Monday, May 31, 2010

More Results from Norfolk: Samuel, Boyd Battle To Draw; Wilson Stopped!

Here are more results from the ICB Knockout Series card at the Scope in Norfolk, VA courtesy of Chris Perry of Fightnews.com:

A month removed from his action-packed main event on last month’s ICB Knockout Series card, Baltimore fighter Tyrell Samuel (14-4-1, six KOs) challenged Washington, DC’s Ron Boyd (6-10-1, 2 KOs). The two had previously met in the ring twice with Samuel scoring a split decision victory and a unanimous decision victory respectively in 2008. This time, neither fighter allowed the other to establish a good rhythm in a bout full of clinching and holding. Samuel was knocked down by a left hook to the top of his head in round four.

Once an eight-count was administered by referee Steve Smoger and Samuel reached his feat, a point was taken away from Boyd, however, for hitting Samuel on the top of the head when he was down. The six round contest was ultimately declared a majority draw with one judge giving it to Boyd 57-54, another giving it to Samuel 57-56 and the final judge scoring it even 56-56.


In the opening bout of the evening, Norfolk heavyweight Dorsett Barnwell scored a knockout victory in his professional debut against Washington, DC’s Kareem Wilson (0-5). A former under 19 national amateur champion, Barnwell knocked Wilson down with two left hooks right on target in round three. Unable to get to his feet, referee Steve Smoger called a halt to he bout 1:30 into the round.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Seal Stops Judah In Fifth Round in Norfolk!

Adam "The Real Deal" Seal of Caroline, VA scored the biggest victory of his young career with a fifth-round TKO over Daniel Judah last night at the Scope in Norfolk, VA.

According to Chris Perry of Fightnews.com, the bout was stopped at 2:40 of the fifth. Seal is now 8-1, seven KO's while Judah falls to 23-6-3, 10 KO's.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Seal Weighs 187 For Co-Feature in Norfolk!

Caroline, VA's Adam "The Real Deal" Seal weighed in at 187 pounds for his bout with Daniel Judah tonight at the Scope in Norfolk, VA. Judah came in at 191 pounds.

“We’ve been pushing really hard,” said Seal, in a press release about his training for Judah. “This is the biggest opportunity I’ve had. I feel like this is a championship fight for me. I’m putting it all on the line tomorrow night.”

“He’s a youngster coming up. I’ve been there,” Judah told Fightnews.com at the weigh-in. “I’ve been with the big dogs and I am one of the big dogs myself. It’s going to be a short night. I’m going to get back to the old game. Throwing punches, throwing combinations and being more aggressive and more focused. Not laid back. I can’t lay back no more. It’s now or never.”

Also slated for this card is the third bout between Baltimore's Tyrell "Da Show Shock'A" Samuel and DC's Ron "Teflon" Boyd. The two fought twice in 2008 with Samuel winning a six-round split decision in September and then winning a unanimous decision for the Maryland State Super Featherweight title in November. Samuel weighed in at 130 pounds and Boyd did not weigh in yesterday.

Fightnews Displays Rahman Workout!

Fightnews.com photographer Mary Ann Owen has a mini-photo spread on former undisputed heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman's preparation for his June 19 bout against Shannon Miller in Niagra Falls, NY.

Rahman has been training at the Hit Factory Gym in Las Vegas under the tutelage of former world light heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

Here's the link:
"http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/hasim-rahman-workout-47466#more-47466">

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Guerrero ShoBox Opponent Announced; Lockett Changes Locations; Wilson Competes in FL!

The opponent for Fernando Guerrero's June 25 ShoBox main event bout at the Santa Ana Star Casino in Bernanillo, NM has been announced. Guerrero's undefeated opponent is George "Comanche Boy" Tahdooahnippah of Lawton, OK (23-0-1, 18 KO's).

Tahdooahnippah, a member of the Comanche Nation, takes a big step up in competition as Guerrero is his most experienced and most talented foe to date. This is only the second time that Tahdooahnippah has had a scheduled 10-round contest in his career with his first 10-round bout ending in a no-contest. Tahdooahnippah is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over Dave Sanders on April 22 in Tulsa, OK.

We originally told you that Takoma Park, MD super middleweight Willis "The Prophet" Lockett was going to compete in Madison Square Garden on Saturday, June 12. That has now changed. Lockett (12-9-5, five KO's) will now battle in Philadelphia, PA in a eight-round contest against Aaron Pryor, Jr. of Cincinnati, OH at the Hyatt Regency/Penns Landing on Sunday, June 13. Pryor, son of the hall of fame namesake (13-2, 10 KO's) is coming off an eight-round TKO over Kendall Gould on April 9 in Green Bay, WI.

