Net54baseball.com Forums - IBHOF Class of 2018

IBHOF write-ups below.

Vitali Klitschko

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...o%20Vitali.jpg

Winner of 195 out of 210 amateur bouts, the 6-foot-7 Klitschko turned pro in 1996 in Germany and scored 27 consecutive knockouts. He reigned twice as EBU heavyweight champion (1998-99, 2000) and in 1999 he won the WBO title. Following two defenses he was ahead on all scorecards until a torn rotator cuff led to a 9th round TKO loss to Chris Byrd in 2000. He rebounded, including wins over Orlin Norris (KO 1), Ross Puritty (TKO 11) and Larry Donald (TKO 10) before meeting Lennox Lewis for the WBC title in 2003. Ahead on all scorecards, the bout was stopped in the 6th round due to cuts on Klitschko’s eyes. Lewis retired and Klitschko stopped Corrie Sanders in 2004 for the vacant WBC strap (TKO 8). After one defense, he retired in 2005 but returned to reclaim the title in 2008 with an 8th round TKO over Samuel Peter. An impressive string of nine defenses followed including stoppage wins over Juan Carlos Gomez (TKO 9), Chris Arreola (TKO 10), Shannon Briggs (W 12), Tomasz Adamek (TKO 10) and Dereck Chisora (W 12) before retiring in 2012 following a 4th round TKO win over Manuel Charr. “Dr. Ironfist,” who has a Ph.D. in Sports Science, posted a record of 45-2 (41 KOs) and an 87.23 knockout percentage. Active in politics, Klitschko was elected mayor of Kiev, Ukraine in 2014.

Erik Morales:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...%20Morales.jpg

Morales followed his father’s footsteps into the boxing ring and turned pro in 1993. He won the NABF super bantamweight title before stopping Daniel Zaragoza (KO 11) for the WBC 122-pound title in 1997. “El Terrible” registered nine successful defenses including wins over Junior Jones (TKO 4), Wayne McCullough (W 12) and Marco Antonio Barrera (W 12). He became a two-division champion with a 12-round win over Guty Espadas Jr. (W 12) for the WBC featherweight title in 2001. He lost the title to Barrera (L 12) in 2002 but reclaimed the vacant laurel from Paulie Ayala (W 12) when Barrera refused the belt. He added a third divisional title in 2004 with a pair of 12-round decisions over Jesus Chavez for the WBC super featherweight strap and Carlos Hernandez for the IBF belt. Morales met his rival Barrera in a rubber match (L 12) before defeating Manny Pacquiao in 2005 (W 12). He met Pacquiao twice more in 2006 (TKO by 10, KO by 3). In 2011 he defeated Pablo Cano for the WBC light welterweight title to become the first Mexican boxer to win titles in four weight divisions. After back-to-back losses to Danny Garcia (L 12, KO by 4), Morales retired in 2012 with a pro ledger of 52-9 (36 KOs).

Winky Wright:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...t_%20Winky.JPG

Following an accomplished 52-4 amateur career, Wright turned professional in 1990. The 5’10 ½” southpaw utilized a piston-like right jab and tremendous all-around skill set to capture the NABF light middleweight title twice (1995-96, 2000) and four world 154-pound title belts. He captured the WBO light middleweight title in 1996 with a 12-round win over Bronco McKart and reigned until 1998, successfully defending three times. After winning the vacant IBF strap in 2001 from Robert Frazier (W 12), he unified with a win over WBA/WBC champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley (W 12) in 2004. Stripped of the IBF belt after the bout, he defended the WBA/WBC laurels with a 12th round win over Mosley in the rematch. Wright next vacated the titles in 2005 to compete at middleweight and scored wins over Sam Soliman (W 12) and Hall of Famer Felix “Tito” Trinidad (W 12) before drawing with WBC/WBO 160-pound champion Jermain Taylor. A 12-round decision win over Ike Quartey in 2006 followed before retiring in 2012 after decision losses to Bernard Hopkins, Paul Williams and Peter Quillin. Wright’s professional record stands at 51-6-1 (25 KOs).

Sid Terris:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...5%20Terris.jpg

An undefeated amateur star (50-0), in 1922 he won the New York State, New York City, National and International amateur lightweight championships within a 10-month period. He was also the 1922 National AAU bantamweight champion. Terris joined the paid ranks the same year and over the next nine years met and beat top fighters of his era and became a standout gate attraction. Among those he defeated include Jimmy Goodrich (W 12), Ace Hudkins (W 10) and Hall of Famers Sammy Mandell (W 10), Billy Petrolle (W 10), Rocky Kansas (W DQ 5) and Johnny Dundee (W 12). On June 15, 1927, he met his life-long friend and fellow East Side boxing star Ruby Goldstein at the Polo Grounds. Terris got off the canvas to score a first round knockout of his friendly foe. Although a championship bout eluded him, his combination of uncanny foot and hand speed, lightning quick left jab and tremendous ring intellect, cemented his reputation as one of the sports top lightweight practitioners. The 5’ 7” pugilist retired in 1931 with a pro docket of 92-13-5 (12 KOs).