On Sunday, boxing greats were honored by the International Boxing Hall of Fame. This year’s celebrations brought many new changes, including the first year that women are being inducted.

“It’s a great thing, I think it’s long overdue,” spectator Bernard McMillian said. 

“It makes me feel good because I think women they’re more aggressive than men, they throw more punches,” spectator Bryan Idrogo said.

“Especially Lail Ali, wow, she’s a phenomenal person and she’s a great fighter,” McMillian said. “So hey, what better time than now to make it happen.” 

Christy Martin is a part of the 2020 induction class. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, induction ceremonies were canceled in 2020 and 2021. However, those classes are being honored this year, alongside the class of 2022. Martin says, it has been a long time coming.

“On a personal scale, in 2020, my baby brother would have been here, he’s passed,” 2020 inductee Christy Martin said. “My mother’s very sick, she’s not able to be here with me. In 2020 my family would have been able to be here but as we all know, God has a plan.”

Martin says adding women into the International Boxing Hall of Fame induction will bring more women to boxing gyms to compete.

“This just makes it serious, like OK, we’re getting respect, credibility,” Martin said. “All the major sanctioning bodies now are recognizing world champions, so it’s onward and upward.” 

Along with Martin, nine other women were inducted this year.