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INTERNATIONAL
BOXING HALL
OF FAME
During
the 12th Anniversary HALL OF FAME held in Canastota, N.Y., the day
belonged to four ex-world champions from four different countries around the
world. Panamanian
Ismael “El Tigre de Santa Isabel” Laguna, a two time lightweight
champion. Captured the title for the first time in April 1965 with a decision
over Hall of Famer Carlos Ortiz, who won it back in a rematch. Laguna regained
the title five years later with a ninth-round knockout of Mando Ramos, but held
it only six months before losing it to Ken Buchanan another Hall of Famer, later
Buchananan would also loose it to another future inductee, Panamanian Roberto
“Hands of Stone” Duran. Mexican
Ultiminio “Sugar” Ramos, who captured the Featherweight title in 1963
after defeating Davey Moore with a 10th round KO. He then later
defended the title three times before Hall of Famer Vicente Saldivar knocked him
out in the 12th round in a September 1964 bout. Ramos retired in 1972
with a 55-7-4 record and 40 Kos. Hungarian
Laslo Papp, first boxer to win, three consecutive Olympic Gold Medals.
Won the European middleweight title back in 1962 with a knockout victory and
defended the title six times successfully; was on a verge of a title shot for
the middleweight world division, but the Hungarian communist government revoked
his permit to travel abroad and forced him into retirement as an undefeated
champion with a professional record of 26-0-3, 15 Kos. British
Randy Turpin, who compiled a record of 66-8-1 with 45 knockouts, while
ruling the British and European middleweight ranks in the 1950´s. He won the
world middleweight crown with a startling 15 round decision over Robinson on
July 10, 1951 and became a national hero. Two months later lost the title to
Robinson in a rematch. The
annual induction class was selected by a 16-member panel of boxing writers and
historians. Other living inductees during the ceremony were: trainer George
Benton, record keeper and historian Ralph Citro, promoter Don
Chargin and sports cartoonist Bill Gallo. Citro
and Gallo were inducted as observers, a category added this year. Chargin and
Benton were chosen as non-participants. Edited
by: Jose Oliver Gomez |