Third Man in the Ring

Officiating a professional boxing match can be a thankless job. When a match goes well, no one focuses on the referee. But when a controversy arises, everyone remembers the man who makes the call. Third Man in the Ring explores the lives of these officials as they discuss what goes on inside the ropes and recount the disputes and clashes that have occurred when they worked at home and abroad. The referees share stories from the high-profile fights they worked, with such superstars as Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Larry Holmes, and Julio Cesar Chavez. One official learned Spanish to improve his communication in the ring. Many referees have relocated to further their careers, including moving to the United States from overseas. Others reveal memorable moments such as arbitrating contests in nations experiencing civil unrest. One referee admits fearing for his life after disqualifying a hometown hero in front of a packed stadium, while another recalls his experience officiating in communist North Korea. Referees who have arbitrated both boxing and mixed martial arts events describe the differences between officiating a boxing contest in the ring and arbitrating the increasingly popular MMA events held in the octagon. Readers will also hear stories from refs who have "gone Hollywood," working and consulting on film sets alongside legends like Sylvester Stallone. An old boxing adage states, "The best referees are the ones no one knows are there." ThirdMan in the Ring sheds much-needed light on these hardworking officials and their stories. AUTHOR: Mike Fitzgerald has worked more than three hundred bouts as a licensed professional boxing judge, including numerous world title fights abroad. He is the author of five previous books on boxing, including The Ageless Warrior: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore. 30 b/w photographs