Beltway Amateurs To Be Showcased At Calvin Woodland Invitational November 2!

Local amateurs will be on display at the Calvin Woodland, Sr. Amateur Boxing Tournament on Saturday, November 2 at the Merrick Recreation Center, 4275 Fourth Street in Southeast, DC.

The card is in memory of Calvin Woodland, Sr., a native Washingtonian and Beltway Boxer who fought professional as a lightweight from 1962 to 1973.  Woodland (19-5, 14 KO's) was the last opponent for one of the legends of boxing, Willie Pep.  Woodland defeated Pep by six-round unanimous decision on March 16, 1966 in Richmond, VA.

During and after his boxing career, Woodland was a mentor to hundreds of young people who participated in on his football teams and his boxing programs.  Woodland died on April 14, 2000 at the age of 60.

Ringside seats for the event are $25, Adult tickets are $10, Children 10 and over are $5 and Children under 10 will be admitted free.  The event begins at 4 PM.

Armed Forces Boxing Comes to Crystal City November 10!

On Veterans Day weekend, members of the United States Armed Forces will compete in the Veterans Day Armed Forces Collegiate Invitational Boxing Tournament on Sunday, November 10 at the Crystal City Hyatt Regency Hotel in Arlington, VA.

There will be teams from the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, The U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy will be involved in the event.  Normally, these teams bring out some of the better boxers in collegiate boxing.  The National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) is hosting the event and it is co-sanctioned by the NCBA and USA Boxing.

Tickets are $25 to the general public and $15 for active duty military personnel.  Tickets are available by going to www.ncbaboxing.org.  The card will be taped for later viewing on ESPN U and ESPN2.

Strong Beltway Matchups Highlight Amateur Card in Millersville!

Two very interesting matchups will highlight the Jeter Promotions card on Saturday, November 2 at Club One Fitness in Millersville, MD.

One bout will be a battle between two young men who are continuing family legacies -- Gary Antuanne Russell will take on Mykal Fox in what should be an outstanding bout.  Another bout will be a rematch of a bout that took place at the Battle Against Cancer in September at College Park, MD.  This will be a female contest between Amelia Moore and Deja Scott.  Moore won the first contest.

For more ticket information, call 410-729-3900.

Russell, Moore Win Individual World Golden Gloves Titles, Team Title Goes To Mexico!

Two Beltway amateurs captured World Golden Gloves titles this past weekend at the Waldorf Jaycees in Waldorf, MD.

Gary Antonio Russell won the 123 Pound championship with a decision over Chirino Sanchez of Team Mexico.  Russell adds the world title to his local, regional and national Golden Gloves championships as well as the USA National title he captured this year.

Marquis Moore captured the 165 Pound title with a decision over Magdiel Cotto in Puerto Rico.  Moore, a native of Fort Washington, MD who fights out of the US Army in Fort Carson, CO, won a National Golden Gloves title this year.

Felicitaciones (congratulations) to Team Mexico who captured three world titles and placed seven boxers in championship bouts on the second night of competition.  Jose Burgos won a decision over Nico Hernandez of Team USA at 108 Pounds.  Raul Curiel captured the 132 Pound championship by decision over Emmanuel Morales of Team Puerto Rico.  Isidro Hiracheta won a close decision over Jermaine Franklin of Team USA at 201+ Pounds.

In other bouts on the championship card:

114 Pounds:  Jevyier Cintron (Puerto Rico) over Orlando Huitzil (Mexico)

141 Pounds: Rohan Date (Ireland) over Carlos Sanchez (Mexico)

152 Pounds: Luis Sanchez (Puerto Rico) over Jorge Cordova (Mexico)

178 Pounds: Darren O'Neill (Ireland) over Steven Nelson (Team USA)

201 Pounds: Earl A. Newman, Jr. (Team USA) over Kenneth Okungbowa (Ireland)

Barnett Wins Unanimous Decision In Main Event!

Ty Barnett won a 10-round unanimous decision over a very game "El Guerrero" Carlos Velazquez in our main event here at the Convention Center. 

The two guys landed good shots but Barnett landed a lot more down the stretch to win the contest.  It was the first time Barnett went the full 10 rounds in his pro career.  The scores were 99-91 (twice) and 98-92.

Barnett is now 22-3, 14 KO's.  Velazquez is now 21-17-1, 14 KO's.

We are having technical issues with the post-fight wrap.  So long from DC!

Grayton Wins Unanimous Decision!

Roberto Lopez can take solace in this fact: He's the first boxer to take David Grayton the four-round distance.  However, Lopez had no chance of winning the bout as Grayton took a relatively easy unanimous decision.

Grayton used great foot movement and hand speed to keep the game Lopez at bay throughout.  All three judges scored the bout 40-36.  Grayton is now 6-0, five KO's.  Lopez falls to 4-7-2, one KO.

Our main event is here -- Ty Barnett takes on Managua, Nicaragua's Carlos Velazquez.  10 round lightweight bout.

Magruder Wins Unanimous Decision!

Antonio Magruder has won a four-round unanimous decision over David Warren Huffman.  Magruder was just too quick for Huffman and beat Huffman to the punch throughout. 

All three judges scored a shutout (40-36) for Magruder, who goes the distance for the first time as a pro and raises his record to 3-0, two KO's.  Huffman is now 4-17, one KO's.

The co-feature is next -- David "Day-Day" Grayton of DC vs. Roberto "The Heat" Lopez of Kissimee, FL.

Recio Earns Unanimous Decision in Pro Debut!

Larry Recio has won a four-round unanimous decision over Louis Teel in his pro debut.

Recio hit Teel with some solid overhand shots but Teel showed a great chin and never went down.  Good performance.

Teel is now 0-3. Up next, Suitland, MD welterweight Antonio "Teflon" Magruder vs. dangerous David Warren Huffman of Cincinnati, OH.  Four rounds.

Parker Wins Controversial Split Decision Over Martin!

Joshua Parker has won a four-round split decision over Darrell Martin.  Parker got the nod despite getting knocked down in the second round.

Even with the knockdown, Parker still scored a shutout on one scorecard, 40-37.  Another card saw the bout for Parker, 38-37. Martin won one card, 39-37.

Parker remains undefeated at 4-0, three KO's while Martin is now 4-16, one KO.

We just finished a Master's amateur bout.  Coming up next, the pro debut of Landover, MD's Larry Recio as he faces Louis Feel of Las Vegas.

Floyd And Jayakody Battle to Majority Draw!

Shadeed Floyd and Nuwan Jayakody battled to a tough four-round majority draw.  Both men had their moments in this one as Jayakody seemed to land the more telling shots but Floyd was a little more active.

Jayakody got one scorecard at 39-37 but the other two saw the draw at 38-38.

Floyd is now 1-1-1, one KO while Jayakody is 1-3-1, one KO.

Now in the ring, Joshua "Marvelous Mo" Parker of DC battles Darrell Martin of Baltimore in a four-round lightweight bout.

Grant Wins Majority Decision Over Antoine!

Terron Grant has won a four-round split decision over the tough survivor Damon Antoine.

Grant hit Antoine with solid shots, especially to the body.  Some shots did stray a little south throughout the contest. 
Antoine did get a 39-37 decision on one judge's scorecard but he was overruled by the other two who scored the contest for Grant, 40-36.

Grant remains undefeated at 7-0, four KO's.  Antoine is now 11-51-2, five KO's.

Next up is DC's Shadeed Floyd taking on Nuwan Jayakody of DC by way of Sri Lanka.  Four rounds in the super featherweight division.

Pro Bouts Getting Underway!

Our pro bouts are getting ready to start here at the Convention Center.  In our two amateur contests, Cornell Hines of Woodland won his bout over Jonathan Ladson of Monsters Gym.  Also, Keeshawn Williams of Answers Gym won over Deron Williams of Benning Park.

Our first pro bout is in the ring -- undefeated White Plains, MD lightweight Terron "The Kid" Grant takes on Damon Antoine of Akron, OH in what has been reduced to a four-round contest.

Good Evening From The Convention Center!

Hi again everyone from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington, DC.  This is a pro-am card and we have amateurs in the ring right now.  We are slated to have three amateur contests tonight before the pros begin.

We also hope to have some results from the World Golden Gloves on its final night at the Waldorf Jaycees in Waldorf, MD.

We'll be back when the pros get started.

Wade Scores First-Round TKO in New Jersey!

