Søndag, April 29, Induksjon Middag
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 ubeseiret, No.; 1 tungvekt kandidat “Babyen” 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 induksjon middag vil bli holdt Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 pm. 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 av hans opprinnelige 28 pro kamper. 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, skjønt, 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 ganger, 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 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 av 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 en fin tid for meg,” 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.”
Levende boksere på vei inn i NYSBHOF inkluderer (Long Island) WBA lett tungvekt Lou “Honey Boy” Dalen (36-6-2, 22 KOs), (Central Islip) IBF Junior weltervekt verdensmester Jake Rodriguez (28-8-2, 8 KOs), og (Brooklyn) verden lette tittelen utfordrer Terrence Alli (52-15-2, 21 KOs).
Etterlatte deltakere blir innlemmet er NBA & NYSAC Verden Fjær Champion (Manhattan) Kid “Cuban Bon Bon” Sjokolade (136-10-6, 51 KOs), (New York by) 20thårhundre tungvekt James J. “gentleman Jim” Corbett (11-4-3, 5 KOs), (Williamsburg) Verden Lett Champion Jekk “Napoleon av The Prize Ring” McAuliffe, (Kingston) WBC Super Lett Champion Billy Costello (40-2, 23 KOs), (Beacon) NYSAC Lett tungvekt verdensmester Melio Bettina (83-14-3, 36 KOs), (Brooklyn / Yonkers) verdensklasse mellom Ralph “Tiger” Jones (52-32-5, 13 KOs) og (Port Washington) tungvekt kandidat Charley “The Bayonne Bomber” Norkus (33-19, 19 KOs).
Living non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are (Troy) Pulitzer Prize-vinnende sports Dave Anderson, (Brooklyn) trener / rådgiver Pete Brodsky, (Rockaway) boksing historiker / redaktør Herb Goldman, (Bronx) matchmaker Bob Goodman, (Ardsley) NYSAC leder / dommer Melvina Lathan, og (Brooklyn) NYSAC Chairperson/matchmaker/promoter Ron Scott Stevens.
Etterlatte ikke-deltaker inductees er (Brooklyn) ring hallo Johnnie Addie, (Brooklyn) matchmaker Johnny Bos, (Bronx) boksing publisist Murray Goodman, (New York by) boksing forfatter / historiker Bert Randolph Sugar og (Lower East Side) radio & TV hallo / journalist Sam Taub.
Hver delta inductee (eller direkte kommer av) vil motta en spesialdesignet belte betegner hans eller hennes induksjon i NYSBHOF.
Den 2017 inductees ble valgt av NYSBHOF nominasjonskomiteens medlemmer: ,Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Ron McNair, og neil Terens.
Alle boksere som trengs for å være inaktiv i minst tre år for å være kvalifisert for NYSBHOF induksjon, og alle inductees må ha bodd i New York State for en betydelig del av sin boksing karriere eller under prime av deres respektive karriere.
NYSBHOF
KLASSE av 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 av 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 FOR 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 FOR 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 FOR 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 FOR 2017: Gaspar Ortega, Renaldo “MR.” 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 priset til $150.00 per voksen og $70.00 for barn (henhold 16),og inkluderer en komplett brunsj og cocktail time ved innreise, starter på 12:30 pm. OG, samt middag (prime rib, fisk eller fjærkre) og åpen bar hele dagen. Billetter kan kjøpes ved henvendelse NYSBHOF / Ring 8 president Bob Duffy på 516.313.2304 ellerdepcomish@aol.com. Annonser for NYSBHOF programmet er tilgjengelig, som strekker seg fra $80.00 til $200.00, ved å kontakte Duffy. Gå på line på www.Ring8ny.com for mer informasjon om New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.