The International Boxing Hall of Fame will reopen to the public on Monday, June 29th and officially ring the bell at 11 a.m. to open the doors and begin the next round of honoring the best in the sport of boxing.

To mark the reopening, visitors will be charged the Hall of Fame’s youth rate of $8.50 all summer instead of typical admission rates of $13.50 for adults and $11.50 for seniors. Ages 6 and under are free.

The Hall will step back into the ring with new protocol in accordance with recommendations of the State of New York and public health officials. The following will be in place: Masks are required for staff and fans, safe social distancing, 25% capacity, frequent cleaning and sanitizing, hand sanitizer will be available and plexiglass shields at admission check-in.

“The Hall of Fame is excited to officially ring the bell at the Museum entrance to open the doors to fans for a walk down boxing’s memory lane,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Edward Brophy. “It’s entertaining and educational and can be enjoyed by the entire family at an affordable cost. The Hall wants to deliver a knockout punch never thrown before with everyone receiving the youth rate all summer long.”

Among the exhibits fans can see include the world famous Madison Square Garden boxing ring that Muhammad Ali and “Smokin’” Joe Frazier fought “The Fight of the Century” in that is on permanent display.

“Fans visiting the Hall of Fame have a truly unique opportunity to watch the classic 1971 battle between Ali and Frazier ringside to the actual ring they so bravely fought in,” said Brophy.

The Hall of Fame features all of the greats including Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Sugar Ray Robinson, George Foreman, Oscar de la Hoya, Mike Tyson, Bernard Hopkins and many more. They’re all in Canastota.

The Hall of Fame chronicles the history of the sport with unique and educational exhibits including fist castings, boxing robes, boxing shoes, statues and audio/visual stations highlighting classic boxing matches. The Hall of Fame Wall features photographs and biographies of all inductees.

A not-for-profit organization, the International Boxing Hall of Fame opened to the public in 1989 in Canastota, New York and is located at Exit 34 of the New York State Thruway. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information please call (315) 697-7095, visit online at www.ibhof.com, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram .

Inductees were selected in December by members of the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians.

Tough guy in the ring, James “Buddy” McGirt was not so tough on his special day.

McGirt struggled repeatedly with his emotions on a sun-splashed afternoon, at times barely managing to keep it together as he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday.

“I warned you last night that I was going to cry,” McGirt, a two-division champion, said as he looked out at the fans, his wife Gina, and the rest of his family. “Today, my wife, my three daughters and my son, they said something to me that really got to me. They said, ‘We’re proud of you.’

“It makes me feel that all the hard work that I did for years, they appreciate it,” McGirt said. “All the sacrifices, not being home, missing birthdays, holidays, graduations. It’s a lot of work. I want my kids to know, I’m sorry. I love you.”

Also inducted were: two-division champions Donald Curry and Julian Jackson; Tony DeMarco in the old-timer category; promoter Don Elbaum; referee/judge Guy Jutras; publicist Lee Samuels; and broadcaster Teddy Atlas. Puerto Rican journalist Mario Rivera Martino was selected posthumously.

After giving up football for the sweet science as a kid, McGirt turned pro in 1982 as an 18-year-old high school senior and three years later won the WBC Continentals Americas light welterweight title from Sugar Boy Nando with a fifth-round knockout. He captured the vacant IBF light welterweight title in 1988 with a 12th-round knockout over Frankie Warren and retired in 1997 with a record of 73-6-1 with 48 KOs. He has since trained five champions.

Jackson, a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands, was renowned for his powerful punching power. Dubbed “The Hawk,” he turned professional in 1981 and scored 29 consecutive victories, 27 by knockout. He retired in 1998 with a pro record of 55-6, including 49 KOs.

“Amazing. Wow. I’m honored to be here coming from such a humble life,” Jackson said. “St. Thomas is only 32 square miles, and if you look on the map all you’re going to see is a dot. But, you know what? The Virgin Islands pack a big punch. We may be a small island, but, man, we have a big heart.”

