ATLANTIC CITY — The bright lights, high energy, and crowds of people were all the result of the 10th Annual Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame Awards Induction Weekend. The event took place at the Sound Waves Theater in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, where renowned and retired fighters were inducted.
Though there were many inductees this year, there were three headliners that really stood out to most: Miguel Cotto, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, and Zab Judah.
Cotto holds the distinction of being the first Puerto Rican boxer to hold champion titles in four different weight classes – junior welterweight in 2004, welterweight in 2006, junior middleweight in both 2010 and 2017, and middleweight in 2014. His record is 41-6 with 33 KOs.
Mancini did not get his nickname for nothing. With a record of 29-5 and 23 KOs, he held the lightweight title for the World Boxing Association from 1982-1984. Unlike his peers, after his retirement he became an actor and played in a handful of movies, the most recent one being a thriller/drama from 2017 named Bad Frank.
Judah stopped fighting recently, in 2019, with just as much valor as his peers. With a whopping 44-10 record, 30 KOs, and two No Contests, he won titles in two weight classes: junior welterweight in 2000-2004 during both the International Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Organization, and welterweight in 2005. After losing his initial title, he gained it back in 2011. Because of his speed, flash, and Brooklyn swagger, Judah became a household name and a huge inspiration for the new generation of fighters.
Those in the fighter category included Orlando Canizales, Charles Williams, Harold “The Shadow” Knight, Mike Tinley, and the renowned daughter of Joe Frazier, Jacqui Frazier-Lyde. Though each name is more than deserving of their titles, Knight and Tinley made a far bigger impact on those from New Jersey because of their ties to the state – both were inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000 and 2002, respectively. Tinley also won the ESPN middleweight title.
“I was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey, so I’m a New Jerseyan,” Tinley passionately spoke before the ceremony. “New Jersey is a great state, and great things happen in a great state.”
Knight, born in Plainfield, won his junior lightweight title in 1987. With a record of 19-1 and 15 KOs that only had potential to exponentially grow, he failed a brain scan in 1988 that permanently ended his fighting career, all because he was born with a benign cyst lesion on the brain. Still, he is recognized today for his skill and determination.
Those in the special contributor wing included promoter Lou DiBella, judge Melvina Lathan, referee Earl Brown, manager Craig Johnson, and humanitarian, trainer, and fighter John Scully.
The posthumous category had fighters James Shuler and George Navarro, whose wife appeared on his behalf to attend the induction, trainer Wesley Mouzon, and media member Chuck Betson. The final category, the pioneers, were recognitions of Juan Carlos Tapia, John Fitzpatrick, and Al Soifer.
“My husband did pass away, so I’m here to honor him,” Navarro proudly yet sadly stated. “It’s a very sad moment for me today.”
The beginning of the ceremony was held on the red carpet, with mingling between patrons and inductees taking place on the second floor of the theater. The ceremony started at 7:45 p.m. and ended at 10:00 p.m., when the inductees continued to take pictures and enjoy the company of those who came to support them. The show was hosted by Master of Ceremonies Samad Haq, with the red carpet host being Sisi Cao. Inside the ceremony was a grand stage where inductees were recognized for their fighting careers.
The 2027 schedule, including official dates, ticket information, and inductee lists, has not been released yet because they are just wrapping up the current induction weekend. Everything will be announced in either the winter of this year or early spring of 2027.
