Nicklow, Sigmon, Stevenson, Trussell Hit Scales in Lynchburg!

A number of Beltway Boxers weighed in for the Saturday, March 1 RBA Promotions/Club Toe-to-Toe Promotions card at the Boonsboro Ruritan Club in Lynchburg, VA.

Baltimore's Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow (24-3-3, eight KO's) and Lynchburg, VA's own Scott "Cujo" Sigmon (23-5, 12 KO's) both weighed 160 pounds for their 10-round rematch.

Also, James "Keep 'Em Sleepin'" Stevenson of Baltimore (20-0, 13 KO's) hit the scales at 147 pounds for his six-round contest against veteran Andre Baker of Lumberton, NC (10-39-2, two KO's).  Baker came in at 146 1/2.

Baltimore's Jeremy "The Truth" Trussell (7-0, five KO's) weighed in at 167 pounds for his four-rounder with the debuting Jeremy Boardwine of Lynchburg.  Boardwine, who has had a number of MMA bouts, came in at 170 1/2 and will have to lose a couple of pounds to get to the super middleweight limit of 168 for this contest.

Charles County Boxing Pros Profiled in Maryland Independent!

Popular Beltway Boxers Dusty Hernandez Harrison and Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed have a number of things in common: Young, undefeated and both graduated from high schools in Charles County, MD -- Harrison from Thomas Stone and Reed from Westlake.

They also share one other distinction: both boxers have bouts on Friday, March 7 and that fact adds to writer Tammy Showalter's recent profile of the two boxers for the Maryland Independent newspaper. Here is the link to the article:

http://www.somdnews.com/article/20140228/SPORTS/140229202/1046/thomas-stone-graduate-hernandez-harrison-westlake-graduate-reed-head&template=southernMaryland

Reed is headlining the Keystone Boxing card on March 7 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.  Keystone plans to show Harrison's ESPN2 bout from San Diego, CA at Rosecroft during the evening.

Brigade Boxing Championships at US Naval Academy February 28!

A long-standing tradition in the Beltway Boxing scene continues on Friday, February 28.  The 73rd annual Brigade Boxing Championships will take place at Alumni Hall on the campus of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.  The event is free and will begin at 7 PM.

Boxing is a required sport for all midshipmen to participate in as part of the Academy's physical education program.  The sport is also offered as a club sport at the academy.  The Brigade Boxing Championships will showcase the elite midshipmen boxers in 13 contests.  The event has a rich history.  In 1967, future Secretary of the Navy James Webb took on future Marine Corps Lt. Col., Oliver North in a welterweight contest.  Also, the event was featured in the 2006 movie, "Annapolis."  The best boxers from this event will go on to a regional competition to qualify for the National Collegiate Boxing Association Championships which will be held in Miami, FL in April.

If you attend the event, you can park at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium at Rowe Boulevard and Taylor Avenue.  Use the blue entrance and ride the free shuttle to Alumni Hall.  You can also park outside the gate and walk onto the Naval Academy.  However, you will need a picture ID to enter the gate.

Bout Sheet For Week Two of Washington Golden Gloves!

There will be more championships in the Junior Division, some potentially exciting contests in the Novice Division and an early beginning to the Open Division as the second week of competition for the Washington Golden Gloves takes place on Saturday, March 1 at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD.  Here is the sheet of scheduled bouts that will begin at 7:30 PM:

Junior Division:

10-11, 65 pounds: Ragahleak Bartee (unattached) vs. Reginald Ransom (Charm City)

10, 70 Pounds: Tyreek Williams (The Answer) vs. Quincey Williams (Unattached)

10-11, 75 pounds: Deric Davis (Old School) vs. Erick Acosta (Main Street)

10-11, 80 Pounds (CHAMPIONSHIP): Keesean Bagwell (Charm City) vs. Maximus Garland (Headbangers)

13-14, 100 Pounds (CHAMPIONSHIP): Mekhi Payne-Dey (Keystone) vs. Saquan Epps (Kenilworth)

12-13, 106 Pounds (CHAMPIONSHIP): Edwin Angel (The Answer) vs. Donte Baytop (UMAR)

14, 120 Pounds (CHAMPIONSHIP): Gregory Burton (Langdon) vs. Alexander Gonzalez (Club One)

15-16, 119 Pounds: Andres Garibay (Laurel) vs. Sergio Bolanos (Headbangers)

12-13, 125 Pounds (CHAMPIONSHIP): Michael Tymas (Langdon) vs. Nasheed Smith (Headbangers)

14, 130 Pounds: (CHAMPIONSHIP): Ameer Brown (The Answer) vs. Crisanto Lucio (Old School)

16, 125 Pounds (CHAMPIONSHIP): Hakeem Middleton (Limelite) vs. Nick Marchelli (Young Titans)

16, 141 Pounds (CHAMPIONSHIP): Aaron Grigsby (Club One) vs. Daniel Thompson (Enigma)

14-15, 150 Pounds: Deshawn Gladden (Dunlap AC) vs. Jasaye Stephens (Hagerstown)

15, 165 Pounds (CHAMPIONSHIP): Stephaun Hopps (Old School) vs. Michael Wilbar (Hagerstown)


Unopposed champions in the Junior Division:

10, 55 Pounds: Jordan Roach (No Xcuse)

14, 106 Pounds: Jordan Hunter (Keystone)

16, 106 Pounds: Isaiah Johnson (Dunlap AC)

15, 210+ Pounds: Otis Tillman (Hagerstown)



Novice Division:

123 Pounds: Dionte Lovelace (Headbangers) vs. Preston Gatling (Hillcrest)

141 Pounds: Hoang Pho (D-Block) vs. Siprano Zeledon (Headbangers)

141 Pounds: Donald Nalle (Headbangers) vs. Gregory Blankney (Dream Team)

152 Pounds: Yohanes Rezene (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Shynggyskhan Tazhibay (Raw Assassin)

152 Pounds: Derek Gibson (Down Under) vs. Josha Lee (UMAR)

152 Pounds: Andre Harris (Club One) vs. Avery Prince (LA Boxing)

165 Pounds: Jesse Singletary (D-Block) vs. Dayshawn Jones (UMAR)

165 Pounds: Antonio Pennix (First Class) vs. Reginald Smith (LA Boxing)



Open Division:

123 Pounds:  Corey Moore (Main Street) vs. Hector Soto (Down Under)

141 Pounds: Gary Antuanne Russell (Enigma) vs. Dionte Burts (Woodland)

165 Pounds: Maiwak Dagoot (Down Under) vs. Jason Bell (No Xcuse)

 

Vintage Ring Magazines

Jeri found these old Ring Magazines while we were out today making the rounds at the local antique stores. They were dirt cheap. I couldn't pass them up. There's some good reading here. All in good shape too.

Some things never change. Apparently they had the same complaint in the 1950's as in the new millennium.

Excerpt from the November 1956 Ring Magazine editorial.....

“Smart, cagey boxers seem to have become things of the past. Fighters today rely mainly on physical strength and endurance. They make no effort to “out-think” the opposition. Barring possibly Archie Moore and Ray Robinson, there are few mittsters now who know how to combine brain with brawn.”

Womack-Polischuk Rematch Added to March 7 Rosecroft Card!

The Keystone Boxing card on Friday, March 7 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD has a very nice addition to it -- a rematch to one of the more exciting bouts of 2013.

