Nelson, Palomino, Qawi and Zazagoza Elected To IBHOF

09.01.04 – 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