After a two-year absence due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony makes a return to Mohegan Sun this Saturday. The three most notable names being immortalized this weekend are Elvin Ayala, former IBO super bantamweight champion Mike Oliver and world-class referee Danny Schiavone, who as of late is becoming quite the actor, with a role on the Amazon Prime mob series Gravesend. Other inductees include longtime trainer Jose “Papo” Colon, of Hartford, New Haven-based manager Mike Criscio and Frank Russo, who played a major part in bringing fights to Hartford in the 1970s.
Ayala fought valiantly against Arthur Abraham in 2008 in his attempt to win the IBF world middleweight championship.Then-unbeaten Abraham didn’t stop Ayala until the twelfth round. Ayala has been retired since 2019.
Oliver, in addition to becoming IBO champ, got a quality win in his home state at Mohegan in 2006 with a unanimous decision over Adam Carerra. He won the IBO belt in 2007 and 22 months later, earned a dominant decision victory over Castulo Gonzalez. Oliver hung up the gloves this past November.
Schiavone can’t wait until Saturday. “All I can say is that it is an absolute honor to be inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame,” he said. “It’s very humbling, considering the amount of people that were being considered. All of whom, by the way, would have been worthy of such an honor. I am truly blessed.”
Pete Hary, Vice President of the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame, is happy he’ll be seeing some familiar faces again when everyone gathers at Mohegan’s Uncas Ballroom. “It feels amazing to be having an induction ceremony again,” he said. “After two years in a row of not having a gala due to the pandemic, it just feels great to be able to honor these outstanding individuals and give them the recognition they truly deserve.”
The night will also see the induction of the Class of 2021, which includes Steve Carr, Eddie Dolan, Barbara Dunn, Al Gainer, Mosey King, William J. “Bill” Lee and Jimmy Leto. Many boxers from the recent past are regular attendees of the annual event, including “Iceman” john Scully, former welterweight champion Marlon Starling, former middleweight and super middleweight contender Dana Rosenblatt, forrmer featherweight contender Matt Remillard, and former lightweight contender Israel “Pito” Cardona. And it wouldn’t be a shock if Paul Cichon, one of Connecticut’s top trainers, and a Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, showed up with a couple of his rising star fighters.
Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling Sherman Cain at 860-212-9029 and Rider Productions at 860-413-9067. A cocktail hour and an array of top-notch appetizers usually precede the dinner. Doors open at 6p.m. and the sit-down dinner begins at 7 p.m.
