Newark, NJ (October 31, 2013) – Welterweight hopeful Michael “Slick” Anderson will headline All Out Promotions and Edmonds Promotions’ “Fighting for Attendance” in a ten round bout Saturday, November 23 at Weequahic High School in Newark, NJ.

Throughout the city of Newark, attendance is a major problem that is only getting worse, with the average student missing more than 30 days of school annually. To help promote getting children into the classrooms and off the streets, All Out Promotions is donating tickets to the “Fighting for Attendance” card to Weequahic students with outstanding attendance. They’re also hosting assemblies throughout the district.

“I am very bothered by these attendance issues in Newark,” said Michael Daughety, CEO of All Out Promotions. “These kids are not in class being educated but instead running the streets and making choices that could potentially be fatal. I hope that we’re able to donate a lot of tickets because that means kids are attending school and learning like they’re supposed to.”

Tickets from $35 are available by going to http://www.eventbrite.com/event/8886354325?ref=ebtnebtckt

The quick-handed Anderson is 12-2-1 as a professional with 10 wins by way of knockout. A Newark native, Anderson founded the Showoff Riders Bike Club and is a huge local draw. In his last bout, Anderson dropped a competitive ten round decision against then-unbeaten southpaw Emmanuel Lartey.

Anderson’s opponent will be named shortly.

In the co-featured bout, surging heavyweight Tyyab Beale meets an opponent to be named in a six rounder. Beale, who also hails from Newark, is 8-3-1 with three wins by knockout and is unbeaten in his last seven bouts. On January 19, Beale topped previously unbeaten Aaron Kinch.

In a special attraction bout, highly touted Burke, VA middleweight Antoine “Action” Douglas will appear in a six round bout. Douglas, 10-0 (6 KO’s), has a fan friendly style and the 21-year-old is on the fast track to stardom.

Popular locals Jason “Monstruo” Escalera, Adam Kownacki, Godson Noel, Eddie Edmonds, George Borges, Josaliz Cepeda, Allan Phelan, Iban Akbar Richardson and Shakir Dunn will appear in separate bouts.

In addition to an excellent evening of boxing, All Out Promotions and Edmonds Promotions will have a 50/50 with the proceeds benefitting the Lupus Foundation of America. There will also be a special tribute to Dwayne “Dutch” Vanderveer, a friend of Anderson’s who tragically passed away in a motorcycle accident on August 31 at the young age of 33.

Doors open at 6:45 and the opening bell is scheduled for 7:30. Weequahic High School is located at 279 Chancellor Ave in Newark.

New York, NY (October 27, 2013) – For the last two months, Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson was contacted by a representative of Vermont’s Chris Gilbert about a fight in the Big Apple.

Melson was aware that Gilbert, an unbeaten power puncher, would be a tough opponent, but had no doubt that he’d emerge victorious. After a number of back and forth conversations with Team Gilbert, both sides agreed to make the match for December 4 in the main event of a DiBella Entertainment card at BB King Blues Club.

Unfortunately for Melson, 12-1-1 (4 KO’s), a bout with Gilbert is on hold after a different member of his team revealed the shocking truth.

“I reached out to a gentleman named Mel who turns out to be Gilbert’s real manager, and he notified me that Chris never agreed to the fight and his team never spoke about it,” stated the frustrated Melson. “I was also made aware that the Bill O’Brien, who contacted me many times and agreed to the bout on behalf of Gilbert, was not authorized to do so. Mel said they’re not interested in facing me and are looking at other options.

While the charitable and humble Melson holds absolutely no ills against Gilbert, he’s understandably upset over the situation.

“This is extremely frustrating because I was highly anticipating this fight with Gilbert. In fairness, he never agreed to the fight and neither did his actual manager, so I’m not going to accuse them of ducking me. Hopefully we can make this fight in the future. It’s a shame that somebody like O’Brien overstepped his boundaries and caused problems for multiple parties. I do not know why O’Brien would stay on me weekly over Facebook about fighting Chris when he is not affiliated with Gilbert’s manager, but initially stated he was Gilbert’s manager. As of right now, Gilbert as an opponent is off. I am still hoping his team changes their mind and puts their fighter against me in the near future.”

Melson’s opponent for the eight round main event will be announced shortly.

Tickets starting at $55 are available on Teamfighttowalk.com, and they are selling extremely fast. Following the bout, Melson will once again donate his entire fight purse to Justadollarplease.org in support of bringing trials to the United States that could help cure chronic Spinal Cord Injuries. It was recently released in the nation-wide media that this clinical trial we are raising funds for to bring here to the U.S. has resulted in 15 out of 20 patients walking enrolled in the study in China who were paralyzed an average of 7 years. Unfortunately, there still is not enough money to carry the trial out in the US.

In association with the 501 (C) 3 nonprofit Justadollarplease.org, Melson and his best friend Christan Zaccagnino created Team Fight to Walk, whose mission is to raise awareness within the boxing community as well as the entire nation about the importance of bringing Clinical Trials to the United States to help cure Spinal Cord Injuries. Team Fight to Walk is comprised of Melson, Zaccagnino, former Rutgers football player/ESPY honoree Eric LeGrand, two-time cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, WBA junior middleweight titlist Austin “No Doubt” Trout, title contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore, Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, Sonya Lamonakis, Hector “Machito” Camacho Jr., 2008 US Olympians Demetrius “Boo” Andrade and Shawn Estrada along with prospects Sid “The Messenger” El Harrak, Jeff “TNT” Spencer, Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin, Will “Power” Rosinsky, Floriano “Italiano” Pagliara, Danny “Little Mac” McDermott, Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien, Ahmed “Prince of Egypt” Samir and Delen “Sniper” Parsley.

For more information or to make a donation, go to teamfighttowalk.com or Justadollarplease.org. All specific questions about the nature of the Clinical Trial to cure Spinal Cord Injury can be sent to boydmelson@yahoo.com.

Hackensack, NJ (October 17, 2013) – Former IBA, WBC USNBC and WBA NABA cruiserweight titlist Bobby “The Celtic Warrior” Gunn will have a career defining opportunity when he meets former pound for pound king Roy Jones Jr. in December in Pennsylvania.

Gunn, who sports a professional ledger of 21-5-1 with 18 wins by knockout, fought James Toney and Tomasz Adamek in his last two bouts but came up short both times. A legendary bare knuckle boxer whose bouts have been viewed more than 600,000 times on YouTube, Gunn also won other cruiserweight belts and was rated in the top 10 by the WBA and WBC. The heavy-handed New Jersey based Canadian was on the verge of retiring but had interest in fighting Jones Jr. for a number of years.

“I’ve wanted a match up with Roy for quite some time but it never worked out for a number of reasons,” stated Gunn. “We’ve been working on this for awhile and I wasn’t sure if it was ever going to happen but I’m glad it will. People can say what they want about Roy and I at this stage but this is an extremely important fight. The winner will take a huge step forward and the loser is at the end of the road.”

One of the greatest fighters in boxing history, Roy Jones Jr. is one of the few boxers of any era that truly doesn’t need an introduction. In 64 professional bouts, Jones Jr. is an outstanding 56-8 with 40 wins by way of knockout. The former middleweight, undisputed light heavyweight and heavyweight titleholder has wins over boxing greats Bernard Hopkins, Felix Trinidad, the aforementioned Toney and Hall of Famer Virgil Hill amongst others. In his most recent bout, Jones Jr. traveled to Poland and topped unbeaten hometown favorite Pawel Glazewski.

Jones Jr.-Gunn is scheduled for 12 rounds in the cruiserweight division. The card is promoted by Jones Jr’s Square Ring Promotions and the exact date and location along with undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

Cornwall, Ontario (October 10, 2013) – Lightweight standout Tony “Lightning” Luis of Cornwall, Ontario, Canada makes his highly anticipated return to the ring Saturday, November 9 when he battles an opponent to be named at the Whitehall Athletic Club in Whitehall, NY.

A former WBC Continental Americas Junior Welterweight champion, the all-action Luis holds an excellent 16-1 record with 7 victories coming by way of knockout. On May 17, Luis showed no ill-effects from his lone career defeat, dominating durable Maurycy Gojko over six one-sided frames. Returning to New York State for the first time since his January 25 war with Jose Hernandez on ESPN, Luis believes a victory on November 9 will be another step in the right direction.

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring and explode,” said the likable Luis, who also works a full-time job assisting handicapped children and adults. “I’m 100% physically and mentally. Most importantly, I’ve spent time in the gym making improvements and I know that a victory moves me closer to another significant fight.”

“Tony’s an excellent talent and I am a firm believer that he’s going to be a player in the lightweight division in 2014,” said Greg Cohen, Luis’ promoter. “If everything goes as planned on the 9th, you’ll be seeing Tony in a noteworthy fight in the near future.”

Baltimore, MD (October 1, 2013) – Due to a number of injuries to the featured fighters, Jake “The Snake” Smith’s Baltimore Boxing has rescheduled “Festival of Fists” for Saturday, November 16.

The show was originally slated for October 12 and the November card will take place at the William Myers Pavilion in Baltimore.

“I hate to postpone cards, especially considering the support we’ve had from the community,” stated Smith. “Unfortunately, injuries happen in this sport and this was the best way to ensure the fans get a quality show when we return.”

All tickets purchased will be honored on the 16th and more information about the new date will be released shortly.

Baltimore, MD (September 20, 2013) – Jake Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Promotions makes their second trip to the William Meyers Pavilion for the “Festival of Fists” Saturday, October 12.

Bleacher tickets starting at $15 are available by calling 410-375-9175. In addition, floor seats are $35, individual VIP seats are available for $50, VIP mini tables of 4 at $200, reserved tables of 10 for $350 and first row VIP tables priced at $500 are currently on sale.

