The 17th annual Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame induction dinner and ceremony takes place on Saturday, November 18th at Mohegan Sun’s Uncas Ballroom.
The ceremony recognizes the key achievements and significant contributions of Connecticut natives to the “Sweet Science”. The 2023 inductees include accomplished pugilists Matt Remillard, Tony Grano, Tarvis Simms, and Shelly Vincent, noted journalist Mark Allen Baker and Banner Promotions CEO and founder, Arthur “Artie” Pelullo.
Tickets are priced at $115 plus applicable fees and can be purchased at Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
2023 CBHOF HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE BIOS:
TONY GRANO: A graduate of RHAM High in Hebron, Grano exceeded expectations when he launched his pro career in 2005 as a heavyweight prospect. The Hartford native raced to a 15-1-1 start before being matched against the highly regarded Travis Kauffman, who was 18-0 and heavily favored to defeat Grano. In a bout televised worldwide on HBO, Grano scored a stunning fourth round stoppage. The fight was named the 2009 Heavyweight Fight of the Year by Ringside Magazine. Victories over Brian Minto and DaVarryl Williamson earned Grano the NABF heavyweight title in 2012. Known as the “Hebron Hammer,” Grano finished his career at the age of 42 with a record of 20-3-1 with 16 knockouts.
MATT REMILLARD: A two-time Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame Pro Fighter of the Year, “Sharp Shooter” was also a two-time Everlast Under-19 National Amateur champion. Under the tutelage of another CBHOF member, Paul Cichon, the Manchester native blew through his early competition, compiling a record of 23-0 with 13 knockouts while picking up the NABF and NABO featherweight titles along the way. This set up an HBO-televised battle of undefeated contenders against a then 24-0 Mikey Garcia that is increasingly rare in boxing. After a close first few rounds, Remillard was ultimately stopped in round ten in a gutsy performance. It turned out to be the only loss of Remillard’s career, as he won his last four fights and finished with a pro record of 27-1 with 15 knockouts.
TARVIS SIMMS: A Norwalk native from a fighting family, Simms and his twin brother Travis were middleweight terrors in the early 2000s. Nicknamed after middleweight great Marvin Hagler, “Marvelous” Tarvis Simms finished his pro career with a superlative 27-1-1 record after a successful amateur career. Simms went on a terrific run as a pro, notching notable victories over former world title challenger Carlos Bojorquez and former WBA Super Welterweight champion Carl Daniels before capturing the WBF All-American middleweight title in 2008 against Delray Raines in Bridgeport. The win set him up for an NABO super middleweight title shot against the 28-1 Allan Green. Simms was game, but Green won a hard-fought decision over ten rounds. It was the only loss of Simms’ pro career.
SHELLEY VINCENT: A native of New London, “Shelito’s Way” made Providence her boxing base for what turned out to be a spectacular career in the featherweight division. Vincent began her pro career in 2011, and it took her only three years to earn a title shot. Shelley made the most of it, winning a majority decision over Jackie Trivilino to capture the Universal Boxing Federation world super bantamweight championship in 2014. A few months later, Vincent added the IBA super bantamweight crown against Christina Ruiz. Known for her crowd-pleasing style, Vincent lost a close majority decision to a 17-0 Heather Hardy in a WBC International featherweight title bout in 2016. The pair would meet again with a vacant title on the line at Madison Square Garden two years later. This time, a 21-0 Hardy won a unanimous decision to capture the vacant WBO featherweight title. Those were the only losses in Vincent’s pro career, which ended with a 27-2 record.
MARK ALLEN BAKER: One of the most accomplished boxing journalists in the world, Baker devoted much of his life to chronicling many notable moments in the sport of boxing. His published works range from “Willie Pep, a Biography of the 20th Century’s Greatest Featherweight,’’ to “The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876-1937.’’ Baker’s book “Connecticut Boxing, The Fights, The Fighters, and the Fight game” was No. 1 on Amazon’s list of hot new releases in 2021. An author of over 25 books about American culture, history, and sports, Baker splits his time between New England and Florida, and is currently a member of the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame.
ARTHUR PELULLO: Pelullo began Banner Promotions in 1988, and unlike many promotional firms that put on a few shows and are never heard from again, Banner Promotions promoted more than 200 shows over the past 35 years. Many of those memorable cards took place in Connecticut and were televised globally on a variety of networks, including FOX, HBO and Showtime. A Philadelphia native and member of the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame, Pelullo’s list of world champions include such notables as Ricky Hatton, Diego Corrales, and Acelino Freitas.
