LEONARDTOWN, Md. — The South Atlantic Association of USA Boxing Inc. sanctioned another live boxing event and partnered with Daryl Hinmon, owner of Knowledge Boxing Center, to give amateur boxers from New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Annapolis and locally a chance to improve their skills in the ring on another explosive boxing card at The Rex, located at 22695 Washington Street.
A few firsts of the evening started with Jay Attys, who sang a beautiful rendition of the national anthem, and DJ Nani, who executed her talents to keep the crowd entertained.
Ring card talent by Emma Kelly, a new member of the KBC Sexies, and photos by Darnell Marbury of HD Photography were provided.
SMOKE 15 title belt champ Kahleel “Moe” Stone of KBC assisted Hinmon in the coach’s corner — a new vantage point for him.
“With Coach John taking the female fighters to compete in Atlantic City [Pat Johnson’s Master’s Boxing Tournament], Coach D [Daryl] asked me to help with leading the team for this show. I was happy to oblige because we are a family at KBC,” Stone said.
“It was a great experience viewing the fights from the coach’s perspective and helping to coach my teammates along the way. I’m very proud of all of them, and I look forward to joining them in the ring on Southern MD Smoke 19.”
The next boxing card will also be held at The Rex on Nov. 22.
“October kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so we were happy to bring awareness with pink T-shirts,” Hinmon stated, “and we’d like to thank The Rex, who donated a signed Mike Tyson bobblehead and a table to their Oct. 25 Talib Kweli concert that we auctioned off and gave the proceeds to the American Cancer Society.”
Hinmon recognized The Diamonds N the Ruff Boxing Club of District Heights, Maryland, in the ring for the bond they represent in the sport, equipping coaches, boxers and sparring opportunities in a classy manner.
“I am super proud of our team’s performance, especially our Coastie, Isaiah Barrera, who was fortunate enough to score a stoppage win in his very first fight,” Hinmon said.
Barrera, a local member of the Coast Guard originally from Oakland, California, stepped in the ring for the first time and dominated in his matchup for Knowledge Boxing Center in a 132-pound fight.
He earned a third-round RSC over Joshua Tran (Champions Gym) after he knocked Tran down in the seventh fight of the evening. Tran suffered two standing eight-counts in both of the previous two rounds. Barrera had a lot of power behind his punch.
Barrera, who’s had a love for the sport of boxing since childhood, said, “Initially I had problems training properly because of my work schedule and not going to the gym consistently, but Coach D [Daryl Hinmon] and Coach John worked with me to make it all work. My hopes for the future in boxing is to become the best boxer I can possibly be by working hard and staying consistent.”
Barrera has a desire to follow in Teddy P. Fuller’s footsteps and take on the professional ranks.
“This was my very first fight, and I really can’t think too much ahead,” he said. “I appreciate my opponent for the opportunity.”
Ruffin’s Final Fight
Great Mills senior Yasir Ruffin (Knowledge Boxing Center) dominated over Ramont Baldwin II of Washington, D.C.
The Hornets’ wrestler just fought his last fight for KBC as he graduates this year.
Ruffin stated that he’s gained more than just boxing skills at the Knowledge Boxing Center.
“I’ve built lifelong friendships, learned resilience and discipline that definitely transfers over to my wrestling [sport] and in life in general,” he said.
Ruffin said the gym has been more of a family for him.
“It’s also been a foundation shaping not only my amateur boxing career but also my character and my future,” Ruffin said. “This is my senior year at Great Mills, and I’m really looking forward to my last year of wrestling and hope to earn a scholarship to college. I thank everyone in Southern Maryland who has supported my boxing.”
Hinmon said Ruffin has been an asset to the gym for quite a few years.
“It has been an absolute pleasure witnessing his growth from kid to young man and now almost grown man,” Hinmon said.
“We certainly had some rough spots when he first started years ago. When he was about 13 or so, I recognized how strong of a young man he was and gave him some stiff challenges, which initially made him stop coming. It was a risk on our part, but it paid off as his true nature and character finally showed through, and he returned to the gym to conquer those challenges and then some. But no challenge he’s faced has been harder than the unexpected death of his father in 2023.”
It almost put the Golden Gloves Championships on hold for Ruffin.
“That unfortunate situation will always remain with me because it happened the very night before his championship fight at the 2023 Golden Gloves tournament,” Hinmon said.
“Myself and Coach John tried to tell him to withdraw from the tournament, but he was very adamant about competing, and he went out there, put on a great performance and earned another Golden Glove Championship for Southern Maryland.”
“After that, he plowed through that life challenge. We named him ‘Lion Heart,’” Hinmon continued. “This spring, Yasir’s graduation from Great Mills will be bittersweet, as we will miss his presence in the gym, but we will be elated to see him go off either to college or the military, which are the options he came up with. And myself, Coach John and the more experienced boxers in the gym, aka ‘Unks,’ as Yasir likes to call them, will do everything in our power to make sure he gets there.”
Hinmon is once again proud of his team and stated that everyone stepped in to lend a hand to make the show a success. He also mentioned his sponsors and is, as always, thankful to them for believing in and supporting amateur boxing.
“We have an outstanding and very diverse group of like-minded, hard-working Southern Marylanders, and when you have that combination of folks all putting their egos aside and heads together toward a common goal, you can’t lose,” he said.
“Our last home show of 2025 will be Nov. 22, and it’s going to be the same great work in the ring and another great day of great entertainment for all our Southern Maryland fans,” Hinmon said.
“We will also be out there traveling the rest of the year to get the guys ready for the 2026 Golden Gloves tournament, which kicks off in February.
“Last year was my first year as the co-director of the DC Golden Glove tournament, and it was an amazing experience.
“I thank Mr. Bobby Magruder for the opportunity and very much look forward to another great year and working with all the best boxers and coaches in DC, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina, which is our region of the Golden Gloves of America.
“So, the KBC Boxing Team will hit it hard the rest of the year, have our end-of-year party in December, get some well-deserved rest in and then right back to that good bump in 2026.”
Tickets to SMOKE 19 will be available, and online streaming is also available for $20. See KnowledgeBoxingCenter.com for more details. An article is to follow regarding the female team’s success of three victories while competing in Atlantic City over three days of competition.
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