Skip to content
Sports
Link copied to clipboard

New inductees entering Pa. Boxing Hall of Fame

Daily News' Stan Hochman is among 10 members of the 2014 class.

TRAINERS NAAZIM Richardson and Mitch Allen, cut man Leon Tabbs and legendary Daily News' columnist Stan Hochman are among the 10 inductees of the 2014 class of the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame.

Former boxers Earl Hargrove, Mike Picciotti, Percy Manning, Jimmy Tygh and Ed "Gunboat" Smith will also be inducted.

For Hochman, who will mark 55 years with the Daily News next month, it is another in a long list of honors. Other boxing honors include the 1991 Nat Fleischer Memorial Award from the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, a pioneer in women's boxing and the daughter of the late Smokin' Joe Frazier, became the first woman inducted on May 1 in a ceremony at City Hall. Her induction took place separately because she currently sits as a Municipal Court judge in Philadelphia, and there would've been an issue with her being inducted at an event charging an admission fee. The five-time champion is still expected to attend Sunday's ceremony at Romano's Catering in Philadelphia.

Richardson is the longtime trainer of Philadelphia boxing legend Bernard Hopkins and also trained "Sugar" Shane Mosley. Richardson also works with Philadelphia's Steve Cunningham, a two-time cruiserweight champion turned heavyweight. Allen mentored 21 national amateur champions over 60-plus years, while Tabbs is a legendary cut man who worked with Hopkins and many others before retiring 2 years ago.

The careers of the boxers set for induction - some living, some deceased - spanned many decades. Smith, a heavyweight from Philadelphia, went 52-28-10 with 38 knockouts in a pro career that started in 1909 and concluded in 1921. Tygh was a Philly light welterweight who fought from 1937 to 1941 and tallied a record of 47-18-5 with nine knockouts. Manning, 17-7-1 with 11 knockouts from 1961-69, was also from Philly and handed Bennie Briscoe his first defeat in 1965. Picciotti, of Ridley Park, went 31-4-3 with 16 knockouts from 1976-86. Both were welterweights. Hargrove, a light middleweight from Philly, last fought in 1995 after making his pro debut in 1979. He was 32-6 with 28 knockouts, including an impressive 24 consecutive to start his pro career.