The Hall of Fame ballots are out

I vote in five categories. See all of the ballots I received

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For more than 20 years I have been an International Boxing Hall of Fame elector, so each October the new ballots arrive and I spend an inordinate amount of time going through them, studying the candidates and casting my votes.

I agonize over them and take my task seriously.

A few days ago, I received the ballots for each of the five categories being voted on this year: modern men, non-participants, observers, modern women and old-timers.

The marquee category is modern men. The three newcomers to the 42-person ballot this year, who replace the three elected last year, are Germany’s longtime WBO lightweight titleholder Artur Grigorian, Thailand’s two-time and long-reigning bantamweight titleholder Veeraphol Sahaprom, and Japan’s Shinsuke Yamanaka, a long-reigning WBC bantamweight titleholder.

Ballots are due back by Oct. 31, results will be announced in early December and induction weekend at the museum in Canastota, New York, is June 6-9.

To see all five of the exact ballots I received and the directions the electors are given please upgrade to a paid subscription to Fight Freaks Unite.