The list of inductees to the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s 2015 class was released Thursday, headlined by former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe, former lightweight titlist Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and former featherweight champ “Prince” Naseem Hamed.
Also elected by a panel, that included members of the Boxing Writers Association of America and historians were, Yoko Gushiken, a former junior flyweight champ, in the old-timer category, non-participant inductees, manager Rafael Mendoza and referee Steve Smoger, and HBO’s Jim Lampley and boxing scribe Nigel Collins in the observer category.
The 26th annual induction ceremony will go down June 14, 2015, at the International Boxing Hall of Fame located in Canastota, New York.
Bowe, who is best known for his trilogy of fights with Evander Holyfield, in which he went 2-1 in, was one of the fiercest heavyweights of his time and was relieved to get the call about his inclusion to the Hall of Fame.
“I’m ecstatic! As a kid, this is what I dreamed of,” Bowe said “I’m just so happy. For me, hard work and determination got me in the Hall of Fame.”
Bowe also won an Olympic silver medal in 1988, which is an accomplishment that often gets overlooked due to his professional success.
Bowe (43-1-0, 33 KOs) was part of two infamous incidents in the ring, one that was memorable for its odd nature and the other for its violent aftermath following a disqualification.
During Bowe-Holyfield II the the “Fan Man” incident, where a man flew his fan operated parachute into the ring, took place in 1993 as the two heavyweights slugged it out at the out door stadium erected at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The other high-profile incident took place in 1996 at Madison Square Garden in New York, when after repeated low blows from Bowe’s opponent, Andrew Golota, caused the bout to be stopped in Round 7 awarding Bowe the win via disqualification. The controversial ending sparked an all-out brawl in the ring between the two fighters camps and led to a full scale riot breaking out in the stands of the famed arena, as Lampley and George Foreman gave viewers a play-by-play of the chaos live on HBO.
Mancini, (29-5, 23 KOs) who rose to fame winning the lightweight title in 1982 after his father’s professional career failed to produce a major title of his own, was ecstatic about the news of his induction.
“Wow. I’m humbled and I’m honored, Mancini said. “To be in the International Boxing Hall of Fame with so many of my friends and heroes is overwhelming. “
He went on to successfully defend his title four times and was a mainstay on network televised bouts throughout his career.
Hamed (36-1, 31 KOs), a fighter known just as much for his lavish ring entrances as he was for his fast, heavy hands, was one of the best showmen the sport has ever seen, was elated to be included among the best in boxing.
“This is amazing news,” Hamed said. “It’s an absolute honor to be recognized with some of the best fighters that ever lived. I’m overwhelmed to hear this news. What can I say? I’m so happy that I officially got the call from the International Boxing Hall of Fame to tell me this.”
Winning IBF, WBO, and WBC versions of lightweight belts during his career, Hamed defended his various titles 15 times and was champ for much of the 90s.
After an almost six-year run as champ, Marco Antonio Barrera ended that streak in 2002, handing Hamed his first professional loss in the process. Hamed went on to fight just once more after the loss, ending his career with a 36-1 record.
Fight Hub’s own Mick Akers is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and was part of the International Boxing Hall of Fame selection committee this year where he voted for Bowe and Hamed among others.
