(JAN 31)  Eight luminaries, whose careers in boxing span nearly five decades, comprise the third class of the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame (IWBHF). The announcement of the honored inductees was made on Saturday at the WBC Female Boxing Convention in Tijuana, Mexico.

IWBHF Vice-President made announcement today of 2016 IWBHF Inductees at the WBC Women's Boxing Convention

The group includes seven boxers from both the "modern era" (1990-2010) and the "pioneer" years of the sport (1960-80), and a trailblazing woman who breached the all male ranks of boxing management in the 1980s. Those to be honored include Sumya Anani, Jane Couch, Elena Reid, Ann-Marie Saccurato, Giselle Salandy (posthumous), Lady Tyger Trimiar, Britt Vanbuskirk and Jackie Kallen.

Anani was one of the most feared and, as a result, most avoided fighters in the mid 1990s and into the new century. In her twelfth bout she won a decision over Christy Martin who came to the bout with a 36-1 record. Jane Couch, fought outside the ring, with the boxing hierarchy in England for the right to fight professionally and subsequently progressed to establishing a sterling career inside the ring the 1990s in the United States, battling leading fighters of that time including Sumya Anani and Lucia Rijker. Elena Reid compiled a 19-6-6 record against the top fighters in the flyweight division over the entire span of the first decade of the new century. Highlights of her career included a draw and a close decision loss to 2014 IWBHF inductee Regina Halmich.

Anne Marie Saccurato defined the definition of "fighter" during her ten year career in the first decade of 2000 with her "go anywhere, fight anyone" mentality. She had two wins over Jelena Mrdjenovich, fought Holly Holm twice, prompting a "she was as tough as anyone I was in with" accolade from Holm. But it was Saccurato's 2007 tenth round KO over Jessica Rakoczy that will long be remembered whenever great female boxing is discussed.

Lady Tyger Trimiar is definitely recognized as one of the pioneers of the sport of female boxing being one of the first women licensed in New York state in the late 1970s. Although records of her ring activity are scare, reports of her skill inside the ropes abound by those who recall seeing her fight numerous exhibitions.

Britt VanBruskirk is a fighter who truly spanned the decades, debuting with a win in 1979 over Julie Mullen and finishing in 2003 with a loss to Lisa Holewyne. In between, VanBruskirk climbed into the ring with the likes of Chevelle Hallback and Sumya Anani.

Jackie Kallen, as so many of the many past and present IWBHF inductees ventured where there was no path for women and made a name for herself in the male dominant sport of boxing. She guided world class boxer James Toney to a world title, a sojourn depicted in the movie "Against the Ropes," starring Meg Ryan.

Kallen has also long proven to be a readily available source of valuable insight to many nascent female boxers as they begin to progress through their fledgling careers Giselle Salandy, a six time world title holder from Trinidad and Tobago, winner of all seventeen of her professional bouts and who was tragically killed in an auto accident at age 21 will be inducted into the IWBHF posthumously.