Mayweather-Maidana Press Tour Hits DC Monday!

Washington, DC will be part of a five-city tour to promote Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s September 13 rematch with Marcos Maidana.  The two boxers will be at DAR Constitution Hall on Monday, July 14 at 6:30 PM.  The event is free and open to the public on a first come, first serve basis.  There will also be a free concert by DC native Wale after the main event.

Random Updates: McCalla Opponent Changed; Amateur Boxing on Washington Monument Grounds; Minor Makes Final of Women's National Golden Gloves!

The Friday, July 25 opponent for Baltimore, MD junior middleweight Cecil McCalla has changed.  Instead of Chris Van Heerden, McCalla (18-0, six KO's) will take on Oscar Godoy of Watsonville, CA in the eight-round nationally televised (Showtime ShoBox) bout at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY.

Godoy (13-2, six KO's) will be fighting on the east coast for the very first time in his career. Godoy is coming off a six-round majority decision win over Victor Fonseca on March 14 in Tustin, CA.

There is a lot of amateur boxing in the area this weekend.  We have the show at DC Gateway Pavilion in Southeast DC on Saturday, July 12.  Now comes word that there will be amateur boxing on the grounds of the Washington Monument on Sunday, July 13 at 2 PM.  Both shows are free.

Congratulations to Beltway amateur Donielle Minor who has reached the finals in the Senior Novice Division of the Women's National Golden Gloves tournament in Fort Lauderdale, FL.  Minor will face Joy Rothstein of New York in the championship bout.  Earlier in the week, Amelia Moore lost her first round contest.

Hernandez Harrison To Defend WBC Youth Silver Title July 26 in Madison Square Garden!

DC welterweight Dusty Hernandez Harrison will make the first defense of his WBC Youth Silver Welterweight title on Saturday, July 26 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Harrison (22-0, 12 KO's) will face Eli Addison of Winston-Salem, NC in an eight-round contest.  Harrison stopped veteran Roberto Valenzuela in the fourth round in his last outing on May 17.

Addison (11-3, four KO's) has only fought once since 2007.  However, Addison won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Meegal Harper on May 2 in Atlanta, GA.  The biggest name on Addison's record was a loss to future world champion Timothy Bradley in March of 2006.  Addison lost an eight-round unanimous decision for the very title that he will be competing for on July 26.

Douglas, Odom July 25 Bouts Are Now For Regional Titles!

Undefeated Beltway Boxers Antoine "Action" Douglas and "The King's Son" Jerry Odom now have more to battle for in their nationally-televised (Showtime ShoBox) appearances on Friday, July 25 at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY.

The 10-round bout for Douglas (14-0, nine KO's) against Michel Soro of France (23-1, 13 KO's) will be for the vacant WBA International Middleweight title.  Douglas will be vying for his second regional title, winning the interim WBC Fecarbox Middleweight title in January.

The eight-round contest for Odom (11-0, 10 KO's) against Vilier Quinonez of Miami, FL (8-0, five KO's) is for the interim WBC Fecarbox Super Middleweight title -- a title most recently held by fellow Beltway Boxer Phil Jackson-Benson.

This will be the 200th episode of Shobox.

Amateur Boxing Action Comes to Southeast DC July 12!

There will be a free amateur boxing card and concert at the Gateway DC Pavilion located at 2700 Martin Luther King Avenue in Southeast DC on Saturday, July 12 at 2 PM.

There are 10 scheduled bouts on the card and a concert by local artist V.I.C. as well as music by DJ Flava. The food is also free for this event.

The event is being put together by Babie Girl Productions and the matchmaking for the boxing is by DC Boxing Hall of Famer Julius "Juice" Gatling.  For more information, call 202-365-5021.

'Smooth' Kelly Is Latest Haymon Guy!

(Photo courtesy of Luke Runion)

Add yet another Beltway Boxer to the growing Al Haymon Family.  BATB has learned that undefeated DC heavyweight Danny "Smooth" Kelly has signed a contract with the uber boxing promoter.

Kelly (6-0-1, five KO's) is coming off a solid first-round TKO over Eric Newell on June 5 in Boston, MA in front of a nationally televised (Fox Sports1) audience.  There is a possibility that Kelly may be added to the Saturday, August 9 card at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, but nothing is set yet.  If the bout takes place, Kelly would join other Beltway Boxers on the card such as The Peterson Brothers, D'Mitrius Ballard and Lamont Roach, Jr..

The Beltway Division of the Haymon Family continues to grow as Kelly joins The Petersons, Gary Russell, Jr., Thomas Williams, Jr., Dominic Wade, Gervonta Davis, Kareem Martin, David  Grayton and Phil Jackson-Benson.

Kelly's head trainer is former world title contender and Beltway Boxing Legend Andrew Council (shown with Kelly in the above picture). Tim Valentine is his chief second and Kelly's manager is his long-time mentor Daryl Brown.

Samuel Faces Rodela July 11 in Oxnard, CA!

Baltimore lightweight Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel returns to action on Friday, July 11 as he travels to the Performing Arts Center in Oxnard, CA for an eight-round contest against hometown hero David Rodela.

On May 9, Samuel (15-5-1, six KO's) returned to action after an almost two-year absence and won a six-round unanimous decision over Joey Tiberi in Dover, DE.  Rodela (16-9-3, seven KO's) will be looking to break a four-bout losing streak and will be making his return to the ring after an 11-month hiatus.  Rodela has faced some quality opponents during his career including Terrence Crawford and Ronny Rios.

Jargal Added To July 18 Card in New York!

