Hearns and Roach lead 2012 Hall of Fame class

Thomas “Hitman” Hearns and five time trainer of the year Freddie Roach head the class of the 2012 Boxing Hall of Fame class to be inducted this June in Canastota, New York

Also inducted were former Flyweight champion Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson.

ring announcer Michael Buffer, famous for his “Let’s get ready to rumble” call; and late promoters Hugh D. McIntosh and Rip Valenti.

Elected in the observer category were Showtime broadcaster and former longtime ESPN analyst Al Bernstein and journalist Michael Katz, who covered boxing for decades for The New York Times and New York Daily News, and was an Internet boxing pioneer.
Posthumous honorees include former flyweight contender Newsboy Brown; Leo Houck, who competed from flyweight to heavyweight; heavyweight contender Jake Kilrain in the old-timer category; and James Wharton in the pioneer category.