The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame is proud to announce its 2023-2024 Inductees who will take their place alongside the boxing immortals from the Hall’s first ten years. The NVBHOF will honor a diverse list marked by greats in and out of the ring, both recent vintage and past, male and female, and includes the first Native-American inductee.
NVBHOF President Michelle Corrales-Lewis said “I’m always excited to welcome the new classes of inductees into our Hall. Celebrating their accomplishments is something very near and dear to my heart. All of these great boxing figures have made strong contributions to the Silver State’s reputation as ‘Boxing Capitol’ of the World.
The NVBHOF will continue its history of sharing the Induction festivities with different venues throughout Las Vegas. The weekend spectacular, featuring a full two days of activities will take place August 9-10 at The Orleans Hotel.
NVBHOF Vice-President Anthony Randolph stated “Holding our gala at The Orleans is a natural. It has a boxing history, having held several cards in the past. We have watched with great
interest and admiration how The Orleans has successfully hosted the Induction events of the Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame and the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame.”
Tickets for the August 10 Induction Dinner/Gala and the other weekend events go on sale Wednesday morning March 13 and are available on the Hall’s website: nvbhof.com
2023 INDUCTEES 2024 INDUCTEES
BOXERS: BOXERS:
ZAB JUDAH SHAWN PORTER
MARVIN CAMEL LAYLA MCCARTER
TIMOTHY BRADLEY ISHE SMITH
KOSTYA TSZYU
JORGE ARCE
NON-BOXERS:
ANN WOLFE
RAFAEL MARQUEZ MIKE MARTINO
MICHAEL MOORER JAY NADY
DONALD CURRY
LAMON BREWSTER
GENARO HERNANDEZ (PH)
EMILE GRIFFITH
NON-BOXERS:
JACOB “STICH” DURAN
JESSE REID
MITCH HALPERN (PH)
Career Details NVBHOF Class of 2023 Inductees:
Nevada Resident Boxers:
Zab Judah (44-10, 30 KOs)
Las Vegas resident Zab Judah enjoyed an illustrious boxing career as he competed against some of the very best names that boxing had to offer. Fighting the likes of Micky Ward, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Demarcus Corley, Lucas Matthysse, and Amir Khan as he racked up numerous world titles. Judah’s professional boxing career spanned more than 22 years from 1996 to 2019. He competed in a total of 19 world championship fights, winning seven world titles, with seven successful defenses. Zab captured the WBA, WBC, IBF and Ring welterweight titles by defeating Cory Spinks via 9th round TKO.
Marvin Camel (45-13-4, 21 KOs)
Boxing’s first Native American world champion from the Flathead Indian Nation, Marvin Camel is one of the most decorated athletes to come from Montana. In 1980 he defeated Mate Parlov in Las Vegas for the WBC cruiserweight belt. After a very controversial draw against Parlov in 1979, Camel’s win in 1980 made him the inaugural WBC cruiserweight champion of the world. Over his career, Marvin fought twenty-one times in Las Vegas and won twenty-one times. Camel was a house fighter of sorts at the Silver Slipper compiling a 14-0 record. Camel went on to become the inaugural IBF cruiserweight champion in 1983 with a win over Roddy MacDonald.
Non-Nevada Resident Boxers:
Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley (33-2-1, 13 KOs)
Timothy Bradley Jr. is a Coachella Valley native who won five world boxing titles in two weight classes. Bradley won his first world title in 2008 with a win over Junior Witter, then successfully defended his title seven times before moving up to welterweight to face Manny Pacquiao. With the win over Pacquiao at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Bradley captured the WBO welterweight title. In his career Bradley has wins over the likes of Ruslan Provodnikov, Juan Manuel Marquez, Jessie Vargas, Joel Casamayor and Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios.
