International Boxing Hall of Fame

The International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), located in Canastota, New York, adjacent to exit 34 of the New York State Thruway, honors boxers, trainers and other contributors to the sport worldwide. Inductees are selected on ballots created through screened public nominations by members of the Boxing Writers Association of America. The IBHOF started as a 1980s initiative by Ed Brophy to honor Canastota's world boxing champions, Carmen Basilio and Basilio's nephew, Billy Backus; the village of Canastota inaugurated the new museum in 1989 which showcases boxing's rich history. With the opening of the Oneida Indian Nation's Turing Stone Casino in the nearby city of Verona in the early 90s, a relationship was developed whereas various IBHOF Hall of Fame Weekend events were hosted at the casino. Today, the IBHOF is visited by boxing fans from all over the world. An earlier hall had been created in 1954, when The Ring magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame was launched, located at Madison Square Garden in New York City. When that Boxing Hall of Fame was disbanded in 1987, it had a total of 155 inductees. As of November 2018, all but 13 of those 155 have also been inducted into the IBHOF. In 2002, boxing promoter Aileen Eaton became the first woman inducted into the IBHOF. Beginning in 2020, the IBHOF began inducting female boxers for the first time since its inception. Ceremonies have been held every second Sunday in June since 1990 to honor inductees but were postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. Events are attended by many former world boxing champions, as well as boxing and Hollywood celebrities. Artist Richard T. Slone has been the official artist of the IBHOF since 1997, creating portraits of inductees and other works for the Hall. Eligibility All professional boxers become eligible for election into the International Boxing Hall of Fame three years after their retirement (previously used to be five years before 2019). Inductees are selected by members of the Boxing Writers Association of America and an international panel of boxing historians, based on criteria in five separate categories: Modern: Retired boxers whose last bout was no earlier than 1989. Prior to a 2014 rule change, the category reflected boxers whose last bout was after 1943. Old Timers: Until 2014, the rule was boxers whose last bout was no earlier than 1893 and no later than 1942. This category has since changed, similar to the Veterans Committee in baseball's Hall of Fame. It is now split into two categories. Early Era: Boxers who fought from the beginning of Marquis of Queensbury Rules (1893) until 1942. Late Era: Boxers who fought their last bout from 1943 to 1988 Pioneers: Boxers whose last bout was in or prior to 1892. Generally, they are boxers who fought before the Marquis of Queensbury Rules. Observers: Journalists, historians, writers and artists. Non-Participants: People who made contributions to the sport of boxing apart from their roles as boxers or observers. Inductees Modern Old Timers Records per ibhof.com unless otherwise stated. Pioneers Non-participants Observers Women's Modern Women's Trailblazer Women non-participants See also Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame Women's International Boxing Hall of Fame References External links International Boxing Hall of Fame – official website