PROSPECT— Ryan Covert picked the perfect venue to end his boxing career.

Dave Cook hopes his career is just beginning.

Both were among four Butler fighters participating in the amateur boxing card Tuesday night at the Big Butler Fair.

Covert, 28, improved his amateur record to 39-16 by scoring a solid decision over Dualan Carroll (8-5) of Altoona. Covert had recently informed Butler Cubs boxing trainer Don Spinetti that this would be his final fight.

"I had a great career, but it's time to retire,"said Covert, who is the executive chef at Oakview Golf Club in Slippery Rock. "I'm a better cook than I am a fighter.

"I'm married now. My wife and I want to have children. ... It's time to get on with my life."

A life, Covert admits, he owes to boxing.

"This sport completely turned my life around,"he said. "I started coming to the Cubs when I was 22. I weighed about 300 pounds, was a street thug, got into fights in bars. My outlook wasn't very promising.

"Working with Mr. Spinetti, training in the gym, I dropped 100 pounds and focused my aggression on a great sport."

Covert described boxing as the perfect sport "for the aggressive person who doesn't like organized sports. This is their thing."

Spinetti said Covert was a joy to work with inside the ring and out.

"He was a little shaky when he first came in,"Spinetti said. "But Ryan was willing to fight anybody and everybody we asked him to. We kind of saved him, I guess. We helped turn him around, and that's what our program is all about.

"Ryan will probably play a little golf now and I'm sure he'll stop by the gym to help us train. He's a great example of what our program can do."

Covert will take fond memories of his experiences in the ring with him into retirement.

"It's something else, stepping in there, just you against the other guy,"he said. "Thousands of guys talk about giving it a try, but never do. I did."

Cook, 25, improved to 11-3 with a four-round decision over Kotongo Muluengo (8-3) of Titan Boxing in State College. The bout was the main event on the card.

Cook has been coming to the Cubs hall since 1998.

"When I was a little kid, a lot of kids I knew were in it,"Cook said. "I decided to give it a shot. I mean, I like to fight, so I figured I better do it legally."

Fighting in the open division, Cook plans to turn pro after a few more amateur bouts.

"Mr. Spinetti's working with me,"he said. "Our plan is to make my pro debut sometime next summer."

He got a taste of a professional atmosphere Tuesday.

"This is the most people I've ever fought in front of,"Cook said. "Fighting outside was nice because it's open air and you don't have to worry about the hot lights overhead."

Former Butler High and Butler County Community College basketball point guard Joel Rehm also fought on the card, losing by decision to drop his amateur record with the Cubs to 3-3.

Bill Chawilk, 34, of Butler evened his record at 1-1 with a decision over Deshawn Carr of the Flood City club from Johnstown. Chawilk has been training in the Eyes to Prize program — part of Butler Health and Fitness on Duffy Road — under Jim Emrick's tutelage.

"The place is right next door and I went in there with a buddy of mine to work out and we noticed the boxing ring,"Chawilk said. "It turned into a fun way to get in shape."

That buddy, Arron Zurnzack, also was scheduled to fight Tuesday, but his opponent did not show up.

Chawilk is a middle school principal in Natrona Heights. His wife teaches at Butler Junior High.

His 7-year-old son plays soccer and is into tae kwon do.

"And he gets a big kick out of this,"Chawilk said.

AMATEUR BOXING RESULTSJuly 3, Big Butler FairRyan Covert (Butler Cubs) dec. over Dualan Carrioll (Altoona), 201 poundsRyan Rhodes (Wick City) 2nd round TKOover Cores Barnhart (Altoona), 201 poundsBill Chawilk (Eyes to Prize, Butler) dec. over Deshawn Carr (Flood City, Johnstown), 201 poundsAdam Littlejohn (Boyce AC) dec. over Joel Rehm (Butler Cubs), 155 poundsJoe Luketic (Wick City, Kittanning) dec. over Lou Ziccarelli (James 5:16), 152 poundsDave Cook (Butler Cubs) dec. over Kotongo Muluengo (Titan Boxing, State College)