Kostya Tszyu (31-2, 25 KOs)
In a professional career that spanned 13 years from 1992 to 2005, Kostya Tszyu held multiple light welterweight world titles, including the lineal and undisputed titles from 2001 to 2005. In only his fourth professional fight, Tszyu defeated former WBC champion Juan Laporte winning a 10-round decision. By 1995 Tszyu would win his first world title by knocking out Jake Rodriguez in the sixth round at the MGM in Las Vegas. Tszyu would eventually also win the WBC title by stopping Miguel Angel Gonzalez in 10 rounds in August 1999. He would defend that title eight times, with a stretch of victories that helped him capture the Ring, IBF and WBA titles on his way to becoming the undisputed 140-pound champion. His during this period included knockouts of Julio Cesar Chavez, Sharmba Mitchell (twice), Zab Judah and Jesse James Leija.
Jorge “Travieso” Arce (64-8-2, 49 KOs)
Known as the lollipop cowboy, Jorge Arce was born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico and was as tough as they come. Arce turned pro at age 16 and would win the WBO junior flyweight title at the age of 19 after defeating Argentina’s Juan Domingo Cordoba. That win would be the beginning of a long and distinguished career in which Arce became only the second boxer from Mexico to win titles in four weight classes winning world titles at 108, 115, 118 and the historic 122-pound championship against Wilfredo Vasquez Jr at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Jorge Arce became a regular attraction in big Las Vegas pay-per-view cards including his spectacular 10th-round KO of Hussein-Hussein in 2005 at Mandalay Bay, a Fight of the Year candidate.
Ann Wolfe (24-1, 16 KOs)
A 5’9” middleweight Ann “Brown Sugar” Wolfe began professional boxing in 1998 after competing in the USA National Championships as an amateur. Considered one of the hardest punchers in the history of women’s boxing, Ann won titles in three different weight classes: super welterweight, super middleweight and the light heavyweight divisions. Wolfe, who is regarded as a pioneer in women’s boxing, scored one of the greatest one-punch knockouts in the history of boxing, when she dropped the 6 foot 6 Vonda Ward with a vicious right hand in May of 2004. After her boxing career Wolfe became a world-class boxing trainer and a familiar face in the corner of many fights in Las Vegas including the November 2008 bout at the MGM when she guided James Kirkland to an 8th-round TKO stoppage over Brian Vera.
Rafael Marquez (41-9, 37 KOs)
Mexican great Rafael Marquez, the bother of 2019 NVBHOF inductee Juan Manuel Marquez, wrote his own ticket to greatness. The power punching Marquez reigned as champion in two weight divisions from 2003 to 2007 but made his reputation even before winning his first title. Marquez had two victories against Hall of Famer Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson, a split decision against him in their first fight in 2001 and then a knockout victoryin the eighth round of their immediate rematch at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in 2002. Marquez would go on to knock out then-undefeated and bantamweight champion Tim Austin at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in the eighth round of their bout and made seven defenses against opponents such as former champions Mauricio Pastrana, Heriberto Ruiz and two against then-unbeaten Silence Mabuza. Rafael is best known for his epic four-fight series with Israel Vazquez which produced two fights of the year. Marquez vs Vasquez is considered one of Boxings “All Time Great” rivalries.
Michael Moorer (52-4-1, 40 KOs)
After knocking out his first eleven opponents Michael Moorer quickly caught the eye of the boxing world by defeating Ramzi Hassan for the inaugural WBO light heavyweight title. Moorer defended his title nine times over the next two years and would be named “Boxing’s Most Violent Man.” before eventually moving up to heavyweight in 1991. After six heavyweight fights, he beat Bert Cooper for the vacant WBO belt to become the first southpaw heavyweight champion, as well as one of only four men, alongside Bob Fitzsimmons, Michael Spinks and Roy Jones Jr. to have won light heavyweight and heavyweight titles. In the spring of 1994, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, Moorer won a majority decision against unified heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and captured the IBF and WBA titles. In his first defense against George Foreman at the MGM in Las Vegas, Moorer, way ahead on points, would lose by a shocking knockout that made Foreman the oldest fighter to win the world heavyweight title at the age of 45. In June of 1996, Moorer reclaimed the IBF heavyweight title after beating Axel Schulz.
