The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame will hold its first-ever induction ceremony and dinner before a sold-out audience of 400 boxing celebrities, dignitaries and fans tonight at the Monte Carlo Las Vegas Resort and Casino.
Nineteen inductees from eight categories will be enshrined in this inaugural class. Seven boxers will be honored for their achievements in the ring. The Nevada resident champions selected for induction are Mike Tyson, Mike McCallum and Diego Corrales. The non-Nevada resident boxers are Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Julio César Chávez, and Oscar De La Hoya. The other inductees were named from a variety of categories: Trainers, Officials, Executives, Media, Promoters, and Special Contributors.
NVBHOF Founder and President Rich Marotta said, “We are gratified by the amazing reaction to our efforts in establishing the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. It has surpassed our expectations. I am especially indebted to the inductees who traveled long distances to be here: Julio César Chávez from Mexico, Larry Holmes from Pennsylvania, Ray Leonard from South Carolina. I also want to thank inductee Mills Lane, who despite his medical setbacks, traveled from Reno, to make his first Las Vegas public appearance in more than a decade.”
In addition to honoring the 19 inductees, undefeated welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. heads a list of four resident boxers who will be honored with “Nevada Fighter of the Year Awards” tonight at the Inaugural Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame Dinner in Las Vegas.
Mayweather Jr., who is 44 and 0 in his long career, receives the Nevada Male Fighter of the Year honor for his virtuoso performance May 4 against Robert Guerrero at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Floyd entered the ring at the age of 36, having been out of action one day short of a year, against a young, hungry opponent in Guerrero. However, after a close battle in the first two rounds, Mayweather seized control and using his experience and guile, dominated the rest of the way.
Three other Nevada-based boxers also will receive plaques honoring their achievements over the past year. Layla McCarter is the NVBHOF Female Fighter of the Year. McCarter pulled off the difficult assignment of traveling to South Africa and defeating the previously unbeaten Noni Tenge by eight-round TKO to take the WBA Female Light Middleweight.
Jesse Magdaleno was named Nevada Prospect of the Year for his rapid development into a main event fighter. Magdaleno, a two-year pro, is now 15-0. Josue Gaytan, will be honored with the Nevada Amateur Fighter of the Year Award. Gaytan, a junior at the University of Nevada in Reno, won his second consecutive National Collegiate Championship in the 185-pound division.
NVBHOF Founder and President Rich Marotta said, “We are a Nevada-centric organization and we want to recognize not only the past greats, the inductees, but those from Nevada who are making it happen in our state right now.”
