2 days ago
Manny Pacquiao and Sydney Sweeney Headline 2025 Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend
Canastota, NY is known as the showplace for boxing and has continued to be the location for the International Boxing Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.
'It's a great time for boxing because the whole world of boxing focuses on this celebration to honor the new class of inductees,' said Ed Brophy, the Executive Director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
This year's class featured 14 names, four received posthumous inductions and 10 were in attendance. Those names included referee Kenny Bayless in the non-participant category, television producer Ross Greenberg, and journalist Randy Gordon in the observer category, and fighters Manny 'Pac Man' Pacquiao, 'The Pazmanian Devil' Vinny Paz, Michael 'Second To' Nunn, Mary Jo Sanders, Cathy 'Cat' Davis, Yessica 'Kika' Chavez and Anne Sophie Mathis.
From Thursday to Sunday, fans had the opportunity to take pictures, get autographs hear ring side talks from previous and new inductees and see the fist casting for the new inductees.
'This is the highest honor to get inducted into the Hall of Fame and fans come from all over,' Brophy said. 'Boxing's the greatest sport and we're excited to present the highest honor.'
'I've been coming to the International Boxing Hall of Fame since 2009, because of the love, because of how well Ed Brophy runs the show here and to actually be inducted just took it up another level for me,' Bayless said.
On Sunday, the Parade of Champions made it's way through the streets of Canastota and saw celebrities and previous hall of fame inductees like George Cooney, Jackie Kallen. The parade was headlined by Christy Martin and the Grand Marshal, actress Sydney Sweeney, who will be portraying Martin in a movie later this year.
After the parade was the induction ceremony at Turning Stone where the 2025 class received their Hall of Fame rings, reminisced on the past and gave some words of encouragement.
'Don't give up, just stay focused,' Pacquiao said. 'Hard work and discipline. The most important is discipline that's what we can do so we can fulfill our dreams in life. It might not be in boxing but in our lives we have a dream to fulfill, to accomplish. So we should believe in ourselves, of course believe in God, and have hard work and discipline.'
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