Interesting note: Both of Pryor's losses have come against Beltway Boxers. Joshua Snyder won an eight-round split decision in December of 2008 and Julius Kennedy captured a six-round majority decision in April of 2009.

And word comes down that former USBA Cruiserweight Champion Darnell "The Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson will return to action on Saturday, June 19 at the Deauville Beach Resort in Miami, FL. No word on his opponent. Wilson (23-9-3, 20 KO's) has lost four of his last five including his last outing, a 10-round stoppage loss to Grigory Drozd on July 2 in Moscow, Russia.

South Atlantic Amateur Boxers Head to National Junior Championships!

Potomac Valley amateur boxers aren't the only boxers headed to Camp Lejeune, NC for the National Junior Olympic championships in mid-June. Three boxers representing the South Atlantic Region will also travel to the nationals.

Congratulations to Gevonta Davis, Javier Rivera and Brady Sensibaugh for advancing to the national tournament.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

'The Reason' Grant Faces Grano June 26 in Connecticut!

Riverdale, MD heavyweight Horace "The Reason" Grant will have a nice step up in competition when he faces Tony Grano of Hebron, CT in a scheduled 10-round contest on Saturday, June 26 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.

Grant (15-2, nine KO's) has won three in a row, but will be appearing in just his second bout since 2008. On April 2, Grant won a four-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Felton at the Washington Convention Center.

Grano (17-1-1, 13 KO's) also has a three-bout winning streak that includes an impressive fourth-round knockout of previously undefeated Travis Kauffman on September 18. Grano avenged his only loss to Mark Brown on March 12 at the Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, CT, winning a 10-round unanimous decision.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Potomac Valley Captures Team Trophy at East Central Junior Regionals!

The Potomac Valley team captured the team trophy at the East Central Regional Junior Olympics Tournament this weekend in Pittsburgh, PA!

Here are the champion boxers:

101 Pounds (Female): Tanyia Jackson

101 Pounds: Aujee Tyler

110 Pounds: Malik Jackson

114 Pounds: Patrick Harris

145 Pounds: Demitrius Martin

154 Pounds: Tavon Body

The regional coach is Barry Hunter


The boxers will advance to the National Junior Olympic Tournament at Camp Lejeune, NC June 14-19.

The team will receive its trophy during the Saturday, June 5 session of the East Central Regional USA Senior tournament at the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum.

Wade Wins Unanimous Decision in Tunica!

Largo, MD middleweight Dominic Wade remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Michael Faulk of St. Paul, MN last night at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS.

Wade dropped Faulk twice during the bout to gain the relatively easy victory. Wade is now 7-0, five KO's while Faulk is 2-1.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Summer Means Big Bouts for Beltway Boxers!

As we head into the summer months, some Beltway Boxers seem to be heading into some interesting bouts.

Thanks to the anonymous poster who alerted us that Caroline, VA light heavyweight Adam "The Real Deal" Seal (7-1, six KO's) will be taking on Daniel Judah of Brooklyn, NY (23-5-3, 10 KO's)-- the older brother of former world champion Zab Judah on Friday, May 28 at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, VA.

Seal has not fought since stopping Scott Hosaflook in the first round in his hometown on June 12. Daniel Judah last fought on April 2 in Las Vegas, NV when he was stopped in the second round by undefeated Ismayl Sillakh.

On Friday, June 4 at the A La Carte Event Pavillion in Tampa, FL, DC middleweight Antonio Walls (2-3, one KO) will be looking to break a three-bout losing streak when he takes on undefeated Dearborn, MI prospect J'Leon Love (4-0, four KO's) in a scheduled four-round bout.

One week later -- Friday, June 11 -- former world featherweight contender Daniel "The Prophet" Attah of DC (24-5-1, eight KO's) battles former world champion Jesus "El Matador" Chavez (44-7, 30 KO's) in Chavez's hometown of Austin, TX. This bout is scheduled for 10 rounds.

The very next night -- Saturday, June 12 -- Takoma Park, MD light heavyweight Willis "The Prophet" Lockett (12-9-5, five KO's) travels to Madison Square Garden in New York for a six-round encounter with undefeated Brooklyn, NY prospect Will Rosinsky (11-0, six KO's)

As Fightnews.com has already reported, Eldersburg, MD light heavyweight Mark "TNT" Tucker will make his DiBella Entertainment debut on Saturday, June 19 on the Andre Ward-Allen Green undercard in Oakland, CA.

Also on June 19, former undisputed world heavyweight champion Hasim "The Rock" Rahman (46-7-2, 37 KO's)returns to action at the Niagra Falls Conference Centre in Niagra Falls, NY with a 10-round bout against Shannon Miller of Troy, NY (16-4, nine KO's). There was talk that another Baltimore boxer -- Cecil McCalla -- might be on that card as well, but no official word yet.

