Canastota, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – Former undisputed heavyweight champion
Riddick Bowe and ex-WBA lightweight champ Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini were among
eight men elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Thursday.
Also among the 2015 class of inductees are British standout “Prince” Naseem
Hamed, longtime television broadcaster Jim Lampley, manager Rafael Mendoza and
referee Steve Smoger. Joining Lampley, Mendoza and Smoger in the Non-
Participant Category is veteran journalist Nigel Collins, while former light
flyweight champion Yoko Gushiken was voted in via the Old-Timer Category.
Three others were named as inductees posthumously: former flyweight champ
Masao Ohba and ex-middleweight champion Ken Overlin in the Old-Timer Category
and publicist John F.X. Condon in the Non-Participant class.
Bowe, who compiled a 43-1 record with 33 knockouts, is best remembered for his
trio of battles with the legendary Evander Holyfield in the mid-1990s. Bowe
took the WBC, WBA & IBF belts from Holyfield in the first meeting, then scored
a technical knockout of his rival in the third bout after Holyfield won the
rematch.
Mancini (29-5) captured the WBA lightweight title with a first-round TKO of
Arturo Frias in 1982 to fulfill the dream of his father Lenny, a former
championship contender who had his career cut short after being wounded in
World War II.
The younger Mancini was also involved in one of boxing’s most tragic moments,
when he knocked out Korean challenger Deuk-Koo Kim in a title defense. Kim
died four days after the fight from a brain hemorrhage.
Hamed won the WBO, WBC and IBF featherweights belts during a 10-year career
from 1992-2002 and was regarded as one of the premier fighters of his era. One
of the flashiest performers of the time as well, he amassed a 36-1 record with
31 knockouts.
The 2015 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place June 14 in Canastota,
New York.
