Jimmy Lange to Fight Raul Muñoz for WBU Title
FAIRFAX, VA (August 15, 2011) – Championship boxing returns to the Northern Virginia/National Capital area with a world title on the line as Jimmy Lange (36-4-2, 24 KOs) of Great Falls, VA faces Raul “El Toro” Muñoz (22-14-1, 16 KOs) of Topeka, KS for the World Boxing Union’s(WBU) vacant 154-lb. championship in the 10-round Main Event on Saturday, September 10th at the Patriot Center. Presented by Valcourt Building Services, Jimmy Lange Boxing will feature seven exciting pro bouts showcasing world-class fighters from in and around the beltway region.
Lange has won his last five fights, including a unanimous win over Mike McFail this past June in Virginia Beach. The former star from season one of The Contender television show has headlined all 12 Patriot Center pro boxing shows dating back to September 2005. He remains the sport’s biggest draw in the region, with Jimmy Lange Boxing shows consistently attracting thousands of fans and showcasing top local and world-class talent.
A native of Mexico now fighting out of the Midwest, Muñoz lost his last fight to undefeated top prospect Mike Jones in Philadelphia on June 25, 2011. He turned pro at age 18 and has faced world-class competitors such as Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Hector Camacho, Austin Trout, Joel Casamayor, Yory Boy Campas and Alfonso Gomez.
The WBU originated in England, but recently moved its U.S. operations to Atlanta, GA under the direction of Chairman Don “Moose” Lewis. Notable fighters who have held a WBU belt include George Foreman, James Toney, Hasim Rahman, Ricky Hatton, and Micky Ward (as highlighted in the Oscar®-nominated film The Fighter).
The rest of the Jimmy Lange Boxing card:
Jonathan “Reid Dawg” Reid (35-12, 19 KOs) vs. George “Wartime” Rivera (12-6, 4 KOs) – 8 Rounds, Jr. Middleweight (Co-Main Event)
Michael “No Joke” Stewart (47-6-3, 24 KOs) vs. TBD, 6 Rounds, Welterweight
Todd “White” Lightning” Wilson (10-0, 4 KOs) vs. TBD, 6 Rounds, Jr. Welterweight
Zain “Tiger” Shah (5-0, 3 KOs) vs. Julius “Vicious” Kennedy (7-2-1, 3 KOs) – 6 Rounds, Jr. Middleweights
Scott “Cujo” Sigmon (16-3, 8 KOs) vs. Bruce “The Rage” Rumbolz (22-22-2, 13 KOs) – 8 Rounds, Super Middleweight
Lawrence Jones (3-5-2, 1 KO) vs. Jose Felix (10-9-2, 3 KOs) – 6 Rounds, Jr. Middleweight
Tickets, priced at $35, $50, $75, $125, $300 and $500 (plus applicable service charges), can be bought through all Ticketmaster outlets including the Patriot Center box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com/ and via Phonecharge at 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT and 410-547-SEAT. Accessible seating is available for patrons with disabilities by calling 703-993-3035.
Doors will open at 6:00 pm, with the first fight scheduled to begin promptly at 7:00 pm. All bouts are subject to change. Jackie “First Lady of Boxing” Kallen serves as promoter with matchmaking duties handled by J.D. Brown.
Fellow Contenders Jonathan Reid and Michael Stewart plus undefeated No.VA fighters Todd Wilson and Zain Shah to be showcased at Jimmy Lange Boxing
Fairfax, VA (July 29, 2011) – Hometown favorite and former Contender reality TV show star Jimmy Lange (36-4-2, 24 KOs) will headline his 13th show at the Patriot Center with a 10-round contest (opponent TBD) on Saturday, September 10, 2011. Presented by Valcourt Building Services, Jimmy Lange Boxing is the mid-Atlantic region’s top professional boxing show, drawing thousands of enthusiastic fans and featuring action-packed fights. Ticket prices range from $35 to $500 (VIP Ringside) and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets.
The eight-round co-main event will feature a junior middleweight clash between Jonathan “Reid Dawg” Reid (35-12, 19 KOs) of Nashville, TN and George “Wartime” Rivera (12-6, 4 KOs) of Charlottesville, VA. Both fighters emerged victorious — Reid over Mike McFail, Rivera against Shakir Ashanti — on the last Patriot Center card held on March 12, 2011. A Contender teammate and former opponent of Lange’s, Reid is more battle-tested, having faced the likes of William Joppy, Pawel Wolak and Jesse Brinkley. Meanwhile, Rivera is undefeated at the Patriot Center and is 6-1 when fighting in Northern Virginia.
Former No. 1 junior welterweight contender, Michael “No Joke” Stewart (47-6-3, 24 KOs) of New Castle, DE will make his Washington, D.C. area debut in a six-round special attraction bout (opponent TBD). A former USBA light welterweight title holder, he fought to a draw against David Torres for the vacant NABA light welterweight title last February in Dover, DE. Stewart competed in the second season of The Contender, losing to eventual winner Grady Brewer in the quarterfinals. The 15-year veteran has faced former world champions Ricky Hatton and D.C.’s own Sharmba Mitchell and beaten Ivan Robinson, Terron Millett and Charles Tschorniawsky during his career.
