Transcripts of the 2001 Induction Speeches

Ralph Citro | Bill Gallo | Don Chargin | Ismael Laguna | Sugar Ramos

George Benton
I am very flattered. But you know, I owe most of this to that man right there, Mr. Lou Duva. I got hurt pretty bad and it ended my career. And Mr. Duva came and picked me up. And we wound up with 17 champions. Now that's saying a lot because nobody in history ever had that many champions. And I'd like to say ... [Duva interrupts and says, "Thanks.]... And I thank you. [Duva then says, 'Can I borrow a few dollars?'] ... His credit is bad.

Ralph Citro:
Thank you very much. I've only missed one occasion here since Ed Brophy started this. Never in a million years did I think I would rate a ring. So many other, older people than me ... I'm speaking about at the time I said this, because I'm 75. I did this fight in Rochester and I met Brophy there and we got to talking. He said we're going to have a meeting. I'm thinking of opening up a museum in Canastota. He said would you like to sit in and maybe you'll give us some ideas. That's how I got introduced to this thing. I have to give Ed Brophy and his crew 100 percent of their successful carnival, whatever you want to call it here. I think you should give Ed and his crew a standing ovation.

I've been around boxing since 1938. A few amateur bouts and I had gyms. I just couldn't stay away from it. My father got me into boxing with Friday Night Fights on the radio. There wasn't any television then. That's how I became a boxing nut. The thing that I would like to say that makes me feel real good. Is that I left something good for boxing. When I started keeping records, the thing that forced me to go into the record thing was, there were so many different books publishing the fights of fighters, I would get the old Ring magazines and go to the library and get the microfilm and go through the old newspapers and I find mistake after mistake after mistake. So that's how I got into that. And I figured that is my contribution to boxing. I feel very good that that transpired. And I'm very, very happy to receive this award and I thank you very much.

Bill Gallo:
Thank you all. It's been said before, but I've always known that fighters are the noblest of people in all of sports. And that's true. Nobility runs right through them. They are courageous, they are honest, they are straightforward. And for the fierce thing that they do in the ring, they have a great sense of humor.

I'm going to tell you about a couple of little stories to show you that sense of humor and I'm going to tell you because the principles are here, Emile Griffith, Gil Clancy and Hurricane Carter.

We, the Boxing Writers of America, vote every year for the fighter of the year. This particular year Emile had a grand, grand year. He was hands down the fighter of the year. We had voted for him, it was all set. Just before, maybe a week before the dinner, Emile took a fight with Hurricane Carter. I'm sure Gil thought this was going to be a nice 10-rounder, a good workout for the fighter and Emile would win the decision. Anyway, what often happens in boxing, little accidents. The accident I think was that Emile didn't see this left hook coming around the bend and he stopped him. He stopped Emile. Anyway, he was still our fighter of the year, no question about it. At our dinner, we made our speeches about Emile and were very careful not to spoil this thing. No one mentioned the knockout. Emile got up to the microphone and said, A funny thing happened to me on the way to get this award. Now that's a sense of humor.

Another time I was fortunate enough to be the M.C. (master of ceremonies) at a boxing dinner. To my right was Sugar Ray Robinson and to my left was Willie Pep. Probably the two greatest fighters that ever lived -- boxers. I introduced Sugar Ray first and I say all these great things about him. Sugar took the mic and he said very modestly, "You made a big thing out of me being the best pound-for-pound fighter. But I'll tell you they guy next to you right there, he can box on a handkerchief and win a round. He can go a whole round and fake it and not even throw a punch and win the round. I never saw anyone box like that. So if you are going to call anyone pound-for-pound, you better call Willie Pep, "Will-o'-the-Wisp" Pep the best pound-for-pounder. So he got a big applause. I took the mic and I gave it to Willie thinking he would say nice things about Sugar Ray. He took the mic and said, "I agree 100 percent with what Sugar Ray Robinson said." Now that's a pretty good sense of humor.

Fighters are the grandest people I know. I've always felt very much at home with them since my father took me to my first fight. I grew up in the boxing game. I'm so honored for this award. But before I say thanks, I want you to meet my wife Delores. The love of my life for 51 years. I told Ed Brophy this personally. Cooperstown is to baseball what Canastota is to boxing. This is a wonderful, wonderful place. I had a glorious time and I thank you very much.

Don Chargin:
Thank you very much. I'd like to thank Ed Brophy and his staff for the marvelous treatment we've gotten. We had a lot of relatives fly in from all over and a lot of good friends and everyone has been treated wonderfully.

It's a real pleasure to be voted into the Hall, especially with some of the fighters I've used on many occasions. Ismael Laguna, won his lightweight title under our promotion when he beat Mando Ramos. That was I think 1970. Wherever I go, I'm asked over all these years, what was the favorite fight that you put on, the fight that got you the most excited. I can say that this gentleman right here that is going in, Ultimino Sugar Ramos, when he fought Mando Ramos at the Olympic Auditorium, it was the greatest fight I've ever seen. They started toe-to-toe in the first 10 seconds and they went all the way. I have a picture at home, when the fight was over, they are leaning on each other, with a big embrace, holding each other up, and they are both cut about and below both eyes. I've never seen anything like it. The Olympic Auditorium held 10,400 people and that night we had better than 13,000 people there. We closed circuited it to five theaters and finally Eileen Eaton, who I was associated with at the time, put a closed circuit camera and showed it free on the side of the building. There was nobody who paid their money for that fight who didn't get value received. And Sugar Ramos was one of the best.

When you come to things like this. It was nice to see Lou Duva, Mickey Duff, Gil Clancy, Angelo Dundee. We run into each other once in a while but yesterday I renewed acquaintances with a fighter who fought for me over 40 years ago, a television favorite at the time, it was great to see him looking so good, I have nothing but admiration for Joe Miceli.

Now anybody that knows of Don Chargin productions, of our operation. Things have been going pretty good the last 10, 12 years. Everybody knows that I'm a terrible, terrible details person. I love to make the matches. But my wife Lorraine does all the work. She does everything. I'm not saying anything that everybody doesn't know. She's been doing this for 40 years. And I think we really have a great, great team. I wish Lorraine would stand up. So that's about all I have to say except that it's just so nice to come to Canastota and see all these great, great champions and great friends. Thank you very much.

Ismael Laguna:
I would like to thank all the promoters and trainers and all those people who have helped me achieve all my goals and all the fame that I have received. But most of all I would like to thank God. And I am very happy to have been able to receive these awards while I'm still alive and not deceased. Thank you very much.

Ultiminio Sugar Ramos:
For those who can understand me, it is good. If not, OK. I dedicate this to my father, to all these people around here and all these champions. I am glad to be here.