YOUNGSTOWN — At 8 years old, Noah Zoldan of Canfield has a boxing hero his parents condone.

By Katie Seminara | February 22, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

“It’s a big deal for an 8-year-old,” said Noah’s dad Scott Zoldan of watching Kelly Pavlik fight live at the Chevrolet Centre.

Scott, 44, and his wife, Bethann, 45, brought their son to the Pavlik-Rubio fight Saturday to celebrate a champion as they celebrated Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini.

“I can remember when I was younger I was a ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini fan,” Scott said.

“Kelly seems like a regular guy, and I like that he’s out there putting a positive spin on Youngstown,” he said.

Events like the Pavlik fight stir up community support that is second to none. The local zeal helps the image of the entire Valley, Scott and Bethann said.

Other families in the Valley were making it a point to be supporters.

The downtown crowd for the Pavlik-Rubio fight reminded Dan O’Nesti, 69, of Hubbard of the olden days.

“I’m older, and this young crowd is reminiscent of what you would see on the streets of Youngstown,” said O’Nesti as he surveyed the massive crowd at Buffalo Wild Wings, Central Square, downtown.

“This city used to have people elbow to elbow,” he said.

O’Nesti and his wife, Kathy O’Nesti, 62, made the restaurant their first stop of the Pavlik fight night. They were with 13 others, including grandsons, Jamie, 8, and Jordan, 13, Thomson, both of Hubbard.

For some, such as the O’Nestis and Zoldans, it was a family event, but for others, it was a night out with friends.

It was a high school reunion for J.T. Thomas, 24, of Columbus, originally from Liberty, Doug Foster, 25, of Girard, and Terry Swadener, 24, of Liberty.

“We saw him win the belt in Atlantic City, so we had to come to our hometown to support him,” Thomas said.

Nick Johnson, 24, of Boardman and friend, Ethan Painter, 24, of Canfield also were killing time at Buffalo Wild Wings before walking to the Chevrolet Centre.

“I think [the event] is pretty solid and creates a lot of positivity for the Valley,” Johnson said.

“BW’s always throws the best events,” said Painter, who noted Saturday night reminded him of Party on the Plaza, the downtown entertainment nights scheduled in the summer.

Down the street, at the Youngstown Club, letters spelling out “Go Kelly” lined the windows, and people inside couldn’t have been more enthusiastic about the night’s events.

Kenny Crewz and Gary Leppla drove from Dayton to cheer on “The Ghost.”

“This is the first time in a long time I’ve seen a fight of this magnitude in Ohio,” Crewz said.

Crewz, who said he was a Golden Gloves champion in the late 1980s in Dayton, said he has a lot of respect for Pavlik.

Neither Crewz nor Leppla said say they come to Youngstown often, but both were impressed and surprised with the city’s vibrancy.

“I’ve been through Youngstown on the freeway and I’ve never been downtown,” Leppla said. “I think downtown looks great.”

Jesse McClain III, 54, and son, Jesse McClain IV, 28, of Boardman do frequent Youngstown, especially events at the center.

“It’s nice staying at home; nice to spend money at home,” McClain III said.

Although the two were in a disagreement on how long the match would last, both said they were happy to support Kelly.

“Anything to help Youngstown,” McClain IV said.

kseminara@vindy.com