KO Drugs a success, founder says

May 21, 2011 at 12:08a.m.

Youngstown

In the highly anticipated main event at the K.O. Drugs boxing tournament, it was the persistence of Dante DeLorenzo that eventually sent Conner Hoelzel from the ranks of the undefeated as he scored a unanimous decision over his Canfield schoolmate in upperclass cruiserweight action Friday at the I.T.A.M. Banquet Center.

DeLorenzo (3-0), whose two previous opponents never made it out of the first round, needed all three rounds to send the two-time champion to his first ever tournament defeat.

“I’m just disappointed that I didn’t get the knock-out. My strategy is always to go after my opponent, but this is one fight that I expected to go the distance,” DeLorenzo said. “It’s a bittersweet feeling for me right now.”

Hoelzel (2-1), who had previously scored split-decision wins, called DeLorenzo a handful in the ring.

“Dante is the toughest kid that I know, hands down. I know that he likes to throw big haymakers and I dodged him the whole fight,” Hoelzel said. “Unfortunately, there were some that I couldn’t dodge.”

In welterweight action, Campbell Memorial’s Zak Kountz (2-0) scored a unanimous decision over McDonald’s Chris Sigley while Columbiana’s Mardell Halas (3-0) stopped L.J. Cox of Niles by unanimous decision.

“Mardell and I have a great relationship; I love that boy. I said from the beginning that we were going to meet for the title and that is all we talked about,” Kountz said. “We became friends after meeting in this tournament so it will be special going up against him for the belt. In order to win, however, I will need to move around more and throw stronger punches.”

In underclass middleweight action, Eddy Collins (3-0) scored a first-round TKO over Nick Ludovici of Oak Glenn to force a rematch next week with Matt Garasic of Poland.

“I got tired after the first round during our first fight, so I will need to work on my conditioning this upcoming week,” Collins said. “Not being tested today doesn’t disappoint me because I’ve had a great experience thus far.

Rodney Cole (2-1) of Austintown Fitch scored a unanimous decision over Anthony Scandy of Springfield Local to force a rematch with Hubbard’s Dale Harrison for the underclass welterweight title.

Losing that split decision has served as inspiration for him the remainder of the tourney.

“What doesn’t break you makes you, and since that loss I have trained harder and gotten better,” Cole said. “I might only weight 142 pounds, but I feel like I pack one heckuva punch.”

There will be 26 championship belts on the line next Friday with girl’s action set to return as well.

“The young men left everything in the ring tonight. We are very excited that the very best will meet next Friday,” said tournament founder Chuck Nelson. “More than 100 competitors entered this year’s tournament and the 26 championships will be the most competitive and best fights of this year’s K.O. Drugs high school event.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. next Friday with the first bout hitting the bell at 7. Student tickets are $9 each, and $10 for adults. Tickets are available at the door the night of the event.

Further information can be obtained by calling Chuck Nel.