Ron Lipton: Q & A Thread

[Ron Lipton]

Hi brother,

thank you for asking my opinion.

I did not see the fight and now you have my interest piqued greatly as to the corner work. It is a very important factor and always has been.

If I could only see a copy of that fight I would be happy to respond in full to you.

When Jack "Doc" Kearns used to be in the corner of Dempsey, he would say to him, "Jack, pull up your socks and knock him out." Dempsey would usually oblige.

When you have a Mickey Walker or an Archie Moore doing the job on someone as old Doc did in later years advice is not too necessary.

99% of the rest of the time it is invaluable. Motivation advice from someone a fighter loves and trusts has it's value, but nothing replaces working on different scenarios geared to respond to a particular opponent one has worked on with a trusted trainer. You have to have a game plan in the ring.
You have to work on specific things to adapt and be prepared to execute them with great conditioning and practice.

That is what the gym work (In private) is for. It is all business to me and I know how to prepare for every scenario with a willing charge.

As to Gatti and Mayweather, nothing would save Gatti except doing things like Al Bummy Davis did to Bob Montgomery. When you have someone with greater skill, speed, conditioning, and all you have is a big left hook like Gatti, there are ways, good buddy there are ways to get the job done.

Some corner men are paid big bucks and don't do ANYTHING because boxing is in such a sad state, even the fighters sometimes don't know the difference between bad advice and what is really needed. Just look at the films of the Tyson V Douglas fight in the corner. A dangerous, pathetic joke.

Sometimes a skilled fighter who becomes a trainer just cannot adapt to giving the proper advice that is beyond his scope of thought to defeat an advesary that is destroying his pupil's planned gameplan.

This is my theory, always has been, I know how to hurt a fighter right away, how to teach it, and how to maintain the speed and puching power to hurt everything you can hit. It comes from a mixed boxing and MM Arts background. Problem, to execute it almost no one wants to train themselves into the level of Jack Lalane conditioning to execute it.

E.g. If you hit the heavy bag or spar for 4 rounds, you can do it in a manner that accomplishes nothing to prepare you for an all out war OR you can train in a way that prepares you to put out like a Ferrari burning gas from the fires of Hell.

Then there are drills of speed, drills of punching power, etc.

I am getting old now, but what I could do with some of these guys breaks my heart if I had the chance whether it was the UFC or a major fight.

I just know exactly what you mean, and I think it extremely astute of you to notice these things like the other great boxing fans out there. It never fails to amaze me when I see how much you guys notice. Bravo to you!

[daddymofo]

Thanks for the reply Ron. Over the last year or so I have found myself becoming more and more of a "boxing geek" and its the technical stuff like this that really gets my interest, Im most interested in your opinion as a way to either validate my obeservations or to have a kind of referance from someone who has as much backround and experiance as you. That being said, in what medium can you watch the fight? DVD, VHS or a computer medium? I didnt tape the fight but Im sure I can get it from a replay and send it to you if you like. Let me know, thanks!
daddy

[Ron Lipton]

Thank you,

I can watch it on DVD or VHS.

My e-mail is blkleopard21@aol.com

[Cdogg from Fightbeat]

Where on their page is the link to the actual fight clip.

I see the article at the top, but my computer for some reason cannot access a fight clip by clicking on the article, or where it says read more.

thanks,

Ron

On the home page, it now says "buy the dvd for $15". Scroll down, right underneath that, it says Jerome Pillow vs. Marty Robbins "Click to Watch".

Below that, it says "Fightbeat Entertainment presents Bobby Gunn vs. Shelby Gross for the IBA Cruiserweight Title". Click on that image, and it should automatically open up in a new window and start playing. If not, then it may depend on what type of media player you have on your computer.

[KOJOE90]

Sometimes a skilled fighter who becomes a trainer just cannot adapt to giving the proper advice that is beyond his scope of thought to defeat an advesary that is destroying his pupil's planned gameplan.

