IBHOF: 1997 Induction

INDUCTION CLASS OF 1997

MODERN ERA (Last bout no earlier than 1943)
Sugar Ray Leonard | Luis Manuel Rodriguez | Jose Torres | Chalky Wright

OLD-TIMER (Last bout no earlier than 1893 and no later than 1943)
Pete (Kid) Herman | Joe Jeannette | Freddie Miller | Freddie Welsh

PIONEER (Last bout in or prior to 1892)
Tom Molineaux | Dutch Sam

NON-PARTICIPANT (Contributions to the sport apart from roles as boxers or observers. Based upon a candidates achievements and contributions in their particular field)
Richard Kyle Fox | Joe Humphreys | Don King

Induction Weekend: June 12 - 15

IBHOF Recap: click

Hall of Famers Attending: Muhammad Ali | Alexis Arguello | Carmen Basilio | Wilfred Benitez | Bob Foster | Gene Fullmer | Kid Gavilan | Emile Griffith | Marvin Hagler | Don King | Sugar Ray Leonard | Arthur Mercante | Archie Moore | Ken Norton | Carlos Ortiz | Floyd Patterson | Willie Pep | Aaron Pryor | Sandy Saddler | Jose Torres

Non-Hall of Famers Attending: Rosendo Alvarez | Billy Backus | Maurice Blocker | Lonnie Bradley | Victor Callejas | Melchor Cob Castro | Antonio Cermeno | Julio Cesar Chavez | Gerry Cooney | Tony DeMarco | Dick DiVeronica | Michael Dokes | Larry Holmes | Tom (Boom Boom) Johnson | Frankie Liles | Ricardo Lopez | Saoul Mamby | Christy Martin | James (Buddy) McGirt | Michael Moorer | Carlos Murillo | Ossie Ocasio | Greg Page | Freddie Pendleton | Vincent Pettway | Frankie Randall | Eloy Rojas | Danny Romero | Edwin Rosario | Gianfranco Rosi | Lonnie Smith | Bert Sugar | Meldrick Taylor | Quincy Taylor | Pinklon Thomas | Tony Tubbs | Wilfredo Vazquez

Parade Grand Marshal: Sugar Ray Leonard

Weekend Theme: "All Roads Lead to Canastota"

Weekend Notes: Sugar Ray Leonard becomes the eighth fighter to be elected in their first year of eligibility. Jose Torres becomes the fourth Puerto Rican fighter elected in the modern era category. This is the third consecutive year a Puerto Rican boxer has been elected in the modern era category. Leonard and Torres are also Olympic medalists, with Leonard winning gold in 1976 and Torres winning silver in 1956. Ringside lectures were given by Ralph Citro, Jose Torres, Aaron Pryor, Bob Foster, Christy Martin, and Alexis Arguello. A public workout session was also conducted by Danny Romero.

Don King extended invitations to the numerous champions he promoted over the years and 30 responded by attending. Showing him their support were: Ali, Alvarez, Blocker, Bradley, Callejas, Castro, Cermeno, Chavez, Dokes, Holmes, Johnson, Liles, Lopez, Mamby, Martin, Moorer, Murillo, Ocasio, Page, Pendleton, Pettway, Randall, Rojas, Rosario, Rosi, Smith, M. Taylor, Q. Taylor, Thomas, Tubbs, and Vasquez.

Weekend Schedule: