Sports

Lamont Peterson Retires After Crushing KO Loss

WASHINGTON INFORMER — The career of one of the Beltway region’s most legendary boxers came to an end Sunday. D.C. welterweight and three-time former world champion Lamont Peterson was knocked out in the 10th round by Sergey “Samurai” Lipinets of Beverly Hills, Calif., in the main event of the card at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, Md.

Published

6 years ago

April 3, 2019

Gary Williams Special to The Informer

By Gary Williams

The career of one of the Beltway region’s most legendary boxers came to an end Sunday.

D.C. welterweight and three-time former world champion Lamont Peterson was knocked out in the 10th round by Sergey “Samurai” Lipinets of Beverly Hills, Calif., in the main event of the card at the MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, Md.

After the bout, Peterson announced his retirement to the crowd and to viewers watching on FS1.

“It’s been a long career but today is the day,” he said.

The bout was fought at close range throughout, with Peterson successfully landing body shots early. In the fifth, the round-ending bell rang prematurely but neither boxer seemed to be affected.

In the second half of the bout, Lipinets took control. In the 10th round, he connected with a solid right hand that made Peterson stumble. Lipinets would throw a series of blows that dropped Peterson to the canvas.

Peterson’s trainer and father figure, Barry Hunter, threw in the towel and leaped into the ring to hug Peterson, forcing referee Harvey Dock to stop the bout with seconds left in the round.

Peterson ends his career with a 34-5-1 record, 17 of his wins by knockout. He is one of six D.C.-area boxers to hold three or more world titles in the four major governing bodies (WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO), joining Sugar Ray Leonard, Simon Brown, William Joppy, Mark Johnson and Hasim Rahman.

Lipinets, himself a former world champion, is now 15-1, 11 KOs.

It was a tough night for both Peterson brothers, as super lightweight Anthony Peterson battled Argenis “La Tormenta” Mendez of Yonkers, N.Y., to a 10-round draw.

Peterson spent most of the bout on the outside moving side to side. Each man took turns initiating the action but neither gained a strong advantage in the exchanges.

Judge John Gradowski saw the bout for Mendez, 96-94 while judge Larry Hazzard Jr. scored the bout for Peterson by the same score. Judge Paul Wallace saw the draw at 95-95.

Peterson is now 37-1-1, 24 KOs. Mendez is 25-5-2, 12 KOs.

In a close co-feature contest, “The Quiet Assassin” Jamontay Clark of Cincinnati won a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Vernon “Subzero” Brown of Chicago.

Brown, the shorter of the two boxers, landed the biggest blow of the night, a right hand that made Clark stumble against the ropes in the third round. Referee Kenny Chevalier ruled it a knockdown, saying the ropes held Clark up. However, Clark was able to withstand Brown’s assault and come back with punches of his own that landed solidly against Brown.

Clark won by scores of 96-93 (twice) and 95-94 to raise his record to 14-1, seven KOs. Brown loses for the first time and he is 10-1-1, seven KOs.

Alexandria, Va., super welterweight Brandon “Bulldog” Quarles lost by eight-round split decision to Aaron Coley of Hayward, Calif.

Coley was the more aggressive boxer in the contest as he was the first to land shots most of the way. Quarles fought gamely and won Gradowski’s scorecard at 77-75. Judge Dave Braslow and Hazzard both saw the bout for Coley, 78-74 and 79-73. Quarles’s record drops to 21-5-1, 10 KOs. Coley is now 16-1-2, seven KOs.

Baltimore super middleweight Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson won a relatively easy four-round unanimous decision over the debuting Jaime Meza of Compton, Calif.

Simpson dropped Meza with a straight left hand early in the first round and proceeded to dominate him the rest of the way. Two judges scored the bout 40-35 while one had it 40-36. Simpson is now 3-0, two KOs.

Hyattsville, Md., super featherweight Cobia “The Soldier” Breedy won by six-round technical unanimous decision over Francisco Fuentes of Hemet, Calif.

The bout was a very competitive one with Breedy gaining a slight advantage with his punches. Both men were coming forward and a clash of heads seemed inevitable. The clash came 38 seconds into the sixth round and opened a gash on the eye and over the nose of Fuentes. After looking at the cut, ringside doctors said Fuentes could not continue.

Gradowski and Wallace scored the bout 58-56 while Hazzard saw the bout 59-55 for Breedy, who remains undefeated at 12-0, three KOs. Fuentes is now 15-8-1, four KOs.

D.C. welterweight Kareem “Reemo” Martin won a six-round split decision over Joaquin “Chico” Chavez of Commerce, Calif. Martin was the aggressor throughout the contest but Chavez did not back down. Both men landed nice punches but Martin seemed to have an edge.

Braslow and Gradowski both scored the bout for Martin, 60-54 and 59-55, respectively while Hazzard saw the fight for Chavez, 59-55. Martin is now 12-2-1, three KOs while Chavez fell to 9-19-3, two KOs.

