Building For The Future

The Bob Roth Memorial benefits fighters at Southside Boxing Club

By JOE SCALZO

Vindicator sports staff

YOUNGSTOWN — For most of his 72 years, Bob Roth was Youngstown’s version of Don King — a larger-than-life character and boxing nut who was (to borrow a few King-isms) simultaneously splendificent and ostentacular and could cause his fair share of hostimosity.

He was the type of guy where, you either didn’t like him because you thought he could be a pain in the neck, or you liked him — and thought he could be a pain in the neck.

Jack Loew was in the latter category.

Back when Kelly Pavlik was just a promising amateur fighter, Roth would make countless phone calls to the local TV stations and this paper trying to get publicity for Loew’s fighters. Sometimes Loew and Roth would argue — OK, a lot of times they would argue — but they’d call each other up 10 minutes later and act as if nothing had happened.

“After my dad died in 2000, I came back from the [Olympic] trials, I bet there wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t talk to Bob Roth except for the last two days of his life before he died,” said Loew. “That’s how I knew there was something wrong.”

Roth, a longtime correspondent for The Vindicator, battled stomach cancer before passing away in March of 2006 at age 72. He was a Youngstown original, with an encyclopedic knowledge of sports (particularly boxing and baseball) and a gift for gab, particularly when he served as a public address announcer. He was a huge supporter of the city — and its sports teams.

He wasn’t around to see Pavlik win the middleweight title — something that Loew still considers unfair — and Loew wanted to do something to keep his memory alive.

Last year, he came up with the Bob Roth Memorial Boxing Tournament, an amateur show designed to raise money for fighters at the Southside Boxing Club. The tournament returns Saturday night at the Saxon Club on Meridian Road with 12 amateur bouts.

Last year’s tournament drew 425 people and Loew is hopeful he can get more this year. Proceeds help pay for equipment and travel costs for Loew’s fighters. His amateurs are fighting in a national tournament in San Antonio, as well as several regional tournaments including the Ohio State Fair.

“Bob was just a good guy who did a lot for me,” said Loew, “and he liked boxing. I just think the least I can do for him is put on a show in his name.

“As long as his family lets me do it, and as long as I get support from the people, I’ll continue to do it.”

Among the event’s biggest beneficiaries are the Salinas brothers, particularly the 16-year-old Juan (who will headline the co-feature, a bout against Youngstown’s Conner Young) and the 14-year-old Alejandro (nicknamed “Popo”), who will fight an undefeated boxer from Akron. Popo is the No. 2-ranked fighter in the country in his age bracket.

The promising fighters have pro potential, and benefit from being around pro trainers and pro fighters such as Pavlik, Niles’ Billy Lyell and Dannie Williams of St. Louis.

“They’ve helped me a lot,” said Juan Salinas, whose goal is to make the 2012 Olympic Trials. “You get a lot more experience. Instead of just fighting in your hometown, we get to go to different places.”

Popo’s reputation is so good, Loew has had trouble finding opponents for him.

“I don’t want to let my hometown down,” Popo said of next weekend’s bout. “I want to bring my hometown up.”

Juan — whose big feet, rangy frame and punching power remind people of Pavlik — tries to set a good example for his younger brothers, hoping they’ll follow his lead and stay out of trouble.

“I always tell them to stay off the streets, to stay away from drugs,” said Juan. “That’s what they have to do. Follow the leader.

“Youngstown is a small place. It’s not famous. Maybe when the Salinas brothers turn pro, they’ll make Youngstown look good.”

scalzo@vindy.com