The Hall of Fame ballots are out
I vote in five categories. See all of the ballots I received
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I can’t recall the exact year I became an elector for the International Boxing Hall of Fame, but I’d guess it’s been 22 or 23 years as I did not vote the first year or two after I started covering boxing for USA Today in 2000. But now it has become part of my annual routine as in early October every year 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 as anyone who votes should.
Most of the candidates on each ballot are holdovers from previous years since only a few new people are added to replace those elected the previous year. Still, I make sure to give those I had doubts about another second look as well as look again at those I wanted to vote for but did not due to the limitations of only being able to vote for so many on each ballot.
A few days ago, I received the ballots for each of the five categories I can vote on this year: modern men, non-participants, observers, modern women and late-era old-timers. This year there are also ballots being cast in the pioneer and women’s trailblazer categories, which are not annual categories, but I have not requested ballots in either so I do not receive them.
The marquee category is modern men. The four newcomers to the 42-person ballot this year, who replaced those elected last year, are the iconic Manny Pacquiao, the legendary Filipino, who won world titles in a record eight divisions and is one of the legitimate all-time greats in boxing history; two-time welterweight titlist Shawn Porter; four-division titlist Mikey Garcia; and former super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute.
In all, 16 people were added to ballots in seven categories.
Ballots are due back by Oct. 31, results for the Class of 2025 will be announced in early December, and induction weekend at the museum in Canastota, New York, and nearby Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, will take place June 5-8.
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