Golden Boy Promotions Looking To Televise HBO Card In DC on Saturday, March 5!

Local DC area Golden Boy Promotion fighters Lamont Roach, Jr., D'Mitrius "Big Meech" Ballard and Kevin "K-Smoove" Rivers, Jr., are making up part of the local portion of a card which will feature Las Vegas, NV welterweight Jessie Vargas, who is scheduled to battle Sadam "World Kid" Ali of Brooklyn, NY for the vacant WBO Welterweight title. 

Also interim WBA Heavyweight title that will include the champion, Luis Ortiz of Miami, FL by way of Cuba against an opponent to be determined.  The two feature bouts are slated to make up an HBO Boxing After Dark telecast at the DC Armory.

Dominic "Lights Out" Wade Next In Line For Mandatory Fight Against GGG!

Undefeated Largo, MD middleweight Dominic "Lights Out" Wade looks to be the next in line to face one of the top boxers in the sport -- "Triple G" Gennady Golovkin. The 25 year old Wade, ranked #3 by the IBF has a record of (18-0, 12 KO's) is coming off a split decision win against 41-year-old former IBF and WBA champion Sam Soliman. 



ESPN's Dan Rafael:

One of the interesting aspects of a possible GGG-Wade fight is that Wade’s adviser is Al Haymon. Anyone who follows boxing should already know that Haymon, the Premier Boxing Champions creator, and HBO had a serious fracture in their relationship a couple of years ago. Because of that, Haymon’s fighters are banned from the network, a decision made by former HBO Sports president Ken Hershman.

Hershman’s contract expired on Dec. 31, and he is no longer at the network, having been replaced by his former second-in-command, Peter Nelson, who now runs HBO Sports under the executive vice president title.

Whether this is a special situation because Wade is the mandatory challenger for Golovkin, who is under contract to HBO, or whether Nelson will seek to start fresh with Haymon remains to be seen, but all indications are that HBO would allow Wade to fight Golovkin on the network should Loeffler and Brown make a deal.

One would have to assume that Loeffler would not have begun discussions with Brown for the fight without HBO having already approved Wade as an opponent.

HBO did not want to get into it other than to say, “We support GGG.” Loeffler said he is working on Golovkin’s next fight but declined to discuss the potential opponent.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dan-rafael/post/_/id/15103/gggs-next-foe-could-be-dominic-wade

Photos by Wallace Barron!

Photo Gallery of Jeter Promotions Card at the ABC Sports Complex in Springfield, VA on January 16, 2016.

Beltway Boxing 2015 Boxer Of The Year!

Article courtesy of Gary "Digital" Williams,
Boxing Along The Beltway


We now come to the big award -- Beltway Boxer Of The Year! 

As we said at the beginning of our Year-End Review, there were many local boxers who had wonderful years, accomplishing much in the advancement of their careers.

However, two boxers truly set the example of how to accomplish in this sport at its highest level.  One man reached the pinnacle of the sport by winning a world title.  The other had an exceptional year that put him at the precipice of winning a championship of his own. There was no way to distinguish between the two as they both deserve to be the Boxer Of The Year.

(Award winner photo created by Ross Molovinsky)
The 2015 Beltway Boxers Of The Year are:

“Mr.” Gary Russell, Jr. (26-1, 15 KO’s), featherweight, WBC Featherweight champion, Capitol Heights, MD 

and

Antoine “Action” Douglas (19-0-1, 13 KO’s), middleweight, WBA and WBO International Middleweight champion, Burke, VA

Going into 2015, Russell seemed very confident.  In December of 2014, Russell bounced back from losing a majority decision to Vasyl Lomachenko for the WBO Featherweight title with a sterling 10-round unanimous decision to Christopher Martin.  The win kept Russell in the conversation for a world title shot.

That opportunity finally came on March 28th in Las Vegas, NV in front of a nationally-televised audience on Showtime. Russell challenged Jhonny Gonzalez for his WBC Featherweight title.  This time, the 2008 United States Olympian left no doubt as he dominated Gonzalez dropping him once in the third and twice in the fourth.  The bout was stopped at 37 seconds of the fourth round.  The victory not only gained Russell the title but keeps him in the mainstream throughout the sport as well.  A scheduled defense in November fell through because Russell suffered an injury.  However, some great paydays should be forthcoming.

The same could possibly be said for Douglas, who put himself squarely in position to be one of the top contenders in the sport with three exceptional nationally-televised performances.  Two of Douglas’s opponents were undefeated before facing the boxer from Burke, VA, who became a fixture on Showtime’s ShoBox: The New Generation series.


