Former welterweight king Pipino Cuevas

Former heavyweight champ Ingemar Johansson

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Fenech, Cuevas, Johansson Lead Class of '02

"We're very excited about the Class of 2002. The thirteenth class of inductees echoes the international scope of the Hall of Fame," said Executive Director Edward Brophy. "All living inductees are anticipated to attend and participate in 2002 Hall of Fame Weekend festivities."

The annual Hall of Fame Weekend is scheduled for June 6-9th in Canastota, NY. Over 20 events, including a golf tournament, banquet, professional boxing show, parade and autograph card show, are planned. A celebrity lineup of over 50 boxing greats of yesterday and today will attend this year 's Induction Weekend. The highlight of the Weekend will be the Official Enshrinement Ceremony on the Hall of Fame Museum Grounds on Sunday, June 9th to welcome the newest members.

The Hall of Fame also released names of posthumous honorees: Victor Galindez in the Modern Category; Benny Bass, The Dixie Kid, Sixto Escobar, Harry Harris, Charley Mitchell and Owen Moran in the Old-Timer Category; manager Irving Cohen, promoter Aileen Eaton and promoter Sam Silverman in the Non-Participant Category; journalists Jimmy Cannon and Damon Runyon in the Observer Category and John C. Heenan and Young Dutch Sam in the Pioneer Category.

Inductees were voted in by members of the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians.

For more information on the events planned for the 2002 International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, please call the Hall of Fame at (315) 697-7095.

"I'm delighted. It's great to get recognition for a lot of hard work. It's the ultimate accolade to be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame. I'm very proud and excited. I've got butterflies in my stomach!" - Jeff Fenech

"I'm very happy and proud to be recognized for my career. This is a grand honor." - Pipino Cuevas.

"I am humble and grateful for the honor of having been elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. It is such a special recognition to receive and this is indeed a very proud moment for me." - Ingemar Johansson

"I received a declaration from Her Majesty The Queen a few years ago called the OBE and all I can say is this is the equal to it because when you get it from your peers in your own profession, it's quite a thrill. I'm very pleased about it." - Reg Gutteridge.

The Hall of Fame's Executive Director, Edward Brophy's comments on the Class of 2002:

On Pipino Cuevas
"An explosive welterweight champion, Pipino Cuevas was one of the most popular fighters of his era. His exciting style gave boxing fans countless thrills and the Hall of Fame looks forward to welcoming him to Canastota from his home in Mexico."

On Jeff Fenech
"Australia's Jeff Fenech made his mark in boxing by winning world titles in three weight divisions. A hero in his native land, we're looking forward to rolling out the red carpet and honoring one of Australia's best."

On Ingemar Johansson
"Ingemar Johansson is one of the legendary names in heavyweight history. The only heavyweight champion from Sweden, he is a national treasure in his homeland. He also has the distinction of being the first Hall of Fame inductee from Sweden."

On Reg Gutteridge
"Reg Gutteridge has been around the fight game his entire life. As one of Britain's most popular sportswriters and commentators, he has traveled the globe covering boxing's major fights. It will be a thrill to welcome him to 'Boxing's Hometown' to pay tribute to his career."

Comments from the Boxing World

"The Class of 2002 is well-rounded. The choices in all categories are excellent." - Hank Kaplan, boxing historian.

"For 2002, what we're showing the world is that boxing is worldwide. The inductees this year come from every walk of life. I think it's a credit to the Hall of Fame to have international inductees and I'm proud to be part and parcel of it." - Angelo Dundee, trainer, 1992 Hall of Fame Inductee.

On Fenech
"Jeff Fenech was a rugged, aggressive and effective puncher. He had tremendous stamina to support his style of boxing and fierce determination." - Hank Kaplan, boxing historian.

"Jeff Fenech was a very tough fighter. A great competitor, who had great heart, Jeff will go down in history as one of the key fighters of all time to ever come from Australia, and they had some great ones, but he has to be right there on the top." - Arthur Mercante, referee, 1995 Hall of Fame Inductee.

"Jeff Fenech, he's the one who caused excitement in Australia. He was for real, a steady, smart, very talented individual." - Angelo Dundee, trainer, 1992 Hall of Fame Inductee

On Cuevas
"Cuevas was an explosive puncher. He knew one way to fight and that was to wade in and go for the jugular. " - Hank Kaplan, boxing historian.

"Pipino Cuevas was always ready to take on anyone at a moment's notice. He was a fierce competitor, like all Mexican fighters are. Cuevas was very tough and he fought his heart out." - Arthur Mercante, referee, 1995 Hall of Fame Inductee

"Pipino Cuevas. Mr. Excitement! Every time they booked him for a fight stateside it was always excitement. He fought everybody and never made a bad fight his whole career." - Angelo Dundee, trainer, 1992 Hall of Fame Inductee.