And if that isn't enough, word comes that undefeated Salisbury, MD middleweight Fernando Guerrero (18-0, 15 KO's) will return to action on Friday, June 25 on a nationally-televised (ShoBox) card from the Santa Ana Star Casino in Bernalillo, NM. This will be a scheduled 10-round contest. No official word yet on Guerrero's opponent, but ESPN.com's Dan Rafael is speculating that the opponent could be either Memphis, TN's Alex "The Technician" Bunema (31-7-2, 17 KO's) or Derrick "Superman" Findley of Gary, IN (16-3, 10 KO's). Bunema has fought for an interim world title and has beaten former world champs Roman Karmezin and Vince Phillips. Findley is a prospect who is currently riding a three-bout winning streak. Two of Findley's losses have come to Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell.

Wade Battles in Mississippi; Sawyer Returns in Michigan; Rivera Bout Off in Pennsylvania!

Undefeated Largo, MD middleweight Dominic Wade returns to action tomorrow night at Fitzgerald's Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS. Wade (6-0, five KO's) will participate in the co-feature bout when he faces Michael Faulk of St. Paul, MN (2-0) in a four-round encounter

Wade went the distance in a bout for the first time in his young pro career in his last outing, winning a four-round unanimous decision over Robert Kliewer on April 16 in Salisbury, MD. Ironically, Kliewer will be in the main event on this card in an eight-round contest against undefeated Shawn Porter.

This will be Wade's fourth trip to Tunica. His three previous bouts all ended in first round knockouts.

NOTE: This is an update where apparently, Wade's scheduled six-round bout was called off. The bout will be shown for free on www.gofightlive.tv.

Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Falls Church, VA light heavyweight "Money" Mike Sawyer returns to action in a four-round bout at the Kewadin Casino. No official word on who his opponent will be. The promoter of the card is boxer Ron Krull, who will be in the main event against Jonathan Corn. Krull has fought a number of Beltway Boxers in his career, including Han Kim, Emmanuel Nwodo and Purcell Miller.

One bout that will not take place was scheduled for tomorrow in Reading, PA. Charlottsville, VA junior middleweight George "War Time" Rivera
was slated to take on Keenan Collins at the Sovereign Center, but BATB has learned that Collins received an injury in training and promoters could not find another opponent for Rivera.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Boxing Returns to Du Burns With New Promotional Group Thursday, June 17!

A relatively new local promotional group -- Bang Time Boxing -- will make its boxing debut with a Pro-Am card on Thursday, June 17 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore.

Bang Time Boxing is headed by John Rallo, who has put together a number of Mixed Martial Arts shows in the past. Scheduled to appear on the card will be Beltway Boxers Mike "The Persecutor" Paschall, Maurice "Freight Train" Byarm, "The American Child" Nick Kisner and the returning Russ "The Hammer" Shiflett.

There will also be four amateur bouts on the card and one more pro bout may be added. We'll update once more information comes in. Their website will be added to the promoters links.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Fightnews Profiles 'TNT' Tucker!

My Fightnews.com colleague Robert Coster profiles undefeated and new DiBella Entertainment signee Mark "TNT" Tucker. The Eldersburg, MD resident (13-0, seven KO's) is slated to make his DiBella debut on the undercard of the Andre Ward-Allen Green Super Six bout at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA.

Here's the link:

"http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/new-faces-mark-tucker-46116#more-46116">

'Pit Bull' Coleman A Promotional Free Agent!

USBA light welterweight champion Tim Coleman (17-1-1, 4 KOs) of Baltimore, Maryland is free of his contract with promoter Star Boxing and looking to explore other promotional options.

Coleman upset former world title challenger Mike Arnaoutis in his last fight this past December to win his title. Star Boxing had options on Coleman after he beat their fighter Arnaoutis but both parties were unable to agree to terms on securing a subsequent fight within the next 120 days thus ending their contract. Coleman is current ranked #15 the world by the IBF at 140 pounds.

Monday, May 17, 2010

East Central Regional Tournament Comes to College Park, MD June 4-6!

Potomac Valley, USA Boxing and the University of Maryland Boxing Club are hosting the 2010 East Central Senior Regional Tournament Championship Friday through Sunday, June 4-6 at the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum in College Park, MD.

Winners from this event will advance to the USA Boxing National Championships in Colorado Springs, CO July 11-18. Males and Females are slated to participate in this event.

The action begins on Friday, June 4 at 7 PM. On Saturday, June 5, the event begins at 3 PM with championship day on Sunday, June 6 starting at 10 AM.

General Admission ticket prices are $20 for each day of competition. Tickets are $10 for fans 10-and-under and for college students with their ID's and five dollars for boxers with their passbooks who are not participating in the event. There is also a three-day-pass for $50.

Potomac Valley Leadership Removed From Office!