Clarksburg, Md., middleweight Mark “Sayless” Duncan lost a six-round split decision to Arturo Izquierdo of Las Vegas by way of Costa Rica.

Izquierdo had a strong offense in the first two rounds and gained a big advantage when he dropped Duncan with a left hand early in the second round. Duncan, competing in his first six-round bout, was able to come back and make it close, even getting the win on Hazzard’s card at 57-56. Gradowski and Wallace saw the bout at 57-56 for Izquierdo.

Duncan lost for the first time as a pro and is now 3-1, three KOs. Izquierdo’s record rose to 6-2, two KOs.

In the opening contest, 2018 National Golden Gloves champion Adrian “Playtime” Benton of Cincinnati won a four-round unanimous decision over veteran Archie Weah of Monrovia, Liberia. Benton was dominant and won by 40-36 across the board. Weah is now 2-13.

In bouts that took place after the main event contest, Hyattsville super lightweight Patrick Harris won a six-round unanimous decision over Bergman “The Snake” Aguilar of San Jose, Costa Rica. Harris was extremely sharp during the contest and dominated the bout, winning by shutout (60-54) on all three judges’ scorecards. Harris remains undefeated at 15-0, eight KOs while Aguilar fell to 14-5-1, four KOs.

Ramon Cardenas, a featherweight from San Antonio, won an eight-round split decision over Ryan Lee “Stone” Allen of Jackson, Mich. Both men were in a very tough, close battle throughout the contest before Cardenas eked out the win by scores of 58-56 on two cards. Allen won one card by the same score. Cardenas is now 17-1, nine KOs while Allen fell to 8-3-1, four KOs.

Also, “The Next Big Thing” Keeshawn Williams of D.C. won a six-round unanimous decision over Evincii “Prize Fighter” Dixon of Lancaster, Pa. Williams was in complete control and won by shutout (60-54) across the board. Williams is now 5-0-1, one KO while Dixon fell to 7-22-2, two KOs.

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

Gary Williams Special to The Informer

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WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

3 days ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.

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Activism

McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

3 months ago

February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.

Oakland Post

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Activism

OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

Published

3 months ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

Two Filipino American stories made headlines recently.

First, Nikko Remigio, the Filipino and African American kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs, did not win Super Bowl LIX.

The other, Alameda’s Rob Bonta said no to running for governor. I don’t blame him. It’s not like a mass of people wanted him to run.

But I did.

Whenever there is a Filipino American in a place you don’t expect, I’m rooting for that person.

As California’s Attorney General, Bonta is probably the most active defender among Blue States pushing back against Trump’s Extreme-Right agenda.

I’d like to Bonta run for California’s top job, but he’s better off waiting in line. The Democrats need a spot for Kamala Harris, and Bonta not running obliges the hierarchy.

History can wait. Bonta’s just 52.

Harris has held off speculation of her next move, saying she just moved back to the state. But it seems governor is the path for her.

For now, Bonta needs to continue taking the fight to Trump in the courts.

Football and Identity Politics

My dad, whose birthday would have been Super Bowl weekend, came to the US in 1928 as a colonized Filipino, an “American National,” where he couldn’t be a citizen, vote, own property or even marry the person he wanted.

Not if they were White.

Still, he believed in America. He never gave up.

Sort of like Nikko Remigio.

My dad would have loved Nikko.

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

You want to get passionate about Eagles and Chiefs?

Let’s be passionate about our Founding Fathers, too.

Nikko didn’t change the game. He touched it three times and provided more yards than all of KC’s running backs.

That’s all I needed to see.

He’s our Filipino guy.

Detractors may call it “identity politics.”

People don’t seem to understand the fight for visibility. To be recognized. To be seen. It’s all wrapped up in the big idea of Civil Rights.

I was nowhere near as good as Nikko when I played. But when you are blessed to play football, you play your hardest.

For me, that was when I was 12 and 13 playing Pop Warner football in San Francisco. I was MVP for my team as a running back.

But I was ashamed of my dad. He wasn’t like the other dads. And I remember going to the team banquet to retrieve my trophy alone.

I didn’t realize it probably meant more to him than I thought.

I wish I had shared my MVP moment with him like Nikko shared his joy with his dad, Mark, born in Seattle to two Filipino immigrants, and his mom, whose mixture of Black and White made Nikko the picture of diversity.

Filipino American and Black and White at the Super Bowl.

But don’t forget, there is one game bigger.

The Super Bowl for Democracy. We’re battling for it every day Trump pushes a cockamamie idea that shakes the foundation of our Democracy.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. Watch his micro-talk show “Emil Amok’s Takeout/What Does an Asian American Think?” on www.YouTube.com/emilamok1 Or join him on http://www.patreon.com/emilamok