How does the forum rate fighters turned refs? I'd imagine there must have been some good ones but Louis and Walcott in Ali- Liston II spring to mind and it seems like there were probably more bad ones than good ones to me. I need some educating on this topic.
Willie Pep was the referee for Fighting Harada vs Johnny Famechon 1 and he was highly criticized for his performance that day.
Ruby Goldstein. His footwork is a giveaway. Look how he skips around the ring (1:50) This content is protected His pro record: https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/12329
I remember catching a fight on TV...maybe around the early to mid-90s I believe...and Ron Stander was the ref. Randy Neumann was a ref for awhile as well...
There are plenty of British Referees who were ex Fighters, both amateur and pro. Ian John-Lewisand Terry O'Connor were area Champions. In the 70's, Wally Thom was a former British Champion and very highly regarded Ref.
Most of them (but not all) have some background, as amateurs or pros — they just weren’t usually high-profile fighters. One guy who was a pro I worked with (toughman who had some club fights — wouldn’t say I trained him exactly but I worked his corner a few times) and another who was the first amateur I trained both ended up as pro referees. Both did a lot of bouts and the former a few high-profile (but not quite world title) fights, and he’s still going (the other is a cancer survivor and the last few years after that just hasn’t been able to physically do it). I’d say in all honesty (but wouldn’t necessarily tell them) that they are both better refs than they were fighters — not that they were bad fighters for their levels, but both have been excellent refs. Better by a far sight than some I see doing title fights on TV.
Sadly he was also the ref at Griffith-Paret 3.....hs record before that was very good. I feel sorry for him, he never forgave himself after that.
Pete Rademacher was a referee too. He was a good, solid Heaveweight. Who dropped Floyd Patterson in a world title challenge in his first pro fight (wow!)