Jon Melbar inducted into Hall of Fame.
Jon Melbar went from training in the basement of his parents home with his brothers to becoming one of Cleveland’s most outstanding boxers.

Melbar was born on March 29, 1975 in Cleveland to Jim and Charlotte Melbar. He was the youngest of five brothers and three sisters. Melbar graduated from South High School where he was an outstanding athlete. Nicknamed, ‘Jon Stone Hands Melbar,’ he was a star on
the football team.

Melbar’s favorite sport, thanks to his brothers, was boxing. When Melbar was six years old, his brother, Mike, taught him how to hit a speed bag. Melbar was so small that Mike had him stand on a stool to reach the bag. All of the Melbar boys boxed under their dad’s tutelage, but because Jon was the youngest and being small for his age, his mom Wouldn’t let him box she was too afraid that he’d get hurt. Despite her worries, Melbar was still allowed to train with his brothers. Over the course of the years, Mike taught him the fundamentals of the sport and together they trained in the basement gym that their dad had set up for them.

Melbar, being the youngest, had some anger management issue, and got in to trouble when he Was 15 years old. He was ordered to do community service and seek help for his anger management issues. Melbar realized that he needed to channel his emotions in a more positive way. He started hitting the gym hard. He began to train on a regular basis. When his brother, Mike, returned from military service, and the brothers began to train together. Mike was a great trainer, and Melbar, at the age of 17, won the championship in his weight division during a multiple week tournament. Melbar won boxing tournaments in New York , Pennsylvania ,West Virginia ,and Ohio.

Melbar was determined to box in the original Tough Man Competition, but he couldn’t make weight so he weighed in carrying his gym bag and his brother, Mike, stepped on the back of the scale to tip it in his favor. Mike and Jon Melbar had extraordinary careers and contributed to boxing in Cleveland. Melbar owned his own business for 20 years. He is devoted to his wife, Carol, and his five sons and daughter.

Melbar finished his career with close to 200 boxing matches, winning all but four bouts. He came a long way from standing on a box to hit the bag in his basement’. Melbar is inducted into the Hall of Fame
with Otha Martin.

Otha Martin inducted into Hall of Fame. While starting boxing at 15 years old, Otha Martin had an impressive amateur boxing career. His amateur boxing career started with his childhood friend Bobby Haymon at KY Benson Boystown at E. 79th Street and Woodland Avenue. He was coached and trained by the late Jessie Levels and Cecil Shorts During that time, Shorts was an up and coming young professional boxer who went on to an outstanding welterweight boxing career.

Martin’s amateur boxing career spanned a six year period during the 60’s as he was an aggressive brawler.

As a featherweight, Martin relocated his training from KY Benson Boystown to Johnny Papke’s Big Ten Gym at E. 14th Street and Carnegie Avenue. While training at the Big Ten Gym, Martin’s natural abilities were harnessed and improved by dedicated and legendary trainer, Clint Martin.

Under Clint’s guidance, Martin mastered the sweet art of boxing and learned to be humble in victory and defeat. During his boxing  career, he fought in four different weight classes: flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight. His record was 58 wins and 9 losses.

As a Golden Gloves participant, Martin won the novice flyweight championship and was a runner up in the open bantam and featherweight divisions during several competition years.

Martin was born in Cleveland and he attended the public school system where he graduated from Glenville High School in 1973. He earned an associate degree from Cuyahoga Community College on June 21, 1997.

He retired from employment in 2008 after 43 years with Daimler Chrysler in Twinsburg, Ohio. Martin has been married to his lovely wife, Joan, for 52 years. They have two children , Jacqueline and Otha III. They are the proud grandparents of three granddaughters.
Martin will be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Jon
Melbar.

Jackie Davis inducted into Hall of Fame posthumously. Jackie Davis, the main attraction at the annual Cleveland Christmas Show, was an outstanding boxer.

Davis was born in Cleveland in 1910 to Max and Libby. He had seven I brothers and sisters.

He married his wife, Frieda, and the couple had three children: Doreen, Edward, and Robert.

Davis was raised at the old Jewish Orphans Home, now known as Belfaire JCB. It was there that Davis was introduced to boxing in 1926.

Davis fought for the Chicago Lightweight Golden Gloves Title in 1929. Davis lost and was runner-up to the future world champion Barney Ross. Ross later wrote about the fight in No Man Stands Alone. According to Ross, Davis beat him “pretty good, and I was surprised when they raised my hand.” Ross and Davis fought five more times with split decisions every time.

Davis fought at the prestigious Annual Cleveland Christmas Show and he was victorious in the main event. Following his victory, Davis retired from the ring in 1937. When he retired, Ring Magazine ranked Davis in the top ten contenders.

Davis became a nationally recognized referee. He worked some of the biggest fights of the decade including: Jake la Motta, Sugar Ray Robinson, Artie, Levine, Joey Maxim, and Jimmy Bivins.

Davis refereed the Cleveland Golden Gloves, and was recognized as one of the best referees.

The New York Times listed Davis as one of the best referees in Davis wrote a column in the now defunct, Cleveland Press entitled, “Jackie Davis says.”

Davis and sportscaster, Jim Graner, broadcast a weekly boxing show on WEWS TV 5. The show featured many of Cleveland’s up  and coming championship boxers.

While refereeing a charity event for children in 1968, Davis collapsed and died in the ring.

Davis was remembered for his great generosity of spirit both the country for several years in and out of the ring. Davis fought more than 175 fights, winning 90% of the bouts.