All VIP ticketholders can enjoy free hors d’oeurves and half price drinks from 7-8:15.

The “Festival of Fists” card features four of the Beltway’s top rising stars, three of whom fought at the very same venue August 31.

“I’m glad that we’re able to come back so quickly,” said Smith, a well known promoter and former prizefighter. “We had a good turnout for the last card and that was on Labor Day Weekend. I definitely expect a much bigger crowd this time and the fans will get to enjoy an excellent night of action.”

Headlining the Olympic style boxing card is local star and former internationally rated junior welterweight Joey “Bazooka Joe” Veazey of the Baltimore Boxing Club. Veazey, who won numerous tournaments, attends Northeast High School. The soft spoken but confident Veazy most notably won the 2009 Ringside championship and is backed by a large group of supporters every time he fights in the Beltway region.

Baltimore Boxing Club heavyweight Sam Crossed, fresh off a victory on the 31st, faces Washington DC’s Darnell Daniel. In his prior bout, Crossed instantly became the talk of the town after scoring a vicious scored 4 second knockout, which can be seen by going to Youtube.com/watch?v=KgjpWOYpqx4.

2013 Golden Gloves Middleweight Champion and former high school wrestling legend Jerome Featherstone looks to rebound from an upset defeat when he faces Kevin Ottley in a rematch. Featherstone, who made it to the Nationals less than a year and a half after first lacing up a pair of gloves, wrestled at Oklahoma State University and trains out of the Baltimore Boxing Club.

In addition to the action, there will be a special 50/50 raffle. All proceeds are for Baltimore Boxing’s amateur program, a non-profit which rescued many local youths from the tough Charm City streets and helped develop them into boxers.

The card will also feature a number of other local prospects including Allen Burris along with boxers from Maryland, DC and Virginia.

Doors open at 6:15 pm and the opening bell will sound at 8:15. All bouts are scheduled by USA Boxing.

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com

Lexington, MA (September 17, 2013) ­­– Provia Labs’ Store-A-Tooth™, a stem cell bank specializing in dental stem cell preservation, announces the appointment of Boyd Melson, world-class athlete and strong advocate for stem cell research, to their Advisory Board. Melson brings his big heart and passion for improving the lives of those dealing with spinal cord injury to the team of dedicated advisors who help shape Provia’s mission and services.
Melson is a gifted professional boxer who donates all of the money that he earns in the ring to stem cell research for the treatment of spinal cord injury. His advocacy efforts have been profiled on Emmy Award winning HBO series Real Sports, ESPN.com, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo. He is a founder of the organization Team Fight to Walk (www.teamfighttowalk.com), which through professional boxers and other athletes raises money for JustADollarPlease (www.justadollarplease.org), which supports efforts to bring clinical trials of stem cell treatments for spinal cord injury to the USA.
“In the USA-alone, where a spinal cord injury occurs every 41 minutes, there are 1.3 million people living with the tragic after-effects”, said Melson. “The exploding field of regenerative medicine holds great promise for the treatment of these injuries. My dearest friend in this world, Christan, who is the inspiration behind my passion for all things relating to stem cell therapy, lives every day with the challenges resulting from a spinal cord injury. I have experienced firsthand, in her case, how stem cells can improve the quality of life. I live to help Christan and others like her.”
Boyd continues, “I am really pumped about being an Advisor to Store-A-Tooth, whose mission is to help the world prepare for a future where stem cells have changed medicine as we know it. Everyone should be banking their cells.”
“We are thrilled to have Boyd on our Advisory Board,” said Provia Labs CEO Howard Greenman. He brings a boundless passion and devotion to advancing the public’s awareness of the potential of stem cells and regenerative medical treatment. “His heartfelt insights about the effects of accidents like spinal cord injury, and his advocacy for the needs of people living with the chronic condition, are a constant inspiration to us all here at Provia Labs.”
As an amateur boxer, 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 and three-time NCBA All-American boxer. He won gold medals at the All Army Boxing Championships twice and at the Armed Forces Boxing Championships twice. He won a bronze medal at the 2005 US Amateur Boxing Championships. Melson turned professional in 2010, in order to raise money for stem cell research. He serves as an Army Reserves Captain of the 1179th Transportation Brigade at Fort Hamilton, in Brooklyn, NY. He is a Manhattan, NY resident.
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About Provia Laboratories, LLC
Provia Laboratories, LLC (www.provialabs.com) is a health services company specializing in high quality stem cell biobanking (the collection, transport, processing, and cryogenic storage of biological specimens). Its dental stem cell banking service, Store-A-ToothTM, gives parents the option to store stem cells today to protect their children’s health tomorrow. Store-A-Tooth preserves stem cells from baby and wisdom teeth that would otherwise be discarded, so parents can be prepared for advances in stem cell therapies that someday may help treat conditions such as type 1 diabetes, spinal cord injury, heart attack, stroke, and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
For more information about Store-A-Tooth™ dental stem cell banking, please call 1-877-867-5753 or visit us at www.store-a-tooth.com or ‘Like’ Store-A-Tooth at www.facebook.com/storeatooth.

Las Vegas, NV (September 5, 2013) – Hard hitting junior middleweight contender Deandre “The Bull” Latimore has never been a fighter to avoid challenges.

In December 2007, Latimore, then 23, stepped up and dominated previously unbeaten Durrell Richardson over ten rounds. Six months later, the dynamite fisted southpaw scored a shocking upset when he stopped world rated Sechew Powell in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN’s Wednesday Night Fights. The very next fight, he challenged fellow St. Louisan Cory Spinks for the vacant IBF championship. With a packed house on hand, Latimore scored a flash knockdown in the opening round and cut Spinks in the fourth but ultimately dropped a debatable split decision.

Following the defeat to Spinks, Latimore reeled off four victories in his next five bouts, one of which came on ShoBox in his promotional debut for Mayweather Promotions. Under Mayweather’s wing, Latimore, who currently lives and fights out of Las Vegas, NV, landed the biggest opportunity of his career against former welterweight champion Carlos Quintana. The bout was seen by more than 1.5 million people as part of the Floyd Mayweather-Miguel Cotto undercard. Unfortunately, he was on the wrong end of a sixth round TKO.

“Quintana was the better man that night but I wasn’t focused,” stated Latimore. “There were a lot of out of the ring issues involving my family at that time and I wasn’t myself mentally.”

The aforementioned out of the ring issues kept him idle since his May 2012 bout with Quintana and led to an amicable split from Mayweather Promotions after just two bouts.

Latimore, currently a promotional and managerial free agent, is ready to return and recently teamed up with respected trainer Fareed Samad of Denver, CO. A former prizefighter, Samad, who owns Train 2 Perfection, retired 10-0 with 9 knockouts. As a trainer, he’s guided notable fighters in both boxing and mixed martial arts such as “King” Mo Lawl, Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson and Davarryl “Touch of Sleep” Williamson amongst others.

“I’m ready excited about working with Fareed,” stated Latimore. “He’s got me back to working on the basics and fundamentals. I believe he’ll unleash my talents and have me doing things that I never did before. Physically, I feel like a million bucks and I’m ready to get the ball rolling. After a few tune ups to shake off the ring rust, I’ll be right there ready, willing and able to face the world’s best at 154 and even 160 pounds.”

Samad agrees.

“Deandre was an outstanding puncher and a world class fighter before I started working with him. There are a lot of things we’re fine tuning to make him a more complete fighter than he was in the past. I believe the boxing world will soon mention a much improved Deandre Latimore as a foe for the top fighters in the immediate future.”

For more information on Samad, please visit Train2perfection.com, Facebook.com/Brother.Fareed or on Twitter @T2P_Boxing.

Baltimore, MD (August 28, 2013) – It’s not everyday that a student just days into their second year of high school has to get ready for homecoming, let alone one where all eyes are focused on them.

Most high schoolers don’t carry the expectations of Joey “Bazooka” Veazey.

Veazey, a 140 pound sensation, already captured numerous boxing championships and sparred regularly with noteworthy professionals. The Northeast High School sophomore spent a good amount of his early childhood around boxing gyms shadowing his father, a former trainer. Infatuated with the sport from an early age, he competed in his first match at seven and dominated ever since. Veazey became a six-time local Silver Gloves titlist, two-time regional titlist, one-time National Silver Gloves winner and 2009 Ringside World champion.

On Saturday evening, Veazey headlines Jake “The Snake” Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Promotions’ “Hard Knock Life” fight card at the William Myers Pavilion in Baltimore; the same arena he ran by countless times.

“This place is almost literally in the backyard of my old house and I love it,” Veazey said about topping a fight card at the William Myers Pavilion. “This is a great venue and I think Jake Smith did an excellent job by bringing a card there. I’ll have a lot of support and that makes me fight harder.”

Smith, a former fighter who now trains and promotes fighters, is equally excited about hosting the event.

“Joey is a great kid with huge fan base,” said the DC and Maryland Boxing Hall of Famer. “He’s got a great head on his shoulders and you’d never know all that he’s accomplished. It’s an honor to have him train at my gym, the Baltimore Boxing Club, because he sets a great example of how a fighter should conduct themselves in and out of the ring. Along with the large group of people coming to support him, I’m looking forward to seeing Joey do what he does best. Win.”

Bleacher tickets starting at $15 are available by calling 410-375-9175. In addition, floor seats are $35, individual VIP seats are available for $50, VIP mini tables of 4 at $200, reserved tables of 10 for $350 and first row VIP tables priced at $500 are currently on sale.

2013 Golden Gloves Champion and former Oklahoma State wrestling star Jerome Featherstone Jr. will have a stiff test when he meets former champion Kevin Ottley, who fights out of Mack Lewis’ Boxing Gym. Featherstone, a legend at Boys Latin HS who begun boxing less than two years ago, captured the 165 pound Golden Gloves regional title earlier this year, outpointing the best talent from Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia and the Marines.

