Giuriceo returns on undercard

By Joe Scalzo

Youngstown boxing fans got their first taste of Jake “The Bull” Giuriceo in February on the undercard of Kelly Pavlik’s bout at the Covelli Centre.

He won that bout by second-round knockout. Four wins — and one more knockout — later, Giuriceo is back in the same spot.

“I’m just looking to go out there and perform my best and do what I do,” said Giuriceo, a 2003 Campbell High graduate who will fight on the undercard of Saturday’s Pavlik-Miguel Espino bout at Youngstown State University. “I’m just looking to take the guy out, get another win under my belt and move forward.”

Giuriceo (5-0, 2 KOs) will fight Cleveland native Henri White Jr. (4-4-1, 3 KOs) in a six-round junior welterweight bout.

Those two actually fought on the same card in June at Campbell High School, with Giuriceo winning by knockout over Lucas Rodas (3-6, 1 KO) and White winning when Cortez Bey retired in the third round.

Giuriceo, who now lives in Struthers and trains at Keith Burnside’s gym, made Saturday’s card both because of his ability and his large fan following.

“I think it’s my style of fighting,” he said, when asked why he had such a large following. “They call me the bull. I bull rush people. I go in there and fight.

“There’s three minutes of fighting in each round and I’m fighting for three minutes. That’s why people come to watch the sport.”

Another 2003 Campbell graduate, Chris Hazimihalis, will make his pro debut Saturday in a four-round lightweight bout against Norman Allen (3-6, 1 KO).

Hazimihalis was a promising amateur fighter under Jack Loew at the Southside Boxing Club, but took a break from boxing after his last bout in late summer 2008. Over the last 16 months, he spent more time painting — his father owns a company that paints towers — than working out.

He finally got back in the gym and, at age 24 and with 40 amateur bouts under his belt, figured if he was going to give pro boxing a shot, it was now or never.

He’s never fought without headgear so he’s been asking fighters such as Pavlik and Niles’ Billy Lyell what it’s like.

“They told me after the first punch or two, it breaks the ice,” said Hazimihalis, who was friends with Giuriceo in high school. “Then it’s just like sparring.”

So, what does he expect?

“I’m expecting some good defense,” said Hazimihalis, a former Cleveland Golden Gloves champion. “Hopefully I won’t get hit with too many punches.”

There’s one other fighter on the undercard with local ties: Cleveland native Willie Nelson, who meets Doel Carrasquillo in a welterweight bout, is managed by Loew.

The 22-year-old Nelson (12-0, 8 KOs) fought more than 200 amateur bouts before turning pro at 18.

Giuriceo and Hazimihalis know they’re blessed to be fighting at home on such a high-profile card.

“That’s a big thing,” Hazimihalis said. “There will be a lot of people there to see how I fight and I’m very fortunate to be on the undercard of a middleweight championship. It’s not every day you get to be a part of something like that.

“There’s going to be a big crowd, so it should be a great experience.”

Giuriceo, of course, has already been through it. When asked to name the highlight of his first year as a pro fighter, he said, “Starting the year off on Kelly’s undercard and now finishing the year on his undercard. That’s crazy.”

scalzo@vindy.com