BATB has learned that there are major changes in the leadership of the Potomac Valley Association of USA Boxing, the association that governs amateur boxing in Washington, DC as well as Prince George's and Montgomery Counties in Maryland.

At a meeting held last Saturday at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD, the association's president, Jerry Jerome, and his wife Cecelia who served as treasurer, were stripped of their positions by the voting members of the association. The voting was unanimous in both cases.

According to copies of the termination letters obtained by BATB, Mr. Jerome was cited for violating the voting process. According to the letters, non-voting members of PVA were allowed to vote on association business. Also, Mr. Jerome was removed from office for conduct unbecoming a member of the PVA's Board of Directors.

Mrs. Jerome was stripped of her duties for failure to issue financial reports, failure to file required USA Boxing reports as well as failure to process received registration forms.

In a letter sent to the PVA Board of Directors and dated April 28th, the membership spelled out their complaints including this one:

"The current configuration of the board of Potomac Valley Boxing Association is simply not working. It is extremely difficult to obtain information and sanctions to provide opportunities for our youth participants to compete. Budget information is not available or shared with the general membership."


No word yet on who will serve in the leadership capacity of Potomac Valley. BATB will continue to follow this story.

Video From Alexander Johnson Speech to High School Students!

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that undefeated Oxon Hill, MD light heavyweight Alexander "The Great" Johnson spoke at an awards assembly at Booker T. Washington Public Charter School in Northwest DC; a school where I am an english teacher.

I was just hoping to be able to find pictures of the event, but instead, I have video courtesy of Mama Nzinga, the school's videographer. So here is a few moments of Johnson's speech.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Ringside Report Remembers Simon Brown!

Ringside Report remembers one of the truly great Beltway Boxing legends -- three-time world champion Simon Brown. Columnist Joe Wilson looks back Brown's wonderful career and makes a case for Hall of Fame honors. Here is the link:

"http://ringsidereport.com/?p=2379"

Sport of Kings, King of Sports Have Intertwining Struggles at Rosecroft!

Blogger Jason Policastro has a really nice story about the struggles of two sports that were once on the top of the list in this country -- horse racing and boxing -- and how their difficulties intertwine at one location in the Beltway region -- Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, MD where there are still live harness races and where the Old School Boxing gym is now located and live pro and amateur boxing cards have been held with some success.

Here is the link to the article:

"http://www.jasonpolicastro.com/wordpress/2010/05/01/fates-of-two-struggling-sports-intertwine-at-rosecroft-raceway/">

Monday, May 10, 2010

'Cujo' Sigmon Wins Unanimous Decision in Lynchburg!

Bedford, VA's Scott "Cujo" Sigmon won a 10-round unanimous decision over Durham, NC's Carlton "Head Banga" Holland Saturday night at the Major League Boxing card at Jefferson Forest High School in Lynchburg, VA. Sigmon won the bout by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 (twice). Sigmon is now 9-2, three KO's while Holland falls to 18-13, nine KO's.

Other results: Lynchburg's Maurice "Mo-Badd" Chambers stopped Edward "Nucky" Anderson in the second round.

Jennifer Wood of Lynchburg scored a first-round knockout in her pro debut over Shannon Allen of Wilson, NC (0-2).

Another debuting Lynchburg fighter -- Joshua "Juice" Robertson -- stopped Canton, OH's John Stallings at two minutes of the second round. Stallings is now 1-2, one KO.

Roanoke, VA junior welterweight David "D-Hop" Hopkins lost a four-round unanimous decision to the returning Jose Ortiz of Myrtle Beach, SC. Hopkins loses the first bout of his career and he is now 4-1, one KO. Ortiz, fighting for the first time in eight years, is now 2-5-1, one KO.

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Gary Allen Russell Championship Video From Golden Gloves!

Courtesy of DC Amateur Boxing, here is one of the championship videos for the Beltway champions at the National Golden Gloves.


141 pounds: Gary Allen Russell vs. Mohamad Adam (Russell in the Blue corner)



Newest National Golden Gloves Champs From Beltway Join Illustrious List!

With their victories tonight, Gary Allen Russell and David Grayton join a tremendously talented list of Beltway Boxers who have won National Golden Gloves titles. We ran this list last year but now we can expand on it.

1973 and 1974: Sugar Ray Leonard

1976: Louis "Heidi" Curtis

1978: William "Flip" Johnson

1979: Kenny "The Technician" Baysmore

1982: Warren "Chico" Thompson

1985: Eugene "Sonny" Speed

1986: Anthony Wilson

1988: Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson

1991: Melvin "Top Gun" Foster

1992: James Harris

1995: DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley

1995 and 1997: "Dangerous" Dana Rucker

1998: Lamont "Bay" Pearson

2001: Lamont Peterson

2003: Anthony Peterson

2005: Gary Russell, Jr.

