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International Boxing Hall of Fame 1 Hall of Fame Drive Canastota, NY 13032 P: 315.697.7095 F: 315.697.5356
Class of 2001 Honored
WITH SUNNY SKIES overhead, thousands of boxing fans assembled on the grounds of the Boxing Hall of Fame for the Official Induction Ceremony enshrining the newest members of the Hall of Fame.
Living inductees on hand to accept their certificate and gold Hall of Fame ring symbolizing their status as Hall of Famers were Ismael Laguna, Sugar Ramos, George Benton, Don Chargin, Bill Gallo and Ralph Citro.
Hall of Famer Jose Torres, who fought 2001 inductee Lazlo Papp in the Olympics, accepted for Papp, who was unable to attend.
The posthumous inductees were Sam Ichinose, Midget Wolgast, Randy Turpin, Paul Berlenbach, Billy Papke, Barney Aaron, Lester Bromberg, Jim Braddock and Willie Pastrano.
Included among the Hall-of-Fame weekend festivities was the fight between Laila Ali and Jacqui Frazier-Lyde at the Turning Stone Casion. Ali won a close, 8-round majority decision.
Among the past and present world champions on hand for the weekend were: Laguna, Ramos, Felix Trinidad, Paul Spadafora, Jeff Chandler, Billy Backus, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Joe Frazier, Michael Spinks, Leon Spinks, Tony DeMarco, Terry Norris, Iran Barkley, Alexis Arguello, Aaron Pryor, Juan LaPorte, Vito Antuofermo, Gene Fullmer, Jimmy Ellis, Ruben Olivares, Ernie Terrell, Ken Norton, Carlos Ortiz, Kid Gavilan, Bob Foster, Jose Torres, Emile Griffith, Ken Buchanan, Sugar Ray Leonard and Carmen Basilio.
Other top fighters on hand were Howard Davis Jr., Joe Miceli, Earnie Shavers, Christy Martin, Ron Lyle, Gasper Ortega and Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Additional Hall-of-Fame alumni included, Lou Duva, Gil Clancy, Eddie Futch, Angelo Dundee, Emanuel Steward, Tito Lectoure, Don King, Mickey Duff and Arthur Mercante. Soprano's star, Tony Sirico (Paulie Walnuts) was the parade grand marshall.
Weekend Notes:
Four of the five gold medalists of the 1976 U.S. Olympic team were on hand: Leonard, Davis and the Spinks brothers.
8 opponents of Ali were on hand: Frazier, Norton, Terrell, Ellis, Foster, Shavers, Spinks and Lyle
The weekend also boasted the greatest collection of trainers anywhere-- Benton, Duva, Futch, Dundee, Steward and Clancy.
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