Fists of fury on the march
Donovan Malovich couldn't hide his 10-year-old smile when asked what he liked most about boxing.
"Fighting — and winning," he said.
Malovich is one of three Butler Cubs boxers earning berths in the Pennsylvania Silver Belts Championships Dec. 12 at the Carnegie Library in Munhall.
Each won Pittsburgh Silver Belts titles in their respective age and weight divisions Nov. 28 in West Mifflin.
n Malovich, 10, of Butler improved to 8-1 in the 65-pound division with a decision over Bailey Robinson of Pittsburgh.
• Billy Wolfe, 9, of Worthington improved to 4-0 at 58 pounds with a decision over Brandon Lial of West Virginia.
• Evan Parke, 15, of Butler improved to 2-1 at 130 pounds with a decision over A.J. Unser of Pittsburgh.
Parke, a sophomore at Butler High and a track and field participant for five years, has visions of fighting in the Olympics and eventually turning pro.
"This sport's an inspiration for me, seeing the way Brian Minto has climbed up the ranks,"Parke said. "It was suspenseful, fighting in the Silver Belts, but I feel like I pounded my guy pretty good."
Should any of the trio win their bouts next Saturday, they will travel to Ashland, Ky., for the Silver Belts regional Jan. 15 to 17.
The Silver Belts national tournament is Feb. 4 to 6 in Independence, Mo.
"The Silver Belts used to just be a local event held in the Millsop Community Center in Weirton (W.Va.)," Cubs boxing trainer Don Spinetti said. "This is the second year it's become a national tournament. We didn't have any kids competing in it last year."
Spinetti said the Butler Cubs boxers will be competing against fighters from the Philadelphia area next weekend.
"That's going to be a challenge because there are a lot more boxing gyms and amateur fighters in Philadelphia," he said.
Parke, Malovich and Wolfe are in the Butler Cubs gym training at least three days a week. Malovich plays for East Side in the Butler Area Midget Football League.
Wolfe is the son of Bill Wolfe, who had two professional fights in his career and helps Spinetti with the Butler Cubs program.
"I started boxing because of my dad," the younger Wolfe said. "The toughest part about it is making mistakes. It's hard to stay in the right stance all the time."
Parke works out in the gym for four hours each time. He spars the equivalent of 10 rounds a day and jogs five miles.
"It's a lot of cardio work, but I'm into it," he said.
How far any of these boxers go with the sport remains to be seen. But some immediate benefits already are evident.
"My dad got me involved in boxing because I used to do a lot of fighting in the streets," Malovich said. "Now I do all of my fighting in here."
