02.09.05 – By Jim Amato: The World Boxing Hall Of Fame has announced their inductees for 2006. Among those to be enshrined is Youngstown, Ohio’s Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini. Ray was a TV boxing icon in the 80’s. After running up a nice win streak that included a decisive decision victory over the very respected Jose Luis Ramirez, Ray received a title shot against the legendary Alexis Arguello.. Ray started fast but the great Arguello bided his time and came back to score a late round KO. Even in defeat you could see that Ray had the “goods”. In May of 1982 he stopped Arturo Frias in a savage one round shoot out to capture the W.B.A. version of the lightweight title.
Ray and television were hand and hand as he fought off the challenges of former champions Ernesto Espana and Bobby Chacon. He scored a brutal one punch kayo over rugged Orlando Romero. There was also his tragic bout with the game Korean Duk Koo Kim who died after the fight. A terrible blow to Ray but he would show his own type of gameness as he decided to fight on.
Ray lost his title when he was upset and halted by Livingstone Bramble. Ray attempted to regain his crown but lost a debatable decision to Bramble. Ray decided to retire but would return several years later to take on Hector “Macho” Camacho. Again Ray came out on the short end of the scorecards. Ray again went into retirement but a few years later he returned to take on Greg Haugen. This ill advised fight saw a soundly beaten Ray being stopped for the third time in his career. It would
be Ray’s last fight.
In my view Ray only suffered three legit losses. The Arguello encounter, his first bout with Bramble and the Haugen debacle. I felt he won the Bramble rematch and his bout with Camacho. Ray was a popular fighting champion who gave the fans their monies worth. Congratulations Ray !!!
The other 2006 inductees will be a pair of fine bantamweight titleholders Jeff Chandler and Alfonso Zamora. Also the smooth boxing 60’s middleweight contender Joey Archer. In the Expanded Category Teddy Atlas and Gwen Adair will be enshrined. Again congratulations are in order.
The annual World Boxing Hall Of Fame Banquet will be held on October 22, 2005.