Vito Mielnicki scores historic KN in debut

[philly]

Roseland, NJ (July 15, 2019) - Vito Mielnicki Jr. lived up to the hype as he blasted out Tamarcus Smith in just 76 seconds in what was an historic professional debut on Saturday night at The Prudential Center in Newark.

The 17 year-old Mielnicki became the youngest boxer ever granted a license in The Garden State, and the Roseland, New Jersey native thrilled a crowd of nearly 1,000 of his own supporters who came out to witness the fight.

Mielnicki landed a booming right-left combination that sent Smith face-first into the bottom rope, and the fight was waved off by referee Shada Murdaugh at 1:16 of the opening frame.

The fight, which was streamed live on ESPN+, and the knockout earned the number-seven spot on ESPN SportsCenter.

The fighter nicknamed "White Magic" was very happy with his performance.

"It was exactly how I envisioned it. With the crowd and everything, it made it a lot more electric," Said Mielnicki. "I worked for this my whole life, and I knew everything was going to payoff tonight."

On the finish, "I waited for the right moment to throw the overhand right. We worked on it all camp."

Mielnicki, who will be entering his senior year at West Essex High School, is looking to get back in the gym and start preparing for his school year.

"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. I just want to thank all of my trainers who were with me all camp. I want to thank Top Rank especially Bob Arum and Carl Moretti who put me on their card, commissioner Larry Hazzard for believing in me. I also want to thank all of my family friends who came out tonight."

[Best Coast]

They said on the telecast that many of the 1,000 fans in the crowd cheering on Vito were actually fellow students at the high school were he will graduate from next year.

[Cent0089]

They better should not hype this kid. Hype = pressure and that mean this kid can be at 19 years of age in ring with some serious guys and that can ruin him. Let him develop under the radar and we will see.

[Best Coast]

They better should not hype this kid. Hype = pressure and that mean this kid can be at 19 years of age in ring with some serious guys and that can ruin him. Let him develop under the radar and we will see.

I agree. He only turned 17 just 2 months ago, so they need to bring him along slowly.

[SenorPipino]

Hey, Wilfred Benitez WON a world championship at the age of 17.

A real world championship. Not those manufactured, dime-a-dozen belts that they spit out today.

Benitez toppled a legend in Antonio Cervantes.

And he was just 15 when he turned professional. He and his manager/trainer father Gregorio didn't worry about being young and facing pressure.

If this kid Mielnicki can fight, then move him along. Let him go full force.

The boxing game is not a place to be babied. Let's see what he has.

[man]

They better should not hype this kid. Hype = pressure and that mean this kid can be at 19 years of age in ring with some serious guys and that can ruin him. Let him develop under the radar and we will see.

but that won't happen.

[man]

Hey, Wilfred Benitez WON a world championship at the age of 17.

A real world championship. Not those manufactured, dime-a-dozen belts that they spit out today.

Benitez toppled a legend in Antonio Cervantes.

And he was just 15 when he turned professional. He and his manager/trainer father Gregorio didn't worry about being young and facing pressure.

If this kid Mielnicki can fight, then move him along. Let him go full force.

The boxing game is not a place to be babied. Let's see what he has.

strongly disagree. just because it worked
once, doesn't mean it is the right way to
do things.

[SenorPipino]

Hey, Wilfred Benitez WON a world championship at the age of 17.

A real world championship. Not those manufactured, dime-a-dozen belts that they spit out today.

Benitez toppled a legend in Antonio Cervantes.

And he was just 15 when he turned professional. He and his manager/trainer father Gregorio didn't worry about being young and facing pressure.

If this kid Mielnicki can fight, then move him along. Let him go full force.

The boxing game is not a place to be babied. Let's see what he has.

strongly disagree. just because it worked
once, doesn't mean it is the right way to
do things.

Pipino Cuevas turned pro at the precocious age of 13 (it's always incorrectly listed as 14 but he was more than a month short of that age).

He wasn't an overnight success but about 4 1/2 years into his career he whacked out the respected WBA welter weight champion Angel Espada.

Pipino was just 18.

It's been done more than once. If you tell a kid that he's too young to accomplish anything special yet, he'll believe it and just tread water for years.

But convince him that youth isn't an obstacle and the sky's the limit.

[Best Coast]

Pipino Cuevas turned pro at the precocious age of 13 (it's always incorrectly listed as 14 but he was more than a month short of that age).

He wasn't an overnight success but about 4 1/2 years into his career he whacked out the respected WBA welter weight champion Angel Espada.

Pipino was just 18.

It's been done more than once. If you tell a kid that he's too young to accomplish anything special yet, he'll believe it and just tread water for years.

But convince him that youth isn't an obstacle and the sky's the limit.

The fast track works at an early age for some fighters but not ALL fighters.

Sure, Pipino was precocious as a teenager but he was on a serious downslide by 24, when he got embarrassed by Roger Stafford and totally shot by age 28, when he got humiliated by ordinary Steve Little. Age 28 should be a fighter's PRIME when his physical talent is still strong and his ring smarts are at their PEAK!!

No disrespect intended for your "tocayo" but Pipino was a textbook example of a fighter who was burnt out at an early age. From age 24 onward Cuevas lost 8 of his last 14 bouts, many against guys he would have destroyed in his prime.

I see Vito Mielnicki as more of a Cuevas than he is a Canelo or Barrera, That's why I think he should stay off the fast track at this early stage,

[brilo33]

his ko punch was so quick took me about 3 times on the replay to see it, at 17 anything can happen, good luck to him looks a talenet .