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International Boxing Hall of Fame 1 Hall of Fame Drive Canastota, NY 13032 P: 315.697.7095 F: 315.697.5356
"JESSE” JAMES LEIJA TO BE SPECIAL GUEST
FOR 2020 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND
31st Annual Hall of Fame Weekend set for June 11-14th
CANASTOTA, NY - MARCH 13, 2020 - The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced today former super featherweight world champion “Jesse” James Leija will be among special guests attending festivities planned for the 2020 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend June 11- 14th.
“’Jesse’ James Leija brought boxing fans so many exciting moments during his championship career,” said Hall of Fame director Edward Brophy. “We are thrilled to welcome him to ‘Boxing’s Hometown’ for the 2020 Hall of Fame Weekend festivities.”
Fighting out of his hometown of San Antonio, TX, Leija turned pro in 1988. He won the NABF featherweight title before winning the WBC super featherweight title from Hall of Famer Azumah Nelson in 1994. Leija boxed Nelson four times, going 2-1-1. Leija, who retired in 2005, compiled a pro record of 47-7-2 (19 KOs) that includes wins over Troy Dorsey, Louie Espinoza, Jeff Mayweather, Ivan Robinson and Micky Ward.
Many events in “Boxing’s Hometown” of Canastota throughout the four-day celebration are planned, including a 5K Race / Fun Run, golf tournament, boxing autograph card show, VIP Cocktail Reception, Parade of Champions and the Official Induction Ceremony on the Hall of Fame Museum Grounds. The Hall of Fame Weekend evening events include Friday night’s Fight Night at Turning Stone and Saturday’s Banquet of Champions. Both events will take place at Turning Stone Resort Casino.
The Class of 2020 includes boxers Bernard Hopkins, Juan Manuel Marquez, “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Frank Erne, Paddy Ryan, Barbara Buttrick, “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” Christy Martin and “The Dutch Destroyer” Lucia Rijker; promoters Lou DiBella, Kathy Duva and Dan Goossen; and journalists Bernard Fernandez and Thomas Hauser.
An impressive list of over 35 boxing greats from the United States and abroad, including “Irish” Micky Ward, Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver, Winky Wright, Julian “The Hawk” Jackson, Michael “Little Hands of Stone” Carbajal and Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez, will participate in the Hall of Fame Weekend celebration.
For more information on the 2020 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend please call (315) 697-7095, like the Hall on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram.
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TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO
OFFICIAL RESORT CASINO OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME WEEKEND
In 2017, Turning Stone Resort Casino and the International Boxing Hall of Fame announced a five-year multifaceted partnership to spotlight the entire region, garnering national attention and boosting tourism in
Central New York. The program includes a series of nationally-televised boxing events at Turning Stone, culminating every year in June with an elaborate and bigger-than-ever International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend with several exciting events in Madison County and Oneida County throughout the four-day celebration.
