The New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) has announced its 29-member Class of 2121. The 10th NYSBHOF induction dinner, sponsored by Ring 8, will be Sunday afternoon May 1 at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.
Living boxers heading into the NYSBHOF include WBO heavyweight champion Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs (60-6-1, 53 KOs), WBO heavyweight champion Michael Bentt (11-2, 6 KOs), 3-time world light middleweight titlist Verno Phillips (42-11-1, 2 KOs), WBC light heavyweight champion Donny “Golden Boy” Lalonde (42-11-1, 21 KOs), WBC light heavyweight champion Johnny “The Heat” Verderosa (41-5-1, 33 KOs), 2-time World title challenger and No. 1 ranked welterweight contender Larry “No Fear” Barnes (44-3-1, 17 KOs), and welterweight Johnny Turner (42-6-2, 32 KOs).
Posthumous participants being inducted lightweight champion Al Singer (62-9-2, 26 KOs), world’s colored light heavyweight champion Kid Norfolk (88-25-7, 49 KOs), lightweight Patsy “Cannonball” Giovanelli (44-7-1, 14 KOs), world bantamweight champion Cannonball Eddie Martin (81-12-4, 29 KOs), world light heavyweight title challenger Battling Seki (60-24-4, 31 KOs), Novice New York Golden Gloves and Intercity Golden Gloves champion Solly Krieger (82-25-6 , 54 KOs), No. 1 world ranked middleweight contender Herbie Kronowitz (55-23-5, 10 KOs), featherweight champion Tommy Paul (80-28-10, 26 KOs), and bantamweight champion and US Olympian Lou Salica (67-17-12, 13 KOs).
Living non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are judge Ron McNair, promoter/manager/matchmaker Don Elbaum, journalists Ed Schuyler and Bill Verigan, author/journalist Tom Hauser, author/journalist/promoter/inspector Mike Silver, and Jill Diamond, Secretary of the World Boxing Council and International Chair of WBC Cares.
Posthumous non-participant inductees are trainer and Stillman’s Gym owner Lou Stillman, promoter/manager Bill Cayton, NYC Mayor James Walker who legalized boxing in NY, publicists John Condon and Irving Rudd, journalist Richard K. Fox, and trainer Victor Valle.
Each attending inductee (or direct descendant of) will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his or her induction into the NYSBHOF.
The 2021 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members: Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Jim Monteverde and Neil Terens.
All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers or during the prime of their respective career.
“Every year the selections get more difficult,” NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy said. “Everyone of these new inductees has been a major part of New York boxing. It’s talent like this that makes NYSBHOF so successful.”
Although hw was given the decision, Shannon Briggs did not defeat George Foreman.
He didn’t defeat Liakhovich either. L. took a dive.
I mean no disrespect to the man, but… Michael Bentt? I mean, taking out Tommy Morrison on a bad night back when he was less than stellar in his training regimen merited him the WBO strap back then, but really, other than Morrison, what did Bentt do to earn anyone’s HOF consideration?
Briggs wasn’t impressive at all, and he doesn’t deserve to be in any HOF. He was almost comical in his fights, and specialized in knocking the hell the air surrounding his opponent, since he missed so much. Standards must be set very, very low. I expect more from NY. Briggs instead belongs in the HOS, the Hall of Shame.
Don’t forget about the obnoxious “ticks” that Briggs repeats like a broken record; “Let’s go champ!”. SSRI drugs for OCD work wonders for such social problems.
Michael Bentt was an excellent amateur who won multiple NYS Golden Glove titles and has been a class act in and out of the ring. He’s a good diplomat for the sport and I can see why he got the nod despite having so few pro fights. He had that amazing night against Morrison and rebounded in life after sustaining career ending injuries in his last fight with Herbie Hide, who was a concussive puncher at heavyweight. Congrats to him and the other inductees!
Recon Shannon Briggs deserves to be inducted at the level of NYSBHOF. He was heavyweight champion, fought 67 heavyweight fights, many brutal fights, and fought in the days HW’s stood up and all fought each other.
Let’s go champ!