Thursday, August 28, 2008
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The Chevy Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. Wednesday, August 27, 2008.
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The mayor gave the champ a ‘key of love.’
YOUNGSTOWN — Ryan and Kerry Forbes of Youngstown really, really wanted to win tickets to the Kelly Pavlik-Bernard Hopkins fight in Atlantic City.
They were among those who designed signs for a Wednesday public pep rally at the Chevrolet Centre to promote the fight.
The Forbes took the contest a step further.
Ryan dressed like an executioner, which is Hopkins’ boxing nickname, and his wife dressed as a ghost, which is Pavlik’s boxing nickname. Both wore boxing gloves and carried signs.
One side of Kerry’s sign read: “Take us to the fight, Kelly.”
The Forbes, who spent four days on the costumes and signs, were among the four finalists for three pairs of tickets.
“We have to go to the fight,” Ryan Forbes said before the contest.
But if they go, they’re going to have to pay for the tickets.
The crowd thought the other three finalists were better, leaving the Forbes without freebies.
That didn’t make the couple, who lives near Pavlik’s parents, less supportive of the middleweight boxing champion.
The Forbes were among about 500 people at the rally promoting the fight.
The crowd was rather lively, shouting at Hopkins and his supporters as they promoted the Oct. 18 bout.
But the biggest boos came for Ken Schick, general manager of HBO Pay-Per-View, when he said he was a Florida Gator fan.
The Wednesday event was designed to help promote the fight and to give Pavlik’s fans the chance to be part of the buildup.
The first hundred or so fans inside the center received light plastic hard hats because the boxing match is being promoted as a “workingman’s fight.”
Members of the Poland Seminary High School marching band entertained the crowd before the fighter arrived.
Among the songs was Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas.” Perhaps the band wasn’t aware the fight will be in Atlantic City.
Those at the rally included longtime friends Karen Wolfe of Lowellville, Jenny Ditzler of Austintown and Cheryl Vrabel of Boardman.
The three had a sign along with small white ghost puppets, but weren’t looking to win tickets. They already bought them.
“We’re here to support him,” Ditzler said.
The three have attended several of Pavlik’s fights, gaining an interest in him and boxing because the champ used to attend high school with Wolfe’s children.
“We never experienced it before,” Vrabel said of a boxing match. “But once we did, we were hooked. We feel the punches.”
Wolfe added: “He’s a great kid and we’re really very proud of him.”
Mayor Jay Williams gave two keys to the city — one to each fighter.
Hopkins received a “key of respect.”
Pavlik, who’s brought national attention to Youngstown, received “our key of love. It opens our hearts for our hometown champion,” Williams said.
The winning banner was designed by Ray Griggy of Columbiana, a professional lithographer. The banner features an air-brushed skeleton with skulls next to it along with Kelly “the Ghost” Pavlik written on it.
Griggy said he drew the design at work and then air-brushed the canvas at home.
“This is the first time I’m going to a [Pavlik] fight,” he said. “It will be exciting.”
SEE ALSO:Calm before the storm,Pavlik roundup: News and notes and Boxing hurt by lack of viable contenders.
skolnick@vindy.com