Fitch’s Johnson aims for 2nd belt
By Greg Gulas
Maria Marchese and Blasina Martinez also won K.O. Drugs bouts.
YOUNGSTOWN — With one championship belt safely tucked away, boxer Jordan Johnson of Fitch has a very simple motivation in this year’s tournament — become a two-time champion.
The defending upperclass lightweight champion, Johnson scored a unanimous decision over Mike Gerardino of Newton Falls Wednesday in the K.O. Drugs High School Boxing Tournament, strategically positioning himself for the finals and a second consecutive belt on May 30 at the ITAM Banquet Center.
“My motivation is very simple; I want to be a two-time champion. That has been a goal of mine right from the outset,” Johnson said.
“I really felt like he [Gerardino] didn’t know what to do once inside the ring, so I just kept pressuring him with my jab and then followed with my right immediately after that,” Johnson said. “I just kept setting up my right and that the key to victory.”
The 34-bout card featured the debut of female competition with Maria Marchese of Niles and Chaney’s Blasina Martinez scoring early exits of their respective opponents.
Marchese, a featherweight, scored a second-round TKO over Jenna Spackman of Mineral Ridge while Martinez, a middleweight, disposed of Fitch’s Shayla DeMar in the third round.
Marchese credits her brother, Nick, a two-time K.O. Drugs middleweight champ, with getting her ready for the competition.
“I trained with my brother and in addition to teaching me my stance, he showed me exactly how to attack my opponent once I was in the ring,” Marchese said.
On May 28, Marchese will meet Lauren Mohler of Liberty for the featherweight crown while Martinez will take on Mooney’s Jessica Willmitch for the middleweight championship belt.
In underclass action, Rob Roussler of Western Reserve scored a unanimous decision over Boardman’s Jason Egner, marking the first time since this past winter that he was extended to the third round of a bout.
“I tried to knock him [Egner] out but he was too tough a fighter. He wasn’t flailing with his punches like many of the fighters in the tourney,” Roussler said.
Columbiana’s Mardell Halas, who scored a third-round TKO over Mark Reed of Jackson-Milton, felt much stronger than his previous fight.
“I didn’t throw as many punches this week but more connected and that was the overall difference,” Halas said. “I felt like I tired last week, so I did a lot more running with the hopes of staying strong the entire fight.”
Next Wednesday, the girls finals and boys semifinals will take place. The boys finals will conclude tournament action two nights later.
To celebrate the 20th year of the tournament, next Wednesday’s action will also feature the inaugural K.O. Drugs Hall of Fame class.
The five honorees comprising the charter class will be Billy Lyell, Ken Sigurani, Craig Kikta, E.T. Whitaker and the late Bob Roth.
Action gets under way at 7 p.m. with more than 30 bouts on tap.