|
BOXERS NELSON, PALOMINO, QAWI, ZARAGOZA ELECTED
TO INT’L BOXING HALL OF FAME
Referee Stanley Christodoulou, promoter J Russell Peltz &
writer W.C. Heinz
also
enter Hall of Fame
CANASTOTA, NY - JANUARY 8, 2004 - The International Boxing Hall
of Fame and Museum announced today the newest class of inductees
to enter the Hall. Living inductees include super featherweight
champion Azumah Nelson (Ghana), welterweight
king Carlos Palomino (USA via Mexico), light heavyweight king
Dwight Muhammad Qawi (USA), super bantamweight
champion Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico), referee
Stanley Christodoulou (South Africa), Philadelphia
promoter J Russell Peltz (USA), and writer
W.C. Heinz (USA).
"We’re
extremely excited about the Class of 2004. The new inductees
further underscore the international aspect of the sport of
boxing and of the Hall of Fame," said Executive Director
Edward Brophy. "All living inductees are anticipated to
attend and participate in 2004 Hall of Fame Weekend festivities."
The
15th Annual Hall of Fame Weekend is scheduled for June 10-13th
in Canastota, NY. Over 20 events, including a golf tournament,
banquet, professional boxing show, parade and autograph card
show, are planned. A celebrity lineup of over 50 boxing greats
of yesterday and today will attend this year’s Induction
Weekend. The highlight of the Weekend will be the Official Enshrinement
Ceremony on the Hall of Fame Museum Grounds in Canastota, New
York on Sunday, June 13th to welcome the newest members.
The
Hall of Fame also released names of posthumous honorees: featherweight
champion Baby Arizmendi, welterweight champions
Young Corbett III and Jackie Fields
and lightweight champion Willie Ritchie in
the Old-Timer Category; managers Umberto Branchini
and Lou Viscusi in the Non-Participant Category;
writer Barney Nagler in the Observer Category;
and lightweight Billy Edwards in the Pioneer
Category. Inductees were voted in by members of the Boxing Writers
Association and a panel of international boxing historians.
For
more information on the events planned for the 2004 International
Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, please call the Hall of Fame at
(315) 697-7095.
###
QUOTES
"This
is wonderful. Thank God. I thank everybody for recognizing that
an African boxer like me, by God's grace, has been put into
the Hall of Fame. God bless."
Azumah
Nelson
"Oh
wow! I'm really, really happy. My heart is pumping a thousand
times a second! It's an unbelievable feeling. It's really hard
to describe. I started my career late and had a goal to one
day be a champion and when it happened it was a beautiful thing.
But to now be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of
Fame, to me, it's the cherry on top of the cake and a beautiful,
beautiful feeling.
Carlos
Palomino
"I
had a great career. It's like putting a cap on everything. It's
like I've arrived. No matter how much money or belts you won,
to be honored amongst your peers is the tops. This is another
peak for me and it's the highest peak, I feel, because I'm honored
with my peers. This is like closure for me."
Dwight
Muhammad Qawi
"For
me, it's a great honor and I'm very proud that I made it because
since I retired I have always had it in my mind that someday
they would call me from Canastota. This is now the ultimate
honor. I'm very proud that I have made it."
Daniel
Zaragoza
"I
am sincerely honored and humbled. This is great news. I regard
this as the biggest singular honor ever. I mean that from the
bottom of my heart."
Stanley
Christodoulou
"It's
the happiest moment of my boxing life. My parents would really
be proud if they were alive. It's hard to believe I'm going
to be on the same wall as people like Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis."
J
Russell Peltz
"It
is an honor to be in the same company of fighters that I have
admired and revered over the years."
W.C.
Heinz
|
