Julian Williams Captures Unified Title From Jarrett Hurd!

(PHOTOS BY TRAPPFOTOS)

In the highly anticipated main event at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia featuring Jarrett Hurd vs. Julian Williams it was Williams who got the unanimous decision win. Williams got off to a early start by putting together some good combinations. Williams was the quicker fighter tonight. In the second round both fighters were against the ropes and Williams landed a hard left hook to send Hurd to the canvas for the first time in his career. Williams was able to land more clean shots to win a couple more early rounds going into the fifth. It was going into the halfway point of the bout when Hurd looked to step up the pressure on Williams as he used his body to move Williams around.  Hurd started to use his jab and added some body shots to slow Williams down. After round seven things looked to be close. When Hurd used his jab he would have his moments of landing shots while Williams would return good shots of his own. Hurd suffered a cut on the corner of his right eye in an exchange of punches as the two battled to the sound of the bell. In round ten Hurd applied good pressure to start the round off, but it was Williams who finished strong. Williams finished the final round with a flurry of punches as the bell sounded. All three judges scored the bout in Williams favor with scores of 116-111, and 115-112 twice. Hurd suffers the first defeat of his career and falls to (23-1, 16 KO's) while Julian Williams become unified champion at (27-1-1, 16 KO's).

Post Fight Quotes:

Julian Williams:

"I am just overwhelmed. This is such a great feeling. I outclassed him. I am one of the best fighters in the world. Maybe I wasn't ready for the title the first time I got the shot. 

"I took the loss. I took it like a man and the whole world doubted me. I went into this fight a five to one underdog. I

"He wasn't easier to hit than I thought. He was crafty and he had heavy hands. I just stayed poised. I listened to my coach and I just worked. 

"He couldn't hurt me. I saw everything he was throwing. I knocked him down. 

"The game plan was to win however I could. I adapted on the fly. We knew he had certain tendencies and worked on his tendencies. 

"This is a dream come true. I have been waiting for this for years. I never ditched the gym. I never got into girls or left the gym. I am from the streets, but I was never in the streets. I was in the gym practicing my craft. 

"The only people that believed in me were my team, but all I can say is 'and the new'!"

Jarrett Hurd:

“I wasn’t able to get off. I can’t really call it right now. I have to go back and watch. I was loading up on my shots instead of just letting my hands go."

"It didn’t really change my strategy. It was a flash knockdown. It caught me by surprise. I wasn’t really hurt.  J-Rock was just the better man tonight and I was never really able to get off the way I wanted to."

"There’s definitely a rematch clause in our contract and I’m going to go for it. I’m going to come back better than I was tonight."

ERNESTO RODRIGUEZ, Hurd Trainer:

"It was J-Rock's night. There is nothing you can say about it.

"He was humbled by a tough defeat. Won three or four fights and then did his job.

"I realized after the third round, I could see he was thinking and doing what I expected.

"It wasn't the pressure of being home for Jarrett. J-Rock was the better fighter tonight.

"We want the rematch. Our preparation will be better."

STEPHEN EDWARDS, Williams Trainer:

"I am not shocked. I am just happy.  We just knew that we were going to win. There are certain things that you just know. He trained so hard and he was so ready, I just knew.

"We studied him. Both me and Julian. We had him down pat. We knew Julian was stronger.


"I don't know if Hurd underestimated Julian. That is for him to know. I am just happy."

Immanuwel Aleem Battles Matt Korobov To A Majority Draw In Virginia!

(Photos by David Algranati)

In the opening televised portion of the Premier Boxing Champions card on FOX at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA., Matt Korobov and Immanuwel Aleem fought to a ten-round majority draw in their middleweight contest. Both Aleem and Korobov had their moments when it looked as if either fighter would land a knockout blow. It was in the sixth round where Korobov landed a hard straight left that stunned Aleem causing him to back up into the ropes. Aleem survived the shot to finish the round. After shaking off the shot Aleem landed some great shots of his own that looked to hurt Korobov. When the two were on the ropes they were doing some inside work until they started to clinch causing the referee to separated them. Aleem was the stronger finisher in the final round and looked to make the bout close. At first the bout was for Korobov as a  majority decision with scores of 96-95, 97-93 and 95-95, but after being reviewed judge Mark D"Attilio scored the contest for Aleem at 96-95 but was overruled by judges Brian Castello and Dorothea Perry who saw it the same 95-95. Immanuwel Aleem is now (18-1-2, 11 KO's) and Korobov add a draw to his recoerd, (28-2-1, 14 KO's).

