Pavlik trunks: Phantom plus Y, S and U

LAS VEGAS — Youngstown middleweight Kelly Pavlik has become friendly with Phantom Fireworks owner Bruce Zoldan in recent years, so when Zoldan approached Pavlik about sponsoring his trunks, it seemed like ... well, a good fit.

“We said sure,” Pavlik said. “We’d sort of built a friendship through the years. We see each other at a lot of charity events.”

Phantom Fireworks will appear on the rear of the trunks. The front of the trunks, however, remains a secret.

Pavlik’s camp has tried to keep their trunk plans under wraps for the last month — the news that there will be a YSU connection leaked out to a few news outlets this week.

Pavlik’s trainer, Jack Loew, said it will “make the town really proud of Kelly with what he wears.”

Pavlik’s camp has been wearing red, black and white warm-up outfits this week.

The trunks will also contain the WBC and WBA patches, signifying Pavlik as its champion.

Although Phantom Fireworks is based in Youngstown, its reach stretches to the West Coast, including Vegas.

During peak season, it operates more than 1,200 temporary locations.

“We seen a Phantoms Firework out here on a big billboard,” Loew said.

“I didn’t realize they were that far out here.”

When asked if he would be willing to let Phantom Fireworks sponsor his trunks, Loew said, “I’ll get a tattoo on my forehead if they want to pay me what they’re paying him.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Pavlik wore gray trunks for September’s bout with Ohio State’s Block-O on the bottom corner. The warm-up outfits were also scarlet and gray.

He wore gold trunks for his fight against Edison Miranda in May.