KELLYPAVLIK Boxer faces assault charge

The middleweight contender is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Dec. 20.
YOUNGSTOWN -- A judge set bond at $12,500 for local boxer Kelly Pavlik, who is charged with felony assault of an off-duty sheriff's deputy, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Municipal court Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr. arraigned Pavlik on Friday and set bond at $10,000 for the felony charge and $2,500 for the other charges, which are misdemeanors.
Pavlik posted bond on Friday evening.
Pavlik, 23, of Cornell St., had no prior record, prosecutors said.
The charges stem from a fight early Friday morning outside Shenanigan's Bar, 2846 Market St., on the South Side.
Screamed at bouncers
Pavlik and a group of people, who appeared intoxicated, were escorted from the bar, and Pavlik was restrained by friends as he screamed violent threats at the bouncers, according to a report by Mahoning County sheriff's Deputy Todd Mariani.
The deputy, who was working off-duty at Shenanigan's, recognized Pavlik and advised the group to leave the area multiple times, but Pavlik continued to yell, the report shows.
Pavlik allegedly yelled threats and profanities at Mariani before punching him in the face. The deputy responded by spraying pepper spray at the boxer, according to the report.
A Youngstown police officer also attempted to spray Pavlik as he and Mariani wrestled. Pavlik and Mariani were hit with the spray before the boxer was handcuffed and taken to the Mahoning County Jail, Mariani reported.
Pavlik is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Dec. 20.
Pavlik's attorney, Mark Hanni, said after the arraignment that "Kelly's an adult, and he'll step up to the plate and show he's a mature young man."
Hanni said he did not expect the incident or legal proceedings to affect Pavlik's boxing.
Handling his status
"Once Kelly Pavlik leaves the gym he has to realize that he is a 23-year-old professional athlete and he must learn to distance himself from certain individuals outside of the gym," said Jack Loew, who is Pavlik's trainer.
Pavlik is scheduled to fight Jose Luis Zertuche Jan. 21 in Las Vegas.
"The timing of this incident is unfortunate because of where Kelly is in his career and that he was to begin training for his upcoming fight in January," said Loew.
Cameron Dunkin, Pavlik's co-manager and agent, declined comment.
With a record of 27-0 that includes 24 wins by knockout, Pavlik is the 16th-ranked middleweight in the world. He won the North American Boxing Federation title Oct. 7 with a TKO in the ninth round against Fulgencio Zuniga in Las Vegas.