Bad Left Hook simply wants to again recognize and congratulate the upcoming inductees into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY. This weekend is the big one!
LARRY HOLMES
69-6 career record, 44 knockouts. Only knocked out once, by Mike Tyson in 1988. A great and often overlooked heavyweight champion, bridging the gap between the eras of Ali and Tyson. Probably the most significant and biggest fight of Holmes' career came against Gerry Cooney in 1982. Went undefeated from 1973 to 1985, beating the likes of Muhammad Ali, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Cooney, Trevor Berbick, Tex Cob, Tim Witherspoon, and many more. Post-Tyson, he did fight again for the world heavyweight championship, losing to Evander Holyfield in 1992.
EDDIE PERKINS
75-20-2 career record, just 22 knockouts. Fought from 1956-75. Won the junior welterweight title in 1962, beating Duilio Loi. Lost it three months later to Loi, who retired the month after that. Perkins would win the title again in 1963, holding it until 1965.
HOLMAN WILLIAMS
146-30-11 career record, 36 KO. Can you imagine a great fighter with that sort of KO rate today? And he fought all those fights between 1932 and 1948. In 1942, he fought Charley Burley in a bout billed as for the colored middleweight championship. He lost to Burley via ninth round TKO in August, but beat him via controversial decision in October. The first bout is remembered as a "sensational battle," with Williams absorbing a tremendous beating before it was stopped. Late in his career (1946), he fought Jake LaMotta.
Mr. Williams passed away in 1967.
LEN HARVEY
Fought 1920-1942, amassing a 111-13-9 record with 51 knockouts. Won the British championships at middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight, and fought to a draw earlier for the British welterweight title. Mr. Harvey died in 1976.
FRANK KLAUS
Born in 1887, fought professionally from 1904 to 1913. Klaus went 61-10-7 (26). Klaus beat "Cyclone" Johnny Thompson in 1911 -- since Thompson had been claiming rights as the world middleweight champion, Klaus inherited those claims. In 1912, he fought Georges Carpentier, who was also claiming ownership of the title. Klaus beat Carpentier via 19th round disqualification, and kept his claim, though he came in three pounds overweight. Beat Billy Papke in 1913 via 15th round DQ. Klaus lost the title seven months later when George Chip knocked him out in the sixth round. Klaus fought Chip again two and a half months later and was TKO'd in the fifth. That was his last bout. Mr. Klaus passed on in 1948.
HARRY LEWIS
101-34-20 (46 KO) from 1903-13. Born in New York City and fought out of Philadelphia, Lewis had extensive experience in the United Kingdom and France. Went to a draw in Philly in 1909 with Frank Klaus. In his final fight, he lost to Joe Borrell via ninth round TKO. The Buffalo Times reported Lewis' death after the fight, but he survived a scare. He did suffer partial paralysis, and never fought again. Mr. Lewis died in 1956.
DAN DONNELLY
Being inducted into the Pioneer Category, Donnelly was was the first Irish-born heavyweight champion. Records say his first bout occured in 1814, and he was born in 1778. Mr. Donnelly died in 1820, having been one of Ireland's top sporting stars and having been knighted by Prince Regent. It is said that nearly 70,000 watched his funeral procession through the streets of Dublin.
Other inductees are promoters Mogens Palle and Frank Warren, and trainer Bill Gore.