Lennox Lewis will be inducted in the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 14, 2009. Lennox is a three time heavyweight champion and retired in 2003.
South African junior lightweight champion Brian Mitchell and American bantamweight champion Orlando Canizales will also enter in the modern era category.
Middleweight champion William "Gorilla" Jones, welterweight champion "Mysterious" William Smith and middleweight champion Billy Soose are posthumous honorees in the Old- Timer Category. In the Pioneer Category it is 19th Century American heavyweight champion Tom Hyer.
Lennox Lewis was born in England and moved to Kitchener Ontario when he was 12, started boxing at the age of 15, and won the junior world super heavyweight championship in 1983.
Lewis won the Olympics representing Canada in 1988, colllecting his gold by defeating Riddic Bowe. He turned pro in 1989 and won the World Boxing Council title in 1992. He lost the title in 1994 to Oliver McCall and regained it in 1997 from McCall. In 2001 Lewis was KO’d by Hasim Rahman, lost the title, and in a short seven months later, knocked Rahman out for his third WBC title. Lennox Lewis finished with a record of 42-2-1 with 32 Knock-outs.
Canizales retired in 1999 with a record of 50-5-1.
South African Brian Mitchell finished his career with a 45-1-3 record.
Others to be inducted as non-participants are manager Billy Gibson, Bob Goodman, matchmaker-publicist, also Abe Green N.J. boxing commissioner and Akihiko Honda, Japanese promoter.
Broadcaster Larry Merchant and journalists Paul Gallico and Hugh Mcllvanney will be enshrined as observers.
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