Chattanooga's own DeMarcus "All Business" Rogers, the Tennessee state welterweight champion, might not get to box in his hometown for a while, but he's going out with fireworks - figuratively, anyway. His Grind Nation Promotions company is presenting "Saturday Night Boxing" Independence Day Edition tonight at the Chattanooga Convention Center, and Rogers himself is the headliner against leflt-hander Adam Ealoms of Bryan, Texas. It's scheduled to go six rounds. Other bouts include a six-round heavyweight matchup of Darius Shorter from Memphis against Houston's Maurenzo Smith and a four-round bantamweight battle between Knoxville's Leshaun Blair and Brooklyn's Claude Staten Jr. Rogers (11-2 with six knockout victories) and Ealoms will fight as super welterweights (154 pounds). Ealoms has had 21 professional fights and is known for his toughness, Rogers said. "He will stand in front of his opponent and try to break him down with big punches," the fighter/promoter noted. "And in his losses he has only been stopped a couple of times. He is known for going through the whole fight." Front-row ringside seats are available for $50 at www.chattanoogaboxing.net or 678-554-7697, and general admission for $20 will be available at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m.; boxing begins at 7. "This is going to be the last time I fight in Chattanooga for a long time," said Rogers, who's working on a deal for a televised fight. Tonight's event also will include performing by rapper Kay B Brown of Chattanooga.
Soccer
- The Chattanooga area had five players make the Tennessee Sports Writers Association boys' soccer all-state teams for 2017. McCallie forward Drew Viscomi is a repeat selection on the Division II team, which also includes Blue Tornado teammate Jonah Bryan, a defender, and Baylor goalkeeper Mats Pokela. Cleveland senior forward Tommy Marino and Coffee County junior defender Ben Reid made the 12-man Class AAA all-state team.
- The Chattanooga Football Club women's soccer team lost 1-0 to the Little Rock Rangers on an 87th-minute goal after a corner kick Friday night at War Memorial Stadium in Arkansas. That left the CFC women 1-3-2 and the Rangers 2-5-1 in WPSL Southeast Conference games. Goalkeeper Kerri Butler repeatedly made big saves for Chattanooga FC, which visits the Memphis Lobos this afternoon and hosts the Gulf Coast Texans in Finley Stadium on July 8.