World Boxing Hall of Fame Gala, a Knockout
By Dan Hernandez
The evening began with an introduction by World Boxing Hall of Fame President, Armando Muniz, he stated, “I want to thank all of you here tonight to celebrate the 30th Annual Banquet of Champions. We will recognize the best of the best tonight. A panel of “experts” select and vote each year for the finalists, but it is you, the boxing fan that is necessary to honor the great athletes who are being inducted tonight.
You are the boxing fans that recognize the effort, desire, discipline and courage displayed by all the champions and non-champions and near champions in boxing who are here tonight to be honored…To many of us boxing is the symbol of the daily struggle to survive and we live or relive our lives through the efforts, struggles, and successes of the pugilist, the fighter, and the boxer.”
Armando went on to highlight Lucia Rijker as the first woman boxer ever to be inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, explaining that she and Gwen Adair, inducted in the expanded category in 2005 for her contributions to boxing, are the only two women presently adorning the Hall.
This 30th Annual Banquet of Champions was held at the Marriott Hotel LAX on October 24, 2009 and filled the large banquet hall to capacity. People came from all over the country to honor this years recipients and see the many past and present boxers and boxing personalities. The inductees for 2009 were: Al Bernstein, Dr. James Kim, and Amilcar Brusa in the expanded category. Orlando Canizalez, Brian Mitchell, Rafael Herrera, and Lucia Rijker in the boxer category. The Johnny Flores award was given to Frank Baltazar Sr. and In the Posthumous category, George Dixon and Alphonse Halimi were inducted. The seats were priced from $200.00 for the Gold Circle to $100.00 for general seating. Included in the pricing was a Social Hour, a terrific meal, and a collectable and Memorabilia Show, as well as being able to hobnob with these great stars. The entire evening is available for viewing via internet broadcasting for only $4.95 and can be obtained going to the Hall of Fame website:
www.newwbhf.com.
Just a few of the personalities in attendance were: Emile Griffith, Brian Mitchell, John & Melinda Montes, James “Bone Crusher” Smith, Terry Norris, and Bobby Chacon. In addition, there was: Al Bernstein, Lucia Rijker, Jim Grey, Joe Cortez, Paul Gonzalez, Alex Ramos, Frank Baltazar Sr., Alvaro “Yaqui” Lopez, Hassan Chitsaz, Carlos Ortiz, and George Chuvalo. Amilcar Brusa, Tony “The Tiger” Lopez, Orlando Canizales, Gabriel Ruelas, and Greg Haugen, were also among the many celebrities. These people can be seen on the broadcast and many of them were kind enough to sit down with Alan Santa Anna and myself in providing candid on the spot interviews which can also be viewed on the PPV telecast.
Orlando Canizales turned professional in 1984 after completing an amateur career compiling 108 victories against only 12 defeats. He won the IBF Bantamweight title in only his 22nd bout, stopping Kevin Seabrooks in 15 rounds on July 9, 1988. He defended his title 16 times, a division record. During his career he posted a 50-5-1-1 and held the NABF Flyweight, the USBA Super Flyweight, the IBC Bantamweight and the IBA Featherweight championships.
Brian Mitchell became a professional in 1981 and won the Super Featherweight championship of South Africa just nineteen months later. He defeated Alfredo Layne on September 27, 1986 to win the World Super Featherweight title and proceeded to make 12 successful defenses. His ring record stands at 45-1-3 (21 KO’s). He also held the WBC Super Featherweight title and fought two sizzling battles with Tony “the Tiger” Lopez, posting a draw and a victory against this formidable foe.
Rafael Herrera became a professional on March 20, 1963 and almost nine years later on March 19, 1972, won the WBC and WBA World Bantamweight titles with an 8th round knockout over Ruben Olivares. His ring career lasted quite long, from 1963 to 1986 and Rafael lost only 9 bouts in that time while posting 52 victories. He also held the WBA Bantamweight Championship of the World and the NABF Bantamweight Championship.
Lucia Rijker is one of the leaders in the perpetuation of women in sports and in the status of women in society. She has recently been named by USA Today, along side of Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods, as one of America’s Toughest Athletes. Lucia managed to go through a career in kickboxing and women’s professional boxing undefeated winning world titles in both sports, and is now traveling the world as a motivational speaker and leads empowerment and self-awareness seminars throughout Europe, Japan, and America.
Rijker is also recognizable worldwide from her appearance on television talk shows, television series, commentator at major sporting events, covers and featured stories in many major magazines, and appearances in top Hollywood films as well as being a technical advisor on many film projects. In her spare time Lucia has managed to publish her own book, Million Dollar Baby” written by one of Europe’s leading sports commentators, Theo Reitsma.
Al Bernstein is best known as the “Voice of Boxing” to national television audiences from his work on ESPN and Showtime. He has achieved success in television, movies, stage performances, and is a published author. Al is considered by many as the most recognizable and respected boxing commentator in the business.
Frank Baltazar Sr. has been one of the mainstays in California Amateur boxing, spearheaded many of the amateur programs at the famed Olympic Auditorium in Downtown Los Angeles, and is still a constant contributor to the betterment of all things boxing. He also has had two sons who have become outstanding professional boxers, Frankie Baltazar Jr. and Tony Baltazar, who were world famous in their own right. Frank is presently the Vice-President of the California Hall of Fame.
Dr. James Jen Kin has been called by Ring magazine as “The most under rated referee” is a consistently accurate no nonsense referee and judge. He has traveled the world as the third man in the ring and has participated in over 100 title bouts. He is the current Medical Director of Psychiatry at Long Beach Community Hospital in Long Beach, California.
Amilcar Brusa, born in 1921 is widely considered to be Argentina’s and South America’s finest boxing trainer. He was the WBA Trainer of the Year in 1989 and was hired by Golden Boy Promotions in 2003 as their head trainer and technical advisor. Brusa has been involved in the training of over 15 world champions including the all-time great middleweight champion Carlos Monzon.
In the Posthumous Category, George Dixon, 1870, 1908, held the World Bantamweight and Featherweight titles, Dixon was also rated the number 1 bantam of all time by fabled former Editor of The Ring Magazine, Nat Fleisher. He was voted into The Ring Magazine Hall of Fame in 1956 and the International Boxing Hall of fame in 1990. “Little Chocolate” was definitely one of the rings all-time greats and was the first black boxer to win a world boxing championship.
Alphonse Halimi, 1932-2006, nicknamed “La Petite Terreur” (The Little Terror), born in Constantine, held the World Bantamweight title from 1957 until 1959. An exciting, heavy fisted battler, fought in the first ever boxing contest in Israel, it was in Televiv in 1962 and was inducted into the International Jewish Hall of Fame in 1989.
The entire Gala was deemed a success by Hall of Fame President Muniz, stating that, “there were no surprises since the winners were known prior to the affair. However, there was a bit of disappointment in that a few of the people that had planned to attend were unable to due to conflicting obligations”. Most noteworthy being Manny Pacquiao who is in training for his bout with Miguel Cotto on November 14, 2009 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Overall, Armando was pleased with how smooth the day went and is looking forward to viewing the PPV telecast. This was the first time the Event has been telecast and he is excited about the opportunities it brings for the Hall of Fame and the financial aid a successful production will provide for the retired boxer
(I'm not kidding)
