Loew still the same tough guy

By JOE SCALZO

YOUNGSTOWN — Jack Loew had just returned home from Atlantic City, where his fighter, Kelly Pavlik, had won the middleweight title, a culmination of seven years of hard work and patience and resilience and all those other qualities you need to make it to the top of a cut-throat boxing world.

So, to celebrate, Loew had breakfast at Denny’s.

“This old lady recognized me, and when I went to pay the check, they told me, ‘Don’t worry, it’s already been paid,’ ” Loew said. “I was kind of embarrassed.”

A day later, he was back at his job as a driveway sealer — he used some of his cut of the winnings to upgrade his equipment — before going to the Southside Boxing Club afterward to train his amateurs.

“There’s a lot of perks,” Loew said of his newfound fame. “But me and Kelly are pretty basic guys.”

Loew is a lot like his hometown: tough, uncomplicated, blunt and slow to change. Outside of buying a new car — a black Lincoln — Loew’s life isn’t much different than it was in September.

Sure, he can hack away at some nicer golf courses. Sure, he gets a few more calls on his cell phone, particularly from pesky reporters. And, sure, he doesn’t have to worry about picking up every tab when he eats out. (When asked if he’s worried about gaining weight from all those free meals, he said, “Um, no. I’m in great physical condition. I can eat with the best of them.”)

In short, he’s the same guy. A guy’s guy. He likes a good beer and a good cigar. He likes to curse. He’s the type of guy who, when Pavlik was teasing him about wearing pink underwear in the gym a few weeks ago, he didn’t hesitate to show evidence proving otherwise.