IWBHF Induction Ceremony In Brisbane, California in conjunction with the Beautiful Brawlers
April 23, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
The annual seminal event in the sport of Women’s boxing, the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame induction, will be held on August 30 at the Double Tree Hotel in Brisbane, CA (approximately ten miles north of San Francisco). The 2019 ceremony/dinner, the sixth edition of a celebration of the sport of Women’s boxing, it’s historical significance and pioneering figures, is being held, this year, in conjunction with Beautiful Brawlers whose amateur boxing show is scheduled the following day.
The 2019 class, composed of twelve inductees, is the largest class to date and raises the six year total of IWBHF inductees to forty-nine. It is, possibly, the most diverse of all six classes. The composition includes seven former boxers: Carina Moreno, Wendy Rodriguez, Bridget Riley, Martha Salazar, Lisa Holewyne, Terri Cruz and Missy Fiorentino. Also honored is Pat Emerick, a pioneer boxer who overcame untold obstacles in order to compete in the ring during the last century and whose award will position her as the second oldest IWBHF inductee, a mere five months behind Year I inductee, Barbara Buttrick. Also in line to be inducted are David Avila, prominent, award winning, West Coast boxing writer and Stephen Blea, a widely praised boxing official who has worked tirelessly to raise the standards of amateur and professional boxing in this country.
Rounding out the 2019 class is Bianca Gutierrez, driving force behind Beautiful Brawlers, the West Coast promotion firm, a contributing impetus behind the recent resurgence in the sport, and Pat “Sandy” Martinez-Piro, a tireless, hardworking advocate for the sport with the AIBA, who has been responsible for providing numerous opportunities within the sport, for qualified females. Due to her untimely death, last year, her award will be posthumous.
In addition to the Hall inductions, special awards will be presented to three 2016 inductees, former boxers, Elena Reid, Sumya Anani, and Britt Van Bruskirk, along with 2017 inductee, Daisy Lang and Graciela Casillas, a leading female boxer during the early years of the modern sport, 1979-86. The evening’s program will also feature guest speakers including the boxer widely considered to be the pathfinder for the sport, initial IWHBF inductee, Christy Martin, a tireless, world wide ambassador for the sport, WBC official, Jill Diamond and leading boxing promoter and long time advocate for the sport, Roy Engelbrecht. The evening will once again be MC’d by renowned Las Vegas ring announcer, Jake Gutierrez.
To date, a number of notables from the boxing community have confirmed attendance at the event with many active world champions and top female boxers, and retired female world champions and top female boxers from the sport. Link to all attending as of this date. http://womenboxing.com/NEWS2019/news062819iwbhf-latest-news.htm
HOTEL:
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Francisco Airport North – 5000 Sierra Point Parkway, Brisbane, California 94005, USA – RESERVATIONS: +1-415-467-4400
AIRPORT CLOSEST TO EVENT:
San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, CA.
ITINERARY: AUGUST 30, 2019
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S BOXING
HALL OF FAME EVENT/DINNER/AWARDS
4:00 p.m. – Meet and Greet
6:00 p.m. – Doors Open
6:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m – Food/Buffet
*No host bar (one bar)
7:00 p.m. – Induction Ceremony begins
Guest Speakers: Jill Diamond, Roy Englebrecht and Christy Martin. IWBHF MC: Jake Gutierrez.
For Media Credentials contact the IWBHF, at wban100@aol.com.
About the Editor
Army Veteran and former Professional Boxer Simon Ruvalcaba started boxing at the age of ten and Had a 71 fight amateur career which featured a 139 lbs. 1998 8th U.S. Army Boxing Championship out of Camp Casey, Korea and a spot on the prestigious Army Boxing Team at Fort Hood, TX. After a journeyman pro career of 18 fights, which included sparring sessions with many champions and contenders including Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell “Sweat Pea” Whitaker, Simon started writing and has contributed to many publications and websites including fighthype.com, pound4pound.com, Tahoe Daily Tribune (South Lake Tahoe, CA), Nevada Appeal (Carson City, NV). He has also been the Boxing Instructor for Ken Shamrock and The Lions Den and was MMA and Bareknuckle star Paige VanZant’s first boxing coach!
Born and Raised in South Lake Tahoe, California he now resides in Sun Valley, Nevada and spends as much time as possible with his Sons Gabriel and Oscar! Beyond boxing, Simon is an all around sports fanatic and is passionate about the teams that he roots for. Simon also works as a Sportsbook Supervisor for Caesars Sportsbook in Lake Tahoe.