Butler Cubs boxer Dan Abbott, right, lands a jab to the face of Corry Downing on his way to a second-round TKOat 145 pounds Saturday night at the Cubs Hall. A Moniteau student, Abbott won in his boxing debut.

It was a night for the newcomers.

Dan Abbott and Bobby Lockskin won their amateur debuts in electric fashion and youngsters Billy Wolfe and Donovan Malovich added to their impressive records Saturday night during a boxing show at the Butler Cubs Hall.

The 10-fight card was dedicated to the memory of former Cubs boxing team member Candice Berner. A scholarship was formed in her memory.

See related story.Abbott, 16, an incoming junior at Moniteau, has been with the Cubs program for nine months. He scored a second-round TKO in his bout against Corry Downing of New Castle."I was scared coming in here ... nervous," Abbott said. "Fighting in front of my parents, my friends ... I felt sure I was gonna lose."To the contrary, Abbott stayed on the offensive the entire fight, though he did emerge from the bout with a bloodied nose for his efforts."It's been broken all week," Abbott said of his nose. "He caught me a couple of times there. It hurt, but you just keep going."Cubs boxing manager Don Spinetti said Abbott "has gotten dinged a few times in the gym."But Spinetti enjoyed the way he responded on the big stage Saturday."A lot of amateur guys don't like fighting in their hometown because they're afraid of losing in front of people they know," he said. "You never know how a kid's going to do when he's in front of a crowd for the first time. Dan handled it well."So did Lockskin, 15, an incoming sophomore at Butler. He's been in the Cubs program for a year. Lockskin knocked down Travis Myers of Kittanning in the second round en route to winning the decision in his debut."I started thinking about this fight last night," Lockskin said. "I came here today with no idea who I was fighting."When I saw it was (Myers), I felt a little more comfortable because I sparred with him about a month ago."A basketball and football player in Butler while in grade school, Lockskin was asked if he'd be interested in boxing by the program's assistant manager, Steve Six."He saw me working out on the heavy bag and thought I might have something," Lockskin said. "I thought I was losing, but after I knocked the guy down, my corner said the fight was mine and to be a little conservative from that point."Wolfe improved to 5-1 and Malovich moved to 13-2 as amateurs by winning decisions at 65 and 70 pounds, respectively.Two Cubs boxers took defeats Saturday. Ross Tucker's debut ended via a second-round TKO and veteran amateur Jimmy Cress fell to 14-7 after losing a decision to Leemont Johnson (10-7) of Boyce Park.Cress came on strong against a tiring Johnson in the third round, but lost the first two rounds."Open division bouts used to be four rounds and if I had another round, I might have been able to do more damage," Cress, 23, said. "I dropped nine pounds in three days to make weight for this fight. That affected me a little bit."Cress hadn't fought in a year before stepping into the ring Saturday."I want to get back in the gym and take this more seriously, turn pro down the road," he said. "I fought at 162 tonight and I weighed 171 on Wednesday."I eventually want to fight at 150, getting there by training the right way."Butler Cubs Boxing has existed for more than 50 years. Cubs boxers have won more than 80 championships since 1976."We've had a lot of kids come through these doors," Spinetti said.Ring announcer Ryan Covert, now general manager of Burger Hut in Butler, was one of them."This place changed my life," Covert, who now helps coach the Cubs team, said. "So many kids come in here and leave here without anyone ever hearing about them. But they do four or five fights while gaining the skills needed to go into the world and take it on."Count Abbott among them."I've learned discipline and character here. I know that," Abbott said.

BUTLER CUBS FIGHT NIGHTResultsBilly Wolfe (Butler Cubs) dec. over Brandon Lial (WVU Boxing), 65 poundsRussell Scott (Cleveland, Ohio) dec. over Dave Vacco (Altoona Boxing), 165 poundsDonovan Malovich (Butler Cubs) dec. over Teddy McKomjar (Pittsburgh Boxing), 70 poundsDan McIntyre (James 5:16, Tarentum) dec. over Rich Owens (McKeesport), 195 poundsLavell Briggs (Cleveland, Ohio) dec. over Yair Slores (Lower East Side), 125 poundsDan Abbott (Butler Cubs) 2nd-round TKO over Corry Downing (Foundation Boxing, New Castle), 145 poundsBobby Lockskin (Butler Cubs) dec. over Travis Myers (Wick City Boxing, Kittanning), 142 poundsAbraham Abdala Heqq (Cleveland, Ohio) 2nd round TKO over Ross Tucker (Butler Cubs), 118 poundsLevi Grafton (Wick City Boxing, Kittanning) dec. over Damien Nock (James 5:16, Tarentum), 180 poundsLeemont Johnson (Boyce Park PAL) dec. over Jimmy Cress (Butler Cubs), 162 pounds