Loew has June 9 fight show; Haskell-Nelson bouts are Saturday

May 26, 2017 at 12:05a.m.

CAMPBELL

An 11-bout, pro-am boxing card featuring Alejandro “Popo” Salinas is set for June 9 at St. Lucy’s Palermo Banquet Center, 394 Tenney Ave,, Campbell.

Presented by trainer Jack Loew of South Side Boxing Club and entitled “Friday Night at the Fights,” the event will feature four undefeated boxers and five amateur pairings.

At 7-1 (7 KOs) and having won four consecutive matchups, Salinas (130 pounds) will take on Jairo Fernandez Vargas (6-2, 5 KOs) who has split his last four decisions after starting his professional career with four straight wins.

Loew calls Vargas more than a viable challenger for his boxer as he inches closer to securing a promoter for his super lightweight, hopefully by year’s end.

“We’re still climbing that ladder and hoping to secure a promoter, but we’re coming off an Olympic year and they’re telling us to remain patient,” Loew said. “I stay in contact with Top Rank, Lou DiBella and Richard Schaefer and to date, they’ve signed several Olympians and some of the top Ukrainian fighters. Popo understands those decisions and he’s been patient, but if he can get to 11-1 or even 12-1 by the end of the year, and continues his winning ways then shame on me if I cannot shop him to one of those top promoters.”

For the past six weeks or so, Salinas has been working for Telecom in Cleveland, helping to build satellite towers for AT&T.

He says that he is ready for Vargas and credits his job with keeping in shape, mostly due to the climbing that he does on a daily basis.

“My job keeps me in shape and since I am so busy during the day, it also keeps my mind off the game. It’s good money right now and really satisfying to make a few bucks, but boxing remains my passion,” Salinas said.

Vargas is a native of Mechanicsville, Va., and according to reports, believes that he can knock Salinas out.

“He accepted the fight and he believes that he can put me on the canvas, so I am going to give him that opportunity,” Salinas said. “I wanted 10 rounds but the fight was approved for eight. Either way, I am 100 percent ready to go. I want to take on hungry opponents and Vargas is definitely hungry. There’s going to be a KO, I just don’t know in which round.”

In the co-main, Danny Calhoun of Chicago (6-2, 3 KOs) will meet Jemaine Franklin (10-0, 9 KOs) in a six-round heavyweight scrap while the first of four four-round matchups pits Jose Rodriguez, Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) against Lavell “Turtle” Hadley (2-3, 2 KOs) of Chicago — he formerly trained under Loew at South Side Boxing Club — in a 160-pound pairing.

In another 160-pound matchup, Quwanda Williams (0-1) meets Mike Weissman, who will be making his professional debut. At 144 pounds, Montana Love (5-0, 2 KOs) of Cleveland goes up against Jose Angulo (6-1, 2 KOs) of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Rounding out the pro side of the ledger will be Thomas “Gunna Man” Mattice (8-0, 6 KOs) of Cleveland against a 135-pound foe yet to be determined.

Local amateurs slated for the card include Brian Sims, Ryan Williams, Jaccorion Dent, Nate Dykes, Issac Chatman and Jackson Behun.

Ringside seats are $50, general admission tickets $25 each with tables of eight going for $400.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first fight hitting the bell at 7;30 p.m.

Further information can be obtained by calling Loew at 330-501-5713.

NELSON, HASKELL TEAM UP

On Saturday, Chuck Nelson and Chuck Haskell will be teaming up to present “All-Star Boxing 1,” a 14-bout amateur card at Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Hall, 1025 N. Bella Vista Rd., Youngstown.

The main event features Johnny Ford of Alliance, a Cleveland Golden Gloves lightweight champion who will square off against Ofascio Falcon, a New York City Golden Gloves champion and Ringside national champion.

“I am pleased and honored to once again work with local promoter and longtime friend Chuck Haskell, in order to bring this USA all-star sanctioned boxing card to the Youngstown area,” Nelson said. “I believe that there hasn’t been a better local boxing card, which features some of the area’s top talent.”

One co-main will pit Micheal Sullivan of Struthers, a two-time KO Drugs champion against undefeated John Paul Vazquez of Cleveland. The other has Isaac Chatman of Downtown Boxing Club meeting Rome Baxter of Pittsburgh.

Two featured bouts include former KO Drugs champion Erica Bayer (Burnside A.C.) taking on undefeated Maria Antunez (10-0) of Aliquippa on the women’s side, and Brian Sims who goes up against Drew Smith of Salem.

Les Horvath, grandson of former Youngstown State football standout and Golden Gloves champion Frank “Snookie” Horvath, is set to take on Jeff Felger. Making his amateur debut is Luca Burnside (Struthers), who meets Nate Young (3-0) of Steubenville.

Someone to keep an eye on is football, wrestler, MMA competitor Dalton Rosta (2-0) of New Castle, Pa.

Other local fighters on the card include Dan Infante and former KO Drugs champion Austin Gibson, both of whom hail from Struthers, Dan Young (Salem), Hannah Smith (Toronto), Cleveland’s Christian Juresic, Nico Frouch (New Castle), Torri Hawkins (Farrell), Vic Admonte (Cleveland), Dante Ballard of Warren, James Lead (Salem), Ciarri Koontz (Salem), Sidney Burston (Uniontown, Pa.), Charlie Cloister (Aliquippa) and Markie Sims of Warren.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first fight slated for 7 p.m.

Cost for a pre-sale, general admission ticket is $20 and $25 at the door. There are a limited number of ringside tickets available for $40.

To purchase tickets or a ringside table of 10, call Haskell at 724-699-1725.

Additional information can also be obtained by calling Nelson at 330-423-2203.