DC middleweight Dominic Wade dropped Roberto "Sugar" Ventura of Mexico three times en route to a first round TKO tonight at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.

The time of the stoppage was 2:08.  Wade moves to 13-0, 10 KO's while Ventura falls to 12-10, 12 KO's.

'Money' Mike Sawyer Returns to Action In The Cayman Islands!

In the early years of BATB, one of the more popular boxers we reported on was a middleweight from Falls Church, VA named "Money" Mike Sawyer.  In 2006 and 2007, Sawyer fought a number of times at the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield and developed a solid fan base.

After a win in June of 2007, injuries and outside business interests kept Sawyer out of the ring for four years.  Sawyer last fought in March of 2011 in Ransom, WVA and was stopped in the second round.

Sawyer is now living in Florida but still has friends and family in the Beltway region.  That is why we are letting you know that Sawyer (4-2, two KO's) returns to the ring tonight at the King's Sports Centre in Georgetown, Cayman Islands.  Sawyer will take on undefeated hometown boxer "Lightning" Peter Lewison (5-0, five KO's) in a six-round contest.

Sawyer's a little heavier these days -- he weighed in at the light heavyweight limit of 175. However, Lewison seemed to have more trouble with weight as he tipped the scales at 181.

As soon as we get a result on the contest, we'll pass it along.

Kennedy, Ellerbe Fall in Philadelphia!

Two Beltway Boxers lost bouts on a card at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, PA.

"Relentless" Julius Kennedy of Windsor Mill, MD was stopped in the fourth round by Denis "Momma's Boy" Douglin of Marlboro, NJ in the middleweight co-feature contest.  The time of the stoppage was 1:47.

Kennedy has lost five in a row and his record evens at 7-7-1, three KO's.  Douglin is now 15-3, nine KO's.

Also on the card, middleweight Nycholas Ellerbe of Manassas, VA lost a four-round unanimous decision to Robert Sweeney of Sicklerville, NJ.  Ellerbe lost by scores of 40-34 across the board as the referee deducted two points for holding in the third round.

Ellerbe is 0-2.  Sweeney is 2-0.

Weights From DC!

Here is the scale watch for the Top Flight Promotions card at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 26:

Ty Barnett 138 vs. Carlos Velazquez 137

David Grayton 149 vs. Roberto Lopez 148

Joshua Parker 137 vs. Darrell Martin 133

Terron Grant 134 vs. Damon Antoine 137

Antonio Magruder 138 vs. David Warren Huffman 135

Larry Recio 160 vs. Louis Teel 170

Shadeed Floyd 125 vs. Nuwan Jayakody 125

There are a couple of familiar out of town boxers on this card -- Antoine and Huffman have faced Beltway Boxers in the past.  Three of Huffman's four wins have come in the Beltway region.  Martin is from Baltimore, MD.

We will be blogging live from this card.

Wade Weighs 161 For Atlantic City Contest!

(Photo courtesy of Phil Jackson Benson)

Dominic Wade weighed in at 161 pounds for his eight-round contest Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.  Wade's opponent, Roberto Ventura, had difficulties coming close to the 160 pound limit the bout was contracted for.

Ventura was 168 when he first hit the scales. After some negotiations, the contracted weight was moved to 163.  Ventura got closer but still weighed in at 166.  The bout will still go on and will be part of the Showtime Extreme broadcast that begins at 7 PM ET.

Corley Scores Knockout At Mayflower!

Former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley got back on the winning track with a seventh round TKO victory over Javier Garcia of Oxnard, CA at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in DC.

According to reports, Garcia could not come off his stool for the eighth round.  This was an interesting irony since this was the same result Corley suffered in his last bout almost a month ago when he did not come off his stool for the fourth round against Selcuk Aydin in Turkey.  The win breaks a two-bout losing streak for the still-dangerous Corley who raises his record to 40-21-1, 24 KO's while Garcia falls to 10-3-2, nine KO's.

The co-feature settled nothing between Beltway cruiserweights Andre Ward of DC and Woodbridge, VA's Mario "Bazooka" Flores.  As they did back in October of 2012, the two battled to a majority draw -- this time a six-round encounter.  Ward got the decision on one judge's scorecards but was overruled by the other two judges who saw the draw.

Ward is now 1-1-4, one KO and has participated in his third consecutive draw.  Flores is now 3-1-2, two KO's.

Also on the card, Baltimore junior welterweight Cornelius "Bodysnatcher" Whitlock won a four-round unanimous decision over DC's Benjamin "Wildcat" Olinga.  Whitlock is now 1-0-2, one NC.  The no contest was originally a victory for Whitlock in Staten Island, NY that was overturned because Whitlock failed a post-bout drug test.  Olinga is now 1-3.

Yurii Polischuk was scheduled to compete on the card but his opponent was injured earlier in the week.

Kennedy, Ellerbe Tip Scales in Philadelphia!

Julius Kennedy and Nycholas Ellerbe weighed in for their contests tonight at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, PA.

Kennedy tipped the scales at 161 1/2 for his six-round co-feature bout with Denis Douglin, who weighed in at 163.  Ellerbe came in at the middleweight limit of 160 pounds for his four-round contest with Robert Sweeney who tipped the scales at 157 1/2.  Sweeney was a late change of opponent for Ellerbe.

BATB Previews Local Card That It Can't Cover!

Normally, we like to preview a card days in advance to tell folks what type of card is taking place so you can buy tickets.  However, this has been a rather unique situation.

Tonight, at the Mayflower Hotel in DC, there will be a boxing card.  However, the host organization is not selling any tickets to the public and no media will be allowed to attend the card.

The boxing card is part of a three-day corporate summit being held by Alarm.com, a Tysons Corner, VA-based home security company.  It is a private event.  The boxing is being promoted by long-time Beltway promoter Ollie Dunlap and the matchmaker is JD Brown.

The card will be headlined by former WBO Junior Welterweight champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley (39-21-1, 23 KOs ) as he faces Javier Garcia of Oxnard, CA (10-2-2, nine KO's) in an eight round bout.  The co-feature is a six-round rematch between local cruiserweights Andre Ward (1-1-3, one KO) and Mario "Bazooka" Flores (3-1-1, two KO's)..  The two battled to a four-round draw on October 27 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.

Also on the four-bout card, DC welterweight Benjamin "Wildcat" Olinga (1-2) faces Cornelius Whitlock of Baltimore, MD (0-0-2) and Alexandria, VA junior middleweight Yurii Polischuk (1-1, one KO) will take on Alberto Delgado (0-0-1) of Roanoke, VA.

Once again, there are no public tickets sold to the event and neither myself, Juan Marshall or anyone else in the media will be allowed to cover the card.  As soon as we get results, we will pass them on to you.

Wade Bout in New Jersey Airs On Showtime Extreme October 26!

DC middleweight Dominic Wade's eight-round encounter with Roberto "Sugar" Ventura of Mexico on Saturday, October 26 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ will air live on the Showtime Extreme channel.

Showtime Extreme will air the undercard contests from the Bernard Hopkins-Karo Murat card beginning at 7 PM ET/PT.  Wade is undefeated at 12-0, nine KO's.  Ventura is 12-7, 12 KO's.

October 25 Card In Springfield Is Postponed!

Originally, we were scheduled to have three pro boxing cards scheduled for this coming weekend.  Then we learned that the Saturday, October 26 card in Arlington, VA was postponed until sometime in November.

Now BATB has learned that the GH3 Promotions card scheduled for Friday, October 25 at the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA has also been postponed.  No official word was given for the postponement but most of the local boxers that were scheduled to participate on the card have either fought recently, got hurt or were otherwise occupied. Gervonta Davis and Glenn Dezurn, Jr. were in bouts last week, Antoine Douglas suffered a cut in his last bout on October 5 and Jerry Odom is sparring with Andre Ward in San Diego, CA.

No word on the new date for the card.  This leaves the October 26 card at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in DC as the only pro card this weekend.

Participants Selected For World Golden Gloves Competition October 25-26!

Here are the participants for this weekend's World Golden Gloves at the Waldorf Jaycees in Waldorf, MD.  The event will be on Friday and Saturday, October 25 and 26.