Yet another Beltway Boxer will be on television this month.  Arlington, VA junior welterweight "The Mongolian Mongoose" Bayan Jargal will participate in the co-feature bout on the Friday, July 18 card at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY.

Jargal (17-5-3, 11 KO's) will take on undefeated Cletus "Hebrew Hammer" Seldin of Brooklyn, NY (13-0, 10 KO's) in the eight-round contest.  Jargal will try to break a two-bout losing streak that includes a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Zahir Raheem on January 10 in Tacoma, WA for the NABO Junior Welterweight title. Seldin is coming off a seventh-round TKO win over Wilfredo Acuna on April 24 at the Paramount.  This will be Seldin's fifth straight appearance at the Paramount and ninth in the last 10 bouts.

The bout will air on ESPN2 as will the main event that features another Beltway Boxer.  Emmanuel "Tranzformer" Taylor of Baltimore, MD (17-2, 12 KO's) will face Karim "Hard Hitta" Mayfield of San Francisco, CA (18-1-1, 11 KO's) in the 10-round feature.

As of right now, five locals will be on TV in July -- Taylor and Jargal on the 18th followed by Antoine Douglas, Jerry Odom AND Cecil McCalla on the Showtime ShoBox card on Friday, July 25.

'Hell-Rell' Harris Travels To Benin For Minor Title July 26!

(photo by Juan Marshall)

In a month where Beltway Boxers will be in many different locations, no one will travel further for a bout in July than undefeated DC welterweight Jerrell "Hell-Rell" Harris.

On Saturday, July 26, the 19-year-old Harris (4-0, four KO's) will be in Cotonou, Benin for a 10-round battle for the vacant International Boxing Union (IBU) welterweight title.  Harris has had a unique start to his young pro career -- he reportedly won a minor title in just his second pro bout facing an 0-1 opponent.  Harris has never been past the second round.  In his last outing, Harris scored a second-round TKO over Anthony Dave on March 28 in Weirton, WVA.

Harris's opponent will be a far cry from the opponents he has been facing as well. His opponent will be Anges Adjaho, a native of Cotonou who had been fighting out of Buffalo, NY.  Adjaho (25-7, 14 KO's) has not fought since losing by fifth-round TKO to Ronald Cruz in Atlantic City in November of 2011.  Adjaho has fought some very quality opponents during his career including losing a 10 round unanimous decision against future world champion Shawn Porter in Salisbury, MD in February of 2011.  Adjaho has also lost to former world champion Joel Julio and undefeated boxer Brad Solomon.

Bus Trips Available To New York To See Beltway Boxers Live!

There are two bus trips planned to see Beltway Boxers participate on separate cards in New York City.  Here is the information on both of them.

Dusty Hernandez Harrison will be on a card at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, July 26.  The bus trip costs $60 and the tickets to the boxing card range from $50 to $500. Deadline to purchase your tickets is July 11.  Call 301-437-3293 for more details.

Then on Saturday, August 9, there will be another trip to New York to see a number of Beltway Boxers including the Peterson Brothers, D'Mitrius Ballard and Lamont Roach, Jr. in action at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  The price of this bus excursion begins at $91 which includes a general admission ticket to the bout.  If you want to buy your own bout ticket ($31 to $256), than the bus ride is $60.  Call 202-528-7694 or 301-675-2003 for more info on this trip.

Boxing Returns To Rosecroft July 18!

Bouts are being finalized for the next Keystone Boxing card on Friday, July 18 at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD.

One of the featured contests on the card involves undefeated Springdale, MD junior middleweight "The Cuban Assassin" Larry Recio who will step into a six-round bout for the first time in his young career when he faces Grayson Blake of State College, PA.

Recio (6-0, five KO's) will be looking for his sixth straight knockout victory.  In his last outing, Recio stopped Daniel Gonzalez in the second round on May 31 at the Washington Convention Center.  Blake (5-2, two KO's) has not fought since February of 2013 and will be trying to break a two-bout losing streak.

In another six-round contest, White Plains, MD lightweight Terron "Kid" Grant will take on Jose Del Valle of Bayamon, Puerto Rico in a bout where the won-loss records will not tell the whole story.

Grant (9-0, four KO's) is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over Alberto Candelaria on April 18 at Rosecroft.  Del Valle (2-7-3) will be facing his fourth undefeated opponent in his last six outings and he will have one distinct advantage over Grant -- height. Del Valle is 6'2" and will have a seven-inch height advantage over Grant at 5'7".

Also on the card, DC lightweight Joshua Davis returns to action in another six-round encounter when he faces Thomas "The Animal" Herrera of Las Vegas, NV.  Davis (6-1, three KO's) won a tough six-round split decision over Joel Flores on March 7 at Rosecroft.  Herrera (3-11-1, one KO) makes his first trip to the East Coast and looks to break a four-bout losing streak. Herrera is a durable opponent who has never been stopped in a pro bout.

In four-round bouts already signed, undefeated Germantown, MD junior middleweight Gerome Quigley will battle Alfred Hall of Jackson, MI.  Quigley (4-0, three KO's) is coming off a third-round TKO of Damon Antoine on May 17 in Annandale, VA.  Hall (3-4-2, two KO's) has lost his last three.

Also, Forestville, MD junior welterweight Myke "The Professor" Fox will take on Shannon Kelley of Columbus, OH.  Fox (2-0) won a four-round majority decision over Benjamin Olinga on the last Rosecroft card on June 13.  Kelley (0-1) competes for the first time since losing his pro debut in November of 2012.

Also slated to participate on this card are Demond Nicholson, Patrick Harris, Marq Johns, Emanuel Johnson and Stephon McDonald.