Louisiana High School Boxing Hall of Fame inaugural induction Oct. 20

BATON ROUGE - The induction of the inaugural class of the Louisiana High School Boxing Hall of Fame will be held Oct. 20 in Sunset by the sponsoring Louisiana High School Boxing Association.

The event, which will take place at the Event Center, will be open to the public and will also serve as a boxing reunion. A reception will get things started at 2 p.m. and the induction ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. with a post ceremony reception to following at 4:30 p.m.

A total of 32 competitors and coaches will be honored including two Plaquemine High coaches, Sam Distefano Jr. and Albert DuPont. Distefano won five state titles, while DuPont won four.

Former Plaquemine High boxers Shelby DuPont and Tommy Gascon are among the four-time state champions set to be inducted. Two three-time champions from Plaquemine, Edwin Ourso and Gerald Boudreaux, also will be honored. Another PHS competitor, two-time state champion, Heston Daniels, also is part of the induction class.

The cost is $15 a person with all former Louisiana high school boxers invited to attend along with their families and friends as well as any other sports fans. More information on the event can be obtained from LHSBA president Bobby Dupre at 337-945-4010, Don Gascon at 225-344-5464 or Wilson Banta at 225-642-8288.

The boxing association was recently formed to honor athletes who participated in the sport in the Louisiana high school ranks from 1931 to 1958, three centuries when boxing was one of the state's most popular sports.