The International Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was announced on Thursday, and the group is headlined by Gennadiy Golovkin, Nigel Benn, and Antonio Tarver in the men’s modern category, and Naoko Fujioka and Jackie Nava in the women’s modern category.

The Non-Participant category honorees include trainer and cutman Russ Anber, referee Frank Cappuccino (posthumous), trainer and cutman Jimmy Glenn (posthumous) and physician Dr. Edwin “Flip” Homansky. The Observer category includes journalist Kevin Iole and broadcaster Alex Wallau (posthumous), while Jimmy Clabby rounded out the Old Timer category.

The inductees will be honored during Hall of Fame Induction Weekend from June 11 to 14 in Canastota, New York. The four-day celebration includes events such as ringside talks, fist casting, a fight night and 5K race, boxing autograph card shows, a banquet, parade, induction ceremony, and more.

Below are the biographies of the Class of 2026 inductees, as curated and compiled by the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Gennadiy Golovkin: Born Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin on April 8, 1982 in Karaganda, Kazakhstan.

An accomplished amateur (345-5), he captured silver at the 2004 Olympic Games before turning pro in 2006. In his 19th bout he stopped Milton Nunez (KO 1) for the WBA interim middleweight title and would ultimately unify by winning the WBC, IBF and IBO titles. During his title reign he would successfully defend the versions of his championship an incredible 20 times including wins over Daniel Jacobs (W 12), David Lemieux (TKO 8), Kell Brook (TKO5), Matthew Macklin (KO 3), Gabriel Rosado (TKO 7), Kassim Ouma (TKO 10) and a draw with Canelo Alvarez in the first of three bouts. He lost his titles to Alvarez (L 12) in a 2018 rematch but began a second reign as champion by winning the vacant IBF / IBO middleweight titles in 2019 and the WBA version in 2022. Golovkin’s last bout was a 12-round loss to Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight titles in 2022. One of boxing’s most devastating punchers, GGG’s pro record stands at 42-2-1 (37 KOs).

In November 2025 he was elected President of World Boxing, the international federation within the Olympic movement governing the sport at world level.

Antonio Tarver: Born Antonio Dean Tarver on November 21, 1968 in Orlando, FL. Tarver capped an impressive 158-8 amateur career by winning light heavyweight bronze at the 1996 Olympic Games.

The 6’2” southpaw turned pro the next year. He defeated Reggie Johnson (W 12) for the USBA / NABF light heavyweight titles and stopped Eric Harding (TKO 5) before capturing the vacant IBF / WBC light heavyweight titles from Montell Griffin (W 12) in 2003. He lost the titles to Roy Jones Jr. via majority decision but rebounded to stop Jones Jr. (KO 2) in the rematch for the unified WBA/WBC/IBO belts. He split two bouts with Glen Johnson (L12, W12) for the IBO belt before defeating Jones Jr. in the 2005 rubber match. After a loss to Bernard Hopkins (L 12) and win over Elvir Muriqi (W 12) for the vacant IBO strap, he defeated Clinton Woods for the IBF belt in 2008. A pair of decision losses to Chad Dawson preceded an IBO cruiserweight title win over Danny Green (TKO 9) in 2011 before he retired in 2015 with a pro record of 31-6-1 (22 KOs).

Outside of the ring Tarver found success as an expert analyst on SHOWTIME and in 2005, portrayed Mason Dixon in Rocky Balboa opposite Sylvester Stallone.

Nigel Benn: Born Nigel Gregory Benn on January 22, 1964 in Ilford, Essex.

Following a 41-1 amateur career, the 5’ 9 ½” Benn turned pro in 1987 and racked up 22 straight knockout victories, including capturing the Commonwealth middleweight title in 1988 via 2nd round TKO. Benn successfully defended three times before dropping the title to Michael Watson in 1989 via 6th round TKO. He relocated the U.S. for five fights including a 1990 stoppage of Doug Dewitt (TKO 8) for the WBO middleweight title and a successful defense over Iran Barkley (TKO 1). Upon returning to the U.K., he lost the belt to Chris Eubank (TKO by 9) but rebounded with wins over Robbie Sims (KO 7) and Thulane Malinga (W 10) before winning the WBC super middleweight belt with a 4th round TKO over Mauro Galvano in 1992. He reigned for 4 years and defended 9 times including wins over Galvano (W 12), Gerald McClellan (KO 10) and Vincenzo Nardiello (TKO 8) and a draw with WBO champion Eubank in a unification bout. After losing the belt to Malinga in 1996 (L 12), he was unsuccessful in two bouts with WBO champion Steve Collins and retired with a pro ledger of 42-5-1 (35 KOs).

