout in the Boys Junior Open, 14-15, 148-156 pound division with a win over Trenton Bailey of Louisville, KY.

Baltimore, MD's Lorenzo Simpson started his quest for a sixth straight National Silver Gloves title with a win over Leone Peters of Kashena, WI in the Boys Junior Open, 14-15, 157-165 pound division.

Nasheed Smith of Washington, DC won his bout in the Boys Junior Open, 14-15, 140-147 pound class, defeating Da'Velle Smith of Inkster, MI.

Malik Warren of Baltimore won his first bout in the Boys Junior Open, 14-15, 120-125 pound division defeating Pedro Parrilla of New York City.


Thursday, February 04, 2016

Beltway Middleweight Division Elevates: Wade-Golovkin Set For April 23 In California; A. Douglas Battles Soliman, F. Guerrero Faces Harrison March 5 In Pennsylvania!

Twenty years ago, we had two middleweight champions from the Beltway -- Keith Holmes and William Joppy -- who were major parts in elevating the division.

Two decades later, two more local 160-pounders look to make their mark as they face big matches in the next two months.

First, the bout between Dominic "Lights Out" Wade of Largo, MD (18-0, 12 KO's) and fellow undefeated boxer and world champion "Triple G" Gennady Golovkin (34-0, 31 KO's) is a done deal and is set for Saturday, April 23 at the Forum in Inglewood, CA.  According to reports, the bout is for all of Golovkin's titles (WBA Super World Middleweight, IBF Middleweight, WBC Interim Middleweight and IBO Middleweight) and will be televised live on HBO.

However, before we even GET to April 23, we have to deal with Saturday, March 5, which now has become a HUGE night for the Beltway.

Not only do we have the Golden Boy Promotions card at the DC Armory that evening that will feature bouts televised by HBO, we now hear that on the VERY SAME NIGHT, Showtime will have a card that will feature undefeated Burke, VA middleweight and 2015 Beltway Boxing Co-Boxer of the Year Antoine "Action" Douglas in a 10-round bout against former world champion Sam Soliman of Melbourne, Australia at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, PA. This will be the first Showtime Championship Boxing card Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KO's) will appear on after five bouts on ShoBox.  Soliman (44-13, 18 KO's) will face a Beltway Boxer for the second straight time after losing a close 10-round split decision to Wade on June 26 in Shelton, WA.

And if that wasn't enough, ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is reporting that Fernando Guerrero of Los Angeles, CA by way of Salisbury, MD will take on Detroit, MI's Tony Harrison in a 10-round bout on that card.  Guerrero (28-3, 20 KO's) is coming off a seventh-round TKO win over Daniel Souza Santos on November 13 in Biloxi, MS.  Harrison (22-1, 18 KO's) bounced back from suffering his first pro loss with a 10-round unanimous decision win over Cecil McCalla on October 31 in Houston, TX.

Tuesday, February 02, 2016

Ring Announcer Jones Honored With February Events!

With February being African-American History Month, we have many people in the Beltway Boxing scene who have and continue to make history.


One such person is Beltway ring announcer Henry "Discombobulating" Jones -- The first prominent African-American ring announcer in professional boxing.  Not only is Jones being honored for that achievement, 2016 marks Jones's 25th anniversary as a ring announcer.

Both of these accomplishments will be celebrated at a special event that will take place on Saturday, February 13 at Takoma Station Tavern located at 6914 Fourth Street in Northwest Washington, DC. This will be a "Roast and Toast" that will go from 4-8 PM and will be hosted by "The Coach" Butch McAdams  of WOL radio.  Admission is free, however love offerings will be accepted at the door.

Then on Friday, February 19, Jones will be honored as part of a Black History Month Fight Night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.  Jones will be honored alongside New Jersey State Boxing Chairman Larry Hazzard, Sr. and former New York State Boxing Chair Melvina Latham.  This is the same card that Beltway Boxer Jerry Odom will face undefeated Ronald Ellis of Lynn, MA and will be televised by Showtime.

There will be a bus trip going to this event that will leave from Rosecroft Raceway, located at 6336 Rosecroft Drive in Oxon Hill, MD at 2 PM and will return at 6 AM the next day. Tickets are $80 which includes food and drink on the bus, a $20 voucher and a general admission ticket to the card.  Call (301) 841-5584 or (240) 350-4274 for more information.

Washington Golden Gloves Physicals and Registration Is February 6!

The final registration and physicals for the 2016 Washington Golden Gloves take place on Saturday, February 6 from 9 AM to noon at the Hillcrest Heights Bingo Hall located at 4104 23rd Parkway in Hillcrest Heights, MD.  Please be prompt.

A few items on interest:

Headgear will be worn throughout the competition.

Coaches:  Make sure all applications are legible.

Make sure the name of the boxing club, the coach's name and phone number are on the application.

Please circle male or female and novice, open or junior on the entry form.

A physical exam must be sent along with the entry form by February 6.

For more information on the entry form, call 301-843-6165.

The drawings/pairings for the first round of competition will be held the following Saturday, February 13 at the Hillcrest Heights Bingo Hall.  Competition gets underway on Saturday, February 20 at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD and will continue every Saturday until March 19.

The Washington Finals will be held at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD on Saturday, April 2 and the Regional Golden Gloves will be held on Saturday, April 30 at Rosecroft.

Quarles Travels To Roanoke, VA For Six-Round Contest February 6!

Alexandria, VA middleweight "The Pride of Alexandria" Brandon Quarles returns to action in a six-round contest against veteran Marcos "The Terminator" Primera on Saturday, February 6 in Salem, VA.

Quarles (17-3-1, nine KO's) last fought on October 23 and scored a sixth-round TKO over Dennis Sharpe on October 23 in Washington, DC.  Primera (20-33-3, 13 KO's) has fought quality competition throughout his career including former world champions Austin Trout, Jermain Taylor and Luis Collazo.

Monday, February 01, 2016

Emil Baku, Former Beltway Boxer, Passes!


Sad news on the Beltway Boxing scene.  Former Beltway middleweight Emil Baku passed away on January 18 after a long bout with cancer.  Baku was 43 years old.

Mr. Baku, born Emil Israfilbekov, was born in Baku, Azerbaijan and, along with his younger brother, Rufat, had solid amateur careers in the former Soviet Union before receiving political asylum in the US.

Mr. Baku (22-2, 17 KO's) competed as a middleweight from 1995-2003 and, at one time, was one of the top middleweights in the United States, ranked number 12 by the USBA.

In 2012, Mr. Baku was diagnosed with stage four Glioblastoma Astrocytoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.  When BATB wrote about this situation in March of 2014, his condition had worsened and he was given only two months to live.  Mr. Baku sought and received aggressive treatment in Brazil until he could not battle the disease any longer.

The funeral services for Baku will be held on Saturday, February 6 at Druid Ridge Cemetery located at 7900 Park Heights Avenue in Baltimore.  The services begin at noon.

Emil Baku was a fun boxer to watch and was a fixture on cards throughout Maryland who defeated the likes of Beltway Boxers Darryl Lattimore and Kenny Blackston during his career. BATB sends its deepest condolences to the Baku/Israfilbekov family and all who knew and worked with them.