THE 2023 International Boxing Hall of Fame class included Timothy Bradley, Carl Froch, Rafael Marquez, Alicia Ashley, Laura Serrano (who did not attend), matchmakers Brad Goodman and Brad Jacobs, trainer Joe Goossen, former HBO executive Seth Abraham and broadcaster Tim Ryan. During Sunday’s induction speeches, Marquez thanked his mother, father and sisters and described his journey as “difficult and beautiful.” Froch thanked his mother, Carol, and told trainer Robert McCracken he was a father figure, a brother and best friend all rolled into one while Bradley said, “I didn’t get here because I was better than everyone I fought, I got here because I wanted it more.” Ashley talked about being an underdog in her major fights – even when she was a champion – and having to fight often on the road. “The road that I took to get here was akin to climbing Mount Everest,” she said. Posthumous inductees were light-heavyweight Tiger Jack Fox, flyweight champ Pone Kingpetch and JoAnn Hagen, in the women’s trailblazer category.
WEDNESDAY A few International Boxing Hall of Fame stalwarts always stumble onto the grounds a day early. UK fight fan Glenn Wilson is one, Canadian boxing supporter Eric Schmidt is another, Lee Groves, an analyst for CompuBox and writer for The Ring, is there, as is the event’s host, James ‘Smitty’ Smith. We met and talked in the museum, by the famous ring that hosted the 1971 Fight of the Century between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, and talked boxing until news broke that the first two official days of the Hall of Fame weekend would take place in the Turning Stone Casino about 10 miles away. The smoke from the uncontrollable Montreal wildfires had spread through the whole of New York state, turning areas, including Syracuse and Manhattan – four hours south – a hazy, apocalyptic-looking and surreal orange. Visibility was down to less than a mile in some areas and you could smell the smoke. It caused some boxers to face travel issues but not Froch, who famously had to delay going out to Denmark for his first fight with Mikkel Kessler when an ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano caused chaos. Froch faced no such issues this time.
THURSDAY There’s a certain elegance and charm, and most definitely a nostalgia about the museum grounds. The memorabilia on show is wonderful, fists cast from heroes of yesteryear, robes hung proudly in cabinets – of Ken Buchanan, Sugar Ray Leonard, Azumah Nelson, Arturo Gatti and many more – plaques of all of the inductees, fight-worn gloves from iconic bouts, championship belts and just about anything else you would care to see. These are the grounds that have hosted Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, Archie Moore, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler, Marvin Hagler and almost every other modern great you could care to mention. But when the festivities kicked off, they did so in the Turning Stone Showroom, a vacuous, impersonal hall, short on both light and atmosphere. The Hall of Fame had to do what they could, and it was generous of the Turning Stone to play host but, really, what followed felt just like being Las Vegas in a fight week. A few journalists hunkered down and worked, not moving in case anyone of note came or left, and there was little daylight seen from the bowels of the casino. “It’s a little different kind of a year,” admitted Hall of Fame president Ed Brophy. The first Ringside Lecture of the day featured the inspirational Ann Wolfe, who spoke of her hardships, of finding boxing when she was a homeless mother of two because she wanted to something to do where she could use her natural athleticism, and her local basketball and football teams would not allow her to take her children while she trained, but the boxing club welcomed her. “I had power,” she said, talking about her impressive knockouts. “It was different. I know one thing, I had man power. Some women have men power, some don’t.” Wolfe is a great character, and she was replaced on stage by two Mexican greats, fellow 2023 inductee Rafael Marquez and one of the great little men, Humberto ‘Chiquita’ Gonzalez. ‘Smitty’ hosted. Marquez, brother of Juan Manuel and who is training his 15-year-old son in Mexico, said he felt his four fights with Israel Vazquez, two wins over Mark ‘Too Sharp’ Johnson and victory over Tim Austin solidified his Hall of Fame claim while Gonzalez spoke about his famed rival with Michael Carbajal, and said: “The hardest fights were the ones with Carbajal, but they were always the better ones, too, because I got more pay!” The bell was sounded to officially open proceedings at 3pm, but neither Carbajal or Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund made it in time to do their Q and As because of the wildfire issues, but towering super-welterweight Sebastian Fundora and his sister, 11-0 Gabriela, took their spot and spoke to fans and answered questions. Organisers paid tribute to inductees who had passed away over the last 12 months and there was warm applause for Bobby Goodman, Mogens Palle, Jerry Roth, Steve Smoger, Mills Lane, Eder Jofre and Ken Buchanan but, with Roberto Duran’s birthday only eight days away, Brophy led a premature rendition of Happy Birthday for one of the all-time greats. Duran loved it.
FRIDAY It was back to the Turning Stone, and while that might have been a first-world problem, it felt more like a work convention than a celebration. Fortunately, word was out that everyone would be back on the Hall of Fame grounds for the Saturday, but still there were some travel problems. 2023 inductee trainer Joe Goossen had not made it in time for his Ringside Lecture, so veteran fighter and trainer Robert Garcia ably stepped in. In some ways, with the environmental issues and subsequent delays, it felt like this was the first day of the celebrations. Froch and Bradley were both on hand. Froch was with McCracken, who seemed to be enjoying Carl getting some long overdue respect because Rob would remember there was a time when Froch was being overlooked by networks and media outlets despite his success, and an infuriated McCracken would always beat the drum for Carl, lambasting them for not recognising what they had; a future Hall of Famer. Bradley, who in early Boxing News interviews said he was aiming for the Hall of Fame before he even won a world title, said he had rejected several invitations to visit Canastota before because he wanted his first time to be the one where he could see his own plaque on the walls. And what a ride he had. He signed anything for everyone, took countless selfies and not once could he be seen without a satisfied grin. ‘Dutch Destroyer’ Lucia Rijker was also around, and it was her first visit. She was due to be part of last year’s trilogy of inductions but couldn’t travel and so she was able to get her recognition this year. She was fascinating and talked about he she needed to fight to release her inner-beast, something she trains people to do today in some kind of therapy. She’s incredibly softly-spoken, charming and engaging. I caught up with Michael Nunn, who was satisfied with his career although he would have liked to have fought Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns or Roberto Duran. Nunn said he didn’t want to fight Hagler, because they were friends, and that he had also hoped to box Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn. Nunn, who spent around two decades behind bars, was incredibly positive about his past, saying it had made him stronger and stiffened his resolve to be a success on the outside. The day finished with the 2023 inductees having their fists cast for immortality. A dental, menthol substance encases their hands, and later it is covered in copper and sprayed gold for the museum. ShoBox came from the Turning Stone that Friday night, and many of the Hall of Fame guests were on hand to watch some of the bouts from ringside.
SATURDAY It was back to the grounds, finally. The air was clear, as were the skies. Saturday is the peak of the weekend. There is plenty of activity on the grounds, the morning starts with a 5k run/jog/walk that numerous boxing personalities get involved in, there’s a parade at noon and, starting at 2pm, the Grand Parade of Champions, where everyone is brought past adoring fans on a bus to the Intuition ceremony. Some stopped off at The Rusty Rail restaurant to use the facilities and grab a bite to eat before finally the inductees would sign autographs and feed off the acclaim from fans.
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