Extra Points: AC Boxing Hall of Fame announces 2024 Class

By DAVID WEINBERG

Most of Mario Maldonado’s 42 professional fights occurred during the heyday of boxing in Atlantic City.

The Vineland resident fought 21 times on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. The vast majority of the bouts took place between 1982 and 1985, when Atlantic City was considered the “Boxing Capital of the World.”  It’s hard to argue that title, considering the resort staged an incredible 521 bouts in that four-year span, including 139 in 1982 and 143 in 1985.

He will be back in Atlantic City September 27-29, when he will join 20 other former fighters, trainers, referees, and other officials at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino as the newest inductees into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame.

Maldonado is among nine former fighters to be chosen for induction, along with Mark Breland, Gerry Cooney, James “Buster” Douglas, Tyrone Mitchell Frazier, Sergio Martinez, Sharmba Mitchell, Paul Williams and Eva Jones-Young.

Martinez and Williams staged two epic fights at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.  Williams won the first meeting via majority decision in 2009. Martinez scored a stunning, second-round knockout in the rematch a year later.

In between, Martinez won the WBO and WBC middleweight belts with a unanimous decision over Kelly Pavlik who also scored an 11^th-round knockout over Darren Barker in the same ring in 2011.

Cooney had memorable fights with Michael Spinks and George Foreman in Atlantic City in 1987 and 1990, respectively. His final fight was a second-round loss to Foreman at Boardwalk Hall on January 15, 1990.  Both Spinks and Foreman are in the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame.

Trainer Bruce Blair of Egg Harbor Township and local boxing writer Guy Gargan from Ocean City were chosen in the special contributor category with trainer James “Buddy” McGirt, manager/promoter Sampson Lewkowicz, matchmaker Eric Bottjer and media member Randy Gordon.

Blair worked with a number of local fighters in his career, including former junior-lightweight and lightweight contender John Brown of Atlantic City, who is in the ACBHOF. Gargan, a longtime writer for the Press of Atlantic City, covered bouts with fellow Hall of Famers and Press writers Dave Bontempo and yours truly.

McGirt was a staple in Atlantic City as both a fighter and trainer. He fought 14 times there in the 1980’s and 1990’s, then later served as Arturo Gatti’s trainer during his memorable bouts at Boardwalk Hall.

Olympic gold medalist Howard Davis, longtime Showtime Boxing executive Jay Larkin, and referee Eddie Cotton will be honored posthumously.

Boxers Joey Giardello, George Godfrey, and Eric Seelig will be inducted in the new Pioneer category that was created last year.

Giardello won the world middleweight title with a 15-round decision over Dick Tiger at Atlantic City’s Convention Hall on December 7, 1963.