Ryan Rozicki Returns March 7 in Nova Scotia After a Lost Year

Ryan Rozicki is back in a real fight, not a soft re-entry. March 7 in Sydney, Nova Scotia puts him in with Gerardo Mellado over ten rounds, and it comes after a stretch that stalled his momentum and tested his patience more than any opponent ever did.

Rozicki has spent too long watching the division move without him. The ranking stayed. The spotlight moved on. And the body didn’t cooperate. Now he has to show that the version people remember still exists, not just on paper but under heat.

The Layoff and the Risk

Rozicki’s last outing was the draw with Yamil Peralta. Before that, the quick knockout of Olanrewaju Durodola felt like a reset. It didn’t last. Injuries took over. The bicep went. Then it went again. A world title opportunity disappeared with it.

He knows it.

“I’ve been sidelined more than a year,” Rozicki said. “That messes with your rhythm. I need rounds. I need contact. That’s the only way back.”

This is not a comeback built on comfort. He is fighting at home, yes, but that also means pressure. He cannot afford to look careful or tentative. A fighter who makes his name on pressure cannot show hesitation without it being noticed.

What Mellado Brings

Gerardo Mellado is not here to help anyone rebuild. He went ten rounds with Juergen Uldedaj and didn’t fold. He has fought away from home before and did not blink.

“I’m not coming to survive,” Mellado said. “I’m coming to take something.”

That matters because Rozicki has to prove he can still impose himself physically. Not just win rounds. Control them. If the tempo drifts or the pace slows, judges start watching different things. And so do matchmakers.

If Rozicki handles business, the conversation opens again. The rankings are thin. The division moves fast. But there is no room left for setbacks. Another stalled night and the ladder disappears.