HI Mr Lipton

Just as a little side-note and 'trivia' on this subject over the weekend I was watching a Boxing documentary in which one of the contributers was Reg Gutteridge the long time UK Boxing TV commentator and writer.

Anyway, he remarked that he knew the great Ted 'Kid' Lewis and that how Lewis when training younger fighters used to get very fustrated when the youngsters couldn't do what he used to do in the ring.

Just thought I would throw that snippet in.

[Ron Lipton]

Ted Kid Lewis was about as tough as they come.

There is such a difference between a "Fight Teacher" like a George Benton, who had a lot of fights, a cornerman like Angelo Dundee, who never fought but knows the game inside and out, and a fitness coach like lets say a Tim Hallmark or Mackey Shilstone who were with Holyfield and Spinks respectively.

Boxing is such a complicated thing with so many invariables, that I decided long ago to just train to make each punch break something and destroy the other guy as fast as possible and just teach that with handspeed, body speed and conditioning with defense too of course.

All this give and take stuff like Corrareles and Castillo is entertaining but not too good for the fighter.

A great fighter could be a Luis Rodriguez, or a Marciano. Each one has assets that cannot be transfered to another. A good trainer finds a way to make his guy beat the man in front of him one at a time.

This comes from a lifetime in boxing, and having had many fights. Any other credential is bullshit and does not work ever. Ask Iceman Skully, he knows the deal. He gets ripped for telling the truth about it all the time.

best,
Ron Lipton

[kenmore]

KoJoe:

I'm glad you brought up Jimmy Young...I remember him quite well from the '70s. I've always thought that possibly Young was the world's fifth best heavyweight during his prime ('75 through '77), right behind the big four: Ali, Foreman, Frazier, and Norton.

Generally Jerry Quarry is given credit as the best guy in the '70s (pre-Holmes era) outside of Ali, Foreman, Frazier and Norton. I however feel that Young probably would have outboxed Jerry had they ever met.

Young wasn't popular because he wasn't fun to watch. He was a very light puncher, he wasn't a physical fighter who mixed it up, and he won his bouts by frustrating his foes and scoring points with small tapping blows and slaps.

But Young was effective as hell. Hitting Young, I remember reading, was like trying to hit a dangling string. Jimmy's nimble body movement and excellent defense tended to neutralize whatever his foes brought to the table.

I remember being shocked at how easily Young handled Ron Lyle in their second bout in '76. It was televised live, and round after round it was a picnic for Jimmy. Lyle couldn't lay a glove on him.

I always thought also that losing the Norton decision in '77 --in a fight that could have gone either way on the cards-- broke Jimmy's heart once and for all. After the Norton bout, Young was rarely in shape and his effectiveness plummeted by 50%.

Like other famous slapping/cutie fighters, Young was often shafted by the judges. Many thought he beat Ali and Norton, and his '74 draw with Earnie Shavers was said to be a fight that Young easily won.

Young's TKO loss to Gerry Cooney in '80 may have been controversial too. Jimmy won the first two rounds with many quick counters, but was cut badly in third and was unable to defend himself effectively after that. It is maintained by some that Young's cut was caused by a head butt, and not by a punch.

Ron Lipton mentioned how different sources list Young's kayo loss to Shavers (first fight) as either a first round or third round stoppage. Boxrec.com may have solved the problem, as it says that UP mistakenly reported the fight as a one round kayo when in fact it was stopped at 2:59 of the third.

KoJoe: one of Young's first important wins (prior to breaking into the ratings) was a kayo win over Richard Dunn in your homeland. That film has got to be available over there.

I agree that if Young had maintained his motivation and enthusiasm after losing to Norton, he very well might have been wearing a title belt as late as the early '80s.

[Ron Lipton]

Very good post Kenmore,

I agree with you on Young all the way.

It is no joke to beat Foreman, Lyle, Draw with Shavers and handle Ali to boot.

This guy was the goods. Just a shame he passed and I think you are right about him taking the Norton loss to the heart.

Boxing has no mercy, a tough, tough unforgiving game, but the fans like you make it all worthwhile with loyalty to the fighters who earned your respect and are enshrined in your memory for their bravery and skill.

