By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHF) postponed its prestigious ceremony in honoring the newest set of inductees as members of the boxing legends.
Originally scheduled this June 2020, the IBHF committee decided to call the event off due to the crisis brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision was confirmed and announced by IBHF executive director Ed Brophy, saying that this batch of new inductees will be combined with the 2021 batch.
Despite waiting another year, IBHF and Brophy assured that they will provide the inductees with the much-needed recognition they deserve in the boxing world.
Members of the 2020 class include Manny Pacquiao’s adversary, Juan Manuel Marquez, “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins, Frank Erne, and Paddy Ryan.
For the female sluggers, Barbara Buttrick, Christy Martin, and Lucia Rijker, who, together with the boys, will be inducted in 2021.
Aside from boxers, the IBHF will also be honoring promoters and journalists such as Lou DiBella, Kathy Duva, Dan Goossen, Bernard Fernandez, and Thomas Hauser.