Friday, October 27, 2017

Boxing Debuts In Ashburn, VA November 4!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Andrade-Fox Bout Draws Large Viewership!

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

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

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


Tuesday, October 24, 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, October 23, 2017

First Look At November Schedule!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Sunday, October 22, 2017

Results From Mayflower Hotel Alarm.com Card!

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

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

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

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

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

Services For Bernard Roach Announced!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Saturday, October 21, 2017

Selby, White Win Championships In Chattanooga!

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

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

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

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


Friday, October 20, 2017

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

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



(Photo by HBO/Ed Mulholland)

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

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

Baltimore Boxers Advance In Eastern Elite Qualifiers!

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

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

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

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

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Davis Drops Unanimous Decision In Atlanta!

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

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

Beltway Amateurs Continue Winning Ways At Eastern Qualifiers!

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

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

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


Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Davis Weighs 130.2 For Eight Rounder In Atlanta!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Beltway Results From Eastern Elite Qualifier In Chattanooga!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Tough losses today for these boxers:

Ibrahim Robinson, Nottingham, MD (Junior 138 Pounds)

Marcell Steele, Washington, DC (Bantam 90 Pounds)

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

Nieem Somerville, Baltimore, MD (Bantam 80 Pounds)

Muhammad Robinson, Nottingham, MD (Intermediate 101 Pounds)













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

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

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

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

Monday, October 16, 2017

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elite Female - 106 Pounds

Lydia Narayanasamy, Hanover, MD

Elite Female - 132 Pounds

Amelia Moore, Alexandria, VA

Youth Female - 132 Pounds

Mia Ellis, Baltimore, MD


Elite Male -  123 Pounds

Jaqueem Hutcherson, Temple Hills, MD

Elite Male - 152 Pounds

Nicholas Noriz, Odenton, MD


Youth Male - 123 Pounds

Chamar Flowers, Accokeek, MD

Jay Stancil, Clinton, MD

Youth Male - 132 Pounds

Reco Todd, Gwynn Oak, MD

Malik Warren, Catonsville, MD


Junior Male - 101 Pounds

Ragahleak Bartee, Washington, DC

Junior Male - 106 Pounds

Lamar Odoms, Washington, DC

Junior Male -119 Pounds

Deric Davis, Washington, DC

Junior Male - 132 Pounds

Rayquan Ford, Baltimore, MD

Stacey Selby, Baltimore, MD

Junior Male - 138 Pounds

Joshua Hill, District Heights, MD

Ibrahim Robinson, Nottingham, MD

Junior Male - 176+ Pounds

Donte White, Baltimore, MD


Intermediate Male - 85 Pounds

Lonzo Malcolm, Washington, DC

Intermediate Male - 95 Pounds

Cuttino Oliver, Baltimore, MD

Mekhi Phillips, Capitol Heights, MD

Intermediate Male - 101 Pounds

Muhammad Robinson, Nottingham, MD

Intermediate Male - 110 Pounds

Tyreek Williams, Washington, DC

Intermediate Male - 132 Pounds

Jabril Lee, Edgewood, MD


Bantam Male - 70 Pounds

Zabreon Brown, Oxon Hill, MD

Bantam Male - 80 Pounds

Musa Robinson, Nottingham, MD

Nieem Somerville, Baltimore, MD

Bantam Male - 85 Pounds

Richard Dodson, Capitol Heights, MD

Bantam Male - 90 Pounds

Marcell Steele, Washington, DC

Bantam Male - 101 Pounds

Damari Philson, Washington, DC

Bantam Male - 106 Pounds

Khaliq Harrison, Washington, DC


Pee Wee 9-10 Male - 60 Pounds

Sa'mari Everrette, Baltimore, MD

Pee Wee 9-10 Male - 65 Pounds

Kairee Kelly, Washington, DC














Sunday, October 15, 2017

Hurd Stops Trout In 10th To Defend IBF Title!


(Photo by Tom Casino/Showtime)

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

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

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

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

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

Results From Springfield, VA!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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




Saturday, October 14, 2017

Bernard Roach, Master Trainer, Passes At 52!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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




Friday, October 13, 2017

Weights From Springfield, VA!

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

Daron Williams 123 vs. Marquis Pierce 116

Thomas Snow 123 vs. Stephon McIntyre 122

Jason Bell 169 vs. Alan Stevenson 169

Justin Bell 172 vs. Ben D. Williams 180

Jacques Jean 147 vs. Tyrone Beauford 156

Jaron Ennis 149 vs. Ayi Bruce 144

Raven Chatman 145 vs. Bertha Aracil 152

Zamaze Braswell 161 vs. Alejandro Lora 167

Zsolt Daranyi, Jr. 154 vs. Fabian Lyimo 153

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

Hurd Weighs 153.6 For IBF Title Defense Saturday In Brooklyn!

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

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

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

October 14th ABC Card Updated!

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, October 09, 2017

Dyer Wins Decision In Erie; Justin Hurd Off Brother's Card In Brooklyn!

Couple of notes to pass along.  Baltimore, MD lightweight Jahmal Dyer won a four-round unanimous decision over Roger "Monster" Blankenship of on October 7 at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, PA.  According to reports, Dyer used a lot of body shots in the last three round to gain the victory by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 (twice).  Dyer is now 4-0, two KO's while Blankenship is 1-2.

This week, we learned that Accokeek, MD super welterweight "Slick" Justin Hurd will not appear on the Saturday, October 14th card at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.  Apparently, Hurd (3-0, two KO's) has an illness and has not been able to train.  This is the card that features Hurd's brother, IBF Super Welterweight champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd making the first defense of his title against former world champion Austin Trout as part of a 154-pound tripleheader.
 

