The city gave the new champ a real hero’s welcome.

The city gave the new champ a real hero’s welcome.

By JEANNE STARMACK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Down, but not out.

In the second round of his title fight against Jermain Taylor, Kelly Pavlik was knocked to the canvas. But he got up and fought on to become the world’s middleweight boxing champion.

Youngstown, where his quest for boxing greatness began, has had its own struggles. Now, it has a new hero.

The city was only too happy to have a reason to celebrate on a Friday evening. It greeted its native son with a proper hero’s welcome.

A motorcade started above the Market Street bridge as police and fire engines escorted Pavlik downtown, where throngs of fans waited behind police tape. Two limousines carrying Pavlik, who waved to the crowd through the sunroof, and his family arrived in style.

He was escorted to a stage on the square, where politicians waited with proclamations. His family and entourage, wearing “Team Pavlik” T-shirts, accompanied him.

The crush of people who pushed to get as close to the stage as possible didn’t have those shirts. But it was clear whose team they’re on.

Some, such as Travis Marriotti of Struthers, have known Pavlik for years. When Marriotti boxed, he trained with Pavlik, he said. He wanted to be on hand to celebrate his success.

For others, it was important that Pavlik was from Youngstown. Joe Parisi and Lynaia Romeo of Girard went to the Atlantic City bout last Saturday just to cheer for a hometown guy.

“It was the first boxing match I’ve ever been to,” said Parisi.

“We’re proud and excited,” said Romeo. “We want to know where we go from here.”

They’ll go, they said, to Las Vegas or New York to see him fight again. “It would be awesome,” Parisi said.

In at least one fan, Pavlik inspired poetry. Retired Campbell teacher Debra Kostelic of Poland made a memory book for him, complete with an original poem and newspaper clippings that followed his quest for the title. “When I saw him become such a hometown hero, I thought that he deserved a poem,” she said.

It reads, in part: “In Youngstown, Ohio, you’ll find him, they say, nicknamed ‘The Ghost.’ He likes it that way.”

Many families brought their kids. “He’s a good fighter. He’s awesome,” said Jack Francisco, 9, who lives on the city’s West Side. He didn’t watch the fight, but his brother, Mike, 8, did.

And when he won? “I just felt really happy,” Mike said.

Their mother, Cindy, said she brought the boys down “to support Youngstown.” They wished Pavlik good luck.

“We’ll be watching him,” Cindy said.

City resident John Collins believes Pavlik is “great for the area.”

“We need some excitement like that,” he said.

Politicians on the stage agreed. “This is unquestionably one of the proudest days in the history of this city,” said Mayor Jay Williams.

Others saw him as a metaphor for Youngstown and its problems.

“We need to do what he did,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan. “He got knocked down. He got back up. The Mahoning Valley got knocked down too, but we’re on our way up.”

“He didn’t listen to anyone telling him he couldn’t do it,” said Ryan, of Niles, D-17th. “We’re following Kelly Pavlik all the way to the top.”

Pavlik and his trainer, Jack Loew, told the crowd how important it was that so many fans came to the fight.

“When my man went down in the second round, he told me he heard you,” Loew said. “You cheered him and brought him back to his feet.”

“When I was in that ring and had that hard second round, I really appreciated the fans behind me,” Pavlik said. “It was almost like they came in the ring and picked me up.”

He told his fans he appreciated their patience. “I didn’t think my title shot was ever gonna happen.”

After the rally, Dom Tocco and the Brotherhood played on the square until 11 p.m. Restaurants and bars were open late, the crowd was told, so stay and celebrate.

It looked a lot like the city, usually pretty quiet on a Friday evening, was starting to get to its feet. His fans had picked him up. Now Pavlik was returning the favor.