The International Boxing Hall of Fame names its 2026 Class

The International Boxing Hall of Fame has announced the 12-person Class of 2026. 

The Class of 2026 consists of:

Gennadiy Golovkin (Men’s Modern Category).  “Triple G” made his mark in the sport as one of the greatest Middleweights of all time and arguably the best athlete Kazakhstan has ever produced.  Winning Silver at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Golovkin was undefeated in his first 39 fights (38 wins and a draw against Canelo Alvarez), and he won a plethora of titles throughout his career.  His titles included the WBA, WBC, and IBF Middleweight and WBA Super Middleweight, and he had an overall record of 42-2-1 (37 KO), with both losses coming against Alvarez. 

Antonio Tarver (Men’s Modern Category).  Tarver won the Olympic Bronze (representing the United States) in the Light Heavyweight division at the 1996 Olympics and went on to have a 31-6-1-1 record with 22 KOs.  Tarver won the WBA, WBC, IBF, and Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight Titles and holds two wins over Roy Jones Jr.

Nigel Benn (Men’s Modern Category).  In England, Benn won the WBO Middleweight Championship and held the WBC Super Middleweight Championship for four years (1992-96).  He had a record of 42-5-1, with 35 KOs, and 11 successful title defences.

Naoko Fujioka (Women’s Modern Category).  Fujioka made history as the first Japanese five-division world champion (WBA Flyweight, WBC Minimumweight, WBO Junior Flyweight, WBA Super Flyweight, and WBO Bantamweight) and boasted a record of 19-3-1 with 7 KOs.

Jackie Nava (Women’s Modern Category).  Nicknamed the “Aztec Princess,” Nava was the former WBA Bantamweight Champion and was also a two-time WBA and WBC Super Bantamweight Champion.  She has a record of 40-4-4 with 16 KOs.

The Hall also selected four Non-Participants in Cut Man Russ Anber, Referee Frank Cappuccino, Trainer/Cut Man Jimmy Glenn, and Physician Dr. Edwin Homansky.  Journalist Kevin Iole and Broadcaster Alex Wallau were chosen in the Observer category, and American middleweight Jimmy Clabby in the Old Timer category.

The ceremony will take place on June 14.

We here at notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the incoming members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.