Local welterweights Kevin "The Scarecrow" Womack, Jr. of Baltimore, MD will face "The Baby-Faced Assassin" Yurii Polischuk of Lanham, MD in a six-round rematch of their spirited four-round draw of November 23 in Baltimore.

In the first bout at the Patapsco Arena, the two men had solid moments -- Womack landed very well to the body while Polischuk sent solid shots to the head.  The contest was an extremely even contest and, as we said then, it begged for a rematch which we will get on March 7.

Womack (4-3-1, two KO's) has fought one time since the last meeting with Polischuk, losing a four-round unanimous decision to Semajay Thomas on the Lamont Peterson-Dierry Jean undercard on January 25 at the DC Armory in Washington, DC.  Polischuk (2-1-1, one KO) has not fought since the Womack contest.

Unfortunately, one other All-Beltway contest slated for the March 7 card has been scrapped.  The bout between Zain Shah and George Armenta will not take place as Armenta will not be able to participate.  No official reason was given.

Nine Junior Division Champions Crowned on Opening Night of Washington Golden Gloves!

The 2014 Washington Golden Gloves kicked off tonight in front of a packed house at the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center in Palmer Park, MD.

Nine Junior Division boxers won championships on this opening night of competition and the night turned out to be a family affair.

Lonzo Malcolm of Keystone captured the first championship of the night earning the 8-9, 65 pound title with a win over Damari Philson of Langdon.  Later in the evening, Malcolm's older brother, Lawrence, defeated Lamont Tate of Kenilworth to win the 11, 85 Pound title.

Daylynn Jones of #11 Overcomers won the 11, 90 Pound championship with a win over Keith Bagwell of Charm City.  Jones's brother, Jordan, took the title at 11-12, 95 Pounds with a win over Kyron Curry of UMAR.

In other title bouts, UMAR's Ibrahim Robinson won the 12-13, 85 Pound title with a victory over Leon Jones of Langdon.  Kenilworth's Donell Williams defeated Stacey Selby of No Xcuse to win the 12, 90 Pound title.

Malik Warren (Charm City, 13, 90 Pounds)  Chamar Flowers (Headbangers, 13-14, 95 Pounds) and Hakeem Middleton (Limelite, 16, 125 Pounds) all won their titles via walkover.

Here are the results of the other Junior Division contests on Saturday:

10-11, 65 Pounds: Ragahleak Bartee (Unattached) over Cuttino Oliver (Upton)

10, 70 Pounds: Tyreek Williams (The Answer) over Michki Phillips (Keystone)

10-11, 75 Pounds:  Elijah Gilcrist (Unattached) over Muhammad Robinson (UMAR)

10-11, 80 Pounds:  Maximus Garland (Headbangers) RSC-2 over Santino Saunders (Hillcrest)

13-14, 100 Pounds: Mehki Payne-Dey (Keystone) over Keith Cooke (No Xcuse)

14-15, 113 Pounds: Jay Cromwell (Dream Team) over Siete Shuler (Langdon)

Kesean Bagwell (Charm City) won his bout in the 10-11, 80 Pound division by walkover.

Five bouts took place in the Novice Division Saturday night.  Here are the results.

141 Pounds: Delante Perkins (Cherry Lane) over Maurice Baggage (Tony's Gym)

152 Pounds: Andre Harris (Club One) over Deonte Stokes (First Class)

152 Pounds: Monyae Gregory (Upton) RSC-2 over Diante Simms (Tony's Gym)

152 Pounds: Alejandro Rodriguez (Mack Lewis) over Nicholas Lee (Laurel)

152 Pounds: Christopher Perkins (Woodland) over Kristopher Gatling (Hillcrest)

Also in the 152 Pound division, Yohanes Rezene (Sugar Ray Leonard), Shynggyskhan Tazhibay (Raw Assassin), Handal Munoz (Keystone) and Estebon Sanchez (D-Block) all won their bouts by walkover.

The tournament continues on Saturday, March 1 at 7:30 with the Open Division slated to get underway that night.

Bernard Hopkins Title Bout in DC Caps Packed Spring Beltway Boxing Schedule!

Our Post-Fight Wrap-Up cut off before we could announce some of the events slated for the spring Beltway Boxing schedule, so we are going to announce some of the cards here.

Normally, we post a schedule in chronological order. However, what is slated to happen at the end of the schedule is going to be big so it will get top billing.

What you may have heard or read is true.  The oldest man to ever hold a world championship -- 49-year-old Bernard "The Alien" Hopkins  -- will be coming to the DC Armory on Saturday, April 19 to try and become the oldest man to unify portions of a world title.  IBF Light Heavyweight champ Hopkins will face the WBA titleholder Beibut Shumenov of Kazakhstan in the 12-round main event on this card.

If you know anything about the career of Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KO's)  you know that a number of the big moments in his career took place in the Beltway region.  Hopkins made his first try at a world title on May 22, 1993 when he lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Roy  Jones, Jr. for the vacant IBF Middleweight title at RFK Stadium in the co-feature to Riddick Bowe-Jesse Ferguson.  On April 29, 1995, Hopkins would finally win his first title -- the IBF crown -- at the USAir Arena in Landover, MD, scoring a seventh-round TKO over Segundo Mercado in the co-feature to the title bout between Vincent Pettway and Simon Brown.

Hopkins would successfully defend the IBF title against four legendary Beltway Boxers -- Brown, Andrew Council, Keith Holmes and William Joppy -- during his career and also make a title defense in DC when he defeated Robert Allen on February 6, 1999 at the Washington Convention Center.

Hopkins told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael that he is looking forward to returning to the nation's capitol.

"When I was in Washington (on Jan. 25) promoting the Lamont Peterson (junior welterweight title) fight at the Armory, the people there showed me a lot of love and respect," Hopkins said. "I got mad respect for the fans there and they got mad respect for me in D.C. Fighting in D.C. is like fighting in Philly as far as I'm concerned. It will definitely be a Bernard Hopkins house and I will give them something to cheer about."

If speculation turns out to be true, April 19 may be a strong house for a local boxer as well.  There are rumors that there will be another title bout on this card.  Speculations run rampant that undefeated Capitol Heights, MD featherweight "Mr." Gary Russell, Jr. will be on the card and will challenge WBC Featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez for the title in the co-feature bout.  If this pans out, it will be the first time that Russell will compete in front of his home fans.  We'll keep you posted.

That is just part of what looks to be an outstanding Spring slate of Beltway Boxing.  Here is what the rest of the schedule looks like at this moment:

The Saturday, March 1 card slated to be in Millersville, MD at Club One Fitness is off. If you want to see some Beltway Boxers in action on that day, you can go to the Boonsboro Ruritan Club in Lynchburg, VA for the rematch between Jessie "The Beast" Nicklow and Scott "Cujo" Sigmon.  Nicklow won the first bout against Sigmon in March of 2010 via a 10-round unanimous decision in one of the trilogy of contests between Nicklow, Sigmon and Julius Kennedy that was named the Beltway Boxing Bout of the Year in 2010.

Also slated to be on that card are undefeated Baltimore Boxers James "Keep Em' Sleepin'" Stevenson and Jeremy "The Truth" Trussel.

