Saturday, May 22, 2010
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN
His record is a bit misleading at 47-10 for many of those losses came early in his career.
With a three-round decision over Cleveland’s Ricardo Vega III at the Saxon Club, his 25th consecutive win, Youngstown’s Alejandro “Popo” Salinas qualified for the Jr. Olympic Senior Regionals next weekend in Steger, Ill.
He was the only local boxer Friday to advance out of the Lake Erie Association of USA Boxing Qualifying Tournament.
“I cannot tell you how excited I am right now to know that I have just qualified for the regionals,” said Salinas.
“My strategy was to hit his body with my fist and then use my 1-2 and that seemed to work the entire fight.
“I have no time to rest and will work even harder in order to prepare for the stiff competition next weekend,” Salinas said.
Jack Loew, tournament director and co-sponsor of the qualifying event, says it is tough for him to recall anyone Salinas’ age who has already garnered so much attention at such an early age.
“I’ve never seen a 15-year old attract this much attention. He was originally scheduled to fight first on the card but we received so many calls from Pittsburgh and Cleveland area fans that said they wouldn’t be able to make the start of the fight, but wanted to see him fight in particular so they requested he be moved to later on the card.
“He’s on a streak right now and has qualified for the regionals on his very first try. He’s right up there with both Kelly [Pavlik] and Chris [Hazimahalis] when it comes to excellent training habits,” Loew said.
In the first bout of the night, a female open division 119-pound scrap, Patrice Ray decisioned Asia Smith of Cleveland, to advance.
“I’m left handed so every time I threw my jab I was able to connect. She [Smith] really didn’t hit hard at all,” Ray said.
Cleveland’s Askaree Carroll stopped Youngstown’s Richard Chacon by decision in the first fight featuring a local boxer.
“I had the advantage because of my reach and used my jab the entire fight,” Carroll said.
In the second bout featuring a local boxer, Cleveland’s Montana Love decisioned Alex Smith of Loew’s Southside Boxing Club to advance at 138 pounds.
“My jab and body shots were working for me tonight and I just kept trying to move around in the ring,” said Love.
“I knew that I needed to control the tempo so I made sure to make him do what I wanted him to do tonight.”
Levi Patterson (10-0) looked a lot like former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson as he posted a three-round decision over Delante Anderson.
“My coach told me to keep the pressure on him and I did that by working my hook,” said Patterson.
“It’s exciting for me to be able to advance because this is the challenge that I have been waiting for,” he added.
Frederick Wilson Jr. of Cleveland outlasted Lorain’s Daniel Calderas III as he improved to 41-6 overall.
“I expected him to be wild and he was so I countered with my straight jab. It’s my fifth trip to the regionals but my first time ever going to Illinois so this is an exciting time for me,” Wilson said.
Gene Glen, president of the Lake Erie Association of USA Boxing, called Loew a great help and inspiration for the J.O.’s and open class qualifiers.
“Jack has helped out tremendously for when we had no sponsor, he personally stepped up to the plate and took on the dual role of host and sponsor of this event,” said Glen.
“He also gave us much needed financial assistance and that is the reason we will be able to send 17 J.O.’s and open class boxers to the regionals,” Glen added.
All of Friday’s winners, along with those qualifiers from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and part of Ohio, as well as from the Lake Erie Association of USA Boxing, will represent Region 5 at the regionals in Steger, Ill., May 29-31.