Team USA

108 Pounds:  Nico Hernandez, Wichita, KS

114 Pounds: Lawrence Singh, Riverdale, MD

123 Pounds: Gary Antonio Russell, Capitol Heights, MD

132 Pounds:  Lamont Roach, Upper Marlboro, MD

141 Pounds:  Nicholas Torrence, Evans, GA

152 Pounds:  Andreal Holmes, Jr., Flint, MI

165 Pounds: Marquis Moore, Fort Washington, MD

178 Pounds: Steven Nelson, Colorado Springs, CO

201 Pounds: Earl A. Newman, Jr., Brooklyn, NY

201+ Pounds: Jermaine Franklin, Saginaw, MI


Team Mexico

108 Pounds: Jose Alejandro Burgos Ferrer, Baja

114 Pounds: Orlando Huitzil Ahuatl, Puebla

123 Pounds:  Sergio Alfredo Chirino Sanchez, Oaxaca

132 Pounds: Raul Curiel Garcia, Tamaulipas

141 Pounds:  Carlos Aurelio Sanchez Valadez, Baja

152 Pounds:  Jorge Alberto Cordova Brito, Chihuahua

165 Pounds: Diego De Jesus Moreno Amador, Baja

178 Pounds: Miguel Angel Gomez Meneses, Estado de Mexico

201 Pounds:  Brandon Enrique Olvera Hernandez, Distrito Federal

201+ Pounds:  Juan Isidro Hiracheta Martinez, Nuevo Leon


Team Ireland

108 Pounds:  Stephen Treacy, Newbridge County Kildare

114 Pounds:  Myles Casey, Limerick

123 Pounds: Chris Phelan, Defence Forces (Army)

132 Pounds:  Jason Kirwan, Wexford

141 Pounds:  Rohan Date, Waterford

152 Pounds:  Craig McCarthy, Waterford

165 Pounds:  Michael O'Reilly, County Laoise

178 Pounds: Darren O'Neill, County Kilkenny

201 Pounds:  Kenneth Okungbowa, County Meath

201+ Pounds:  Dean Gardenier, County Tipperary


Team Puerto Rico


108 Pounds:  Anthony Ortiz, Caguas

114 Pounds:  Jeyvier Cintron, Bayamon

123 Pounds:  Freddy Ortiz, Humacao

132 Pounds:  Emmanuel Moralez, Aguas Buenas

141 Pounds:  Nicklaus Flaz, Vega Alta

152 Pounds:  Luis Sanchez, San Juan

165 Pounds:  Magdiel Cotto, Cidra

178 Pounds:  Fabian Lopez,  Caguas

201 Pounds:  Sarhet Delgado, Humacao

201+ Pounds:  To be announced

October 26 Virginia Card Postponed Until November!

The recent federal government shutdown has had a residual effect on the Beltway Boxing region.  The Saturday, October 26 RBA Promotions card slated for the Smith Gymnasium at Fort Myer/Henderson Hall in Arlington, VA has been postponed until sometime next month.  The building is a federal government facility and apparently, the gym could not be ready in time to have the event next Saturday.

There is actually some good news concerning this.  One: This means there will be no conflict with the DC card that is taking place on the same night.  Secondly, the postponement has allowed an interesting main event to come together.  Brandon Quarles of Alexandria, VA will challenge Zain "Tiger" Shah of Centreville, VA for the vacant Virginia State Middleweight title.

Both guys could use a win.  Quarles (10-2-1, three KO's) has lost two of his last three including an eight-round unanimous decision loss to John Thompson on September 13 in Newark, NJ.  Shah (5-2, three KO's, one NC) is winless in his last three.  Shah lost a six-round unanimous decision to Alantez Fox on September 7 in Fort Washington, MD.

October 26 DC Card Shaping Up!

The Top Flight Promotions card for Saturday, October 26 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC is starting to come together.  Here are the bouts that we know have been confirmed.

The promoter of the card, DC lightweight Ty Barnett, will be in the eight-round main event as he takes on Carlos Winston "El Guerrero" Velasquez of Managua, Nicaragua.

 Barnett (21-3-1, 14 KO's) scored a sixth-round TKO over Stephan Alexander in his last outing on his first self-promoted card on June 15 at the Convention Center.  Velasquez (21-16-1, 11 KO's) will battle for the first time in the United States and he will come to the capital city of the US fresh off an eight-round split decision win over Shoky Sakai on June 29 in Managua.

The co-feature brings undefeated Baltimore, MD welterweight James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson to DC for the very first time in his pro career. Stevenson (20-0, 13 KO's) will face "The Exciting" Joshua Allotey, a native of Ghana who now fights out of Virginia.  The bout is scheduled for six rounds.

Stevenson last fought on June 28 and scored a fourth-round TKO over James Hope at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore.   Stevenson has fought 16 times in Maryland, once in Virginia, once in Florida and twice in North Carolina.  Allotey (16-10, 14 KO's)  returns to the ring after an absence of more than three years and he will try to break a four-bout losing streak.

Undefeated DC welterweight David "Day-Day" Grayton will return to action in a four-round contest against Roberto Lopez of Kissimmee, FL.  Grayton (5-0, five KO's) scored a first-round TKO over Jamal Davis on June 15 at the Convention Center.  Four of Grayton's five knockouts have come in the first round with the fifth knockout coming in round two.

That streak of performances could be tested by the normally-durable Lopez (4-6-2, one KO).  Lopez suffered his first knockout loss in his last outing when he was stopped in the third round by Mike Reed on July 13 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

In what should be an interesting all-DC featherweight matchup, Shadeed Floyd will be in a four-round contest against Nuwan Jayakody.  Floyd (1-1, one KO) has not fought since suffering his first pro loss on December 8 at the Convention Center where he dropped a four-round split decision to David Warren Huffman.  Jayakody, a native of Sri Lanka (1-3, one KO), has dropped three straight by unanimous decision including his last one to Angel Garcia on September 21 in Queens, NY.

The card will also mark the long-awaited pro debut of DC middleweight Larry Recio who will face Luis Teel of Las Vegas, NV (0-2).  Recio was a well-known amateur for many years in the Beltway region.

Also slated to be on the card are undefeated White Plains, MD lightweight Terron "Kid" Grant (6-0, four KO's) who is slated to participate in his first six-round contest.  Grant last fought on June 8 and scored a first-round TKO over Joseph Dixon at EchoStage Lounge in DC.  Joining Grant on the card are DC junior welterweight Joshua "Marvelous Moe" Parker (3-0, two KO's) and DC lightweight Antonio "Teflon" Magruder (2-0, two KO's). All three boxers are still looking for opponents.

Post-Fight Wrap Includes Interview With Reed!

We have the Post-Fight Wrap-Up including an interview with Mike Reed.  However, after the interview, the recording cuts out a little abruptly so the entire recap is not on there.  Apologies for the technical snafu.

Reed Wins Unanimous Decision Over Game Fuentes!

Mike Reed wins a six-round unanimous decision over a very game Randy Fuentes in the main event tonight at Rosecroft Raceway.  Reed broke down a tough Fuentes throughout the contest scoring a knockdown with a right hand to the body in the sixth round.  Fuentes was very tough and tried desperately to hang on throughout the contest but his offense diminished throughout the contest.

(Photos by Juan Marshall)

Reed scored a shutout on all three cards, 60-54 and 60-53 (twice) to raise his record to 6-0, four KO's.  Fuentes loses for the first time as a pro and is now 3-1-1.

Post-fight Wrap-Up is next.  For now, good night from Rosecroft!

Hurd Wins Workmanlike Unanimous Decision!

(Photo by Juan Marshall)

Jarrett Hurd won a six-round unanimous decision over Frank Gedeon in our co-feature tonight at Rosecroft.  Hurd hit Gedeon with some solid shots but Gedeon showed a wonderful chin.  However, Hurd wore Gedeon down throughout the contest en route to the workmanlike victory.  Scores were 60-54 and 59-55 twice.

Hurd remains undefeated at 9-0, five KO's.  Gedeon loses for the first time in his pro career and he is now 4-1-2, three KO's.

Our main event is next -- Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed of Waldorf, MD vs. fellow undefeated boxer "The Chosen One" Randy Fuentes of McAllen, TX.

Hurd In Co-Feature Against Undefeated Gedeon!

"Swift" Jarrett Hurd of Accokeek, MD takes on fellow undefeated Frank Gedeon of West Palm Beach, FL in a six-round junior middleweight contest as we return to action with our co-feature.

Elkins Wins Pro Debut in Explosive Fashion!

Josh Elkins has won his pro debut with two knockdowns that led to a first-round stoppage over Jamal Davis.  Elkins landed some powerful right hands to knock Davis down.  The second one looked like he stepped all the way through the punch to drop his opponent.

