Boxing

 

Boxers Foreman, Cokes, Locche and McCallum Elected to International Boxing Hall of Fame

Journalist Jack Fiske & author/screenwriter Budd Schulberg also enter Hall of Fame

CANASTOTA, NY - JANUARY 9, 2003 - The International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum announced today the newest class of inductees. Living inductees include 2-time heavyweight champion George Foreman, welterweight king Curtis Cokes, junior welterweight champion Nicolino Locche, 3-division champion Mike McCallum, journalist Jack Fiske and author/screenwriter Budd Schulberg.

"We’re extremely excited about the Class of 2003 and very much looking forward to honoring the fourteenth class of inductees," said Executive Director Edward Brophy. "All living inductees are anticipated to attend and participate in 2003 Hall of Fame Weekend festivities."

The annual Hall of Fame Weekend is scheduled for June 5-8th 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 8th to welcome the newest members.

The Hall of Fame also released names of posthumous honorees: Fred Apostoli in the Modern Category; Battling Battalino, Louis "Kid" Kaplan, Tom Sharkey, and Jess Willard in the Old-Timer Category; promoter Dan Duva, booking agent Dewey Fragetta and manager/matchmaker Al Weill in the Non-Participant Category; and Caleb Baldwin and Joe Goss 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 2003 International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, please call the Hall of Fame at (315) 697-7095.

QUOTES:

"I’m really elated to be elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. This is something I've been looking forward to for a long time. I have some great friends that have been elected like Emile Griffith and Luis Rodriguez and I'm so glad to be part of it because I'm in with a unique crowd. I'm so happy"

- Curtis Cokes

"What a happy moment for me to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. It was on my visit there a few years back that I saw the hand wraps of the great Joe Louis. That is when my hopes too started to arise about someday being alongside the past great boxers. I cannot wait for the date of the event. To have my name with the likes of Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson and Muhammad Ali, I have made it."

- George Foreman

"I'm very happy and honored to receive boxing's highest honor, election into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. I can't wait to make the trip to Canastota."

- Nicolino Locche

"It's a wonderful feeling, it's terrific! I'm overwhelmed. As a youngster I dreamed of being a champion and after ending up with three championships during my long career, to top it off with election into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, I'm speechless."

- Mike McCallum

"For me I think being elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame is at least equal to my winning the Academy Award for On The Waterfront. I'm very proud of this because boxing has been my passion all my life since the age of 10. I couldn't be more pleased."

- Budd Schulberg

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