Five Greatest Referee’s of All Time

 

The third man in the ring is the arbiter of all he surveys. He is also the secondary guardian of the boxers fighting spirit. Part of a boxer’s job is to beat the opponent but knowing how to look after himself in the ring is just as important. When it looks as if he is no longer able to do so it’s the referee that becomes his second line of defense. Probably more so than the boxers cornermen. Why? Because the cornermen have a vested interest in their boxer winning. Sometimes too much so. The referee has no such considerations. His job is to protect the fighter not just from the opponent but also from himself. Protected from absorbing unnecessary punishment the boxer lives to fight another day.

A good referee is like a silent apparition. He floats around on the periphery of the ring with ease. Gliding left and right, never too close to the action but never too far away from it either. And in so doing he exerts an understated influence over the proceedings. He is seen but rarely heard. In control of the contest, but not trying to make himself an obviously visible part of it.

Some referees like to act as if they’ve also got top billing with the main event fighters. They throw in a snappy one liner during the pre fight instructions to the boxers in an attempt to steal a little bit of the limelight. Joe Cortez’, “I’m Fair, but I’m Firm,” is a prime example. The fight wasn’t about him. But it felt like he wanted it to be. As hard as Cortez tried I still wasn’t going to buy the T-shirt.

Mills Lane was an exception. His pre battle exhortation of, “Let’s Get It On!,” became his trademark because it made it seem as if he couldn’t wait to see the fight either. It was almost as if he was demanding the boxers put on a good show for the fans. And you know what? I would’ve bought that T-shirt in a heartbeat.

A referee can find himself center stage for all the wrong reasons. Ruby Goldstein became forever associated with the tragic outcome of the second Emile Griffith vs Benny “Kid” Paret fight, in 1962, in which Paret became trapped in a corner and was beaten into a coma by Griffith’s piston like fists as Goldstein looked on.

Twenty eight years later Richard Steele became infamous for stopping the Julio Cesar Chavez, SR. vs Meldrick Taylor fight in 1990 with only two seconds remaining in the final round when Taylor rose from a knockdown and was ahead on the scorecards. Steele is considered by some to be one of the top referees in the history of boxing but some fans, myself included, will never forgive him for stopping that fight.

Being a boxing referee can be a very difficult job. Here are 5 who excelled at it, and while I’m sure you could find one or two fights where they were involved in the odd controversy, for the most part they all did an exemplary job.

5. Stanley Christodoulou

Country: South Africa

Encouraged by boxing mentor Willie Toweel, this young man from Johannesburg in South Africa refereed his very first title fight in his home town in 1973, a bantamweight title fight between Romeo Anaya and Arnold Taylor. Christodoulou went on to referee many other title fights and became the first official to referee championship fights in all 17 weight divisions and only the third referee to officiate over one hundred title bouts.

This well respected referee was the third man in the squared circle for many big fights including Marvin Hagler vs Roberto Duran, Eusebio Pedroza vs Barry McGuigan, and Alexis Arguello vs Aaron Pryor I.

4. Harry Gibbs

Country: England

Gibbs was an imposing figure and a no nonsense decisive referee. A former professional fighter at light heavyweight, he won 5 of 6 contests before retiring and becoming a boxing coach. Gibbs
became a referee in 1957 and went on to officiate his first world title bout, between Emile Griffith and Brian Curvis, in 1964. He once stopped a contest before it started. During the preliminary instructions he noticed one of the boxers had entered the ring with a black eye. He sent him back to his corner ruling him unfit to start. Gibbs refereed big fights all over the world in a long and distinguished career including such fights as Wilfredo Gomez vs Carlos Zarate in 1978, one of the biggest fights of the time.

He believed a referee should be cool and self possessed and be able to handle anything that comes up. He said, “Next to honesty, aloofness is the quality a good referee needs.”

3. Mills Lane

Country: USA

This diminutive dynamo and former U.S Marine would sometimes tap the side of his nose before telling the fighters, “Let’s Get It On!”

He first did so during referee’s instructions before the Larry Holmes vs Gerry Cooney world heavyweight championship bout in 1982. It was a turn of phrase which he became famous for. Lane was a man of many accomplishments. A former amateur boxer who once fought in the Olympic trials, a prosecuting attorney, and judge in Reno, Nevada, he presided as the third man over close to one hundred title fights in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. He wielded his authority with confidence and was never intimidated by big name fighters when making his decisions. Lane refereed such great fights as Larry Holmes vsKen Norton, Mike Tyson vs Trevor Berbick, and his personal favorites, Salvador Sanchez vs Danny Lopez II.

2. Arthur Donovan

Country: USA

Son of former Civil War veteran and American bare knuckle middleweight champion Mike Donovan, Arthur was born with boxing in his blood. Arthur ended his career as a professional boxer to become one of the best referees in his profession between the two world wars. Donovan was incorruptible and his employment at the New York Athletic Club kept him independent. His presence during so many major heavyweight title fights of the time was a sign that he had the total trust of the boxing establishment with his impeccable timing, judgement, and his fleet footed refereeing style. He officiated 20 of Joe Louis’ contests including both fights with Max Schmeling, and 14 heavyweight championship fights between 1933 and 1946. Donovan became the first referee inducted into IBHOF in 1993.

1. Arthur Mercante, SR.

Country: USA

A former amateur boxer and Golden Gloves finalist, Mercante began refereeing Navy boxing matches while serving under former heavyweight champion Gene Tunney during the war. He went on to earn himself an outstanding reputation as a pro ref in the 1950’s. For almost forty years thereafter he was the neutral party in over one hundred title fights including the “Fight of the Century”, Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier I, in 1971 that was so big of a fight, Life Magazine had Frank Sinatra on assignment as a photographer. One of his photos he took, actually made the front cover of Life.

Once when he was refereeing a lackluster bout with Zab Judah and the crowd began to show their displeasure with the lack of action, Mercante turned to Judah and told him to, “Pick it up”. Judah floored his opponent twice in the next round and stopped him in the tenth frame. Mercante was 81 years old at the time and it was the 140th championship bout he’d refereed since the 1940’s. Judah later said, “When a legend tells you to pick it up you do as you’re told.”

However, Mercante was mostly a hands off referee. He once said, “I like to hug the ropes and let the fighters fight.”

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