1970 World Champion Billy Backus & Boxing Legend Gerry Cooney Scheduled to Guest Appear 

 

Belfast, New York – Scott Burt, Coordinator of the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame announced today that the second Annual Hall of Fame Induction Weekend will take place Friday, August 20 and Saturday August 21, 2010, and that guest boxers Billy Backus & Gerry Cooney will be in attendance.  Cooney was famous for his two World Heavyweight Championship Title Fights; one in 1982 against Larry Holmes and a second in 1987 against Michael Spinks.  Backus won the Welterweight Championship of the World in 1970.  “We are very excited these boxers will be joining us for this year’s inductions.  Gerry is of Irish background which connects well not only with our heritage here in Belfast, but also with The Great John L. Sullivan, who is Belfast’s legendary connection to the Bare Knuckle Boxing era.”

 

The building that houses the Bare Knuckle Hall of Fame in Belfast is actually a pair of 1800s Victorian barns once owned by favorite son William Muldoon who was a famous trainer of the time and eventually the Boxing Commissioner from 1921 to 1924.  In 1889 Muldoon brought the sickly John L. Sullivan to his home in rural Belfast to train for the last Bare Knuckle Championship Title Fight of the World.  Getting him away from the limelight and distractions of the big cities, Muldoon whipped him into shape in these barns which resulted in Sullivan beating then Champion Jake Kilrain in a 2 hour 15 minute 75-round brawl – recently dubbed “The Brawl That Started It All” by Sports Illustrated.  These barns are a virtual time capsule.  Muldoon gave up ownership of them in the early 1900s and they have been locked up ever since, including the original equipment that Sullivan used 120 years ago.   Last summer Burt moved the barns 2 blocks to a location in Belfast more easily accessible to the public, and spent an immense amount of time restoring them as they contained much structural rot and deterioration.  “The boxing world has responded more than we could have ever imagined to our project, and to our Hall of Fame.  They just can’t believe these barns made it all these years.  They have come from all over the world to view them; 1978 Heavyweight Champion of the World Leon Spinks, 2004 #1 Contender Baby Joe Mesi, and Buffalo Sabre’s tough guy Rob Ray have all been here so far, along with the International Boxing Research Organization, Ring 44 out of Buffalo, the Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame, and many more including fans from Germany, France, and England.  All have been in awe of what they see here in Belfast.  We can’t wait to show our national treasure off to Gerry and Billy in August,” gleamed Burt. 

 

In October 2009, ten bare knuckle boxers, trainers, and promoters were inducted.  Burt is pleased to announce that the Induction Class of 2010 will include eleven more.  They are boxers James Figg, Tom Molineaux, Tom Spring, Tom Sayers, John Heenan, Jem Mace, Jem Smith, Jack Dempsey “The Nonpareil”, and Jack McAuliffe. Two other original era people will also be inducted; manager Billy Madden and promoter Harry H. Hill.  There will also be the Honorary Induction of 1970 World Welterweight Champion Billy Backus, whose success in the ring brought much spotlight to upstate New York. 

 

2010 Induction Information:

This year’s Induction Weekend schedule and ticket information follows:

Friday, August 20;

a) 6pm Tours of the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame in Belfast, $10 per person at door.

b) 7pm Informal free no-money Texas-Hold’em tournament at St. Patrick’s Hall in Belfast, just two blocks from the barns. Only cost is a $45 food ticket.  Lots of fun; SUPER donated prizes.  Great social event.  Never played?  No problem.  Knock-out a celebrity boxer in a head-to-head showdown and win a special prize!  Autographs and souvenirs available; silent auction too!  Limited number of seats; must reserve ahead of time.

 

Saturday, August 21;

a) All morning, Special U.S. Postal Induction Day Cancellation at Belfast Post Office. 

b) 10am “Breakfast with the Boxers” at the Angelica Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast, $35

c) 1pm “Hackers & Whackers” Golf outing with Gerry Cooney and Billy Backus at the Wellsville Country Club, $75 per person includes 18 holes of golf and cart, 4-man scramble format.  Limited number of teams.  Meet at Hall of Fame in Belfast after your round for prizes and free tour for golfers and Gala attendees.  Others touring, $10 each at door. (Special offering:  Be in one of the foursomes with one of our guest boxers for $350 per man; all proceeds going towards restoration and preservation of the Hall of Fame barns.)

d) 7:30pm Induction Gala at the Angelica Victorian Bed & Breakfast, $175 per couple ($100 per single).   Silent Auction, Induction Ceremony, unveiling of the Official Induction Hall of Fame Artwork of Chris Guzman.  Live radio broadcast.  Media on site.  Limited number of tickets to be sold. 

 

To purchase tickets, make checks out to Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame

Mail to:

Scott R. Burt, Coordinator

3876 State Route 19

Scio, New York 14880

(585) 610-3326

 

http://www.bareknuckleboxinghalloffame.com/id9.html