Accuser drops assault complaint against champ Pavlik

Youngstown police won’t continue to investigate a Boardman man’s allegation of assault.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — An assault complaint filed earlier this week against boxing champion Kelly Pavlik has been dropped.

City Prosecutor Jay Macejko said Ronald Cappitte, 45, of Boardman, contacted the Youngstown Police Department on Wednesday and said he didn’t want the investigation to move forward.

Cappitte previously told police that Pavlik, 28, of Canfield, punched him in the groin around 11 p.m. Saturday at the East Side Civics. He said he simply walked up to Pavlik to say hello when he was struck.

Cappitte said Pavlik’s trainer, Jack Loew, also hit him.

Loew earlier this week said the allegation is false.

Macejko said Cappitte didn’t indicate why he changed his mind about the investigation.

“The detective was just starting to interview witnesses when he got the call from [Cappitte],” Macejko said. “That effectively ended it.”

Cappitte had told police that he fell to the floor after being struck. He then got up and told Pavlik that if he hit him again, they would be fighting outside.

Cappitte told police that Pavlik then struck him in the forehead, and he fell again. Pavlik and Loew, 50, then both jumped on Cappitte, punching him repeatedly in the body, the police report said.

Loew, however, said Pavlik and Cappitte were talking when Cappitte suddenly grabbed Pavlik around the neck. He said he got in the middle of the two men to break it up.