Camacho among Hall of Fame entrants
Puerto Rican legend one of nine on 2016 list
>> NEW YORK: Puerto Rico’s late boxing legend Hector “Macho” Camacho was among nine people announced on Wednesday as the newest inductees into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Retired fighters Lupe Pintor of Mexico and Hilario Zapata of Panama, judge Harold Lederman, commissioner Marc Ratner, journalist Jerry Izenberg and broadcaster Bob Sheridan were also announced as members of the Hall’s Class of 2016.
They, along with two other posthumous honorees, old-timer Petey Sarron and trainer Whitey Esneault, will be enshrined at ceremonies on June 12, 2016 at the Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York.
“We’re extremely excited about the Class of 2016,” Hall of Fame executive director Edward Brophy said.
Camacho, who died in 2012 at age 50 after being shot in a car, went 79-6 with three drawn and 45 knockouts. The stylish southpaw was a 1980s star who ruled the super featherweight and lightweight divisions.
Pintor, 60, went 56-14 with two drawn and 42 knockouts. with titles at bantamweight and super bantamweight between 1978 and 1986.
“This is great news for me and I’m happy it happened while I’m alive,” Pintor said. “I’m very emotional and very thankful.”
Southpaw Zapata, 57, was 43-10 with one drawn and 14 knockouts. He was a world light flyweight champion from 1980-1983 and a flyweight ring king from 1985-1987.
Meanwhile, unbeaten world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and his next challenger, Poland’s Artur Szpilka, are taking aim at rival champion Tyson Fury ahead of their Jan 16 match-up in New York.
Wilder, a 30-year-old American, will make his third defence of the World Boxing Council crown at Barclays Centre against Szpilka, who is in his first world title bout.
“I’m knocking out Szpilka and I’m sending a message to everyone who stands in my way,” said Wilder, who has set his sights on an undisputed throne. “I’m looking for a grand show. It’s going to be a great performance to kick off 2016. This is going to be a huge year for me.”
Wilder, 35-0 with 34 knockouts, would be l ooking at Fury, who improved to 25-0 with 18 knockouts by dethroning Ukraine’s Wladimir Klitschko last month in Dusseldorf.
Klitschko and Fury will meet in a World Boxing Association title rematch next year but after that, Wilder wants a chance at the winner.