Naoko Fujioka: Born on August 18, 1975 in Osaki, Miyagi, Japan. Fujioka began amateur boxing in her 20s and compiled a 20-3 record and won 5 Japanese national titles from 2001-2009.

She made her pro debut at age 34 in 2009 and in just her sixth bout won the WBC strawweight title with an 8th round TKO over Anabel Ortiz. Following two successful defenses she moved up to win the WBA super flyweight belt from Naoko Yamaguchi (W 10). After an unsuccessful challenge against WBA flyweight champion Susi Kentikian (L 10), she rebounded to defeat Mariana Juarez (W 10) before winning the vacant WBO bantamweight belt against Hee Jung Yuh (W 10) in 2015. Undaunted following an unsuccessful challenge against WBC flyweight champion Yessica Chavez (L 10), she captured the vacant WBA flyweight belt in 2017 against Isabel Millan (TKO 10) and then won the vacant WBO light flyweight belt against Yokasta Valle (W 10) to become Japan’s first five-division world champion.

Renowned for her skills and speed, the 5’2” champion retired in 2022 with a pro record of 19-3-1 (7 KOs).

Jackie Nava: Born on April 11, 1980 in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.

Following successful karate and kickboxing careers, Nava made her pro boxing debut in 2001. Success came quickly, winning the inaugural WBA bantamweight and inaugural WBC super bantamweight titles in back-to-back fights in 2005. After two defenses of the WBC belt, including one over Kelsey Jeffries (W 10), she lost the title to Alejandra Oliveras and drew in the rematch. Nava won the interim WBC super bantamweight title in 2007 but was unsuccessful in a WBC super bantamweight title bid versus Marcela Acuna (L 10). In 2011 she engaged in two bouts with Ana Maria Torres, drawing in a non-title go and losing a 10-round decision for the WBC diamond bantamweight belt. Nava rebounded to capture the WBA super bantamweight belt from Chantall Martinez (W 10) in 2012 and was elevated to super champion (2014-16). In 2014 she unified with a WBC title win over Alicia Ashley (W 10) and reigned until 2015.

The 5’3” champion retired in 2022 with a pro record of 40-4-4 (16 KOs) and wins over Lisa Brown, Edith Matthysse and Yazmin Rivas. ned for her skills and speed, the 5’2” champion retired in 2022 with a pro record of 19-3-1 (7 KOs).

Russ Anber: Born in Montreal, Canada on March 27, 1961.

His life-long fascination with boxing began in 1976 when the Olympic Games were held in his hometown. A brief amateur career followed before turning his attention to coaching at the age of 18. Anber guided many Olympians as well as WBO middleweight champion Otis Grant. Following the 2004 Olympic Games, he began working solely as a cut man and is widely regarded as one of the best in the business, working the corner of such standout champions as Jean Pascal, Artur Beterbiev, Vasily Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk. Anber is the founder and head coach of RING 83 Boxing Club in Montreal and founded Rival Boxing Gear, one of the most respected equipment manufacturers in boxing.

Anber is also a highly respected voice in boxing as analyst for CBC Sports, TSN’s Off the Record and host of In This Corner with Russ Anber on TSN.

Frank Cappuccino: Born Frank Capcino on February 7, 1929 in Philadelphia, PA.

He boxed as an amateur lightweight in the 1940s before embarking on a brief pro career in 1949, going undefeated at 3-0. In 1958 he began officiating and was a world class referee and judge for the next 50 years. As a referee, he learned the trade from such standout third men as Zach Clayton and Ruby Goldstein. Cappuccino was center ring for such legendary bouts as Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks and Micky Ward vs. Arturo Gatti I and was center ring for bouts involving Hall of Famers Lennox Lewis, Bernard Hopkins, Jeff Chandler, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Hector Camacho, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Mike McCallum, Dwight Qawi, Julio Cesar Chavez, Michael Moorer, James Toney, Riddick Bowe, Pernell Whitaker and Antonio Tarver.

During his career he officiated nearly 100 title bouts, worked in 38 countries and appeared as a referee in Rocky V. Cappuccino passed away on June 8, 2015 at the age of 86.

Jimmy Glenn: Born on August 18, 1930 in South Carolina.

