BUTLER TWP — Mixed reviews in the ring, a supportive crowd outside of it.

Butler Cubs boxers Donovan Malovich and Bobby Osterreider made their professional boxing debuts Saturday night at the Family Sports Center while Ryan Covert fought for the first time in nine years.

All of the bouts were four rounds.

Osterreider, 27, won by unanimous decision over Quwanda Williams of Cleveland. He knocked Williams down with a straight right hand midway through the third round.

Malovich, 18, suffered a bloodied nose in his bout with William Davis of St. Louis, but fought him to a draw.

Covert, 38, lost a unanimous decision to veteran heavyweight Steve Tyner of Akron, Ohio.

“I tried to finish the guy, but couldn’t do it,” Osterreider said of Williams after knocking him down. “I was hitting him with a lot of combinations. I know I hurt him, but the guy was tough.

“He knew what he was doing. He was jabbing and was countering off my hook. He earned my respect.”

Osterreider said getting his pro debut behind him “is like lifting a huge weight off my back. I was nervous all day.”

But once in the ring, not so much.

“I didn’t feel any jitters at all in there,” he said. “Four rounds was nothing. I was well prepared, well-conditioned. I had a two-month serious camp to get ready for this.

“I would have loved a knockout. This crowd was fantastic. I’ve never fought in front of this many people before.”

Now Osterreider wants to get back in the ring as soon as possible.

“I learned tonight I have to use my jab a lot more to protect myself,” he said. “Those body shots ... you feel them. But I didn’t get hurt at all. I came out of this in good shape.

“I’m no spring chicken in terms of boxing. I want to stay active. It’s time to start racking up some wins.”

Malovich felt like he racked up his first win Saturday, but the judges disagreed. The fight was scored 39-37, 37-39, 38-38.

Malovich had his nose bloodied in the first round and again in the fourth. But he landed his share of blows as well and was an active fighter throughout.

“I feel like I got robbed,” Malovich said. “I definitely won three of those four rounds. That guy had a little more experience than me as a pro and he used it.”

Malovich said Davis repeatedly spun around in the ring and prevented him from putting together any combinations offensively.

“That’s how he avoided me. He’d spin around and turn his back to me ... You’re not allowed to hit a guy in the back of the head,” Malovich said. “It was frustrating.

“A pro fight is definitely different from amateur. You get hit with these gloves, it feels like you’re getting hit with a brick.”

While Malovich did land some shots, he took a few as well. A combination of punches thrown by Davis knocked Malovich’s mouthpiece out during the final round.

Cubs boxing trainer Billy Wolfe said he believes Malovich won the fight as well.

“I don’t know what the judges were looking at,” he said. “Donovan carried that fight.

“Sure, Donovan got hit. That’s the game. You go swimming, you’re gonna get wet. You go fighting, you’re gonna get punched.”

Malovich plans to continue his pro career “for the rest of my life, as long as I can do this.”

Covert drew the loudest ovation of the night, entering the ring to a standing ovation. Neither he nor Tyner went down during a four-round bout that featured plenty of offense on both sides.

“I was probably in over my head tonight,” Covert admitted. “This was a durable guy, a veteran of 20 pro fights, and I haven’t fought in nine years. Some people thought I was crazy for doing this.

“2-0, 1-1 ... I don’t care about the record. I care about these fans. I wanted to give them a good show, give them what they came to see. I hope I didn’t let anybody down.”

Covert was able to land some combo shots — knocking Tyner back into the ropes and staggering him at times — but could not land the decisive blow.

Tyner appeared winded late in the second round and began the third by throwing some wild punches.

“I just couldn’t get to him enough,” Covert said. “I could have brought in some inexperienced guy, set up an easy win, but I didn’t want that. I wanted a challenge.

“I worked hard for this fight. Now I’m done.”

But not without some gratitude from his fellow fighters.

“Ryan Covert is a warrior. I thank him for putting this show together, enabling us to make our debuts in our hometown,” Osterreider said. “We won’t forget this.”

PRO BOXING CARD

May 6

Family Sports Center

Donovan Malovich (Butler) 1-0, draw with William Davis (St. Louis) 0-3-1, 150 pounds

Jose Rodriguez (Akron, Ohio) 3-0, 3rd round TKO over Gary Hudson (Chicago), 0-2, 165 pounds

Bobby Osterreider (Gibsonia) 1-0, unanimous decision over Quwanda Williams (Cleveland) 0-1, 150 pounds

Montana Love (Cleveland) 5-0, unanimous decision over Vlad Pierre (New York City) 1-1, 142 pounds

Steve Tyner (Akron, Ohio) 6-15, unanimous decision over Ryan Covert (Butler) 1-1