This content is protected Arthur Mercante Steve Smoger Vic Dracula This content is protected Bayless Byrd Mora/Cole
I probably like Steve Smoger the best but it seems like he never gets assigned to big fights anymore. I also like Vic Drakulich, who retired last year, and Steve Willis. There are four I can think of that I’m not big fans of...Robert Byrd, Tony Weeks, Laurence Cole, and Kenny Bayless. Also, the referee from the Joshua vs Parker fight, Giuseppe Quartarone, did a really bad job in that fight, but I don’t think I’ve seen him referee any other fights.
There is no best they all suck. Smoger was the last great ref since then its been a clown show and the clowns (refs) are running the circus.
Alfred Asaro. Nigel Benn vs Gerald McCellan. Just watch this guy supposedly officiate this fight. He’s the worst I can think of. Arthur Macante and Mills Lane two of the best.
Tony Weeks and Jack Reiss get worse every time out. Especially once Jack got assimilated by the Borg, they harvested his ability not to be a major factor in his fights. People had problems with Bayless waiting for Taylor to get in a neutral corner, Reiss makes the knocked down guy learn a dance routine. All that time wakes him up enough to take a couple extra flurries. Mills Lane went through the same thing. I saw a younger Mills Lane on YouTube today and he was great. By the time I was watching him in the mid/late 90s he was getting more camera time than the fighters.
Smoger was the best. He never had any cases of permanent damage in his fights, despite letting the fights go on longer than usual. Very good eye for the right time to stop the fight.
Vegas probably needs some new refs Bayless, Weeks, Nady and Byrd seem to have been around forever. I just think being a boxing referee isn't that appealing of a job so you get what you get LOL.