[Roberto Aqui]

Generally Jerry Quarry is given credit as the best guy in the '70s (pre-Holmes era) outside of Ali, Foreman, Frazier and Norton. I however feel that Young probably would have outboxed Jerry had they ever met..

Let's keep in mind that the 75-77 time frame you mention is well beyond the best of Quarry. Both guys are hot and cold and in a 3 fight series you could flip a coin as to who might win, but their eras really didn't overlap effectively for a match.

[Boxingnut]

Hi Ron

What are your thoughts about giving instructions before a fight? Do you prefer to keep it short and sweet (as maybe the fighters have had their instructions in the dressing room) or try and cover all the relevant points?

Regards

Rob

[Ron Lipton]

Great question Rob,

Here is how I feel about it.

I have an adversion almost a gag reflex to extreme personal sayings that are layered into the mid ring instructions. I cover everything in the dressing room that can possibly occur in that ring. I say the exact same thing to both fighters and let them know that, the exact same thing will be said to the opponent.

Any contingency is gone over respectfully by me in no uncertain terms. All in front of witnesses. At the small shows and the big ones, I make sure Commission members are with me to hear what I tell the fighters.

I originated some things that are copied quite a bit now, but that is ok too, although the guys copying me are getting the work. That's life.

I shortened up the mid ring speech as the years went by and I usually say this.

"I've given you the rules in the dressing room, respect each other, obey my commands and let's keep this strictly professional, Good luck to you both."

I avoid the rhyming "What I say you must obey, and I'm fair but I'm firm stuff, it is up to the referee and I respect their own styles, but I cover it all in that dressing room.

I look for equipment problems in the dressing room especially foul proof protectors that ride up above the navel. Others wait until they are in the ring when it is too late. I make it clear where a low blow on wide banded trunks is, low is below the navel, period!

best,

Ron

[Boxingnut]

Cheers Ron

Great answer, really insightful stuff. I am not a fan of referees who ask "if there are any questions" in the ring. Hardly the time or place!!

Regards

Rob

[StingerKarl]

KoJoe:

I'm glad you brought up Jimmy Young...I remember him quite well from the '70s. I've always thought that possibly Young was the world's fifth best heavyweight during his prime ('75 through '77), right behind the big four: Ali, Foreman, Frazier, and Norton.

Generally Jerry Quarry is given credit as the best guy in the '70s (pre-Holmes era) outside of Ali, Foreman, Frazier and Norton. I however feel that Young probably would have outboxed Jerry had they ever met.

Young wasn't popular because he wasn't fun to watch. He was a very light puncher, he wasn't a physical fighter who mixed it up, and he won his bouts by frustrating his foes and scoring points with small tapping blows and slaps.

But Young was effective as hell. Hitting Young, I remember reading, was like trying to hit a dangling string. Jimmy's nimble body movement and excellent defense tended to neutralize whatever his foes brought to the table.

I remember being shocked at how easily Young handled Ron Lyle in their second bout in '76. It was televised live, and round after round it was a picnic for Jimmy. Lyle couldn't lay a glove on him.

I always thought also that losing the Norton decision in '77 --in a fight that could have gone either way on the cards-- broke Jimmy's heart once and for all. After the Norton bout, Young was rarely in shape and his effectiveness plummeted by 50%.

Like other famous slapping/cutie fighters, Young was often shafted by the judges. Many thought he beat Ali and Norton, and his '74 draw with Earnie Shavers was said to be a fight that Young easily won.

Young's TKO loss to Gerry Cooney in '80 may have been controversial too. Jimmy won the first two rounds with many quick counters, but was cut badly in third and was unable to defend himself effectively after that. It is maintained by some that Young's cut was caused by a head butt, and not by a punch.

Ron Lipton mentioned how different sources list Young's kayo loss to Shavers (first fight) as either a first round or third round stoppage. Boxrec.com may have solved the problem, as it says that UP mistakenly reported the fight as a one round kayo when in fact it was stopped at 2:59 of the third.

