Gennadiy Golovkin, Nigel Benn and Antonio Tarver will headline the 2026 class of inductees into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. All three are celebrated for championship success, fan-favorite fighting styles and defining victories that etched their names into boxing history.

Golovkin enters the Hall with a résumé that speaks for itself. The former unified middleweight champion amassed a record of 42-2-1 (37 KOs) and was widely regarded as the most dominant 160-pounder of the 2010s. Though his trilogy with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez ended with a loss in 2022 - and still carries a shadow of controversy from their earlier meetings - Golovkin's reign was already cemented through destructive wins over the likes of Matthew Macklin, Gabriel Rosado, Daniel Geale and Kell Brook.

Joining him is British knockout artist Nigel Benn, whose 42-5-1 (35 KOs) career featured world titles at both middleweight and super middleweight. Benn is best remembered for his fierce rivalry with Chris Eubank and for his unforgettable 1995 victory over Gerald McClellan - a brutal contest that left both fighters forever changed. Benn’s championship run also included notable wins over Iran Barkley, Doug De Witt, Mauro Galvano and Henry Wharton, solidifying his status as one of the most explosive fighters of his era.

Rounding out the headliners is Antonio Tarver, whose emphatic 2004 knockout of Roy Jones Jr. remains one of the sport’s great upset moments. Tarver, 31-6-1 (22 KOs), rose to prominence as the top light heavyweight of his time, with additional victories over Glen Johnson, Montell Griffin, Clinton Woods and Reggie Johnson. His blend of skill, power and charisma made him one of the defining 175-pound fighters of the early 2000s.

The Hall of Fame’s 2026 class also includes Naoko Fujioka and Jackie Nava in the Women’s Modern category; Russ Abner, Frank Cappuccino, Jimmy Glenn (posthumous) and Dr. Edwin “Flip” Homansky in the Non-Participant category; Kevin Iole and Alex Wallau (posthumous) as Observers; and Jimmy Clabby (posthumous) in the Old Timer category.

Image Credit: ESPN