We know already that there is a card on Saturday, March 7 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.  That Keystone Boxing card is set.  There was also scheduled to be a card on March 7 in DC co-promoted by Headbangers Promotions and Iron Mike (Tyson) Promotions.  That card has been postponed and is slated to take place on Friday, April 11 at the Washington Convention Center.  If that holds up, that means there will be two cards in DC in an eight-day period.

Northern Virginia is back in the mix as well as there will be a card at the ABC Sports Complex on Saturday, March 15 that is slated to feature Brandon Quarles and "The King's Son" Jerry Odom in separate bouts.

April may be a crazy month.  Not only do we have the two shows slated for DC, Maryland may have three shows on the docket, with two tentatively scheduled for the same night.  We are hearing that Hardwork Promotions may have a card on Saturday, April 12 at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore, MD.  Also, there are two cards slated for Friday, April 18.  Keystone Boxing has one at Rosecroft while the Maryland Boxing Club is slated to return to the Shipley Arena.  In the wake of the Mark Tucker loss Friday night, however, that could change.

BATB has also received word that there will be a card co-promoted by Jeter Promotions and RBA Promotions that will take place at the ABC Sports Complex in Arlington on Saturday, April 26.

Of course, running every week during this time will be the Washington Golden Gloves at Sugar Ray Leonard Center in Palmer Park and, by the end of April, the Waldorf Jaycees Center in Waldorf, MD.

That is just the local schedule.  We also have a number of boxers scheduled to compete around the country during this period.  We'll have that for you on Sunday.

Friday Out of Town Results: Whitlock Scores First-Round TKO; Neequaye Stopped in Second; Reeves Gets Draw; Ward KO'd in Three!

It was not only a tough night for locals at Westminster, MD Friday night (where only one Beltway Boxer -- Jeremy "The Truth" Trussell -- won his bout), it was a brutal night for locals in different locations around the country.

The only winner of the night was Cornelius "The Bodysnatcher" Whitlock of DC who needed just 35 seconds to stop Luis Hernandez of San Bernadino, CA at the Edgewater Casino in Laughlin, NV  According to reports, Whitlock landed a picture-perfect right hand that stiffened Hernandez.  Whitlock remains undefeated at 3-0-2, two KO's.  Hernandez is 2-7.

In one of the featured televised bouts on that card, DC lightweight "Unbelievable" Samuel Neequaye was stopped in the second round by Fernando Carcamo of Mexico in the first round of the Boxcino Lightweight Tournament.  Carcamo dropped Neequaye in the first round and finished the job at 1:58 of the second.  For Neequaye, it was his first pro loss and he is now 21-1, 15 KO's.  Carcamo is now 16-5, 13 KO's.

Meanwhile at Dover Downs Casino in Dover, DE, Baltimore cruiserweight Travis Reeves fought to a six-round majority draw against Kamarah Pasley of Philadelphia, PA.  According to noted boxing scribe Jack Obermayer, both men were very reluctant throughout most of the contest, however Reeves did have Pasley hurt in the fifth round.   Reeves did win one scorecard by a 58-56 score but two other judges scored the bout a draw at 57-57.

Reeves is now 3-2-1, one KO while Pasley is 6-6-2, two KO's.

At the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI, DC cruiserweight Andre Ward was stopped by Alvin "Iron Majik" Varmall, Jr. of LaPlace, LA in the third round.  As time wore down in the third, Varmall wobbled Ward with an overhand right and then followed up with a double left hook that sent Ward crashing to the canvas. The bout was stopped with one second remaining in the third round.

Ward's record falls to 1-2-4, one KO while Varmall is 2-0, two KO's.

Tucker Drops Majority Decision In Main Event!

Mark Tucker was outworked and outhustled en route to losing a 10-round majority decision to Paul Vasquez in our main event tonight in Westminster. 

Vasquez came forward repeatedly and pressured Tucker, putting him against the ropes.  Tucker suffered a cut along his right eye which made things even more difficult.

One judge saw a draw at 95-95 but that score was trumped by 97-93 and 96-94 scores.

Tucker loses for the second time in his career and he is now 16-2, seven KO's.  Vasquez breaks a two-bout losing streak and is now 10-4-1, three KO's.  Vasquez donated his entire purse (reportedly $5,000) to the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, MD.

Here is the Post-Fight Wrap-Up:

Scott Drops Six-Round Unanimous Decision!

Zakki Scott has suffered his first loss as a pro as he drops a six-round unanimous decision to Robert Alfonso.

Alfonso outgunned Scott throughout the bout and Scott had nothing of real significance coming back.  Two judges scored the bout a shutout, 60-54 while the third saw the bout a little closer at 58-56.

Scott drops to 4-1, one KO while Alfonso is now 4-0.

Main event is next:  Mark "TNT" Tucker battles Paul Vasquez.  10 rounds light heavyweights.

Chinea Stops Luna In Three!

Rolando Chinea had an easy time as he dominated Rafael Luna forcing a stoppage at 1:32 of the third round. 

Chinea was extremely dominant as he caused blood to fly from Luna's nose all over ringside.

Ringside physician Dr. John Stiller mercifully stopped the contest from ringside.

Chinea is now 6-0-1, three KO's while Luna falls to 3-6-3, one KO.

Intermission has come and gone and the co-feature is in the ring as undefeated heavyweights Zakki Scott takes on Cuban Robert "Cosito" Alfonso.  Six rounds.

Khytrov Stops Kennedy In Fifth!

Ievgen Khytrov has stopped Julius Kennedy at 2:29 of the fifth round.  Khytrov was very accurate throughout the contest as he battered Kennedy around the ring.  Kennedy, to his credit, tried to stay in the contest.  By the fifth round, however, Khytrov had done enough damage for referee Brent Bovell to stop the contest.

Khytrov is now 3-0, three KO's.  Kennedy drops to 7-8-1, three KO's.

We have late word that the pro debut of Seth Billups against Benjamin Olinga has been scratched.  No word was given for the cancellation.

In the ring, Rolando "Iron Man" Chinea takes on Raphael Luna.

Trussell Wins Split Decision Over Hackett!

Jeremy "The Truth" Trussell has won a six-round split decision over a game Greg "Hot-Shot".Hackett. 

Quite honestly, the bout looked like a lot of bouts where Hackett made things competitive while trying to survive.  However, Hackett did land enough to gain the nod on one scorecard, 57-56.

What probably gave Trussell the nod was scoring a knockdown in the final round as Trussell landed shots to the body and head and sat Hackett down against the ropes.  Referee Dave Braslow ruled it a knockdown. Trussell won by scores of 59-54 and 57-56.

Trussell remains undefeated at 7-0, five KO's.  Hackett drops to 2-15.

In the ring now:  "Relentless" Julius Kennedy faces Ievgen Khytrov.  Six rounds super middleweight.

Good Evening From Westminster!

Good Evening from the Shipley Arena on the grounds of the Carroll County AG Center in Westminster, MD.  Action is underway with the first bout of the evening as Jeremy Trussell of Baltimore battles Greg Hackett of Philadelphia, PA in a six-round super middleweight bout.

Beltway Boxers Tip Out of Town Scales in Nevada and Rhode Island!

Three Beltway Boxers weighed-in Thursday for bouts around the United States.

Two locals will be on tonight's card at the Edgewater Casino and Resort in Laughlin, NV.  Samuel Neequaye weighed in at 135 pounds for his six-round Boxcino Lightweight Tournament bout that will be shown on ESPN2.  Neequaye's opponent, Fernando Carcamo, hit the scales at 135 1/2.

