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.