CANASTOTA, NY – DECEMBER 8, 2009 – The International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum is pleased to announce German boxing promoter Wilfried Sauerland has been elected into the Hall of Fame. “We’re very excited for Wilfried Sauerland and the Hall of Fame is very much looking forward to honoring his many achievements with induction into the Hall of Fame,” said Executive Director Edward Brophy. “His accomplishments will be recognized during the annual Hall of Fame Induction Weekend set for June 10-13th.”
Over 20 events, including a golf tournament, banquet, parade and autograph card show, are planned. An impressive celebrity lineup of boxing greats of yesterday and today will attend this year’s Induction Weekend. Sauerland will receive a gold Hall of Fame ring and a plaque with his biography and photo will be on permanent display on the Hall of Fame Wall. The Official Enshrinement Ceremony will be held on the Hall of Fame Museum Grounds in Canastota, New York on Sunday, June 13th..
Born February 29, 1940 in Wuppertal, Germany. He promoted his first show on September 30, 1978 featuring Lotti Mwale in Zambia. He staged his first promotion in Germany in 1980 and soon developed a formidable stable of fighters including John Mugabi, Rene Weller and Graciano Rocchigiani. Sauerland presided over a boxing boom in Germany during the 1990s when, under his guidance, Henry Maske reigned as IBF light heavyweight king from 1993-96. During his three decades in boxing he would also guide Axel Schulz, 2004 Olympic gold medalist Alexander Povetkin, as well as former champions Sven Ottke, Arthur Abraham, Mikkel Kessler, Markus Beyer, Nikolai Valuev and current WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck, IBF Middleweight Champion Sebastian Sylvester and female welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus. Under his leadership, Sauerland Event produces 12 top-rate boxing shows per year, has a long-term agreement with German TV giant ARD and stages events throughout Europe and the USA.
Other living honorees include light flyweight champion Jung-Koo Chang, featherweight champion Danny “Little Red” Lopez, manager Shelly Finkel, referee / commissioner Larry Hazzard, matchmaker Bruce Trampler and journalist Ed Schuyler.
The Hall of Fame also released names of posthumous honorees: light heavyweight Lloyd Marshall in the Modern Category; featherweight champion Young Corbett II, lightweight champion Rocky Kansas and light heavyweight and heavyweight Billy Miske in the Old-Timer Category; broadcaster Howard Cosell in the Observer Category; and Paddington Tom Jones in the Pioneer Category. Inductees were voted in by members of the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians.
For more information on the events planned for the 2010 International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, please call the Hall of Fame at (315) 697-7095 or visit www.ibhof.com.
QUOTES:
“I’m absolutely thrilled. It doesn’t happen often, but this news sent shivers down my back. I’m very honored to be elected and to be the second German to be a member of the Hall after our idol Max Schmeling is something special for me personally and for all of our people.”
– Wilfried Sauerland upon receiving induction news
“For over 30 years, Wilfried Sauerland has staged world-class boxing events in Germany and helped create a renewed popularity in the sport there.”
– Edward Brophy, Executive Director, Int’l Boxing Hall of Fame
“For boxing in Germany, he, more than anybody, has been the most consistent figure. >From Henry Maske to Graciano Rocchigiani to today, he’s been consistent – like Bob Arum and Don King put together – for big-time boxing in Germany. He’s responsible for boxing being so much of an event in Germany. When he promotes fights, he makes it a massive, unbelievable event.”
– Emanuel Steward, 1996 Hall of Fame Inductee
“What a great promoter! He’s one of the best and a gentleman to boot.”
– Angelo Dundee, 1992 Hall of Fame Inductee