2010: Gary Allen Russell, David Grayton

Post Fight Interview and Recap From Du Burns!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #222 - 'Show Stealer' Wheeler Discusses Knockout Victory!

Undefeated Baltimore cruiserweight Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler talks about his second-round TKO over Ariel Espinal tonight at Du Burns Arena along with trainers James Hogan and Moe Rites




Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #221 - Post-Fight Wrap From Du Burns!

"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap the interesting Baltimore Pro Boxing card from Du Burns Arena!

Saturday, May 08, 2010

Steve Wheeler ends the show in demonstrative fashion, knocking out Ariel Espinal in 47 seconds of the second round. Post-Fight coming shortly!
Main event coming to the ring--Steve Wheeler vs. Ariel Espinal.
Elias Bouloubassis wins by unanimous decision over Kevin Kibler. Both guys were knocked down in the second round. Boul is 5-0-4, four KO's. Kibler is 1-2.
Boulobassis came into the ring wearing Mike Dietrich's colors and to Dietrich's music Bodies by Drowning Pool.
Co-feature heading to the ring: Elias Bouloubassis vs Kevin Kibler.
Intermission time at Du Burns Arena.
The Seivert-Nelson bout was very exciting and very close! Two judges had it a draw at 38-38. Nelson was making her pro debut. Seivert is now 4-1-1, one KO.
The Beltway gets two out of three national Golden Gloves champions! David Grayton wins at 152 pounds!
A very exciting women's bout goes to: a draw!
Shelly Seivert vs Tori Nelson now in the ring.
Jed Phipps wins by second round TKO over Maurice Winslow. Phipps scores two knockdowns in the first, then stops him at 1:06 of the second.
Gary Allen Russell has won the 141-pound National Golden Gloves title!
Jed Phipps and Maurice Winslow are in the ring.
Orendorff wins split decision over Brooks. Could have gone either way.
BATB has received word that Antonio Russell has lost his bid for national Golden Gloves honors by decision to two-time Olympian Rau'shee Warren.
Debuting Baltimore heavyweights Mark Orendorff and Riley Brooks are in the ring.
King is now 2-7-1,one KO. Christensen 1-1.
In the fourth round, King inadvertenly hit Christensen with a shoulder block that knocked him down. No knockdown was called but Christensen couldn't continue.
In the third round, Christensen was in control but lost a point for unsportsmanlike conduct. Then he was knocked down late in the round.
In one of the strangest bouts I have seen in some time, Dontre King scored a fourth-round TKO over Mischa Christensen.
Bout #2: Mischa Christensen vs Dontre King heading to the ring.
Dale Robeson-El wins by unanimous decision. All three judges score the bout 40-36. Too much pressure from Robeson-El throughout. Robeson-el is now 2-0, 1 KO.
First bout -- Dale Robeson-El vs. Ken Rosser now in the ring at Du Burns.
Congrats to Emmanuel Taylor who scored a third-round TKO over Ayi Bruce of Ghana last night in Huntington, NY. Taylor is 8-0, seven KO's. Bruce is 6-2, 4KO's.
Good evening from Du Burns Arena in Baltimore! Action is late in starting but should begin within 10 minutes!

Blogging Live From Du Burns Tonight!

BATB will blog live from Du Burns Arena in Baltimore tonight. I've asked people to call me concerning results from the Golden Gloves as well so as soon as I know anything, I will post. We will also have a BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up from Baltimore as well.

We will also try to get results from Lynchburg if possible, but I will get full results from promoter Joe Hensley tomorrow.

Weights From Lynchburg!

Here is the scale watch for the Major League Boxing card at Jefferson Forest High School in Lynchburg, VA:

Scott Sigmon 172 vs. Carlton Holland 167 Sigmon originally weighed in at 174 and needed a half hour to lose at least a pound and a half.

Maurice Chalmers 146 vs. Edward Anderson 144

Jennifer Wood 133 vs. Shannon Allen 129

Joshua Robertson 166 vs. John Stallings 169

David Hopkins 146 vs. Jose Ortiz 148

Mitchell Talks About Nationally-Televised Knockout!

Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #220 - Seth Mitchell Post Fight Interview!

Alec Kohut of MaxBoxing.com speaks to undefeated Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell and his trainer, Andre Hunter in Alburquerque, NM after Mitchell's devastating second-round, nationally-televised knockout over Johnnie White!

Friday, May 07, 2010

Golden Gloves Final Matchups!

Here are the matchups for the Beltway Amateurs in tomorrow's National Golden Gloves Finals:

114 pounds -- Gary Antonio Russell vs. Rau'shee Warren (two-time US Olympian), Cincinnati, OH

141 pounds -- Gary Allen Russell vs. Mohamad Adam, Dearborn/Detroit, MI.