(Photos by Juan Marshall)

Davis falls to 0-3.  Intermission Next.

Nicholson Hits Priest Real Hard And Stops Him In First!

Demond Nicholson landed a brutal series of head and body shots and dropped Brandon Priest twice in the first round before the bout was stopped at 2:34 of the first round.

Nicholson gave Priest no room to breathe and just swarmed him, eventually landing some vicious combinations.  A left to the head-right to the body combo scored the first knockdown and then another brutal body shot with the right hand finished the job.

(Photos by Juan Marshall)

Nicholson remains perfect at 3-0, three KO's.  Priest loses his pro debut.

Coming up, the debut of "The Karate Kid" Josh Elkins as he takes on Jamal Davis of Alta Vista, VA.  Four rounds in the super middleweight division.

Natal Wins Exciting Majority Decision over Womack!

(Photos by Juan Marshall)

In one of the more competitive bouts of the year,  "Mr. Hollywood" Charlie Natal won a very close and exciting four-round majority decision over Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr.  This was a great bout that really could have gone either way.  Natal had a tough time at first with Womack's height.  However, midway through the contest, Natal landed some brutal shots that Womack took pretty well.

Womack returned the favor in the final round and landed some vicious uppercuts that Natal somehow managed to absorb.  Womack may have waited a bit too long to rally in this one.  Dave Braslow saw the draw at 38-38.  Kenny Chevalier saw the contest 39-38 while John Gradowski scored it 39-37.

Natal, fighting out of Fort Washington, MD, is now 2-0-1.  Womack drops to 4-2, two KO's.

Coming up, Demond "D Best At It" Nicholson of Laurel, MD in a four-round contest against the debuting Brandon Priest of West Dundee, IL.  By the way, I said this was a late-arriving crowd.  Well, they are all here in abundance as this place got packed real quickly!

Dezurn Earns Stoppage in First Round!

Glenn Dezurn, Jr. stops Carlos Alcala in the first round.  Alcala was never knocked down but Dezurn battered Alcala relentlessly until referee Dave Braslow brought Dezurn over to the ringside physician who looked at Alcala's left eye.  Dr. John Stiller couldn't stop the blood pouring into Alcala's eye and the bout was stopped at 2:05 of the first.

(Photos by Juan Marshall)

Dezurn gets his first pro TKO and is now 2-0, one KO.  Alcala is now 0-3 and all of his losses have come against Beltway Boxers -- Kevin Rivers, Jr., Marcus Bates and now Dezurn.

Next up -- Charlie Natal -- the cousin of Dusty Hernandez Harrison to face off against Baltimore's Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr.  Four rounds in the junior welterweight division.

Hinds Wins Majority Decision Over Walker!

(Photo by Juan Marshall)

Hugh "The Quiet Storm" Hinds has won a four-round majority decision over Deandre Walker.  Very competitive yet awkward contest.  Hinds did land the majority of the telling blows but Walker never quit and tried hard to brawl with Hinds.

Judge John Gradowski saw the draw at 38-38 while judges Kenny Chevalier and Dave Braslow scored the bout for Hinds, 39-37 and 40-36 respectively.  Hinds wins his first pro contest and he is now 1-2.  Walker is still winless at 0-2.

Next Glenn Dezurn, Jr. of Baltimore in a four-round featherweight bout against Carlos Alcala in Hillside, IL.

Hinds-Walker Gets Things Underway at Rosecroft!

An all-Beltway matchup will kick things off here at Rosecroft Raceway.  DC's Hugh Hinds will take on Deandre Walker from Seat Pleasant, MD in a four-round lightweight bout.  Both men are seeking their first win -- Hinds is 0-2 and Walker is 0-1.

Good Evening From Rosecroft!

Hi again, everyone from Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD for the Keystone Boxing card.  We will be getting underway in a few minutes. 

So far, a sparse crowd for this card but it could be a late-arriving crowd.  A special guest in the crowd tonight is Beltway Boxing legend and 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist "Boxing" Andrew Maynard.  Maynard is here for an awards event that will take place here at Rosecroft on Saturday.

Handling the ring announcing duties tonight is Shawn Parker who is best known for working the Jeter Promotions amateur cards at Club One.  We send our best wishes to Henry "Discombobulating" Jones who is recovering from recent knee surgery.

We'll be back when things get underway.

Jackson Drops Decision in Second Round of World Championships in Kazakhstan!

DC flyweight Malik Jackson has lost his second-round bout at the 2013 Elite Men's World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan today.  Jackson dropped a 3-0 decision to the reigning world flyweight champion and number one-ranked fighter in the world, Andrew Selby of Wales.

Jackson is slated to compete in the US Grand Prix Invitational tournament at the Washington Convention Center in DC December 11-14.

Davis, Trussell Nab Knockout Victories in Bethlehem, PA!

Two Baltimore Boxers scored knockouts on a card at the Steel Stacks Arts Quest Center in Bethlehem, PA tonight.

Undefeated featherweight Gervonta "Rambo" Davis scored a fourth-round TKO over Eric Jamar Goodall of Las Vegas, NV.  Davis dropped Goodall in the third round and stopped him in the fourth at 1:55.

Davis is now 5-0, four KO's.  Goodall is 1-2.

Middleweight Jeremy Trussell notched his second straight first-round stoppage, knocking out Chorles Parker of Wilson, NC at 2:05 of the round.  Trussell dropped Parker twice en route to the win.  Trussell remains undefeated at 4-0, three KO's.  Parker falls to 1-2, one KO.

 The bout that was scheduled to feature DC's Jerrell Harris was a late scratch.

Weights From Rosecroft!

Here's the scale watch for the Keystone Boxing card on Friday, October 18 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD:

Mike Reed 140 1/2 vs. Randy Fuentes 141 1/2

Jarrett Hurd 153 1/2 vs. Frank Gedeon 152 1/2

Josh Elkins 164 1/2 vs. Jamal Davis 160

Demond Nicholson 161 1/2 vs. Brandon Priest 160 1/2

Charles Natal 144 1/2 vs. Kevin Womack, Jr. 146 1/2

Glenn Dezurn 122 vs. Carlos Alcala 122

DeAndre Walker 134 vs. Hugh Hinds 131 1/2

We'll be live blogging from Rosecroft about 7:30 on Friday night.

Beltway Boxers Compete in PA in Next Two Weeks; Wade Has Opponent for October 26 in AC; World Golden Gloves Teams Set in Waldorf!

There is a lot going on in the area that we just need to put into one large post as we head into a busy next few weeks.

A number of Beltway rookies are involved on a card at the Steel Stacks Arts Quest Center in Bethlehem, PA tonight.  Baltimore middleweight Jeremy Trussell (3-0, two KO's) will take on Chorles Parker of Wilson, NC (1-1, one KO) in a four-round contest.

After having numerous bouts fall out on him earlier this year, Trussell has been a busy man as this is his fourth bout in three months.  Trussell is coming off a first-round TKO over Brian Meadows on September 28 at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore. Parker bounced back from suffering a devastating first-round knockout loss to Patrick Coye in his pro debut on May 18 in DC by scoring a second-round TKO over Robert Marsden on September 21 in Winston-Salem, NC.

DC welterweight Jerrell "Hell-Rell" Harris is also scheduled for this card as he will battle Nasser Abdel Malik of Cary, NC in a four-round contest.  Harris (2-0, two KO's) scored a second-round TKO over Anthony Ashe on August 24 in Wilson, NC.  Malik (1-1, one KO) has not fought since November of 2012 when he was stopped in the second round by Gilbert Alex Sanchez in Millville, NJ.

There are reports that Baltimore featherweight Gervonta "Rambo" Davis (4-0, four KO's) was also slated to be on this card.  However, there was no opponent listed for him.

On Friday, October 25 at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, PA, two locals will compete.  In the co-feature on  the card, Windsor Mill, MD middleweight "Relentless" Julius Kennedy, will take on Denis "Momma's Boy" Douglin of Marlboro, NJ in a six-round encounter.  Both boxers could really use a win.  Kennedy (7-6-1, three KO's) has lost four straight and is winless in his last seven (0-5-1, one NC) since 2010.  Douglin (14-3, eight KO's) has lost two straight and three of his last five over the last three years.

Also on this card, Manassas, VA middleweight Nycholas Ellerbe looks for his first win as he faces Carlos Lopez of New York City, who is also 0-1.

