Jimmy Lange to Battle Joe Wyatt for NABA Title Nov. 6 at GMU’s Patriot Center
Top Locals Todd “White Lighting” Wilson, “Bolivian Queen” Jennifer Salinas, Zain “Tiger” Shah, Brandon Quarles and Lawrence Jones to be showcased;
Perry Ballard to Make Return Visit to Fairfax
FAIRFAX, VA September 30, 2010
On Saturday, November 6, 2010, popular junior middleweight contender Jimmy Lange (33-4-2, 23 KOs) returns to George Mason University’s Patriot Center to face Joe Wyatt (23-1, 15 KOs) in a ten-round championship bout for the North American
Boxing Association’s (NABA) vacant 154-pound U.S title (NABA is a division of the World Boxing Association/WBA). Tickets, starting at $35, are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets including the Patriot Center box office.
Lange is coming off a decisive victory over Baltimore veteran Mike McFail last month at the Greensboro (NC) Coliseum Complex’s War Memorial Auditorium. It was Lange’s first bout outside of Northern Virginia since competing in The Contender’s “Fan Favorite” bout in 2005. In his last local fight, the Bishop O’Connell High School graduate scored a second-round KO of Jimmy LeBlanc on July 10, 2010 in his 10th headlining-bout at the Mason venue. While he gained national fame from his participation on the NBC boxing reality TV show The Contender, it’s Lange’s exciting fighting style that has made him a fan favorite throughout his career. Known for his straight-forward approach to boxing, Lange’s arsenal includes a strong jab, an unquestionable chin and heart and knockout prowess. His ability to connect with his fans is evident by the consistent drawing power to his cards.
Meanwhile, Wyatt, a former top 20 world contender, started training six months ago after taking off several years from the sport to concentrate on his family and career outside of the ring. Like many boxers, he believed he had “unfinished” business and now relishes the chance to return to the ring to challenge Lange. A Pittsburgh, PA native now fighting out of Richmond, VA, Wyatt lost his only bout to undefeated Reda Zam Zam for the WBA’s Inter-Continental light middleweight title in his last fight held in Denmark. Prior to that setback, he went 25 bouts without a loss, dating back to the start of his pro career in 2000. Within that time, he defeated George Klinesmith to capture the World
Boxing Organization’s (WBO) North American Boxing Organization’s (NABO) welterweight crown.
Fans can expect another all-star undercard lineup featuring many of the region’s top rising stars, including three undefeated Virginia prospects. Opponents have not yet been confirmed for all fighters.
Fairfax, VA welterweight prospect Todd “White Lightning” Wilson (8-0, 2 KOs), a former Virginia Military Institute collegiate national champion, made short work of Calvin “Peko” Faggins in his last fight, using a barrage of punches to KO the veteran fighter in the first round. The southpaw fighting out of Annandale Boxing Club will step up to a six-round contest.
Scheduled to hold court again among her growing fan base will be the “Bolivian Queen” Jennifer Salinas (11-2, 4 KOs), making her fourth appearance at the Patriot Center. The Manassas featherweight went toe-to-toe against Nathalie Forget in what many fans called the “fight of the night” last July in Fairfax. However, she was on the wrong end of a close decision, suffering her first loss in more than five years. The LA Boxing instructor trains at Balance Gym in DC.
Junior middleweight Perry Ballard (20-2-1, 15 KOs) is set to return to the Patriot Center after appearing in the venue’s very first pro boxing card more than five years ago. The Martinsburg, WV junior fighter suffered his first pro loss at the hands of Lange before an electrifying crowd on September 17, 2005. A former three-time World Boxing Empire (WBE) champion, Ballard went toe-to-toe with Hector “Macho” Camacho in 2007 before losing via 7th round TKO to the former world champion and future Hall-of-Famer. Ballard, who drew with Richard Dinkins in his most recent fight last year, made national headlines outside the ring in 2006 when he tackled and helped restrain a robber outside a Martinsburg convenience store.
Three other fighters featured on the July 10th card will return to the Patriot Center this November, including Wilson’s middleweight teammate from Annandale Boxing Club and Chantilly High School graduate Zain “Tiger” Shah (3-0, 2 KOs), who most recently beat John Terry. In a four-round middleweight bout for local bragging rights, Alexandria Boxing Club’s and T.C. Williams High School graduate Brandon Quarles (2-0), will square off against LA Boxing’s Lawrence Jones (3-2-2, 1 KO) of Chantilly, VA, who also trains at Balance Gym. Quarles scored a unanimous decision over Vincent Batteast in his pro debut at the last Patriot Center card and won his second contest against Kevin Kebles last month in Columbia, SC. Last July, Jones’ bout against Tony “Mo Better” Jeter was declared a technical draw when the two clashed heads and Jeter suffered a deep cut forcing a premature stoppage in the first round.
Fight card is subject to change.
The Ice Promotions’ event is presented by Valcourt Building Services. Doors open at 6:00 pm with the first fight set for 7:00 pm. Tickets, priced at $35, $50, $75, $125, $200, $300 and $500 (plus applicable service charge), can be purchased through Ticketmaster by logging onto www.ticketmaster.com, calling phone charge at 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT or 410-547-SEAT or by visiting any Ticketmaster outlet, including the Patriot Center box office (703-993-3000).
NOTES: ICONS – Sports Lounge and Grille (http://fairfaxicons.com/ <http://fairfaxicons.com/> ) in Fairfax will host a Ring Card Girl competition prior to the November fight, as well as the event’s Official After Party. Preliminaries will be held on Saturday, Oct. 16 (prior to airing UFC 120). Finals are set for Saturday, Oct. 23 (prior to UFC 121 with Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez) with an appearance by Jimmy Lange from 8:00 to 10:00 pm. Lange is also scheduled to appear at the
Merrifield Fall Festival (Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church)
(http://www.greatermerrifield.org/festival/about
<http://www.greatermerrifield.org/festival/about> ) on Saturday, Oct. 16 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
