Melvin to put title on line against Khalid

Melvin with Midlands belt that was so hard earned

SCOTT Melvin will make the first defence of his Midlands lightweight title, won so dramatically in September, against Worcester’s Ameen Khalid.

For the Birmingham champ, it’s another mouth-watering 50-50 battle against an unbeaten prospect.

The 23-year-old took the belt by coming from behind to stop Mykey Lee Broughton in the last round. That epic has rightly been named as a contender for Midlands fight of the year.

Khalid, aged 27, is talented and brim-full of belief, but has already had some surprisingly close calls in his eight bout career.

This month the BCB boxer had to settle for a draw with dangerous and unpredictable Tatenda Mangombe. In June, he had to get off the floor to outpoint Jahfibus Faure – a decision Faure strongly disagreed with.

The Board of Control’s Midlands Council want Melvin and Khalid to meet by March, but the 10 rounder will take place before then.

Melvin’s manager, Jon Pegg, said: “Obviously me or Errol (BCB boss Errol Johnson) will find a home for it, but a TV show could pick it up.”

And he warned Melvin has grown with the title.

“I think Scott will be a much better fighter for that win,” he said. “He’ll be a much better fighter because he found a way to win, which is what champions do.”

Ameen Khalid…unbeaten and exciting

Melvin, beaten only once in nine, said: “I’d like it to be on the Sky show in Wolverhampton in February, that’s what I want.”

He had pinned his hopes on being part of the major, televised show in Wolverhampton last month, but didn’t get the call.

“I was a bit annoyed about that,” Scott admitted. “I wanted to defend against Dylan Cheema on the show.

“I don’t know too much about Khalid. He was a decent amateur – I remember him from my amateur days, he’s got the grounding. I think I stop him.”

Scott, too, believes the Broughton bout gave only a glimpse of what he’s capable of doing.

“I hadn’t fought for a year,” he said. “I had a lot of time out of the ring. It was my first 10 rounder and that was exactly what I needed – 10 tough rounds.”

The ringside consensus was Broughton only had to survive the last to win.

“Never crossed my mind that I’d lose, never,” Melvin stressed. “Never does. I just sit in the corner and think, ‘let’s go next round’. I had no doubt.”

He believes 2024 will be a big year.

“I’m not looking past Khalid,” he stressed. “But after that defence I want to go straight for the English.”