DC super middleweight Dominic Wade has an opponent for his Saturday, October 26 eight-round bout at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.  Wade (12-0, nine KO's) will take on "Sugar" Roberto Ventura of Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico (12-7, 12 KO's). The bout actually may be fought closer to the middleweight limit of 160 pounds.

Ventura's career seems to go in streaks -- he won his first five pro bouts, then lost six in a row, then won six straight before going 1-1 in his last two.  Only two of Ventura's 19 pro bouts have been in the United States and Ventura lost both of those contests.

We talked to Wade after a recent workout.  Here's the interview:



In local amateur news, the teams for the World Golden Gloves on Friday and Saturday, October 25-26 at the Waldorf Jaycees in Waldorf, MD have been set.  We will bring you the list of the names for the teams from the United States, Mexico, Ireland and Puerto Rico later today.  However, we can tell you that four Beltway amateurs will be on Team USA for this event including both National Golden Gloves champions -- the "Golden Boy" of the National Golden Gloves, Gary Antonio Russell (123 Pounds) and Lamont Roach, Jr. (132 pounds).

Also, Lawrence Singh (114 pounds) of Riverdale, MD will be on the US team along with Marquis Moore who returns to the area.  Moore, a native of Fort Washington, MD,  is in the US Army and is stationed at Fort Carson, CO.  Moore won the Golden Gloves in 2013 at 165 pounds, representing the Colorado-New Mexico region.

Crawford Training and Fitness Gets Local Publicity!

It's always nice when our trainers and coaches get some much needed publicity in the mainstream media.  Recently, the Baltimore Sun did a story on Robert Crawford's Training and Fitness gym located on the ground floor of the Laurel Boys and Girls Club in Laurel, MD.

The two entities put together a "Boxing in the Park" event on October 12 that was very successful.  Here is David Driver's story on the event.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/laurel/ph-ll-boxing-in-park-1017-20131014,0,5169030.story

Jackson Wins Opening Bout By Stoppage at Elite Men's World Championships!

   (photo courtesy of USA Boxing)
 
DC flyweight Malik Jackson won his opening bout at the Elite Men's World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan on Monday.  Jackson scored a second-round TKO over Vilvando Rodrigues of Angola.  The bout was stopped at 1:07 of the round.  The contest was also the very first bout of the competition.

Jackson advances to the second round where he will face reigning world champion and the top-ranked flyweight in the world, Andrew Selby of Wales.  That bout will take place on Friday.

Gary Russell, Jr. Named Mandatory WBO Featherweight Title Challenger!

Undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. has been named the number one challenger for the WBO Featherweight title and is expected to battle for the belt sometime in the next 180 days.

Russell (23-0, 13 KO's) was only recently informed of this development. “On October 9th, my team received written confirmation from the WBO that I am the mandatory challenger for their featherweight world title,” Russell said in a press release. “I’m ready for my first world title fight and cannot wait for the fight to get made.”

Russell has fought twice in 2013, winning 10-round unanimous decisions over Juan Ruiz and Vyacheslav Gusev.  Russell has been the number two challenger since March.  Orlando Salido won the vacant WBO Featherweight championship with a seventh-round TKO over Orlando Cruz on October 12 in Las Vegas.

Wade Returns October 26 in Atlantic City!

Undefeated DC super middleweight Dominic Wade will return to action on Saturday, October 26 in an eight-round contest at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.

Wade (12-0, nine KO's) will compete on the undercard of Bernard Hopkins-Karo Murat and it will be his first bout under the management of Al Haymon.  Wade last fought on the Lamont  Peterson-Kendall Holt card at the DC Armory on February 22 and scored a second-round TKO over Marcus Brooks.

Bradley Defeats Marquez

Photo Courtesy of RingTV.Com

By Randy De La O

Juan Manuel Marquez...

There is something that looms in a great fighter's horizon. It is something called Karma. If you fight long enough you will eventually run headlong into it. It is unavoidable if you fight past the expiration date. Karma is a bitch!

Whatever is meted out during a great and long career is eventually meted out to you in return, in boxing and in life. Boxing is a great sport and when you make a decision to be a fighter, you do so knowing full well, that at some point you may be humbled, hurt or worse. It's a built in part of the sport. Most are in denial of this but in the quiet times you can be keenly aware of this.

Karma came to cash in her chips with Juan Manuel Marquez last night. For Marquez it was one fight too many. Like almost every other fighter before him, he wanted more.

Is it time for Marquez to retire? Well. that's his decision not mine but if he had asked me (I don't know why he didn't) I would have told him "You just had one of the greatest knockouts in boxing history against the man most think is the pound for pound king. You got your justice, hang'em up"!

No, he wanted one more title belt around his waist. Maybe if I was good enough I would have done the same, who knows? The fact remains, there comes a time when you just can't pull the trigger anymore.

Tim Bradley...

He was right about one thing. it is his time. Floyd Mayweather better not stop to look over his shoulder because someone is gaining on him. Bradley fought a very good fight last night, a very smart fight. It was a great performance in a good fight. He's making his case for his pound for pound ranking. Congratulations to Tim Bradley on his victory.

Timothy Bradley vs Juan Manuel Marquez: Weathering the Storm

By Randy De La O

If any fighter in recent years has shown the propensity for endurance, stamina and an indomitable will, it is Juan Manuel Marquez. Not only for his endurance in a fight but in his career as well. Fighting in the shadows of his countrymen, the great Mexican Warriors, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales and certainly in the shadow of Manny Pacquiao, who has been one of two fighters in the world – the other being Floyd Maywether – that has ruled the pound for pound rankings in boxing for the last decade or so (Marquez lost a 12 round unanimous decision to Mayweather in 2009). It has been particularly galling to Marquez (and his fans) because Marquez believes he was the winner in the first three fights. I am not going to take up that argument today. Its enough to say that win lose or draw, the fights were razor thin between them. That came to an end last December when Marquez widened that gap to the size of the Grand Canyon by knocking out Pacquiao in the 6th round in what has to be considered one of boxing's greatest KO.

Bradley has also shown the ability to endure. He took Manny Pacqiauo's welterweight title in a highly controversial split decision. Though no fault of his own, it was a decision that has had a negative affect on his career, at least in popularity. He has handled that well. Whether you believe he won or lost is immaterial here. What matters going into this fight is that he can survive and belongs with, the best in the welterweight division. That much we know.

In his last fight earlier this year, Bradley put an exclamation point on that matter, by fighting what may very well be the fight of the year, when he took on Ruslan Provodnikov. It's enough to say that he won that battle through sheer will. If his heart was ever in question, it was answered that night.

So, going into this fight, we have two good men; one man younger, at his physical peak and with a big future in front of him should he win. The other, older and certainly much more battle worn and tested, who brings with him the experience that comes with a long and great career. He has proven his doubters wrong before but at forty years of age we just never know when the years will come back to haunt him.

Who will weather the storm?

Whether he wins or loses, he is nearing the end of a great career. Marquez is a shoo in for the Hall of Fame. Watch this fight, and watch Marquez, His career has been marked by his ability to endure and to never stop looking for a way to win. That has become his hallmark. It will be a while before we see his like again.

Timothy Bradley will defend his WBO Welterweight title tonight against Juan Manuel Marquez  at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight will be shown on HBO PPV.

It's no secret to anyone that knows me that I will be pulling for Marquez to win this fight. That said, as a fan of the greatest sport in the world, I say this with absolute sincerity, “Let the best man win!”.

October 25 Card Switches Virginia Venues!

The GH3 Promotions card scheduled for Friday, October 25 has had a change of venue.  Originally, the card was slated to be at the Charles Houston Recreation Center in Alexandria, VA.  The card will now be held at the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA.

This will be a quick return of boxing to the ABC Sports Arena, which hosted a card on October 5.  Scheduled to appear on this card are Beltway Boxers "The King's Son" Jerry Odom, Gervonta "Rambo" Davis, Cecil McCalla and Glen Dezurn. 

Antoine Douglas was slated to headline the card but the cut along the left eye he suffered on the October 5 card will prohibit him from competing on this card.

Also scheduled to participate on this card are undefeated Norfolk, VA heavyweight Dorsett Barnwell as well as New Jersey boxers "Paterson Boy" Rickey Edwards and "Apollo Kidd" John Thompson.

