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Check out our Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame Inductees throughout the years, who have been inducted throughout the years of our organization.  We are extremely proud of the following inductees who have played a major part in the sport of boxing. 

 
 

    
 

W. BURKE WATSON


W. Burke Watson, was born on July 19, 1926 in  Sumter, South Carolina first boxed in high school and the US Marine Corps, winning the 1948 Southern Conference 175 Championship while attending The Citadel in Charleston,  South Carolina.  He has worked with young amateur boxers since 1952 in Sumter, S.C. and is still coaching and training potential Golden Gloves boxers.
ED Y. SWEET


Ed Y. Sweet was born on December 1, 1916, in Cornelius, North Carolina. In his time as an amateur boxer, he fought approximately 150 amateur bouts, winning 140 bouts, losing 10, winning the Carolinas Golden Gloves in  1936, 1938-1939 in Charlotte, North Carolina.  He also won the Jake Wade outstanding boxing award in the Charlotte 1938 Gloves; he won the Raleigh Golden Gloves in 1939; won the middleweight championship while serving in the Navy in the Caribbean. Lastly he boxed in the 1938 Collegiate finals.
EDWARD "HARD ROCK" HARDEN


Edward "Hard Rock" Harden was born on April 10, 1910, in Graham, North Carolina.  He had 152 amateur bouts  while attending Elon College.  Harden had a sensation professional boxing career, was managed by John Loy of Asheville, North Carolina, and he fought many top heavyweight contenders, that included Joe Dundee, Al Massey, Red Barry, Mickey O'Brian, Terry Roberts, Joe Lipps, Dewey Kimbrey.  At the peak of Harden's career, Jack Dempsey wanted Harden to come to New York and box but Harden declined the offer.
"HONEST" JOHN ALLEN


Boxing manager, when Mr. John "Honest" Allen moved from South Carolina to Charlotte, North Carolina,  as a young man he worked for the telephone company.  He was considered one of the strongest men in this section of the country, he could single-handed lift huge reels of wire by himself.  Allen was a top boxing manager in the South for many years.  Mr. Allen managed Ralph Hood, Lee Croft, Terry Roberts, Ad Warren, Eddie Greene, Charlie Ferguson, and Ray Clark, just to name a few.
JOE MCFADDEN


Joe McFadden, born on December 13, 1927 in Kingstree, South Carolina retired from the Winston-Salem Police Department after 33 years of service.   McFadden had approximately 30 amateur bouts winning all of them. McFadden won the South Pacific Heavyweight Championship while serving in the Army Air Force.   While boxing professionally in New York, McFadden was managed by Ray Arcel two of the top bouts in New York City were 10 round draw with Cuban Heavyweight Champion Nino Valdez and losing a bout with the first ranked Heavyweight contender Roland LaStarza due to a cut over McFadden's eye, McFadden lost on a technical knockout in the fifth round. Another highlight in McFadden's career was when he boxed in the 1948 Olympic Trials in Chicago.
LEO JOHNSON


Leo Johnson was born on August 19, 1927, in Graham, N.C.North Carolina.  He resides in Charlotte, N.C.  Leo fought in 115 professional bouts.  His first professional fight was at the Jamaica Arena in New York City in 1946.  His last  professional fight in Gastonia, N.C. 1965.  Other bouts:  Boxed the first bout between a white vs. a black in the South, 1953 Gastonia, N.C. against Big Bill Wilson, and Johnson won the decision.  Johnson boxed the famous Brown Bomber Joe Louis in six exhibitions, floored Louis in Columbus, Georgia in 1950.  He helped Lou Kemp form the Police Athletic Club in Charlotte, 1951. This boxing club was one of the outstanding clubs in North Carolina at that time. The club is presently called the PAL.

NEIL WALLACE


Neil Wallace was born on  January 9, 1926 in Brunson, South Carolina.  He lived in Charlotte, North Carolina for many years, presently living in Monroe, N.C.   Wallace boxed 11 amateur bouts and won all of them by knockouts;  Boxed 40 professional bouts won 35 and lost 5;  Won the Golden Gloves in Danville, Virginia 1948; Won the Carolina Golden Gloves in Charlotte, N.C. in 1948; Boxed in the National Golden Gloves in New York City in 1948; Won the Southern Heavyweight Title boxing Guard Wyatt in Spartanburg, S.C., 12 rounds, 1952;   Wallace boxed Waban Thomas in a classic Heavyweight rematch at the Charlotte Coliseum on December 13, 1977. This match was billed as the old timers match, each boxer was in his early fifties. Wallace won this brutal, unforgettable brawl when the ringside doctor stopped the bout after the sixth round. Thomas was unable to continue as ruled by the doctor.
WABAN THOMAS


Waban Thomas was born on October 26, 1928, in Calabash, North Carolina, Boxed 130 amateur bouts won 116 and lost 14; Won the Golden Gloves in Wilmington,1948, Won the Golden Gloves in Raleigh, 1948, Won the Carolinas Golden Gloves in Charlotte, N.C. 1955-57 and 58, Represented the Carolinas in the New York finals for these three years. Boxed Nat Dixon in the New York Gloves final in one of the greatest bouts of all time as written in the New York Daily News by Jack Smith, Boxed 36 professional bouts won 27 and lost 7, Thomas boxed a number of top contenders during his professional career Charlie Norkus, Bob Baker, Buster Mathis, Neil Wallace, just to name a few.  Thomas and the Wallace bout at the Charlotte Coliseum 1959 was one of the all time professional bouts ever held in the South, Rocky Marciano was the guest referee.


 

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Our Mission for the Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame
 

The CBHOF seeks to recognize the outstanding athletic achievements/contributions of the many gifted and dedicated athletes who have participated in the sport, along with those individuals who have advocated, supported and promoted the sport of professional and amateur boxing.