Popular Baltimore Boxing Club heavyweight Sam Crossed will also appear in a special attraction bout against Darnell Daniel of Washington, DC.

The card also features eight additional bouts between fighters from Maryland, DC and Pennsylvania.

Doors open at 6:30 pm and the opening bell will sound at 8:15. All bouts are scheduled by USA Boxing.

“Hard Knock Life” is also being held in honor Jake’s father Murray Smith Sr. Smith Sr., who sadly lost his battle with cancer on July 12, was a well known member of the community. To honor Murray, who supported the many hats his son’s worn in boxing, Jake’s holding a 50/50 raffle along with a silent auction. All proceeds are going towards the Baltimore Boxing amateur program, a non-profit which rescued many local youths from the tough Charm City streets and helped develop them into boxers.

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com

Baltimore, MD (August 20, 2013) – Jake “The Snake” Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Promotions will be honoring the Warthen Fuel Co as part of his “Hard Knock Life” fight card Saturday, August 31 at the William Myers Pavilion.

Bleacher tickets starting at $15 are available by calling 410-375-9175. In addition, floor seats are $35, individual VIP seats are available for $50, VIP mini tables of 4 at $200, reserved tables of 10 for $350 and first row VIP tables priced at $500 are currently on sale.

All VIP ticketholders can enjoy free hors d’oeurves and half price drinks from 7-8:15.

One of the most recognizable local businesses in Maryland, Warthen Fuel Co’s been in business since 1933. Family owned and operated since they opened their doors 80 years ago, Warthen Fuel’s helped families cope with rising fuel costs by setting up budget plans that provide financial relief. They also install and services Air conditioners and water heaters.

“Donnie Warthen and Warthen Fuel are not only very important to the community but they’ve been a big part of my life,” said Smith. “Donnie was my father’s best friend for 50 years and has always been a proud supporter of mine from the time I was an amateur boxer. I really appreciate all the Warthen’s have done and it’s only fitting that we honor them.”

In the main event of the evening, multi-time National Champion and local superstar Joey “Bazooka Joe” Veazey of the Baltimore Boxing Club takes on upset-minded Pennsylvanian Brandon Hadden. Veazy, who is backed by a large fan base every time he fights in the Baltimore area, was previously rated number one in the world. The “Hard Knock Life” card is expected to turn up even more Veazy than ever before, as he grew up a few blocks from the arena.

2013 Golden Gloves Champion and former Oklahoma State wrestling star Jerome Featherstone Jr. will have a stiff test when he meets former champion Kevin Ottley, who fights out of Mack Lewis’ Boxing Gym. Featherstone, a legend at Boys Latin HS who begun boxing less than two years ago, captured the 165 pound Golden Gloves regional title earlier this year, outpointing the best talent from Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia and the Marines.

Popular Baltimore Boxing Club heavyweight Sam Crossed will also appear in a special attraction bout against Darnell Daniel of Washington, DC.

The card also features eight additional bouts between fighters from Maryland, DC and Pennsylvania.

Doors open at 6:15 pm and the opening bell will sound at 8:15. All bouts are scheduled by USA Boxing.

“Hard Knock Life” is also being held in honor Jake’s father Murray Smith Sr. Smith Sr., who sadly lost his battle with cancer on July 12, was a well known member of the community. To honor Murray, who supported the many hats his son’s worn in boxing, Jake’s holding a 50/50 raffle along with a silent auction. All proceeds are going towards the Baltimore Boxing amateur program, a non-profit which rescued many local youths from the tough Charm City streets and helped develop them into boxers.

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com

New York, NY (August 12, 2013) – When calm and mild mannered Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson enters the ring Wednesday evening at BB King Blues Club in New York City for a rematch against Jason Thompson, his sights are set on redemption; sort of.

In their first bout, Thompson sent Melson to the canvas in opening round but the West Point grad recovered and mostly outboxed his Brooklyn based foe. Following the six round junior middleweight contest, the first ever at Barclays Center, all three judges scored the bout a draw. Melson, who is 11-1-1 with 4 knockouts, left the ring frustrated and is eager to leave no doubt as to whom the better fighter is.

“A rematch did not have prevalence in my mind, but when the rematch was offered, my competitive spirit immediately smiled. Both Jason and I feel won our first bout against one another, so I know he accepted this match with the same eagerness,” said Melson, who’s been featured on HBO Real Sports, Espn.com, Yahoo and Sports Illustrated amongst other media outlets for the money he’s raised by donating 100% of his fight purses to Justadollarplease.org. “Jason’s tough and he’s fought very good opposition. I am shining bright Wednesday night- the end!”

Thompson, a notable gatekeeper who has fought a number of good fighters, is exactly the kind of fighter Melson believes he must defeat impressively before stepping up to the next level.

“If everything goes the way I expect it to, I’m only looking to fight in eight and ten rounders going forward. I’ve been boxing more than 10 years so it’s appropriate that I test myself against other up and coming fighters. We have already received offers to face unbeaten opponents but first I’ve got to handle Thompson. I am sure Jason and I both have the same plan – leave it out of the judges’ hands this time. Our team has our OPORD and Army Strong mission oriented. I have about ten of my classmates from West Point coming down to BB King to see me who have all been deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. I am not about to come up short in front of my fellow warriors. This one is for them!”

An extremely limited amount of tickets are still available on Teamfighttowalk.com. Following the bout, Melson will once again donate his entire fight purse to Justadollarplease.org in support of bringing trials to the United States that could help cure chronic Spinal Cord Injuries. It was recently released in the nation-wide media that this clinical trial we are raising funds for to bring here to the U.S. has resulted in 15 out of 20 patients enrolled in the study in China now walking who were paralyzed an average of 7 years ranging from their necks down to their lower backs: 13 of the 15 needing a walker to help them walk and 2 of the 15 needing nothing to help them walk. Unfortunately, there still is not enough money to carry the trial out in the US.

In association with the 501 (C) 3 nonprofit Justadollarplease.org, Melson and his best friend Christan Zaccagnino created Team Fight to Walk, whose mission is to raise awareness within the boxing community as well as the entire nation about the importance of bringing Clinical Trials to the United States to help cure Spinal Cord Injuries. Team Fight to Walk is comprised of Melson, Zaccagnino, former Rutgers football player/ESPY honoree Eric LeGrand, two-time cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, WBA junior middleweight titlist Austin “No Doubt” Trout, title contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore, Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, Hector “Machito” Camacho Jr., 2008 US Olympians Demetrius “Boo” Andrade and Shawn Estrada along with prospects Sid “The Messenger” El Harrak, Jeff “TNT” Spencer, Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin, Will “Power” Rosinsky, Floriano “Italiano” Pagliara, Danny “Little Mac” McDermott, Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien, Ahmed “Prince of Egypt” Samir and Delen “Sniper” Parsley.

Baltimore, MD (August 1, 2013) – Jake “The Snake” Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Promotions enters the William Meyers Pavilion in Baltimore for the first time when they present “Hard Knock Life” Saturday, August 31.

Bleacher tickets starting at $15 are available by calling 410-375-9175. In addition, floor seats are $35, individual VIP seats are available for $50, VIP mini tables of 4 at $200, reserved tables of 10 for $350 and first row VIP tables priced at $500 are currently on sale.

All VIP ticketholders can enjoy free hors d’oeurves and half price drinks from 7-8:15.

With approximately ten Olympic style bouts scheduled, “Hard Knock Life” is an action packed card featuring the best talent in the beltway region. “Hard Knock Life” also serves as an honorary card for Jake’s father Murray Smith Sr. On July 12, Murray passed away following a lengthy battle with cancer. To honor Murray, who supported his son’s career as a boxer, trainer and now promoter,Jake’s holding a 50/50 raffle along with a silent auction. All proceeds are going towards the Baltimore Boxing amateur program, a non-profit which rescued many local youths from the tough Charm City streets and helped develop them into boxers.

“August 31 is going to be a bittersweet evening for me,” stated Smith, a member of the DC and Maryland boxing hall of fames. “My father did so much not only to support the many aspects of boxing I’ve been involved in but with all of the community. He was a regular at the gym, came to all of the fights and backed a lot of non-boxing events. It’s going to be weird without him in the crowd but I’m happy to honor him exactly how he deserves.”

Highlighting the card will be separate bouts featuring multi-time National Champion Joey “Bazooka Joe” Veazey 2013 Golden Gloves Champion Jerome Featherstone Jr. and heavyweight Sam Crossed.

Opponents for Featherstone Jr., Crossed and Veazy along with additional bouts will be announced shortly.

Doors for “Hard Knock Life” open at 6:15 pm and the opening bell is scheduled for 8:15. All bouts are scheduled by USA Boxing.

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com

ew York, NY (July 18, 2013) – Junior middleweight and charitable figure Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson of New York City gets a crack at redemption when he faces Brooklyn, NY’s Jason Thompson in an eight round featured bout Wednesday, August 14 at BB King Blues Club in New York City.

On October 20, 2012, Melson and Thompson fought in the first bout ever at the brand new Barclays Center. In the opening round, Melson suffered a flash knockdown but rebounded well and mostly outboxed his foe. Most ringsiders believed Melson would walk away with a decision, but all three judges scored the bout 56-56 even.

Since their first bout, each fought once, with Melson, 11-1-1 (4 KO’s), dominating veteran Edgar Perez and Thompson, 5-6-3 (4 KO’s), fighting to a draw against highly regarded Frank Galarza. With the battle of the boroughs set for round two, Melson doesn’t want there to be any questions as to who the victor is this time around.