GH3 Promotions is the group from New Jersey that has signed a number of Beltway Boxers to promotional contracts including Odom, Douglas and Kelly.  The matchmaker for this card is a local guy that has done well for himself throughout the boxing world in Eric Bottjer.  Bottjer cut his teeth in boxing in the Beltway region doing similar work to what this blog is about -- no computers when we started this.  Bottjer eventually moved on to matchmaking where he has worked with some of the great promoters in the game including Don King.

We'll have more details on this card when they become available.

'Doo Man' Farmer Added to November 15 Card in Westminster!

Front Royal, VA junior welterweight Andrew "The Doo Man" Farmer has been added to the Maryland Boxing Club Promotions card on Friday, November 15 at the Carroll County AG Center in Westminster, MD.

Farmer (17-2, seven KO's) returned to action after an 18-month absence on August 2 and won a six-round split decision over Hector Marengo in Newark, DE.  No word yet on Farmer's opponent.

Jackson, Crews to Compete in International Boxing Competition This Month!

Two well-decorated Beltway amateurs will be competing in international bouts in parts of what was once known as the Soviet Union beginning next week.

DC flyweight Malik Jackson will be a member of the US Team that will be in Almaty, Kazakhstan for the 2013 AIBA Elite Men's World Championships that will begin on Monday, October 14.  This event will be contested under the new AIBA rules.  The boxers will compete without headgear and the scoring will be under the 10-point must system.

Baltimore middleweight Franchon Crews will be in nearby St. Petersburg, Russia as part of the US squad that will be participating in the SportAccord World Combat Games which will get underway on Friday, October 18.  Crews will be part of an eight-member co-ed US team and Crews, along with her female teammates, Olympians Marlen Esparza and Queen Underwood, will possess the bulk of international experience on the team.

The World Combat Games are an interesting concept.  There will will be a total of 15 martial and combat sports represented at the event that is slated to bring in more than 1300 athletes from around the world.

Keely Thompson Receives 30-Month Prison Sentence!

Former Beltway Boxer Keely Thompson received a 30-month prison sentence today in U.S. District Court for siphoning off more than $200,000 in grant money to pay for gambling, concert tickets and other personal expenses.

Thompson pleaded guilty to a federal charge of wire fraud in June, admitting he had taken $105,000 in grant money that was intended for his boxing and youth center and used the money to gamble in Atlantic City and on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship.

The 2 1/2-year sentence is part of a plea agreement that drops similar charges against Thompson's wife, Bianca, who was the deputy director of the boxing and youth center.

The Washington Post quotes Thompson's attorney, Troy W. Poole, as saying prosecutors should have recommended a lesser sentence because his client provided information that led to a separate investigation of a D.C. council member.

But prosecutors countered by saying Thompson’s allegations that he had given the council member $50,000 in bribes in exchange for grant money never checked out. They portrayed Thompson as an unreliable source who gave conflicting accounts in interviews with investigators.

According to the Post, Thompson’s center received more than $1.4 million in city grants from 2004 to 2009.  The money came from the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corp., the office of the deputy mayor for planning and economic development, and the D.C. Council.

The council member was not named in the courtroom, but after the hearing, Thompson identified him as Ward One councilmember Jim Graham.  Thompson's Boxing and Youth Center was located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, which is in Graham's ward.

“That’s a lie,” Graham told the Post when asked Wednesday about Thompson’s claims. “I never received one dollar from Keely. I can’t speak for other members of the council, but I know I was the one who blew the whistle on Keely Thompson.”

Thompson was a pro from 1983-1998 and had a record of 17-9-2, 12 KO's.  Thompson captured the IBC Lightweight championship with a 12-round split decision over Kent Hardee in DC on September 8, 1990.

For more of the Post's story, here is the link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/former-professional-dc-boxer-keely-thompson-to-be-sentenced-in-wire-fraud-case/2013/10/08/95c843ee-305a-11e3-8906-3daa2bcde110_story.html

'TNT' Tucker Returns To Action November 15 in Westminster, MD!

          (Photo by Phil Grout)

One of the budding franchise boxers of the Beltway region makes his return to the sport on Friday, November 15 at the Carroll County AG Center in Westminster, MD.  Former NABO Youth and USBO Light Heavyweight champion Mark "TNT" Tucker of Eldersburg, MD will battle for the first time in more than two years.

Tucker (15-1, seven KO's) returns after suffering his only pro loss in an eight-round unanimous decision to Larry Pryor on March 12, 2011 at the George Mason University Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.  After that bout, Tucker left the sport to deal with personal injuries, an illness to his father and a tragedy involving his brother.  All of those situations worked out in a positive manner as both father and brother are doing well.  Tucker returns to the arena -- once known as the Shipley Arena -- where he drew great crowds in his six appearances there.

The AG Center is located on 706 Agriculture Drive in Westminster, MD.  The event, which will be a pro-am card, will begin at 8 PM.  More information on this card as it comes in.

Club One Hosts Amateur Boxing November 2!

Club One Fitness and Jeter Promotions will have an evening of amateur boxing on Saturday, November 2 at Club One located at 1131 Benfield Boulevard, Suites M-Q in Millersville, MD.

Scheduled to appear on the card are a host of Club One boxers led by Andre Harris and Amelia Moore.
 Tickets are $35 and you can call 410-729-3900 for more information.

Washington DC Hosts US Grand Prix Amateur Tournament December 11-14!

Beltway Boxing 2013 will conclude with one of the biggest amateur tournaments Washington, DC has ever held.  The US Grand Prix Invitational will take place on December 11-14 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.  USA Boxing will host the tournament in association with Events DC and Destination DC.

Elite male and female boxers from around the globe are slated to participate in the event including three squads of participants from the United States.  Eight teams made up of 10 male and 10 female boxers will participate in this competition.  This will be the first major international amateur boxing event held in the US since the 2007 World Championships in Chicago, IL.  The event will also be the first time that a global boxing tournament featuring male AND female elite boxers will be held on American soil.

No official word on who will represent the US, however, DC's own national flyweight champion Malik Jackson is slated to participate.  The full roster of US boxers and the entire list of visiting nations will be announced in the coming weeks, along with ticket prices and where to purchase tickets.  We will keep you posted.

Boxing Returns To Rosecroft October 18!

After a highly-respected card on September 7, Keystone Boxing Promotions quickly returns with another card on Friday, October 18 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.  Boxing will now be on Friday nights because Rosecroft has started its live harness racing season.

Headlining the card will be undefeated Waldorf, MD junior welterweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed coming off his sterling sixth-round knockout victory over Rameses Gil on the September 7 card.

Reed (5-0, four KO's) is not resting on his laurels as he will face fellow undefeated boxer Randy Fuentes of McAllen, TX in a six-round bout.  Fuentes (4-0-1) hasn't fought since September 29 of 2012 when he won a six-round split decision over Fernando Mata in Tamaulipas, Mexico.

In the co-feature, undefeated Accokeek, MD junior middleweight "Swift" Jarrett Hurd will also face an undefeated competitor when he battles Frank Gedeon of West Palm Beach, FL in another six-round contest.

Hurd (8-0, five KO's) last fought on August 10 and scored a third-round TKO over Issa Coulibaly at the Washington Convention Center.  Gedeon (4-0-2, three KO's) is coming off back-to-back draws in April and June of 2012.

Also on the card, Laurel, MD super middleweight Demond Nicholson will take on the debuting Brandon Priest of Chicago, IL in a four-round encounter.  Nicholson (2-0, two KO's) scored a first-round TKO over Teron Walker on the August 10 DC card.

Baltimore, MD featherweight Glen Dezurn returns to action on this card and will take on Carlos Alcala of Hillside, IL.  Dezurn (1-0) made his pro debut on July 20 in Baltimore and won a four-round unanimous decision over Marquise Pierce.  Alcala (0-2) fights for the third time in the Beltway region after losing by TKO to Marcus Bates and Kevin Rivers, Jr. in his last two contests.

Waldorf, MD middleweight "The Karate Kid" Josh Elkins makes his pro debut on this card as he faces Jamaal Davis of Lynchburg, VA.  Elkins, a graduate of Thomas Stone High School in Waldorf has been a boxing training partner of fellow Thomas Stone graduate Dusty Hernandez Harrison.  Elkins is also very proficient in a number of martial arts.  Davis (0-2) last fought on June 15 in DC and was stopped in the first round by David Grayton.

