The Mohegan Sun’s Uncas Ballroom is set to transform into a battleground of nostalgia and honor on November 18th, as the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame lights up its 17th induction extravaganza. Think of it as a high school reunion, only the class heroes punch way harder and the yearbook quotes are way more badass.
This year’s roster of inductees reads like a who’s who from the ring. Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard, Tony “The Hebron Hammer” Grano, Tarvis “Marvelous” Simms, and Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent are stepping into the limelight, not for a fight, but for a round of applause that’s as loud as their punches.
And let’s not forget the masterminds outside the ropes – Mark Allen Baker, whose pen is as mighty as any left hook, and Arthur “Artie” Pelullo, the puppet master of the promo world. They’re the Mick to boxing’s Rocky, if you will.
Tickets to this soiree are snagging at $115 a pop.
Now, let’s talk about these champs. Tony Grano, out of RHAM High, hit the pro scene like a hurricane in heavyweight gloves, leaving a trail of KOs that even HBO couldn’t ignore. Remember 2009? Grano turned the tables on Kauffman on live TV, and man, wasn’t that a sledgehammer of a fight?
Matt Remillard, a local hero mentored by boxing sage Paul Cichon, had his fists flying to snatch both the NABF and NABO featherweight titles. His scrap with Mikey Garcia on HBO? Pure heart, even if it ended with Remillard tasting the mat in the tenth.
Then there’s Tarvis Simms, who, with his twin, terrorized the middleweight scene in the 2000s. He carved up the competition, laying claim to the WBF All-American middleweight and NABO super middleweight titles, even giving Allan Green a run for his money.
Shelley Vincent? More like the queen of the featherweights, right? Her bouts were less fights and more public spectacles, especially that tussle with Heather Hardy at the Garden. Didn’t go her way, but boy, did she go down swinging.
Mark Allen Baker’s pen has inked the pages of boxing history, capturing the sweet science’s tales and triumphs. And Artie Pelullo? His Banner Promotions isn’t just a company; it’s a powerhouse in the fight game, with a who’s who of champions to its credit.