Breaking news: HOF postpones induction weekend again due to coronavirus pandemic

Three classes to be honored in June 2022

For the second year in a row the coronavirus pandemic has claimed the annual International Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend.

The Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday that the induction weekend set to begin on June 10 and conclude with the induction ceremonies on June 13 at the Canastota, New York, museum have once again been postponed.

The 2020 induction weekend scheduled for this past June was also postponed because of the uncontrolled spread of Covid-19.

Now, three years worth of Hall of Fame classes – 2020, 2021 and 2022 – will be inducted at the conclusion of next year’s annual HOF weekend, which is slated to take place June 9 to June 12.

“Due to the many unknowns of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic between now and June and the remaining months of year, the 2021 induction weekend will be postponed until next year,” the Hall of Fame said in a statement.

The class of 2020 includes boxers Bernard Hopkins, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, Frank Erne, Paddy Ryan, Barbara Buttrick, Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker; promoters Lou DiBella, Kathy Duva and Dan Goossen and journalists Bernard Fernandez and Thomas Hauser. 

The class of 2021, which was announced in December, includes boxers Wladimir Klitschko, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Andre Ward, Laila Ali, Ann Wolfe, Marian Trimiar, Jackie Tonawanda and Davey Moore; cut man Freddie Brown, physician Dr. Margaret Goodman, trainer/manager Jackie McCoy, journalist George Kimball and television executive Jay Larkin.

“Following last year’s induction weekend cancellation, the Hall of Fame recognizes the importance of pausing another round of induction celebrations,” Hall of Fame executive director Edward Brophy said. “However, the word trilogy is synonymous with boxing and if there is one sport and one location that could have the perfect setting for an induction trilogy, it is the sport of boxing and the place is Canastota.

“It is so important to honor inductees with all the bells and whistles that the Hall of Fame weekend is known for, including the intermingling between celebrities and boxing fans, and provide each inductee with the recognition they each so richly deserve.”

The official “2022 Hall of Fame Weekend Induction Trilogy” schedule of events and ticket purchasing information will be released later this year.

The annual voting procedure will continue as usual with voters receiving ballots in the fall and the class of 2022 being announced near the end of this year.