On Johansson
"Johansson had a very useful left jab which opened up his opponents and then he came with his big, straight right hand which carried a lot of thunder in it." - Hank Kaplan, boxing historian.

"I refereed Johansson vs. Patterson in 1960 at the Polo Grounds. Ingemar was a very powerful right cross puncher and he was always in excellent shape. It was a pleasure for me to referee that fight." - Arthur Mercante, referee, 1995 Hall of Fame Inductee

"Thunder and lighting. How can you not get excited about him? He was a one-punch knocker outer! He got everybody excited, style wise. He always had a smile on his face and what it did was beguiled everyone into thinking he was a softy but he was a real tough individual. God, he could punch." - Angelo Dundee, trainer, 1992 Hall of Fame Inductee.

On Gutteridge
"Reg was a great reporter in a country which has a legacy of boxing. He was fashioned after some of the great British reporters of the past. He comes from a fighting family. He molded in with the electronic media and was an excellent commentator as well." - Hank Kaplan, boxing historian.

"I did a few broadcasts with Reg Gutteridge. He is perhaps the best known boxing commentator throughout Europe and Britain." - Arthur Mercante, referee, 1995 Hall of Fame Inductee

"Reg Gutteridge is a magnificent human being. He is world-renowned. He's a supreme analyst because he knows boxing upside down, inside out." - Angelo Dundee, trainer, 1992 Hall of Fame Inductee

On Eaton (first female inductee)
"While not the first great woman promoter, she was one who achieved the most and produced momentous affairs in boxing history. She showed great determination and artistic ability." - Hank Kaplan, boxing historian.

"She was the absolute best promoter there was. She had a mind like a steel trap. She left nothing to chance. She was a brilliant, brilliant woman and a brilliant promoter. She never saw a fight until she promoted her first fight and all she did was have one of the all-time greats, Henry Armstrong, in the first fight she ever promoted." - Don Chargin, promoter, 2001 Hall of Fame Inductee.

"She was the foremost promoter of boxing for many, many years. She was very successful and for a woman to be in the field of boxing, you have to be pretty tough. She was a real businesswoman." - Arthur Mercante, referee, 1995 Hall of Fame Inductee

"She was a tremendous promoter. When you mention Aileen, you think of boxing on the West Coast and how important promoters like her were to boxing." - Angelo Dundee, trainer, 1992 Hall of Fame Inductee

On Galindez
"Victor Galindez from Argentina! What a man he was. He was a light heavy and when he came to fight that left hook was predominant. He was one tough individual and I know he made Tito Lectoure (his promoter) proud." - Angelo Dundee, trainer, 1992 Hall of Fame Inductee.

Ingo First Swedish Inductee
Ingemar Johansson, born in Sweden, becomes the first Hall of Fame inductee from that country. A silver medal winner at the 1952 Olympic Games, Johansson turned pro in 1952 and captured the world heavyweight championship from Floyd Patterson in 1959. A hero in his native land, he compiled a 26-2-(17 KOs) record and wins over Eddie Machen and Henry Cooper before retiring.

Fenech Inducted in First Year of Eligibilty
Australia's Jeff Fenech enters the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Fenech, a 3-division world champion, satisfied the required five-year retirement period and appeared on the ballot for the first time this year. Other notables to make the Hall on their first try include Alexis Arguello, Wilfred Benitez, Wilfredo Gomez, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Aaron Pryor, Michael Spinks, Carlos Zarate, and Matthew Saad Muhammad.

Cuevas Joins Other Mexican Greats
Former welterweight king Pipino Cuevas continues the fine fighting tradition of Mexican boxers enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Cuevas will join such Mexican standouts in the Hall of Fame as Jose Napoles, Ruben Olivares, Sugar Ramos, Salvador Sanchez, Miguel Canto and Carlos Zarate.

Bass Joins Philly Greats
Benny Bass continues the distinguished list of Philadelphia-area boxers and boxing personalities enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Previous inductees Tommy Loughran, Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, Joe Frazier, Joey Giardello, Harold Johnson, Lew Tendler, Sonny Liston, Bob Montgomery, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Jeff Chandler, Battling Levinsky, Midget Wolgast, promoter Herman Taylor and trainer George Benton are among the many people commonly associated with Philadelphia's great boxing tradition.

Eaton First Female Inductee
Promoter Aileen Eaton becomes the first female honoree in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Forever linked to the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles where she promoted boxing from 1942-1980, Eaton was one of boxing's great promoters, staging more than 2500 fight cards.

Escobar Joins Puerto Rican Greats
Bantamweight king Sixto Escobar will join other Puerto Rican boxing greats such as Jose Torres, Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfred Benitez, and Carlos Ortiz in the Hall of Fame. Escobar KO'd Baby Casanova to win the NBA bantamweight title in 1934 and become the first world champion from Puerto Rico.