152 pounds -- David Grayton vs. Errol Spence, DeSoto, TX

Mitchell Remains Undefeated With Second Round TKO in Albuquerque!

Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell remains undefeated with a crushing second-round TKO over "Lethal" Johnnie White in front of a nationally televised ESPN2 audience at the Isleta Resort and Casino in Alburquerque, NM.

Mitchell dropped White with a right hand midway through the first round and remained in control throughout battering White all over the ring until referee Lorenzo Saiz stopped the bout at 1:18 of the second.

Mitchell is now 17-0-1, 11 KO's. White suffers just his second defeat and is now 22-2, 18 KO's.

Russell Bros., Grayton Advance to Golden Glove Finals!

Gary Antonio and Gary Allen Russell along with David Grayton will compete in the finals of the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Little Rock, AR.

Antonio Russell defeated Hector Colon of Orlando, FL in the 114 pound semi-finals while Allen Russell defeated Robert Easter, Jr. of Toledo, OH in the 141 pound division.

Grayton beat Leandre White of Detroit, MI in the 152 pound semi-finals.

D'Mitrius Ballard lost his bid for a national title at 165 pounds, falling to Terrell Gausha of Cleveland, OH. Gausha is the top-ranked US Senior Boxer and won the US Nationals last year.

Weights From Du Burns!

Here is the scale watch for tomorrow night's Baltimore Pro Boxing card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore:

Steve Wheeler 185 vs. Ariel Espinal 183 1/2

Elias Bouloubassis 155 1/2 vs. Kelvin Kibler 154

Shelley Seivert 160 vs. Tori Nelson 157 1/2

Jed Phipps 222 vs. Maurice Winslow 200

Mark Orndorff 222 1/2 vs. Riley Brooks 275 1/2

Mischa Christensen 151 1/2 vs. Dontre King 150

Dalemanik Robeson-El 175 1/2 vs. Ken Rosser 173

Golden Glove Semi-Final Matchups!

Courtesy of the DC Amateur Boxing blog, here are tonight's semi-final matchups featuring the four remaining Beltway Boxers in the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Little Rock, AR.

114lbs. Division
Gary Antonio Russell, Capitol Heights, MD vs. Hector Colon, Orlando, FL
Raushee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio vs. Leroy Davila, New Jersey

141lbs. Division
Gary Allen Russell, Capitol Heights, MD vs. Robert Easter Jr., Toledo, Ohio
Mohamed Adam Dearborn, Michigan vs. Joshua Conley, San Bernadino, CA

152lbs. Division
David Grayton, Washington, DC vs. Leandre White, Detroit, Michigan
Erroll Spence Desoto, Texas vs. Javon Barnes, Muskegon, Michigan

165lbs. Division
D'mitrius Ballard , Temple Hills, MD vs. Terrell Gausha, Cleveland Ohio
Ronald Ellis, Lynn, Massachusetts vs. Antoine Pereira, Hawaii

If any of the Beltway four win a National title, he will be the first Beltway Boxer to win one since Gary Russell, Jr. captured a national crown in 2005.

If Antonio and/or Allen Russell capture a national title, it would mark the third time that two members of a Beltway Boxing family have won a national Golden Gloves title. Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson won the national Golden Gloves in 1988, his brother, James Harris accomplished the feat in 1992. Both Lamont and Anthony Peterson have a national Golden Gloves title. Lamont won his in 2001 while Anthony earned his in 2003.

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Du Burns Card Comes Together!

The Baltimore Pro Boxing card that will take place on Saturday, May 8 at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore is an interesting mix of fighters returning after a long absence and boxers making their pro debuts. The main event, however, is a classic matchup of youth versus experience.

Undefeated Catonsville, MD cruiserweight Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler will battle veteran Ariel "Iron" Espinal of Brooklyn, NY in the six-round main event. Wheeler (4-0, three KO's) has scored knockouts in the last three bouts (his last two were first-round KO's) but will be in a scheduled six-rounder for the first time in his young pro career. Espinal (8-13-3, four KO's) has won two of his last four, both wins coming by TKO. Espinal, however, has yet to beat a Beltway Boxer, dropping recent decisions to Scott Sigmon, Julius Kennedy and Alexander Johnson.

One of the boxers returning to action after a long absence will be Baltimore heavyweight Jed "The Punisher" Phipps, who steps in the ring for the first time since June of 2007. Phipps (17-7, 10 KO's) was a promising heavyweight when he debuted in 2002. Phipps won his first nine bouts before being stopped in back-to-back bouts by Troy Beets and Brian Minto. Phipps seemed to right his ship by winning six of his next seven before losing his last four, three by knockout. The other loss in that stretch was a disqualification loss for the USBO Heavyweight title in August of 2006, where Phipps was disqualified for excessive spitting of his mouthpiece.

