Lewis, Canizales, Brian Mitchell Voted Into Hall of Fame

... as well as TWIN's favorite announcer ::

 

I might have to think about making the trip next year for Lewis' induction. :bears:

 

Definitely

 

:bears:

 

Must say...damn near had a heart attack when I read "Brian Mitchell."

I said to myself, "the slama from 'bama" made it?????

:doh:

 

I think you meant "absolutely"

 

Ah, that's right, I forgot he expanded his vocabulary earlier this year.

 

I do think he's improved a lot.

His call during the Hatton-Malignaggi fight was much better than when he started...and that wasn't with Papa setting him up.

 

Every year I want to make the trip, but there's always something else going on for me or a big fight going on in New York.

 

Lewis needs cue cards to help him out. That's the best way.

 

I'm happy to see Orlando Canizales' name on the list. He is/was one of my favorite fighters to watch and even though his accomplishments didn't necessarily make him a "lock", I'm glad to see him inducted regardless.

 

How the f*ck did this guy SAW, with only 22 posts, become a mod? :laughing:

 

People liked the movies?

 

Ok but mod status? Some guys have been here for like 5 years and still haven't become mods.

 

Is that a particular goal of yours?

 

Yeah, and first thing I'll do is ban mofos on here except for my friends.

 

Mitchell was a good kid, but I can think of a lot of guys better qualified than him to go in.

 

It's hard to see why you're not one already.

 

I was actually more surprised to see Canizales make it in on the first try (though unsure why this was his first year on the ballot).

I voted for Mitchell this year, one of my seven picks (Canizales wasn't one of them)

 

With that attitude, you'd be the first to go, Mitchell.

 

This was his first year of eligibility? I could have sworn he's been on the ballot before...guess not.

 

same.

 

i don't believe so. then again, I didn't vote last year, it's possible he was added then. he wasn't on the last time I voted which was the year prior.

That said - it's not that it was his first year of eligibility. It was just the 1st time I saw his name on the ballot. Bobby Chacon had to wait more than a decade before finally being added - and that was only at the insistence of more than a few writers (including myself).

 

Canizales is in? I guess Virgil Hill will make it too now. Yay.

 

The kid that beat Tony Lopez, right Jake?

What did he do besides that?

Again, he was a good kid, IMO no way HOF worthy.

 

Do you believe Canizales should've made it in on the first try?

 

Well, it's not an overwhelming list, but can't really complain. I guess I'd like to know who was also on the ballot though.

 

To answer your question, though...

- 13 defenses of the lineal super featherweight crown (not a paper title, but the one that traces all the way back to at last Flash Eldore),

- Grand total of zero title defenses at home. Entire reign (save for the night he won the belt) spent on the road with nine of the 13 in his opponent's home country.

- Never lost a world title fight (12-0-2), and in fact only lost once throughout his career.

I agree with you that he's not an immediate HOF choice... but then, he's been on the ballot for most of the decade, and I felt paid his dues in that regard. Of the names listed, I didn't see a lot that deserved to go in, in front of him.

 

Just a general comment on the Hall and the voting process in general. Not singling you out Jake, you're just the only one here so I ask; if Mitchell wasn't good enough a decade ago, why now?

I HATE that the Hall has to induct fighters every year. In weak years, far less than great fighters are sneaking their way in. Barry freaking MGuigan is in there for christs sake. Nigel Benn will probably get in at some point as well. Like I said before, Hill is going to get in for sure now that Canizales made it.

All it takes is a down year and so-so fighters make it, all the while the continual negligence of great lighter weight fighters continues. How is Jung-Koo Chang not there? Yuh?

Barry McGuigan.

 

It's a fair question. In the past, I've voted for other fighters over Mitchell, not that he was my first (or second) choice this year. I viewed him as "one day worthy, but right now others get my vote."

This was the first year I voted for him. I also voted for Lewis, Chang (third time voting for him), Yuh (also third time), Ohba, Lloyd Marshall (second time voting for him)... and that's it. Damn, six this year, I thought I voted seven.

Valid point on mandatory selections every year, but it's really the only weekend of the year when the town sees a serious revenue spike. Sucks that it has to be like that, but at the very least, trimming down from four to three is a step in the right direction.