A pair of undefeated Northern Virginia prospects with strong followings, Fairfax welterweight Todd “White” Lightning” Wilson (10-0, 4 KOs) and junior middleweight Zain “Tiger” Shah (5-0, 3 KOs) of Chantilly, will seek to keep their winning streaks alive in six-round contests.
Wilson, a business development specialist at Booz Allen Hamilton and former collegiate champion at Virginia Military Institute, is anxious to get back in the ring after his last fight was stopped prematurely at the end of the third round when Dean White was disqualified for excessive holding and hitting after the bell. Wilson, who fights out of Annandale Boxing Club, will face former Florida State USA titlist Raymond Betancourt (8-6, 3 KOs) of West Palm Beach, FL.
Training out of LA Boxing’s Reston gym, Shah will take on Julius “Vicious” Kennedy (7-2-1, 3 KOs), his second straight Baltimore opponent at the Patriot Center. Shah won a close decision against a tough Omar Sims last year in Fairfax and can expect another battle on his hands with Kennedy. Earlier this year, Shaw TKO’d Tevin Parker for his fifth win. Kennedy has looked sharp in his last two bouts, losing in a fight-of-the-year contest with Scott “Cujo” Sigmon and drawing with Jessie Nicklow in an equally-entertaining slugfest prior to that.
Lynchburg, VA’s Sigmon (16-3, 8 KOs), known for his hard-charging style and loyal fan base who travel well especially in and around the Beltway region, will battle Bruce “The Rage” Rumbolz (22-22-2, 13 KOs) in an eight-round bout. Sigmon dropped a 10-round decision to undefeated Chris Patrick last month in Greensboro, NC, snapping an eight-bout win streak.
Popular LA Boxing trainer Lawrence Jones (3-5-2, 1 KO) of Reston, VA will make his fourth Patriot Center appearance when he takes on Jose Felix (10-9-2, 3 KOs) of Richmond Hill, GA in a six-round contest. Jones, who lost a split decision to Todd Eriksson earlier this year, has gone 1-1-1 in front of his hometown supporters in Fairfax.
Tickets, priced at $35, $50, $75, $125, $300 and $500 (plus applicable service charges), can be bought through all Ticketmaster outlets including the Patriot Center box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com/ and via Phonecharge at 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT and 410-547-SEAT. Accessible seating is available for patrons with disabilities by calling 703-993-3035.
Doors will open at 6:00 pm, with the first fight scheduled to begin promptly at 7:00 pm. All bouts are subject to change. Jackie “First Lady of Boxing” Kallen serves as promoter with matchmaking duties handled by J.D. Brown.
FAIRFAX, VA – Highly-regarded, teenage welterweight phenom Dusty Harrison (2-0) of Washington, DC will make his local professional debut on the Jimmy Lange Boxing card coming to the Patriot Center on Saturday, September 10. A rising senior at Thomas Stone High School in Waldorf, MD, Harrison, who turned 17 on May 21, will face debuting Josh Rupard of Washington, DC in a four-round contest.
Beltway boxing fans have watched the maturation of the young fighter during a successful amateur career consisting of more than 200 bouts resulting in countless accolades and awards. Touted as the youngest pro boxer in America, he is trained and advised by his father, Buddy Harrison, who runs Old School Boxing (Temple Hills, MD). Harrison made his successful pro debut on June 11 against Alphonso Alexander and followed it up on July 30 with a win against Trenton Titsworth. Both bouts came on cards held in Mississippi.
In the evening’s Main Event, hometown fan favorite and former star of the boxing reality TV show The Contender Jimmy Lange (Great Falls, VA) will fight for a world title, taking on Raul “El Toro” Munoz (Topeka, KS) for the World Boxing Union (WBU) 154-lb Championship. The card will also feature Lange’s Contender teammate Jonathan “Reid Dawg” Reid facing George “Wartime” Rivera in the co-Main Event plus another Contender participant (Season 2) Michael “No Joke” Stewart. Todd “White Lightning” Wilson (Fairfax) will battle former world championEric “Mighty Mouse” Aiken (Washington, DC), while Zain Shah (Chantilly), Lawrence Jones (Reston) and Scott Sigmon (Lynchburg) will also be showcased.
Tickets, priced at $35, $50, $75, $125, $200, $300 and $500 (plus applicable service charges), can be bought through all Ticketmaster outlets including the Patriot Center box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com/ and via Phonecharge at 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT and 410-547-SEAT. Accessible seating is available for patrons with disabilities by calling 703-993-3035.
Doors will open at 6:00 pm, with the first fight scheduled to begin promptly at 7:00 pm. All bouts are subject to change. Jackie “First Lady of Boxing” Kallen serves as promoter with matchmaking duties handled by J.D. Brown.
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.