Douglas began the year on March 13 with a sixth-round TKO over previously undefeated Thomas LaManna in Westbury, NY.  Istvan Szili made his first appearance in a United States ring and ran into the Douglas buzzsaw on July 17 in Bethlehem, PA.  Douglas stopped Szili in three rounds.  Douglas ended the year by winning an impressive fourth-round TKO on November 6 in Las Vegas.



The victories have put Douglas in the top 15 in the rankings of all four major governing bodies, including a number four ranking by the WBO.  Already, there is talk that Douglas will appear on a Showtime Championship Boxing telecast in the first quarter of 2016.

Honorable Mention (In Alphabetical Order):

Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (18-0-1, seven KO’s), middleweight, Forestville, MD

A very busy year for the older half of the Fox Twin Towers duo. Alantez Fox competed five times in 2015, starting with an eight-round majority decision win over Patrick Day on a nationally-televised (Showtime) card on January 10 in Cabazon, CA.  Fox then scored a second-round TKO over Franklin Gonzalez on April 17 in Uncasville, CT.

Fox returned home for his next two bouts, knocking out Guillermo Valdes in the first round on July 18 in Washington DC and winning by fifth-round disqualification over Eric Mitchell on October 17 in Fairfax, VA.  Fox made his final appearance in Biloxi, MS on November 13 as he stopped Todd Manuel in four rounds.  2016 could be a pivotal year for Fox.

Lamont Peterson (34-3-1, 17 KO’s), welterweight, Washington, DC

Peterson had two marquee matchups in 2015 as he became one of the faces of the new Premier Boxing Champions series.  Both of Peterson’s contests were shown on NBC.  The former IBF Super Lightweight champion lost a tough 12-round majority decision to former WBC/WBA champion Danny Garcia on April 11 in Brooklyn, NY.

Then on October 17, Peterson headlined a card a the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA and won a 12-round majority decision over previously undefeated 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist (Dominican Republic).  Peterson should be a solid factor in the welterweight division in 2016.

Mike “Yes, Indeed” Reed (17-0, 10 KO’s), super lightweight, Waldorf, MD

The former Beltway Boxing Rookie and Prospect of the Year and Top Rank signee had a solid 2015, competing five times against increasingly tougher competition.  Reed started his year with his first local appearance in almost a year.  Reed scored a second-round TKO over Edgar Soto on March 14 in Washington, DC. Reed returned to the road and stopped Osenohan Vasquez on May 8 in Newark, NJ.

On June 13, Reed made his first trip to the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Joel Gonzalez.  Reed finished his year with back-to-back appearances in Las Vegas.  On September 11, Reed stopped Antonio Canas in the fifth round. Then on November 7, Reed scored a crushing seventh-round TKO over Rondale Hibbert on the Timothy Bradley-Brandon Rios undercard. 

Reed has received a taste of what it is like to compete on major cards (he is slated to return to action on February 27 in Madison Square Garden on the Terrence Crawford-Hank Lundy card).  Time will tell if Reed will start to headline major cards in 2016.

“The Bolivian Queen” Jennifer Salinas (18-3, four KO’s), super featherweight, Manassas, VA

Salinas had a solid year in 2015 with three quality wins.  Salinas won the Universal Boxing Federation Super Featherweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Angel Gladney in a rematch on March 20 in Woodlawn, MD.  That bout was followed by an eight-round unanimous decision over Jasmine Clarkson on June 20 in Woodlawn. 

Salinas made the first defense of her UBF title in the Beltway Boxing Bout Of The Year on November 12th in Cockeysville, MD. Salinas won a 10-round unanimous decision over Melissa St. Vil. Salinas has become a multi-media star especially in the Hispanic community over the past year yet she has been able to maintain a high level of consistency in the ring.   It will be interesting to see which side of her career takes the lead in 2016.

Dominic “Lights Out” Wade (18-0, 12 KO’s), middleweight, Largo, MD

Wade only had one bout in 2015 but his performance put him ever closer to a world title shot.  Wade won a 10-round split decision over former world champion Sam Soliman on June 26 in Shelton, WA. 

Wade already was ranked in the top 15 by both the WBA and WBC before the Soliman bout.  However, the victory over Soliman placed him in the rankings of all four major governing bodies, including a number three ranking by the IBF.  There could be some major opportunities for Wade in 2016.

