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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Thomas Hauser

Manny Pacquiao can’t cover the Hall of Fame’s blind spots. The process needs an overhaul

Jermain Taylor, left, hits Kelly Pavlik during their middlleweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on 16 February 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jermain Taylor, left, hits Kelly Pavlik during their middlleweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on 16 February 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photograph: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

On 8 June, 14 men and women will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. Some, like Manny Pacquiao, clearly deserve the honor. Others – in my opinion – don’t. More egregiously, some fighters and other members of the boxing community who should be in the Hall of Fame have never even been on the ballot.

I’d like to highlight some of them. Let’s start with fighters and, for purposes of comparison, put their ring accomplishments side by side with those of one of the 2025 inductees: Vinny Pazienza.

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