Vitali Klitschko headlines the next International Boxing HOF Class

The International Boxing Hall of Fame has announced the eight man class, which includes three first ballot inductees.

Let’s get right to the new inductees shall we?

Vitali Klitschko is one of the three first ballot entries. From Ukraine, Klitscko would win the WBO Heavyweight Title in 1999 from Herbie Hide and would hold it until his third title defense in a loss to Chris Byrd, where he had to throw in the towel in the 10th Round. As it turned out, he had torn his rotator cuff in the fight. The Ukranian would win his next five fights and would challenge Lennox Lewis for the WBC Title. He would los that fight die to TKO in the seventh.

Klitschko would not get a chance to avenge that defeat as Lewis retired but he would defeat Corrie Sanders for the vacant belt in 2004. He would successfully retain the title against Danny Williams but in training for a fight against Hasim Rahman he compiled injury after injury wand was forced to pull out of the fight. He retired so that the title could be defended, but he planned to return once healthy.

That return took place in 2008 where he would defeat Samuel Peter to regain the WBC Heavyweight Title. Over the next five years, Klitscho would make nine successful title defenses before retiring for good in 2012. His final record was 47-2 with 41 Knockouts.

The second first ballot inductee is Erik Morales who is the first Mexican to win World Titles in four different weight classes. Morales would win the WBC Super Bantamweight, WBC Featherweight, WBC & IBF Super Featherweight and WBC Super Lightweight Title. He would b best known for his trilogy of fights between Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao. He retired with a record of 52 and 9 with 36 Knockouts.

The third and final first year inductee is Winky Wright, the former two time Light Middleweight Champion of the World. He is best known for his tow wins over Shane Mosley. Wright retired with a record of 51-6-1 with 25 Knockouts.

Sid Terris was also chosen. Terris was a Lightweight contender from the late 1920’s who went 99-13-5 with 12 Knockouts.

Broadcasters Jim Gray and Steve Albert were also chosen, as were Promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl and Ring Announcer Johnny Addie.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the newest inductees to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.