In an all-DC featherweight contest, Hugh Hinds (0-2) will face Deandre Walker (0-1).  Hinds recently returned to action after a four-year absence and lost by third-round TKO to Nuwan Jayakody on April 20 in Salisbury, MD.  Walker fights for the first time since December of 2011 when he lost his pro debut to Rolando Chinea in York, PA.

Also returning to action is Baltimore junior welterweight Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. who will face Charles Natal of Cleveland, OH.  Womack (4-1, two KO's) battles for the first time since suffering his first loss to Edwin Soto on June 30, 2012 in Middletown, CT.  Natal (1-0-1) fought Damon Antoine on the May 18 card at the UDC Physical Activities Center in DC. However, the bout was called off after the lights went out in the building during the contest.

Beltway Brings Back Four Titles From PAL Tournament!

Four Beltway amateurs returned from the National PAL Tournament in Oxnard, CA with championship belts this weekend.

Tiara Brown captured the 125 pound Elite Women's title.  Brown's Headbangers teammate Kareem Martin won the title in the 152 pound Youth championship.

Troy Isley of the Alexandria Boxing Club won the championship in the Junior 132 Pound Division.  Stacey Selby of Langdon Boxing won the championship in the 85 Pound P-BAT division.  Coaches from No Xcuse Boxing worked with Selby during the tournament.

People have asked whether National Golden Gloves and USA National champion Gary Antonio Russell participated in the PAL's this year.  The answer is no as Russell was nursing a foot injury.

Post-Fight Wrap-Up From Springfield!

Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up show from the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA.  Todd Wilson is our guest.

Wilson Wins Unanimous Decision!

Todd Wilson wins a four-round unanimous decision over Reggie Nash.  Not the prettiest bout you will see as there were some head clashes throughout.  Wilson dropped Nash with a right in the second round and wasn't really challenged the rest of the way.  The scores were 40-35 across the board.

Wilson is now 15-0, four KO's while Nash falls to 10-34-1, two KO's. 

Post-fight coming up.  For now, good night from Springfield!

(Photo by Juan Marshall)

Douglas Wins Six-Round Unanimous Decision!

Antoine Douglas has won by six-round unanimous decision over a very game Marcus Brooks in our middleweight co-feature. 

Douglas landed some hard shots in the first two rounds.  However, Brooks seemed to take them very well.  In the third round, Douglas caught Brooks with a right hand that sent him to the canvas.  Brooks got up at six.

From there, Douglas went on to win rather easily with scores of 60-53 across the board.

Douglas is now 10-0, six KO's.  Brooks is 7-16, three KO's.

Main event is next:  Todd "White Lightning" Wilson of Alexandria, VA in a four-round welterweight bout against Reggie "Two-Gun" Nash of Grand Rapids, MI.

(Photos by Juan Marshall)

Torres Wins in Two!

Edgar Torres remains undefeated with a second round TKO of the debuting Greg Thomas. 

Torres never knocked Thomas down but battered him with solid body and head shots until referee Billy Johnson said that was enough.  The bout was stopped at 47 seconds of the second round. 

Torres is now 4-0-1, three KO's. 

Next, Antoine "Action" Douglas of Burke, VA battles Marcus "The Gatekeeper" Brooks of Fort Benning, GA. 

(Photos by Juan Marshall)

Shidaev Scores Third-Round TKO!

Welterweight Sukhrab Shidaev of Hollywood, CA has stopped Kevin Carter of Winston-Salem, NC at 38 seconds of the third round in the opening pro contest tonight in Springfield.

After a slow start, Shidaev, a native of Grozny, Russia who trains at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym, unleashed a quick right-left combo in the second round that dropped Carter.  Shidaev would drop Carter again later in the round but would last to the end.

Early in the third, Carter took another hard combo that forced referee Fred Corritone to stop the contest.

Shidaev remains perfect at 5-0, five KO's.  Carter is now 11-69-1, three KO's.

Up next, the return of Springfield welterweight Edgar "The Tiger" Torres against the debuting Greg Thomas of Philadelphia, PA.

(Photos by Juan Marshall)

Good Evening From Springfield!

Good evening from the ABC Sports Arena in Springfield, VA.  I will tell you folks, this will be a very strange and it could be a rather quick night.

Let's talk first about what we have going on.  The ring announcer for the card will not be Discombobulating Jones.  It will not be Terrence "TNT" Crawford, who worked the Hardwork Promotions card for Jones, who is scheduled to have knee surgery soon.  It won't even be me.

The ring announcer will be noted boxing writer Jack Obermayer, who is a long time friend of promoter Han Kim.

There is one amateur bout on the card -- Blain Donker of Upper Marlboro, MD will take on Lorenzo Hembry of Herndon, VA.

As far as the pro portion is concerned, one bout has been scratched.  We will not see the pro debut of Herndon, VA's Shawn Carter.  No reason was given why the bout was called off.

So, we will have just four bouts on the card tonight, beginning with Hollywood, CA's Sukhrab Shidaev taking on veteran Kevin Carter of Winston Salem, NC.

Klitschko vs Povetkin

AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev

Today, I had the absolute displeasure of watching, perhaps the worst, and certainly, at least in recent years, the most boring fight in the heavyweight division. I was kind of feeling lately that maybe I wasn't really giving Klitscho (either one, who cares) enough credit. Maybe I was looking through skewed eyes, after so many years of great American heavyweight champions. Maybe I was biased.I'm going to give this guy a chance.

Then the fight between Klitscho and Provetkin began and in no time at all, I thought to myself, "No, no, you were right". The brothers just happen to be fighting trough the luckiest period in heavyweight history. That is the long and short of it.

That they are the best of their era is not in dispute. That they are all time greats capable of beating any of the great heavyweights of boxing's past is. They are not even in the same league. They are the best in what has to be considered the weakest era in heavyweight history.

The fight today? Jab, hold, and throw Provetkin to the floor. Next round: Jab, hold and throw Provetkin, Next round:jab, hold and throw Provetkin to the Floor, and on and on it went. Yes, Klitscho won the fight, he won every round in fact. He pitched a shutout but I was really hoping in the final round that he was going to get disqualified. How great would that have been? What it comes down to is "Does anyone really care.

That was my unbiased view!

Beltway Boxer Drawn Into USA Boxing - Mike Tyson Dispute!

A local boxer has been made an indirect part of a dispute between USA Boxing and hall of fame boxer and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.

Earlier this week, the president of USA Boxing, Dr. Charles Butler, published an open letter in which he accuses Tyson and his new promotional company, Iron Mike Promotions, of hindering the growth of the US Olympic Boxing program by attempting to sign some of the country's best young amateur talent to professional contracts. One boxer, presumably, Erickson Lubin, signed with Tyson's company at the age of 18.

Dr. Butler says in his letter, "Mike, an athlete who is just turning 18 is too young for the world of professional boxing.  The other promoters are not prematurely stalking our future Olympic stars at this time."

Tyson responded to Dr. Butler with his own open letter in which he not only talks about himself turning pro at 18, he mentions DC's own Dusty Hernandez Harrison, who turned pro at 17.


"You also state that 18 is too young to turn pro, yet you write this open letter to someone that has turned pro at 18 and has had a very successful professional boxing career," Tyson says in his letter.  "I still hold the record as the youngest heavyweight champion. Let’s not forget Wilfred Benitez who was the youngest champion of all times at 17. Currently there is a young fighter in the Washington DC area, Dusty Harrison, who turned pro at 17, is now 19 and undefeated in 17 professional fights. Harrison also attends a local college. Promoters, managers and trainers have always been in the recruiting business. This isn’t a new phenomenon. It’s an engagement that goes on in ALL professional sports."

When Harrison's camp heard about the Tyson mention, here was their response:

 “Dusty is honored by the compliment given to him by one of the most exciting and dynamic heavyweight Champions in history,” said Hernandez-Harrison’s promoter Jeff Fried of All-In Entertainment. "Dusty continues to maintain the focus, work ethic and sacrifice that is necessary to succeed to the highest level in any sport, and certainly in boxing. Dusty is passionate about learning and continuing to develop as a professional boxer."

Amateur Boxing Shows Abound on October 12!

The one weekend in October where there won't be any pro cards in the Beltway will be the weekend the amateur cards will take over.  There will be two amateur cards taking place on Saturday, October 12.

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there will be a card where the proceeds will go to knocking out this dreaded disease.  The card will take place at the Hagerstown Boxing Club, located at 245 Prospect Avenue in Hagerstown, MD and it will be an all-female event as the club is working with well-known female boxing promoter "The Fightlady" Wanda Bruce in putting on this event.  H-Town Fight Promotions will be the promoter of record.

