Let's make our Boxing Hall of Fame Ballott. & A Question

[Willow The Wisp]

What you propose is too much work, Wispy. Awards, prizes and honors mean very little. I would rather satirize them than take them seriously.

I know it is different with you, because you are looking for a good seat at the next boxing dinner. Lol. I will put in a word with Sulaiman. I know the man who does his dry cleaning. You may find yourself at the captain's table next time.

I get that. Pithy quips are more fun, less work. Less work anyway. I figured since most boxing people have a few candidates in the chamber already, and some of those fighters seem to have been snubbed, folks here might have some ideas. I read allot more than I post, but I decided to raise it up the pole and see who'd salute.

[Willow The Wisp]

Participation on our end is easy, setup and maintenance difficult.

If all you want is my considered opinion I'm in; don't have the computer skills to assist in setup. Don't want the responsibility of maintenance. Sorry.

Your considered opinion is plenty. And valuable. To set up an official sticky poll? Not daring to imagine the traffic would warrant that here. A perusal of the board reveals mostly hashing out per diem newsfeed, posturing and trolling, which is standard. The history section does seem to attract the best class.

[Willow The Wisp]

What you propose is too much work, Wispy. Awards, prizes and honors mean very little. I would rather satirize them than take them seriously.

I know it is different with you, because you are looking for a good seat at the next boxing dinner. Lol. I will put in a word with Sulaiman. I know the man who does his dry cleaning. You may find yourself at the captain's table next time.

Wait.....Do NOT seat me with Mauricio Sulaimán, thanks.
Maybe you might see if there's room at the table between Kim Jong-un and Baby Doc Duvalier instead. ....If the food's free.

[Willow The Wisp]

Modern: either Ray Mercer or Steve Collins
old timer early: Bill Brennan
old timer late: Paul Pender
Women: Mia St, John

Excellent!!!! Thats the way. Thats all I asked. Good picks too. On Bill Brennan; Older fighters are mostly held to the idea that they needed a world title to be considered, which is hardly fair when moderns are operating in an environment where almost all top contenders get to claim a "world tile" or two. (Gatti, Toney...).

[GhostofDempsey]

Excellent!!!! Thats the way. Thats all I asked. Good picks too. On Bill Brennan; Older fighters are mostly held to the idea that they needed a world title to be considered, which is hardly fair when moderns are operating in an environment where almost all top contenders get to claim a "world tile" or two. (Gatti, Toney...).

There are also several inductees who never held a title. Bivins, Graham, Burley, Marshall and more. I also considered George Benton as a non-title holder, very underrated middleweight.

[Willow The Wisp]

I wouldn't know myself, but not sure Cathy Davis would make induction since there was a scandal of fight fixing with her boxing matches. Are Christy Martin, Laila Ali and Mia St. John already in the hall?

The female inductees are currently Christy Martin, Lucia Rijker, Laila Ali, Ann Wolfe, Holly Holm, Regina Halmich, and Trailblazers Barbara Buttrick, Marian "Lady Tyger" Trimiar and Jackie Tonawanda (who once KO'd PKA ranked kickboxer Larry Rodania in a mixed-gender/mixed style fight in Madison Square Garden).
The hall only started recognizing the woman in 2020. It had literally been in discussion (on some level) for at least 15 years, maybe 20. The popularity of Christy Martin, Lucia Rijker and Laila Ali really upped the profile of Woman's boxing, and then, long time champion Holy Holm tacking on a little kickboxing & crosstraining, then waltzing into the UFC to smash their #1 cash cow (at the time) to peices, (and showing how a little boxing footwork deprives a no shooting Judoka base of anything much to work with in a fight) all played major roles in fostering the long due recognition.

[Willow The Wisp]

There are also several inductees who never held a title. Bivins, Graham, Burley, Marshall and more. I also considered George Benton as a non-title holder, very underrated middleweight.

Yes Sir. In 1992, the reignited HOF still in it's infancy, Burley, Graham and the beloved and available Ken Norton all made the cut. Norton's title was an after the fact bestow by the WBC banditos that was lightly regarded, and it really took Larry Holmes lifting that title, beating both Ali and Leon, wiping out the next generation of heavyweights and the WBA to prove themselves even more silly than the WBC for that green belt to gain the universal acknowledgement that it would ultimately receive.... just before Holmes dumped it for the newly minted IBF version. The Ring, the events of 77' fading, again, cautiously; became the ombudsman of title understanding with Stanley Weston's monthlies chiming in.
Anyway, Bivins in 99', Papp in 01', Holman Williams in 08', Marshall in 10', the Cocoa Kid in 12', Booker in 17' would follow as those fitting the description as voters sought to atone for past wrongs of the sport, the establishment, the culture and the world.
There are plenty more where those cane from (GeorgeBenton is one such, a great choice), now that we have set the bar at James Toney, Andre Ward, Arturo Gatti, Shane Mosley, Buddy McGirt, Virgil Hill, Mark Johnson, Winky Wright and Rid**** Bowe.
Now to be clear, I am NOT picking on those inductees. It's simply a matter of criterial integrity, setting the bar at the same place for each catagory and throttling the flow of old timers so as to not run them dry over the following 32 or 63 years, as they don't continue to be newly produced.
So.....that's the base purpose of this thread.

[Willie Pep 229]

Excellent!!!! Thats the way. Thats all I asked. Good picks too. On Bill Brennan; Older fighters are mostly held to the idea that they needed a world title to be considered, which is hardly fair when moderns are operating in an environment where almost all top contenders get to claim a "world tile" or two. (Gatti, Toney...).

Actually I am suprised Pender didn't/hasn't made it to the NY HOF - you would think back to back wins over SRR would get you there. I wonder if the rest of his career is wanting? I need to look.

The absence of Bill Brennan in the NY HOF surprised me as well when you consider that they inducted Billy Miske. I would argue, considering their careers, either both are in or both are out.

As a new inductee I will offer Rodrigo Valdez of Coloumbia at MW . . . 63-8-2 stopped only once; has a three peat win over Bennie Briscoe (who maybe should be my next selection) went the distance with Monzon twice (15 rounds too, none of that candy ass 12 round stuff either).

Weakness: no title, couldn't get past Monzon (twice), and Hugo Pastor Corro (twice) very late in his carrer.

[Willow The Wisp]

Actually I am suprised Pender didn't/hasn't made it to the NY HOF - you would think back to back wins over SRR would get you there. I wonder if the rest of his career is wanting? I need to look.

The absence of Bill Brennan in the NY HOF surprised me as well when you consider that they inducted Billy Miske. I would argue, considering their careers, either both are in or both are out.

As a new inductee I will offer Rodrigo Valdez of Coloumbia at MW . . . 63-8-2 stopped only once; has a three peat win over Bennie Briscoe (who maybe should be my next selection) went the distance with Monzon twice (15 rounds too, none of that candy ass 12 round stuff either).

Weakness: no title, couldn't get past Monzon (twice), and Hugo Pastor Corro (twice) very late in his carrer.

Really liked Valdez and been on the ballot awhile. If Carlos Monzón had not been born, Rodrigo Valdez would be as highly regarded as countryman Antonio Cervantes and more. He did own the WBA title and his fist fight with Monzón was a unification fight. I want Valdez IN.

[Willow The Wisp]

Modern: either Ray Mercer or Steve Collins
old timer early: Bill Brennan
old timer late: Paul Pender
Women: Mia St, John

Mia attended a few inductions. Posing for pictures with her, feeling like a 7th grader. Good clean fun. She's a nice kid.