Curry, of Fort Worth, Texas was dubbed the “Lone Star Cobra” for his lightning-quick reflexes and hand speed. He captured the vacant WBA welterweight in a 15-round decision over Jun-Suk Hwang in Fort Worth in 1983. The next year, he became the inaugural IBF champion and unified the 147-pound titles with a second-round knockout over WBC champ Milton McCrory. His induction came 22 years after he retired with a pro record of 34-6 with 25 KOs.

DeMarco was born in Boston and turned pro in 1948, borrowing his ring name from a friend because he wasn’t the legal fighting age of 18. He upset Johnny Saxton with a 14th-round knockout at Boston Garden to become welterweight champion, then lost the title to Hall of Famer Carmen Basilio in a 12th-round knockout. Basilio also stopped him again in the 12th round of their rematch. DeMarco retired in 1962 with a pro record of 58-12-1 with 33 KOs.

“I implore those who visit the city of champions to remember the one single champion that has represented our city like no other champion because he’s a true Bostonian,” promoter Al Valenti said as he introduced DeMarco. “And today I get to call him a Hall of Famer.”

Atlas was born in 1956 on Staten Island, New York, and trained in upstate New York under Cus D’Amato, winning the 1976 Adirondack Golden Gloves lightweight title. But back problems forced him out of the ring and he apprenticed under D’Amato as an assistant trainer working with a young Mike Tyson. He trained nine champions before becoming one of boxing’s most popular and outspoken broadcasters the past two decades.

“It kind of is a boxing heaven,” Atlas said. “I’ve been given this honor today for my work as a broadcaster. I tried in some small ways to make the audience aware of something that perhaps they had not been aware of that would both add to their viewing of the bout and the appreciation they had for what the fighters were doing in the ring.”

The Canadian-born Jutras was a Golden Gloves champion and the 1951 Royal Canadian Navy welterweight champion before becoming a judge, referee, and matchmaker. He worked over 75 world championship bouts.

Samuels, a native of Pennsville, New Jersey, began his career writing for local papers before being hired by the Philadelphia Bulletin in the mid-1970s. After the paper folded, Samuels was hired by Bob Arum to handle East Coast publicity for his ESPN boxing series and has been the publicist for Top Rank since 1996.

Martino, who died last year at 93, wrote for The Ring, was boxing columnist for The San Juan Star, and served as director of public relations for the World Boxing Organization, boxing commissioner in Puerto Rico and president of the Puerto Rico Boxing Commission over more than six decades in the sport.

VIA AP / JOHN BREWER

HALL OF FAME MUSEUM

By Federal Express

June 18, 2015

 

Edward Brophy
International Boxing Hall of Fame                                                                                      One Hall of Fame Drive
Canastota, NY 13032

Re: Hall of Fame Museum Expansion Project WBO

Dear Ed:

The World Boxing Organization is proud to enclose our second $50,000.00 donation to the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s Museum Expansion Project. We hope this humble contribution will provide the Hall with further resources to continue developing your honorable project.

The WBO is committed to share in the vision of the preserving the legacy of Boxing for all future generations worldwide. We look forward to the realization of this historic project that showcases the past, present and future of the sport while providing the continued purpose of educating youth on the evolution of a sport that can promote the well-being of the community.

The WBO thanks the International Boxing Hall of Fame for your continued endeavors of education for all.

Cordially,

Firma_de_Paco_Azul

Paco Valcarcel

 

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Promoter Eddie Hearn claims Ricky Burns can be regarded as the best Scottish boxer ever if he defends his WBO lightweight title for the fourth time.

Burns faces Mexican challenger Raymundo Beltran on Saturday in Glasgow.

“The run of fights he’s had and the string of defences puts him up there as the greatest Scottish fighter of all time,” said Hearn.

Ricky Burns

  • 38 fights, 36 wins (11 knock-outs), two losses
  • WBO lightweight champion (2012 – two defences)
  • WBO super featherweight champion (2009 – three defences)

“He doesn’t believe his own hype, which is great as a fighter. But he’s got to remember he’s a huge, huge talent.”

