Historic Boxing Event!
First-Ever Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Weekend
Belfast, New York
October 16-18, 2009
List of Inductees:
Bare Knuckle Boxers:
Jack Broughton, Considered the Father of Boxing;
Champion of England, 1736. Invented the boxing glove; used it only for sparring. Developed
Broughton’s Boxing Rules of 1743.
Bill Richmond, First American to fight in organized
bouts. Former slave, taken to England to fight in 1777.
Tom Cribb,
First British Champion of the World, 1811. King George III issued the first ever Championship “belt”
to him. It was a lion-skin sash with sterling silver claws.
Tom Hyer, First
Champion of America, 1841.
Paddy Ryan, Champion Heavy Weight of America, 1880. First
fighter in America to receive a Richard Fox Championship belt. Considered the first great prize fight in
America, he lost his title to Sullivan in 1882.
George Godfrey, First World Colored-Heavy Weight
Champion, 1883.
Jake Kilrain, Champion Heavy Weight of the World as declared by Richard
K. Fox, 1887.
John L. Sullivan, Champion of the World, and Champion of Champions.
Trained in Belfast, New York, for the last ever Heavy Weight Bare Knuckle World Championship Fight that he won in 75
rounds against Jake Kilrain; July 8, 1889. Considered America’s first sports hero.
Trainers:
William Muldoon, Prolific and Innovative Trainer
of the 1800s, eventual Chairman of New York State Boxing Commission 1921-24.
Promoters of the Sport:
Richard K. Fox, Publisher of The National Police
Gazette turning it from a scandalous paper into a sporting publication. Innovator of The Championship Belt
in America, 1880.
Honorary Inductees
(those who have brought a positive spotlight to upstate New York through use of their fists or promoting skills):
Joe Mesi, 2004 Number 1 Ranked Undefeated 36-0 (30 by KO) WBC Heavyweight Contender of the World,
from Buffalo, New York. Baby Joe Mesi was inducted at a special ceremony in May 2009 as our First-Ever Honorary Inductee.
Carmen
Basilio, 1955 Welterweight Champion of the World, 1957 Middleweight Champion of the World. Ranked 40th on Ring
Magazines's list of Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years.
Rob Ray, Buffalo
Sabres “Enforcer” for 13 years, 6th on All-Time NHL penalty list. A fan favorite
and champion of Western New York causes. King Clancy 1999 Award receipient for leadership and humanitariarn community
contributions. He is now a commentator for the Buffalo Sabres.
Bill Heaney, local boxing promoter who in 1989 organized
the John L. Sullivan Boxing Team that continued for a decade. He was the long-time caretaker of the Sullivan/Muldoon
Training Barns in Belfast, New York. In his younger years he wrestled throughout the Southern Tier as a member
of the villainous "Fabiolous Brothers"