“Regardless of how I feel I performed or what I and others believe the outcome of the first fight should have been, it was ruled a draw” said Melson, who helped raised more than $70,000 profit during Team Fight to Walk’s first fundraiser May 16 at BB King. “He’s a tough fighter and has faced good opposition but he’s been stopped in a few of his losses. On August 14th, I will be special. I will look different in the ring. If you are asking what that means, then you will have to be there to see. It’s about time I stop someone again!”

Tickets starting at $50 are available on Teamfighttowalk.com. Following the bout, Melson will once again donate his entire fight purse to Justadollarplease.org in support of bringing trials to the United States that could help cure chronic Spinal Cord Injuries. It was recently released in the nation-wide media that this clinical trial we are raising funds for to bring here to the U.S. has resulted in 15 out of 20 patients walking enrolled in the study in China who were paralyzed an average of 7 years. Unfortunately, there still is not enough money to carry the trial out in the US.

In association with the 501 (C) 3 nonprofit Justadollarplease.org, Melson and his best friend Christan Zaccagnino created Team Fight to Walk, whose mission is to raise awareness within the boxing community as well as the entire nation about the importance of bringing Clinical Trials to the United States to help cure Spinal Cord Injuries. Team Fight to Walk is comprised of Melson, Zaccagnino, former Rutgers football player/ESPY honoree Eric LeGrand, two-time cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, WBA junior middleweight titlist Austin “No Doubt” Trout, title contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore, Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, Hector “Machito” Camacho Jr., 2008 US Olympians Demetrius “Boo” Andrade and Shawn Estrada along with prospects Sid “The Messenger” El Harrak, Jeff “TNT” Spencer, Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin, Will “Power” Rosinsky, Floriano “Italiano” Pagliara, Danny “Little Mac” McDermott, Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien, Ahmed “Prince of Egypt” Samir and Delen “Sniper” Parsley.

For more information or to make a donation, go to teamfighttowalk.com or Justadollarplease.org. All specific questions about the nature of the Clinical Trial to cure Spinal Cord Injury can be sent to boydmelson@yahoo.com.

New York, NY (June 12, 2013) – Junior middleweight boxer and charitable figure Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson is attending the third annual “Walk to Believe” Saturday, June 15 at the High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, NJ.

A non-profit organization founded in 2010, A “Walk to Believe” raises awareness and funds to aid in the recovery of former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand, who was paralyzed in a game against Army on October 16th, 2010. This tragic day for Eric took place against The Rainmaker’s alma mater, West Point, and on his birthday. Melson told LeGrand that none of this is by chance as the universe has a plan for them to change the world together. LeGrand, who won an ESPY Award last year and is an active member of Team Fight to Walk, serves as one of America’s most powerful voices behind Spinal Cord Injury care. Through strenuous rehabilitation and an incredible will, LeGrand’s made excellent progress but still has a long way to go.

“Events like these are incredibly important to me because I will not be satisfied until I see those suffering like Eric and my best friend Christan Zaccagnino walking again,” stated Melson, who along with Zaccagnino, helped raise more than $130,000 for Spinal Cord Injury research by donating his fight purses to Justadollarplease.org. This amount is now rapidly approaching $200,000 in total thanks to Team Fight To Walk’s first official fundraiser dinner- Fighting For The Cure- covering the costs for two human beings with Spinal Cord Injuries to take part in the trial.”

“Research and care are very expensive, and the US Government has not contributed a single penny towards this specific clinical trial which is the very first in the United States aimed at curing Chronic Spinal Cord Injuries for human beings with an injured Spinal Cord for at least one year. Even a single penny from the government offered to fund this trial would serve as the United States government showing its gratitude specifically to its 40,000 Veterans that live paralyzed in America. I am extremely excited to stand by my brother Eric as he is trying to change the world similar to how he did for Team Fight To Walk at our “Fighting For The Cure” Event. I already told him that I am sitting on his lap for the walk to ensure that I am as close to the champ as possible!”

To participate or for more information, please to go Awalktobelieve.org

Baltimore, MD (May 2, 2013) – Baltimore Boxing & Fitness’ middleweight sensation Jerome Featherstone is headed to Salt Lake City, UT for the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions.

The tournament begins May 13 at the SaltPalaceConvention Center and tickets are available by going to smithstix.com/events/item/root/national-golden-gloves-tournament-may-13.

A local high school wrestling legend at Maryland’s BoysLatinHigh School, Featherstone took up boxing a few years back following an excelling as a collegiate wrestle for the University of Oklahoma. Defined by trainer Jake Smith as one of the top natural talents he’s seen, Featherstone earned his way to the nationals by winning the 165 pound Golden Gloves title, besting top fighters from Maryland, WashingtonDC, Virginia and the Marines.

“It’s incredible how far he’s come in such a short period of time,” stated Smith, a former prizefighter who is a member of the DC and Maryland Boxing Hall of Fames. “Jerome first entered the gym not even a year and a half ago and now he’s headed to the National Golden Gloves to compete against the top fighters in the country. I believe he’ll continue to win en route to bigger and better things at the next level.”

Cincinnati, OH (April 27, 2013) – When lifelong boxing fan and successful club promoter Michael Grace opened Starpower Boxing Management in 2013, his goal was to enhance the careers of talented fighters that have either been overlooked or misguided.

A self-professed boxing junkie, Grace’s personal relationships and time spent around the gyms in Cincinnati, OH helped him find a number of quality fighters that needed a push to get their careers going in the direction they expected upon turning pro. Currently, Grace has four fighters in his stable hailing from the Queen City.

Inactive since 2012 due to prior managerial issues, lightweight Mel “Black Diamond” Crossty is 5-0 as a professional. Many fight fans may not be aware of the soft-spoken 27-year-old yet, but those who’ve been around the sport have heard the name Mel Crossty for years. A successful amateur, Crossty is a sharp boxer who has been in training camps with Andre Ward, Devon Alexander, Sharif Bogere and Cincinnati’s very own Adrien Broner. Crossty spends time training in Cincinnati with Brandon Bush as well as Las Vegas with Floyd Mayweather Sr., who personally invited him to the famed Mayweather Boxing Gym.

Welterweight hopeful William “Action” Jackson brings a 10-1-1 record to the table with 5 wins by knockout. The popular 24-year-old fought all 12 of his bouts in Cincinnati, including a knockout victory over previously unbeaten Edward Ochoa, before promotional problems forced him out of action 1 ½ years ago. With Grace in his corner, Jackson will have the opportunity to get right back into the mix when he meets perennial contender Michael Clark in the main event of a card in Columbus, OH May 18.

As an amateur, 25-year-old super featherweight Jesse Carradine notched victories over notables Duran Caferro, Brandon Bennett, Walter Sarnoi and Archie Ray Marquez. Unfortunately, the paid ranks haven’t been as easy. A participant at the 2008 Olympic Trials, Carradine’s taken fights wherever he could find them, showcasing his skills in New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Ohio. His two defeats came against top level opponents in current world champion Evgeny Gradovich and unbeaten rising star Karl Dargan. His record stands at 8-2-1 with 4 victories by knockout.

Rounding out the Starpower stable is 24-year-old DeVonte Allen, 4-1-1 (3 KO’s). Like his new stablemates, Allen’s had issues out of his control and hasn’t fought since July.

Crossty, Carradine and Allen are also slated to fight on the 18th in Columbus.

“There are so many good fighters out there who don’t get a fair shake,” said Grace, whose built a close relationship with each of his boxers. Not everybody is going to be promoted the right way and get signed by Golden Boy or Top Rank off the bat. William, Mel, Jesse and DaVonte are all very good fighters. People who have been in the gym with them, and I’m talking quality fighters and top trainers, can vouch for these guys. I know what I’ve got here and I’m excited about giving these guys the opportunity they deserve while getting their careers on the right path.”

Starpower Boxing is a Cincinnati-based management company established by Michal Grace in 2013. Grace grew up in English Woods, a tough crime-stricken neighborhood that also produced world champion Adrien Broner, three-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren and unbeaten prospect Brandon Bennett. As a die-hard fan of the sport, Grace became a manager to further indulge his passion for boxing. As CEO of Starpower Boxing, Grace is committed to representing his fighters’ best interests to allow them to maximize their potential both in and out of the ring. For more information, please email starpower81.mg@gmail.com.

New York, NY (April 23, 2013) –Edgar Perez has replaced veteran Troy Lowry as the opponent for New York’s Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson in a six round junior middleweight bout Saturday, April 27 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Born on the boxing-crazed island of Puerto Rico and based out of the fighting city of Chicago, Illinois, Perez won his first five professional bouts, three of which came by way of knockout. Perez, whose only defeats came against blue chip prospects Luis Arias, Jermall Charlo and Steven Martinez, will look to pull off an upset against his popular foe.

With a solid record of 10-1-1 with 4 knockouts, Melson’s one of the most talked about fighters in New York. On April 16, Melson, who donated all of his fight purses and is heavily involved in helping finding the cure for chronic Spinal Cord Injuries, earned additional notoriety when he was featured with his best friend Christan Zaccagnino on HBO’s critically acclaimed series Real Sports. Originally scheduled to fight in February as part of the postponed Danny Garcia-Zab Judah headlined card, Perez is Melson’s third scheduled opponent.

“This is the part of boxing that nobody likes,” said Melson, who battled to a disputed draw in his last bout back in October. “The truth is guys get hurt at every level of this sport and opponents change. I’ve had a challenging training camp with a freak scratched cornea in my sleep as well as a reoccurring throat infection, but nevertheless I am in good shape with a strong mind ready to compete. I‘ve been working with my new head coach Simon Bakinde, who has my former Assistant Coach Bernie Lenahan still by my side now assisting him, and we’ve worked together as a new team for some time now. I am extremely confident about our adjustments to my technique that we have made. I’m extremely thankful that so many people enjoyed the story about Christan and I, but now it’s time to get back to work!”

