THE GREAT HALL
Jack Hirsch reports from Canastota, where Holyfield and Barrera are inducted into the 2017 class
The class of 2017 is inducted, including Holyfield, Barrera, Tapia and more
FOR the vast majority of the 28 years that the International Boxing Hall of Fame has held their induction weekend festivities, I have covered the event for Boxing News. That makes me an authority of sorts, so trust me when I say that while the names of the inductees always change, the magic of the weekend does not.
We are told that nothing lasts forever, but a tour the museum puts that into dispute. Hanging on the walls are plaques of those enshrined, immortalising them for eternity. For fighters and nonparticipants alike it validates a great career and lets them know all the hard work and sacrifice was worth it.
This year’s Hall of Fame class was a strong one led by former world cruiserweight and heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, and Mexican legend, Marco Antonio Barrera. Joining them in the fighter category was multiweight champion Johnny Tapia and middleweight Eddie Booker who were inducted posthumously.
Those enshrined in the non-fighter category were the Showtime broadcast duo of Steve Farhood and Barry Tompkins, Las Vegas judge Jerry Roth, trainer Johnny Lewis, and ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Snr posthumously.
The weather certainly cooperated with it being warm and sunny throughout. There were big names galore who mingled freely with each other – perhaps none more surprising than Riddick Bowe and Andrew Golota who shook hands and even had breakfast together. After their two fights, one of which resulted in a riot at Madison Square Garden – and both concluded with Golota getting
GOLOTA AND BOWE SHOOK HANDS AND HAD BREAKFAST TOGETHER
disqualified – it was good to see the heavyweights put their grudge into the past. Likewise for Barrera and his great rival fellow Mexican Erik Morales, who have buried the hatchet and now get along fine.
Tapia’s wife Theresa revealed just how troubled her husband was until his death at 45 in 2012. “He never wanted to live past the age of 32, because that was when his mother was murdered” she said. When asked about the defining fight of Johnny’s career, the victory over Danny Romero, Theresa claimed that her husband hardly trained because he was in trouble with the law. “Most of the things that Johnny did went unreported. Before the fight Johnny said that if he lost to Romero that he would kill himself.”
At events such as this the autograph seekers are out in force. While some champions sign items, others refuse. It is no secret that many autographed items wind up in the hands of memorabilia dealers who in turn sell them for a profit, none of which goes to the signee. Some like Marvin Hagler will autograph gloves only if it can be personalised to a particular individual. That way it would have diminished in value if anyone ever tried to sell it. Matchmaker Eric Bottjer feels strongly that there is no reason an autograph request should be rejected. “It is all about the fans” he reasoned. “Even if they want to later sell a glove or whatever, they have made the fighter so much money over the course of his career that he should be grateful for that.”
Former middle and supermiddleweight champion Iran Barkley was venting at the collector’s convention over not having been invited in an official capacity. “I came with my friends” said Barkley. “I know a lot of my fans were anxious to see me and I did not want to disappoint them.”
Also annoyed, but to a much lesser degree, was ring announcer Larry Tornambe who, since moving from the Philadelphia area to Phoenix three years ago, has seen his work load diminished. “There are hardly any shows in Arizona,” Tornambe shrugged.
Of all my years attending induction ceremonies this was one of the best. There were no long and drawn out speeches, and not a word was wasted. Holyfield recalled how he had nothing left and wanted to quit after the third round of the first Lennox Lewis fight in 1999, when his prediction of a knockout failed to materialise. Holyfield said he continued on because it would have set a bad example for his son to think it was okay to quit at something when the going got rough. He went on to achieve an exceptionally controversial draw.
Barrera using his son as an interpreter, joked that the only fights he could never win were those with his wife.
Jimmy Lennon Jnr accepted for his dad, but it was mum Dolores, 93, who was cheered wildly by the crowd for hitting a high note during the singing of the national anthem.
Ian Booker never saw his uncle Eddie box, but recalled how proud he had been for never being stopped in his career.
Farhood and Tompkins covered all the bases like the consummate pros they are. The duo had more to prepare for than their induction speeches – a couple of nights before they worked the broadcast of a Shobox event at the Turning Stone Casino.
The crowd bonded with Roth when, at the end of his speech, he became overcome with emotion.
Lewis called his protégé Jeff Fenech the hardest working fighter he ever saw. Then perhaps with a touch of disappointment remarked he wished he were there.
Leon Spinks was on the stage during the induction ceremony but was oblivious to what was going on. The former heavyweight champion was asleep a good part of the time. It was a sad sight. Perhaps going forward it should be considered to not put Spinks – or anyone in a similar deteriorated state – in such a position. Graziano’s Lodge and Restaurant has been an institution in Canastota for many years before the HOF came into existence. It is a hotbed for boxing people to stay at during induction weekend, but its future is in doubt. The owner Tony Graziano is in his 90s and it is unclear what will become of the establishment when he can’t oversee it anymore.
The 2018 induction weekend is scheduled to be held from June 7-10.