Young Lyell is ready for veteran Campas

The two will headline Friday’s boxing show at the Chevrolet Center.

By JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Will a young and still-developing Billy Lyell be able compete against former world champion “Yory Boy” Campas, who has had more than five times as many fights and almost six times as many wins?

Friday night will give answer at the Chevrolet Centre when Lyell, 22, who has 19 professional bouts, meets Campas (88-10-2, 74 KOs) in a 10-round junior middleweight bout that is the main event of a six-bout card.

Called Friday Night Fights, the show is promoted by Don Chargin Productions and will start at 6:30 p.m. The 8-10 p.m. segment of the show will be televised by TeleFutura, a Spanish-language television network.

Lyell, 22, who is trained by Jack Loew at the Southside Boxing Club and managed by Loew and Pat Nelson, realizes he has his work cut out against Campas, 36, a former International Boxing Federation champion managed and trained by veteran Joe Diaz.

“We can’t stand and slug with that guy,” said Lyell (15-4, 2 KOs) at a press conference Wednesday at Anthony’s On The River. “He’s a big puncher. He is real strong. He is a full package. He is the former world champ.

“I just have to go out and fight my fight. I have to take it one round at a time. I have to box and use my skills.”

Pavlik promoting fight

Also on hand at the press conference to promote the fight show was Lyell’s stablemate, undefeated middleweight contender Kelly Pavlik, who is expected to fight for the WBC championship in September.

Nelson said this is Lyell’s big chance to break onto the national boxing scene.

“A win can propel Billy into the world rankings because of ‘Yory Boy’s’ experience, record and most importantly his big name, and also because he is a former world champion,” said Nelson.

Also on the card will be Darnell Boone (14-9-2, 5 KOs) of Youngstown, who will challenge undefeated Brian Vera (13-0, 11 KOs) of Austin, Tex., in a 10-round super middleweight skirmish for the International Boxing Association championship.

Boone is a 1996 graduate of Wilson High who also lives in Atlanta, Ga., and has been in the ring for 31⁄2 years.

Loew hopes all of the interest in boxing being generated by Pavlik’s career and quest for a WBC championship fight will help the show to be a success.

“We are grateful for Campas coming here to give [Lyell] a chance to fight,” said Loew. “Boxing interest in the area has picked up because of Pavlik. We are going to ride his coattails. Ticket sales have picked up.”

Campas is ready

Campas has familiarized himself with Lyell and has a strategy planned.

“From the film I saw of Lyell’s last fight, I have an idea of what I want to do,” said Campas through Diaz, who acted as his interpreter.

“Campas is 36 and Bill is 22. Youth has an advantage in certain things but experience also has its advantages,” said Diaz, who operates Top Level Boxing Gym Inc. in Phoenix and is a USA boxing coach and trainer for the 2008 Olympics.

“This will help boxing in Ohio. We have a lot of [fans] coming here. We hope to do our part to fill the stands,” said Diaz.

TV will help show

Chargin said the TeleFutura network has a big audience and will be a plus for the fight show.

“It should be a good TV audience,” said Chargin. “TeleFutura’s ratings are higher than ESPN fights. Their average rating is 4, and each number represents one million viewers.

“Another TV fight from the Chevrolet Centre will be another positive step for Youngstown.”

Pavlik’s fight in November at the Chevrolet Centre was televised by the Versus network on a tape-delayed basis, and was the first televised fight show at the Centre.

Pavlik’s status

Pavlik, who is expected to attend the fight, greet fans and sign autographs, said he doesn’t know who his opponent will be for the World Boxing Council championship in September.

He doesn’t know if WBC champion Jermain Taylor will defend his championship or vacate the title, leaving Pavlik to find another opponent.

“[Lou DiBella, Taylor’s manager] is for the fight,” said Pavlik. “But Jermain and his advisor are waiting.

“If he doesn’t take [the fight], I don’t know who I’ll fight. Maybe [Sam] Soliman is an option. He is ranked right behind me in the WBC. Right now it is up in the air.”

Loew said Pavlik will be the real draw for the WBC title fight, regardless of his opponent.

“Taylor is the real champ and we want to fight him. But with or without Taylor, we’re fighting for the title in September,” said Loew. “Whoever Kelly fights, he will put people into the stands, and Taylor can’t say that.”

kovach@vindy.com