KoJoe: one of Young's first important wins (prior to breaking into the ratings) was a kayo win over Richard Dunn in your homeland. That film has got to be available over there.

I agree that if Young had maintained his motivation and enthusiasm after losing to Norton, he very well might have been wearing a title belt as late as the early '80s.

Good post kenmore, but Jimmy would have told you himself he wanted no part of Jerry.
JYoung fan can vouch for this.
Jimmy never thought he could beat Jerry and would never fight him, and that is a fact.
That being said, I always admired Young's boxing ability from 75 - 78.

[KOJOE90]

Good post kenmore, but Jimmy would have told you himself he wanted no part of Jerry.
JYoung fan can vouch for this.
Jimmy never thought he could beat Jerry and would never fight him, and that is a fact.

Thanks for all your feedback regarding Jimmy Young guys.

I have a very good Jimmy Young interview from Boxing News taken about 18 months before Jimmy sadly passed away.

In that interview he states that he felt Quarry had the style to beat him. He also says how much he wanted to fight Holmes.

P.S.

For those interested I have a Quarry vs Young thread in the Fantasy Fights section.

[Box1]

Hi Mr. Lipton,

One of my favorite fighters is Joe Louis. I was wondering what your thoughts are on him in terms of how he would do today and what changes he would have to make (i.e. bulking up for size and utilizing weights)? Also, what can I work on in order to get the kind of short yet powerful shots that he utilized ? Would the best thing just be trying to emulate that style on a heavybag, or are there some specific routines that would be especially useful ?

Thanks

[Ron Lipton]

Hi buddy,

Joe Louis is someone that is part of my heart the man meant so much to me, as did Ali but in different ways.

Joe I believe without the slightest hint of looking through rose tinted glasses, would destroy absoluely D.E.S.T.R.O.Y. these pretenders today.

I also believe some adjustments would have to be made and some modern additions would help him and not detract from his magic once they were shown to Chappie Blackburn, his great creator and trainer who was a powerful lightweight who fought Jack Johnson and later molded Joe into a fistic machine of destruction.

Joe's style is one I can truly imitate with power on the heavy bag and in the ring even today on video tape or DVD. I just created some boxing choreography for the Emile Griffith people on a DVD I created for their project
and their consideration. Griffith saw it and loved it as did his producer.
Hopefully they will use just me to do the job on his fights with Paret.

Louis is someone that I can really do, as I have studied and practiced his moves for fun for decades. If you are serious you can contact me and for some pointers on film on how to do it like Joe, with drills on the heavy bag and some shadow boxing techniques to emulate his punching style of short fast, rhythm punching combos taken right from his films of famous ko's.

Remember though, he kept his left hand too damn low and he was such a destroyer he kind of forgot his footwork, which I would not recommend as few among us can get away with what Joe did.

Today with high reps, seated cable rows, pulldowns, bicep and tricep work and stretching along with his training regimen, and a modern fitness trainer to tighten up his diet, with supplements, he would be a bitch on wheels and even more of a destroyer. 199-208 is right where I would keep him, and the 250lb pretenders would still be digging their teeth out of his gloves.

He would beat the living dog shit out of Toney, Rachman, Byrd, and the Klit brothers would go the way of Buddy Baer, Abe Simon, Max Baer, Carnera, Sharkey, Schmelling, Conn, Walcott, Mauriello, Uzcudun, Galento and Braddock.

[Shit Bum]

Ronnie, very true.

[KOJOE90]

KoJoe: one of Young's first important wins (prior to breaking into the ratings) was a kayo win over Richard Dunn in your homeland. That film has got to be available over there.

I have been looking for a tape or information on Young vs Dunn and Dunns victory over the feared Roy 'Tiger' Williams the previous year, for years and have fallen on very stoney ground I am afraid, but I shall keep trying.

Thanks again all for the feedback I am very gratefull.

