Boxing Hall of Fame announces Class of 2018

CANASTOTA - Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, four-division world champion Erik Morales and light middleweight champion Ronald Wright were announced Tuesday as the "modern" category boxers who will be inducted during the International Boxing Hall of Fame and Musuem's Induction Weekend on June 7-10, 2018.

Klitschko, Morales and Wright will all enter the Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.

The Class of 2018 also includes broadcasters Steve Albert and Jim Gray and German promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl in the non-participants/observers category.

Three others will be honored posthumously - Sid Terris in the Old-Timer Category, and ring announcer Johnny Addie and promoter Lorraine Chargin in the Non-Participant Category.

"It’s a dream of many boxers to be a member of the Hall of Fame family," Klitschkio said. "I’ve thought about the Hall of Fame but I never expected one day that I would be among the legends who were always examples for me such as Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and so many world famous boxers. It’s a big honor for me.”

Morales said he was "overwhelmed by the news," calling it "a dream come true."

Tuesday's announcement took Albert by surprise.

“It’s an honor. I didn’t expect this," he said. "I heard from some boxing friends that I was on the ballot but having been out of the sport for a few years I didn’t expect it to happen. ... It's little overwhelming. I’ve never been to Canastota and I’ve heard so many great things about that weekend through other friends who have been inducted. ... It’s rare for me, but I’m a little speechless right now.”

"I got chills," Gray said. "I’m so honored and so grateful to the sport, the fighters and the Hall of Fame. ... It’s just an amazing feeling to have been able to have observed and witnessed the excellence of so many incredible athletes."

The 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend will include several sevents during the four-day celebration, including a 5K Race/Fun Run, golf tournament, boxing autograph card show, VIP Cocktail Reception, Parade of Champions and the Official Induction Ceremony on the Hall of Fame Museum Grounds.

Also scheduled are two special events at Turning Stone Resort Casino - Friday night’s Fight Night at Turning Stone and Saturday’s Banquet of Champions.

For more information on the events planned for the 2018 International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, call the Hall of Fame at (315) 697-7095, visit online at www.ibhof.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InternationalBoxingHallofFame and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BoxingHall.