Phipps's opponent will be Maurice Winslow of Wilson, NC (3-11-1, three KO's). All three of Winslow's knockouts have come in Beltway locations.

Also returning to the ring after a two-and-a-half year absence is Randallstown, MD light heavyweight Dalemanik Robeson-El. Robeson-El was a highly-touted amateur who made his pro debut in December of 2006 and scored a third-round TKO over Michael Ciccone in Pikesville, MD. Roberson-El will battle the debuting Ken Rosser of Philadelphia, PA.

Undefeated Baltimore super middleweight "The Golden Greek" Elias Bouloubassis also returns to action when faces Kelvin Kibler of South Carolina in a four-round contest. Bouloubassis (4-0-4, four KO's) has not fought since stopping Joey Montgomery in the first round on October 16 at Du Burns. Kibler (0-1-1) was stopped in the third round by Mikael Zewski on February 27 in Atlanta, GA.

Also returning to action is Severna Park, MD middleweight Shelly Seivert (4-1, one KO), who's last bout was on April 10, 2009 against Rachel Clark at Du Burns. Seivert won a four-round majority decision. On this card, Seivert will face the debuting Tori Nelson of Alexandria, VA.

Making his Baltimore-area debut is hometown junior middleweight Mischa Christensen (1-0). Christensen made his pro debut on December 12, 2009 in Ransom, WVA and defeated Jamil Ramsquer by four-round majority decision. Christensen's opponent will be Cambridge, MD's Dontre King (1-7-1) who will be looking to break a five-bout losing streak. King's last outing was a tough four-round unanimous decision loss to Todd Wilson on the March 20th Du Burns card.

Rounding out the card will be a battle of two debuting Baltimore heavyweights -- Mark Orndorff and Riley Brooks.

Beltway Amateurs Send Four To Golden Glove Semifinals!

Reports are coming in from the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Little Rock, AR that four Beltway Boxers will be in the semifinals this weekend.

We are hearing that the Russell Brothers will both be in the final four of their weight classes. Gary Antonio moved into the 114 pound semis with a 5-0 decision over Aurel Love of Cleveland, OH. Gary Allen advanced in the 141 pound class with a 5-0 decision over Abel Ramos of Eloy, AZ.

At the 152 pound class, David Grayton won his quarterfinal contest with a 4-1 decision over Glendale, AZ's Louis Olivares while D'Mitrius Ballard moved into the semis of the 165 pound division with a 4-1 decision over Wilmont Wood of Rochester, NY.

Jerry Forrest lost his bid for the semi-finals in the 201+ division, falling to Dustin Enriquez of California.

Mitchell Weighs 241 1/2 for ESPN2 Battle!

Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell tipped the scales at 241 1/2 for his ESPN2 co-feature bout tomorrow night in Albuquerque, NM at the Isleta Resort and Casino. His opponent, Johnnie White, came in at 228 1/4. ESPN2's telecast is slated to begin at 10 PM ET.

Five Beltway Amateurs Advance in Golden Glove Nationals!

Five boxers from the Washington DC Region remain in the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Little Rock, AR after the third day of competition.

Two of the Russell Brothers advanced in yesterday's action. Gary Antonio Russell decisioned Stephon Young of St. Louis in the 114 pound division while older brother Gary Allen Russell stopped Nicholas Jones of Indiana in the first round at 141 pounds.

At 152 pounds, David Grayton won a decision over Chris Porter, Jr. of St. Louis. D'Mitrius Ballard continued his winning ways at 165 pounds, defeating Martin Schuh of Iowa. Also, Jerry Forrest won his second bout at 201+ pounds, defeating Jordan Maxey of St. Louis.

Kevin Rivers's bid for a Golden Gloves national title at 132 pounds was halted by Raeese Aleem of Michigan. At 108 pounds, Jesus Aguilera of the US Naval Academy lost to defending Golden Gloves champion Louie Byrd of the Colorado-New Mexico team. Also, Jerry Odom lost in the 178 pound class to Paul Parker of Toledo.

One other note, Hasim Rahman, Jr., who is representing the Wisconsin team in this tournament, lost his bout in the 201 pound class to Robert Jekabson of team Chicago.

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Beltway Amateurs Have Successful Day at National Golden Gloves!

Day 2 of the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Little Rock, AR proved to be a good one for Beltway Amateurs. Three members of the DC region won their bouts.

In the 132 pound class, Kevin Rivers, Jr. won his opening round bout by a decision over Tyrone Luckey of New Jersey.

Jerry Odom provided the DC region's first stoppage victory of the tournament in the 178 pound class, earning a RSC-1 victory over Adam Willis of Wisconsin.

In the 201+ class, Jerry Forrest won a decision over Robert Simms of Michigan.

