Melissa "Little Miss Tyson" St.Vil, was born in Long Island, New York, and has been boxing professionally since March of 2007.  St. Vil talked about her background when she was younger and how she ultimately got into boxing.

St. Vil said, "I have three sisters and one brother. I attended school at Reed Junior High School in Central Islip, New York, spent some of my early teenage years in Haiti at the school of Quisqueya and attended Cicero-North Syracuse High School in North Syracuse, NY. and attended college at Mohawk Valley Community college."

"As a little girl I always played with the boys; slap boxing, football, dodgeball, wrestling and I strongly felt that I could do anything the boys could do even better. There were even times I could outshine the boys. In junior high. I tried out for the girls basketball team but didn't make it---I also tried out for the soccer team and also didn't make it. But I found my calling on the track, so for eight years I was a star athlete on the junior high, high school and college track and field team," added St. Vil.

She told WBAN that she won numerous medals and awards for the 100m high hurdles, 400m relay teams and was a two-time All American in college at Mohawk Valley Community College.

St. Vil also competed in the Empire State Games as a runner winning the gold, silver and bronzer medals over a four-year period.

She said, "I always loved running but my true passion was fighting. So I began to take an interest in the sport of boxing, and  I began to train while I was a senior in high school, going to the local boxing gym after track practices. After a couple of years of training,  I began competing in the New York City Golden Gloves where I made it to the semi-finals."

"After the Golden Gloves, I decided to begin a career as a professional boxer and fighting top females and beating in them in their hometowns. After four tough fights my fifth bout, I had the opportunity to compete for a title which was considered an accomplishment in such an early part of ones career.  "

Mike Tyson present her WIBA Belt after she wins bout

"In that fight, I fought an eight-round bout for the WIBA Lightweight title, and won the fight, and the belt was presented to me by one of my favorite fighters----Mike Tyson."

St. Vil told WBAN that currently, she continues to pursue her boxing career in Brooklyn, NY where she currently resides.  She has trained at StarRite Boxing gym, Gleason's Boxing gym, and also in Las Vegas at the Mayweather gym.  She is now training at Gym X in Brooklyn.

St. Vil has won three titles at 130 pounds and one title at 147. She is currently rated number #1 in the world at 130 pounds.

Melissa St. Vil at the WBC Women's Boxing Convention

St. Vil reflecting on her boxing career thus far said, "My professional boxing career has taken me to many places around the world such as China, Mew Zealand, Peru, Haiti and Finland."

For St. Vil's Boxing record:  http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/389610

Photo Gallery of St. Vill:

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Other Boxing Links:

Melissa St. Vil Returns to the USA Winning by Decision over Katy Wilson Castillo -On Saturday night, at the Sichuan Gymnasium, Chengdu, China, "Little Miss Tyson" Melissa St. Vil, of Brooklyn, New York, USA, and "la Super Baby"  Katy Wilson Castillo,  of  Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, fought in a ten-round title bout.  Link

Gerula and St. Vil has Exhibition in Peru! Last night in Lima, Peru, Canadian Olivia Gerula and United States Melissa St Vil, put on an exciting exhibition for boxing fans in that area, with the exhibition being televised. Link

Photo credits:  Facebook/Courtesy