[KOJOE90]

Mr Lipton

I hope this hasn't been asked before but last year I managed to get a tape of the 1962 Rubin Carter vs Holley Mimms fight at the MSG. I have heard a few things about that fight and I would very much value your opinion on them.

Firstly I was told that when Carter first heard he was matched with the skilled 'cutie' Mimms he went nuts and nearly pulled out of the fight.

I also heard that Mimms 'wore the cuffs' that night although others say Mimms was just in it for the money by this point in his career and just dropped Carter in the 4th to "Let him know he was there". My gut feeling leans toward the latter. (I say all of this with the greatest of respect to both fighters and their Boxing ability).

As a side note how do you rate the skilled Holley Mimms? from what I have read and seen he must along with Briscoe & Benton be one of the better Middleweights of the modern era to never win the World Title.

Thanks in advance.

[AIMAN ZULFIQAR]

Allow Me To Introduce Myself:
My Name Is Aiman Ali I Have Been Boxing In New York (spar With Amatures)...even Though I Do Not Compete I Am Very Interested In Improving My Sparring...in Addition To That I Am Simply Interested In The Sports History And Technique......to Start Offf I Just Have To Mention Ron Lipton. 1st Off He Looks In Great Shape For Someone His Age...he Was Actually Kind Enough To Answer All Of My Questions But The Great Thing Was That He Actually Went To The Trouble To Actually Film His Advice !!!
He Actually Did A Short Film For Me Just To Get Me Started With Speed Punching ...my God... Image That If You Will. In Addition To That He Charged Me Very Little Especially Considering That All Of This Just Took A Couple Of Days ...and I Had The Tape ...i Have Already Watched It Like Three Times....anyway I Look Forward To Having Some Fun In This Post.
Thank You ...and Thanks Ron Once Again
Aiman Z

[GorDoom]

Welcome to the board, Aiman! & you're right. You couldn't have run into a better guy than Ronnie. He has always been exceeding gracious & generous to any serious boxing fan.

You'll enjoy it here, You should check out the rest of the CBZ also.

regards,

GorDoom

[Ron Lipton]

thank you for the kind words Gor-Doom.

Yes,

Aiman contacted me and wanted me to film a special sequence for him on how to improve his hand speed. He seemed very sincere and honest in his feeling about getting in the ring and improving.

I did not have a tape or a VCR camera or Tripod so I had to go out and get one for a couple of days. I filmed a sequence of me demonstrating these techniques for Aiman at the end of my boxing class which lasts from 11AM until about 12:30PM.

I was exhausted, especially at my age now, but I stayed after with my son and one of my pupils and filmed some techniques over and over again for him, until the camera went bad. I had to take the camera out for another day, bring it home and film where we left off in the basement of my house with my heavy bag, showing him how to throw a left jab, hook off the jab to the body and follow with a right hand to the head.

Also how to throw a flash right hand, series of fast jabs, and hooks and right hands off the jab in combo.

I then had some of my own films that I did not get from anyone else, that were mine of a young Floyd Patterson to demonstrate speed along with some other fistic examples and put that into the tape for him.

Long ago as it is today, I had no money except to survive on. I took a bus to Newark and walked up the three flights of stairs to Mooksie's Gym. A man named George "Buddy Ghee" Branch who was going to night school, was a trainer. He was a tough African American former fighter who survived and lived in the tough streets of Newark and later became a councilman.

He trained me for free, never took a dime, and whenever I had to fight, he showed up in my corner. He called me last week and said, "This is your old trainer (Age 76) how are you doing champ" I will be 60 in August.

I am glad I am still alive and he is too. God is good to let us both still speak after all these years.

I always pass on what he did for me to someone who is trying to learn like Aiman. It is not easy arranging and filming these things but the fact he liked it is worth it all to me.

Best always,
Ron

[Kid Achilles]

Ron,

It's always inspirational to hear stories from your life. This is my favorite thread on the entire forum and I'm always eager to check it and see if there's anything new. I don't think I've ever seen a worthless post by you yet. There is wisdom to be gleamed from every post.

