In the last year, Wallace went from a virtual unknown to a respected up and comer in the notoriously tough Baltimore-Maryland-DC region. A participant in the 2016 Olympic Qualifiers, Wallace exceeded expectations but ultimately came up short after dropping a debatable decision to well-regarded Sharif Rahman.
Since the defeat to Rahman, Wallace has been fighting with a chip on his shoulder and the kind of hunger necessary to make it in a sport brutal as boxing. Now that his brief but successful amateur career is behind him, Wallace is focused on his future in the paid ranks.
“I’m excited and have been working on getting my weight down,” said Wallace. “My last few amateur fights I fought too heavy but that’s no longer an issue. I’ve already had experience boxing without the headgear during the Olympic Qualifiers so I’m not worried about that aspect. I actually like that the gloves are smaller in the pros because I’m looking for a knockout or stoppage in the first round to enter the pros in style!”
Jake Smith, Wallace’s manager and trainer, has been involved in the fight game for more than three decades and is a firm believer in him.
“Donald came to me with no experience but the desire to learn and improve. He is an incredibly hard worker and has come very far in a short period of time. I believe his work ethic alone will take him places in this sport and I’m looking forward to Saturday night.”
Tickets are available by calling 410-375-9175.