KOROBOV:

"I felt heavy and not totally sharp enough. It was hard to react and stop him from going inside. I have things to work on. 

"He was tougher than I expected. He wasn't as strong as Charlo, but he is a really good fighter. He kept coming forward. He wasn't afraid. He just kept throwing punches."

ALEEM:

"I felt like I won. I didn't feel like he was doing enough. I was trying to use my range. He was just touching me. I realized when I started hitting him that he didnt have the gas.

"I am faster than people think. I see open shots better than people expect. I made a statement tonight and I want to keep making statements."

Results From Hurd vs. Williams Undercard!

(Photos by David Algranati)


In the opening bout of the non-televised portion of the Hurd /Williams card at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA, Kevin Womack Jr. defeated Mark Duncan by knockout at 1:39 of the second round. It was a scary sight as Womack landed a hard right hand that clearly looked to have Mark Duncan out on his feet before hitting the canvas. After being on the canvas it became more serious of a situation as Duncan started to have an apparent seizure. The paramedics quickly rushed in to his aid.



In a scheduled four-round super welterweight contest Baltimore, MD's Aaron Anderson scored a TKO over Carlos Galindo of Lima, Peru. Anderson had no trouble dominating the bout as he sent Galindo to the canvas three times. After the final knockdown the referee stepped in to stop the bout at 2:00 of the first-round. Anderson remains undefeated at (5-0,4 K's) while Galindo falls to (1-9).

The third bout of the evening was a ten-round super flyweight IBO eliminator contest. Bethesda, MD's Alexandru Marin defeated Luis Concepcion of Panama City, Panama by unanimous decision. This bout looked to be a even fought match up in the early rounds. Marin landed some good jabs while Concepcion tried to counter. Both fighter had some exciting moments as the landed clean shots to close rounds. It was in the mid portion of the bout where Marin suffer a cut over the left eye causing blood to effect his vision a little. In rounds seven through ten Concepcion urged Marin to stand toe to toe with him, but Marin chose to fight going backwards. At the sound of the final bell Concepcion raised his hands in victory along with climbing the ropes to do back flips to celebrate a victory. That was short lived as the scored were read. All three judges scored the contest for Marin 97-73 and 96-94 twice. Marin keeps his undefeated record at a now (18-0,11 KO's) while Concepcion falls to (37-8, 26 KO's).

Stephen Fulton Jr. of Philadelphia, PA defeated Paulus Ambunda by unanimous decision to become the new IBO super bantamweight championship. Fulton looked very much in control of this contest throughout. Ambunda tried to be aggressive but Fulton showed good defense by landing counter punches to back him off. In the later rounds Fulton sent Ambunda down to the canvas for an eight count. After the knockdown Fulton was able to land more combinations to completely shutout Ambunda. All three judges scored it the same at 120-107. Fulton improves to (16-0, 7 KO's) while Ambunda falls to (27-3, 11 KO's).

Glenarden, MD's Drayvontay "Speed" Rawls got a unanimous decision win in his eight-round lightweight bout against Jonathan Perez Barranquilla, Columbia. Rawls didn't use his speed to get in some good jabs on Perez, but it was the good use of angles that worked for him. Rawls showed good footwork to land body shots as he also countered off of Perez's misses. All three judges seen the bout in Rawls favor withthe scores of 58-55 and 59-54 twice.

Forestville, Maryland's Mykal "The Professor" Fox Hits The Scale In Arizona!

(Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Boxing)

Mykal Fox (19-1, 5 KO's) tipped the scales at 142 pounds for his 10-round bout against Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (7-0, 4 KO's) on Saturday, May 11th at the Tucson Arena in Tucson, AZ.  Gaibnazarov came in at 141.8 pounds.

Fox of Forestville, Maryland and Gaibnazarov of Los Angeles, CA by way of Uzbekistan will battle in a ten-round super lightweight contest.

The bout will be shown on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 PM ET.

