Ruiz Injured; Melson to face Ward February 12

New York, NY (February 7, 2014) – tough Tennessean Donald “Bulldog” Ward will replace the injured Mike Ruiz as the opponent for Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson Wednesday, February 12 in New York City.

The Melson-Ruiz 154 pound showdown was heavily hyped in the Big Apple, with both men known for their warrior mentality and large fan bases, but a hand injury forced Ruiz out of the bout.

Eight years Melson’s junior, Ward’s professional record is 6-3 with 3 wins by knockout. He’s faced three highly-regarded unbeaten fighters and on September 7 2013, the Memphis native shocked once-beaten hometown favorite William Jackson over six rounds.

“I was really looking forward to facing Ruiz,” said Melson, who is 13-1-1 with 4 knockouts and is one of the most popular fighters in New York. “It’s always tough to switch opponents on short notice, especially when he’s tough as Ward is. His record serves him no justice and he gave Patrick Day a very good fight. I was also amateur teammates with William Jackson, so I know what he’s capable of. Regardless of who I’m fighting, I’ve got a job to do and nothing changes whether it’s Ruiz, Ward or whoever!”

Melson-Ward serves as the eight round main event of the final fight card at the famed Roseland Ballroom, which is closing shortly thereafter.

A four time US Army Champion, 100% of Melson’s purses, fourteen which went to Justadollarplease.org to help support America’s first trial to cure Chronic Spinal Cord Injuries and the other to help a friend who had a young son with cancer, were donated. In August 2013, the 2003 West Point grad outpointed tougher than advertised Jason Thompson for a unanimous decision. That night included 8 rounds of exciting boxing for Melson in front of a standing room only crowd, in which Melson knocked Thompson down in the 8th round. Former NBA power forward/Knicks legend Larry Johnson and Academy Award Winner Cuba Gooding Jr., both fans of Melson, went to the fights that night to support him.
A very limited number of tickets 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 nationwide 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 but it is estimated that it could start sometime in 2014. The hopes are for this trial to begin at the end of the summer of 2014 with Mount Sinai Hospital- Manhattan's very own- being one of the hospitals carrying out the study.

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, Austin “No Doubt” Trout, title contender DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore, Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, Sonya Lamonakis, Hector “Machito” Camacho Jr., WBO Junior Middleweight titlist/2008 US Olympian Demetrius “Boo” Andrade and fellow 08’ Olympian 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.

To help support efforts, Mannatech, a health and nutrition company that will be on hand during the fight selling products, is donating a percentage of all proceeds to Team Fight to Walk. For more information or to purchase products while helping Team Fight to Walk’s cause, visit Teamfighttowalk.weebly.com.

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.