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

Beltway Boxing 2015 Knockout Of The Year!

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


Once again, the Knockout Of The Year selection was the closest of the year.  Beltway Boxers provided a plethora of quality knockouts throughout the area.  As in previous years, the criteria for this award is:

1. The knockout must have been performed by a Beltway Boxer.

2. The knockout must have taken place in a Beltway location.

This year’s winner was a crushing shot that signaled the start of a turnaround of a boxer’s career. 


The Beltway Boxing Knockout Of The Year for 2015 is:

Travis Reeves TKO 6 over Samer Barakat, July 9, Tall Cedars Hall, Parkville, MD

Reeves had to work hard to gain this knockout.  The somewhat-awkward Barakat pressured Reeves enough early in the bout to avoid Reeves’s favorite shot, the looping right hand.  The problem for Barakat was his inability to provide any challenging offense.   This allowed Reeves to continue to figure out how to land his favorite punch.

Late in the fifth round, Reeves finally figured out how to land the overhand right, hurting Barakat with it as the bell rang. Finally in the sixth round, Reeves crumpled Barakat with another brutal overhand right that dropped him in a heap in a neutral corner.  The bout was stopped at 1:15.  Barakat was carted out of the ring and had to seek treatment at a local hospital.  Barakat recovered fully from his injuries.

Here is the knockout:

Honorable Mention (In Chronological Order):

Zarifbek Nishanbaev third-round KO over Norman Allen, June 6, ABC Sports Complex, Springfield, VA

In just his second pro bout, “The Uzbek Warrior” faced off against the veteran “Shadow” Allen. Nishanbaev went on the offensive early and tried to swarm Allen with rights and lefts.  Nishanbaev trapped Allen against the ropes repeatedly, trying to land power punches.  Nishanbaev sent Allen to the canvas with a straight right hand early in the second round but Allen managed to weather the storm for the rest of the round.

In the third round, Nishanbaev landed a brutal counter right hand that drove Allen to the canvas.  The bout was stopped at 44 seconds.

Devin Butcher first-round KO over Walter McCray -- June 20, Martin’s West, Woodlawn, MD

After pressuring his opponent from the opening bell, Butcher stopped McCray with a crushing right hand that sent McCray crashing to the canvas and his mouthpiece flying over toward the BATB location at ringside.  The bout was over at 55 seconds.

Luther Smith first-round KO over Schuyler Marshall -- August 22, North Hall At Eastern Market, Washington, DC

Smith has become a very popular boxer in his first year of competition as he scored first-round knockouts in his first three pro contests.  His most devastating KO was this one against Marshall in front of a very partisan crowd.  Smith landed a brutal left-right combination that sent Marshall toppling backwards to the canvas. Marshall tried to get up but could not do it before the bout was stopped at 39 seconds.

Stephon Morris second-round KO over Cassanova Brooks -- December 12, Coppermine Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, MD

In his pro debut, Morris used a brutal counter right hand to knock out Cassanova Brooks in the second round.  After a relatively-even first round, Morris caught Brooks with the counter hand that made Brooks crumple to the canvas. The bout was over at 28 seconds as Brooks could not beat the count.

Previous BATB Knockouts of the Year:

2006: Jed Phipps KO1 over David Cleage -- January 20, Pikesville Armory, Pikesville, MD.

2007: Elias Bouloubassis KO1 over Vincent Robbins -- March 10, Pikesville Armory, Pikesville, MD.

2008: Seth Mitchell TKO2 over Alexis Cruz Medina -- May 29, Michael's Eighth Avenue, Glen Burnie, MD.

2009: Tony Jeter KO1 over Keith Gross -- September 26, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA.

2010: Jimmy Lange KO 10 over Joe Wyatt -- November 6, George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA.

