Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame


The Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame is a museum and hall of fame in Belfast, New York, dedicated to the sport of bare-knuckle boxing. It is housed in barns that were once owned by the Greco-Roman wrestling champion and physical culture pioneer William Muldoon. The heavyweight boxing champion John L. Sullivan, who fought in both bare-knuckled and gloved boxing contests, trained in these barns under Muldoon's guidance for his championship bout against Jake Kilrain in 1889. The barns were originally across Main Street from their current location, on the grounds of the Belfast Catholic Church. They were bought, moved, and restored by Scott Burt when the church became no longer interested in maintaining them. Burt opened the Hall of Fame in 2009, when it had its first induction class.
The Hall of Fame houses plaques and memorabilia associated with bare-knuckle boxers that have been inducted to the Hall of Fame, as well as exhibits devoted to the general history of bare-knuckle boxing. Each year's induction class includes bare-knuckle boxers from the classic era, modern bare-knuckle boxers, and honorary inductees. Trainers, promoters and other significant figures in the sport are also upon occasion inducted.
The Hall of Fame also serves as a memorial to Sullivan's training camp with Muldoon, a number of relics of which have survived the lengthy period when the barns sat unused. These include his original work-out rings, a ceiling mount for Sullivan's heavy bag, the slatted area of flooring on which Sullivan stood for gravity showers after training, his original swing clubs and weights, and the "room of repose" in which Sullivan and Muldoon relaxed and discussed strategy in the evenings, which includes some of Muldoon's original furniture. Sullivan and Muldoon's use of this training camp was documented by the celebrated reporter Nellie Bly, in an article she wrote for the New York World.

Inductees

The following are the inductees into the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame as of 6 April 2018:

Original Inductees

Original inductees are required to have boxed completely bare-fisted at some point in their career. These include living fighters and those that fought as early as the 18th century.
YearInducteesRoleNationality
2009Boxer
2009Boxer
2009Boxer
2009Boxer
2009Boxer
2009Boxer
2009Boxer
2009Boxer
2009Trainer
2009Promoter
2010Boxer
2010Boxer
2010Boxer
2010Boxer
2010Boxer
2010Boxer
2010Boxer
2010Boxer
2010Boxer
2010Manager

2010Promoter
2011Boxer
2011Boxer
2011Boxer
2012Boxer
2012Boxer
2012Boxer
2013Boxer
2013Boxer
2013Boxer

2014Boxer
2014Boxer
2014Boxer
2014Boxer
2014Boxer
2015Boxer
2015Boxer
2015Boxer
2016Boxer
2016Boxer
2016Boxer
2016Boxer
Author
Knuckle
2016Boxer
Street fighter
2016Publication
2017Boxer
2017Boxer
2017Boxer
2017Boxer

2017Boxer
2018Boxer
2018Boxer
2018Boxer
2018Boxer

Honorary Inductees

These must have brought positive spotlight to upstate New York or done a considerable service to the sport of Bare-knuckle boxing. Honorary inductees are those that have not bare knuckle boxed, that is, those listed as a 'boxer' have boxed with gloves or wraps, and inductees associated with ice hockey are inducted for their contributions to the fighting aspects of the game. The honorary inductees were included as an acknowledgement that bare-knuckle boxing ended as a mainstream sport over a century ago, and that the honorary inductee system allows notable figures that promoted activity similar to bare knuckle boxing, who might be more recognizable to modern audiences, to be included in the Hall.
YearInducteeRoleNationality
2009Boxer
2009Hockey enforcer
2009Boxer
2009Promoter
2010Boxer
2011Boxer
2011Boxer
2011Boxer
2012Coach
Trainer
'
2012Trainer
'
2012Trainer
'
2012Trainer
'
2012Trainer
'
2012Trainer
'
2012Trainer
Gym Owner
2012Gym Owner
2013Boxer
2013Boxer
2013Boxer
2013Boxer
2014Reporter
2014NYSAC Commissioner
2014Trainer
2014Boxer
2014Boxer
2015Promoter of the sport
2015Boxer
2015Commentator
2015Historian
2015Commentator
2015Commentator
2015Trainer
2015Boxer
2015Purple Heart HomesCharity
2016Boxer
2016Ring MagazinePublication
2016Boxing News MagazinePublication
2016The USA Boxing NewsPublication
2017Wrestler
2017Grandmaster
2017Artist
2017Boxer
2017Boxer
2017Boxer
2018Hockey announcer
2018Historian
2018Boxer

Marie Backus Person of the Year

YearRecipient
2014Mercedes Vazquez-Simmons
2015Jack Emrick
2016Bob Collins
2017Gino Arilotta
2018Bill Clancy

Marie Backus Team of the Year

YearTeamMembers
2018Team USA JujitsuBryana Baer
Mike Hanchett
Charlie Love
Desmond White
Barry Broughton

Induction Events

For the inaugural induction ceremony in 2009, former undisputed heavyweight champion Leon Spinks was a special guest.
From 2011-2013 there was a breakfast in honour of a particular person each year, in 2011 this was Jack Green, Buffalo Ring 44 President. In 2012 the breakfast was in honour of Jeff Mengel, who had trained the fighter Jimmy Holmes in the barns in Belfast, New York. The 2013 breakfast was in honour of Zeke Wilson, author of the book The Eighth Round, combatant of prejudice in boxing and a noted boxer himself.

Current Recognized Champions

With the introduction of modern day sanctioned bare knuckle boxing events both inside and outside of the United States, the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame, in conjunction with the National Police Gazette, currently recognizes several individuals as World and American Bare Knuckle Boxing champions. The following individuals are recognized as the current champions.
DivisionChampion
Heavyweight World Champion Bobby Gunn
Heavyweight American Champion Chase Sherman
Lightweight American Champion Johnny Bedford
Women's Featherweight World Champion Bec Rawlings
Women's Featherweight American Champion Helen Peralta

Modern Era Championship History

National Police Gazette Heavyweight World Championship

No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Bobby Gunn
promoted to undisputed champion		N/AFebruary, 2016

National Police Gazette Heavyweight American Championship

No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Arnold Adams
def. Sam Shewmaker		Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 3
Biloxi, Mississippi		October 20, 2018
2 Chase ShermanBare Knuckle Fighting Championship 7
Biloxi, Mississippi		August 10, 2019

National Police Gazette Lightweight American Championship

No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Johnny Bedford
def. Reggie Barnett Jr.		Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 6
Tampa, Florida		June 22, 2019

National Police Gazette Women's Featherweight World Championship

No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Bec Rawlings
promoted to undisputed champion		N/AJune 5, 2018
1. def. Britain Hart at BKFC 2 on Aug 25, 2018

2. def. Cecilia Flores at BKFC 4 on Feb 2, 2019

National Police Gazette Women's Featherweight American Championship

No.NameEventDateDefenses
1 Christine Ferea
def. Britain Hart		Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 5
Biloxi, Mississippi		April 6, 2019
2 Helen PeraltaBare Knuckle Fighting Championship 7
Biloxi, Mississippi		August 10, 2019