The Three Wise Men: The Referee Has Not An Easy Job Folks
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
The referees are always the unsung heroes in every amateur and professional sport. What they do is something between difficult an amazing. The athletes get credit. The officials get scrutinized. The commentators get attention. The referees? Well, they usually become so invisible as to be forgotten.
On an eight bout card as Resorts New World Casino Aqueduct Raceway last weekend, five bouts were stopped between the first and the third rounds, involving everything from debuting fighters and Olympians to world class former world champions and contenders. Fighters on the canvas, fighters on their feet, and fighters on their stool. The referees were Pete Santiago, Sammy Viruet, and Ron Lipton. Nobody applauded for them. The referees were almost invisible, a good trick whenever people are watching and are interested only in the center of the ring action. My hats always off to these great referees, and referees in every sport, folks.
Why? Because it’s not as easy as it looks, folks. In particular, in boxing we deal with life and death. These days, boxing has kept injuries and fatalities to a minimum, while football seeks to be failing in this regard. I credit today’s boxing referees for keeping the sport clean and safe, and I will be saying this till the end of time.
Good job, gentlemen.
COMMENTS
English