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AMENDMENTS TO VOTING PROCESS
Adopted by IBHOF Board of Directors – April 2019
WOMEN’S CATEGORY
Women’s boxing has spanned many generations, but since the establishment of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1989, this section of the sport has made tremendous strides in many quarters. The talent pool has expanded in terms of numbers, achievements and global impact. All major boxing sanctioning bodies have introduced women's championship belts and assembled world ratings while some media outlets have compiled pound-for-pound lists. In recognition of their success, the International Boxing Hall of Fame will recognize the women who have excelled at the highest level with the opportunity for enshrinement.
RETIREMENT REQUIREMENT CHANGED FROM 5 TO 3 YEARS
Modern technology such as YouTube, Boxrec and other resources allow voters to conduct the most comprehensive research into boxers' careers in history. With these tools, voters are better able to analyze and evaluate boxers' careers as well as put their accomplishments in historical perspective with far more efficiency.
Thus the Hall of Fame has amended the retirement period for men’s Modern boxers from 5 years prior to the end of the calendar year in which voting takes place to 3 years prior to the end of the calendar year in which voting takes place. The women’s Modern boxer category will also require a 3-year retirement period.
A 3-year retirement provides a timelier waiting period for potential placement on the ballot for all boxers irrespective of the length of their careers. This change takes into account boxers who have assembled exceptional careers but who chose to extend those careers to the maximum length of time or opted to launch comebacks. Boxers who have met the minimum 3-year requirement and who have earned enough votes to be inducted on their first year of eligibility would be enshrined during the following June Hall of Fame Weekend in the fourth year of their retirement.
MODERN CATEGORIES (MEN / WOMEN) PERCENTAGE THRESHOLD ADDED
Because the Modern categories for men and women boxers feature a time-based retirement provision, the Hall of Fame believes that instituting an 80% automatic election threshold offers the best possible opportunity for candidates appearing on the ballot to be enshrined.
REMOVING NON-PARTICPANTS & OBSERVERS AFTER 10 YEARS OR MORE ON THE BALLOT
Removing candidates who have appeared on 10 or more consecutive Hall of Fame ballots and not received enough votes for election will enable the Hall of Fame to place new candidates on the ballot for voter consideration. A Non-Participant or Observer candidate who is removed from the ballot (having appeared on 10 or more consecutive ballots) can be reconsidered following a one (1) year hiatus.
RELATED SUBJECTS TO AMENDMENTS
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A Screening Committee, selected by the IBHOF Board of Directors, is tasked with reviewing all eligible candidates in the Modern, Old-Timer, Pioneer, Non-Participant and Observer categories. A separate screening committee, also selected by the IBHOF Board of Directors, will serve the same function for the Women’s Trailblazer and Modern categories. Committee members will utilize their vast knowledge and experience, as well as their access to a variety of research sources (including their network of historians and researchers) to review all eligible candidates and ultimately reach consensus on which individuals will be placed on the ballot for voter consideration. Selection of the Hall of Fame Screening Committees is open to rotation, which offers historians, journalists and members of the boxing community the opportunity to assist the Hall of Fame in honoring those who have excelled. The Hall of Fame and its Executive Director will advise and facilitate the Screening Committees with the compilation of the annual ballots for each election cycle.
A Screening Committee, selected by the IBHOF Board of Directors, is tasked with reviewing all eligible candidates in the Modern, Old-Timer, Pioneer, Non-Participant and Observer categories. A separate screening committee, also selected by the IBHOF Board of Directors, will serve the same function for the Women’s Trailblazer and Modern categories. Committee members will utilize their vast knowledge and experience, as well as their access to a variety of research sources (including their network of historians and researchers) to review all eligible candidates and ultimately reach consensus on which individuals will be placed on the ballot for voter consideration. Selection of the Hall of Fame Screening Committees is open to rotation, which offers historians, journalists and members of the boxing community the opportunity to assist the Hall of Fame in honoring those who have excelled. The Hall of Fame and its Executive Director will advise and facilitate the Screening Committees with the compilation of the annual ballots for each election cycle. •Unlike other sports that have specific numerical thresholds to indicate future enshrinement into the Hall of Fame, boxing is a much more subjective sport. There are many factors beyond raw numbers that voters use when considering a fighter's candidacy and when approximately 200 or more electors participate in the voting process, opinions will vary greatly. Because of this variance of opinion, the Hall of Fame utilizes a system that honors the top vote recipients of a pre-determined number of candidates, rather than a hard percentage of votes. In addition to the top vote recipients of the pre-determined number, starting with the 2020 election process, a candidate in the men’s and women’s Modern boxer categories receiving 80% or higher of total votes cast will automatically gain enshrinement. Because the Modern categories are the only ones that feature a time-based retirement provision, the Hall of Fame believes that instituting an 80% automatic election threshold offers the best possible opportunity for candidates appearing on the ballot to be enshrined. The common thread between these two stances is that it provides boxers who have excelled in the sport the best chance to have their accomplishments immortalized.
Unlike other sports that have specific numerical thresholds to indicate future enshrinement into the Hall of Fame, boxing is a much more subjective sport. There are many factors beyond raw numbers that voters use when considering a fighter's candidacy and when approximately 200 or more electors participate in the voting process, opinions will vary greatly. Because of this variance of opinion, the Hall of Fame utilizes a system that honors the top vote recipients of a pre-determined number of candidates, rather than a hard percentage of votes. In addition to the top vote recipients of the pre-determined number, starting with the 2020 election process, a candidate in the men’s and women’s Modern boxer categories receiving 80% or higher of total votes cast will automatically gain enshrinement. Because the Modern categories are the only ones that feature a time-based retirement provision, the Hall of Fame believes that instituting an 80% automatic election threshold offers the best possible opportunity for candidates appearing on the ballot to be enshrined. The common thread between these two stances is that it provides boxers who have excelled in the sport the best chance to have their accomplishments immortalized.•Ballots for the 2020 election process will be distributed on October 1, 2019 and a news conference will be held in early December to announce results of the voting. Inductees will be named in the following categories: Modern, Old-Timer, Pioneer, Non-Participant and Observer; and, for the first time, women’s Modern and Trailblazer categories. The International Boxing Hall of Fame believes all inductees should be viewed equally when they’re inducted each June. If the announcement of an induction class includes a notation of votes and/or percentage of votes received, then that spirit of equality vanishes. The Hall of Fame believes this is the best way to preserve the balance and egalitarianism that has defined the International Boxing Hall of Fame over the past 30 years.
Ballots for the 2020 election process will be distributed on October 1, 2019 and a news conference will be held in early December to announce results of the voting. Inductees will be named in the following categories: Modern, Old-Timer, Pioneer, Non-Participant and Observer; and, for the first time, women’s Modern and Trailblazer categories. The International Boxing Hall of Fame believes all inductees should be viewed equally when they’re inducted each June. If the announcement of an induction class includes a notation of votes and/or percentage of votes received, then that spirit of equality vanishes. The Hall of Fame believes this is the best way to preserve the balance and egalitarianism that has defined the International Boxing Hall of Fame over the past 30 years.