On Thursday, the International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum announced its inductees for 2006. The men and women to be honored at a Jue ceremony in Canastota, New York are: Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin, Antonio Tarver and Nigel Benn in the Men’s Modern category; Naoko Fujioka and Jackie Nava in the Women’s Modern category; trainer / cut man Russ Anber, referee Frank Cappuccino (posthumous), trainer / cut man Jimmy Glenn (posthumous) and physician Dr. Edwin “Flip” Homansky in the Non-Participant category; journalist Kevin Iole and broadcaster Alex Wallau (posthumous) in the Observer category; and Jimmy Clabby (posthumous) in the Old Timer category. The Hall of Fame provided the following quotes from inductees upon receiving the news:
NIGEL BENN
"Oh praise God! How good is that? I’m just a kid from a small place in England called Ilford, Essex and to think now I’m being honored with this prestigious award is beyond my wildest dreams."
GENNADIY GOLOVKIN
“I am very excited and appreciate this so much. This is the biggest honor in boxing and the last piece of the puzzle in my career. My dream has come true! I’m proud to have a legacy in boxing.”
ANTONIO TARVER
“I feel so honored. It’s an unbelievable feeling. It makes all the hard work and sacrifice I did worth it. I’m so grateful and happy to be a part of such an elite group. It’s been a life-long dream of mine to work and become an International Boxing Hall of Famer. The ’Magic Man’ is coming to Canastota!”
NAOKO FUJIOKA
“It’s an honor to be elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. I never expected that what I did in my boxing career would be appreciated like this so this news is totally stunning. It’s such an honor that I am the first female from Japan to be elected into the Hall of Fame.”
JACKIE NAVA
“I’m honored. Being part of the International Boxing Hall of Fame is one of the highest honors you can get in boxing and to be surrounded by the great champions and important people in the Hall of Fame will be the highlight of my boxing career. I’m very excited to experience my first visit to Canastota. I have goosebumps!”
RUSS ANBER
“This means the world to me. Ever since I started in boxing I’ve had this strange feeling standing on the apron at MSG thinking I’m standing in the same place Angelo Dundee stood when Ali fought Frazier. When I worked (Oleksandr) Usyk’s corner I’m thinking I’m in the corner of the heavyweight champion of the world. This is stuff that was literally a dream and a fantasy as a kid that one day I would be there. And to be part of boxing history and now to be recognized by the Hall of Fame is the culmination of a great life served in the sport of boxing. I can’t even believe that I’ll now be in Canastota. I’m so honored.”
DR. FLIP HOMANSKY
“This honor is a culmination of a lot of time and effort and the culmination of caring for the boxers in a way that I hope has made the sport a little bit safer and a little bit better for the participants, which was always the goal.”
KEVIN IOLE
“I can’t believe it. It’s a total shock to hear this news. I’m elated. I’ve been a boxing fan since I was five years old and to think this has happened blows me away. I’m really excited and I’m really grateful to everybody I ever worked for and with.”
