05.06.04 – The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced today popular 5-time world champion Johnny “Mi Vida Loca” Tapia will attend festivities planned for the 15th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Weekend set for June 10-13th. Fighting out of Albuquerque, NM, Tapia compiled an impressive 150-12 amateur record.
As a professional, he captured five world titles in three separate weight divisions. He reigned as WBO junior bantamweight champion (1994 to 1998), IBF junior bantamweight champion (1997-1998), WBA bantamweight champion (1998-1999), WBO bantamweight champion (2000) and IBF featherweight king (2002). Tapia’s pro record now stands at 53-4-2 (28KOs) and he is next scheduled to box on July 31st.
“Johnny Tapia is immensely popular with boxing fans,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Edward Brophy. “It will be really exciting to roll out the red carpet for him.”
The June 10-13th Hall of Fame Induction Weekend will feature over 20 exciting events including a banquet, parade, golf tournament, boxing autograph card show, breakfast, cocktail party, professional boxing show, and the official induction ceremony honoring the Class of 2004. New inductees to be honored are super featherweight champion Azumah Nelson, welterweight champion Carlos Palomino, light heavyweight champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi, super bantamweight champion Daniel Zaragoza, referee Stanley Christodoulou, promoter J Russell Peltz, and journalist W.C. Heinz. Posthumous inductees will also be honored.
“It will be a thrill for me to be in Canastota to see Daniel Zaragoza honored as an inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and to see all the other great former champions,” said Tapia.
Over 50 boxing stars, including Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Jake LaMotta, Ken Norton, Emile Griffith, Ken Buchanan, Angelo Dundee, Aaron Pryor, Jeff Fenech, Gene Fullmer, Danny “Little Red” Lopez, Leon Spinks, Alexis Arguello and Canastota’s Carmen Basilio are scheduled to participate in weekend festivities.
For more information on the Hall of Fame’s 15th Annual Induction Weekend please call (315) 697-7095.