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Beltway Boxers Have Even Slate On First Day of National Golden Gloves!

Beltway amateurs split on the first day of competition at the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, AR.

At 141 pounds, Gary Allen Russell defeated Armando Gallegos of the Rocky Mountain team. D'Mitrius Ballard won his first round bout in the 165 pound class, defeating John Thompson IV of New Jersey.

Shadeed Floyd, who won the Outstanding Boxer award at the Regional Golden Gloves in Waldorf, MD, lost his first-round bout at 123 pounds, falling to Quincy Means from the Mid-South team via a split decision. Also, at 201 pounds, Charles Johnson lost to Sifou Sua, of the Rocky Mountain team.

Monday, May 03, 2010

May 29 DC Card Postponed!

BATB has learned that the Titanium Promotions card slated for Saturday, May 29 at the DC Armory has been postponed until sometime in June.

Representatives for Titanium Promotions tell BATB that a combination of promoter illness and boxer contract issues led to the postponment. Titanium is looking at a date in the first or second week in June and will let us know soon.

This Note on the Golden Gloves...

Just this note on the National Golden Gloves -- BATB, as in years past, will do our best to give results for the locals that will be participating this week. In years past, results from the nationals have been very slow in coming -- even on the Golden Gloves website. But we will try to give the results as soon as we get them.

'Mayhem' Mitchell Bout Moved to Albuquerque This Friday!

This Friday's nationally-televised bout between undefeated Brandywine, MD heavyweight Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell and Johnnie White has been moved from El Paso, TX to the Isleta Resort and Casino in Albuquerque, NM. The bout will be carried by ESPN2.

The bout was moved because the scheduled main event boxer and El Paso favorite, Antonio Escalante, was knocked off the card because of injury. Mitchell's bout will still be the co-feature bout on this card.

The main event has a bit of a Beltway tie-in. Undefeated Cuban light heavyweight prospect Yordanis Despaigne (5-0, four KO's) will face veteran and former light heavyweight contender Richard "The Destroyer" Hall (29-7, 27 KO's), who was once managed by DC Boxing Hall of Famer JD Brown. To stretch the tie-in further, Despaigne's last bout came against Beltway veteran Demetrius Davis on February 5 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Despaigne scored a third-round TKO.

The card is now also a co-promotion that brings together two former world champions turned promoters: Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions and Romero Promotions, headed by former flyweight and junior bantamweight champ Danny Romero.

Boxing Comes to Baltimore and Lynchburg Saturday Night!

There are two cards in the Beltway Boxing region slated for Saturday, May 8. Baltimore Pro Boxing is holding a card at Du Burns Arena in Baltimore starting at 7:30 PM. Promoter Jake Smith has been pulling double duty these last few weeks as he has been putting together his first Mixed Martial Arts card (which took place this past Friday) along with the upcoming boxing card. The matchups for the May 8 boxing card are not completely set but hopefully will be by this evening. This card is also dedicated to the memory of "The American Dream" Mike Dietrich.

Some of the names slated for the Du Burns card include undefeated Baltimore cruiserweight Steve "Show Stealer" Wheeler, Shelly Seivert and returning boxers "The Golden Greek" Elias Bouloubassis and Jed "The Punisher" Phipps.

Meanwhile at Jefferson Forest High School in Forest, VA (near Lynchburg), Bedford, VA fan favorite Scott "Cujo" Sigmon (8-2, three KO's) headlines a Major League Boxing card taking on Carlton "The Head Banga" Holland of Durham, NC (18-12-1, seven KO's) in a scheduled 10-round bout. Sigmon will be trying to bounce back from his tough 10-round unanimous decision loss to Jessie Nicklow on March 20th at Du Burns. The card begins at 7 PM.

There will be a number of Lynchburg-area boxers on the card, including undefeated Roanoke, VA junior welterweight David "D-Hop" Hopkins (4-0, one KO). Also, former USBA Cruiserweight champion Emmanuel "Chukwu" Nwodo of Baltimore (23-5, 19 KO's) returns to action as a heavyweight, taking on Ed "Iron Man" Guitierrez of Oakland, CA (15-8-1, six KO's). Nwodo hasn't fought since knocking out Lenzie Morgan on August 29 at the City Armory in Lynchburg, VA. Guitierrez started his career 15-0-1 but is now riding an eight-bout losing streak.

Saturday, May 01, 2010

Allen Stopped in First Round in Philadelphia!

Laurel, MD junior middleweight Norman "The Shadow" Allen was stopped in the first round last night by Ardrick "The Hitman" Butler at the Arena in Philadelphia, PA. The bout lasted just 44 seconds.

After winning six of his first seven bouts, Allen (6-4, three KO's) has now lost three in a row. Butler, a native of Philadelphia, is now 5-1, two KO's.