Weights From Arlington, Virginia!

Unified Jr. Midleweight Champion Jarrett Hurd is looking to defend his titles against top contender Julian Williams in Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes main event on Saturday, May 11 at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia. Also super lightweight contender Mario "El Azteca" Barrios battles Argentina's Juan "The Pitbull" Jose Velasco in a 10-round fight and middleweight contender Matt Korobov is matched up against Immanuwel Aleem for a 10-round bout as part of televised action beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Jarrett Hurd 153.8 vs. Julian Williams 153.8

Mario Barrios 143 vs. Juan Jose Velasco 143

Matt Korobov 160.8 vs. Immanuwel Aleem 159

*****************************************************************

Greg Outlaw 139 vs. Martin Nicolas Matamala 139

Demond Nicholson 168 vs. Ernest Amuzu 167.6

Stephen Fulton, Jr. 122 vs. Paulus Ambunda 120.5
(IBO Super Bantamweight championship)

Drayvontay Speed Rawls 134.4 vs. Jonathan Perez 134

Alexandru Marin 114.8 vs. Luis Concepcion 115
(IBO Super Flyweight Elimination bout)

Aaron Anderson 154.4 vs. Carlos Galindo 152.2

Mark Duncan 156.6 vs. Kevin Womack, Jr. 155.4

The card will start at 5:05 p.m. ET.  The telecast of the main three bouts on the card will begin at 8 PM ET on Fox and on Fox Deportes.  There will be no FS1 telecast.

Jarrett Hurd vs. Julian Williams Final Press Conference Quotes!

(Face-off Photos by FairShakeBoxing)

Unified jr. middleweight world champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd and top contender Julian "J-Rock" Williams answered questions for the last time before during the final press conference before their showdown on Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes this Saturday night from EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia.

Also there were two other competitive matchups at the press conference that will be stepping into the ring Saturday beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Unbeaten super lightweight contender Mario "El Azteca" Barrios and Argentina's Juan "The Pitbull" Jose Velasco, who meet in a 10-round fight, and middleweight contenders Matt Korobov and Immanuwel Aleem, who battle in a 10-round attraction.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

(Quotes Photos by Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions)

JARRETT HURD:

"This has been a great week. This is the homecoming I always wanted. It's even better than I imagined and I can't wait to step into the ring.

"You can tell a lot about a fighter when you see them in the lead up to a fight. Julian Williams looks confident and he looks ready. It's going to be a classic on fight night.

"It's been fun to have this support from the city and my hometown. It's fueled me. The love and support motivated me in the gym to make sure I go out there and put on a show.

"I'm a big 154-pounder but I know how to cut the weight and get it off right. We're still eating and we'll be strong come fight night."

JULIAN WILLIAMS:

"I really don't think too much about fighting in his hometown. I've fought on the road my whole career. I just focus on the fight, not what's going on outside of the ring.

"We touched on a lot of different things in training camp. We left no stone unturned. It sounds cliché and I've never said this before, but this was the best camp I've ever had. I'm ready to go get this win.

"I just see a man over there. His crowd can't fight for him. That's all it's going to be Saturday night.

"The jab is always a key. It's the most important punch in boxing and it's the key for me no matter who I fight. I always work with bigger guys in camp so the size is going to be nothing new."

MARIO BARRIOS:

"We focused on being explosive in training camp. Working with Virgil Hunter was great as always. This is a big opportunity and I'm excited to put on a great show for these fans.

"He's a hungry fighter. That's the main thing. He's tasted defeat and he doesn't want to again. I'm blocking his path. On Saturday night, he's not getting past me.

"I'm getting stronger and better every camp. There's not too much to say, but I'm just looking forward to getting in the ring Saturday."

JUAN JOSE VELASCO:

"The fight against Regis Prograis was very tough and important for me. I want to be champion of the world and it showed me what I need to do to achieve that goal. I'm going to put what I learned on display Saturday.

"We've watched him and we know what he's capable of doing. We know we have to be prepared to get this victory."

 







MATT KOROBOV:

"I took the fight against Jermall Charlo as a win because people know me better now and know where I stand in this division with my performance on short notice. I'm happy to be back and have this fight. My team did a great job preparing and we'll be ready on Saturday night."

