Tim Bradley, Carl Froch, Rafael Marquez elected to International Boxing Hall of Fame
Timothy Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez are Hall of Famers.
The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced Wednesday that those former champions were elected in the men’s Modern category for the Class of 2023. Alicia Ashley and Laura Serrano will enter the Hall in the women’s Modern category. And trainer Joe Goossen and broadcaster Tim Ryan are among others elected.
They will be formally inducted in June during Hall of Fame Weekend in Canastota, New York.
Bradley (33-2-1, 13 KOs) was a five-time titleholder in the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions and went on to become a successful TV analyst on ESPN. He is from Palm Springs, California.
“This is one of the greatest days of my life,” Bradley said. “I appreciate this so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m ecstatic and don’t really know what to say. This is everything I wanted and everything I worked for. I’m full of emotions and there are so many things going through my mind from my past that got me to this point.
“This is a dream come true. This is my heaven, the International Boxing Hall of Fame.”
Froch (33-2, 24 KOs) was a three-time super middleweight titleholder. The Englishman had one of the greatest walk-offs in history, stopping rival George Groves with one punch at a packed Wembley Stadium and then calling it quits.
“Brilliant! This is amazing, great news!” Froch said. “It’s amazing to be inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside so many legends of the sport. Boxing is the best sport in the world. It tests everything in a man and a woman. The mentality, discipline, grit, determination, heart, desire, everything is all in that ring and it is just you on your own with your opponent.
“For me to be inducted with the greatest of all time from every weight division is just fantastic! I’m grateful to be recognized.”
The election of Marquez (41-9, 37 KOS) gives his family two Hall of Famers. His brother, Juan Manuel Marquez, was inducted in 2020. Rafael Marquez, from Mexico, held bantamweight and junior featherweight titles in the 2000s.
“Perfect! Thank you very much,” Rafael Marquez said. “I don’t have the words to describe how I feel receiving this great news. I am very happy. It is a great honor to be in the Hall of Fame and I am very proud to be in Canastota with the greatest boxers of all time.”
Ashley (24-12-1, 4 KOs) and Serrano (17-5-3, 6 KOs) were among the best female fighters over the past 20 years.
“OMG! It is such an honor to be among the history of boxing and being there with the females that I absolutely admire as well. I’m totally ecstatic and speechless,” Ashley said.
Said Serrano: “Oh my goodness! This is exciting news. I dedicated my whole life to boxing and I did my best in those days when it was very difficult for women to fight, especially in my country of Mexico, where I fought for women’s rights. I’m so happy. I’m thankful for all of the members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.”
Joe Goossen has also become the second member of his family to be inducted. The late promoter Dan Goossen, Joe’s older brother, was inducted in 2020. Joe Goossen has trained a long list of elite fighters over several decades and also works as an analyst for Fox.
“I’ve got to tell you, I’m absolutely stunned,” Goossen said. “To think I’ll be in the Hall of Fame with my brother Dan is probably the best thing I’ve heard since he died. When I got into the sport back in 1970, I would have never thought in ten million years that I would really make a mark and eventually end up in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. I’m shocked and honored.”
Three fighters were elected posthumously: light heavyweight Tiger Jack Fox (Old Timer), flyweight Pone Kingpetch (Old Timer) and JoAnn Hagen (Trailblazer).
Also elected were matchmaker Brad Goodman and promotional executive Brad Jacobs (Non-participant).
Those honored were elected by members of the Boxing Writers Association of America and a panel of international boxing historians.