In what what is now a dark age of boxing it's great to come to this forum and be transported back to a time when men became boxers because they loved to fight. Anytime I start to get sick of the bullshit that has been making its home in boxing with increasing frequency, I know I can come here and remember why I fell in love with the sport.

[Ron Lipton]

Thank you Kid,

That is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.

God Bless You.

Ron

[Boxingnut]

Ron

I would like to echo Kid's thoughts, I always enjoy your posts

It has been said before but I will say it again, you should write a book!!!

Could I pick you referee's knowledge again? I have noticed that when calling break some refs say break then wait a couple of seconds (giving the fighters a chance to break) before physically separating the fighters. Some refs say break and then try and separate the fighters straight away. Whilst some refs say break as they are trying to separate the boxers!!! What are your thoughts on this and what is your preferred method?

Regards

Rob

[Ron Lipton]

Thank you very much.

My son Brett used to come with me to all the referee seminars as far back as 1990, 16 years ago.

One NYSAC Commissioner used to show films of my fights to the other referees to show them according to him the best way to do things. He told this me in private, when they would not break them properly or when they would stop a fight too late or too soon.

Then he would give the plumb assigments to them anyway after he used my knowledge to try and change them. At one seminar, a brand new referee Eddie Cotton, a tall gentle man, used to show up in NJ as a friend of the Commish, and he would ask me many questions on how to break them, and other things.

He gets all the assignments that count in boxing now. Brett pointed out to me after about a year of him asking me questions, that he was saying what I originated in the ring when I wanted them to break.

I said forget it, copying me is the highest form of flattery and Eddie's experience was refereeing in a prison where he works prior to coming to the pro ranks if I am not mistaken.

My thing is to say this. It is very simple, but NO ONE, ever said it in a fight before, now Steve Smoger tries to use a version of it once he saw me doing it for years too.

When they are locked up, when one hand is not free, when they are not infighting, I say, "STOP PUNCHING, and I step between them and say STEP BACK-BREAK CLEAN while I am seperating them quickly, with a full push equally administered to both.

When they hear my authoritive command, they obey and it works with no problems at all.

One day, Arthur Mercante Sr, saw this working very well for me. A Deputy Inspector or Commissioner said to him, "Ron is doing a great job in there, that's the way to get them apart." As guys would hit on the break with him all the time, and being very very territorial, he came over to me and said,
"That's not the way to break them, first of all I stay very far away from the action, so no one sees me, then I tell them just, "Break" and slap them on the back real hard, my son does too, I taught him, and if they don't break, I penalize them. They have to know what break means and if they don't listen to me, they will be penalized.

I almost hurled, as he was wearing an Ascot, and the pomposity of his speech pattern, exuded the untouchable niche he had carved for himself with endless political manuverings and appointments via the WBC and the Commission via a vast political connection which I know about.

I said politely, Thanks your majesty for the advice, I know you are the epitome of authority, but because you stay so far away you cannot see what happens in close, that is number one, and your royal command of break is fine in the amateurs, but in the pros, in a hard fight it is not enough, and I am not as overly officious as you. I let them fight.

The aristocratic pretentions and condescension of it all was always riling from King Arthur. He did many great fights and was politically rewarded with them handsomely and that's cool.

But saying break is not enough. Stepping in at the wrong time happens in every fight I see lately. A man has had to have a lot of fights to know what to do.

I have come to the conclusion that on HBO, Jim Lampley etc does not know anything about what the referee is doing good or bad. Do you know that not one thing was said about Steele not taking ONE SINGLE POINT AWAY from Judah, not one word.

IF EVER, a 2 point deduction was mandated, it was that fight.

It is something you instinctively know how to do, some said I did it the best, and when you do things well, they get rid of you because the public can see that and then they ask strange questions, like why aren't you using him instead of political Pete and they don't want that.

Do you know that Ron Scott Steven of the NYSAC still uses Mercante Jr as a referee after injury, ring death and one schmuck move after another.
You think he cares, it is all political pals with the fighters paying the price.

