HIGH SCHOOL BOXING Veterans step into ring for second week of K.O. event

A lot of fighters will be trying to survive double elimination.
HUBBARD -- With more fighters being registered since last week's opening night of the K.O. Drugs High School Boxing Tournament, the list of participating competitors has expanded to nearly 140 for Wednesday night's second evening.
There are 40 bouts scheduled at the Hubbard High gym, starting at 7 p.m.
Among the K.O. Drug veterans will be Dwayne Pompey, a middleweight champion last year from Woodrow Wilson High, and A.J. McGee, a hard-punching underclass cruiserweight from Niles.
On the bubble
Several fighters will attempt to avoid losing elimination bouts, like upperclass junior-middleweight John Butler from Ursuline and upperclass cruiserweight Matt Kunkle from Mathews. Kunkle gave Liberty's Mike Marvin, last year's most promising upperclass fighter, all he could handle in a close decision last week.
Champions from last year who will be in action for a first time Wednesday are super heavyweight Juan Vega from Ursuline, a standout two-way lineman for the Fighting Irish, and Hubbard football standout Dave Phillips, who will be in a heavyweight battle against Nick Sommerfield from Reynolds. Sommerfield lost a close decision last week to Canfield's Billy DeColla.
John Drennen from Liberty, a top welterweight from last year, will be in action for a first time when he takes on Jake Sauceman from Austintown Fitch.
One young man who won't be fighting this week is upperclass welterweight Kris Maylone from Champion, who, using an aggressive attack, won over South Range's Todd Orr last week when the referee stopped the contest in the second round.
Through a ringside error, Orr was announced as the winner, but the error was caught and Orr will be in action this Wednesday against Mike Bradley from Life Skills, while Maylone will be back the following Wednesday.
Survival
"This is always a good week for the tournament as it has a lot of kids fighting to survive double elimination and stick around to be in the round-robin phase," said tournament director Chuck Nelson.
"These bouts should be good because the guys who want to stay in the tournament have the adrenalin flowing as they battle in survival mode," he added. "Every year the second week is one of the best as it is almost equal to the night of the finals."
Doors open at 6 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students.