by Brian Gorman

According to Pittsburgh prospect "Lightning" Rod Salka (12-1, 3 KOs), despite some early concerns about blood testing earlier this month, his full panel of testing has come back negative, clearing the way for him to continue his career.

Initial blood tests came back indeterminate for a Hepatitis C antibody, forcing him to withdraw from an anticipated regional showdown with Campbell, Ohio's up-and-coming Jake "the Bull" Giuriceo (11-0-1, 3 KOs) in Campbell on May 14.  Because the initial results were received the week of the fight, the bout became impossible, in the event that Giuriceo could also be exposed to Hepatitis C.

The full panel could not be received until the week of May 17, but it came back negative for Hepatitis C last week, according to Salka.

Hepatitis C is transmitted by an exchange of blood with someone infected, via needles, transfusions or other exchanges of blood.  Salka is tattoo-free and lives clean by all accounts, so the question was initially raised of whether he might have been infected in the ring, but that now appears academic due to the final results.

Giuriceo intends to fight this summer, with two apparent possibilities: a late June/early July card at Youngstown's Covelli Center, headlined by Jack Loew's "Dangerous" Dannie Williams; or an August club show in that area.  If he selects that latter, Salka-Giuriceo could conceivably be back on.