There are two Scots already in the International Boxing Hall of Fame – Benny Lynch and Ken Buchanan.

Benny Lynch

  • 119 fights, 88 wins (34 knock-outs, 14 losses)
  • NBA world flyweight champion (1935 – one defence)

Ken Buchanan

  • 69 fights, 61 wins (27 knock-outs), eight losses
  • WBA lightweight champion (1970 – three defences)
  • WBC lightweight champion (1971)

And Hearn knows Burns will always play down his chances of being considered better than those fighters.

“He laughed at that because that’s what he’s like,” said Hearn. “I just believe that Ricky is a two-weight world champion.

“He carries the hope of a nation behind him, so he should be proud and the country should be proud of Ricky Burns.”

Burns’s bout with 32-year-old Beltran, a former sparring partner of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, comes after the Coatbridge boxer’s wife, Amanda, gave birth to their first child at the end of August.

But the 30-year-old insists the new arrival has not brought any distractions to his preparations.

“Things have been going along as normal,” said Burns. “Throughout the pregnancy, there’s been no complications, Amanda’s been great.

“Now the baby and that are home, I’ve been able to focus fully on the fight.”

Burns reckons it will be “a cracking fight” against Beltran.

“The fans are in for a real treat here,” added the Scot. “He comes to fight, I won’t need to go looking for him.

“We’ve trained for a hard 12 rounds because I believe this fight’s going to go the distance.

“I’m hoping to go out and get the win and then go for the big fights that Eddie was talking about.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/23963906

 

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CANASTOTA, NY – MAY 7, 2013 – The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced Olympic gold medalist and former heavyweight champion “Merciless” Ray Mercer is set to return to Canastota for the 24th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Weekend festivities, June 6-9th.

“From the Olympics to the professional ranks, Ray Mercer gave boxing fans plenty of memorable moments,” said Hall of Fame director Edward Brophy. “He’s a real fan favorite and we’re excited about him returning to Canastota for this year’s festivities.”

Mercer compiled an 85-6 amateur record and captured the 1988 Olympic heavyweight gold medal. He turned pro in 1989 and won the WBO title from Francesco Damiani in 1991 (KO 9). In his first defense he scored a dramatic 5th round TKO over Tommy “The Duke” Morrison. Stripped of the title in 1992, he went on to score wins over Tim Witherspoon and Darroll Wilson among others. Mercer’s pro record stands at 36-7-1 (26 KOs) and includes wins over Bert Cooper, Kimmuel Odum and Ossie Ocasio.

Events planned for the weekend include a banquet, a night of welterweight warriors, parade, golf tournament, boxing autograph card show, cocktail party and the Official Induction Ceremony honoring the Class of 2013. Inductees include two-division champion Arturo “Thunder” Gatti (posthumous), five-time world champion Virgil “Quicksilver” Hill and two-time light flyweight champion Myung-Woo Yuh in the Modern category; “Let’s Get It On” referee Mills Lane, ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, Jr. and journalist Colin Hart. Posthumous inductees in the Old-Timer, Pioneer, Non-Participant and Observer categories will also be honored.

An impressive list of over 40 boxing greats from the United States and abroad are scheduled to participate in weekend festivities including Marvelous Marvin Hagler, “Irish” Micky Ward, James “Buddy” McGirt, Pipino Cuevas, Carlos Palomino, Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor, Julian Jackson, Wayne McCullough, Lucia Rijker, Mia St. John, Gerry Cooney, Gasper Ortega, Tony DeMarco, Danny “Little Red” Lopez, Tracy Harris Patterson, Ruben Olivares, Carlos Ortiz and many more.

For more information on the Hall of Fame’s 24th Annual Induction Weekend please call (315) 697-7095, visit online at www.ibhof.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InternationalBoxingHallofFame and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BoxingHall.

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/2013/ray-mercer-ready-for-hof-weekend/