The Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame is proud to announce its eighth class of inductees, to be officially
introduced at the Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame’s Annual Event Saturday October 24 in Lombard, Illinois in
Chicago’s Western Suburbs.
The 2026 inductees are:
Michael I Bennett – Bennett’s inspirational story starts with learning to box relatively late and going on
to become the 1999 Amateur World Heavyweight Amateur Champion and Co-Captain of the USA Boxing
Team at the 2000 Olympics.
Ken Daniels – Chicagoan Daniels was a successful amateur and a two time Chicago Golden Gloves
Champion and a two time CYO champion who, after a short pro career, used boxing as a platform for
substantial success in other fields.
Orlando Johnson – One of the most popular boxers in Chicago history and one of the greatest amateurs
to come out of Illinois. He was a four-time Chicago Park District Champion, a two-time Chicago Golden
Gloves Champion, the 1982 ABF National Champion, the Silver Gloves National Champion, a 1980
Olympic Trial Qualifier and a 1982 Pan-Am Games Qualifier. He is now a successful coach who continues
to give back to the sport.
Jessica Mccaskill – After growing up in Belleville, Illinois, Mccaskill started boxing “for fitness,” She later
moved to Chicago to work as an investment banker. After a short but successful amateur career, she
turned pro and later retired as one of the greatest woman boxers of all time. She was the WBC/WBA
Unified World Super Lightweight Champion, and the Undisputed Welterweight World Champion.
Johhny Milan aka Young Jack Blackburne – Milan has more than 60 professional fights in the 1930’s,
most against top competition, including two decision losses to Tony Zale. He was trained by the original
Jack Blackburn and was a sparring partner for World Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis.
Pat Morley – Morley is an in-demand boxing judge who has judged more than 1000 professional fights,
including 50 World title fights and more than 2200 amateur bouts.
Pat Mulkerrin – longtime and beloved coach at Brooks Park at the Chicago Park District. He has coached
scores of amateur champions.
Luis Perez – Perez was the 1996 US Golden Gloves National Champion and later ran up an 11-0-1 record
as a professional.
Francisco Tafoya – Tafoya had a huge amateur career, twice winning the Illinois and Region 5 Silver
Gloves championships, as well as the Illinois Junior Olympic and regional championships, won the
Chicago Golden Gloves Open Division Championship twice, and was a member of the US National Boxing
Team.
Rev Albert Tremani – now in his 90’s, Tremani is a Roman Catholic priest who was also one of the highest
profile boxing judges in the world during his career, judging scores of fights around the world during the
1970’s through the 1990’s, including many World Championship bouts.
The Director of Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame, Mike McNamara, says “we are extremely pleased with this
great class of professional and amateur champions, trainers, and officials. It’s going to be another great
night.”
The Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame’s Annual Event will return Saturday, October 24 at The Carlisle in
Lombard, Illinois in West Suburban Chicago. This is a new, larger facility for the Hall’s Annual Event after
selling out its old facility for the past few years.
Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame Co-Director Pete Hoffman added ““last year’s event was another big success,
and we sold nearly 700 tickets. In fact, if one more person had shown up, we wouldn’t have had a chair
for them! We’re looking forward to our move to the Carlisle which can seat up to 800 people. We’re
expecting another sell out!”
The annual Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame banquet is attended by past Hall of Fame inductees, former World
Champions, Olympians, trainers, coaches, managers, promotors and family, friends, and fans.
The Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame was founded in 2015 and is an outgrowth of the successful Illinois
Martial Arts Hall of Fame which was founded in 2005. McNamara, an accomplished kickboxer,
tournament fighter, and trainer of former ISKA World Cruiserweight Kickboxing Champion Rob Salazar, is
also Director of the IMAHOF.
Tickets are $70 per person and $630 for a table of 10 and are available by clicking the following
Eventbrite link. All major credit cards as well as Venmo, Zelle and PayPal are accepted.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/illinois-boxing-hall-of-fame-illinois-martial-arts-hall-of-fame-tickets-
1995287598920?aff=oddtdtcreator
Tickets can also be purchased using the QR code:
The Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring people from Illinois and/or who participated in
or contributed to Boxing in Illinois. The Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame is an Illinois 501c3 nonprofit
corporation as Illinois Hall of Fame, Inc.
The Carlisle is located at 435 Butterfield Rd, Lombard, IL. The event starts at 6PM with a social hour
followed by dinner at 7PM and induction ceremony at 8PM.
