TEENAGER HEADLINES WASHINGTON D.C. CARD TONIGHT
By Michael Walters

Boxing returns to the nation's capital tonight, July 14th, with an eight-bout card headlined by Dusty “The Beltway Boriqua” Hernandez-Harrison at Washington D.C.'s Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The card, promoted by Gene Molovinsky’s Keystone Boxing, will be the thirdrd show Harrison has headlined, and he's still just a teenager.

The eighteen year old Harrison (6-0 with 3 KOs) takes on Reggie Nash (10-29-1) in a scheduled six-round contest.

Trained by his father Buddy Harrison, Dusty has been boxing longer then he can remember. “My aunt has a video of me in a onesie’[infant outfit] shadow boxing when I was about ten months old,” recalled Dusty.

At the age of 8, Dusty started competing in sanctioned amateur matches and was soon racking up wins and, championship medals. He won multiple National Silver Gloves Championships, National Golden Gloves Championships, the Ringside World Championships and countless other amateur tournaments.

“I wanted to pursue the Olympics but, it just doesn't seem like it's the same anymore. Like when Sugar Ray Leonard fought in the Olympics [1976], it was such a bigger deal,” Harrison said. “I figured it would be better for my career to get a jump start. By the time I would have gotten out of the Olympics, I might be 10 or 12 and 0.”

After starting his pro career in Mississippi at the age of 17, Harrison will be fighting for the fourth time of his career in front of his hometown fans.

“They treat him so great here. The DC Boxing Commission is absolutely great, (boxing promoter) Gene Molovinsky at Keystone treats us like we are one of his own,” said Buddy Harrison. “We are going to stay right here, the fans love him here, we sell out here each and every time. I would be a fool to leave Washington D.C.”

Harrison is penciled in to fight 3 more times at the convention center before years end. His father also believes that by staying in D.C. he can work with some of the best fighters in the nation. “He gets the best sparring in the world here, he don't have to go nowhere else. Lamont Peterson, Anthony Peterson, 'Chop Chop' Corley -- these guys can fight. DC's got some of the best fighters in the country. Even in the amateurs we got some great fighters,” added the elder Harrison.