Melson-Perez is scheduled for 6 rounds.

Tickets and merchandise are available on Teamfighttowalk.com. Following the bout, Melson will once again donate his entire fight purse to Justadollarplease.org in support of bringing trials to the United States that could help cure chronic Spinal Cord Injuries.

In association with the 501 (C) 3 nonprofit Justadollarplease.org, Melson and his best friend Christan Zaccagnino created Team Fight to Walk, whose mission is to raise awareness within the boxing community as well as the entire nation about the importance of bringing Clinical Trials to the United States to help cure Spinal Cord Injuries. Team Fight to Walk is comprised of Melson, Zaccagnino, former Rutgers football player/ESPY honoree Eric LeGrand, two-time cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, former junior middleweight titlist Austin “No Doubt” Trout, title contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore, Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, Hector “Machito” Camacho Jr., 2008 US Olympians Demetrius “Boo” Andrade and Shawn Estrada along with prospects Sid “The Messenger” El Harrak, Jeff “TNT” Spencer, Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin, Will “Power” Rosinsky, Floriano “Italiano” Pagliara, Danny “Little Mac” McDermott, Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien, Ahmed “Prince of Egypt” Samir and Delen “Sniper” Parsley.

For more information or to make a donation, go to teamfighttowalk.com or Justadollarplease.org. All specific questions about the nature of the Clinical Trial to cure Spinal Cord Injury can be sent to boydmelson@yahoo.com.

Oklahoma City, OK (April 17, 2013) – Earlier today, Kevin Cunningham, trainer of IBF welterweight titlist Devon Alexander, took a shot at contender Carson Jones.

Less than 24 hours ago, Jones, the IBF’s 7th rated contender and a former USBA champion, offered to face Alexander May 18 after his original opponent Kell Brook withdrew for a second time due to an injury. Jones, who has a deceptive record 34-9-3 with 24 KO’s since he took many fights earlier in his career as an opponent, was abruptly rejected by Cunningham.

“Hey Carson, I wish I could help you out,” Cunningham told a popular boxing website. “But we already have all our sparring partners for this camp. Maybe we’ll consider bringing you into camp for Devon’s next fight. That’s the only use we would have for a guy with 9 losses and 3 draws.”

Jones, who said he respected Cunningham as a trainer before he hurled insults in his directions, believes that he only said that to keep his fighter away from a tough bout.

“These guys claim to be tough and from the streets of St. Louis, but how tough are they?” “The truth is that boxing wise, Devon’s anything but tough. Aside from quitting against Bradley, he’s been protected by his promoters and the premium cable networks. They want to talk about my 9 losses but forget what tough really is. I lost a few controversial fights and the only time Devon’s had any controversy, he received gift decisions in hometown. Cunningham and Alexander know deep down that records are overrated and there are plenty of 25-0 guys who can’t fight a lick. I earned my way up the rankings by knocking out quality fighters when my back was against the wall and that is something they can’t dispute no matter how hard they try.”

Jones also views his close loss to the aforementioned Kell Brook as a reason of why he’s more than worthy for the title shot.

“I went into Brook’s hometown, gave him hell and lost a very close decision. From what I’ve heard, Brook offered good money to face him in England but Team Alexander was too scared. I proved that I am a real fighter time and time again by facing whoever, wherever and whenever. Can Devon do the same or are you guys into playing the matchmaking game and pretending all the people in boxing are idiots and actually believe these undefeated stiffs can fight. They call him Devon “The Great” Alexander, but he’s acting like a coward. Man up and take the challenge. I’m ready to go!”

Palm Beach, FL (April 17, 2013) – Lou Martinez, owner of the Palm Beach Boxing Center, announced that he is running and sponsoring the 2013 Florida State Golden Gloves.

A 12,000 sq ft facility that is quickly becoming one of boxing’s hotspots, the Palm Beach Boxing Center’s held camps for world champions Lucian Bute, Devon Alexander, Cory Spinks and Nate Campbell as well as 2008 Olympian Matt Korobov. The gym’s also hosted Andre Dirrell, Kassim Ouma, Riddick Bowe, Jameel McCline and Oleg Maskaev amongst others.

During the last 40 plus years, the Florida Golden Gloves served as a competitive tournament for male and female fighters of all skill levels. Participants range from everyday people to future boxing champions. Notables include boxing legend Roy Jones Jr., Hall of Famer Mike McCallum, former world champions Andre Berto and Nate Campbell and unbeaten prospect Daquan Arnett among others.

“I feel like a kid in a candy store,” Martinez said of running the gloves. “I’ve had a number of my fighters participate and there have been so many greats that showcased their skills in this event before going to the pros. It’s always been a dream to run this great event. Luckily, I had the opportunity to take over the event this year and did so without hesitation.”

Athletes and coaches can register now on Floridagoldengloves.net and the tournament takes place April 20-21. Weigh-ins take place at 7 AM sharp on the 20th at the Ramada Inn at 1901 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd in West Palm Beach and all participants must bring their USA Boxing Passbook. The opening round starts the very same day just minutes away at City Soccer, located at 1016 Clare Ave in West Palm Beach, FL.

For more information on the Florida Golden Gloves, go to Floridagoldengloves.net. To sign up for the Palm Beach Boxing Center or purchase tickets to the Florida Golden Gloves visit Palmbeachboxing.com

GOLDEN GLOVES CONTACT: Lou Martinez Floridagoldengloves@gmail.com or 561-670-6565

Oklahoma City, OK (April 16, 2013) – In an age where fighters build their records up by partaking in gross mismatches, Oklahoma City based welterweight contender “Mr.” Carson Jones is a boxing rarity.

The youthful but experienced 26-year-old began his career without true direction, taking a number of early losses against world class opposition. Since March 2009, Jones has an excellent 18-2-1 record with 13 wins by knockout. Along the way, Jones, whose overall professional ledger is 34-9-3 (24 KO’s), steamrolled previously unbeaten knockout king Tyrone Brunson, 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist Ricardo Williams, welterweight contender Said Ouali and former title challenger Michael Clark.

In July 2012, Jones lost a hotly contested majority decision in the hometown of Kell Brook in one of the best fights during that calendar year. Dubbed as “Special K” due to his diverse talents, Brook dominated all 27 of his opponents up to that point. Against Jones, a bruised and bloodied Brook survived a number of rough moments and never considered a rematch.

Fast forward to 2013, where Brook found himself pitted against IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander; or so we thought. The two were scheduled to fight on multiple occasions, with each man pulling out of the fight due to an injury. On Saturday, May 18, Brook-Alexander was finally scheduled to take place on Showtime, but Brook suffered another injury that forced him to withdraw, leaving the champion without an opponent.

“I know a lot of guys are calling out Alexander and I can’t blame them,” said Jones, the IBF’s 7th rated contender. “But how many of them have been through hell in a gasoline suit? Which one of them went overseas and got the short end of a decision against a fighter that is considered one of boxing’s next bright stars? Can anybody else out there vying for this fight claim to have faced the level of opposition I have? The answer is no.”

Jones also believes that his fan-friendly style would make for a great fight and a bout with Alexander would produce two winners; Carson Jones and the spectators.

“After Alexander’s sleep-induced fight with Randall Bailey, I think the boxing world needs an exciting fight. I do not run from my opponents. Unlike Bailey, I will cut the ring off and force him to fight my fight just like Tim Bradley did. Alexander’s known as Devon “The Great” but does his name mean anything? If he’s true to his moniker and wants to show how great he his, all Team Alexander has to do send me a contract and see me in the ring on May 18!”

Jones is currently in training with the hopes of facing Alexander or another top welterweight in the immediate future.

Alex Guerrero 193.5 Terrance Smith 191.5

AJ Williams 161 Issa Coulibaly 164

Frank Fillippone 169 Marcus Clay 166.5

Damont Giddins 143 Cyprian Khumalo 140.5

Lonnie Kornegay 273 Duane Mobley 247

Hugh Hinds 128.5 Nuwan Jayakody 128.5

Promoter: Jake “The Snake” Promotions

Venue: Wicomico Youth & Civic Center

First Bout: 8 PM

Cockeysville, MD (April 10, 2013) – When 6’4 middleweight and Penn State graduate AJ “We Are” Williams entered a ring for the first time, he had no idea where the sport of boxing would take him.

As a freshman, Williams played varsity basketball at Penn State’s Schuylkill campus however, his hoop dreams were cut short due to knee injuries. Looking for a new athletic venture, Williams transferred to the main campus, took up boxing and far exceeded his own expectations. Before graduating from Penn State in 2010, the life science major served as the team captain and won a bronze medal at the National Colligate Boxing Association (NCBA) tournament.

Upon receiving his Bachelors Degree, Williams took his talents to the Baltimore Boxing & Fitness gym and continued to box in the amateur ranks. After falling short in the Maryland Golden Gloves, Williams’ team suggested he compete at the next level.

“I really liked what I saw from AJ when he started training with me,” said Jake “The Snake” Smith, who trains Williams and is a member of the Maryland and Washington DC Boxing Hall of Fames. “He’s got a great head on his shoulders, always listens and doesn’t have an ego like a lot of young fighters do. He’s really come a long way and he’ll only continue to improve.”

“I never thought I’d go pro when I first started boxing,” said the soft-spoken 26-year-old. “I did it for fun at first then once I got pretty good at it and placed in nationals in 2010, that’s when I realized I could go pro.”

On Friday evening, Williams makes his pro debut against Issa Coulibaly in a special attraction bout as part of Jake “The Snake” Promotions’ “Salisbury Slugfest” from the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center in Salisbury, MD. Though he’s excited for the opportunity, Williams admits switching his style for the paid ranks has been a learning process.

