Crowds packed CareFirst Arena in Southeast D.C. in preparation for the Davis Boxing Promotions “The Grind in the Glory” fight card on Feb. 21, nine matches featuring a mix of young rising boxers and experienced titleholders, some battling to gain — or keep — the belt that cements them in history as a champion.
The voice of the night was Hall of Fame ring announcer Henry Jones, one of the barrier-breaking Black voices in the ring.
“Tonight, promoter Eric Davis and Davis Promotions proudly presents ‘The Grind and the Glory’ spectacle,” Jones said, welcoming the crowd in his signature voice.
Started in 2022, Davis Boxing Promotions’ goal is to develop and promote future champion boxers. With support from sponsors and the community, their events are affordable for families in the DMV.
“Spectacular show,” Davis said, referring to the main co-headliner fight. “Two guys put it on the line [and now] we have a new [National Boxing Association] champion. Hell of a fight, [they] gave the fans what they were looking for.”
Rosado vs. Glenn
Throughout the night, all blue-corner fighters lost their bouts by technical knockout (TKO), knockout (KO), decision or corner stoppage — except Erick Rosado.
Fighting out of the Dominican Republic, Rosado defeated previously undefeated Christopher Glenn in the co-headliner, improving his record to 16-4 with 11 knockouts.
The win came after a hard-fought eight rounds that ended in a unanimous decision — 76-75 twice and 77-74 — in favor of Rosado. The victory snapped his two-fight losing streak and earned him the National Boxing Association super bantamweight title, previously held by Glenn.
During the match, both fighters had moments of control. However, an uppercut in the sixth round sent Glenn to the canvas, giving Rosado the edge for the remainder of the bout.
In the postfight press conference, Rosado told The Informer his motivation to secure the win came from his family, adding that he was grateful for the opportunity.
“I always [am motivated by] my family. I always keep my mind focused on winning my fight. I always think about the future — about what’s coming for my family and all of that,” Rosado said. “And with every round, I stand up from my seat with more strength, recognizing the great fighter. Chris Glenn is a good fighter, and I’m grateful for the opportunity he gave me to fight.”
Although Glenn did not want to take credit away from his opponent, he said he believed he won the rounds in which he was not knocked down.
“When you fight in different places, they favor activity, they favor accuracy [and] stuff like that,” Glenn said, hoping for a rematch later on. “Love D.C. but D.C. is a place that favors hard punches and knockdowns.”
Outlaw vs. Lee
One of the most anticipated bouts of the night was the other co-headliner between Greg Outlaw, now 19-2 with 11 knockouts, and Michael Lee, now 11-4 with seven knockouts. The hype surrounding the fight stemmed from Outlaw’s ranking at No. 11 in the world in the welterweight division.
“Michael Lee is a tough competitor,” said Outlaw during his post-fight interview. “He came to fight and he pushed me. We knew it was going to be a tactical war, and that’s exactly what it was.”
The fight went the full 10 rounds. By the end, both fighters were bloodied in a matchup that went to a unanimous decision in favor of Outlaw — 96-94, 99-91 and 97-93 — extending the boxer’s streak to seven consecutive victories.
“I felt like I dictated the pace,” said Outlaw, who thanked his support system and promised to return to the ring soon. “I stayed behind my jab, worked the body when I could, and just tried to stay smart in there.”
Saunders vs. Johnson
The quickest fight of the night came in a first-round knockout by Southeast, D.C. native Keith Saunders Jr., now 3-0 with three knockouts. The bout was scheduled for four rounds against Lucius Johnson, now 4-8 with three knockouts.
After Saunders’ series of left and right straights that knocked out his opponent’s mouthpiece, followed by hook shots, Johnson hit the canvas just 45 seconds into the round and did not rise before the 10-count.
Saunders leaped onto the corner ropes to celebrate before the referee’s count reached three.
“I feel like everybody was sleeping on me,” Saunders said during his postfight interview with ring announcer Jones. “Anybody who’s talking about me, I’m gonna give them something to talk about.”