The weekend of June 11-14 the fistic fraternity will gather in the bucolic, upstate New York village of Canastota for the International Boxing Hall Of Fame inductions.
Among those being welcomed into the pugilistic pantheon are former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, versatile behind the scenes man and a good man, Bobby Goodman, South African Brian Mitchell and HBO?s answer to Andy Rooney, Larry Merchant.
All worthy and deserving of such an honor, I must say. But, having been to the Hall Of Fame weekends three times, I have to say that the whole scene at IBHOF seems to need a tonic.
You know like they used to peddle Geritol for those afflicted by tired blood.
Last year, I was at the call to the Hall with Larry Holmes who, like me in his late 50s. Believe me, we were like spring chickens compared to many of the very senior citizens who were there as honorees, special guest and regular spectators.
It wasn?t exactly the young and vibrant MMA crowd demographic. Testosterone was not running rampant.
There were times I thought a shuffleboard game might break out. Some of the guys were content to just sit around and listen to their arteries harden.
And I have the magic elixir for Ed Brophy and his IBHOF posse right here, a simple alteration in the waiting period to get into the boxing shrine.
When I say simple, I mean so simple even a Floyd Mayweather fanatic could understand it. (Joke, joke, PBF and adherents.)
Eliminate the five years of purgatory which nominees are held to and eliminate it starting in 2010.
I mean, what?s the point. Either a fighter fights his way into the Hall or he doesn?t. Boxers should not have to wait until five years after they finally hung up the gloves for enshrinement.
It?s also unfair having the ?nonparticipants,? meaning guys like Goodman and Merchant, get in while they still earn a living in boxing while the most important figures, the fighters, have stop doing what they do best for 60 long months.
Imagine this, next June let?s say Julio Cesar Chavez, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Shane Mosley and Roy Jones get admitted to IBHOF.
Can you imagine the worldwide publicity and the huge crowd that would flock to Canastota?
Then, in the following year, you enshrine Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Joe Calzaghe, Winky Wright, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. I mean you want to talk about star-studded lineups?
IBHOF comes back strong a third successive year in 2011 with Bernard Hopkins, Arturo Gatti, Sven Ottke and whoever else belongs.
What purpose is served in making Hopkins, age 44, prove he?s retired for five years. Is there something magical in his getting into the lodge of fistic fame around age 50 or something?
What’s with this five year, secret probationary status? Either a gloved warrior belongs or he doesn’t. How would you lose such status anyway, by suddenly turning into a mass murderer?
One of the most irritating things about IBHOF and I guess all such athletic shrines is seeing some deserving person who doesn?t get to smell the flowers of fame while they?re above ground.
There?s nothing more mood killing that the acceptance speech of some friend, spouse or relative on behalf of a posthumous enshrinee. The thrill is gone as so is the honoree.
I?m sure I missed some Hall worthy names, this was just off the top of my head.
But why not put boxers on the IBHOF ballot when they earn it and stop waiting until five years after their final fight?
Maybe Brophy and sidekick and boxing historian Don Majeski can answer me that.
Drop the waiting period and bring new life to IBHOF. Right now, it often looks the waiting room for the after life.
Heaven must wait but IBHOF should stop making sure fire enshrinees twiddle their thumbs for five, long years.
Michael is a former sports columnist at the New York Post. He was a criminal defense attorney and worked for sports legends Howard Cosell and Don King. Marley also operates Boxingconfidential.com. Email him your thoughts. He makes it a practice to always recommend Pacland, Philboxing and feisty upstart Pacfanscorner.
