Loew fighter Salinas set to meet foe with famous name

March 26, 2015 at 12:09a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

After just one professional fight, Youngstown lightweight Alejandro “Popo” Salinas is still trying to make a name for himself.

His next opponent doesn’t exactly have that problem.

Salinas will fight Michael Jordan — no, not that one — in the headline bout of “Saturday Night at the Fights” on April 18 at St. Lucy’s in Campbell.

“Michael Jordan, what a great basketball player,” joked Southside Boxing Club owner Jack Loew. “No, he’s more of an MMA fighter, a tough kid. With Popo’s background as an amateur and people knowing him, it’s really, really hard to get an opponent when you put on a club show.

“If it means throwing him [Salinas] in there with some bad--- MMA fighter, that’s what I gotta do.”

The 10-bout card features nine Youngstown fighters, including middleweight Victor Toney (1-0), heavyweight Wesley “The King” Triplett (1-0) and welterweight Lavelle “Turtle” Hadley. Those three, along with Salinas, made their professional debuts last November.

The five-month layoff is a little longer than Loew would like, but it’s part of the challenge of training fighters that don’t have promoters.

“I’ve got a lot of interest in some of the young guys, but I don’t want them [the promotional companies] to take them and use them as a pawn for one of their guys and my guys get the short end of the stick,” Loew said. “Hopefully we can get these guys to 5-0, 6-0 within the year and be able to shop them to a promotional company. When it’s the right time, their career will start moving a whole lot quicker.”

Salinas isn’t just learning patience outside the ring, though. Although he knocked out Chris Tanner late in the first round of his debut, he said he was too hyped early in the round.

“All the emotion and the adrenaline kind of took over,” he said. “I’m focusing on keeping the game plan, keeping focus, staying patient and picking my shots.”

Jordan (0-1) hails from Fowlerville, Mich., but most of next month’s opponents are also Ohioans.

Toney will meet Cincinnati’s Dion Meadows (1-0), Triplett will fight Cleveland’s Frank Barnes (0-1) and Hadley will fight Toledo’s Diamond Mitchell (0-1).

Also, Youngstown light heavyweight Ricco Acevedo (1-0) will meet Columbus’ Rocky Edwards (0-1), Youngstown super welterweight Danny Rosenberger will make his debut against Donte Adams (0-1) of Fort Wayne, Ind., Youngstown welterweight John Gregory (1-0) will fight Kevin Shacks (0-0) of East Lansing, Mich., and Youngstown welterweight Vinnie O’Neill (3-1-1) will fight Lorain’s Angelo Figueroa (3-1-1) in what Loew says could be the fight of the night.

Youngstown super lightweight Brett Simmons (2-1-2) does not yet have an opponent. The other fight features Monaca, Pa., cruiserweight Josh “The Handsome Hitman” Himes (2-0) against Columbus’ Matt Anderson (1-1).

Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first bout at 7:30. There are just 48 ringside seats (out of 320) still available at $50 each. General admission tickets are $25. Tickets are available at the Southside Boxing Club or by calling Jack Loew at 330-501-5713 or John Loew at 330-501-0882.