Pavlik Fight

I really like watching Kelly Pavlik fight. I boxed some as a kid (much to Mom and Grandma's chagrin), and not well mind you but some.

Last night, I bought the Pay-per-View fight with Kelly fighting Rubio (should have just been "Rube"). I wasn't aware until the shift from Madison Square Garden that the fight was being broadcast from Youngstown. Ray Mancini was one of the announcers. I was sooo excited, then it struck me how long I have been gone, I didn't even know there was such a place as the Chevrolet Centre.

It was not much of a fight, but I enjoyed scanning the crowd between rounds to see if I recognized any of the people in the stands. Good to know the "mob look" is still in style.

Related to the fight, Ray Mancini was announcing and was on camera at the end. When Jimmy Warino was getting married (I was a groomsman). He and I went out for a few drinks to chat and catch up. The bar was the Boatyard on Belmont Ave. It was crowed and there was someone behind me who tapped on my shoulder, I turned and saw nothing and continued talking to Jimmy. Then there was a real commotion and Jimmy prompted me to see what was going in behind me. Ray Mancini was standing there and was was pretty upset as he had apparently tapped me asking to squeeze by and I hadn't noticed or seen him (bit of a height difference). He was hiking up his pants and about to hit me when one of his sidekicks settled him down. I remember thinking, "Go ahead, hit me Ray, I'll be rich."