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Connecticut Boxing Hall Of
Fame
Class Of 2015 Officially Announced
Promoter Lou DiBella and manager/promoter Shelly Finkel lead
a seven-member Class of 2015 into the Connecticut Boxing
Hall of Fame (CBHOF). New members will be inducted at the
11TH annual CBHOF Gala Induction Dinner on Friday night,
November 13 in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun.
The new CBHOF inductees also includes former boxing
commissioner Peter Timothy and, posthumously, boxers Carey
Mace and George Russo, boxing writer Mort Sharnik and boxing
advocate Arnie Bayer.
"We at the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame are very excited
to announce this year's class of inductees," new CBHOF
president John Laudati said. "We have a great mix of
internationally recognized boxing legends and a wonderful
and most deserving group of Connecticut's boxing royalty.
Personally, I am so pleased to introduce this class in my
first year as president of this incredible organization. I
look forward to seeing all our Connecticut boxing fans at
Mohegan Sun on November 13th."
Based in New York City, DiBella is the former Head of Boxing
for HBO, creating the highly successful "Boxing After Dark"
series. His promotional company, DiBella Entertainment, has
promoted countless boxing events at Mohegan Sun Arena and
Foxwoods Resort Casino during the past two decades. DiBella
also owned the Connecticut Defenders minor league baseball
team that was based in Norwich. His top fighters have
included Sergio Martinez, Bernard Hopkins, Paulie
Malignaggi, Jermain Taylor, CBHOF inductee "Irish" Micky
Ward, and Andre Berto among the more notables. A Harvard Law
School graduate, DiBella is also a successful movie
producer.
Finkel, also from New York City, is an International Boxing
Hall of Fame inductee who was a fixture at Connecticut
fights for many years as either a promoter or manager. He is
also a successful manager in the music industry. In the
early 1990s, Finkel was arguably the most powerful manager
in boxing. His most celebrated clients included Mike Tyson,
Evander Holyfield, Manny Pacquiao, Pernell Whitaker,
Meldrick Taylor and Wladimir Klitschko.
Timothy was boxing commissioner of the Mashantucket Pequot
Tribal National Commission at Foxwoods from 1995 to 2009. He
was mentored by the late John Burns, who was the founder of
the CBHOF of which he is also an inductee. During his tenure
at Foxwoods, Timothy regulated hundreds of pro events,
including 90 title fight. Highlights of his reign included
CBHOF inductee John Ruiz-Evander Holyfield III for the WBA
world heavyweight championship and, perhaps, the greatest
fight in Foxwoods history, the IBF world cruiserweight title
fight between James Toney and Vassily Jirov. Other stars who
fought at Foxwoods when Timothy was in charge include Roy
Jones, Jr., Diego Corrales, Shane Mosely and Acelino Freitas,
along with CBHOF inductees Dana Rosenblatt, Peter Manfredo,
Jr. and U.S. Olympian Lawrence Clay-Bey.
Mace (72-18-2), born in Hartford, started fighting
professionally in the late 1940s. His most notable victory
came in 1950, stopping former world champion Joe Giardello.
Mace was a member of CBHOF charter member Willie Pep's
stable and was ranked at one point as high as No. 8
welterweight in the world. Mace, whose last bout was a loss
to CBHOF member Gaspar Ortega in 1962, lived in Manchester
when he passed away at the age of 73 in 2003.
Russo had 85 pro fights between 1922 and 1934. He moved to
Bridgeport when he was six and he eventually became a local
legend in boxing, operating gyms like Red Man's Hall, Acorn
Club and East Washington Avenue. In 1992, he brought boxing
back after a decade-long absence to the Old PAL building in
Bridgeport. Russo also was recognized as the "Johnny Duke of
Southern Connecticut."
Born in New Haven, the late Sharnick lived nearly all his
life in Norwalk, before returning to Florida, where he was
elected to the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012, largely
for founding the Smart Boxer Institute. Sharnik was a boxing
writer for 23 years at Sports Illustrated, highlighted by
his coverage of Cassius Clay-Sonny Liston I, quoted wildly
for saying, "Liston has fists like cannonballs." He moved on
to become the chief for consultant at CBS for nine years and
was chief advisor and the lone true believer in George
Foreman's comeback bid eventually leading to another world
heavyweight title. Sharnick also was an advisor for CBHOF
member and two-time world champion Marlon Starling,
persuading the future world champion to add Eddie Futch as
his head trainer. Futch's assistant, CBHOF member Freddie
Roach, would eventually train Starling when he became world
welterweight champion.
Bayer was widely respected as a true advocate of boxing,
always quick to lend a helping hand, as well as opening
wallet to help support boxing gyms in cities like CBHOF
inductee Johnny Duke's Boys Club Gym in Bellevue Square,
Hartford.
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