In February, for the first time, DiBella Entertainment brought its Broadway Boxing series to the suburbs of Westchester County. The result was a sold-out event and a huge hit amongst fans. On Friday, May 8th, the series will once again return to the beautiful Hilton Westchester in Rye Brook, NY, with another exciting nine-bout card.
Headlining the card will be the much-anticipated ring return and homecoming of Westchester County-native Boyd Melson (14-1, 4KO’s), as he takes on fellow New Yorker Mike Ruiz (17-8, 9KO’s) in a 10-round super welterweight battle for the WBC USNBC title.
Exciting undefeated local talent also scheduled to appear on the card include Danny Valle (5-0, 3KO’s), Alex Vanasse (1-0, 1KO), Max Tassy (3-0, 1KO) and Maxito Sainvil (1-0, 1KO).
Nicknamed “The Rainmaker”, the West Point Cadet Melson was an accomplished amateur. Competing for the West Point amateur boxing team, Melson won the 48th World Military Boxing Championship gold medal in the 69 kg. weight class and was a four-time United States Army champion, a three-time NCBA All-American boxer, a four-time West Point Brigade Open Boxing Champion, as well as being a recipient of the Colonel Marcus Award.
He also won gold medals at the All Army Boxing Championships twice and at the Armed Forces Boxing Championships twice. He made it to the quarterfinals in the 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships at welterweight, and won a bronze medal at the 2005 US Amateur Boxing Championships. Melson turned pro in 2010 and has compiled an impressive 14-1 record along the way, all while making it his life’s goal to raise awareness on stem cell research. Melson created “Team Fight to Walk” and has donated all of the money that he earns in his boxing matches to stem cell research. An in-depth story was done on Melson in 2013 and profiled on the Emmy Award-winning HBO series Real Sports.
Melson last saw action in the ring in February of 2014, winning an eight-round decision over Donald Ward. In the bout, Melson suffered a torn rotator cuff, forcing an extensive rehab and layoff from the ring. Now Melson is fully healed and ready to once again begin his ascent up the ranks of the junior middleweight division. In his way though stands the tough Long Islander Ruiz. Originally hailing from Puerto Rico, but now calling Long Island his home, Ruiz is 2-2 in his last four, but with both losses coming against highly regarded and world-rated contenders.
