Foreman joins boxing elite

Foreman has not had long to enjoy retirement

Former world heavyweight champion George Foreman is to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

He heads a list of 16 boxers, officials and ring personalities to be enshrined on 8 June.

Jamaica-born fighter Mike McCallum, Oscar-winning writer Budd Schulberg and the late promoter Dan Duva also earn recognition.

To have my name with the likes of Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson and Muhammad Ali, I have made it

George Foreman

"What a happy moment for me," said Foreman, who - like McCallum - was elected in his first year of eligibility following five years away from the ring.

"It was on my first visit a few years back that I saw the hand wraps of Joe Louis. That's when my hopes first started to arise about someday being along the past great boxers.

"To have my name with the likes of Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson and Muhammad Ali....I have made it."

American Foreman took Olympic heavyweight gold in 1968 and then won his first 37 professional fights before losing to Ali in 1974 in one of boxing's biggest upsets.

McCallum fought a distinguished career

He continued boxing until 1977, when he retired to become a preacher, but came back after a 10-year absence.

Amazingly, at the age of 45, he knocked out the 26-year-old Michael Moorer to win the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles, becoming boxing's oldest champion.

Foreman retired for good in 1997 with a record of 76-5.

McCallum, nicknamed "The Body Snatcher", hung up his gloves at 49-5-1 after a 15-year career that saw him win titles at junior middleweight, middleweight and light heavyweight.