On the non-televised undercard, junior welterweight Cornelius "The Bodysnatcher" Whitlock of Baltimore, MD (2-0-2, one KO) will take on Luis Hernandez of San Bernadino, CA (2-6, two KO's).  Whitlock weighed at 144 while Hernandez came in at 141.

Meanwhile at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, RI, DC cruiserweight Andre Ward (1-1-4, one KO) will take on Alvin "Iron Majik" Varmall, Jr. of LaPlace, LA (1-0, one KO) in a four-round contest.  Both men tipped the scales at 198.

Weights From Westminster!

Here is the scale watch for the Maryland Boxing Club card Friday Night at the Carroll County AG Center's Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD:

Mark Tucker 175 vs. Paul Vasquez 171

Zakki Scott 233 vs. Robert Alfonso 241

Seth Billups 138 vs. Benjamin Olinga 140 1/2

Ievgen Khytsov 164 vs. Julius Kennedy 164 1/2

Jeremy Trussell 167 vs. Greg Hackett 173 1/2

Rolando Chinea 135 vs. Raphael Luna 137



Tyrell Samuel, Demond Nicholson and Shaborn Ryals are no longer on this card.  No opponents could be found for them.

The matchup between Scott (4-0, one KO) and Alfonso (3-0) is a late addition to the card.  Alfonso (3-0) is a native of Havana, Cuba who boxes out of Orlando, FL and was a member of the 2008 Cuban Olympic Team.

Kudos to Paul Vasquez, who regularly donates his entire purse to a local children's hospital everywhere he boxes.  After his bout against Mark Tucker, Vasquez will make a $5,000 donation to the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore. Vazquez says he does this to encourage and inspire others to donate to children's health.

UPDATE:  Trussell weighed in for a second time and Hackett for the first time this morning at the Maryland State Athletic Commission offices.  The weights reflect the change in weights.

The card will get underway at 8 PM.  I will be working with the videotaping of the card, however, I will try to blog as frequently as I can.

Undefeated

Arturo Gatti

If you are a fight fan (shame on you if you're not!), you most likely have a favorite fighter, maybe several. But for a true dyed in the wool fight fan it isn't always about winning or losing. When I see an average fighter giving it his best shot against someone that is clearly a better fighter, my heart begins to cheer for him. A true fighter can be beat, but his spirit remains undefeated and unbowed. He (or she) will fight until he (or she) is knocked out, or the ref stops the fight. I will always support these types of fighters. These are the guys (and gals) that make up the bulk of boxing.

It's always easy to sit on the sidelines and see someone get beat, maybe even made to look amateurish but it takes more than most people possess to step into a ring and do battle with another man or woman.

It's that way in life too. Take that loss, shake it off and move on. Let your spirit remain undefeated!

Bout Sheet Announced For Opening Night of Washington Golden Gloves!

The 2014 Washington Golden Gloves Championship Tournament gets underway on Saturday, February 22 at the Sugar Ray Leonard Center located at 7707 Barlowe Road in Palmer Park, MD. The first bout is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM.  All seats are $20.

As usual, the tournament will get underway with the Junior and Novice Divisions.  Here is the scheduled bout sheet:

Junior Division:

8-9, 65 Pounds (Championship):  Damari Philson (Langdon) vs. Lonzo Malcolm (Keystone)

10-11, 65 Pounds: Ragahleak Bartee (unattached) vs. Cuttino Oliver (Upton)

10, 70 Pounds: Tyreek Williams (The Answer) vs. Michki Phillips (Keystone)

10-11, 75 Pounds: Muhammad Robinson (UMAR) vs. Elijah Gilcrist (unattached)

10-11, 80 Pounds: KeSean Bagwell (Charm City) vs.  Donald Ford (Kenilworth)

10-11, 80 Pounds: Maximus Garland (Headbangers) vs. Santino Saunders (Hillcrest)

11, 90 Pounds: Daylynn Jones (#11 Overcomers) vs. Keith Bagwell (Charm City)

11, 85 Pounds (Championship): Lawrence Malcolm (Keystone) vs. Lamont Tate (Kenilworth)

12-13, 85 Pounds (Championship):  Ibrahim Robinson (UMAR) vs. Leon Jones (Langdon)

12, 90 Pounds (Championship): Stacey Selby (No Xcuse) vs. Donell Williams (Kenilworth)

11-12, 95 Pounds (Championship): Jordan Jones (#11 Overcomers) vs. Kyron Curry (UMAR)

13,  90 Pounds (Championship): D'Angelo Thompson (Enigma) vs. Malik Warren (Charm City)

13-14, 95 Pounds (Championship): Chamar Flowers (Headbangers) vs. Cornell Gray (Kenilworth)

13-14, 100 Pounds: Mehki Payne-Dey (Keystone) vs. Keith Cooke (No Xcuse)

14-15, 113 Pounds: Siete Shuler (Langdon) vs. Jay Cromwell (Dream Team)

16, 125 Pounds: Korwan Keith (NOMIS) vs. Hakeem Middleton (LimeLite)

There are two unopposed champions in the Junior Division:

12, 80 Pounds: Khalil Phillips (Keystone)

14, 75 Pounds: Kevon Cooke (No Xcuse)


Novice Division:

141 Pounds: Maurice Baggage (Tony's Gym) vs. Delante Perkins (Cherry Lane)

152 Pounds: Andre Harris (Club One) vs. Deonte Stokes (First Class)

152 Pounds: Diante Simms (Tony's Gym) vs. Monyae Gregory (Upton)

152 Pounds: Blaine Donker (Sugar Ray Leonard) vs. Avery Prince (LA Boxing)

152 Pounds: Handal Munoz (Keystone) vs. Toure' Lake (Laurel)

152 Pounds: Gary Jones (Enigma) vs. Yohanes Rezene (Sugar Ray Leonard)

152 Pounds: Shynggyskhan Tazhibay (Raw Assassin) vs. Jalil Hunter (Headbangers)

152 Pounds: Nicholas Lee (Laurel) vs. Alejandro Rodriguez (Mack Lewis)

152 Pounds: Kristopher Gatling (Hillcrest) vs. Christopher Perkins (Woodland)

152 Pounds: Estebon Sanchez (D Block) vs. Jonathan Johnson (Young Titans)

Another Bout Added To February 21 Card in Westminster, MD!

Another bout has been added to the Maryland Boxing Club card on Friday, February 21 at the Carroll County AG Center's Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD. This one looks very interesting.

Brooklyn, NY middleweight "The Ukranian Lion" Ievgen Khytrov will take on Windsor Mill, MD's "Relentless" Julius Kennedy in a six-round contest.  Khytrov (2-0, two KO's) represented the Ukraine in the 2012 Summer Olympics and won the world championships in 2011.  Khytrov has not taken the conventional road as a young pro boxer -- his first bout was slated for eight rounds and the second contest was scheduled for six rounds.  Khytrov is trained by former world champion Buddy McGirt.

Kennedy (7-7-1, three KO's) is winless in his last eight contests including losses to Harry Joe Yorgey, Alantez Fox, Decarlo Perez and Denis Douglin.

Jeter Falls In Two Rounds In Denmark!

Tony "Mo Better" Jeter was knocked out in the second round tonight by undefeated Patrick Nielsen at the MusikTeatret in Albertslund, Denmark.