2011: Kevin Womack KO4 over Benjamin Olinga, November 19, Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro, MD

2012: Kevin Rivers KO1 over Bobby Wooten, November 3, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC

2013: Jarrett Hurd KO2 over George Armenta, December 6, Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD

2014: Marq Johns TKO 2 over Luis Hernandez, July 18, Rosecroft Raceway, Fort Washington, MD

Tomorrow: The Beltway Boxing Bout Of The Year!

(Award winner photo created by Ross Molovinsky)

Jeter Promotions Will Start Off The 2016 Beltway Boxing Season!

Gerome "GQ" Quigley (11-0, 10 KO's) of  Gaithersburg, MD is the current 147lbs Virginia State Champion. He also traveled to Germany and won the vacant International Boxing Association Intercontinental super welterweight title by defeating Vito Vendetta in his own hometown of Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany on November 6, 2015. Guigley will be the main event on the Jeter Promotions card at the ABC Sports Complex on Jan. 16 in Springfield, VA. 

The bout is scheduled for six rounds with an opponent TBA. 

Also scheduled to be on the card that night will be more undefeated fighters such as Cobia Breedy, Brendan Barrett, Edgar Torres, Francisco Bustos, and honorable mention 2015 Beltway Boxing Rookie Of The Year Drayvontay Speed-Rawls (4-0, two KO’s), lightweight out of Glenarden, MD.

Beltway Boxing 2015 Prospect Of The Year!

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

Many Beltway Boxers made solid progress throughout 2015.  The majority of our top prospects moved from boxing in local club shows to appearing on cards that were seen by national and international audiences.

However, one prospect became the Webster’s Dictionary-style definition of moving from the prospect level to a level where boxers, boxing fans and media will have to look out for him in the coming year.

The Beltway Boxing Prospect Of The Year for 2015 is:

“Swift” Jarrett Hurd (17-0, 11 KO’s), super welterweight, Accokeek, MD

The Al Haymon-signee only had three bouts in 2015 but all three were quality contests.  Hurd started the year with a third-round TKO of veteran Eric Mitchell on April 18 in Valley Forge, PA.  The bout was Hurd’s first scheduled eight-round contest.  Hurd’s next opponent, Jeff Lentz, raised some eyebrows on August 14 in Newark, NJ because, although Lentz was undefeated as a boxer, he only had five contests compared to 15 for Hurd (Lentz was also, however, a talented MMA fighter).  Hurd dominated the contest, stopping Lentz in the seventh round.

However, Hurd saved his best performance of 2015 for the last one of his year.  In front of a nationally-televised (Showtime) audience, Hurd faced fellow undefeated boxer Frank Galarza on November 14 in Las Vegas, NV.  Hurd, participating in his first nationally-televised contest, did not let the bright lights blind him as he knocked down the heavily-favored Galarza in the fourth  round, punished Galarza in the fifth and put him away in the sixth as Galarza turned away from Hurd to avoid further punishment, stopping the contest. 

Here is the video:

The Galarza win gave Hurd instant notoriety and a number 11 ranking by the WBA.  Hurd's entire year became the blueprint of what a prospect wants to do with his career.  A remarkable year, indeed.

Honorable Mention (In Alphabetical Order):

D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard (11-0, 1NC, seven KO’s), super middleweight, Temple Hills, MD

Ballard continued his busy career with four bouts in 2015, facing tougher competition along the way. Three of Ballard’s four victories came against opponents with double-digit victories and Ballard won all three by unanimous decision. 

On March 12, Ballard stopped Jason Zabokrtsky in the first round in San Antonio, TX.  On June 30 in Philadelphia, PA, Ballard captured a six-round unanimous decision over Josue Ovando in front of a nationally-televised audience.  That win was followed by another six-round victory over Juan Carlos Rojas on October 3 in Carson, CA.  Ballard ended his year with a shutout six-round win over Fabiano Pena on December 19 in Verona, NY.  Ballard’s progress continues to be steady and he could have a big year in 2016.

