Pacquiao, Paz and Nunn Lead Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2025

The International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum (IBHOF) announced its inductees for the Class of 2025 in five categories. The inductees will be honored during the Hall of Fame Induction Weekend June 5-8, 2025 at the Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York.

The Class of 2025 announced today by the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

The Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2025 inductees are:

Men’s Modern: Manny Pacquiao, Vinny Paz, Michael Nunn

Women’s Modern: Yessica Chavez, Anne Sophie Mathis, Mary Jo Sanders

Women’s Trailblazer: Cathy “Cat Davis

Non-Participant: Referee Kenny Bayless, cut man Al Gavin (posthumous) and referee Harry Gibbs (posthumous)

Observer: Broadcaster Randy Gordon, television producer Ross Greenburg

Old Timer: Rodrigo Valdez (posthumous)

Pioneer: Owen Swift (posthumous)

“We’re extremely excited about the Class of 2025 and are very much looking forward to honoring the newest class of inductees to earn boxing’s highest honor,” said Executive Director Edward Brophy.

Pacquiao Leads the Men’s Trio

Manny Pacquiao’s legacy is assured, despite never having faced Bud Crawford. Photo: Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions

If there was a single slam dunk on the ballot in the Men’s Modern category, it was Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao (62-8-2, 38 KOs) is boxing’s only eight-division world champion, winning 12 major titles from 1995 to 2021. Pacquiao is also the first boxer in history to win the lineal championship in five divisions. and the first boxer in history to win major world titles in four of the original eight divisions of boxing: flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight.

Pacquiao’s astonishing rise from a skinny, unknown 108-pound teenager from the Philippines to worldwide fame, thrilling fans with his work rate, style, and flashy performances, made him an international sensation. His success truly speaks for itself.

Among his signature victories were his 2003 victory over Marco Antonio Barrera at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas; his two revenge victories over Eric Morales in 2006, both serious beatdowns after losing his first fight to Morales by decision; his fourth title over David Diaz in 2008; and his phenomenal victory in 2009 over Miguel Cotto to win his seventh division title.

But Pacquiao truly shocked the boxing world in 2008 with his utter destruction of The Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya. Called “The Dream Match,” the much bigger De La Hoya was expected to steamroll over Pacquiao. There was criticism Pacquiao’s safety was at risk.

Instead, Pacquiao defeated De La Hoya by ninth-round TKO after taking the fight to De La Hoya, who decided not to continue with the fight, retiring in the corner after the eighth round. If you haven’t seen the fight, or watched in some time, you’re in for a treat.

In addition to his athletic accomplishments, in 2015 Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather set the all-time boxing records for pay-per-view buys, pay-per-view revenue and live gate. More than 4.4 million pay-per-views of the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao were purchased in the United States, generating more than $400 million in revenue. Those figures nearly doubled the previous record for PPV buys and more than doubled the mark for highest PPV revenue, and have never been matched.

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather weigh in for their upcoming historic 2015 12-round welterweight world championship unification mega-fight. Photo: Chris Farina, Top Rank

Upon hearing the news, Pacquiao said, “I am so happy that I have been selected to enter the International Boxing Hall of Fame. This certainly is a wonderful Christmas gift.

“Throughout my career, as a professional fighter and a public servant, it has been my goal to bring honor to my country, The Philippines, and my fellow Filipinos around the world. Today, I am humbled knowing that in June, I will receive boxing’s highest honor, joining our national hero, Flash Elorde, as well as my trainer and friend Freddie Roach.

“I am very grateful to those who voted for me, and I look forward to celebrating with family, friends, and fans at Induction Weekend in Canastota, New York.”

Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach were an ideal partnership in boxing. Photo: Top Rank

Trainer Freddie Roach will forever be tied to Pacquiao as his longtime trainer, and was among the first to congratulate him.

“I opened my gym, Wild Card Boxing Club, in hopes that the next Muhammad Ali would walk through the door,” said Roach. “Little did I know that in 2001, my Muhammad Ali would weigh 122 pounds. His name was Manny Pacquiao, and he was and still is the pride of the Philippines.

“For 20 years, after Manny and I first did mitts in the ring at Wild Card, we trained together for some of the biggest fights. As his collection of world championship belts grew, so did his presence in boxing and the world.

“Today’s announcement that Manny will be a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s class of 2025 makes me incredibly proud. As much as I loved working together with Manny all those years, I’m even happier sharing the same wall with him at the International Boxing Hall of Fame.”

Vinny Paz

Vinny Pazienza in 1993 against Lloyd Honeyghan in Atlantic City.

