It has been learned that Panamanian influencer and journalist Juan Carlos Tapia has been selected as a member of the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, in the Pioneer – International Media category. He joins a select group of Latino honorees since the Hall of Fame was established in 2014 by Ray McCline, with its first ceremony held in 2017.
Juan Carlos Tapia, considered by many to be the father of Panamanian boxing, has dedicated more than 50 years to boxing and television, beginning on January 9, 1975, when the first broadcast of the program "Lo Mejor del Boxeo" (The Best of Boxing) took place during the golden age of Panamanian boxing, a period driven by General Omar Torrijos and the military revolution.
"This recognition is not just personal; it belongs to Panama and to all of Latin American sports journalism," Tapia said upon learning of his selection.
The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame has inducted Donald Trump, José Sulaiman, Don King, Bert Sugar, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Julio Cesar Chavez, James Toney, Felix Trinidad, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Evander Holyfield, Frank Cappuccino, Harold Lederman, Tom Casino, Roy Jones Jr., Riddick Bowe, Pernell Whitaker, Al Bernstein, Bob Arum, and Dan Duva, among many others.
Tapia is a specialized journalist and boxing expert, a successful businessman, considered one of the most recognized socio-political figures in Panama, and regarded as the voice of the most needy and the greatest entrepreneur in the country's history.
He received the Guinness World Record for the longest-running sports program in the world, which aired for 42 years with the same host, and recently for its 50th anniversary.
The official induction ceremony will be held in Atlantic City, USA, in September 2026, alongside other legendary figures in world boxing.
Legendary Panamanian Juan Carlos Tapia will be inducted into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame.
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