Donald Curry (34-6, 25 KOs)
An excellent boxer with brilliant Ring generalship, Donald Curry was also an exceptional technical fighter, who had enough power to knock his opponents out with either hand. He captured titles in two divisions. Known as the “Lone Star Cobra” for his lightning-quick reflexes and hand speed, he won the WBA welterweight belt from Jun-Suk Hwang in just his 16th Fight. In 1984 he won the inaugural IBF title belt against Marlon Starling and then a year later became the unified 147-pound Welterweight champion after defeating the WBC champion Milton McCrory by second-round knockout at the Las Vegas Hilton. In 1988 Curry would become a two-division champion and take home the WBC title with a 9th round TKO over Gianfranco Rosi.
Lamon Brewster (35-6, 30 KOs)
The man known as “Relentless” Lamon Brewster was one of the most vicious punchers in the history of the heavyweight division and his 53-second knockout of Andrew Golota is still the fastest KO in the history of heavyweight title fights. Brewster became the WBO Heavyweight Champion at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in 2004 with his astounding knockout victory over Wladimir Klitschko. For eleven years, Brewster remained the last boxer to defeat Klitschko in the ring until Tyson Fury defeated Klitschko in 2015.
Non-Boxers:
Jacob “Stitch” Duran
Being one of the most prominent figures in boxing and really in all of combat sports Las Vegas resident Jacob “Stitch” Duran is the most recognizable and arguably the best Cutman in the industry and has worked in the corner of hundreds of championship fights at nearly every arena in “Sin City”. His work in the sport opened the door for many opportunities to play himself on Hollywood silver screens, notably in the “Rocky Balboa” film and in the “Creed” movies. The legendary Cutman has treated the cuts, scrapes and bruises on some of the most famed fighters in boxing, From Tyson Fury to the Klitschkos to Andre Ward and many more. In 1997 at the Thomas and Mack Center, Duran helped Raul Marquez, capture the IBF super-welterweight title in his fight with Keith Mullings. Raul had five cuts and needed 70 stitches after the fight. Marquez had a huge laceration on each eyebrow, one on the nose, and one on each cheek, but with the help of “Stitch” the doctor never stopped the fight.
Jesse Reid
Legendary Las Vegas trainer Jesse Reid has worked with twenty-nine world champions during an illustrious career dating back to the 70’s. Fighters that include names like Lamon Brewster, Johnny Tapia and Roger Mayweather to name a few. The first fighter Reid trained was Rodolfo Gonzalez, who with only twelve fights under the tutelage of Reid, would challenge and defeat Chango Carmona for the WBC lightweight world title. Other future champions that Reid helped develop include middleweight Frank Tate, featherweight Calvin Grove, and the Canizales brothers, Gaby and Orlando the younger of the brothers, who entered the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009 and hold the bantamweight record for successful title defenses with 15.
Posthumous:
Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez (38-2-1, 17 KOs) Posthumous
Fighting out of the streets of south Los Angeles in the 1980s Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez was a fan favorite, two-time junior lightweight champion whose crowning achievement came in 1991, when he traveled to France and stopped Frenchman Daniel Londas in the ninth round to win the vacant WBA 130-pound title. He also captured the WBC Super Featherweight title and made eleven defenses over both reigns. Chicanito had a great 14-year career with victories over the likes of Azumah Nelson, Carlos Hernandez and Jorge Paez. Genaro suffered only two defeats; once at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to Oscar De La Hoya and losing his championship in his last fight, at the Las Vegas Hilton to then 21-year old Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Emile Griffith (85-24-3, 23 KOs) Posthumous
In the 1960s, Emile Griffith was a boxing star, known for his speed and punching power. He was a prodigy from the moment he stepped into Hall of Fame trainer Gil Clancy’s gym in Queens and ascended the welterweight ranks and earned a welterweight title shot against Benny “The Kid” Paret in 1961. Griffith won the championship with a 13th-round knockout at the Garden before losing the belt back to Paret in a rematch five months later. Griffith would fight Paret for a third time and tragedy would strike in the ring as Griffith would win the title once again. Griffith would continue to box and capture the unified WBC and WBA World Welterweight titles on December 8, 1962, at the Convention Center in Las Vegas. He also would go on to win the middleweight title after dropping and beating the undefeated Dick Tiger. In his career, Griffith met 10 world champions and boxed 339 title fight rounds.