Previous Beltway Boxers of the Year:

2006: Eric Aiken

2007: Darnell Wilson

2008: Lamont Peterson/Joshua Snyder

2009: Fernando Guerrero

2010: Tim Coleman

2011: Lamont Peterson

2012: Tony Jeter

2013: Phil Jackson Benson/Tori Nelson

2014: Tori Nelson

That concludes our look back at 2015.  Thank you for all of your support as we look ahead to what could be a very pivotal 2016!

Beltway Boxing 2015 Card Of The Year!

Article courtesy of Gary "Digital" Williams,
Boxing Along The Beltway



There were a number of quality cards in 2015 where young Beltway Boxers were tested and crowds came out in large numbers.  One card, in particular, showcased a budding crop of locals in a relatively new location.


The 2015 Beltway Boxing Card Of The Year Took Place On:

July 18, Sphinx Club, Washington, DC -- Marq Johns vs. Karl Garcia-Rios, Patrick Harris vs. Rafael Vasquez, Alantez Fox vs. Guillermo Valdes, Mykal Fox vs. Juan Carlos Castillo

This Keystone Boxing card, the second at the Sphinx Club, saw an upset in the main event as previously undefeated Marq Johns lost a six-round unanimous decision to Karl Garcia-Rios.  Patrick Harris won his first six-round contest in a unanimous decision against Rafael Vasquez.  The Fox Brothers put on solid performances as Alantez scored a first-round knockout and Myke put on a great performance in winning a six-round unanimous decision, Renaldo Gaines won a tough six-round majority decision over the always-game Stephon McIntyre.  There were also knockout wins for Eric Hernandez, Albi Sadikaj, Devar Ferhadi and the debuting Shynggyskhan Tazhibay.

Honorable Mention (In Chronological Order):

January 17, Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC -- Demond Nicholson vs. Rahman Yusubov, Kevin Rivers, Jr. vs. Stephon McIntyre, Mykal Fox vs. Luis Rodriguez

The first local card of 2015 was a Keystone card that took place in front of a sellout crowd  and they witnessed some great performances.  Demond Nicholson bounced back from suffering his first pro loss by knocking out Rahman Yusubov in the main event.  Kevin Rivers, Jr. stopped Stephon McIntyre in the third round and Myke Fox won his first six-round contest in a unanimous decision over Luis Rodriguez.  Gerome Quigley scored a second-round knockout over a game Norman Allen.  Marq Johns won an early Bout of the Year candidate with a four-round unanimous decision over Jaxel Marrero and Renaldo Gaines won a four-round unanimous decision over Arthur Parker. Tyrone Wright and Maurice Adams, Jr. lost bouts on this card.

August 22, North Hall At Eastern Market, Washington, DC -- Gerome Quigley vs. Dontre King, Luther Smith vs. Schuyler Marshall, Drayvontay Speed-Rawls vs. Brian Raglin.

This card makes the list because it had some of the best storylines of the year.  It was actually a feat to get the Jeter Promotions/RBA Promotions card off at all as the ring arrived to the venue late.  The ring crew, to their credit, put the ring together in very short time.  Another storyline involved undefeated Gerome Quigley, who voluntarily took a rematch against the only man to go the distance against him, Dontre King.  Quigley knocked out King in the rematch in the second round.  Luther Smith had one of the quality knockouts of 2015, stopping Schuyler Marshall in the first round.  Drayvontay Speed-Rawls also had a first-round knockout over Brian Raglin.  Edgar Torres won a four-round unanimous decision over veteran Andre Baker and Stan Williamson scored a third-round TKO over Marquis Benson.  The card also saw quality performances from out-of-town boxers O’Shaquie Foster and Lavarn Harvell as well as an exhibition bout featuring Orazio Robinson, who returned to the ring after a long absence.

November 12, Martin’s Valley Mansion, Cockeysville, MD -- Jennifer Salinas vs. Melissa St. Vil, Tyrieshia Douglas vs. Nydia Feliciano, Joshua Davis vs. Justin Lopez

The Ponytail Promotions card took place at the Jonathan Ogden Foundation benefit card.  The 2015 Bout of the Year was on this card as Jennifer Salinas defeated Melissa St. Vil.  Tyrieshia Douglas won a 10-round unanimous decision over Nydia Feliciano to defend her UBF Bantamweight title.  Joshua Davis won a four-round unanimous decision over Justin Lopez.  In one of the more interesting stories of the year, Tallahassee, FL boxer Leonardo Kenon traveled 26 hours on a bus to participate on the card on short notice.  Kenon knocked out Chris Alexander of Norfolk, VA in the first round.

