Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame
slates annual awards banquet

Charles "The Natural" Murray to be inducted

The head table and featured guest speakers have been chosen for the twelfth annual Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame Awards Banquet at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 14, at the Diplomat Banquet Center, 1 Diplomat Way, Rochester.

Selected to sit at the head table are James "Buster" Douglas, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Christy Martin, Carmen Basilio, Jimmy Ellis, Charles "The Natural" Murray, Robert Johnson, Jim Cassidy, Jay Widener, Pete Widener, Vince Fedele, Rochester Mayor William Johnson, Jr., Monroe County Executive Jack Doyle and Ron DeFrance.

Charles "The Natural" Murray, Rochester's first World Boxing Champion, and Jay and Pete Widener (father and son) are the 2002 inductees for the Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame. Bob Johnson, Murray's long time trainer, will receive a special award as an outstanding boxing trainer.

Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion James "Buster" Douglas, who is remembered as the man who shattered Champion Mike Tyson's aura of invincibility by knocking out his rugged opponent in 1990, and rendering the biggest upset in boxing history, will receive the Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame's Special Courage Award and a prestigious award by the World Boxing Council which will recognize him for the biggest upset of the last century.

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, who won the Light heavyweight Championship of the World in 1980, will be this year's recipient of the John Mastrella Integrity Award. Three time World Champion Christy Martin, who revolutionized boxing for women, will be presented with the Jerry Flynn Courage Award. Christy will be presenting the former three time World Champion Carmen Basiolio with the Pete Provenzano Award which is given to an individual who has done much to promote and advance the sport of boxing.

Tickets are available by calling Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame President Tony Liccione at 964-3077 and the Diplomat Banquet Center at 585-647-1566.