Amateur fights Saturday night in Youngstown

August 10, 2012 at 12:09a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

A 17-bout amateur card presented by Slugfest Boxing is slated for Saturday at St’s. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Hall, 1025 North Belle Vista Rd.

The event will feature boxers from the tri-county area and Western Pennsylvania with New Castle’s Nico Froce set to make his debut at 132 pounds. Other up-and-coming boxers from the area’s top gyms are expected to compete.

Also on the card will be two female pairings, including the amateur debut of Jimmeka Abrom of the South Side Boxing Club

“We feel like we have an excellent card assembled and know full well that those in attendance will understand right from the outset our underlying theme,” promoter Chuck Nelson said. “Our main event is a pairing between Pittsburgh and Cleveland natives and that itself will test the loyalty of the crowd. Having our area gyms well-represented and wanting to showcase their boxers is a real plus.”

The card, sanctioned by U.S.A. Amateur Boxing, will feature Matt “The Irishman” Conway of Pittsburgh in the main event against Cleveland’s Chris Butler in a 135-pound bout.

In addition to Abrom, two other Jack Loew-trained fighters from the South Side Boxing Club — Rashon Cook (135 pounds) and Vince Hadley (230) — will compete.

Cincinnati Clay of United City Boxing is one of three Sammy Calderon fighters on the card. Clay will oppose Steubenville’s Angelo Mignoni, a former Bowling Green State University football player in a 215-pound battle. Matthew Cardona (160) and Brian Gonsalves (190) also are on the card.

Cardona is a past K.O. Drugs High School Boxing tournament champion while Gonsalves squares off with fellow Youngstown native Danny Infante, an aspiring fighter who is trained by Campbell’s Jackie Vallas.

Danny Rosenberger (155) of Niles, the son of former New Jersey state champion Gregg “Rusty” Rosenberger, is set to represent Trumbull County.

Steubenville fighters Glen Mitchell (132) and Shianne Gist (140) are also on the card. Gist, one of two females on the card, will meet Tiffany Walker of New Philadelphia.

Froce goes up against Mike Sheppherd of Cleveland in a featherweight bout while another New Castle native, Cory Downing, is ready to take on Youngstown’s Clemente Franklin, a former Chaney High School football standout and also a K.O. Drugs champion, in a 175-pound bout.

A late addition to the card features Pittsburgh’s Yugo Garcia and Dover’s Austin Meese at 150 pounds.

Garcia is the newly crowned Ringside national champion. He earned the title last weekend in Kansas City.

Tickets are $15 each with VIP and table arrangements still available.

The show begins at 7 p.m. Call 330-757-7273 or 330-240-8646 for more information.