December 12, Coppermine Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD --Shariff Rahman vs. Alex Asbury, Travis Reeves vs. Anthony Caputo Smith, Stephon Morris vs. Cassanova Brooks

If there was an Event Of The Year, this card would win that award hands down.  The Shawstyle Promotions/Shabazz Brothers card took place in front of one of the biggest crowds in recent Du Burns boxing history -- a crowd that included the current mayor of Baltimore, the former mayor of Baltimore and a candidate who wants to be the next mayor of Baltimore. 

The boxing was not bad, though.  The card included an exhibition bout featuring former undisputed World Heavyweight Champion and Beltway Boxing legend Hasim Rahman, who watched his son Shariff make his pro debut in the main event and gain a first-round TKO over Alex Asbury. Between Rahman and Stephon Morris, who stopped Cassanova Brooks in the second round, the card gave fans an early look at the Beltway rookie class of 2016.  Also, Travis Reeves stopped Anthony Caputo Smith in the first round and Malik Hawkins, Devin Butcher and Jerome Featherstone gained victories.

Previous Beltway Boxing Cards of the Year:

2006 -- December 9, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA (Jimmy Lange draws with Fontaine Cabell, Dean White defeats Dorin Spivey, JP Flaim of the Junkies loses against Jay Watts.)

2007 -- December 7, Pikesville National Guard Armory, Pikesville, MD (Tim Coleman draws with Martinus Clay, Jessie Nicklow defeats Anthony Little and John Mackey defeats Tony Cygan) and August 3, Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD (Pro-Am card -- Horace Grant over Mujaheed Moore, Thomas Snow knocks out Markel Muhammad, Seth Mitchell [his only amateur loss] falls to Abodurin Akinyanju and Dusty Harrison also on the amateur portion.

2008 -- October 18, ABC Sports Arena, Springfield, VA (John Mackey wins over Jesse Williams, Darrell Martin over Andre Nichols)

2009 -- September 25, Shipley Arena, Westminster, MD (Mark Tucker wins USBO title, Tyrell Samuel over Gustavo Dailey)

2010 -- March 20, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD (Jessie Nicklow over Scott Sigmon, James Stevenson over George Rivera)

2011 – December 10, Washington Convention Center, Washington DC (Lamont Peterson over Amir Khan for IBF/WBA Junior Welterweight title, Seth Mitchell over Timor Ibragimov)

2012 -- October 27, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA (Tony Jeter over Jimmy Lange, Brandon Quarles draws with John Mackey)

2013 -- September 7 at Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD,  (Phil Jackson Benson vs. Scott Sigmon, Alantez Fox vs. Zain Shah, Mike Reed vs. Rameses Gil)

2014 -- July 18 at Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD -- (Larry Recio vs. Grayson Blake, Demond Nicholson vs. Jess Noriega, Terron Grant vs. Jose Del Valle)

Tomorrow: Our Final Award -- The Beltway Boxing Boxer Of The Year!

(Award winner photo created by Ross Molovinsky)

Beltway Boxing 2015 Bout Of The Year!

Article courtesy of Gary "Digital" Williams,
Boxing Along The Beltway

Where there was a plethora of great knockouts in 2015, the same can’t be said for great bouts.  We had very few contests that weren’t knockouts or bouts where one boxer won a decision by a wide margin.

The choice in 2015 was a quality contest between two boxers who battled phone booth-style for ten grueling rounds.

The Beltway Boxing Bout Of The Year for 2015:

Jennifer Salinas 10-round unanimous decision over Melissa St. Vil, November 12, Martin’s Valley Mansion, Cockeysville, MD

This bout was the feature contest on the Jonathan Ogden Foundation benefit card and the bout turned heads to the ring and away from side conversations that normally take place at charity cards. The two ladies slugged it out for the 10-round duration.  St. Vil caught the early advantage by using her solid right hand. However, Salinas started to take control midway through the contest as her straight left hand landed with consistency.  Both ladies suffered welts under the eyes as they clashed heads repeatedly.

Somehow, one judge saw the bout as an almost runaway for Salinas at 99-91. However, the other two judges scored the bout deservedly much closer at

96-94.

Honorable Mention (In Chronological Order:)

Marq Johns four-round unanimous decision over Jaxel Marrero, January 17, Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC

This was a great bout that saw Johns win despite getting off to a slow start. Marrero initiated the action in the first round, landing some solid right hands. Johns came back in the second using a strong left jab to set up his vicious overhand right. Eventually, Marrero's left eye started to close. Marrero lost two points for holding and lost by identical scores of 39-35.