IMMANUWEL ALEEM:

"My trainer George Peterson has always stressed to train year round. We're not part time fighters. I'm always in the gym working. When the fight comes, we're always prepared.

"Korobov is another opponent who's in my way to becoming a world champion. I've gotten some good work with southpaws to get ready for him and I feel fully prepared.

Mykal "The Professor" Fox Back In Action On May 11th!

Mykal "The Professor" Fox of Forestville, Maryland returns to action in a ten-round super lightweight contest against undefeated Fazliddin "Fayzi" Gaibnazarov of Los Angeles, CA by way of Uzbekistan on Saturday, May 11th at the Tucson Arena in Tucson, AZ.

Fox (19-1, 5 KO's) is coming of his first loss by ten-round unanimous decision to undefeated Shohjahon Ergashev on a SHOWTIME televised bout that aired February 15th in Mulvane, KS. Fox has been gradually moving up in ranks from the start of his professional career and isn't looking to take a step backwards. Gaibnazarov (7-0, 4 KO's) is a gold medalist at the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.  Gaibnazarov is coming off a fourth-round stoppage of Ricardo Garcia on January 18th at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY.

The bout will be shown on ESPN+ with the preliminaries of this Top Rank card starting at 6:30 PM ET.

"Swift" Jarrett Hurd And Julian "J-Rock" Williams Met Up At The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.!

(Photos courtesy of Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions)

Unified Jr. Middleweight World Champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd and top contender Julian "J-Rock" Williams faced-off at the National Mall and Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Thursday as they near their Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes main event live from EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The final press conference is today at 7p.m. and will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Washington in Arlington, VA. 

Hurd, of Accokeek, Maryland will be making his return to defend his titles in front of a hometown crowd for the first time since becoming a world champion. Saturday marks Hurd's first fight in the region since his 13th pro victory in 2014 that took place at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.. This is Williams of Philadelphia, PA second opportunity at becoming a world champion.

JARRETT HURD:

"I feel great right now. I'm here in my city. This is where I wanted to bring the fight. Only two more days. I'm ready and I can't wait.

"There are some nerves fighting at home but they're good nerves. The energy I'm going to feel in the arena is going to get me hyped and ready to go.

 "I have to treat it like any other fight. When I go out there and do what I know how to do best, I always get the win. Julian Williams is going to come on top of his game, but a graceful Jarrett Hurd is a bad night for anyone.

 "My city has been behind me since day one and I made a promise to bring a fight back to them. Here I am. 'Swift Nation' is going to be in the building Saturday night."


JULIAN WILLIAMS:

"We had a really good camp. It was easily one of the best I ever had. I'm not worried about his fans. I'm just focused on what I have to do in the ring Saturday night.

"Every fight is a stepping-stone for the next chapter. I've just been trying to win and get back to this position. I'm coming to win this however I have to win.

 "I can't concern myself with things that are out of my control. I can't control the fans or the atmosphere. I can't worry about it, so I don't worry about it."
**************************************************************

Tony Harrison vs. Jermell Charlo, "THE REMATCH"!

WBC Jr. Middleweight Champion Tony "Superbad'' Harrison and former jr. middleweight champion Jermell Charlo will meet face to face in the ring for a highly-anticipated rematch live on Sunday, June 23 in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Harrison and Charlo's first bout took place live on FOX in December as Harrison earned the decision to upset Charlo to become the new champion. The bout was a hard fought one and looked to be close enough to warrant an immediate rematch. The second encounter should be just as action packed as the first.

Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions:

"Tony Harrison and Jermell Charlo showed off their elite talent to the world in their first bout and I anticipate an even more explosive showdown in the rematch on June 23. Harrison will no doubt be at his very best again as he looks to establish himself in the championship ranks. Jermell Charlo is certainly more motivated than ever to reclaim his spot atop the 154-pound division. Fans tuning in on FOX and FOX Deportes in primetime and in attendance at Mandalay Bay Events Center are in for an action-packed Sunday night."

