Undefeated New Haven super bantamweight prospect Luis “The KO King” Rosa, Jr. (17-0, 7 KOs) has been named by the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame as the 2014 Connecticut Professional Boxer of the Year.
Rosa and the other 2014 award winners – Hartford Izaih Melendez, Conn. Amateur Boxer of the Year; Hartford referee Danny Schiavone, William Hutt Professional Official of the Year; ringside physician Samantha Dare, Amateur Official of the Year – will be honored this Saturday night at the 10th annual Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame (CBHOF) Gala Induction Dinner in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun.
The Class of 2014 being inducted into the CBHOF are former two-time World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz, two-time world title challenger and star of The Contender, Season reality television show, Peter “The Pride of Providence” Manfredo, Jr., referee Michael Ortega, International Boxing Federation president Daryl Peoples, trainer Paul Cichon and the late boxing judge William Hutt.
The 23-year-old Rosa, promoted by DiBella Entrertainment, is a native of Puerto Rico. He had an outstanding 95-10 amateur record and turned professional in 2010. This past June in Las Vegas, Rosa recorded his signature victory to date, winning a unanimous 10-round decision over Luis Orlando Del Valle (18-1) this past June in Las Vegas, after taking an eight-round decision from Jorge Diaz (17-2) last January.
Melendez, 21, is a local Golden Gloves champion who trains at The Sweet Science Boxing Club/Bare Bones Boxing in East Hartford.
Dr. Dane first came to USA Boxing in 2002, after her boxing coach, John Spehar, had mentioned to her that Larry Pelletier (Meriden Boxing Club) was in need of a ringside physician. Ever since then she has been working with USA Boxing. Currently working in the emergency department of Griffin Hospital in Derby, Dane has traveled to pre-Olympic trials in New Jersey and the Poconos, in addition to serving as the local physician for the US, Brazilian, and Chinese teams when they competed prior to the Olympics in Bejing.
Schiavone is no stranger to the squared circle having refereed more than 1,000 amateur bouts with USA Boxing during a six-year span. He started officiating pro fights in 2002 and he has been affiliated with the IBF, WBC and the NABF throughout his pro career. Schiavone has been the third man in the ring for such notable champions and world class fighters as Hasim Rahman, Adrien Broner, David Tua, Sergio Martinez, Chad Dawson, John Duddy and Peter Quillin.
