Tag Archives: Kathy Duva

Boxing Hall of Fame Postpones 2020 Class Until 2021 Due to Coronavirus

Posted on 03/30/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Reaching the Hall of Fame is the goal for every athlete. 

It doesn’t quite matter what sport you’re discussing, the end goal is always the same. In the sport of boxing, getting to the Hall of Fame is beyond important. Winning world titles and claiming a spot on the pound for pound list is great. But they are all meaningless in comparison. 

Landing a spot in the Hall, officially stamps a fighters status as an all-time great. And this year’s 2020 class had done just that over the course of their careers. 

The loaded class which contains names such as former two division world champ Bernard Hopkins, three division titlist Shane Mosley, four division champion Juan Manuel Marquez, former women’s belt holder Christy Martin and promoters Lou DiBella and Kathy Duva were set to be inducted in June of 2020. Now however, they will have to wait a bit longer as the Coronavirus has officially moved back their induction date. 

The 2020 class will now be inducted in 2021. As for the 2021 class, they will also be inducted as well in what is being described as a double ceremony. 

“By combining the celebrations of the induction classes of 2020 and 2021, the Hall of Fame can honor inductees with all the bells and whistles that the Hall of Fame Weekend is known for,” Hall of Fame executive director Edward Brophy said.

“By honoring the two classes in a one-of-a-kind induction weekend, the Hall of Fame will be able to put all the winning combinations together for the inductees, fans and the entire sport of boxing.”

The newly minted Hall of Fame inductees are always memorable. But the 2020 class is one of the very best of all-time. 

Throughout the 23 year career of Shane Mosley, he accomplished just about everything humanly possible. In 1998 and 2000 Mosely was voted the fighter of the year. He followed that up with back to back rankings in 2000 and 2001 as the best pound for pound fighter in the world by The Ring magazine. Mosley also won his fair share of big fights. His resume includes two wins over Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando Vargas, Luis Collazo and Antonio Margarito. 

In any other year, Mosley would be viewed as the main prize. But with former undisputed Middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins also on the list, Mosley will gladly play second fiddle. 

If there’s one fight that boxers can’t win, it’s against Father Time. But Hopkins may have handed it the first loss of its career. 

Forget about the record setting 20 title defenses that Hopkins set in the Middleweight division. Also ignore his ridiculous resume that includes wins over Jean Pascal, Roy Jones Jr, Antonio Tarver, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad. 

Simply stare at his other achievement. Hopkins at 48, holds the record as the oldest fighter to win a world title. When he finally decided to call it a career at the age of 51, it wouldn’t have surprised anyone if he decided to change course and keep things going. The two division champion kept himself in shape all year round. Because of that, he was nearly impossible to beat in his prime.

The 2020 Hall of Fame class is one of the most memorable in recent memory. But at this point, they will have to wait one full year before they receive the biggest honor of their careers. 

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WBC Agrees With Everlast Campaign to Remove The Word “Female” From All Championship Belts

Posted on 03/10/2020

By: Hans Themistode

It’s a man’s world. 

That has always been the phrase that many have lived by. The meaning behind it is simple. Men rule just about everything. Especially sports, and boxing in particular. Men receive much higher pay for the same sort of work, and they are also given the type of recognition that a woman can only dream of. 

If you believe that phrase is still relevant in today’s day and age, then you are living in the stone ages. Behind every successful man, has always been a strong woman. To take things even further, men are beginning to take a backseat to women. 

The sport of boxing has always been dominated by men. Truthfully, it still is. Men take control of the headlines and rise to the top at a much faster rate than their female counterparts. 

Fair? Of course not. But there is no time to simply sit by and complain about it. Instead, it’s time for action. 

Everglast, one of the foremost brands in boxing, is leading the way with their new move entitled: First Is Strong. The ad highlights women who have created their own path through the boxing world. 

See, it’s easy to follow the footsteps of those who came before you. Watch the blueprint that is already laid in front of you to your own success. But it’s something different entirely when there is no blueprint. No roadmap to follow. No footsteps to imitate. 

What the hell are you supposed to then? 

You could always quit. Make the assumption that it’s impossible. Maybe the path that you’ve decided to go on is a bit too difficult and it’s time to turn back. Or, you can keep moving forward and make your own path. Build your own way and become the blueprint that others will use when you’re long gone. 

That is exactly what former world Featherweight champion Heather Hardy has done. Along with boxing promoter Kathy Duva and journalist Kris Herndon, to name a few.

So how special are these three women in particular? Well, Kathy Duva is one of the most successful boxing promoters in the world. Not an easy thing to do considering how male dominated her profession is. The hard work she’s put in over the years has paid off as she will become just the third female ever to be inducted into the hall of fame this coming June. For male’s who are looking to be a part of her team, don’t even bother. She currently has an all female executive board and her daughter is set to take over once her mother decides to walk away.

As for Heather Hardy, she won the Featherweight world title back in 2018, but that was only the tip of the iceberg. 

Hardy became the first female boxer to fight at Barclay Center, in Brooklyn, New York in 2014. She also became the first woman to fight on a national television broadcast as well. Those accomplishments, coupled with her outside of the ring battles including homelessness and sexual abuse, highlights the sort of grit that she has and why she become so successful.

Much like Heather Hardy, Kris Herndon dealt with her own sexual abuse. The trauma may have left her scarred, but certainly not broken.

To sum it all up, these women have fought their way to make it here today. 

Simply honoring these women would be more than enough. Well, maybe for anyone else, but not for Everlast. The company has recently launched a campaign to have the word “female” removed from the WBC and WBO sanctioning bodies. 

The goal is simple. Forget about genders and just acknowledge women as champions. So far, the WBC has agreed.

“The WBC joins @Everlast campaign in the quest for gender equality,” said the WBC via their Instagram page. “The World Boxing Council has always distinguished itself as a pioneer in regulating boxing and fighting for human rights throughout the entire range of the sports world.”

“For this very reason we adhere to the struggle of women around the world in the search for equity, as well as the various campaigns that have been launched to end discrimination and abuse, and we join the Everlast brand campaign, “ #changethebelt “making the decision to immediately modify our emblematic belt by removing the word “Female” and thus maintain the status of champion regardless of gender; call Champion a Champion.”

With the WBC already onboard with the current change, the ball is now in the court of the WBO.

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