Harrison's first defeat came in 2015 when he lost to Willie Nelson by TKO. Harrison pulled off three-straight wins after losingto Nelso, and earned a shot at the vacant Jr. middleweight title against "SWIFT" Jarrett Hurd. Harrison showed good boxing ability in the fight, but his lack of stamina eventually was capitalized by Hurd. Hurd sent Harrison down to the canvas in the late rounds causing the fight to be stopped.

Tony Harrison:

"Being a world champion now, I'm excited to defend my title for the first time in this rematch that everyone is looking forward to. "I think there's actually more pressure on Charlo, just like last time. It's just a blessing for me to be fighting on FOX and FOX Deportes Sunday, June 23. Everyone is going to be tuned in to this fight and we're going to bring the action to Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, the capital of the boxing world. I plan on doing the exact same thing to Jermell that I did in December. I'm going to get the win, and then I don't want to hear any more crying or excuses."

Charlo won the vacant WBC title in 2016 when he knocked out John Jackson. He made three successful defenses of the title with highlight-reel knockouts over Charles Hatley and Erickson Lubin, plus a majority decision win over former champion Austin Trout. The 28-year-old Charlo (31-1, 15 KOs) is looking to revenge his first loss to Harrison.

Jermell Charlo:

"I am in a ruthless state of mind. I am upset and this upcoming fight, I am going to give it 110 percent. "I am way hungrier now than I was before. I am not desperate for a win because I know how to win. The judges gave me a bad decision because I didn't get the knockout, but you don't have to knock everybody out to beat them. He knows he didn't beat me. He knows exactly what happened. He knows he can't beat me. If I have to go in there and prove it again, I will."

Harrison and Charlo will preview their world championship rematch at a press conference Wednesday, May 8 at L.A. Live in Las Angeles, CA.

Quotes From JARRETT HURD vs. JULIAN WILLIAMS Media Conference Call!

Fight week is here for the world title showdown between unified jr. middleweight  world champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd and top contender Julian "J-Rock" Williams as they headline Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes this Saturday from EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia live in primetime beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

 Both fighters have shown that they are ready and poised heading into this weekend's fight, as displayed on last week's international media conference call when they went back and forth ahead of this highly anticipated super welterweight match.

"My confidence level is sky high," said Hurd, a Maryland-native who will be defending his title in his home region for the first time since becoming a world champion. "I want to make it one-sided all the way through. I have a different game plan for each fight. You never know what style I'll bring out."

"My confidence doesn't come from his vulnerability," said Philadelphia's Williams. "My confidence comes from my own ability and what I know I can do in a boxing ring. He's been able to overcome any vulnerabilities he has, but he hasn't faced me yet and hasn't overcome what I bring to the table."

Hurd has been embraced by his DMV (D.C.-Maryland-Virginia) home, partnering with the Washington Redskins and appearing at events all over the area including the National Cherry Blossom Festival parade, the Broccoli City Festival and an MLS game for the D.C. United.

 "When I first heard it was official I'd be fighting at home, it meant everything to me," said Hurd. "Winning the world title was always a dream of mine and I accomplished that two times. Now I just want to defend it in front of my people. It's the perfect time to come home and it's going to be a special night."

For Williams, he looks at the positive spin of fighting on his opponent's home turf, "I see it as a good opportunity," he said. "I don't really think too much about how difficult it would be to fight him in his hometown. I just need an arena and some gloves. Just ring the bell, that's all I'm thinking about."

 The 29-year-old Williams is riding a four-fight winning streak since losing his first shot at the 154-pound title in 2016 against Jermall Charlo. With strong wins over Ishe Smith and Nathaniel Gallimore included in that streak, Williams can culminate his climb back to the top on May 11.

 "I knew 100% that I would get another shot," said Williams. "I know that I'm a top 154-pound fighter. I just had to get back in there and keep fighting. You can't stay down too long. You just get back up on the horse. I knew this time would be coming.

"I think that all of my fights have prepared me for this opportunity, not just the Charlo fight. I learned from the 21 fights I had before that too. The Charlo fight gave me a chance to go back to the drawing board and work on a bunch of things. I have championship experience and that's invaluable."

In April 2018, Hurd unified the jr. middleweight titles by defeating  former WBA champion Erislandy Lara in a thrilling contest that saw Hurd drop Lara in the final round to edge the decision on the scorecards. It was the consensus 2018 Fight of the Year, including recognition from the BWAA, ESPN, Sporting News and more.