Mitch Halpern (Posthumous)
Trained as referee under the guidance of Richard Steele, Las Vegas resident Mitch Halpern was not only one of the most respected boxing refs in the business but a very respected person to friends and the boxing community. Halpern worked 87 world title fights and was assigned many of the highest-profile fights in Nevada, including the first Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield heavyweight championship fight in 1996 at the MGM Grand Garden, the Lennox Lewis-Holyfield championship fight in 1999 at the Thomas & Mack Center and the Oscar De La Hoya-Felix Trinidad welterweight championship fight in 1999 at Mandalay Bay. Died tragically at the age of 33 while at the top of his game.
Career Details of 2024 NVBHOF Inductees
Shawn Porter: (31-4-1, 17KOs)
The relentless pressure fighting style of Shawn Porter resulted in his reputation as one of the most exciting and popular fighters of the 21st Century. The Las Vegas resident was a pro from 2008 to 2021, but surprisingly fought only twice in Las Vegas, his highly talked about win over Adrian Broner, and the last fight of his career in 2021 against Terence Crawford. Porter held the IBF 147lb title in 2013-’14 and WBC Crown 2018-19. Along the way, he defeated the likes of Danny Garcia, Andre Berto, Julio Diaz, Yordenis Ugas and Paulie Malignaggi. Since his retirement as an active fighter, Porter has become a much sought-after TV boxing commentator and hosts his podcast. Shawn was honored previously by NVBHOF when he was named Nevada Fighter of the Year in 2017.
Layla McCarter: (44-13-5, 11KOs)
Fought 21 times in Nevada, including 9 bouts at this year’s NVBHOF Host Hotel, The Orleans. Layla was well-traveled throughout the state, appearing at 12 different venues in Las Vegas, three different venues in Reno, and once in Laughlin. Nicknamed “Amazing” for good reason, she won multiple world titles across five weight divisions. Went undefeated in her last 22 bouts from 2007-’22. and was regularly listed prominently on Women’s pound-for-pound lists in that time. Her awesome resume is filled with several world champions she defeated, and in 2016 Ring Magazine named Layla the 10th best female fighter of all time. McCarter has been named NVBHOF Nevada Female Fighter of the Year three times.
Ishe Smith: (29-11, 19 KOs)
Fought 20 times in Nevada, exactly half of his pro bouts, all of them in Las Vegas, but at eight different venues. He was a regular figure at the 2024 NVBHOF Induction Hotel, The Orleans, fighting there eight consecutive times from 2000-2002. A lifelong Vegas resident, Ishe became the first-ever Las Vegas-born fighter to win a world title in 2013 when he captured the IBF 154lb crown with a victory over Cornelius “K9” Bundradge. For that first-ever accomplishment, Smith was honored at the 2013 Inaugural NVBHOF with a Special Achievement Award.
Mike Martino
One of the most respected Nevada boxing executives in Northern Nevada history. Mike was the longtime head boxing coach at the University of Nevada, Reno. Developed several national champions and led UNR to 2015 National Collegiate Boxing Championship. Mike was Nevada State Athletic Commission Inspector, Former Executive Director, USA Boxing and headed up the U.S.A. Olympic Boxing efforts in 2016. He is still actively coordinating Nevada Boxing University cards, college boxing regional and national tournaments and other amateur events. Martino was honored with NVBHOF President’s Award 2016.
Jay Nady
The long road to refereeing many of the biggest fights in Nevada’s boxing history began as a collegiate boxer at the University of Nevada. While living in Reno, Jay began officiating amateur bouts in 1970 and professional bouts in 1972. From then until his retirement in 2019, Nady refereed close to 2500 bouts. He took three years out of his reffing duties to serve on the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and then returned to his inside-the-ring duties. Jay was assigned many prominent fights, such as Jones Jr.-Tarver, Barrrera-Morales, Trinidad-Wright, Trinidad-Vargas, Mayweather-Baldomir, Holyfield-Tyson, De la Hoya Mayorga and the controversial Tszyu-Judah match. For his exploits in college boxing and football, Nady was inducted into the UNR Hall of Fame in 1986.
