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Salinas scores another KO win
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Salinas
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN
Wearing his U.S. Army Junior ROTC camouflage trunks, it would be safe to say that Alejandro “Popo” Salinas was in battle mode on Saturday.
His opponent, Lucian Clinkscale, only wishes Salinas’ punches weren’t so camouflaged.
Salinas (54-12), the captain of his unit at East High School, knocked Clinkscale down four times in the first round, the last coming as the bell ended the round as he captured the main event of the fifth annual Bob Roth Memorial boxing tournament at the Saxon Club late Saturday night.
“I never expected to knock him [Clinkscale] down four times, yet alone in the first round,” Salinas said. “It’s the first time that has ever happened to me. Win or lose, I just go out and do my best and let my fists do my talking.
“This is my last fight before the nationals in Kansas City at the end of the month so I just wanted to do my best. After the first knockdown, I saw him stagger so I just kept going after him the remainder of the round.”
Jack Loew, Salinas’ trainer, couldn’t help but smile at Salinas’ performance.
“His strength was apparent tonight despite giving up 11 pounds at the weigh-in. For him to go out tonight and do what he did and the way that he did it, tells a lot about his future,” Loew said.
“He just became a star overnight. Popo was the No. 1 ranked Junior Olympian at 132 pounds last year and this will be his first Open tournament. Judging by tonight, I think he is primed to do really well at the nationals.”
In the co-main event, Lavelle Hadley of the South Side Boxing Club knocked down Miguel Acevado of Downtown B.C. in the opening round, then held on to score a victory in a 152-pound scrap.
“I had my chance so I took it and was lucky enough to catch him [Acevado] with a straight right. After that, I just wanted to maintain my lead so I tried to out box him because he just got stronger the last two rounds,” Hadley said.
For Acevado, the knockdown was the difference.
“He [Hadley] started out strong but after the knockdown I started to do my body punches. If I did that before, I felt like the outcome might have been different,” Acevado stated.
In a 183-pound pairing, Warren’s Derrick Eggleston (2-0) defeated Quincy Mitchell of Cleveland while Sean Edge of the Downtown B.C. moved to 12-2 (3 KOs) with a win over Cleveland’s John McNeil in a super heavyweight clash.
“He was tall and he caught me with a couple of jabs. I was able to catch him with a couple of hard rights and a few jabs, but the key was making him fight at my pace. I didn’t let him set the pace,” Eggleston noted.
Edge hasn’t fought since the nationals in May, but was able to knock McNeil down in the first round and then hold on.
“After I knocked him [McNeil] down, I noticed a look of discouragement as he was getting up. After that, I just wanted to maintain what I had started,” Edge said.
“I didn’t expect to knock him down but my jab just hit him in the right place. I realize that I am a work in progress, but feel like I am getting better each and every time out.”
Other local winners on the 10-bout card included Cody Luckey of S.S.B.C., who defeated Davon Johnson of Cleveland in a 152-pound matchup, and stablemate Ronnie Hamayel, who was a victor over Dan Rosenberger of Burnside A.C., also in a 152-pound pairing.
“We had a nice crowd for a July night. Anytime you can attract over 400 fans while going up against weddings, graduations and family vacations then your tournament was a success,” Loew added.