Former rivals Paul Williams and Sergio Martinez met for the first time since their two fights at the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame last weekend.
The event, which is becoming one of boxing’s annual must-attend attractions, saw the fighters reunite and embrace 15 years on from Martinez edging Williams by a majority decision in their first bout before the Argentine great scored one of the best knockouts of 2010 – if not all time – to stop Williams in two rounds in their 2010 return. Both fights were at the Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City.
Williams had just two more contests before he was left wheelchair-bound following a motorcycle accident.
Fight fan Donovan Kasp attended the event. A regular at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota each year, Kasp said one of the highlights was meeting Marvin Hagler’s son, James Hagler, and then getting a candid picture of the son of the Marvelous one embracing former Hagler rival Roberto Duran and his daughter.
“There were so many memorable things,” Kasp said of the weekend. “Hanging out with Nate Campbell, who broke my heart when he destroyed Kid Diamond, hanging out with Roberto Duran and stopping him from trying one of the world’s hottest sauces during our group challenge! Joking around with James Toney, but also having a personal conversation about both of our fathers passing away at the same age of 65. Playing the slot machine with Vito Antufermo, driving Michael Spinks and his wife, Flo, in my car. Sharing so many laughs with my boxing crew, making new friends and memories.”
Those inducted this year included Mario Maldonado, Martinez, Sharmba Mitchell, Mark Breland, Buster Douglas, Eva Jones-Young, Gerry Cooney, Tyrone Frazier, and Williams.
Special contributors who were enshrined included Randy Gordan, Sampson Lewkowicz, Buddy McGirt, Bruce Blair, Eric Bottjer and Guy Gargan, posthumous inductees were Howard Davis Jnr, referee Eddie Cotton and Jay Larkin and the Pioneers were Eric Seelig, George Godfrey and Joey Giardello.
It was the eighth annual Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame and was held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.