School fighters have eye on titles

Mooney’s Miranda Spottleson and Clenisha Pless of Chaney meet in a rematch.

By GREG GULAS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

YOUNGSTOWN — The 20th K.O. Drugs High School Boxing Tournament concludes Wednesday night with 32 championship bouts at the ITAM Banquet Center on Meridian Rd.

Of those boxers scheduled to fight, 38 boxers are undefeated in this tournament. Seven of them have posted three wins while 21 others are 2-0.

Two consolation bouts will get the card started with 14 underclass bouts, 13 upperclass bouts and five female division match-ups on tap.

“This is why the boxers entered the competition. They all want a chance at a belt, which is symbolic of the title in their respective divisions,” founder Chuck Nelson said.

Opinion: ‘best card’

“The first four weeks of competition have been excellent, but this is championship Wednesday and everyone takes their ‘A’ game into the ring. In my opinion, this Wednesday’s championship fightcard is the best card assembled over the past 20 years.”

In underclass action, Chris Lorimer (3-0) of Boardman will take on Steve Kostic of Struthers (2-0) for the flyweight crown while Keymonnie Harris (3-0) of Campbell Memorial takes on Chaney’s Myke Parker (2-0) for the division’s super welterweight title.

Lorimer and Harris are the only two underclass fighters with unblemished marks in their three fights this year.

Underclass boxers with 2-0 marks fighting each other include Sergio Cabrera (Sharon) and Kai Yancey (Howland) for the flyweight title; Kerstin Smith of Boardman who will meet Allen Shacklock of Struthers for the junior middleweight crown and Solomon Jackson (240 pounds) of Howland, who will meet Tony Barber (258) of Struthers for the super heavyweight belt.

Bennett-Santiago battle

In a battle of undefeated heavyweights, Sharon’s Phillip Bennett (1-0, 225) will take on Campbell Memorial’s Ruben Santiago (2-0, 212).

Of the five female division title fights, four bouts will include girls from Chaney while two will represent Canfield.

Two Chaney students will face off against each other when Raylana Madison and Clarissa Luckey meet for the female lightweight crown.

Last week, Mooney’s Miranda “Boom Boom” Spottleson and Clenisha Pless of Chaney battled to the only draw of the tournament. They have an opportunity to settle the score when they meet in a rematch with the welterweight title on the line.

The upperclass division features six fighters with 3-0 marks. The junior middleweight title will go to either Boardman’s Nick Schiavoni or Lyndon Nelson of Life Skills; they are a combined 6-0 in the tournament.

Other 3-0 boxers

Other 3-0 boxers include Julius Thomas (Chaney), who will meet Al Cutrona (2-1) in a rematch for the welterweight title; John McGarry of Columbiana, who will meet Alex Perez (2-0) of Struthers for the middleweight crown; Tom Jones of Hubbard, who will take on Mike Bender of Brookfield (2-0) for the super middleweight crown, and Eric Ocheltree of Mathews who meets Brandon Moherman (2-1) of Western Reserve for the cruiserweight championship.

In heavyweight action, Canfield’s Chris Schade (2-0, 212) takes on Billy Bowden (2-0, 200) of South Range while Nathan Sharp (1-1, 300) of West Branch meets Kenny Richards (246) of Boardman for the super heavyweight title.

Richards is making his K.O. Drugs debut.

Action gets underway at 7 p.m.

All tickets are $10 and further information can be obtained by calling (330)-757-7273 or (330)-727-0932.