Charity All-Star Boyd Melson Added To “Boricua Invasion”

ByBoxing Press

US Army Captain and undefeated junior middleweight Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson will battle durable South Carolinian Kelvin Kibler in a special four round attraction bout on the “Boricua Invasion I” card Friday, June 10 at the Roseland Ballroom in his native New York City.

On May 19, Melson, 3-0 (1 KO), destroyed Hector Rivera in 44 seconds, opening the door for a quicker than expected return to the squared circle.

It is a blessing to be able to compete again a few weeks later,” said Melson, a West Point graduate. “We had our best camp heading into our last fight in comparison to our camps for our previous two fights, and this good fortune allowed us to pick right back up where we left off without any interruption.

“My bond with Coach Joey Gamache is growing more and more special with each moment that we are training together. I am forever thankful for the energy and knowledge he brings to the gym each and every day.”

Melson, whose popularity continues to rise in the Big Apple, will once again donate his earnings to “Justadollarplease”, a Non-Profit organization set up through the Rutgers University Foundation to raise funds for America’s first spinal cord injury trial using umbilical cord stem cells.

“I am stopping by Rutgers today to donate my purse from my last fight. It’s good to know that I’ll have another donation to make by the end of next week.”

In association with “Justadollarplease”, Melson recently started Team Fight to Walk, whose mission is to raise awareness within the boxing community about the importance of stem cell research for spinal cord injuries.

Team Fight to Walk is comprised of Melson, IBF cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham, title contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore, and prospects Sid “The Messenger” El Harrak, Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin, Vinny “The Lion” O’Brien and Delen “Sniper” Parsley.

Tickets to “Boricua Invasion”, which is taking place two days before the Puerto Rican Day Parade and is headlined by Puerto Rico’s top young talents, are available at ticketmaster.com.

The Roseland Ballroom is located at 239 West 52nd Street.

For more information on “Justadollarplease” and Team Fight to Walk, go to www.justadollarplease.org and www.teamfighttowalk.com.