“The transition has been interesting. It used to be all about throwing a lot of punches and scoring points. Now it’s focusing on sitting down on my punches. To get ready, I’ve trained harder than ever before. Friday is going to be a great show.”

Tickets starting at $20 and VIP tables of 10 are on sale now at the Wicomico Civic Center Box Office, by calling 410-548-4911 or logging onto WicomicoCivicCenter.Org. A 20% military discount is available on all tickets purchased with a valid ID at the Civic Center Box Office and specially priced hotel rooms can be purchased by going to www.mmx2reservations.com/wicomico/pc/slug. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the action kicks off at 8.

Headlining the “Salisbury Slugfest” is an eight round cruiserweight bout between local star Alexis Guerrero of Salisbury, MD and Oklahoma City, OK’s Terrence Smith. A big ticket seller in Salisbury, Guerrero is 8-0-1 with 5 wins by knockout, most recently dispatching famed tough guy Harvey Jolly inside of five rounds last September. Smith, a late replacement for Elvin Sanchez, has a deceptive record of 8-14-2 with five victories by stoppage. Smith’s faced an incredible 12 unbeaten opponents including Yunieski Gonzalez, Shaun George, Farah Ennis, Cedric Agnew, Adam Hubinger and Carlos Durate among others.

In the co-feature, popular super middleweight Frankie “Freight Train” Filippone of Norfolk, VA meets Baton Rouge, LA’s Marcus Clay. Filippone, who is also a Virginia Beach police officer, has an excellent 13-2 record with 2 wins by knockout.

In a battle of the big men, unbeaten Duane Mobley of Upper Marlboro, MD risks his 7-0 record against seasoned Baltimorean Lonnie Kornegay in a four rounder.

Also appearing on the undercard in separate bouts is Salisbury’s very own Damont Giddins and Washington DC’s Hugh Hinds.

New York, NY (April 8, 2013) – Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson will take a step up in competition when he challenges battle-tested Troy “TNT” Lowry in a six round junior middleweight contest Saturday, April 27 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

One of New York’s most popular fighters, Melson fought to a controversial draw last October in the first bout ever at the Barclays Center. Following his bout in October, Melson, 10-1-1 (4 KO’s), took a much-needed break from boxing after fighting seven times in a twelve month period. Ironically, Melson’s return was initially slated for February, but the entire card was postponed when main event participant Danny Garcia suffered an injury.

“Everybody was telling me that I was killing myself by fighting too often and I didn’t listen,” said Melson, who works full-time for Johnson & Johnson, is an Army Reserve Officer and occasionally teaches fitness courses at Equinox. “I had no idea I had competed 7 times in a 12 month period until it was shared with me after the fact. I did need this rest, but I did not need to rest 6 months. I was ready to come back February 9th for the original scheduled date and I am again ready. I also do not regret fighting as often as I did, even with my last performance being subpar largely do to being burned out. I needed to keep generating money and awareness for this clinical trial to cure Chronic Spinal Cord Injuries, and all of those fights in total, when matched 2:1 by Johnson&Johnson along with being complimented by public donations, resulted in tens of thousands of dollars generated and donated to help fund this clinical trial. With this rest, I feel rejuvenated and better than ever physically.”

One of boxing’s ultimate veterans, Lowry is 28-12 with 17 wins by knockout. The Minneapolis, MN native shared the squared circle with a number of top fighters including future hall of famer Hector Camacho, Vanes Martirosyan, Andy Lee, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, Yuri Foreman and Pawel Wolak. Lowry also owns victories over former interim junior middleweight titlist Santiago Samaniego and unbeaten knockout artist Travis Loveless, who was 20-0 with 17 KO’s before meeting Lowry.

“Troy is a classic tough veteran in the sport of professional boxing,” stated Melson. “He has far more experience than anybody I’ve ever fought and this is the kind of test I need. I told my team that I wanted to fight a solid veteran with experience against A-level opposition, and they found a man with 40 professional fights against current contenders and former world champions for me to challenge. Lowry is the exact kind of opponent I was looking for, and I’ve got to look spectacular on the 27th.”

Tickets and merchandise are available on Teamfighttowalk.com. Following the bout, Melson will once again donate his entire fight purse to Justadollarplease.org in support of bringing trials to the United States that could help cure chronic Spinal Cord Injuries.

In association with the 501 (C) 3 nonprofit Justadollarplease.org, Melson and his best friend Christan Zaccagnino created Team Fight to Walk, whose mission is to raise awareness within the boxing community as well as the entire nation about the importance of bringing Clinical Trials to the United States to help cure Spinal Cord Injuries. Team Fight to Walk is comprised of Melson, Zaccagnino, former Rutgers football player/ESPY honoree Eric LeGrand, two-time cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, WBA junior middleweight titlist Austin “No Doubt” Trout, title contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore, Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, Hector “Machito” Camacho Jr., 2008 US Olympians Demetrius “Boo” Andrade and Shawn Estrada along with prospects Sid “The Messenger” El Harrak, Jeff “TNT” Spencer, Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin, Will “Power” Rosinsky, Floriano “Italiano” Pagliara, Danny “Little Mac” McDermott, Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien, Ahmed “Prince of Egypt” Samir and Delen “Sniper” Parsley.

For more information or to make a donation, go to teamfighttowalk.com or Justadollarplease.org. All specific questions about the nature of the Clinical Trial to cure Spinal Cord Injury can be sent to boydmelson@yahoo.com.

Salisbury, MD (March 26, 2013) – Knockout Artist Elvin “KoKo” Sanchez is replacing Pedro Martinez as the opponent for unbeaten cruiserweight Alex Guerrero in the eight round main event of the “Salisbury Slugfest” Friday, April 12 at Salisbury, MD’s Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.

Tickets starting at $20 and VIP tables of 10 are on sale now at the Wicomico Civic Center Box Office, by calling 410-548-4911 or logging onto WicomicoCivicCenter.Org. A 20% military discount is available on all tickets purchased with a valid ID at the Civic Center Box Office and specially priced hotel rooms can be purchased by going to www.mmx2reservations.com/wicomico/pc/slug. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the action kicks off at 8.

Known for his heavy hands, Sanchez scored a stunning knockout over previously unbeaten and well-regarded Venroy July February, 22 before a pro-July crowd in Washington, DC. Fighting out of the notoriously tough city of Paterson, NJ, Sanchez also battled to a controversial draw against hometown favorite Jeremy Stauffer last November. Sanchez, who is 6-2 with 5 wins by knockout, has a reputation on the east coast for making exciting fights and has no problem fighting in enemy territory.

“This is definitely an attractive matchup,” said Jake Smith of Jake the Snake Promotions. “I’ve seen Elvin before. He’s a very strong fighter who punches like a mule. Alex will have to be sharp against him if he wants to remain unbeaten. Sanchez is no joke.”

In undercard action, unbeaten heavyweight Duane Mobley of Upper Marlboro, MD risks his 7-0 record against tougher than advertised Baltimorean Lonnie Kornegay in a four rounder.

Fellow unbeaten heavyweight and Seth Mitchell protégé Jerry “Slug” Forrest, of Newport News, VA returns to the ring against an opponent to be named in a four rounder. Forrest, 5-0 (4 KO’s), is known for his heavy hands, scoring three of his four knockouts in the opening round.

Former Penn State Boxing Team Captain and National Collegiate Champion AJ Williams, who resides in the Delmarva area, and Salisbury’s very own Damont Giddings make their pro debuts in separate bouts against opponents to be named.

Other fighters featured on the card include popular light heavyweight Frankie “Freight Train” Filippone, undefeated junior lightweight Terron Grant and Nuwan Jacoby.

Glen Burnie, MD (March 18, 2013) – Jake the Snake Promotions will have a total of 13 bouts as part of a stacked Olympic-style boxing card Friday, March 22 at the elegant Michaels Eighth Avenue Ballroom in Glen Burnie, MD.

The card features boxers from Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, North Carolina and four fighters that are traveling all the way from Ireland.

General admission tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Individual VIP tickets are $50 and $500 for a table of ten. All VIP ticketholders can enjoy gets hors d’oeurves from 7-8. Tickets are available by calling 410-375-9175. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the first fight is 8:15.

Headlining the card is a bout featuring popular heavyweight Sam Crose of the Baltimore Boxing Club and Tom Busch of Team Maryland. Both fighters are known locally and Crose trains under the watchful eye of Jake “The Snake” Smith.

In the co-feature, Courtney Feldheim of Maryland meets Katie Poplawski, a student at Georgetown University, of Washington D.C. in a 141 pound bout. Feldheim, who is also a fitness instructor at the Merritt Athletic Club, most recently fought January 19 in Salisbury, MD.

Fans will also have the opportunity to watch special attraction bouts featuring Team North Carolina’s Brandon Knox and Washington D.C. middleweight Adan Gonzalez in separate bouts. The 2012 NCBA tournament Silver Medalist, Knox is considered the best fighter traveling from the Carolinas for this first ever event. Gonzalez, a Georgetown University student who won multiple amateur tournaments, has been featured in various media outlets for his success in boxing and involvement in charitable causes.

“I hate to sound like a broken record but I really love the structure of this event,” said Promoter Jake Smith of Jake the Snake Promotions. “There are a lot of fighters out there and only a few of the tournaments feature boxers from different areas. I’m hoping to run future events like this and believe the fans will have a great time.”

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com

Salisbury, MD (March 11, 2013) – Jake The Snake Promotions will host their first show in Salisbury, MD when unbeaten cruiserweight Alex Guerrero headlines against hard-nosed veteran Pedro Martinez Friday, April 12 at the Wicomico Civic Center.

