Hopkins, Mosely entry to Hall of Fame postponed
NEW YORK: Legendary world champions Bernard Hopkins and “Sugar” Shane Mosley will have their inductions to the International Boxing Hall of Fame postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Both US fighters were to have been enshrined along with the complete Class of 2020 on June 11-14 in ceremonies at the facility in Canastota, New York, which has temporarily closed due to the deadly virus outbreak.
Instead, the 2020 inductees will be included in a double ceremony with the 2021 inductees on June 10-13, 2021, the Hall announced in a website posting.
“By combining the celebrations of the induction classes of 2020 and 2021, the Hall of Fame can honor inductees with all the bells and whistles that the Hall of Fame Weekend is known for,” Hall of Fame executive director Edward Brophy said.
“By honoring the two classes in a one-of-a-kind induction weekend, the Hall of Fame will be able to put all the winning combinations together for the inductees, fans and the entire sport of boxing.”
Official plaques for 2020 inductees will be displayed later this year.
Hopkins, who went 558 with two drawn and 32 knockouts, was an undisputed middleweight champion during a 10-year reign from 1995-2005 and became the oldest champion in boxing history during a lightheavyweight reign that ended at age 49 in 2014.
Mosley, 49-10 with one drawn and 41 knockouts, was a former world champion at lightweight, welterweight and light middleweight.
The group also includes promoters Lou DiBella, Kathy Duva and Dan Goosen and Mexican fighter Juan Manuel Marquez, an exworld featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight champion.
The 2021 inductees are set to be announced in early December. — AFP