Will we ever see amateur greats inducted in Canastota? Someone like Laszlo Papp is inducted in the IBHOF largely because his amateur career glittered. But will we ever see a boxer who never went pro get inducted solely due to shining in the amateurs?
They could have a seperate section . Britain's Harry Mallin won 2 successive Olympic gold medals at middleweight and was professional British champion at the same weight for 5 years. Mallin was a true amateur , who achieved success without any state aid, he was a policeman.
It's embarrassing that Stallone and some very average writers are in there but not some of the best amateurs ever to put on gloves.
I agree. Mark Breland and Sven Ottke had unbelievable amauter careers and pretty good pro careers as well. If you count their amauter accomplishments they are hall of famers for sure.
Even though Laszlo Papp had some good pro wins and retired undefeated as the European Champion, he was inducted in the Hall of Fame pretty much because of his amateur career. I feel like Felix Savon and Teofilo Stevenson should be in too in an amateur section.
If it will make them some money, I am sure they will do. IBHOF is a commercial organisation, so if you show that Savlon et al have the ability to sell the weekend packages, they will get in. I have wrote this before, and I will write it again, even though most here already understand: IBHOF is a hall of FAME, not hall of GREATNESS; they are generally two different things.... Butterbean has fame, but little greatness Mallin has greatness, but little fame