"For me to be in a Fight of the Year against a fighter with Erislandy Lara's style, I must be an exciting fighter," said Hurd. "When fans tune-in to watch me, they know the fight is usually action-packed. I go out there and leave it all in the ring and give it my all every time."

 Both fighters look to be prepared and ready for an exciting and dramatic contest for the jr. middleweight unification championship title bout live on primetime television this Saturday night.

 "A lot of fighters say they had a good training camp, but this has really been the best camp of my life," said Williams. "I did some different things and I added some difference pieces. We're prepared for a really good fight and we're prepared to win."

"I don't want this fight to be close," said Hurd. "I'm trying to get the recognition that I work hard for. I think I have a better resume than guys at the top of the pound-for-pound list. I'm going to come out and prove it Saturday night and make a statement on FOX."

Troy Isley Preparing For 2020 Olympics!

USA Boxing middleweight Troy Isley of Alexandria, Virginia is coming off the most significant victory of his young career, when he defeated the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Cuba's Arlen Lopez, at the recent Pan American Games Qualifier in Managua, Nicaragua.

Lopez served as a positive barometer for Isley in terms of his potential 2020 Olympic run. "Beating Lopez is my biggest win so far," Isley admitted. "He won a gold medal at the last Olympics. I avenged my loss to him in 2017. We almost fought in The Continentals, but he lost in the quarterfinals, and I lost in the semifinals. We could face each other again in July at the Pan American Games."

In 2017, Isley captured a bronze medal at the Elite World Championships, which marked a first for an American elite boxer in six years. He's progressed year-by-year, taking top honors at the 2012 & 2013 National PAL Championships, 2014 National Junior Olympics, 2016 & 2017 Elite National Championships. So far this year, in addition to winning at the Pan American Games Qualifier, he also took bronze at the Strandja Tournament in Bulgaria.

Not too shabby accomplishments for a kid who really didn't like boxing, especially compared to football, which was his favorite sport growing up.

USA National Team assistant coach Kay Koromba:

"When I returned to the gym I trained at, Alexandria (VA) Boxing Club, they needed help with a young kid, Troy Isley. I had a simple conversation with him. He said he'd come back to the gym if I was there coaching. I didn't go back for a little while and he didn't return. I eventually took over the gym when the previous coach left, and Troy returned. Troy is friends with Keyshawn Davis (USA Boxing's No. 1-rated lightweight) out of Newport, VA. They both train with me at the Alexandria Boxing Club, when we aren't living and training in Colorado Springs. They fought as kids and became good friends. All of the other boxers here look up to them."

A self-described boxer puncher, Isley is an intelligent, well-spoken boxer with eyes on the future, outside of boxing, taking on-line business courses through DeVry University.

Troy Isley:

"I was only 8 and at first I really didn't like boxing," the now 20-year-old Isley spoke about his introduction to amateur boxing. "I was more interested in team sports like football, but I gave up boxing when I chose to compete in the Box-Offs. I just wanted to be a kid and you can't play boxing. I went back to the gym and beat up everybody. Coach Kay told my father that he could make me into a national champion, and that gave me a lot of self-esteem. I can do it all, I'm working on using more jabs to be a better all-around boxer. The jab sets the offense up. I'm working on my jab because you can win fights with a jab. The Olympics is only a year away," Isley noted. I'm close with Keyshawn and Shakur (Stevenson, 2016 Olympic silver-medalist and an 11-0 pro prospect). Training with them makes things easier for all of us. We drive each other and train against different styles. I'm always picking up new stuff. We help each other training, sparring, and just talking. We're always together, either in Alexandria or Colorado Springs. Shakur still goes there for good sparring. Shakur tells us a lot about his experiences in the Olympics and now as a pro. Me and Keyshawn have always talked about being together on the USA Boxing Olympic Team. We keep working hard and staying focused. It's been our dream.

Dreams do come true but, first, Isley is preparing for the Pan-Am Games and, possibly, his rubber match with the defending Olympic gold-medalist, Lopez.

Promoters are lining up to pitch their companies to sign Isley, who has a definitive plan that involves making the 2020 USA Olympic Boxing Team, medal in Japan, and then turn professional.