Nielsen dropped Jeter twice in the first round and got the stoppage at the 1:06 mark of round two.  Jeter falls to 16-4-1, 11 KO's while Nielsen's record rises to 22-0, 11 KO's.

Michael J. Wagner, MD Senator and Owner of Michael's Eighth Avenue, Passes at 72!

(photo by Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

Michael J. Wagner, a 20-year Maryland politician and the owner of the venue that housed one of the most successful boxing promotions in Beltway Boxing history, passed away from cancer on February 13.  Senator Wagner was 72 years old.

Sen. Wagner was a native of Baltimore and grew up in Anne Arundel County.  He was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1974 and served from 1975-1977. Mr. Wagner was selected by the Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee to fill a vacant Senate seat.  He served in the Senate from 1977-1979 and again from 1983-1994.

However, for local boxing fans, Sen. Wagner will be remembered as the owner of Michael's Eighth Avenue, the home of the legendary Ballroom Boxing promotion from 1995-2010.  Wagner's son, Scott, headed the promotion that had it's own television distribution network and local radio show.  Sen. Wagner also was a founder and president of the Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame.

Along with his son, Scott, survivors include Sen. Wagner's wife of 52 years, Carol and his other son, Mike, Jr. 

After just about every Ballroom Boxing card, I would go into Sen. Wagner's office -- he preferred to stay in the background and let Scott be the front man -- but you never met a warmer or nicer guy.  He always had a nice word for me and you could always see the pride in what Scott was doing. 

To Scott and the rest of the Wagner family, I send my deepest condolences.

Taylor Drops Unanimous Decision in New York!

Emanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor has lost a 10-round unanimous decision to undefeated Chris Algieri tonight at the Paramount Theater in Huntington, NY.

Taylor, much like his first loss to Prenice Brewer in November of 2011, got off to a very slow start in the contest.  Taylor seemed to do better in the middle rounds but could not pick up the pace any more and Algieri, who showed some very quick and accurate hands throughout the contest, coasted to the victory.

The judge's scorecards were 98-92 and 97-93 (twice).  Taylor's record drops to 17-2, 12 KO's.  Algieri is now 19-0, eight KO's.

Jeter Weighs 158 1/2 For Danish Duel!

(photo by Team Sauerland)

Tony Jeter (right) weighed in at 158 1/2 for his 12-round WBC Silver Middleweight title bout Saturday in Albertslund, Denmark.  Jeter's opponent, Patrick Nielsen, tipped the scales at 160 pounds.

Here is video of the weigh-in:

Taylor Weighs 141 For ESPN2 Main Event In Huntington, NY!

Emmanuel Taylor tipped the scales at 141 pounds for his 10-round main event contest Friday night at the Paramount in Huntington, NY.  Taylor's opponent, Chris Algieri, weighed in at 142 pounds.

The contest will be the featured bout on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights which will air at 9 PM ET.

Hap Navarro 1919-2014

The above photo shows Hap Navarro (L) presenting an award to Manuel Ortiz.

By Randy De La O

My condolences to the family and friends of Gabriel "Hap" Navarro. Hap was matchmaker and publicist at the old Hollywood Legion Stadium in the 1950's, as well as a writer and boxing historian. He was a great friend to boxing and in particular, California and West Coast Boxing, He saw much of it first hand. Hap was a much loved figure in the boxing world.

I never met the man in person but I did correspond with him for a time. He was generous with his friendship and his knowledge. He will be missed. R.I.P. Hap!

Late Result From West Virginia: Jones Wins Four-Round Unanimous Decision in Weirton!

Just received word that undefeated DC light heavyweight Joe Jones III won a four-round unanimous decision over veteran Randy "The Rattler" Campbell of Bowerston, OH on February 7 at the Serbian-American Cultural Center in Weirton, WVA.

This was the first bout to go the distance for Jones, who had knocked out his three previous opponents in the first round. All three judges scored the bout a shutout for Jones (40-36).  Jones is now 4-0, three KO's while Campbell falls to 3-12, two KO's.

Hernandez Harrison Is California-Bound For ESPN Telecast March 7 in Pala, CA!

Undefeated DC welterweight Dusty Hernandez Harrison returns to action on Friday, March 7 at the Pala Casino Spa Resort Events Center in Pala, CA.  The eight-round contest will be the opening bout on an ESPN2 telecast, Harrison's second straight ESPN2 Friday Night Fights appearance.

Harrison (20-0, 11 KO's) is coming off an eight-round unanimous decision over Tim Witherspoon, Jr. on January 31 in West Orange, NJ.  Harrison's opponent will be Michael Balasi of Honolulu, HI (10-3, seven KO's) who is coming off a two-bout losing streak.

Baltimore Sun Profiles 'Tranzformer' Taylor Prior to Nationally Televised Bout!

The Baltimore Sun's Matt Vensel profiles Edgewood, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor prior to his Friday, February 14 bout against undefeated Chris Algieri that will be the main event on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights.  Here is the link to the article:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-emanuel-taylor-0212-20140211,0,2392549.story?page=1

PVA President Simms Removed From Office; Bell Becomes Interim President!

For the second time in less than four years, there is a major shakeup in the organizational chart of the Potomac Valley Association (PVA) of USA Boxing, the governing body of amateur boxing in Washington DC as well as Prince George's and Montgomery Counties in Maryland.

At a recent PVA Board of Governors meeting, Ronald Simms was stripped of his duties as president of the organization.  Tony Bell, Sr. will serve as interim president.  The PVA, according to information provided to BATB, cited a number of reasons for Mr. Simms's ouster including:

* Inability to raise funds for PVA during his tenure as president

* Coaching and training boxers in another Local Boxing Committee (LBC) to participate against PVA Boxers in local, regional and national tournaments

* Opening a second bank account for the PVA without the knowledge of or discussion with anyone on the PVA's board

*Sanctioning a recent amateur show in which four "exhibition" bouts took place and insisting PVA referees and judges work those bouts as training sessions.  USA Boxing no longer allows exhibitions.

Reportedly, Mr. Simms is protesting the meeting, calling it an illegal one and will look to file a grievance with USA Boxing.

Mr. Simms was named the president of PVA in April of 2012, almost two years after a similar Board of Governors meeting forced the ouster of then-president Jerry Jerome in May of 2010.  Mr. Jerome was relieved of his duties for violation of the PVA's voting process and conduct unbecoming a member of the PVA's board of directors.  Mr. Jerome's wife, Cecilia, who served as treasurer at that time, was also ousted for failure to file important documents with the PVA and USA Boxing.

No word yet on who will serve as permanent PVA President.

'Unbelievable' Neequaye Participates In ESPN2 Boxcino Lightweight Tournament February 21!

Once again, the Beltway will have back-to-back boxers appear on national television.  We've already talked about Emmanuel Taylor's bout versus Chris Algieri on Friday, February 14 on ESPN2.

We also have a transplanted local boxer that will be a part of ESPN2's eight-man Boxcino lightweight tournament.  That boxer is undefeated NABA Lightweight champion Samuel "Unbelievable" Neequaye, a native of Accra, Ghana who now fights out of DC. Neequaye is trained by local trainer Zeke Thompson.

Neequaye (21-0, 15 KO's) will face Fernando Carcamo of Mexico (15-5, 12 KO's) in a six-round contest on Friday, February 21 at the Edgewater Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, NV.  Neequaye won the NABA title in his last outing, winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Dorin Spivey on August 30 in Newark, DE.  Carcamo is coming off a second-round TKO of Sergio Rivera on December 20 in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico.

