Dave Brunelli wants
to pick a fight

By Melissa Yerkov
Times Sports Editor

Dave Brunelli has always been a fighter.
He was a fighter in the early ’90s, while attending Abraham Lincoln High School and wrestling for the Railsplitters.
After graduation, he was a fighter throughout the streets of Mayfair.
And for the past three and a half years, he’s been a fighter in the professional world of boxing.
"Boxing is always something I’ve been interested in," said Brunelli. "I really like the competitiveness of the sport. I love competing."
Before transforming his passion to brawl into a successful career, Brunelli showcased his skills on the streets of Northeast Philadelphia.
But his violent antics quickly landed the fighter in a heap of trouble. In 1996 — two years after graduating from Lincoln — Brunelli got into an altercation. And while fighting was a fairly common occurrence for the then 20-year-old, this time was different.
Unknown to Brunelli, his opponent was an off-duty police officer. He was charged with aggravated assault and spent three years in SCI-Albion, a Pennsylvania state prison.
"In a way, it helped me out a lot in life," said Brunelli, now 31. "I thought a lot about my family and friends and the mistakes I made. I grew up a lot in there. I got to turn my life around.
"Everything I’ve been through has helped me realize my mistakes, and the consequences that follow," he continued.
Upon his release, Brunelli obtained a fresh outlook on life. And while he still loved to fight, the brawler decided to do it the right way — in the ring.
Brunelli’s professional boxing career started with "Tough Man" tournaments, contests for amateur fighters who were strong but lacked experience.
That intro to the world of boxing was enough to push Brunelli into the ring as a full-time professional boxer.
"I had some butterflies, like any sport," recalled Brunelli. "I had some real nervousness, but I kept focused. I always try to go through the fight in my mind first, and that helps me keep my head."
The reality of professional boxing hit hard during his debut fight. Brunelli was knocked out. The determined athlete quickly redeemed himself, though, returning in the next two fights with consecutive knockout victories.
"I think being considered the underdog helped me," said Brunelli, referring to the beginning of his career. "It gave me more of a challenge. I had nothing to lose, so I did what I had to do."
The good times continued to roll — and so did Brunelli’s opponents. The fighter jabbed his way to four more consecutive wins, and was developing an impressive following throughout Philadelphia.
In addition to his fellow Railsplitter alumni from high school, Brunelli started to achieve respect in the boxing community, collaboratively forming a fan club.
And usually sitting in the front row is Brunelli’s fiancée, Angela French. The boxer’s two biggest fans — his children, Arturo and Sophia — are still too young to attend his bouts.
"Seeing my friends and family helps my motivation," said Brunelli. "But at the same time, part of reason I have to keep my head is because they’re pretty much going nuts. I got to remember to stay focused."
Also standing in Brunelli’s corner are his trainer Chris Rotella and manager Mike Murphy.
"We’ve been best friends for the past fifteen years," said Murphy, a childhood friend of Brunelli’s who became his manager during the Tough Man tournaments in 2000. "He has improved one-hundred percent since he started as a pro fighter. His ability to work, his ability to train, his determination — he improves more every time he gets in the ring."
The entourage usually can be found training at the Jack Costello Boxing Club in Tacony, where Brunelli has been a regular for four years.
"I like it because I know the people there from the neighborhood," said Brunelli, who went on to win two of his next three matches, bringing his overall professional record to 8-2 with three knockouts. "I’ve learned a lot there. Every time I’m in the ring I remember everything I was trained to do."
These days, Brunelli is spending almost all of his time with the guys down at Jack Costello. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound boxer trains there twice a day, six days a week.
After all, he does have the biggest fight of his life on Friday night. Brunelli is scheduled to battle Mark "Oak Tree" Brown at the Wachovia Spectrum — an event that also will be accompanied by the celebration of a special anniversary.
On Oct. 17, 1967 future heavyweight champion Joe Frazier and challenger Tony Doyle entered the ring for the first sports event at the Spectrum.
And on Friday, those four decades of competition will be honored with the Spectrum’s 40th-anniversary celebration.
"This is a pretty big fight for me," said Brunelli. "I never fought at the Spectrum. It’s always been a dream of mine. So to be involved with something like this crazy. It’s an honor." ••
Sports editor Melissa Yerkov can be reached at 215-354-3035 or myerkov@phillynews.com

If you go . . .

The 40th Anniversary of Boxing at the Spectrum on Friday, Oct. 19, will feature Dave Brunelli vs. Mark Brown and Jameel Wilson vs. Richie Stewart.
Doors open at 6 p.m.; the first bout is at 7.
Tickets are $35, upper level; $45, lower level; $55, ringside; $65, VIP; and $100, presidential. Tickets are available at ComcastTix.com and by calling the Wachovia Spectrum box office at 1-800-298-4200.
The Spectrum is at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. For more information, visit www.comcast-spectacor.com