He relocated to New York City in 1944 with his family and began boxing at the Police Athletic League. As an amateur he registered a 14-2 (2 KOs) record and twice fought future heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson. He next turned his attention to training and guided countless amateurs first at the Third Moravian Church before opening the Times Square Gym in the late 1970s and operating it for over 20 years. In the pro ranks he worked as a highly respected trainer or cut man for Floyd Patterson, Michael Spinks, Jameel McCline, Monte Barrett, Aaron Davis, Terrence Ali, Bobby Cassidy and Howard Davis Jr. among others. In 1971 Glenn opened his iconic bar Jimmy’s Corner and it has become a Manhattan landmark known for its boxing memorabilia adorned walls and old-school atmosphere. In 2003 Glenn was awarded with James J. Walker Award for Long and Meritorious Service from the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Glenn passed away following a battle with COVID-19 on May 7, 2020 at age 89.

Dr. Edwin “Flip” Homansky: Born on July 7, 1950 in Savannah, GA. He received his B.A. from Tulane University in 1972, his M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia in 1976 and an Internal Medicine residency in 1979.

Dr. Homansky moved to Nevada in the late 1970s and in 1980 began his career in boxing as a ringside physician and oversaw thousands of bouts. He was Chief Ringside Physician for nearly 20 years and Chairman of the Nevada State Athletic Commission Medical Advisory board from 1989-98. He was at the forefront and instrumental in many protocols to enhance boxer safety including reducing championship rounds from 15 to 12 and mandatory HIV and anabolic steroid testing. In 2000 Dr. Homansky was appointed to the Nevada State Athletic Commission and served for nearly 5 years. He was also First Vice-President of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) from 2003-05, ABC co-medical director from 2000-03 and is Vice President of the non-profit Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA).

In 2006 he was awarded the James A. Farley Award for Honesty and Integrity by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Kevin Iole: Born on October 4, 1959 in Pittsburgh, PA. Iole graduated from Point Park College with a degree in Journalism & Communications in 1981.

He began his writing career while matriculated in 1979 and spent the next 46 years as a full-time journalist. Prior to relocating to Las Vegas, his byline appeared in Free Press (Burlington, VT) and the Valley News Dispatch (Tarentum, PA). He wrote for the Las Vegas Review Journal for 17 years (1990-2007) covering major fights and winning several awards including 1999 Outstanding Journalist from the Nevada Press Association. In 2007 he created and led the combat sports section at Yahoo Sports, covering boxing and MMA for 17 years. He ran his own site, KevinIole.com, starting in 2024 until his retirement in 2025.

Regarded as one the most proficient and prolific boxing journalists, Iole won the 2007 Nat Fleischer Award for Excellence in Boxing Journalism from the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Alex Wallau: Born on January 11, 1945 in Manhattan, NY.

He graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts and began working as a sports writer and editor. Wallau joined ABC in 1976 as an on-air promotions producer and associate producer of boxing telecasts. Beginning in 1977 he served as boxing consultant and producer. In 1984 he directed ABC’s boxing coverage of the Olympic Games. Following Howard Cosell’s retirement he was named boxing commentator in 1986. Working alongside broadcast partners Al Michaels and Dan Dierdorf, he called action from ringside until 2000. The same year he was appointed president of ABC television network. Prior to his on-air duties, Wallau was the executive in charge of negotiating and selecting fights that aired on ABC Sports.

Considered one of boxing’s most knowledgeable and informed commentators, Wallau won the 1987 Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Wallau passed away on October 10, 2025 at 80 following a long battle with throat cancer.

Jimmy Clabby: Born James Bryan Clabby on July 14, 1890 in Norwich, CT.

Clabby and his family relocated to Hammond, IN when he was a child and he began boxing at 16. He wasted little time meeting top stars of the era, engaging in bouts with Jimmy Gardner, Mike “Twin” Sullivan, Mike Gibbons and Dixie Kid before embarking on a campaign in Australia in which he found great success, including winning the Australian version of the middleweight title in 1917. A clever boxer, Clabby met the best in the lightweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions. He claimed both lightweight and welterweight titles and was often referred to as the uncrowned welterweight champion. Following the 1910 death of middleweight champion Stanley Ketchel, Clabby claimed the vacant title and boxed a series of bouts with other claimants, including Frank Klaus, George Chip, Eddie McGoorty and Mike Gibbons. A deft boxer, he was highly respected for his agility, timing and overall boxing skill.

The 5’8 ½” ring general retired in 1923 with a pro record of 86-21-23 (46 KOs). “The Indiana Wasp” died on January 18, 1934 at 43 in Calumet City, IN.