Day in the Sun for International Boxing Hall of Fame CLASS OF 2015 – Official Induction Ceremony Set For Sunday June 14th

For boxers Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe, “Prince” Naseem Hamed, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and Yoko “Fierce Eagle” Gushiken; manager Rafael Mendoza, referee Steve Smoger, journalist Nigel Collinsand broadcaster Jim Lampley, their day in the sun is rapidly approaching. On Sunday, June 14th they will join boxing’s immortals when they are officially inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York.

“We are eagerly anticipating paying tribute to the incredible accomplishments of the members of the Class of 2015,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Edward Brophy. “We look forward to welcoming them to Canastota to take their place in the Hall of Fame.”

“It is so exciting to think that in three weeks the new honorees will be making the trek to Canastota to receive boxing’s highest honor.”

Brooklyn’s Bowe was a two-time heavyweight champion, England’s Hamed was featherweight champion, Youngstown, OH’s Mancini was lightweight champion, Japan’s Gushiken was light flyweight champion, Mexico’s Mendoza is one of boxing’s most respected advisors, Smoger was referee in nearly 200 title bouts, journalist Collins was a longtime editor of The Ring and broadcaster Lampley has been the voice of HBO boxing for nearly 30 years. Each living inductee will receive a Hall of Fame Induction Certificate and gold Hall of Fame Ring.

The Class of 2015 also includes posthumous inductees Masao Ohba (flyweight champion) and Ken Overlin (middleweight champion) in the Old-Timer Category; and John F.X. Condon (publicist) in the Non Participant Category. Inductees were voted in by members of the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians.

A plaque with each inductee’s biography and photo will be on permanent display on the Hall of Fame Wall. The Official Enshrinement Ceremony will be held on the Hall of Fame Museum Grounds in Canastota, New York on Sunday, June 14th at 2:30 p.m.

An impressive list of over 40 boxing stars from the United States and abroad, including “The Raging Bull” Jake LaMotta, Nino Benvenuti, Michael Spinks, “Irish” Micky Ward, William Joppy, Ray Mercer, George Chuvalo, Peter Manfredo Jr., Pipino Cuevas, Ruben Olivares, Buddy McGirt, Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor, Winky Wright, Sergio Martinez, Fernando Vargas and Terry Norris, are scheduled to participate in the weekend.

Grand marshal of the Parade of Champions, scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 14th, is Jon Seda, star of the hit NBC drama Chicago P.D.

For more information on the 2015 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, please call the Hall of Fame at (315) 697-7095, visit online at www.ibhof.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InternationalBoxingHallofFame and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BoxingHall.