Søndag, April 29, Induktion Dinner
Kid Chocolate, James J. Corbett, Jack McAuliffe, Sam Taub, Bob & Murray Goodman head new class
NEW YORK (April 9, 2018) – Former world cruiserweight champion Al “Is” Cole og ubesejret, No.; 1 sværvægter udfordrer “Baby” Joe Mesi are both extremely honored and grateful to be inducted, sammen med 21 others in the Class of 2018, into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF).
Den syvende årlige NYSBHOF induktion middag vil blive afholdt Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. OG), April 29, once again at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.
Cole (35-16-3, 16 KOS), who is from Rockland County, fought professional between 1989 og 2011, won his first 15 og 27 sin oprindelige 28 pro slagsmål. He captured the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Cruiserweight World Championship in 1992, when he won a 12-round unanimous decision over James Warring (14-1). Cole made four successful world title defenses before moving up to heavyweight.
“I knew I’d get in one day and I’m honored to be inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame, especially with this class because I know a few other fighters going in like Lou Del Valle and Terrance Alli.” Cole said. “I was known as a crowd-pleasing, exciting fighter, and people who watched me always knew I’d be in a good fight with good exchanges. I did fight in the shadows of (Mike) Tyson and Roy (Jones. Jr.).
“I fought in the Army with Ray Mercer, stung Evander Holyfield in sparring. My best fight, selv, hurt me the most. I was so sharp against a fighter from Kronk Gym, Vincent Boulware, in my third world title defense that year (1993). Boulware had won six of his last seven fights with four knockouts and I was just becoming a decent name, If I beat him, I was supposed to fight Tommy Hearns or Iran Barkley, who were both moving up to cruiserweight. I had the best fight of my career, but I couldn’t get any of the other world cruiserweight champs to fight me. I only had four fights in the next three years. I moved up to heavyweight because the same guys who I beat when they were my mandatory challenger (Uriah Grant & Nate Miller) worked their way back into the mandatory position.”
Cole grew up in Atlantic City, where he fought 18 gange, and he got to know a casino owner, Donald Trump. “We hung out,” Cole remembered. “Trump invited me to some of his private parties. I never thought he’d be president!”.
Mesjeg (36-0, 29 KOS) was so popular in Buffalo, he was considered the upstate New York city’s third sports franchise (Bills and Sabres). A top American amateur, “Baby Joe” fought professionally between 1997 og 2007, racking up 36 victories without a defeat, yet he never to a world title shot due to a medical issue. Ranked as high at No. 1 af World Boxing Council (WBC) Mesi was suspended by the Nevada Commission, after he defeated former world champion Vassily Jirov by way of a 10-round unanimous decision, due to a head injury (brain bleeds).
Mesi was virtually blacklisted in boxing, losing two full years in the ring, while he pursued legal action to get re-licensed, which he eventually was but only by a few commissions. Joe fought seven times after being re-licensed, but he was unfortunately limited in terms of where he could fight, and he never regained the lofty status he had once held. In addition to Jirov, Mesi defeated notables such as Monte Barrett, DeVarryl Williamson and Jorge Luis Gonzalez.
“Dette er et godt tidspunkt for mig,” Mesi commented about his upcoming induction. “I’m humbled and honored to be going into the same Hall of Fame with the great names that are already there. I’m soaking it all in right now.
“I’ve been somewhat removed from boxing, but just the business end. I’m still a big boxing fan and follow the sport. I dag, I’m married with three kids and sell medical devices for a living. Boxing is still my passion, my love, and since I got the call (that he’s going in the NYSBHOF), I’ve been thinking about all the memories. I’d like to do some more TV announcing in boxing and, maybe someday, get into promoting. I’m really looking forward to the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame induction ceremony.”
Living boksere overskriften ind i NYSBHOF omfatter (Long Island) WBA lys sværvægter Lou “Honning Boy” Valley (36-6-2, 22 KOS), (Central Islip) IBF Junior Weltervægt verdensmester Jake Rodriguez (28-8-2, 8 KOS), og (Brooklyn) verden letvægts titel udfordrer Terrence Alli (52-15-2, 21 KOS).
Posthume deltagere bliver inducted er NBA & NYSAC verden Fjervægt Champion (Manhattan) Kid “Cubanske Bon Bon” Chokolade (136-10-6, 51 KOS), (New York) 20thsværvægter århundrede James J. “Gentleman Jim” Corbett (11-4-3, 5 KOS), (Williamsburg) Verden Letvægts Champion Donkraft “Napoleon af The Prize Ring” McAuliffe, (Kingston) WBC Super Letvægts Champion Billy Costello (40-2, 23 KOS), (ledestjerne) NYSAC Light Heavyweight verdensmester Melio Bettina (83-14-3, 36 KOS), (Brooklyn / Yonkers) verdensklasse mellemvægt Ralph “Tiger” Jones (52-32-5, 13 KOS) og (Port Washington) sværvægter udfordrer Charley “Den Bayonne Bomber” Norkus (33-19, 19 KOS).
