Sunday, Plaub Hlis Ntuj 29, Induction noj
Kid Qhob noom xim kasfes, James J. Corbett, Jack McAuliffe, Sam Taub, Bob & Murray Goodman head new class
TSHIAB YORK (Plaub Hlis Ntuj 9, 2018) – Former world cruiserweight champion Al “Ice” Cole thiab undefeated, No.; 1 Heavyweight contender “Tus me nyuam” Joe Mesi are both extremely honored and grateful to be inducted, nrog rau 21 others in the Class of 2018, into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF).
Lub xya txhua xyoo NYSBHOF induction noj hmo yuav tau tuav Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. THIAB), Plaub Hlis Ntuj 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 thiab 2011, won his first 15 thiab 27 ntawm nws thawj zaug 28 pro sib ntaus. 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, tab sis yog, 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 lub sij hawm, 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!”.
Mesi (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 thiab 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 los ntawm lub ntiaj teb Boxing Council (Qhov) 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.
“Qhov no yog ib lub sij hawm zoo rau kuv,” 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. Hnub no, 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.”
Nyob boxers mus rau hauv lub NYSBHOF muaj xws li (Ntev Island) WBA teeb heavyweight Lou “Honey tub” Valley (36-6-2, 22 Kos), (Central Islip) IBF Junior Welterweight ntiaj teb tau zus ib Jake Rodriguez (28-8-2, 8 Kos), thiab (Brooklyn) ntiaj teb no sib title challenger Terrence Alli (52-15-2, 21 Kos).
Posthumous koom tau inducted yog NBA & NYSAC ntiaj teb Featherweight Champion (Manhattan) Kid “Cuban Bon Bon” Qhob noom xim kasfes (136-10-6, 51 Kos), (New York City) 20thxyoo pua heavyweight James J. “zoo Jim” Corbett (11-4-3, 5 Kos), (Williamsburg) Lub ntiaj teb no Hnav zus Jack “Lub Napoleon ntawm Lub nqi zog nplhaib” McAuliffe, (Kingston) WBC Super Hnav Champion Billy Costello (40-2, 23 Kos), (beacon) NYSAC teeb Heavyweight ntiaj teb tau zus Melio Bettina (83-14-3, 36 Kos), (Brooklyn / Yonkers) ntiaj teb no-chav kawm middleweight Ralph “Tsov” Jones (52-32-5, 13 Kos) thiab (Chaw nres nkoj Washington) Heavyweight contender Charley “Lub Bayonne Bomber” Norkus (33-19, 19 Kos).
Living non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are (Troy) Pulitzer yam khoom muaj nqis-winning sportswriter Dave Anderson, (Brooklyn) tus kws qhia / advisor Pete Brodsky, (Rockaway) boxing historian / editor Tshuaj ntsuab Goldman, (Bronx) matchmaker Bob Goodman, (Ardsley) NYSAC thawj / tus kws txiav txim Melvina Lathan, thiab (Brooklyn) NYSAC Chairperson/matchmaker/promoter Ron Scott Stevens.
Posthumous uas tsis yog-koom tes inductees yog (Brooklyn) nplhaib announcer Johnnie Addie, (Brooklyn) matchmaker Johnny Bos, (Bronx) boxing publicist Murray Goodman, (New York City) boxing txawj sau ntawv / historian Bert Randolph Qab Zib thiab (Lower East Side) radio & TV announcer / journalist Sam Taub.
Txhua mus kawm inductee (los yog ncaj xeeb leej xeeb ntxwv ntawm) yuav tau txais ib tug kev cai tsim siv signifying nws los yog nws induction mus rau hauv lub NYSBHOF.
Lub 2017 inductees raug xaiv los ntawm cov NYSBHOF nominating pawg neeg: ,Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Ron McNair, thiab Neil Terens.
Tag nrho boxers yuav tsum tau mus yuav tsaug zog rau tsawg kawg peb lub xyoos yuav tsum tau tsim nyog rau NYSBHOF induction, thiab tag nrho cov inductees yuav tsum tau nyob rau hauv New York State rau ib tug tseem ceeb feem ntawm lawv boxing hauj lwm los yog thaum lub sij hawm lub prime ntawm lawv cov hauj lwm.
NYSBHOF
HOOB ntawm 2012: Carmen Basilio, Mike McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, “Qab Zib” Ray Robinson, Noob Tunney, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Harold Lederman, Steve Acunto, Jimmy Glenn, Gil Clancy, Ray Arcel, Leej Fleischer, Bill Gallo thiab Arthur Mercante, Sr.
HOOB ntawm 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Dundee, Sandy Saddler, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones, Junior Jones, James “Phooj ywg” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Arum, Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano, Larry ua lag luam, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Txhab Rickard thiab Don Dunphy.
HOOB NTAWM 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, Noob Moore, Angelo Prospero, Whitey Bimstein, Cus D'Amato, William Muldoon thiab Tom O'Rourke.
HOOB NTAWM 2015: Xa-u 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 thiab Al Weill.
HOOB NTAWM 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 thiab Jimmy Jacobs.
HOOB NTAWM 2017: Gaspar Ortega, Renaldo “Mr.” Snipes, Doug DeWitt, “Lub Bronx Bomber” Alex Ramos, Dick Tsov, Jose Torres, “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey, Don Majeski, Ron Katz, Stan Hoffman, Bobby Bartels, Hank Kaplan, Al Gavin, Arthur Donovan thiab Dan Parker.
Daim pib no yog luv nqi ntawm $150.00 ib tug neeg laus thiab $70.00 rau cov me nyuam (nyob rau hauv 16),thiab muaj xws li ib tug tag nrho brunch thiab cocktail teev raws li qhov nkag, pib thaum 12:30 p.m. THIAB, raws li zoo raws li noj hmo (prime tav, ntses los yog poultry) thiab qhib bar thoob plaws hauv lub hnub. Daim pib muaj nyob rau yuav los ntawm kev hu NYSBHOF / nplhaib 8 tus thawj tswj hwm Bob Duffy ntawm 516.313.2304 los yogdepcomish@aol.com. Tawm rau lub NYSBHOF kev pab cuam no muaj nyob rau, xws li los ntawm $80.00 rau $200.00, los ntawm kev hu Duffy. Mus hauv on line ntawm www.Ring8ny.com rau cov lus qhia ntxiv txog lub New York lub xeev Boxing Hall ntawm koob meej.