COLORADO SPRINGS, Tour. (Novembre 25, 2019) – Arkansas boxing icon Ray Rodgershas successfully dealt with more cuts than most surgeons, all the way into the USA Boxing Alumni Association Hall of Fame, in which he’ll be inducted on Friday night, Décembre 13, during a special Class of 2019 ceremony, à l'hôtel Golden Nugget & Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiane.
The HOF reception is being held in conjunction with the 2020 U.S.. Essais olympiques par équipe pour la boxe et 2019 Championnats nationaux, Décembre. 7-15, au Lake Charles Civic Center. The finals of the Olympic Trials will be held Sunday, Décembre. 15, à l'hôtel Golden Nugget & Casino. Hall of Fame broadcaster Al Bernstein from Showtime Sports will serve as the event’s emcee for the third year in a row.
The USA Boxing Alumni Association’s third HOF class also includes three Olympic gold-medalists, “Grand” George Foreman, “Smokin'” Joe Frazier et Mark Breland, as well as legendary coach Al Mitchell.
Sen. John McCain will be posthumously presented a special Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work to protect boxers and elevate the sport.
There isn’t much in boxing, if anything, that Rodgers hasn’t done: boxeur, officiel, entraîneur, administrator and, bien sûr, l'homme de coupe. “I’m a boxing guy,” Rodgers said in his Southern twang. “I’ve been around the block, several times. But I don’t say I’m a cut man, I’m a laceration management specialist.”
Rodgers first got into boxing when he was in the fifth grade, back in Oklahoma, where he was born. A memo was sent around that there would be a tryout for boxing held the next day at the local high school gym. His parents gave their permission to let him tryout, the first chapter of his incredible boxing career.
“From the first moment,” the charming boxing character remembered, “Je suis devenu accro. I still have the letter I received in boxing. That was in 1947 and I’m still in boxing. I’m very proud of that.”
Rodgers has worked 39 world championship fights in professional boxing, as a cut man (he only trains amateur boxers) for the likes of world champions Jermaine Taylor, Wayne McCollough et Tommy Morrison.
“It’s been beyond belief for a regular old boxing guy like me,” Rodgers said about his life in boxing. “I’ve traveled all over the world, à plusieurs reprises, as a cut man.”
He was the first national official of both the Golden Gloves and Silver Gloves. Plus, he’s already been inducted in three Hall of Fames: Gants d'argent, Golden Gloves and Arkansas Sports HOF.
“Ray’s sacrifice to countless youth as a coach, mentor, l'homme de coupe, and leader throughout the amateur boxing community is inspirational,” commenté Chris Tofflemire, Association des anciens Etats-Unis de boxe Directeur exécutif. “His years of service and the knowledge he has passed on to other generations is what makes him a Hall of Famer, and we look forward to honoring him in December.”
Rodgers hasn’t slowed down, despite recently celebrating his 83e anniversaire. He still owns and operates Ray Rodgers Boxing Club in West Little Rock, Arkansas, in addition to serving as director of the Arkansas Golden Gloves and Mid-South Tournament, which includes Louisiana, Mississippi, Western Tennessee and Arkansas. And he’s also the vice-president of the National Golden Gloves and chairman of the National Silver Gloves.
“À mon âge, I’m happy to have any birthday,” Rodgers joked. “I’m hoping to live another 10-12 ans, Lord willing. It’s all in the Lord’s hands; controlling the flow of blood, bien que, is in my hands.”
Confirmed special guests include 1988 Médaillé d'or olympique Andrew Maynard, three-time National AAU Coach of the Year (1972-76-77) Joe Clough, 1984 Médaillé d'or olympique Frank Tate et son frère Thomas, 1972 Olympien Tim Dement, 2002 Or champion national Gants Jaidon Codringtion, 1980 Olympic Qualifier Jackie Beard, 1981 Jeux olympiques juniors Glen Modicue, four-time National champion Eric Kelly, 1988 Eastern Olympic Qualifier champion John Scully, Obie Beard, Mark Lanton et laStephens frères – Donald, Anthony et Jerry.
HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE USA BOXING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Créé pour le champion d'une vie, relations mutuellement bénéfiques entre les Etats-Unis de boxe et ses anciens élèves, –boxeurs, fonctionnaires, les entraîneurs et les amateurs de boxe — L'Association des anciens relie générations de champions, source d'inspiration et de redonner aux futurs champions de boxe Etats-Unis Boxe, dans et hors de l'anneau.
L'Association des anciens de boxe Etats-Unis est ouvert à toute personne qui a un amour pour la boxe et souhaite rester en contact avec la boxe amateur. Les membres bénéficient d'un accès à une grande variété d'accueil d'événements spéciaux par l'Association des anciens, y compris l'Association des anciens de boxe Etats-Unis Hall de réception Fame.
Pour adhérer à l'Association des anciens, inscrivez-vous simplement à alumni@usaboxing.org pour un $40.00 par année cotisation. Les nouveaux membres recevront un T-shirt, porte-clés et porte-monnaie électronique.
CLASSE DE 2017: The charter class was headed by Muhammad Ali et Evander Holyfield, en plus des entraîneurs vétérans Roosevelt Sanders et Tom Coulter.
CLASSE DE 2018: U.S.. Médaillés par équipe olympique et monde (professionnel) champions Roy Jones, Jr., Andre Ward et Claressa Shields, ainsi que l'ancien directeur national des entraîneurs de boxe américaine Emanuel Steward et vétéran officiel de boxe américaine Tom Cleary.