30 bouts on tap in K.O. Drugs meet

By Greg Gulas

The second session will be Wednesday night at the ITAM Banquet Center.

YOUNGSTOWN — The 20th Annual K.O. Drugs H.S. Boxing Tournament heads into their second week of action Wednesday with 30 fights on tap at the ITAM Banquet Center.

Thirty-six competitors have drawn a bye this week after winning on opening night. Fourteen underclass bouts and 16 upperclass pairings highlight this week’s action.

“Quite a few newcomers will be making their debut this week while others remain hopeful that they can advance to third-round action with an unblemished slate,” Chuck Nelson, tourney direction said.

There’s definitely a West Side flavor to this week’s card with eight Chaney students and seven Austintown Fitch hopefuls set to perform on the canvas.

Nine fighters hailing from Trumbull County are slated for the event.

Ursuline’s Mike Viglio will be making his underclass debut when he takes on Ian Stores of Fitch in a featured lightweight bout.

In addition to Stores, four other Falcons are slated for underclass action.

They are junior middleweight Larry Kirby, middleweight Donnie Livermore, light heavyweight Mike Reed and cruiserweight Duante Anderson.

Livermore and Reed are making their K.O. Drugs debuts.

McDonald’s Jordan Mohamed will oppose Kirby while the four Chaney underclass representatives, including junior welterweight Alex Sanchez, welterweight Mathew Cardona, cruiserweight Dominique Smith and heavyweight Bryan Gonzalez are set to go.

All but Sanchez will be making their initial tourney appearance.

In upperclass action, light heavyweight Andrew Irwin of Niles, a returning champion, hopes to rebound from last week’s split decision loss to Sharpsville’s Anthony Middendorf when he takes on Jamil Wilkins of East, Chaney’s Clemate Franklin, a contender a year ago hopes to get off on the right foot when he meets Joe Brodzenski of Sebring in the another light heavyweight bout.

For the veteran Irwin, it was his first loss in the tournament.

Two other upperclass bouts expected to draw plenty of attention are the heavyweight and super heavyweight battles.

Poland’s Jake Hochendoner will make his heavyweight tournament debut against bitter cross-town rival Eric Netroe of Struthers.

Hochendoner, a senior football standout for the Bulldogs, fought successfully in last year’s tourney while Netroe, also a senior, is an up-and-comer to watch.

In the super heavyweight tussle, Canfield’s Chris Schade will meet Anthony Mansell, from Struthers, in a battle that many are calling the bout of the evening.

“The fight between [Chris] Schade and [Anthony] Mansell has all of the makings of a good scrap,” Nelson said. “Both are football players and both are seasoned seniors with Mansell weighing in at 221 pounds and Schade tipping the scales at 223 pounds.”

Tickets cost $7 for students and $11 for adults. They may be obtained at the door.

Doors open Wednesday at 6 p.m. with action set to get under way at 7.