BOXING Lyell, Koval highlight upcoming 8-bout card

Southside trainer Jack Loew has teamed up with "Tank" DiCoccio.
YOUNGSTOWN -- A professional boxing show May 21 at the Byzantine Grove on Shady Run Road could be the start of something big.
Niles super welterweight Billy Lyell (4-1, 3 knockouts) and Chris Koval (16-1, 14 KOs), the standout heavyweight from Austintown, will headline the show in co-feature six-rounders.
The rest of the tentative eight-bout card is loaded with young boxers from the Valley. The show is being promoted by Southside Boxing Club.
Form partnership
Jack Loew, a trainer at Southside for more than a dozen years, has formed a partnership with local contractor Jim "Tank" DiCioccio.
DiCioccio was born and raised on the South side and his relationship with Loew goes back more than three decades when they were football teammates for the Little Redmen.
DiCioccio was a cornerman and camp coordinator throughout the career of Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, the former lightweight champion of the world who will return to Youngstown for the May 21 show.
"Ray was my first friend in life and still, even with a continent between us, remains my best friend," said DiCioccio. "His family was like my family through the good and bad of life and Ray has always been like my brother to me.
"If he needs something or I need something geography becomes irrelevant, when we answer each other's plight."
Went with Mancini
When Mancini turned pro DiCioccio and Chuckie Fagan went with him and became part of that march to a world title.
After Mancini's retirement DiCioccio continued his interest in boxing, both locally and nationally, and because of Mancini's father, Leonard, DiCioccio has always been aware of the area's great boxing tradition.
His interest in the fight game brought him to Loew's gym five years ago.
"I was always aware of what Jack was giving to boxing, but being in the gym and around his fighters, that awareness was broadened to the point of realizing that he was investing his life in the sport and the returns weren't that good," said DiCioccio.
Loew has been training fighters for nearly 15 years, much of it at his own expense.
"If it wasn't for Jack the amateur boxing scene would have died in the Youngstown area," said DiCioccio.
DiCioccio has helped Loew in staging amateur shows in the past, so the pro concept was a natural.
"Jack has given a lot of time to boxing and I felt it was time for him to reap some of the benefits of the sport," said DiCioccio.
"I always wanted to be involved in boxing, but this and future shows that we will do are all Jack's projects. I will promote and manage fighters that he trains, but always with him."
Make good team
Added Loew, "I never realized that I needed someone like Tank, but now that we are together I don't know how I got along without him. He came to the gym and gave me a spark, an extra push that I needed and now he is a major asset for me and our fighters.
"He wanted to go beyond just being a part of boxing and we formed a full fledged partnership and I truly feel he will take local boxing to a higher level."
DiCioccio brought his business acumen to the fight game.
"Nothing should be done halfway," he said. "If you can't go all the way there is no reason to be involved with any project."
His numerous ties in construction have allowed him to secure support for the shows. Youngstown Propane, Komar Plumbing, Home Carpet Company, Brodmor Properties, W.W. Heating, Coca Cola Distributors, Santon Electric, Howard Hanna Real Estate and H.V. Contractors are just a few of the sponsors.
"We have Bobby Hitz from Chicago promoting Billy Lyell and if there is success with our early shows he will bring television in for our local boxing and that could once again put Youngstown on a boxing map," said DiCioccio.