Former heavyweight boxer David Tua was finally awarded his long-awaited recognition from the National Boxing Hall of Fame (NBHOF) on April 24, 2023. Tua was initially supposed to receive the award in 2022, but he could not attend the ceremony due to unforeseen circumstances. The NBHOF had to reschedule the previous years’ inductions because of the pandemic, which resulted in the recent awards ceremony featuring the Class of 2020, 2021, and 2022 held at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, California last year. The ceremony had over 600 guests in attendance, and almost 40 awardees were recognized.
Among the awardees were Jorge Arce, Paul Banke, Wilfred Benitez, Pipino Cuevas, Albert Davila, Frankie Duarte, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joey Giambra Sr., Marvin Johnson, LeeRoy Murphy, Mando Muniz, Danny Valdez, Laila Ali, Ernie Brown, Steve Farhood, Frank Garza, Dr. Blair Kranson, Mike North, Rex Walker, Jill Diamond, Don King, Louis Rodriguez, Marvin Hagler, Henry Hascup, Charlie Norkus Sr., Charlie Norkus Jr., Virgil Hill, Mando Ramos, Tony Curtis, Ricardo Montalban, Eva D. Jones-Young, Pinklon Thomas, Flo Anthony, Doug Krikorian, Angel Manfredy, Ray McCline, and Richard Torrez Jr.
Although Tua missed the ceremony last year, he finally attended this year’s event held at the Crystal Ballroom in California. The event was not for the classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022, as those classes were celebrated last year. During his acceptance speech, Tua expressed his gratitude to the NBHOF for the recognition and thanked his supporters and fans who have been with him throughout his boxing career. Tua’s induction into the NBHOF is a well-deserved honor as he was a formidable opponent in the ring and made a significant impact in the sport of boxing.
Tua’s humility and gratitude were echoed by other inductees and attendees of the event. He chanted “O ai le Toa, O ai le Toa, Samoa” during his acceptance speech, a traditional Samoan chant used to celebrate achievements or show support and encouragement. Tua expressed his privilege to represent the giants and pathfinders of boxing from where he is from, acknowledging that without them, he would not be where he is today.
“It’s an honor to be here amongst some of the greats in the sport today,” Tua said during his speech. “It’s a privilege for me to be here on behalf of the giants and the pathfinders of boxing from where I am from because if it weren’t for them, I would not be here today.”
Congratulations to all the new inductees and awardees of the NBHOF. The ceremony was a grand affair, and the event recognizes the contributions and accomplishments of boxing’s finest athletes and personalities. The NBHOF remains committed to preserving boxing’s legacy and honoring those who have dedicated their lives to the sport.