Tickets starting at $20 and VIP tables of 10 from $500 are on sale now at the Wicomico Civic Center Box Office, by calling 410-548-4911 or logging onto WicomicoCivicCenter.Org. A 20% military discount is available on all tickets purchased with a valid ID at the Civic Center Box Office. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the opening bell is slated for 8.

Fighting for the fifth time in Salisbury, Guerrero is 8-0-1 with five of those victories coming by way of knockout. The older brother of middleweight contender Fernando Guerrero, who challenges for the WBO title April 27 on Showtime, Alex scored a career best victory in his last bout by stopping famed spoiler Harvey Jolly in five rounds.

Guerrero, who trains out of Main Street Gym under the tutelage of Hal Chernoff, is no stranger to fighting tough. Only three of his nine opponents entered their bout with losing records and Guerrero’s last four foes all had more experience than him.

A 13 fight veteran, Martinez will enter the ring with a size and experience advantage. Four of the Philadelphian’s bouts came as a heavyweight and he’s battled notable fighters such as Garrett Wilson, Ahmed Samir, Andreas Gustaffsson and Elvin Sanchez. In his last bout, Martinez dropped a decision against full-fledged heavyweight William Miranda.

Guerrero-Martinez is scheduled for eight rounds

“I’m overjoyed about this event,” exclaimed Jake Smith, a member of the Maryland and D.C. Boxing Hall of Fames who’s assisted many charities in association with his events. “Salisbury is a great fight town and fans have shown up in record numbers during recent cards at the Civic Center. I am expecting a huge turnout for this card and thank the great City of Salisbury for giving Jake the Snake Promotions the opportunity to host an event there.”

Chernoff, the head trainer at the Main Street Boxing Gym and a well known member of the community, agrees.

“It’s always fun to be involved with something like this. What I enjoy most about helping promote in Salisbury is that one of my fighters gets to headline in his hometown and that’s a huge thing. This is also great for the local economy. Events like this help hotels, restaurants, taxis and a lot of other area businesses. That means a lot to me and I’m proud to be a part of this.”

On the undercard, former Penn State Boxing Club captain and NCBA medalist A.J. Williams of Rehoboth Beach, DE makes his highly anticipated pro debut against an opponent to be named in a four round middleweight contest. The popular Williams trains and fights out of the Baltimore Boxing Club.

Unbeaten heavyweight knockout artist Jerry “Slug” Forrest looks to score his fifth knockout in six fights when he faces an opponent TBA. The southpaw Forrest, of Newport News, VA, is a protégé of Seth Mitchell.

More bouts will be added shortly.

Oceanside, NY (February 9, 2013) – Unbeaten lightweight Mike “Beast Mode” Brooks of Oceanside, NY will take his talents south of the United States border to Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Brooks, who has a record of 9-0 with 2 wins by knockout and was a top rated amateur by USA Boxing, will work with trainer Chino Espinoza and promoter Juan Chan. The two have worked with former world champion Daniel Ponce De Leon and contenders Jesus Soto Karass and Omar Chavez. Together, they’re expected to help Brooks’ conditioning and keep him busy.

While many once considered his native New York the Mecca of Boxing, Brooks recognizes things have changed and his 2 ½ month stay in Mexico will be beneficial.

“They do a lot of cards in Mexico and I was astonished to see how many take place in the country each weekend,” said the charismatic 25 year old. “I have a warrior mentality like the Mexican fighters do, so I’ve always wanted to go there to train in their style, get great sparring and stay busy. In New York, there aren’t enough cards and I haven’t been as active as I want. I wouldn’t want my career to end early nor do I want any more layoffs just because there aren’t spots on the card for me. Going to Mexico is a dream come true!”


To prepare for his venture to Mexico, Brooks has been training in Long Island and sparring with rising contender Chris Algeiri and unbeaten prospect Anthony Karperis.


Brooks’ first fight in Mexico takes place on an Omar Chavez undercard in March.

Fans can interact with Mike by going to Twitter.com/LeftyBrooks.

New York, NY (January 21, 2013) – Junior middleweight boxer and philanthropist Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson of New York will be live in studio on “Sports on 1” Tuesday, January 22.

“Sports on 1” airs at 11:30 pm ET on New York 1 (NY1) throughout the New York area and is hosted by Tom McDonald.

Melson, who is 10-1-1 with 4 knockouts, will discuss his February 9 bout at the Barclays Center, the cause he passionately fights for, Team Fight to Walk and how a college course jumpstarted his boxing career.

Fans can ask Boyd a question on the show by calling 212-NY1-TALK or emailing Sportson1@ny1.com.

For more information about “Sports on 1”, please visit NY1.com or check your local listings.

Tickets to Melson’s bout at the Barclays Center are available on TeamFighttowalk.com

Cornwall, Ontario, Canada (January 20, 2013) – Rising junior welterweight Tony “Lighting” Luis, 15-0 (7 KO’s), will now face rugged veteran Jose “Loco” Hernandez January 25 on ESPN Friday Night Fights at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY.

The quick-handed Canadian’s original foe Miguel Gonzalez withdrew, citing an illness and opening the door for Hernandez.

With an extremely deceptive 13-6-1 record, Hernandez battled six unbeaten foes and was on the wrong end of a disputed decision more than once. The Waco, TX native lost in controversial fashion to Matt Remillard, Michael Angelo Perez, Oscar Meza and Luis Ramos, coming in as the B-side in each of those bouts. He also owns impressive victories against Aaron Garcia, Noe Bolanos and Jairo Sanchez, while fighting to a draw against Mickey Bey.

“Jose Hernandez is a very difficult opponent and there’s a reason he’s never been in a rematch,” said Luis’ promoter Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions. “To be honest, I think he’s tougher than Gonzalez and Tony will definitely be tested, but I expect him to pass with flying colors. I think Tony’s the real deal and this is the next step on his journey to be a world champion.”

Tickets are available by going to Ticketmaster.com/event/00004983ADD5CF2D?artistid=850878&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=33 and fans can interact with Tony via Facebook at Facebook.com/tony.luis.14.

New York, NY (January 10, 2013) – Junior middleweight boxer and humanitarian Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson will receive the inaugural Most Valuable Philanthropist (MVP) award from the National Spinal Cord Injury Association’s New York Chapter (NYCSCIA) during a special Mardi Gras themed fundraiser Tuesday, February 12.

Since turning pro in November 2010, Melson, who has a record of 10-1-1 with 4 knockouts, donated all of his fight purses. Eleven of his full fight purses went to Justadollarplease.org in support of a pending trial that could potentially cure chronic Spinal Cord Injuries, with the other being donated to a lifelong friend whose son has brain cancer.

In 2011, along with his best friend Christan Zaccagnino, the West Point Graduate created Team Fight to Walk. The team, which has more than 15 fighters helping support the cause in various ways, received mentioned in ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo and the Military Times. With his full-time employer Johnson&Johnson backing his selfless efforts, Melson’s raised more than $100,000 towards the trial.

“This is an incredible honor, but this is not about me,” said Melson, who fights three days before the fundraiser at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. “There are more than 300,000 Americans that suffer from Spinal Cord Injuries on a daily basis that can’t get the help they need in this country.”

“We have no government funding and are doing everything we can to make this trial happen in the immediate future. I appreciate this award and am looking forward to spending time with the NYCSCIA members. More than receiving any award or boxing championship, I want to see my best friend Christan Zaccagnino and every other person that suffers walk again.”

The fundraiser is from 6-10 pm at Slate-NY, located at 54 West 21st Street New York, NY 10010. Tickets to the fundraiser are available on Ticketriver.com/event/5400-9th-annual-mardi-gras-fundraiser.

Tickets for Boyd’s next fight are available at Teamfighttowalk.com. Fans can also buy Team Fight To Walk t-shirts and wrist bands for the next fight from the website, with 100% of profits being donated to Justadollarplease.org. Come wear your t-shirt and bracelet Feb 9th to support The “Rainmaker” and Team Fight To Walk in his quest to be a champion it the ring and cure Spinal Cord Injuries outside of it. All tickets and merchandise purchased will be available at the Barclays Center’s will call window on fight night.

For more information or to make a donation, go to Teamfighttowalk.com.

Cornwall, Ontario, Canada (January 7, 2013) – Junior welterweight sensation Tony “Lighting” Luis has high expectations of where his blossoming career will take him during the next twelve months.

A multi-time Canadian amateur champion and former WBC Continental Americas titlist, Luis’ 2013 begins on January 25 when he battles well-regarded Miguel Gonzalez of Cleveland, OH. The bout takes place on ESPN Friday Night Fights live from the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY and is promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions and Banner Promotions.

Recognized as one of the top young talents in a nation flooded with quality prizefighters, Luis, 15-0 (7 KO’s), destroyed hard-hitting veteran Andres Ledesma last September in his United States debut. The popular 24-year-old is a perfect 4-0 with all 4 wins by knockout since moving up to the junior welterweight division.

Dubbed as “Silky Smooth”, Gonzalez won the 2008 National Amateur Championship in the lightweight division and came close to earning a spot on that year’s Olympic team. As a pro, Gonzalez has an outstanding 20-3 record with 15 knockouts. In his last bout, he dropped a decision to Mike Dallas on EPSN Friday Night Fights.

Regardless of the outcome from Gonzalez’ last fight, Luis expects a tough challenge on the 25th.

“He’s a slick southpaw with a dangerous left hand,” the well-spoken Luis said of Gonzalez. “He’s fought some very tough fighters and won’t be flustered or fazed by anything. Like me, he had a ton of amateur fights against the best competition out there. I’ve got a good game plan and he’ll see what I’m about once we get into the ring.”

In addition, Luis, who lives a few hours north of Turning Stone Casino and has a large fan base in Canada, believes there’ll be a solid turnout for this fight.

