Ashley thrilled over International Boxing Hall of Fame nod

“I am really thrilled to be named as one of the boxers who will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, in the Class of 2023, and the second Jamaican to gain this honour,” Alicia ‘Slick’ Ashley told The Gleaner on Saturday. Ashley, a former World Boxing Council super bantamweight champion, is in Jamaica on holiday visiting relatives and friends, especially her uncle Earl Cormack, her mother Thelma’s brother, who lives in Westmoreland, and who she said is not in the best of health. She confessed that she “is still on a high” since being told of the honour to be bestowed on her, and said that she is sure that this feeling will continue until the induction weekend in Canastota, New York, June 8-11, 2023. The induction ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 11. She said that there were two calls from the executive director of the Hall of Fame, Ed Brophy, to give her the good news. She now works as a boxing coach and consultant in Shanghai, China, and because of the 12-hour time difference, when the first call was made she was fast asleep.

When Brophy called the second time, however, she was wide awake and said that she screamed with excitement when given the news. There was one problem, however, she said. She was told that she could not tell anyone, until the official announcement was made, and that was difficult. She managed to do so, however, and has been receiving congratulations from all over the world since then.

She said that she is really looking forward to the induction ceremony about which she has heard so much, and the thought of meeting up with the other inductees, including her good friend and fellow female inductee, Laura Serrano from Mexico.

“We are very good friends despite the fact that I lost an eight-round fight to her back in February 2000, and it will be great to catch up with her again on that special occasion,” Ashley said.

She is also hoping that Jamaica’s other inductee, Michael ‘The Body Snatcher’ McCallum, who was admitted in 2003, will be there with the other greats of yesteryear.

“I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Mike, and he being the first Jamaican boxer to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, it would be great to have him there to share it with me” she stated.

Equally happy with the announcement, is her husband, Frenchman Matthew Ashley (he took her surname when they got married), who told The Gleaner that he is “very proud of Alicia, and is enjoying the ride as much as she is”. Continuing, he said that he too is looking forward to the induction weekend and is sure that it will be an unforgettable occasion. Alicia then chimed in to add that, “he thinks that he is the one being inducted, and he is maybe more happy than me, if that is possible. We are both enjoying this”. A great boxing fan, Matthew met Alicia at the gym in Brooklyn, New York where they both trained.

Boxing record

Wins 24

Wins by KO 4

Losses 12

Draws 1