Gervonta “Tank” Davis (14-0, 13 KO’s), super featherweight, Baltimore, MD

Davis made this category a close race for two reasons:  One: his performances in 2015 and Two: his affiliation with recently-retired pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, Jr.  Davis scored five knockouts and was the only Beltway prospect on this year’s list to venture into scheduled 10-round contests.

Davis began 2015 with a first-round knockout over Israel Suarez in Pittsburgh, PA on February 20 and followed that win with another first-round stoppage of Alberto Mora on May 22 in Atlantic City, NJ.  On September 12, Davis competed on Mayweather’s final bout in Las Vegas, NV and scored another first-round knockout over Recky Dulay.  For the rest of the year, Mayweather took a vested interest in Davis and placed him in two high-profile, nationally-televised contests against increasingly tougher competition.  Davis flourished in both bouts, scoring a third-round TKO over former world champion Cristobal Cruz on October 30 in Orlando, FL followed by a ninth-round stoppage of Luis Sanchez in Las Vegas on December 18.  Davis should be a factor in the super featherweight division in 2016.

Mykal “The Professor” Fox (8-0, two KO’s), lightweight, Forestville, MD

The 20-year-old lightweight moved up into the six-round bout category in just his second year of pro competition.  On January 17, Fox won a unanimous decision over Luis Rodriguez in Washington, DC.  Fox fought twice more in the Nation’s Capitol scoring a first-round TKO over Thomas DeLeon on March 14 and winning a six-round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Castillo on July 18.  Along the way, Fox signed a promotional contract with King’s Promotions.

Fox took a nice step in competition in his last bout of 2015 and put on his best performance of the year.  Fox won a shutout six-round unanimous decision over 24-bout veteran Adam Mate on December 4 in Fort Washington, MD.  Do not be surprised if Fox makes fewer and fewer appearances in the Beltway in 2016 as he starts to make waves in the lightweight division.

Travis “Seveer” Reeves (11-2-1, five KO’s), cruiserweight, Baltimore, MD

In 2015, Reeves proved to be one of the most improved boxers in the Beltway region.  Reeves won four times in the year facing steadily improving competition.  Reeves won a rematch with Lamont Capers on March 20 in Woodlawn, MD scoring a six-round unanimous decision.  One month later on April 23 in Parkville, MD, Reeves put on a nice performance winning a six-round unanimous decision over Dan Biddle.

Reeves started to open eyes with his first scheduled eight-round contest as he registered a crushing six-round knockout over Samer Barakat on July 9 in Parkville.  Then, on December 12 in Baltimore, Reeves scored a first-round knockout of Anthony Caputo Smith.  Reeves seems to be turning the corner in his career and 2016 should be an interesting year for him.

Lamont Roach, Jr. (9-0, three KO’s), lightweight, Upper Marlboro, MD

The 2014 Beltway Rookie Of The Year made some steady movement in 2015 as he advanced into six-round contests throughout the year.  Roach stopped Herbert Quartey in the fourth round on January 20 in front of a nationally-televised audience in Philadelphia, PA.  On April 18, Roach won a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Miguel Castro in Verona, NY.

Roach made his second national television appearance on June 30 in Philadelphia and won a six-round unanimous decision over Christian Santibanez.  Roach ended his year by winning another six-round unanimous decision over Jose Bustos on October 17 in Madison Square Garden in New York City on the Gennady Golovkin-David Lemieux undercard.  Roach continues to be a promising talent in the lightweight division.

Previous BATB Prospects of the Year:

2006: Tyrell Samuel

2007: Tim Coleman

2008: Bayan Jargal

2009: Mark Tucker

2010: Gary Russell, Jr. and Seth Mitchell

2011: Maurice Byarm and Venroy July

2012: Thomas Williams, Jr.

2013: Dusty Hernandez Harrison

2014: Mike Reed

Tomorrow: The Beltway Boxing Knockout Of The Year!

(Award winner photo created by Ross Molovinsky)