Drayvontay Speed-Rawls four-round split-decision over Joel Young, April 23, Tall Cedars Hall, Parkville, MD

Both debuting lightweights had their moments in this contest as they showed great movement and offensive skills.  Neither boxer, however, had a clear advantage. A very interesting bout with a lot of ebb and flow. Two judges scored the bout 39-38 and 39-37 for Speed-Rawls while another judge saw the bout for Young, 39-37. 

Previous Beltway Boxing Bouts of the Year:

2006: Maxell Taylor six-round draw with Derek Ennis, March 9, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD.

2007: John Mackey six-round unanimous decision over Tony Cygan, December 7, Pikesville, MD

2008: Juan Rodriguez TKO 3 over Benjamin Borteye, November 7, Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, MD

2009: Cory Cummings TKO 9 over Demetrius Davis, May 29, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD

2010: Jessie Nicklow 10-round unanimous decision over Scott Sigmon, March 20, Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD/Nicklow 10-round draw with Julius Kennedy, September 17, Du Burns Arena/Sigmon 10-round unanimous decision over Kennedy, December 11, Pikesville National Guard Armory, Pikesville, MD.

2011:  Lamont Peterson 12-round split decision over Amir Khan, December 10, Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC

2012: Brandon Quarles D6 John Mackey, October 27, George Mason University Patriot Center (now Eagle Bank Arena), Fairfax, VA

2013: Mike Reed KO 6 over Rameses Gil, September 7, Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD

2014: Tony Jeter 10 round majority decision over Jimmy Lange , November 15, George Mason University Patriot Center (now Eagle Bank Arena), Fairfax, VA

Tomorrow: The Beltway Boxing Card Of The Year!

(Award winner photo created by Ross Molovinsky)

Baltimore Boxing Promotions to host “Super Brawl of Boxing” January 28!

Baltimore Boxing Promotions returns to Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD Thursday, January 28 for an evening of Olympic-style championship boxing.

Dubbed as the “Super Brawl of Boxing”, tickets are $25 for general admission, $35 for reserved seating ($350 for tables of 10) and $50 for VIP ($500 for a table of 10). Tickets to this first annual event are on sale now by calling 410-375-9175 or logging onto Baltimoreboxing.com. Doors open at 6:30 and the first bout is scheduled for 8:15.

In association with this exciting night of fights, Baltimore Boxing will once again team up with the Colon Cancer Alliance and has already donated tickets to the organization. On fight night, the Colon Cancer Alliance and Baltimore Boxing will raise awareness for the cause by handing out pamphlets and speaking to the crowd.

One of the deadliest forms of cancer, the Colon Cancer Alliance‘s mission it to knock colon cancer out by championing prevention, funding cutting-edge research and providing quality patient support service. The Colon Cancer Alliance is a proud member of the National Health Council’s Standards of Excellence Certification Program.





Headlining the card is a 168 pound Super Brawl title bout between Donald Wallace of the Baltimore Boxing Gym and Upton Boxing’s Tyrell Boyd. A participant at the 2015 Olympic Trials, Wallace surprised many during the tournament before losing a controversial decision to highly touted Sharif Rahman. A champion in his own right, Boyd captured the 2014 Washington, DC Golden Gloves. The Wallace-Boyd winner can also claim Charm City bragging rights.

Baltimore Boxing Gym rising star Joey “Bazooka Joe” Veazy meets Club One Boxing’s Andre Harris for the Super Brawl junior middleweight championship. Recognized as a boxing prodigy since his earliest days as a pugilist, Veazy won numerous tournaments throughout his career and was rated internationally.

Heavyweight knockout artist Brian “Bam Bam” Haneschlager of the Baltimore Boxing Gym meets Dallas Butts for the heavyweight title. Haneschlager, who has a large and vocal fan base, is an action-packed fighter that thrives on entertaining fans.

Baltimore Boxing’s Stefon McCray meets Main Street Gym’s TJ Mottinger in a cruiserweight title matchup. A standout basketball player at Stevenson University, the 6’6 McCray’s natural athletic abilities and length have helped him transition smoothly from the hardwood to the squared circle.


“I’m excited for our first annual Super Brawl of Boxing Championships,” said Smith. “We have four exciting title match ups featuring some of our most popular fighters. It’s also our pleasure to assist the Colon Cancer Alliance with their efforts to raise awareness. Colon cancer doesn’t receive the same funding or mainstream attention that other cancers do so they need all the assistance they can get.”


Press Release From: knockoutpublicity.com