The winners of the first-round matchups advance to the semi-finals on Friday, March 28 at the 4 Bears Casino in New Town, North Dakota.  The finals will be held on Friday, May 23 at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.  There is also an eight-man middleweight Boxcino tournament as well.  Banner Promotions is promoting both tourneys.

Update Of February 21 Westminster Card!

The Maryland Boxing Club card on Friday, February 21 at the Shipley Arena at the Carroll County AG Center is starting to come together.  The main event, as previously announced, features Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker in a 10-round bout against Paul Vasquez of Martinez, CA. 

Tucker (16-1, seven KO's) returned to action for the first time in more than two years and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Rayford Johnson on November 15 at the Shipley Arena.  Vasquez (9-4-1, three KO's) will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak.

In the co-feature, undefeated Lancaster, PA junior welterweight Rolando Chinea will face Raphael Luna of Albany, NY in a six-round contest.  Chinea (5-0-1, three KO's) is coming off a four-round TKO victory over Benjamin Olinga on November 23 at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore, MD.  Luna (4-6-3, one KO) is 0-3-2 in his last five bouts over a four-year period.

Olinga, a welterweight from DC by way of Cameroon  (1-4), will try to bounce back from his last two losses on this card as he will be the opponent for the debuting Seth Billups of Ashburn, VA.  Billups is a former Virginia State amateur champion.

Also returning to action will be former Maryland State Lightweight champion Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel of Baltimore, MD who will take on David Warren Huffman of Cincinnati, OH in a four-round contest.  Samuel (14-5-1, six KO's) has not fought since dropping a six-round majority decision to Ryan Belasco in May of 2012 in Dover, DE.  Huffman (4-18-1, one KO) has lost his last seven bouts but has been very successful in the Beltway as three of his four wins have come in local settings.

Also slated to be on the card are undefeated Laurel, MD  super middleweight Demond Nicholson (5-0, five KO's) and Capitol Heights, MD cruiserweight Shaborn Ryals (2-0).

Valentine's Day Weekend Will Be Another Big One For Beltway Boxing!

The weekend of February 14-15 will be yet another huge one for the Beltway Boxing scene.  Two locals will be in very important contests that, if victorious, will do wonders for their career.

(photo by Team Sauerland)

Let's take the second bout of the weekend first.  On Friday, Stevensville, MD middleweight Tony "Mo Better" Jeter (16-3-1, 11 KO's) and his team arrived in Copenhagen, Denmark to prepare for his 12-round contest against undefeated hometown hero Patrick Nielsen (21-0, 10 KO's) for the WBC Silver title on Saturday, February 15.  A win against Nielsen puts Jeter in line for a world title shot.

While not a huge bout stateside, this bout will be televised in five countries.  Jeter will be fighting in front of a huge and what should be a hostile crowd as Nielsen is a huge favorite in his homeland.

On Friday, February 14, Baltimore, MD junior welterweight Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor will face a hostile crowd of his own when he faces undefeated hometown hero Chris Algieri in a 10-round nationally televised contest at the Paramount Theater in Huntington, NY.

Taylor (17-1, 12 KO's) is ranked number six in the world by the IBF so he needs the win to keep that momentum going.  Taylor scored a solid six-round TKO victory against Ray Serrano at the Paramount in January of 2013.  This will be Taylor's third straight national TV contest -- his second straight on ESPN2.

Algieri (18-0, eight KO's) is unranked and this is a big step-up for him.  Algieri has fought his last seven bouts at the Paramount with his biggest win coming against former title contender Mike Arnaoutis by 10-round unanimous decision on July 20.

Again, this bout will be the main event on ESPN2 on Friday, February 14 at 9 PM ET.

Lockett, Scott Close Out Armory Card with Victories!

Beltway Boxers Willis "The Prophet" Lockett of Takoma Park, MD and Zakki Scott of Temple Hills, MD closed out the card at the DC Armory with unanimous decision victories.

Lockett won a six-round decision over Julius Fogle of Cary, NC.  Overall, a very pedestrian contest where Lockett was busier than the game Fogle.  Judge Paul Wallace saw a shutout for Lockett at 60-54, Lloyd Scaife saw the contest 59-55 while judge Wayne Smith registered a 58-56 decision.

Lockett creeps back over the .500 mark with a record of 13-12-5, five KO's.  Fogle falls to 16-10, 11 KO's.

Scott won a four-round decision over Franklin Edmondson of Durham, NC, who accepted this contest late Thursday evening.   Scott was able to land punches frequently although very few were damaging.  Edmondson had little defense against Scott's output.  All three judges scored a shutout for Scott.  Wallace and Scaife scored the contest 40-36 while judge Smith saw a 40-35 score despite no knockdowns in the contest.

Scott remains undefeated at 4-0, one KO while Edmondson falls to 14-41-1, five KO's.

Pugh, Aleem Win With Knockouts!

Dc's Alando Pugh and Moshea Aleem of Richmond, VA scored solid knockout victories in the first two pro bouts.

Pugh registered his first pro victory blasting previously undefeated Nick Cyr of Quincy, MA with a right hand that stopped the heavyweight contest at 2:10 of the second round.  Pugh is now 1-2, one KO.  Cyr is 2-1, two KO's.

Aleem showed incredibly quick hands and pinpoint accuracy as he battered Josue Rivera of Philadelphia, PA.  Aleem dropped Rivera twice before the bout was stopped at 1:59 of the second round.  Aleem is 3-0, two KO's while Rivera is 2-4, two KO's.

Pro Bouts Underway At Armory!

Our firs pro bout is underway here at the DC Armory.  Alando Pugh of DC takes on Nick Cyr of Quincy, MA.  Four rounds heavyweights.

John Wins Over White!

Jahvon John of Virginia wins his bout over Lamont White.  John was very busy during the contest in a solid performance.

Back to the ladies as Patty Suchy of Hagerstown, MD takes on Keisha Lewis of the US Army.

Carr Wins Over Azar!

Jamila Carr wins the opening contest over Malek Azar.  Good competitive contest.

Our next contest is a men's bout at 162 pounds.  Lamont White of D Block Gym in District Heights, MD will take on Jahvon John of Richmond, VA.  John is of Guyanese extraction and his uncle was a great pro competitor named Terrence Alli.

We Are Underway From The Armory!

Finally, we have started here at the DC Armory.  We have amateur females in action as Melek Azar of Ohio takes on Jamila Carr of Richmond, VA.  The bout is at 140 pounds.

Good Evening From The DC Armory!

Good evening for the second straight card from the DC Armory in our Nation's Capital.  We are in a scaled-down edition of the building, configured for a more intimate setting.

The Babie Girl Productions card is a Salute to the Military and is still slated to have four pro bouts and seven amateur contests.

Blogs will be a little slower in coming tonight because I am serving as ring announcer.

Over the weekend, expect a lot of news to hit this blog.  We have a lot of important contests coming up in February with a BIG weekend next Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile back here at the Armory, the doctor for the amateur portion of the program was late arriving, so we are delayed here.  Hope to get started shortly.

Edmondson Replaces Ward Tonight in DC!

There is a VERY late change in tonight's card at the DC Armory.  Andre Ward is out of his matchup with Zakki Scott and has been replaced by Durham, NC's Franklin Edmondson.

