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Toney a winner in debut
— Amateur boxing showcase at McMenamy’s —
By Pete Mollica
NILES
Vic Toney can remember when he was little watching his father in the ring.
Leslie Toney was a standout amateur and professional boxer in the Youngstown area and his son appears to be following in those footsteps.
Vic Toney, a 2007 graduate of Chaney High School and a football standout, won his debut amateur match at Sammy Calderon’s All-Star Amateur Boxing Show at McMenamy’s Banquet Center.
Toney scored a unanimous decision over Charlie Nest, also of Youngstown and the Downtown Boxing Club in one of 12 bouts on the card.
The 22-year-old Toney, who fights out of Jack Loew’s Southside Boxing Club, has been working with Loew for just four months.
“I used to box when I was little, but when my parents split up I turned to football, but I really love boxing and hope to continue on with my career,” Toney said.
The main event on Wednesday’s card was a 200-pound matchup between Howland’s Conner Young and Pittsburgh’s Josh Hines.
Young won a decision over Hines and the 18-year-old junior at Howland High dominated the bout.
“I was a little disappointed in my effort tonight and I thought I should have knocked him out, but he was a tough opponent,” Young said.
Young, who is also a standout pitcher and outfielder for the Tigers, improved to 10-8 in his career.
There were only two fights that didn’t go the distance and one featured Southside Boxing Club’s Marco Hall, who scored a first round TKO over Greg Gilbert of Cleveland’s Westside Club.
The 25-year old Hall, a former football standout at Warren Harding, has been working with the Southside Club for just three months.
“I’ve been fighting since I was 17,” said Hall who improved to 27-4 as an amateur. “Tonight I was working the body real good and I hurt him there early.”
The other knockout came in the Super Main Event between two national champions.
Jaqua Lutz, the 2007 national champion from Pittsburgh, stopped Wesley Tripplett, the 2008 national champ in a third round TKO.
Tripplett, 24, is a former Rayen School standout and works with the Southside Boxing Club.
In a co-featured bout, Anthony “Amp” Walls of Akron won a decision over Julius Thomas of the United City Boxing Club.
In other bouts involving area fighters, James Poole of Warren A.C. decisioned Shaun Cristlip of Vienna in a 155-pound bout, while Ronnie Haymel of the Southside Boxing Club decisioned Mike Goins of Columbus at 161 pounds.
Haymel, a 2009 graduate of Canfield, has been fighting for 11 years and sports a 5-4 record. He attacked Goins from the start and never let up.
“That’s my plan for every fight,” said the 19-year-old Haymel.
In the only female bout of the night, Warren’s Autum Hall won a unanimous decision over Chrissy Lacy of Columbus.
Other local fighters who didn’t fare as well included Danny Rosenberger of Niles, who lost a decision to Jeremy Abrom of Cleveland, and Richie Chicone of Southside Club, who dropped a decision to Royce McCormick of Akron.
Two other bouts saw Lavelle Briggs of Cleveland defeat Matt Conway of Pittsburgh and DaLonte Heath winning over Malcome Mason in a battle of Cleveland fighters.