Thursday, October 05, 2017

Nat Williams, Promoter and Founder Of Boxing Information Center, Passes At 83!

This will be one of the saddest posts I have ever had to write.  One of the people who helped get me started in boxing in the Washington, DC area passed away on Sunday, October 1.

Nat Williams, a long-time promoter of pro and amateur boxing, transitioned at the age of 83.  When I first started, Nat was one of the first promoters I worked with in the business.  Nat, along with matchmaker Cleveland Burgess, the late Gilbert Ware, who was the Deputy Commissioner of the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission and ring announcer Discombobulating Jones were all very instrumental in getting me started in the sport as a writer and TV announcer.

In the late 90's, Williams founded the Boxing Information Center (BIC), an organization that helped raise money for older boxers and put on amateur boxing cards to help give exposure to young boxers.  BIC was instrumental in the first return of the Mayor's Cup and also promoted the Capital Gloves in 2006.

During the buildup to the Capitol Gloves, I interviewed Nat for this blog.  On the first night of the tournament, Nat suffered a stroke.  I don't think he ever truly recovered from that sad event.

Nat's funeral will be held on Saturday, October 7th at Fort Lincoln Funeral Home and Cemetery located at 3401 Bladensburg Road in Brentwood, MD.  The viewing will be from 9:30 to 10:30 AM ET with the graveside service to follow.

Nat and I shared the same last name but, to my knowledge, we were not related.  However, Nat Williams was as close to a father figure as I had in this business.  We talked a lot about the business over the years and I was one of the folks who helped with the Boxing Information Center in its formative years.  Nat was a wonderful person who I thought the world of.  I will miss our conversations and our friendship dearly.  He was such a wonderful person.  I send my deepest condolences to his family.

Boxing Returns To Springfield, VA October 14th!

Victory Boxing Promotions will head to the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA on Saturday, October 14th.  The card will feature a number of Beltway Boxers in action.

The main event will be Maryland super bantamweight Daron Williams, who will make his Beltway-area debut against Marquis Pierce of Newark, NJ in a six-round bout.  Williams (5-0, two KO's) has been applying his trade in Phoenix, AZ where he has won all of his pro contests.  As an amateur, Williams fought a number of times in the Washington Golden Gloves at 123 pounds.  Pierce (1-11) has gone the distance in his last four bouts.

Capitol Heights, MD super bantamweight Thomas "KO" Snow returns to action in a six-round contest against veteran Jonesboro, GA boxer Stephon McIntyre.  Snow (18-3, 12 KO's) competes from the first time since his eight-round unanimous decision loss to Luis Orlando Del Valle in May of 2016 in Washington, DC.  McIntyre (2-34-4) is coming off a four-round majority draw against Cameron Springer on July 29th in Raleigh, NC.  Three of McIntyre's draws have come against Beltway Boxers -- he has two against Marq Johns and one against Marcus Bates.  This will be McIntyre's ninth bout in 2017.

Marq "The Monster" Johns -- the featherweight from Fort Washington, MD -- will be on this card going up against the debuting Varon Webb of North Carolina by way of Hartford, CT in a four-round contest.  Johns (7-1-2, six KO's) last fought in the four-round draw against McIntyre on March 25th in DC.

The Bell Twins -- Jason and Justin of District Heights, MD -- will face debuting boxers on this card.  Jason Bell (2-0, one KO) will battle Terrell Hobbs of Richmond, VA in a four-rounder.  Bell is coming off a four-round unanimous decision over George Sheppard on April 29th at the ABC Sports Complex.  Hobbs makes a transition from Mixed Martial Arts and Muay Thai boxing.

Justin (2-0, one KO) will take on Ben D. Williams from Benton Harbor, MI in another four-round encounter.  Bell scored a first-round TKO over Erik Plumeri on July 15th in DC.  Williams is a former Michigan Golden Gloves champion.

In other bouts on the card, there will be a six-round contest between undefeated Philadelphia, PA welterweight Jaron "Boots" Ennis who will battle Silver Spring, MD veteran Samuel Amoako.  Ennis (15-0, 13 KO's) has scored first-round knockouts in three of his last four contests.  That includes a first-round stoppage of Lionel Jimenez on September 23rd in Hammond, IN.  Ennis also stopped Ricardo Cano in the first round on August 12th in DC.  Amoako (23-15, 17 KO's) has fought in his native, Accra, Ghana and scored two straight TKO's over Raymond Ansah.  Those bouts broke an 11-bout losing streak in which he went to a decision in 10 of those bouts.

The co-feature will match undefeated Zsolt "The Phenom" Daranyi, Jr. of Toronto, Canada against Fabian Lyimo of Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania in another six-round bout.  Daranyi (12-0, 11 KO's) scored a six-round TKO over Andre Baker on July 29th in Charlotte, NC.   Lyimo (23-7-2, 15 KO's) competes in the United States for the first time as a pro and brings a three-bout winning streak to the bout.

More bouts will be announced on this card.


Peterson Vacates WBA Welterweight Title!

Washington, DC welterweight Lamont Peterson has vacated the WBA regular Welterweight championship that he captured in February.

According to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, Peterson sent a letter to the WBA thanking the organization for the opportunity and he did not want to "be an obstacle for the rest of the fighters in the ranking who have the objective of fighting for the belt.”  Peterson won the title on February 18th, scoring a 12-round unanimous decision over David Aveneysan in Cincinnati, OH.

No official word on the next opponent for Peterson (35-3-1, 17 KO's).  However, there is talk he may face Errol Spence in either December or January.