Pavlik’s Feb. 21 fight ignites city

By Jon Moffett

Some hope next month’s bout will knock out a negative image of the city.

YOUNGSTOWN — When middleweight boxing champion Kelly Pavlik heads to the ring next month, he’ll be bringing more than just his championship belts.

Accompanying “The Ghost” will be a slew of national media and a bright spotlight on his hometown for the Feb. 21 WBC/WBO title fight at the Chevrolet Centre against Marco Antonio Rubio.

There are three ways to watch the fight: Attend it live at the Chevy Centre; purchase it on pay-per-view; or watch it at a local restaurant or bar.

Pavlik’s last five fights have aired on HBO or HBO pay-per-view, but the Rubio fight will air on Top Rank Pay-Per-View instead. Bob Arum, Pavlik’s promoter and Top Rank chairman, said the decision to have an independent pay-per-view made more financial sense.

“I think it’s going to be huge,” said Lyndsey Hughes, downtown director of events and special projects. “It’s going to bring 7,000 people to downtown Youngstown, and there’s also going to be national coverage.”

The city will work closely with local businesses for the fight weekend, Hughes said. Many will extend business hours to accommodate the influx of visitors. Among the pre-fight plans is an event to lure people downtown, Hughes said.

Hughes said the weekend of the fight offers businesses a rare, late-February opportunity.

“They’ll be coming off the Super Bowl weekend where business is going to be great,” she said.

Phil Moore, executive director of the Mahoning County Conventions and Visitors’ Bureau, said he is looking forward to the fight.

“It’s a fantastic event for Youngstown, the county and the entire Mahoning Valley just for the excitement and the publicity,” he said. “It’s recognition and awareness, no matter what it is, that things are happening here.

“Anything to draw attention to a community in a positive way is good; it’s good for all of us.”

About a half-hour after tickets went on sale Jan. 10, approximately 5,500 of the 7,000 tickets for the Chevy Centre fight were sold. Now, the surge in business for the weekend of the fight is beginning to spread. The Holiday Inn in Boardman has increased reservations.

“We already do have a lot of bookings for that weekend, and we do see that as probably the strongest weekend we’ll have in the first two months of the year,” said Mike Moliterno, general manager of the South Avenue hotel. “We hope to fill up that weekend.”

While the hotel industry expects an increase in bookings, the food industry expects an equal turnout for pre- and post-fight activities.

“We’re going to be open before and after,” said Greg Sop, owner of the Rosetta Stone Cafe on West Federal Street. “We have live entertainment those nights in terms of bands.”

Sop added that the fight also brings about opportunities to showcase Youngstown.

“I think it’s more than just getting the people to come downtown,” Sop said. “I think an event of this nature gives Youngstown publicity on a broader nature. I think Kelly Pavlik has a large following outside of this area, and it would be nice for Youngstown to get enough publicity to bring in businesses.”

Sean Pregibon, owner of the Youngstown Sports Grille, said the event gives residents a chance to cheer again.

“It makes us forget about the bad economic times for the week,” he said.

Pregibon, whose South Avenue bar will air the fight on about a half dozen TV screens, said he expects a jump in business between 50 and 70 percent for the weekend.

“An influx of people in the Youngstown area certainly will be a tremendous boost for the whole entire weekend and possibly the week,” Pregibon said. “We certainly are expecting a spike in business, and it’s a good time because of the economic situation.”

By hosting an event at the Chevy Centre, Team Pavlik has shown its dedication to the city, Pregibon said.

“It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or what you’ve accomplished, the No. 1 priority is to give back to the community and remember where you came from,” he said.

Pregibon said Pavlik gives the Mahoning Valley hope to get off the ropes and contend once again.

“It gives us and the Mahoning Valley a reason to shut out what is going on in the rest of the economy and just cheer on our hometown guy the only way we know how, and that is 110 percent.”

jmoffett@vindy.com