“The Pazmanian Devil” Vinny Paz (formerly Vinny Pazienza), a native of Rhode Island (50-10, 30 KOs), held titles at lightweight and junior middleweight. He is perhaps even better known for his return to boxing after breaking his neck in a 1991 car accident. The medical prognosis was that Pazienza would be lucky to walk again. Boxing was out of the question. Paz wore a metal brace for months while working on his physical rehabilitation against his doctors’ advice. He returned to the ring 13 months after the accident to defeat future WBC world jr. middleweight champion Luis Santana by decision. His story is told in the 2016 movie Bleed for This.

“This is awesome! I love it. Wow! This is the best phone call I’ve ever taken! I’m so glad. Love it, love it, love it!” said Paz when notified of the honor.

Michael Nunn

Michael Nunn in the first defense of his IBF middleweight title, knockinig out Juan “The Hammer” Roldan. Photo: Holly Stein, Allsport

Michael “Second To” Nunn of Davenport, Iowa (58-4, 38 KOs) competed from 1984 to 2022 as a professional after representing the United States in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He is a two-division world champion, holding the IBF middleweight title from 1998 to 1991, and the WBA super middleweight title from 1992 to 1994. During both those reigns, he was also the lineal champion in both divisions.

“Thank God. I’ve been waiting on this moment for so long. God has truly blessed me,” said Nunn.

“I want to thank the International Boxing Hall of Fame and all the voters. This is the highest achievement a boxer can have in the sport. As a small-town guy from Iowa, to reach the highest achievement in boxing makes me proud. This is the crowning moment of my career.”

Our Jacob Rodriguez caught up with Nunn for this article in 2022.

Although Nunn was a champion for just three years, he was considered a pound-for-pound talent with victories over Iran Barkley, Marlon Starling, Sumbu Kalambay, and Donald Curry. Sadly, his career was cut short due to a guilty plea of drug trafficking and he served 16 years in federal prison. Nunn is also a member of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

Chavez, Mathis, and Sanders Honored

French boxer Anne Sophie Mathis (27-4-1, 23 KOs) competed between 1995 and 2016. She is a two-division champion, holding the WBA female super-lightweight from 2006 to 2008, the WBC female super-lightweight title in 2008, and the WIBF and WIBA welterweight titles in 2011.

A hard-hitting knockout artist rare in women’s boxing, Mathis’ most well-known victory is a 2011 knockout of Holly Holm, a vicious KO in front of Holm’s hometown fans in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Yessica “Kika” Chavez  of Mexico (32-5-3, 4 KOs) held the IBF junior flyweight title from 2011 to 2013, and the WBC flyweight title from 2015 to 2017.

“I gave everything to boxing. It was my work and my life, but the most beautiful things in my life came from boxing. It is a legacy I will leave to my daughter. I’m amazed and this fills my heart so much. Boxing keeps giving me all the best,” said Chavez.

Yessica Chavez at her weigh-in for her fight against Yesica “Tuti” Bopp.

“Kika” Chavez scored her biggest victory in a rematch with undefeated Yesica “Tuti” Bopp of Argentina. Chavez lost to Bopp in a 100-90 shutout four years earlier in Argentina. In the rematch, Bopp seemed she would roll over Chavez as in the first bout, but Chavez outscored Bopp on the cards to hand Bopp her first – and only – career defeat

With the induction of Detroit native Mary Jo Sanders (25-1-1, 8 KOs), she is now the second Hall of Famer in her family, following her father Charles Sanders’ induction into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2007.

Mary Jo Sanders was a popular women’s fighter, appearing on broadcast TV in 2007 in her fight against Holly Holm.

“This is amazing news. I am overwhelmed. To be recognized by my peers is absolutely amazing. I am overjoyed,” said Sanders, who was on the first ballot including the Women’s Modern category in 2019.

A multi-sport athlete in high school. Sanders competed in kickboxing and bodybuilding. Sanders turned her talents to the sweet science, winning over fans with her fluid style and power punching. Sanders became a three-division champion, holding titles at welterweight, super welterweight, and middleweight. She was a skilled boxing with her biggest wins against Layla McCarter and Chevelle Hallback.

Reactions From Bayless, Gordon, Greenburg

“This is the most coveted award in the sport of boxing. I am truly humbled and thankful to the voting panel and to God for this honor.” – Kenny Bayless

“I’ve got a lot of great phone calls during my career – from Bert Sugar to be editor of The Ring to the governor to become the commissioner of New York. But this is the greatest boxing business call in my entire life. Am I dreaming? Is this true?” – Randy Gordon

“It’s a beautiful honor. I put my heart into it and all the colleagues I worked with over the years put everything into it as well and it’s an honor to represent them.” – Ross Greenburg

The 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend is scheduled for June 5-8th in “Boxing’s Hometown.” Many events will take place in Canastota and nearby Turning Stone Resort Casino throughout the four-day celebration including ringside talks, fist casting, fight night, 5K race and fun run, boxing autograph card show, banquet, parade and induction ceremony.