He was the best referee of my time and were some great ones. Men like Mills Lane and Joe Cortez among others. Arthur Mercante was the cream that rose to the top. Now he has written a book titled " Inside The Ropes ". It is a recollection of Mercante's travels through the landscape of boxing. Mr. Mercante has decades of memories that he shares his readers. It is a wonderful trip back in time as he talks about some of the famous fights that he acted as the third man. Patterson - Johannson II and Ali - Frazier I among others. Mercante talks about some of the best boxers he's come in contact with. Foreman, Frazier, Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard and a young Cassius Clay.
I thoroughly I enjoyed this book. It's a slice of boxing history through the eyes of a man who has seen it up close and personal. I highly recommend this fine book.
YES! Arthur Mercante is the cream of the crop.... I always liked him as the third man in the ring... Ol' Arthur has to be damn near 90 years old today, but he was still working as a ref / judge up until a few years ago... Hell, even well into his 80s he seemed to be in good shape and of sound mind... I hope Arthur Mercante is still healthy and not going senile here in 2007.... Who really knows?? Peace...
This one here should be superb! Incidentally, what a fine job his son did the other night in Cotto-Judah. And that was NOT the "easiest" fight to to ref!
Bill - I saw Mercante (on T.V) a few months ago, and he looked and sounded tremendous. He has to be about 85 I would guess. Sounded sharp, and looked great physically (not fat and not frail, but built more like a man much younger. Looked fit and strong for a guy that age, and christ...he even has a pretty full head of hair!) A couple of other 85.yr.old that are still going strong are Angelo Dundee and Lou Duva. Those two are still sharp-as-a-tack, and haven't really changed much in appearence in the last 20.years! Hopefully those three can go at least halfway-strong through their 90's...
Lou Duva still looks about the same as always, but Angelo Dundee has packed on some serious pounds over the last 10 years.... Gil Clancy looks and sounds to be on his way out....
Yeah...but other than that, he looks and sounds the same. Clancy? Yeah...he's not in the best of health, unfortunately. He looked very frail and shaky last I saw him, as for his mental clarity/status, I'm not sure about that.
Carmen Basillo has reportedly really 'slipped' mentally in the last year or so, but who knows for certain if that is Boxing-related? I mean, obviously taking punches to the melon isn't good for ones health, but Basillo IS 80 or 81 years old, and until fairly recently was pretty 'sharp'. Heck, there are alot of people in their 80's and 90's that are 'losing their marbles', ya' know? I mean, my late grandmother was in phenomenal shape physically and mentally until she reached her 80's, and developed Alheizmers. Same with a few others on that side of the family. And none of them ever boxed. Heck, with as many punches as Basillo took, it's a bit shocking he wasn't 'punch drunk' as a middle-aged man.
Stanley Christodoulou is pretty good as well, but I garee that Mercante was the cream. "....but Basillo IS 80 or 81 years old, and until fairly recently was pretty 'sharp'. Heck, there are alot of people in their 80's and 90's that are 'losing their marbles', ya' know? I mean, my late grandmother was in phenomenal shape physically..." I resemble these comments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mitch Halpern was a fine referee, until he blew his brains out over a feud with a bitch....... WTF? I always liked that asian dude James Jen Kin... He refereed the "Duran-Cuevas" bout back in ' 83..... Richard Steele was once very good, if not the best of the 1980's....... Who's the big cheese now---Jay Nady? Puh-lease.... What about that Vic Draculich guy?? he seems alright.... Oh, how about Lawrence Cole? Hahahahahahaha..... Cole sucks the long tube-steak sandwich...... Peace.....
Yes I too liked Halpern. Remember the Brit referee Harry Gibbs ? He worked a lot of important fights. Richard Greene was a good one but I think he also committed suicide. Richard Steele was very good but he made a few questionable calls and he got crucified. I liked Davey Pearl. Not a big man but he took control. Johnny LoBianco was that way. Frank Cappucino was one of my favorites. He almost made the fighters feel guilty if they tried to pull something. I think ex heavyweight contender Randy Neumann is a fine referee. I also like ex welterweight contender Gaspar Ortega's son. Draculich is good too. Elmo Adolph is an excellent ref. So was Ohio's Bernie Profato who is now the boxing commissioner in Ohio. Solid no nonsense guys. Christodolou and Kin i liked too. Byrd and Cotton these days. Joe Cortez is one of the best. I miss Mills Lane..." Let's get it on ! "
Richaed Steele is back to refeering fights again, but he now seems to be doing only the "Preliminary" fights before the main event.... Nobody trusts him anymore....... YES! Davey Pearl was good, but he was small.... Johnny LoBianco has to be an old fart now. Johnny worked a lot of MSG fights back in the 1970's...... Richaed Greene did indeed pop himself in the head with a slug back around 1983.... Is Zack Clayton still above ground? Christ, he'd be about 90 years old today.... Elmo Adolph gets stuck doing too many "Tank" town fights down in places like Bumf@#k, Mississippi.... As for Frank Cappuccino, I think he's retired these days. I haven't seen Frank do anything in a while now.... Mills Lane has been retired for 10 years... I believe his last fight was the "Hopkins vs. Robert Allen 1" fight on HBO.... Lane had a stroke a few years back..... Peace....
