Talk ‘n’ Shoot Podcast #12 – The Boxing podcast is back, and this week we are talking about the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. The IBHOF, as it is called, has its 2016 induction ceremonies scheduled for this weekend, from June 9th until June 12th.
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This year’s inductees are led by Hector “Macho” Camacho, the Puerto Rican fighter who is sometimes remembered more for his wild ways and lifestyle than his boxing prowess. Nevertheless, Camacho could fight, as his final record of 79-6-3 attests. He held world titles in three different weight classes and he faced many of the greatest fighters of his era including Oscar De La Hoya, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Felix Trinidad, Greg Haugen, Sugar Ray Leonard and Edwin Rosario among others. Unfortunately, the induction comes posthumously, as Camacho was shot and killed in November of 2012.
This year’s class comes with a distinct Latin feel as the other inductees are Lupe Pintor of Mexico and Hilario Zapata of Panama.
Pintor held world titles at bantamweight and super bantamweight and his overall career record stands at a fine 56-14-2. Pintor took his first world title from hall of fame stable mate Carlos Zarate, and he held onto the belt for more than three years and eight defenses before relinquishing the belt to move up in weight class. Pintor is trained by the late, great “Cuyo” Hernandez and he is now passing on his knowledge as a boxing trainer in Mexico City.
Zapata’s is a story of amazing peaks and nadirs. At 22-years-old in just his 12th pro fight, he became a world champion by defeating Shigeo Nakajima in Tokyo on March 24th, 1980 for the WBC’s world light flyweight title. Though many fighters are able to fast track their careers in the 21st century, it was rare in the 1980’s to find success so early in a career. He held onto the belt for eight title defenses, then lost it, won it again and defended it twice more. Zapata’s life after boxing turned dark, as he succumbed to a drug addiction that saw him living on the streets for eighteen years. Nowadays, after a harsh rehabilitation stay in Cuba, Zapata is living of a government pension but is doing well teaching boxing to Panama’s next generation.
The rest of this year’s class includes old timer Petey Sarron, as well as trainer Whitey Esneault, judge Harold Lederman, commissioner Marc Ratner, journalist Jerry Izenberg and broadcaster Col. Bob Sheridan. The weekend in Canastota is normally packed with special guests and boxing celebrities and the list of fighters attending this year includes Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Leon Spinks, Michael Spinks, Mickey Ward and Montell Griffin, just to name a few.
Talk ‘n’ Shoot Podcast #12
We also spend some time dwelling on the passing of boxing great Muhammad Ali. It is hard to do justice to a person whose impact was felt on the world for more than five decades.
Check out author Arne K. Lang’s tribute to Muhammad Ali, here at The Sweet Science.
Check out more details on the weekend at the Canastota, New York International Boxing Hall of Fame website.
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