There was a world of difference between today's ceremonies and last week's entertaining, but muddled version.

This week's tickets were twice the price per person as last week, but we had valet parking, big round tables, a proper stage with a band, and a small podium which everybody could see and hear.

We also dined in elegant comfort and nobody was shamed into producing tickets proving they'd paid their way to be there.

The waiters plunked down green salads in front of everyone by 12:04 p. m. By 12:24 the first plates of chicken were produced. I glanced at mine, convinced these were leftovers from last week's bash. The food was exactly the same, down to the two baked potatoes I didn't eat last time.

I found myself once again dining with actors Steve Railsback (who thoughtfully insisted I sit at his table) and Scott Wilson. I was entertained by actor Rob Schneider who has played Deuce Bigelow, American Gigolo in too many embarrassing movies. 

When the table started to over-fill, Schneider, who told me he is doing a documentary on trainer Joe Goossen, went to find more elbow room.

I found myself some at the next table, finding the type of company I usually keep: trainer Dub Huntley and former WBO light heavyweight champion and active contender, Julio Gonzalez. 

Huntley, who trains Julio out of La Habra Gym, is once again working with Laila Ali. He reported that she is currently taking a break from training but will be back in the gym soon.

Julio and I reminisced about his best fight ever - still the best fight I ever saw on ESPN2 - between him and Julian "Mr KO" Letterlough. 

"I can't believe he was murdered," Julio said. "He was a very nice guy. Right after the fight, both of us half-dead, but he comes up to me at the hotel elevator and says to me, ‘You got a very hard head.' I said, ‘Same to you.' We shook hands. Yeah, he was a real nice guy."

Actor Frank Stallone strolled the room talking his usual shit, draped all over my old pal Diego "Chico' Corrales, who came over to say hello to me. 

Chico looks in great shape and told me he and trainer Joe Goossen would be heading straight back to the Ten Goose Gym after lunch. He's in heavy training for his rubber match with Joel Casamayor.

"So you're eating lunch today?" I asked him.

"If I ever make it back to my table," he said, posing for more fan photos. Frank Stallone stuck to him like glue.

Jazz music tinkled in the background, but the speed was so off, and I couldn't tell if we were listening to Harry Connick Jr. or The Chipmunks.

Midway through lunch, the award ceremonies began. 

LA County Sheriff Lee Baca was introduced and last week's big honcho, former Police Chief Bernard Parks made a late entrance. Somebody probably warned him about the chicken.

There was plenty of humor to go around. My favorite line was about Don Fraser, who heads this faction of The California Boxing Hall of Fame. Feuding with his former partner Julian Eget, they are legally at odds over who retains the title.

Everyone says it's Julian, but Don is powerful, very connected and puts on a good show, not to mention, a swell lunch. 

Somebody took the mike and said of Fraser, "He's so computer illiterate, he thinks a google search is a massage technique with a very happy ending."

Bobby Chacon, who was not a recipient this time (he got an award last week), became increasingly loud, jumping up and down with joy as he recognized people in the room, until a female friend dragged him out of the room.

Belle Martell, the first female boxing referee ever, was the first recipient of a posthumous award. This was given by fem fighter Lucia Rijker, who mysteriously plugged her movie, "Million Dollar Baby," and sported a new 'fro.

She honored the woman, "Who found it hard to be accepted in a man's world. It was as hard then as it is today," Lucia was joined on stage by former referee Gwen Adair (a recipient last week), who never remembers me.

Adair gripped my hand and scrunched up her nose. "When did we meet?"

"The last time was last week, Gwen, I answered."

"Oh," she said. "I washed my hair. I've forgotten everything."

Oooookay...

The Ruelas brothers, former world champions Rafael and Gabe, were early recipients of awards and as gracious and humble as ever.

By now, everybody knows the story that they were young boys selling candy door to door, when they turned up at the Ten Goose Gym and trainer Joe Goossen took them under his wing.

What I didn't know was that Gabe declined to don boxing gloves that first day. "I was afraid somebody would steal my boxes of candy," he told the crowd, to great amusement. "I was a kid. It's all I thought about." 

Referee, judge and living boxing legend Marty Denkin got up so many times to give out awards, that he joked that he had to pass a test to get the job. 

"You try competing with Bobby Chacon, Art Aragon and Joey Barnum?" he cracked.

Somewhere outside, Bobby Chacon was jumping up and down, laughing. Or maybe not...

Denkin also presented an award to the lovely Dr. James Jen Kin, who, he told the crowd, took a month off from his medical duties to go to New Orleans and help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Dr Jen Kin hung his head, embarrassed. That's our doc, humble to the end.

Ryan O'Neal took the stage and covering his pot belly with a massive shirt, recalled that in 1967, he was getting a haircut when somebody offered him a share in managing a boxer- Hedgemon Lewis. 

"So I called my business manager and asked him for $1,500 for a boxer and he said, ‘$1,500 dollars for a dog?' And I said, ‘Well, you haven't seen him fight.'"

O'Neal joked that he's boxed some too - he had to fight his co-star Barbra Streisand in a movie, "She's good!"

L.A. Times boxing scribe Steve Springer presented an award to Randy Shields, who gave a moving speech about his life during and after boxing and said, "Back when I was boxing, I had a full head of hair. Now I have a sixth."

Carlos Palomino gave a funny account of hard times coming up in the ranks. "In those days, you got $80 for a four round fight."

At the end of it, which induction ceremony was the best? I'd have to say today's because it came with cheesecake and coffee. And I didn't have to worry about moving my car every 30 minutes.

But truly, I'd like to see the fighting in the sport of boxing back where it's done best: inside the ring. 

So Don and Julian, do what you gotta do. Get back together, get drunk, call each other names, slap each other a few times, but please get back into business together. Our sport needs both of you.

I'll be back...