Back in the ring
Three fighters affiliated with the Butler Cubs boxing program will be on the World Fighting Championships' pro-am card Saturday night at The Meadows casino in Washington County.
Former Cubs boxers Ryan Covert, 38, and Bobby Osterreider, 27, will be participating in four-round pro bouts. Cubs amateur Billy Wolfe Jr. is also on the card.
Wolfe, 16, of Worthington is 40-10 and will be in the amateur main event against Teddy Mrkonja Jr. Wolfe lost a split decision to Mrkonja two years ago.
“Those guys are the top two 132-pound amateurs in this region. That should be a great fight,” Covert said.
Cubs boxing manager Don Spinetti agreed.
“It should be an extremely competitive fight,” Spinetti said. “Teddy is pretty slick in there. He's very good.”
Mrkonja has been an amateur boxer for seven years and is a former Pittsburgh Golden Gloves champion.
Wolfe's last fight was a 45-second TKO of rival Ray Moore of Ellwood City on June 3 at the Butler Cubs Hall.
Covert (1-1) is in a heavyweight bout opposite Darrius Flowers (0-3) of Chicago. Covert ended a nine-year hiatus from the ring when he lost a unanimous decision to Steve Tyner, a veteran of 20 pro fights from Akron, May 6 at Butler's Family Sports Center.
Flowers is 22 years old. He is bumping up in weight from the 185-pound class.
“That's a big age difference and it's a tougher fight for Ryan than his original opponent,” Spinetti said. “But it was take this fight or not be on the card at all and Ryan wants to give it a go.”
None of the 11 bouts on the card are scheduled for more than four rounds. The Covert-Flowers bout is a co-main event.
“Getting a chance to compete in a prime fight at a major casino like this is something I can't pass up,” Covert said. “I felt like I beat that (Tyner) guy in that fight and I don't want my last fight to be a loss.
“I'm being given another chance to prove myself.”
Osterreider (1-0) is 27 and won his pro debut by unanimous decision on that May 6 fight card. He is facing Matt Murphy (2-14) of St. Louis in a 144-pound bout.
Murphy is a replacement for Roger Blankenship, a Youngstown fighter who injured his shoulder while sparring.
“I like Bobby's chances in this one,” Spinetti said. “He's fighting a more experienced guy, but Bobby is a talented boxer and I think his skills will take over.”
The bouts begin at 7 p.m. with the gates opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are priced at $30 and $45.
