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Salinas headlines amateur boxing show
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Boxer Alejandro “Popo” Salinas, shown here working out at the Southside Boxing Club, will headline Saturday’s amateur boxing show at the Saxon Club.
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown’s version of “March Madness” has nothing to do with basketball, opting instead for a canvas mat and boxing gloves when Jack Loew’s 15-bout amateur card hits the bell Saturday at Youngstown’s Saxon Club, 710 S. Meridian Road.
Alejandro “Popo” Salinas will put his 56-13 record on the line when he meets Cleveland’s Jeramy Abrams in the main event, while two other of Loew’s South Side Boxing Club prot g s, Vic Toney and Lavelle “Turtle” Hadley, will serve as co-main attractions.
Salinas, who won by decision the last time he and Abrams were paired, has had three fights since their last meeting.
His strategy, however, won’t change.
“I had to fight very aggressive in order to win that last fight,” Salinas said. “I’ll still fight aggressively but will try to get inside his body in order to slow him down. I have to go for the knockout or at least force an eight count.
“[Jeramy] Abrams is a good fighter who likes to jab his way out and in; a slick boxer who takes his time and thinks ahead about what he is doing in the ring.”
This is a big year for Salinas, Loew said.
“Our goal is to get to the national Golden Gloves tournament in May after fighting in both the U.S. Championships later this month and the Cleveland Golden Gloves in April,” Loew said. “At 132 pounds, Popo is one of the strongest fighters not just around here, but nationally.”
In one co-main, Toney (8-3), the former Chaney High quarterback, will take on Jose Rodriquez of Cleveland in a 165-pound pairing, while Hadley (30-11) will meet Dwayne Rosebury, also of Cleveland, in a 152-pound scrap.
Last November, Toney won by decision over Rodriguez while Hadley, a former Illinois Golden Gloves champion, boasts 15 wins by knockout.
“[Jose] Rodriguez is a former wrestler who likes to rough you up on the inside and get you in a clinch. That is what I have to avoid,” Toney said. “In order for me to win I need to work my jab early, touch the body and use his aggression against him. I need to frustrate him. Starting off slow, controlling the tempo and then speeding it up as the fight goes on will also be to my advantage.”
Hadley says he knows very little about Rosebury, but doesn’t necessarily feel that is a disadvantage.
“If I just come out and box the way I am supposed to then I should be all right,” he said. “Using quick punches and my jab and just going after him is my game plan.”
Rodriguez has 75 career fights, compared to 11 for Toney.
“Jose has plenty of power and the edge in experience and it was a close decision last time they met, but as long as Vic throws a lot of punches and mixes it up then he should be fine,” Loew said. “As for Rosebury, he was last year’s novice champ and has only 20 fights to his credit. His corner called for this fight to see how he would stack up against an open division fighter. On paper, Lavelle has the edge in experience and he’ll have to use that experience in order to press him to fight.”
Four other South Side fighters will be in action: brothers Chris (63 pounds) and Devion Danials (84 pounds), Dale Harrison (153 pounds) and Jack Trickett (164 pounds). Ronnie Hamayel of Dickie Green Boxing Club and Warren’s Colton Elser are other locals on the card.
Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:30. Tickets are $15 for general admission while a table of eight is $300. A half table can be purchased for $150. Call Loew at 330-501-5713.