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By: Hans Themistode
The sport of boxing is always in search for its next big star. This past Saturday night on July 13th, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, it may have found exactly who it was looking for.
Vito Mielnicki Jr. stole the show on the same card that featured another rising star in the making in Shakur Stevenson. Mielnicki made a sensational pro debut as he scored a jaw dropping first round knockout against Tamarcus Smith.
Smith, admittingly enough, has only two wins in his career with three losses. So why exactly is the sports world buzzing from what Mielnicki did on Saturday night? With his win, he became the youngest professional boxer in the sport of New Jersey, at just 17 years of age.
It wasn’t just that he scored a knockout win, but it was how he pulled it off. It was a right hand that was the last punch of a three hit combination that had his man down and out.
The 17 year old nicknamed, “White Magic” showed exactly why there has been so much hype surrounding him. As for his emotions after the contest, he was ecstatic about the win.
“It was exactly how I envisioned it. With the crowd and everything, it made it a lot more electric,” recalled Mielnicki. “I worked for this my whole life, and I knew everything was going to payoff tonight.”
For those who are wondering why isn’t this young kid at home doing homework and studying. It’s because he is currently on Summer vacation. It’s safe to say he’s enjoying every bit of it.
“I go back to school in September. I will consult with my manager Anthony Catanzaro and see what the best fit is for me in terms of a promoter and platform.”
With a performance like that, he is sure to have a line a mile long, as potential promoters will be clamoring to get their hands on him. Calling him a star might be a tad too early, but he just might end up being something special.
