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International Boxing Hall inducts 16
CANASTOTA, N.Y. (AP) -- The day belonged to fighters from outside the United States as champions from four different countries were among those inducted Sunday into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. From Panama, there was Ismael Laguna, a two-time lightweight champion in the late 1960s and early 1970s. From Mexico, there was Cuban-born Ultiminio "Sugar" Ramos, a fearsome right-hander who won the world featherweight title in 1963. From Hungary, it was Laszlo Papp, the first boxer to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals. Enshrined posthumously was England's Randy Turpin, who won European championships as a welterweight, middleweight and light heavyweight and became a national hero in 1951 when he upset Sugar Ray Robinson for the world middleweight title.
"From our beginning, we have been the international boxing hall of fame. International because this is a worldwide sport and its heroes come from many countries of the globe, and that's never been truer than today," Michael Milmoe, the hall's treasurer, told a crowd of nearly 3,000. The four fighters were selected from the modern-era category along with American Willie Pastrano, who fought professionally 12 years before winning the world light heavyweight crown in 1963. Pastrano died in December 1997. "This is the absolute culmination," said Kath Turpin, who accepted the honor for her uncle, who died in 1966, just two years after he stopped fighting. Turpin compiled a record of 66-8-1, with 45 knockouts, while ruling the British and European middleweight ranks in the 1950s. He won the world middleweight crown with a startling 15-round decision over Robinson on July 10, 1951. Turpin lost to Robinson in a rematch two months later. Next month, Warwickshire, England, is unveiling a statue to commemorate their native son's famous victory, Kath Turpin told the crowd. "I'm just so grateful. We didn't realize people still remembered Randy. Now he will be remembered by future generations," she said. Speaking through translators, Ramos dedicated his enshrinement to his father while Laguna, who waved a small Panamanian flag throughout the ceremony, thanked God. Under the guidance of Angelo Dundee, Ramos defeated Davey Moore in March 1963 for the world featherweight title with a 10th-round KO. Ramos successfully defended his crown three times before Hall of Famer Vincente Saldivar knocked him out in the 12th round in a September 1964 bout. Ramos retired in 1972 with a 55-7-4 record and 40 KOs. Laguna won the world lightweight title in April 1965 with a decision over Hall of Famer Carlos Ortiz, who won it back in a rematch. Laguna regained the world title five years later with a ninth-round knockout of Mando Ramos but held it only six months before losing it to Scotland's Ken Buchanan, another Hall of Famer. Papp was too ill to make the trip from Hungary but his one-time nemesis, former world light heavyweight champion Jose Torres, spoke for him. Torres lost the gold medal to Papp at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. It was Papp's second straight gold medal as a light middleweight, and added to the one he won in 1948 as a middleweight. A southpaw with a powerful left hook, Papp turned professional in 1957 and rolled to the European middleweight title with a knockout victory in 1962. He successfully defended his European championship six times and was on the verge of a shot against world middleweight champion Joey Giardello when the communist Hungarian revoked his permit to travel abroad and forced him into retirement as an undefeated champion with a professional mark of 26-0, with three draws and 15 knockouts. The 12th annual induction class was selected by a 16-member panel of boxing writers and historians. Along with Laguna, Ramos and Papp, the other living inductees were trainer George Benton, record keeper and historian Ralph Citro, promoter Don Chargin and sports cartoonist Bill Gallo. "I've known a lot of the guys already in here but I never thought I would rate a ring," said Citro, a one-time matchmaker for Hall of Famer Jersey Joe Walcott and longtime cornerman who was recognized for creating a central database to record the results of fights worldwide and producing an annual record book. Citro and Gallo were inducted as observers, a category added this year. Chargin and Benton were chosen as non-participants.
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