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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Nakash and Melson Win

Both Ran Nakash and Boyd Melson won lopsided unanimous decisions at the Roseland Ballroom in New York, New York last night. Both fights were part DiBella Entertainment's Broadway Boxing.

Nakash bullied his opponent, Derek Bryant (20-7-1, 17 KOs), for eight rounds. Bryant's southpaw stance posed few problems for Nakash, though the Philly man was able to connect with a couple of straight lefts during the fight. He found very little success otherwise.

Nakash, coming off of his first loss, a disputed decision against beltholder Marco Huck, worked Bryant's body effectively. He utilized a right to the body followed by a left hook to the head on numerous occasions. Nakash also threw one-twos to the body, ending the combos with an uppercut. Nakash was able to pin Bryant on the ropes several times during the course of the contest, most notably in the fifth.

The shorter Nakash controlled distance and did damage on the inside. When he was done, he turned Bryant and eluded the tough lefty's counterattack. The Israeli did not experience the same stamina issues that bit him in the fight against Huck. All three judges saw Nakash winning 80-72. He moves to 26-1 with 18 KOs.

Boyd Melson, who was cheered wildly when he entered the ring, set the tone of his fight against Sean Rawley Wilson from the outset. Melson backed up Wilson (6-6, 1 KO) whenever he wanted, rushed in when he saw fit, and boxed when the mood struck him. Wilson, who is from Nebraska, knew the score early and rarely threw throughout the bout.

The southpaw Melson overwhelmed Wilson in the third with a Nakash-like aggressive attack. Ironically, Nakash's trainer, Raanan Tal, worked in Wilson's corner. Wilson withstood the onslaught partly because of his tremendous heart, but also because Melson's many combination punches weren't always accurate. The fighters' reactions to being hit was the best indication of the nature of the bout. The few times Melson was hit cleanly, his face showed disappointment; when Wilson was hit, his face showed resignation.

The stronger, superior-skilled Melson (8-0, 4 KOs) won the contest 60-54 on all three judges scorecards. After the bout, he was greeted in the ring by the West Point Boxing Team, of which Melson is a former member. As always, Boyd donated his purse to help stem cell research for spinal cord injuries. More information can be found at Justadollarplease.org and Team Fight To Walk.

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