Alfons Mello Tavares (January 31, 1906 – October 31, 1993) was an American Olympic and professional boxer who was a contender for the world middleweight title in 1929-30. He held the New England Welterweight title during his career.^[1]

Tavares was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, on January 16, 1906, of Portuguese heritage. As a youth, he worked in the textile mills, and took up boxing as a teenager, using the name Al Mello.^[2]

After winning the National Amateur Welterweight Championship, as a 5' 7", 148 pound welterweight, he qualified for the 1924 U.S. Olympic Boxing team in Paris. In his first fight, he defeated hometown favorite, Georges Doussot of France. In the second round, Al Knocked out Norway's Edgar Christensen in the match's first few minutes. Unfortunately, in the quarterfinals, Al was eliminated in a second-round disqualification bout of the Olympic boxing final, losing to Héctor Méndez, of Argentina.^[3]

Mello turned professional after the Olympics in 1925, and earned the nickname, "the Stocky Portuguese Battler." Losing only two of his first twenty pro fights, he finished his six-year career record of 42 wins, 10 losses, with 22KOs. He lost only twice to a Technical knockout, but never was counted out for a full knockout.^[4]

In April 1926, Al married Mary Veronica Rupa of Lowell. The couple travelled to Atlantic and New York Cites for their honeymoon. He began his training for a bout at Braves Field in June.^[5]

Al enlisted in the Army during World War II, and was involved in the Italian Campaign.^[4] After retiring, he opened "Al Mello's Restaurant" in his native Lowell. He died in 1993, at age 87, leaving six children and six grandchildren, and was buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery in Lowell.^[2][8]