Look at Lewis V Tyson, and ask, how in hell did they choose Cotton. I know and the less said the better. It was in Tennessee.
Then Lewis went nuts after the fight at how it was handled.

best,
Ron

[Ted Spoon]

You've brought up some interesting points, Ron that have been through my mind many a time.

You believe in staying close to the fighters, but do you think that can be done without possibly obstructing or distracting the fighters?

Mill's Lane's idea of just skipping along the perimeter of the ring always seemed to work well.

I completely agree with your method of separating fighters.

There are many referees who simply shout "BREAK" and even have a half conversation (while they're fighting) about "I want to see a clean fight or I'll take points off", it's very distracting for the fighters.

There are some abysmal referees who 'don't time in time out', or know how to discipline a fighter.

Who in your opinion are decent Referees today who regulary handle world title bouts? What's your opinion on Cortez, Nady, Smoger etc?

Thanks in advance.

[Boxingnut]

Great answer again Ron, Thank you.

[wildhawke11]

Ron,

It's always inspirational to hear stories from your life. This is my favorite thread on the entire forum and I'm always eager to check it and see if there's anything new. I don't think I've ever seen a worthless post by you yet. There is wisdom to be gleamed from every post.

In what what is now a dark age of boxing it's great to come to this forum and be transported back to a time when men became boxers because they loved to fight. Anytime I start to get sick of the bullshit that has been making its home in boxing with increasing frequency, I know I can come here and remember why I fell in love with the sport.

Kid you put that perfectly i am sure 100% of us feel the same way about our Ron. Its an honour and a privilege to have him on the board. He i feel is very fair to the fighters. Respects them and the job they have to do. But at the same time they know You dont FXXK with Mr Lipton in our out of the ring. Its a tragedy and a great loss to boxing that Ron is not active today.

Ron may i ask do the guys who become referees have to pass any tests or receive any sort of special training by qualified staff. Say like passing a car driving test. Seems to me its not what you know but more about who you know that counts in your former world. If i might put it like that.

[Ron Lipton]

Thank you Ted, Boxing Nut and Danny.

Real quick, they are calling me to supper, if I don't show I don't eat.

Mills did skip about the perimiter a bit, and it is ok in my book if the fight permits it. I have to stay closer although I am on the move not blocking the judges. I have to be close without getting hit or you miss every thing there is to miss, you really do.

If you watch the film of the great fight between Merqui Sosa V Prince Charles Williams I in Atlantic City where it ended in one of the few double tko's since the 50's, I worked very close to the action but without flapping my lips telling them how to fight.

Too many referees are actually telling them how to fight. I have actually heard, "Throw more punches," "Speed it up," One guy says, "Punch your way out NOW!" Instead of "You're hands are free, work you way out."

A referee should NOT tell a fighter when to punch. One referee who voted back in the day, confessed to me he always scored for the "Boxer" against the puncher. I almost reeled thinking of his bad voting and what he did to boxing history, based on his own personal preference.

I like to work close but stay out of their way, you never see them bunking into me, I know how to move like Wile E. Coyote with Acme Rocket Shoes when I have to.

The only tests they pass to get in, especially in NY with this present NYSAC under Ron Scott Stevens is how much donations they make to Albany to get their jobs. Jack Newfeld exposed that pretty good before he left us.

As far as the other referees mentioned, I promised not to say anything bad anymore and be a good boy from now on. My beef with Steve was that he was kicked off the bench in NJ as a local judge for doing some EXTREMELY cruel things to people and that I know he never was a fighter in anyway, as far as paying dues.

He got some assignments by playing the game, but he is an intelligent man, and very very territorial about getting work. He supposedly got all he ever wanted and maybe has mellowed a bit with the behind the scenes cruelty.
He can be very charming and I always rather be friends than enemies.
He used to yank my chain now and then, which was totally unnecessary and suprised me.

Joe Cortez was a fighter and paid his dues and I remember his and his brother well. I wish him the best.

Jay's methods and mine differ but I wish him the best too. I truly mean that as they all love boxing and want to do their best.