KO Boxing tournament continues with girls crowns on the line

April 22, 2010 at 12:05a.m.

By Greg Gulas

YOUNGSTOWN

The 22nd K.O. Drugs High School Boxing Tourney continues on Friday with 25 bouts scheduled at the ITAM Banquet Center.

There are 20 boys semifinal clashes and five female championships on tap. The boys champions will be crowned April 30.

“Following the five girls title fights, the boys will battle for the remaining championship slots. Win and you’re in, that’s the motto this week for the boys as the winners meet for the right to wear the belt next week,” tourney founder and director Chuck Nelson said.

There are 50 student athletes representing 22 different schools scheduled to compete Friday.

There are 11underclass (9th and 10th graders) bouts and 14 upperclass fights (11th and 12th graders and girls match-ups) scheduled.

Highlighting the underclass event is Poland’s Edwin Figueroa, who faces Corey Downing of Wilmington (Pa.) in a battle of unbeaten super welterweights.

Undefeated heavyweights Shane Nuzzi (Niles) and Mike Bobosky (New Castle) will meet with girls junior welterweight Shayla DeMar (Austintown Fitch) squaring off against Warren Harding’s Juliana Currier-Queen in a rematch of last years title matchup.

Both DeMar and Currier-Queen are undefeated, having won both of their fights this year.

In the upperclass division, several matchups will pit undefeated boxers against each other.

Zak Kountz (Campbell Memorial) faces Corey Carrico (LaBrae) at junior welterweight while light heavyweight Karrington Griffin (Cardinal Mooney) tangles with Charlie Metz of Mathews.

Hubbard’s Martin Pedersen, an exchange student from Oslo, Norway, puts his unblemished record on the line against unbeaten cruiserweight David John of McDonald, while Noah Patoray (Boardman) will meet Sam Congemi (Cardinal Mooney) in a battle between undefeated heavyweights.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the first bout starting at 7.

Tickets are $10 each and are available at the door. More information can be obtained by calling Chuck Nelson at (330) 757-7273 or Pat Nelson at (330) 727-0932.