The 2023 International Boxing Hall of Fame class will be introduced on Sunday in Canastota, New York.
Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez highlight diversity. Bradley is American, Froch British and Marquez Mexican. And, of course, all three are very successful in their long careers.
Below is a breakdown of the fighters that will be featured (Modern, Men’s; Modern, Women’s; and Ancient).
MODERN CATEGORY (MEN)
TIMOTHY BRADLEY
year of operation: 2004-16
Take note: 33-2-1 (16 KOs)
I wonder if those who know Bradley as an analyst have forgotten how good of a fighter he is. Consider this: From 2007 to 2013, the talented, intelligent boxer from the Southern California desert beat in a row (not counting a non-fight): Miguel Vazquez, Junior Witter, Edner Cherry, Kendall Holt, Lamont Peterson, Luis Abregu, Devon Alexander, Joel Casamayor, Manny Pacquiao, Ruslan Provodnikov and Juan Manuel Marquez. That run alone makes the Bradley Hall of Fame so worthy. OK, most people think he got a gift in his first meeting with Pacquiao. And he lost both the second and third installments of their trilogy. However, everyone agreed that he was up against the Filipino legend. And let’s stop and appreciate his win over Marquez, who escaped with his one-punch save against Pacquiao. Bradley shipped one of the best things ever made. The bottom line: Bradley is sometimes overshadowed by bigger stars but his track record compares favorably to most of the people he’ll be joining in Canastota.
CARL FROCH
year of operation: 2002-14
Take note: 33-2 (24 KOs)
The first thing that came to my mind when Froch’s name came up was his retirement, knocking out rival George Groves with a punch in front of 80,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, ending his stellar career. his illustrious. No one goes out on a higher note. Of course, Froch should be remembered for more than a spectacular moment. The Nottingham boxer didn’t excel in any particular aspect of boxing but did everything well. That, combined with an uneasy streak and unwavering confidence, has made for a remarkable career. Among his victims were: Robin Reid, Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson, Lucian Bute, Yusaf Mack, Mikkel Kessler and Groves (twice). His only losses were against Kessler in their first match and the all-time great Andre Ward in the Super Six World Boxing Classic final, a 168-pound tournament. Few boxers today even achieve the quality of Froch’s profound background. He is well-deserving of the honor of being inducted into the Hall.
RAFAEL MARQUEZ
year of operation: 1995-2013
Take note: 41-9 (37 KOs)
Marquez’s induction is said to be overdue. Juan Manuel Marquez’s brother doesn’t have the same skill set as his more famous brother – few have – but he is a good boxer who punches harder than his big brother. The younger Marquez burst onto the scene with a back-to-back win over Hall of Famer Mark Johnson, first by a split decision and then by a knockout in the round of 16 the following year. The two-division champion went on to beat Tim Austin, Mauricio Pastrana (twice) and Silent Mabuza (twice) before entering one of the most thrilling – and brutal – series in boxing history, his showdown with Israel Vazquez. Marquez would eventually split four fights with Vazquez but cemented his reputation as one of the best and most exciting boxers of his time. He was never the same after his last game against Vazquez, which went 2-4 in his last six games. However, the decline is easily forgotten. At his peak, Marquez was special. And we have to ask: Is there a better brotherhood in the sport’s history?
MODERN Genre (Women)
ALICIA ASHLEY
year of operation: 1991-2018
Take note: 24-12-1 (4 KOs)
The most remarkable thing about Ashley is that she became the oldest boxer to win a world title when she won the vacant belt at the age of 48 in 2015. However, her boxing pioneer Women are much more than that. She didn’t turn pro until the age of 31 but still won major belts in three categories. She finally retired in 2018, when she was 50 years old.
LAURA SERRANO
year of operation: 1994-2012
Take note: 17-5-3 (6 KOs)
The Mexican native faced a big test on her professional debut, taking on Hall of Famer Christy Martin and emerging with a contested draw. Many observers believe that Serrano was tricked into winning the decisive victory. However, she persisted. The natural boxer went on to become one of the most successful female boxers from her adoptive base in Las Vegas.
LIST OF OTHER WATCHES
FOX TIGER JACK
year of operation: 1928-50
Take note: 138-24-12 (91 KOs)
Fox is one of those old folks who’ve probably won multiple championships these days. The one-time light heavyweight champion from Spokane, Washington, is a prolific boxer with killer prowess, knocking him down 91 times. He’s won against some of the biggest names in history, including Hall of Famers Maxie Rosenbloom and future Jersey heavyweight champion Joe Walcott (twice).
PONE KINGPETCH ONLY
year of operation: 1954-66
Take note: 28-7 (9 KOs)
The Thai star made the most of the relatively few skirmishes. In fact, he became an icon in his hometown after just two games, winning in a row over the all-time great Pascual Perez in 1960. He claimed Perez’s flyweight title. with a split decision and then stopped the great Argentine for eight innings in the rematch. He went on to have two more 112-pound championship titles.
JOANN HAGEN
year of operation: 1954, ’56
Take note: 1-1
Hagen isn’t featured because of what she’s done in the ring, although the fact that she defeated women’s boxing legend Barbara Buttrick is remarkable. The South Bend, Indiana fighter won the honor by paving the way for other women. She has clearly attracted the interest of television executives as she has appeared on numerous talk shows, which has raised the profile of women’s boxing.
ALSO INTRODUCED
Joe Goossencoach; Brad GoodmanMatchmaker; Brad Jacobsnot engaged; Seth Abrahamtelevision operator; Tim Ryanbroadcaster.