Living non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are (Troy) Pulitzer Prize-vindende sportswriter Dave Anderson, (Brooklyn) træner / rådgiver Pete Brodsky, (Rockaway) boksning historiker / redaktør Herb Goldman, (Bronx) matchmaker Bob Goodman, (Ardsley) NYSAC formand / dommer Melvina Lathan, og (Brooklyn) NYSAC Chairperson/matchmaker/promoter Ron Scott Stevens.
Posthume ikke-deltager inductees er (Brooklyn) ring announcer Johnnie Addie, (Brooklyn) matchmaker Johnny Bos, (Bronx) boksning publicist Murray Goodman, (New York) boksning forfatter / historiker Bert Randolph Sugar og (Lower East Side) radio & tv-speakeren / journalist Sam Taub.
Hver deltager inductee (eller direkte efterkommer af) vil modtage en specialdesignet rem tilkendegiver hans eller hendes induktion i NYSBHOF.
Den 2017 inductees blev udvalgt af de NYSBHOF nominere udvalgsmedlemmer: ,Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Ron McNair, og Neil Terens.
Alle boksere er nødvendige for at være inaktiv i mindst tre år for at være berettiget til NYSBHOF induktion, og alle inductees skal have boet i New York State for en betydelig del af deres boksning karriere eller under det primære i deres respektive karriere.
NYSBHOF
Klasse af 2012: Carmen Basilio, Mike McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, “Sukker” Ray Robinson, Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Harold Lederman, Steve ACUNTO, Jimmy Glenn, Gil Clancy, Ray Arcel, Nat Fleischer, Bill Gallo og Arthur Mercante, Sr.
Klasse af 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Dundee, Sandy Saddler, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones, Junior Jones, James “Buddy” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Arum, Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano, Larry Merchant, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Tex Rickard og Don Dunphy.
KLASSE AF 2014: Floyd Patterson, Tracy Harris Patterson, Billy Backus, Kevin Kelley, Juan LaPorte, Gerry Cooney, Mustafa Hamsho, Howard Davis, Jr., Lou Ambers, Jack Britton, Terry McGovern, Teddy Atlas, Lou DiBella, Steve Farhood, Gene Moore, Angelo Prospero, Whitey Bimstein, Cus D'Amato, William Muldoon og Tom O'Rourke.
KLASSE AF 2015: Saul mamby, Joey Giamba, Johnny Persol, Harold Weston, Lonnie Bradley, Paul Berlenbach, Billy Graham, Frankie Genaro, Bob Miller, Tommy Ryan, Jimmy Slattery, Bob Duffy, Mike Katz, Tommy Gallagher, Bruce Silverglade, Charley Goldman, Jimmy Johnston, Cedric Kushner, Harry Markson, Damon Runyon og Al Weill.
KLASSE AF 2016: Aaron Davis, Charles Murray, Vilomar Fernandez, edwin Viruet, Hector “macho” Camacho, Rocky Graziano, Rocky Kansas, Joe Lynch, Joe Miceli, Ed Brophy, Joe DeGuardia, Randy Gordon, Dennis Rappaport, Howie Albert, Freddie Brown, Howard Cosell, Ruby Goldstein og Jimmy Jacobs.
KLASSE AF 2017: Gaspar Ortega, Renaldo “Hr.” Snipes, Doug Dewitt, “The Bronx Bomber” Alex Ramos, Dick Tiger, Jose Torres, “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey, Don Majeski, Ron Katz, Stan Hoffman, Bobby Bartels, Hank Kaplan, Al Gavin, Arthur Donovan og Dan Parker.
Billetter er prissat til $150.00 per voksen og $70.00 for børn (under 16),og omfatter et komplet brunch og cocktail time efter posten, begyndende ved 12:30 p.m. OG, samt middag (prime rib, fisk eller fjerkræ) og åben bar hele dagen. Billetter kan købes ved at kontakte NYSBHOF / Ring 8 Præsident Bob Duffy på 516.313.2304 ellerdepcomish@aol.com. Annoncer for NYSBHOF programmet er til rådighed, spænder fra $80.00 til $200.00, ved at kontakte Duffy. Gå på line på www.Ring8ny.com for yderligere oplysninger om New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.