Lights Out event honors Schiavonis

During Saturday’s “Night of Champions” amateur boxing card hosted by Lights Out Management at St. Mary’s Assumption Center in Youngstown, Attorney Lou Schiavoni and his son, state Senator Joe Schiavoni, were honored as “Men of the Year.”

It’s an honor long overdue for a family whose roots remain linked to the glove sport and whose lives, despite busy schedules, still revolve around those fighting on the canvas mat. The fact that three other Schiavoni sons dabbled in the sport should come as no surprise.

All family members have gone on to enjoy successful professional careers outside the ring so it’s very easy to categorize them as your atypical boxing family.

“In most households when families gather for the holidays, they usually discuss numerous subjects including family successes, politics and sports,” Lou said. “Around this area, most of that sports talk centers around YSU, the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Browns, Cavs and Indians and Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates.

“All of those topics are discussed and debated in the Schiavoni household with one exception. The sport we discuss at great length is boxing and I’m sure we’ll do it once again during the Easter Holiday.”

The reason boxing is at the center of debate is that all four Schiavoni sons followed their father into the ring during their amateur sports careers.

In 1972, Lou boxed in the famed Youngstown Golden Gloves tourney where he won the novice flyweight championship over Ronnie Cummings, advancing to the open division finals the following year.

A professional career, though promising, never materialized as he went on to earn his law degree from Ohio State University, never straying far from the sport.

As an attorney, he has promoted and managed fighters, also reviewing promotional contracts for a myriad of up-and-coming pugilists.

A past president of the area’s Legends of Leather organization, he also was credited with overseeing the finances of local middleweight champion Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik when he won the world middleweight title from Jermain Taylor in 2007.

Schiavoni has always believed that boxing should be an integral part of his sons’ lives for a variety of reasons.

“The main reason I wanted my sons to box was that it kept them in great physical shape,” Lou said. “To this day they all remain disciplined and have a daily work-out regimen.

“Secondly, it taught them how to take care of themselves if need be and finally, most importantly in my eyes, it showed them how the other part of society actually lives.

“Most kids at Jack Loew’s South Side Gym had parents absent in their lives or lacked direction in life. Boxing opened their eyes as to how lucky they actually were to be brought up in a loving family.”

As the Schiavoni boys came of age, they all took their turn in the ring — some voluntarily while one needed a push and some coaxing.

Joe, the eldest, fought in the last Golden Gloves tournament held at the Struthers Fieldhouse and won the 132-pound novice title.

He went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Ohio University, later earning his law degree from Capital University’s School of Law.

He continues to practice law with his father and as state senator, represents the 33rd District.

The Golden Gloves were a fading memory by the time Lou’s second son, Dan, dabbled in the sport so he fought in Chuck Nelson’s K.O. Drugs High School Boxing Tournament, which begins its 27th year later this month.

Dan posted a 3-1 mark during his only tourney stint, losing in the finals to the fighter named most promising tournament boxer.

Dan attended Boardman High School and earned his undergraduate degree from Ohio University. He lives in Upper Arlington where he works as a licensed commercial real estate appraiser for Crown Appraisal.

Lou’s third son, Marc, also fought in the K.O. Drugs tournament where he posted a 7-0 overall mark (4-0 as a freshman in the underclass division and 3-0 in the upperclass division), earning two championship belts.

He earned his undergraduate degree from OSU and later graduated from Temple University’s School of Pharmacy.

He lives in Islamorada, Fla., and works for Publix as a pharmacist.

Youngest son, Nick, played baseball scholastically for the Boardman Spartans and was the one brother who didn’t want anything to do with boxing.

Under pressure from his brothers, Nick reluctantly entered the K.O. Drugs tournament his senior year where he went 4-0 and was named upperclass division “Most Promising Boxer.

A recipient of WYTV Channel 33’s “Athlete of the Week” award, he served as valedictorian of his graduating class, later graduating from Miami University.

He is in his third year of Medical School at the University of Cincinnati.

The one constant in the family, mother Joan, who has had a disdain for the sport since her husband was a participant, endured many a night as a spectator while watching her babies absorb leather to the face.

She remains happiest of all when her household now assembles for they just discuss and argue boxing, as opposed to participating.

Greg Gulas writes about boxing for The Vindicator. Email him at sports@vindy.com