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By: Hans Themistode
Vito Mielnicki Jr. was in utter disbelief just a few months ago.
The 19-year-old welterweight prospect appeared to be on his way to becoming one of boxing’s rising stars. However, in what many believed should have been a one-sided fight against James Martin, the New Jersey native was left speechless as he was handed the first defeat of his career.
Unwilling to sit back on his laurels and sulk in defeat, Mielnicki Jr. turned in one of his best performances against Noah Kidd three months later. Now, with the opportunity to close out the year strong, Mielnicki Jr. didn’t waste the occasion.
With several hundred fans rooting and cheering for Mielnicki Jr. at the Prudential Center in his hometown of New Jersey, the incredibly young prospect had little to no trouble dealing with Nicholas DeLomba.
Early on, Mielnicki Jr. approached his man cautiously. He bounced on his toes and took a step back whenever DeLomba feinted in his direction. While his offense came few and far between, the 19-year-old flashed a strong jab, most of which landed flush on DeLomba’s chin.
To kick off the second, Mielnicki Jr. stood his ground much more than the previous round. He welcomed the open fire of DeLomba before letting off a few hard shots of his own. With the highly ranked welterweight prospect beginning to find his rhythm, he let loose in the third.
As DeLomba came rushing in behind his jab, Mielnicki Jr. landed a jaw-turning right hand. The force of the blow sent DeLomba immediately into the ropes and on the wrong end of an offensive barrage by Mielnicki Jr. Still, despite the New Jersey native throwing the kitchen sink, DeLomba covered up well and survived the rest of the round.
Believing he was on the verge of scoring the stoppage win, Mielnicki Jr. attempted to pick up where he left off. He peppered his man with several combinations while making DeLomba miss in the process.
Although the momentum was clearly in the 19-year-old’s corner, DeLomba wrestled some of it away in the fifth. During the period, he audaciously moved forward, kept his guard up high, and found holes in the defense of his much younger opponent.
Even with DeLomba attempting to turn their contest into a rough and rugged one, Mielnicki Jr. never appeared rattled. He consistently pumped out a strong and followed it up with numerous overhand rights before attacking the body.
As a sparse crowd at the Prudential Center attempted to push Mielnicki Jr. forward, their voices were seemingly heard as the Jersey product landed a pernicious shot in the tenth and final round. DeLomba, now on wobbly legs, did his best to hold and clench, however, with the 19-year-old continuing his onslaught, their contest was officially waved off with just over a minute remaining.
