BOXING Veteran Ortega is opponent

Middleweight Kelly Pavlik thinks he'll prevail against the Mexican on July 2.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown middleweight Kelly Pavlik will meet 31-year-old Pedro Ortega of Tijuana, Mexico in a 10-round co-feature on July 2 at Struthers Fieldhouse.
"This guy can box and punch and he knows his way around a ring" said Pavlik's manager, Cameron Dunkin. "He won't come to Struthers just to be an opponent for Kelly."
Ortega (30-13-1) won the IBC Continental title last November when he stopped Eric Regan in the ninth round. Regan regained the title in May with a unanimous 12-round decision.
Ortega has faced some of the best middleweights in the world, losing to Yory Boy Campos in June of 1998 and falling to world-ranked Tito Mendoza in January of 2000.
"He's a good fighter who comes to fight and stays busy all the time," Pavlik (20-0, 18 KOs) said. "He will test my boxing skills, but over a few rounds, I don't feel he will be able to stay with my punching power or my strength."
Tough test
Pavlik said it will be a tough test, but he feels his bout against Grady Brewer, who was 7-1 at the time, was a bigger challenge.
"He was a top prospect just like myself," said Pavlik, who stopped Brewer in the second round.
Pavlik, who has shuttled back and forth to Pittsburgh, has been sparring with undefeated super middleweight Alphonso Williams.
"Kelly was really sharp through six rounds with Williams on Monday and from what I know about Ortega, Kelly's boxing ability will be a big difference in the early going," said Pavlik's trainer, Jack Loew. "I can't see Ortega standing up to Kelly's power."
The Telefutura Network will televise the bout at 9 p.m. Top-ranked super featherweights Steven Luevano (23-0, 11 KOs) of La Puente, Calif. will meet Cleveland's Freddie Neal (17-2-2, 12 KOs) in a 10-round fight at 10 p.m.
Niles super welterweight Billy Lyell will meet 21-year-old Carney Bowman (1-0) in a four-round bout.