The Scott-Ward bout was scheduled to be a rematch of their cruiserweight contest back in March of 2012 in which Scott won by four-round unanimous decision.  The rematch was scheduled for six rounds in the heavyweight division.

Scott weighed in at 224 Thursday while Ward was still close to the 200-pound cruiser limit at 203.  The Ward camp was not happy about the disparity in weight and reportedly asked for more money to compete. However, they ended up being replaced on the card instead.

Edmondson (14-40-1, five KO's) fought his last bout in DC on December 14 and lost a six-round unanimous decision to Dwayne McRae at the Convention Center.

Beltway Boxing History At DC Weigh-In!

Vincent Pettway (left) and Victor Davis (right) recreate their face off from their historic contest of April 3, 1990 in Philadelphia, PA at the Weigh-in for the Babie Girl Productions card that will be held tonight at the DC Armory.  Alfred Grant, deputy commissioner of the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission, officiates.

(Photo courtesy of Tony Berrios)

There was a moment during Thursday's Babie Girl Productions weigh-in that I couldn't let slide by.  Two Beltway Boxing legends were in attendance -- two local legends who once fought each other in a bout that many still talk about some 23 years later.

The date was April 3, 1990 and the place was the legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, PA.  USA Network televised the card during their Tuesday Night Fights telecast.  What happened was a magical night when Victor Davis of DC met Vincent "The Ambassador" Pettway of Baltimore in a 10-round contest.

The bout wasn't even really supposed to take place -- George Foreman, in the midst of his comeback, was supposed to be the main event but his contest fell through.  Davis and Pettway had less than a week to prepare for the contest. However, they were very familiar with each other having faced each other four times during the amateurs -- each winning twice.  Of course, both men were trained by legends -- Davis by his father, Adrian and Pettway by Mack Lewis.

As an aside -- The card turned out to be a Beltway Boxing showcase. Future world champions Sharmba Mitchell (who unveiled his famous suspenders to the boxing world as this was the first bout after former world champ Bazooka Limon intentionally pulled down his trunks in an Atlantic City bout the previous month) and Keith Holmes in just his fourth pro bout) also fought on the card as did Baltimore Boxers Scott Jones and Tracy Muse.

The following description of the bout comes from legendary Philadelphia boxing writer and hall of famer Bernard Fernandez in the April 4, 1990 edition of the Philadelphia Daily News:

The first round was a tipoff to what was to follow. Pettway (30-3, 25 knockouts), a Baltimore resident rated No. 7 by the International Boxing Federation, came out swinging and was met in the center of the ring by an equally determined Davis. The round basically was an extended exchange of punches, which ended with the two men trying to wrestle one another to the canvas.

As early as the fourth round, Davis (19-8-1, 10 KOs) appeared spent. But every time Pettway tried to move in for the kill, Davis, from Landover, Md., tapped some source of inner rejuvenation and answered with a flurry of his own.

"It was heart, man," Davis said. "I could feel the fatigue, but I didn't give in to it. I fought through it."

And how. The seventh round had to be seen to be believed, Davis and Pettway seizing and relinquishing the upper hand in rapid-fire intervals. They continued to punch away after the bell ending the round sounded, and when referee Frank Cappuccino stepped in to separate them, he was tagged with a glancing shot from Davis that opened a cut on his nose. The card's other referee, Joe O'Neill, replaced him in the eighth round, although Cappuccino returned for the ninth.

As it turned out, the ninth round was the last round. During the course of another toe-to-toe burst, a right from Davis opened a deep, ugly gash over Pettway's left eye that proved to be more serious than the assorted nicks, bumps and bruises the two men had inflicted upon one another.

Pettway and his manager-trainer, Mack Lewis, were outraged when Steinberg advised Cappuccino to stop the fight, but the doctor insisted he had made the right call.

"Tissue was hanging out," Steinberg said. "The cut looked like it was all the way to the bone."

Were it not for the stoppage, the outcome might well have hinged on the 10th round that never took place. Judge Manny Altman had Pettway comfortably ahead, 43-39, but Marsha Taylor and Paul Harris favored Davis by 42-41 and 41-39 margins, respectively. The Daily News card had Pettway up, 42-41.

"I think I should have been given the benefit of the doubt, but the doctor did what he did and I guess I have to accept it," Pettway said. "I will say this, though. I never expected Victor Davis to put up a fight like that."

The promoter of the card, Frank Gelb, added $500 to each man's $5,000 purse for their great efforts.  USA Network Boxing Analyst and former world champion Sean O'Grady simply called it "a, great, great fight."  When USA Network ended the Tuesday Night Fights series in 1998, the Davis-Pettway bout was among its top 10 bouts in the history of the series.

Ironically, both men would lose their very next contest after facing each other.  Davis lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Darryl Lattimore on June 15, 1990 at Coolidge Senior High School in DC while Pettway was stopped in the sixth round by Stephan Johnson at the old Painters Mill Theatre in Owings Mills, MD on November 13, 1990.

From there, the careers of both men took divergent paths.  Pettway would go undefeated in his next six contests over a three-year period leading him to two world title shots for the IBF Junior Middleweight title against champion Gianfranco Rosi.  The first contest on March 4, 1994 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, NV, ended in a six-round technical draw when the two men butted heads in what had been a foul-plagued contest.  Rosi suffered a nasty cut over his left eye and could not continue.  Since the bout had not gone the full six rounds, the bout was declared a technical draw.

Both men returned to the MGM Grand on September 17, 1994 for the rematch.  This time, Pettway would knock out Rosi with a left hook in the fourth round to win the IBF title and become the first world champion from Baltimore in more than 80 years.

For Davis, things would get a little rougher as, although he won most of his bouts during that same four-year period, outside issues would stunt a promising career.  Davis would help launch the historic "Ballroom Boxing" promotion at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD by being involved in the first main event in the history of the series.  Davis would lose by a second-round TKO to Richmond, VA's Napoleon Pitt on September 2, 1995.

Today, both men are top trainers in the Beltway region, passing down what they have learned to future generations.  Both men will be working the corners during tonight's card in the Armory and Both men are Beltway Boxing legends!  Seeing them together at the weigh-in created an opportunity that I couldn't let pass.

Weights From DC!

Here is the scale watch for the Babie Girl Productions "Tribute To Our Military" card on Friday, February 7 at the DC Armory in Washington, DC:

Willis Lockett 194 vs. Julius Fogle 173

Zakki Scott 224 vs. Andre Ward 203

Alando Pugh 221 vs. Nick Cyr 279

Moshea Aleem 153 vs. Josue Rivera 150

There are also seven amateur contests scheduled for the card.  Two of the bouts will be female contests.

Dejah Scott (Potomac Valley) vs. Shianne Gist (Ohio)

Patty Suchy (Hagerstown, MD) vs. Keisha Lewis (Virginia)

Jerrod Bowling (PVA) vs. O'Brian Mapp (Virginia)

Lamont White (PVA) vs. Jarvin John (Virginia)

Aubur Wright (Virginia) vs. Willie Lam (Virginia)

Chris Laws (Virginia) vs. Calvin Countess (SAA)

Cornell Hines  (PVA) vs. Christian Dayton (Virginia)

I am serving as the ring announcing so live blogging will be somewhat limited tomorrow.  The card is scheduled to begin at 6 PM.