“We’re organizing a bus so people from Cornwall can come down to the fight. I’ve got great fans and they really support me. January 25 will be a great night for me and everything will go as expected if I follow the game plan.”

Tickets are available by going to Ticketmaster.com/event/00004983ADD5CF2D?artistid=850878&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=33 and fans can interact with Tony via Facebook at Facebook.com/tony.luis.14.

Dear Friends, Fans and Members of the Media,

As fight night approaches, mixed feelings start to conjure. Unlike many fighters, calm seems to be one of my most prominent feelings. The reason is simple, I am definitely less anxious when fighting at home. I absolutely love the crowd. Their support and presence keeps me calm. There’s just something about fighting in New York that’s exhilarating but comforting. When I’m going into the final round, there isn’t much that can be compared to that energy from the crowd roaring and cheering their hearts out.

Looking back at the Pavlik fight, I’m grateful. Facing Pavlik was an opportunity that I couldn’t have passed up, even with the short notice. That fight was something that made me a better fighter in many aspects. I came into the biggest fight of my career with tons of pressure from the media, an unfamiliar crowd and fighting a top rated former world champ. I learned and will take that experience into every fight.

As far as my job is concerned, recently it has been slower than usual on my ambulance. The irony as I get closer to my fight. I had the common stomach aches, headaches, EDP’s (Emotionally Disturbed Person) and occasional car accidents, luckily with no serious injuries. On a brighter note, Monday (Dec 10) was my last day at work until after the fight. Now instead of going straight to work after the gym and running or doing sprints right after work, I get to relax a little in between. I look forward to really focusing on the fight, getting into beast mode and watching more tape on my upcoming opponent.

The Pacquiao-Marquez fight showed us once again that anything can happen in a great boxing match. With a draw to kick off the trilogy and then two debatable wins for Pacquiao, they felt a fourth would do this duo justice. And it seems to have done just that. One perfectly placed straight right can evidently end everything. I hope Pacquiao recovers from that both physically and mentally. He is a great fighter and I’m optimistic that he will make good decisions going forward with his career. Ultimately, he should enjoy all the money boxing has brought him.

With Christmas approaching I just want to acknowledge all my fans that are coming to support me next Wednesday. As I always say, the fans are much appreciated and a big component to my fight career. Knowing they are there to support, my goal is to always try my best to deliver a crowd pleasing fight. The fact that people are still willing to come out and support me even when holiday season is right around the corner shows the quality of people that are behind me. I am looking forward to seeing and hearing all of my fans and can’t wait for fight night.

As I’m preparing myself for my December 19 showdown against tough contender Otis Griffin, I must admit, there’s always a lot of things on my mind. Those who know me best are aware of my commitment outside of the squared circle as a full time emergency medical technician (EMT) in one of the roughest areas in Brooklyn, NY. During my amateur and professional boxing career, I’ve seen a lot of unbelievable things, but it can’t compare to what my eyes have witnessed during my regular job.

Last week, I had to transport a 2 month baby to the hospital because her father accidentally punched the back of her head while he attempted to hit the mother. Accident or not, this was very difficult to deal with and I truly felt terrible about the situation. I can’t even fathom how traumatic that is for an infant in that environment. My unit had to assist with an emotionally disturbed person (EDP), where a family member called for emergency guidance with somebody acted violently. In situations like these, EMS and NYPD personnel work together to get the patient the care they need.

On Thanksgiving Day, we had a young man, early to mid-40’s, in cardiac arrest who was in a car accident. We don’t know if he went into arrest before or after the crash, all we know is that his heart was not beating. There’s no way to tell in the moment but everyone did what we could to help. Sadly, the young man passed away. It’s moments like these, where I witness some of the worst tragedies firsthand, that make me realize how blessed I am to do what I love; box and help others.

Every day before work, I spend a few hours in the gym preparing for my fight against Otis Griffin. Admittedly, it’s tiring at times to juggle working full time and training for world-class opponents, but I guess my willpower gets me through it (no pun intended). Whether it’s Griffin, Pavlik, Rodriguez or an opponent I’m expect to defeat by an early knockout, I get ready for every fighter as if they’re a world champion.

The most important thing is trying to keep my mind focused on the immediate task and I have a simple formula. When I’m at work,
I work and keep boxing in the back of my mind. While I’m training, my focus is fully on boxing and not the crazy situations I may see later that day.

In some instances, like the Aaron Pryor Jr. fight right into the Kelly Pavlik bout, my captain allowed me to take a lot of my own time. I was able to focus fully on boxing. While I don’t always have the time to take off, I have to adapt. Each morning at 8 AM, I go to the boxing gym or work on strength and conditioning. I have alternating days for both gyms. In some cases, if good sparring is available for certain days, I work it out according.
Either way, I’m grinding at least 6 days a week and that’s what I’m becoming used to.

On December 19, I’m looking forward putting on a great show and plan to provide you with an early Christmas gift; a victory. With that said, I never take fights because it’s an easy win but because it’s a challenge. Griffin’s team made many inquiries about fighting me and I’ll make him regret that. We’ll call it “Seasons Beatings”. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on fight night.

Sincerely,

Will “Power” Rosinsky
16-2 (9 KO’s)
@Wrosinsky

New York, NY (December 1, 2012) – Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson will receive the Dick Steinberg Good Guy award from the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday, April 21, 2013.

Recognized as boxing’s ultimate humanitarian, Melson’s donated every penny of all 12 fight purses. With 11 of them going to Justadollarplease.org to assist with funding for a pending trial that could potentially cure chronic Spinal Cord Injuries, Melson donated one of his fight purses to his childhood friend to help their family out after hearing about his friend’s son battling brain cancer. In 2011, Melson, who is 10-1-1 with 4 knockouts, created Team Fight to Walk. The team, which helps support the cause either through donations, networking or wearing Team Fight to Walk shirts, has more than 15 fighters on board.

His admirable efforts have been covered by Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Yahoo, The Military Times and NY1 amongst others. Following his last bout, boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions, moved by Melson’s cause, donated to Justadollarplease.org.

“It is touching to experience people taking notice of what I am doing to try to help human beings that are suffering,” exclaimed Melson, a 2005 National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inductee. “As touching as it is and I do appreciate this award very much so, with total candor I need people to go to this site and donate so that this clinical trial can happen next year- I need this more than awards. So if you are reading this, please show how touched you are by what I am being awarded for by going to justadollarplease.org and donating what you can. If that happens, then the award will be invaluable to me.”

Melson’s next bout takes place Saturday, February 9 at the Barclays Center in his native Brooklyn, NY. More information will be available shortly.

In association with the 501 (C) 3 nonprofit Justadollarplease.org, Melson and his best friend Christan Zaccagnino created Team Fight to Walk, whose mission is to raise awareness within the boxing community as well as the entire nation about the importance of bringing Clinical Trials to the United States to help cure Spinal Cord Injuries. Team Fight to Walk is comprised of Melson, Zaccagnino, former Rutgers football player/ESPY honoree Eric LeGrand, two-time cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, title contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore, Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, Hector “Machito” Camacho Jr., 2008 US Olympians Demetrius “Boo” Andrade and Shawn Estrada along with prospects Sid “The Messenger” El Harrak, Jeff “TNT” Spencer, Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin, Will “Power” Rosinsky, Floriano “Italiano” Pagliara, Danny “Little Mac” McDermott, Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien, Ahmed “Prince of Egypt” Samir and Delen “Sniper” Parsley.

For more information or to make a donation, go to teamfighttowalk.com or Justadollarplease.org. All specific questions about the nature of the Clinical Trial to cure Spinal Cord Injury can be sent to boydmelson@yahoo.com.

Baltimore, MD (November 27, 2012) – Baltimore Boxing Promotions and Baltimore Boxing & Fitness Gym are proud to announce the donation of 50 tickets to the American Red Cross of the Chesapeake Region for the Friday, December 7 “Bombs Away on Pearl Harbor Day” card.

“The Red Cross is an amazing organization and I’m proud to do all I can to help them,” said Jake Smith, the event’s promoter who is working with the Red Cross for the second time in 2012. “They reach so many people and their job will never be done. Knowing that the tickets are going to be resold and the money will help others is a feeling like no other.”

Headlined by two title fights, “Bombs Away on Pearl Harbor Day” takes place at the Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, MD on the 71st anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Baltimore Boxing will pay respects to late heavyweight Mike “The American Dream” Dietrich, a beloved local star who tragically passed away in March 2010 at the age of 26. In his honor, the first ever “Mike Dietrich Award” will be awarded to trainer Frank Gilbert and a canned food drive takes place throughout the evening for the church Dietrich attended.

All spectators can also participate in a special silent auction and 50/50 raffle, which will also benefit the Red Cross.

“The American Red Cross worked throughout the holiday weekend providing meals and comfort to people affected by Hurricane Sandy,” said Kristen Duncan, Regional Events and Recognition Coordinator of the American Red Cross’ Chesapeake Region chapter. “On Thanksgiving Day, the Red Cross delivered over 35,000 hot meals to people across New York and New Jersey and supported a wide variety of faith-based and community programs. We thank the American public for their generosity and support of the Red Cross’ response. Their donations are making a difference, enabling us to spend tens of millions of donated dollars providing food, shelter, relief supplies and comfort to people affected by Sandy.”

Tickets for “Bombs Away on Pearl Harbor Day” start at $20 and are available at Baltimoreboxing.com and at the Baltimore Boxing & Fitness Gym. VIP tables are also currently on sale, ranging from $200 to $500. All VIP ticketholders can enjoy free hors d’oeuvres and half priced drinks from 7-8 pm. Doors open at 6:30 and the first bout is scheduled for 8:15.

For more information, go to Baltimoreboxing.com.