The card is slated to begin at 1 PM and tickets are $15 for general admission and kids under 10 are five dollars.  Call 240-367-0600.

Over in Laurel, MD there will be an outdoor card at the Alice B. McCullough Field, located at 8th Street and Montgomery Street.  The card is being presented by Crawford Training and Fitness and the Laurel Boys and Girls Club.  The card will get underway at 3 PM and it is free to the public.

Just a reminder: the amateur card that was slated to take place in Baltimore on October 12 at Myers Pavilion has been postponed.

Boxing Coach 'Twin' Passes!

(Photo courtesy of Keystone Boxing)

Sad news to report.  One of the more enthusiastic boxing coaches I have ever had the pleasure to be around has passed away.  If you attended a Beltway amateur card over the last few years, you have heard the chant:

"NO XCUSE!  NO XCUSE!  NO XCUSE!"

That chant was led by the man everyone knew as "Twin."  We may continue to hear that chant at events but it will never be the same again.

The Beltway Boxing Community is mourning the passing of Harold "Twin" Jackson, who died on September 30.  Jackson was a coach at the No Xcuse Gym in Capitol Heights, MD.  Not everyone appreciated his enthusiasm but my personal belief is that it benefited the boxers at the club and made them feel special and it was not intended to put down anyone else.

From my brief conversations with Twin, I do know that he loved all the boxers in the area and when he would attend the pro shows especially, he wanted the best for all the boxers in the area. 

Twin helped make boxing very special for everyone along the Beltway and he will be truly missed!  BATB sends our deepest condolences to Twin's families -- his personal family and his No Xcuse family.

Tiara Brown Featured in Style Section of Post!

Interesting story  -- and story placement --  in the Washington Post concerning one of our Beltway amateurs. The Washington Post's Sarah Deming has a profile of amateur world champion Tiara Brown, who trains out of the Headbangers Gym in DC.

The story actually came out on Wednesday.  However, if you were looking for it in the Sports section of the Post, you weren't going to find it.  For some reason, the story landed in the Style section.  Ms. Deming has written a few articles in the Post about local boxers and they were in the sports section in the past.

Despite that, it is a great article about one of our local amateur champs.  Here's the link:

Tiara Brown's Fight for the Crown

Roberto Duran: Redemption and Legacy

By Randy De La O

Something I learned years ago, both as an old adage and as a life experience is that “To err is human”, and perhaps the best example of this is Roberto Duran's second fight with Sugar Ray Leonard, when he uttered the now infamous words “No Mas!”, literally translated “No More!”

Duran, at his peak, was the epitome of Latin Machismo. Unrelenting, primal and savage. His behavior inside and outside the ring was often times crude. He conceded nothing. Yet, the very second he spoke those words, all that he was, was no more. His career was thought to be over. He was expected to never fight again. For a time, it seemed the entire boxing world; fans, sports writers, contemporary boxers and everyone capable of expressing an opinion, turned their collective backs on Roberto Duran. Even trainer Ray Arcel turned his back on Duran, never again working the corner for Duran. No other fighter in boxing history, to my knowledge, had fallen so far. Even Mike Tyson's biting of Evander Holifield's ear pales by comparison.

We may never really know why Duran quit that night in New Orleans but the fact remains he did and it is beyond dispute. Maybe he needed a bowel movement, or maybe it was just complete frustration, or maybe it was something sinister. I don't know. No one does. Everything is just pure speculation.

What I do know, what I am absolutely certain of, is that Roberto Duran is no coward. This is the man who moved up to welterweight after a seven year reign, as perhaps the greatest lightweight champion that ever lived, to pursue the Welterweight title, beating west coast favorite former welterweight king, Carlos Palomino, and tough Monroe Brookes, before finally securing a title fight with Sugar Ray Leonard, and winning that fight. He had already proven himself countless times.

He would prove himself again, after the second fight with Leonard, but not before being humbled by Wilfredo Benitez and Kirkland Laing. The year immediately following his 1981 loss to Leonard was a dark time for Duran. For Duran 1981 and1982 was a short visit through hell.

After his back to back losses to Benitez and Laing Duran fought and beat Jimmy Batten. His next fight, in January of 1983, would be at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles against legendary puncher and former welterweight champ Pipino Cuevas. Duran stopped Cuevas in four and secured a fight with Junior middleweight champion Davey Moore, stopping Moore in eight rounds, and finding some redemption in the process. The world was ready to forgive and Duran was once again in the business of being Duran. Maybe not the same old Duran of the past, some of the fire was gone but it was enough to take Marvin Hagler, later that same year, to the 15th round and giving him an education in a close losing effort. Cuevas, Moore and Hagler in the same year. It just doesn't get any better than that.

In his next fight, he would be stopped by Tommy Hearns, in what has to be considered the most devastating loss of his career, he would have many more fights before winning the Middleweight title from Iran Barkley. The Barkley fight would be his last hurrah. He would have his last fight at the age of fifty, losing a 12 round unanimous decision against Hector Camacho.

Today boxers are fighting well into their thirties and forties but back in the day, the late twenties were considered old, or at least the beginning of old age for a fighter. That makes the later stages of Duran's career all the more remarkable. At that stage, with no catch weights (unheard of) Duran moved up and fought Carlos Palomino, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Iran Barkley and at an even later stage, Vinnie Pazienza (twice and Hector Camacho (twice).

Yes, quitting is a cardinal sin in boxing and Duran has paid the price. A sin is like a stain on a fine piece of furniture, it can't be rubbed out or sanded out, it cannot be erased, it will always be there. There are some that will see nothing but the stain regardless of the beauty of the furniture and there will be others that will see that fine piece of furniture for what it is, weathered, worn and with a fine patina to it. Hardened by the years Duran has worn that stain like a man.

When I think of Roberto Duran, I don't think about the man that quit in the 8th round of his fight with Sugar Ray Leonard. What I think about is a man who by one single act, destroyed his career and then found it in himself to rise up again, to persevere, shouldering the abandonment of friends and peers and even his country, to fight his way back to the top, stains and all. No fighter ever fell lower and no fighter ever climbed higher. That is his redemption and that is his legacy. Roberto Duran a quitter? You decide.

Springfield VA Card Coming Together!

The Saturday, October 5 Sugar Han Promotions card to be held at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield,VA is coming together.

Todd "White Lightning" Wilson will headline the card in his first contest as a welterweight when he faces veteran Reggie "Two-Gun" Nash of Grand Rapids, MI in a four-round contest.  Wilson (14-0, four KO's) is trying out the welterweight waters in this contest but there is no guarantee he will stay there. Nash (10-34-1, two KO's) will be looking to break a seven-bout losing streak.  Included in that streak was a first-round KO loss to Dusty Hernandez Harrison in July of 2012.

The co-feature will be a six-round middleweight contest featuring undefeated Antoine "Action" Douglas of Burke, VA against Marcus Brooks of Fort Benning, GA.  Douglas (9-0, six KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Edgar Perez on August 23 in Verona, NY.  Brooks (7-15, three KO's) lost a four-round unanimous decision to Antowyan Aikens on the same night in Dover, DE.

Springfield, VA junior welterweight Edgar "The Tiger" Torres returns to action for the first time since December of 2012 when he faces the debuting Greg Thomas of Philadelphia, PA.  Torres (3-0-1, two KO's) has not fought since winning a four-round majority decision over Tommy Ayers, Jr. on December 1 in Winchester, VA.

In a battle of debuting middleweights Shawn Carter of Springfield will take on Gamikey Woods of North Carolina.

Also on the card, undefeated Hollywood, CA welterweight Sukhrab Shidaev (4-0, four KO's) will battle Winston-Salem, NC's Kevin "Dog Pound" Carter (11-68-1, three KO's) in a six-round contest.  Shidaev, a native of Grozny, Russia, is coming off a third-round TKO over Robert Hill on July 6 in Leyton, UT.  Carter will be looking to break a 10-bout losing streak.

Undefeated Norfolk, VA heavyweight Dorsett Barnwell (10-0, five KO's) is also scheduled to be on the card against an opponent still to be determined.  Barnwell last fought on August 23 and won by third-round TKO over Marlon Hayes in Verona, NY.

DC heavyweight Danny Kelly was originally slated to be on the card but he will not participate.