Stiff Jab Lists '13 Young DMV Boxers You Should Know!'

When BATB started in 2005, one of the goals to attract attention from other media to the Beltway Boxing scene.  So it is always exciting to see an article like this one by our good friends at StiffJab.com.

StiffJab has done an outstanding job of bringing light to the local scene in its own right and does it again with a list of 13 locals that boxing fans should know more about.

Here is the link:

13 Young DMV Boxers You Should Know

Reed Headlines Against Undefeated Boxer; Armenta Battles Shah March 7 at Rosecroft!

Keystone Boxing returns to Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD on Friday, March 7 with what looks like another solid card.

Undefeated Waldorf, MD junior welterweight Mike "Yes, Indeed" Reed will take on fellow undefeated boxer "Rebellious" Bilal Mahasin of Oakland, CA in a six-round contest.  Reed (7-0, five KO's) started his second year as a pro with a fifth-round stoppage of Jorge Marquez on the last Rosecroft card on January 17.

Mahasin (4-0) has an interesting backstory.  Mahasin fought under the name "Manuel Rose" in May of 2002 when he was on the run from an arrest warrant for armed robbery in Indiana.  Mahasin fought as Rose on an ESPN2 card in Sacramento, CA, won the bout and was arrested shortly after.  Mahasin was convicted and served 10 years and two months in prison.  Mahasin was released in 2013 and fought his first bout under his legal Muslim name on October 12 in Sacramento and won a six-round unanimous decision over Moris Rodriguez.

In a six-round co-feature middleweight contest, George "El Gallo" Armenta of Silver Spring, MD will battle Zain "Tiger" Shah of Centreville, VA. Both men suffered tough losses at Rosecroft in recent months.  Armenta (14-11, 11 KO's) was stopped by Jarrett Hurd in the second round on December 6 and Shah (5-3, three KO's) lost a six-round unanimous decision to Alantez Fox on September 7.  Shah has fought once since the loss to Fox and was stopped in the first round by Brandon Quarles on November 9 in Springfield, VA.

In another six-round contest, DC lightweight Joshua Davis will take on Joel Flores of Hart, MI.  Davis (5-1, three KO's) bounced back from suffering his first pro loss with a third-round stoppage of Hugh Hinds on the December 6 Rosecroft card.  Flores (4-4, three KO's) has not fought since his stoppage loss to Omar Douglas in August of 2012 in Dover, DE.

In a four-round contest, DC welterweight Charlie Natal will face off with Dontre "Pound For Pound" King of Cambridge, MD.  Natal (2-0-1) won a four-round majority decision over Kevin Womack, Jr. on October 18 at Rosecroft.  King (7-14-2, three KO's) is also coming off a victory, scoring a first-round TKO over Norman Allen on August 3 in Millersville, MD.

Fort Washington, MD super bantamweight Marq "The Monster" Johns (1-0-1, one KO) will take on Gabriel Braxton (0-1).  Johns scored a second-round TKO over Carlos Alcala on the last Rosecroft card on January 17.  Braxton lost his pro debut by third-round TKO on November 22 in Ocala, FL.

Also on the card, Silver Spring, MD middleweight Ayei Lama (0-1) will face the debuting Mike Santiago of Chicago, IL.  Lama lost his pro debut to Demond Nicholson by first-round TKO on November 23 in Baltimore, MD.

Terron Grant and Larry Recio are still looking for bouts on this card.

Pro-Am Card Salutes The Military February 7 At DC Armory!

There will be a pro-am boxing card on Friday, February 7 at the DC Armory in Washington, DC.  Babie Girl Promotions is putting the card together.

The main event will be a six-round light heavyweight contest between Takoma Park, MD's Willis "The Prophet" Lockett and Julius Fogle of Cary, NC.  Lockett (12-12-5, five KO's) returns to action for the first time since August of 2011.  Lockett has lost five straight to solid opposition -- Maxell Taylor, Tarvis Simms, Aaron Pryor, Jr, Jerson Revelo and Keith Holmes.

Fogle (16-9, 11 KO's) started his career well, winning his first 16 bouts.  However, Fogle has fallen on tough times in the ring, winning just once in his last 11 contests. One of the losses came at the Convention Center in August 2010 when Fogle lost an eight-round unanimous decision to Henry Buchanan.

The co-feature bout will be a six-round heavyweight rematch between DC boxers Zakki Scott and Andre Ward.   Scott (3-0, one KO) won the first bout on March 12, 2012 at the Convention Center by four-round unanimous decision.  Since that bout, Scott has fought just once -- winning a four-round unanimous decision over Travis Reeves on March 23, 2013 in Frederick, MD.

Ward (1-1-4, one KO) has had three consecutive draws since his loss to Scott, including a six-round draw with Mario Flores on October 24 at the Mayflower Hotel in DC.

In a four-round heavyweight contest, DC's Alando Pugh looks to get on the winning track as he faces undefeated Nick Cyr of Quincy, MA.  Pugh (0-2) was stopped in the second round by Albi Sadikaj on September 28 at the Patapsco Arena in Baltimore, MD.  Cyr (2-0, two KO's) knocked out debuting boxers in his two contests.

Also on the card will be undefeated Richmond, VA junior middleweight Moshea Aleem who will take on Josue "El Guerrero" Rivera of Philadelphia, PA in a four-round contest.  Aleem (2-0, one KO's) is the older brother of super middleweight Immanuwel Aleem.  Both brothers have fought here numerous times as highly-touted amateurs but this is the first Beltway pro appearance for Moshea Aleem whose last bout was a first-round TKO victory over Delvin Gist on December 14 in Columbia, SC.

The last bout for Rivera (2-3, two KO's) was on the Fight Night card at the Washington Hilton Hotel in DC on November 14.  Rivera was stopped in the first round by Cornelius Whitlock.

There will also be four amateur bouts featuring the Virginia All-Stars versus from around the United States.  No word yet on who will be on the card.

DC light heavyweight Greg Newby was originally scheduled to be on this card but he is now off the card.  No reason given on the change.

The card begins at six PM and tickets are $25 and $50 with a five dollar discount given to military personnel with their ID.

Beltway Amateurs Bring Home Five National Silver Gloves Titles!

Congratulations to the contingent of local amateurs who participated in this past week's National Silver Gloves Championships in Independence, MO.  Five Beltway Boxers won national titles!

In the Boys Open 10-11 age group, 76-80 Pound class, Lawrence Malcolm of DC won not only the championship in his division, he was also named the Outstanding Boxer in his age group.

Baltimore, MD's Lorenzo Simpson won his fourth straight National Silver Gloves title, capturing the championship in the Boys Open 12-13, 133-139 Pound division.

Kavon Robertson of Staunton, VA took the championship in the Boys Open 12-13, 86-90 Pound class.

Brian Avelar of Germantown, MD won gold in the Boys 14-15, 140-147 Pound division.

Steven Clark of Laurel, MD won the championship in the Boys 14-15, 148-156 Pound group.

Four locals also won silver medals during the event.

Jalil Hackett of DC took second in the Boys Open 10-11, 86-90 Pound division.

DC's Damari Philson won silver in the Boys Open 8-9, 56-60 Pound class.

Stacey Selby of DC came in second in the Boys Open 10-11, 81-85 Pound division.

DC's Keith Cooke won silver in the Boys Open 12-13, 96-100 Pound class.