FIGHTNEWS INTERVIEW: PART I
Steele still going strong!

November 3, 2003

By Trinidad Guzman

Photo: Rick Guzman

Steele to stage pro card at The Tuscany on Friday! On Friday, November 7th local Las Vegas fight fans will be treated for the second straight month to an entertaining night of boxing presented by Hall Of Fame referee turned promoter Richard Steele at the Tuscany Casino in Las Vegas. The six-bout card showcases a twelve round NBA featherweight title clash between Mexico City’s Martin Honorio (14-2, 9 KOs) and Los Mochis resident Sergio Sanchez (13-11-5, 4 KOs). The co-main event will feature a six round middleweight bout between hard-hitting Rene Arostegui (23-2, 20 KOs) and Eduardo Sanchez (8-3-2, 6 KOs). Local super lightweight Julio Luna (2-0, 1 KOs) will look to keep his undefeated record alive when he steps in against El Paso’s Oscar Castillo (1-1). Two California natives Zlad Inger (1-1) and Toshi Kuwata (2-0, 2 KOs) will battle it out in a four round light heavyweight contest. The first bout is scheduled to take place at 7:00 PM. For event information please call (702) 893-8933 or (877) 887-2261. Tickets are reasonably priced from $20 to $35 and are available at the Tuscany Players Club or by logging onto showtickets.com. The Tuscany Casino is located at 255 E Flamingo Road in Vegas.

Hall of Fame referee Richard Steele has been involved with boxing for over forty years, learning the art of the sweet science in the United States Marine Corps in which he was acknowledged as the “All Marine Corps Champion” in 1963 and 1964 and went on to compete in the 1964 Olympic Trials, finishing his amateur career with a 21-4 record. He also tried his hands at the pro ranks and was able to amass a respectable 16-4 record before hanging up the gloves. He is best known for being one of the most respected referees in the game refereeing over 160 world title fights and shortly after his retirement he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame. Even though he is officially retired from refereeing, his dedication to the sport is not over and he has quickly embarked on a new path creating his own promotional company properly named Richard Steele Promotions. Fightnews was able to sit down and speak with the boxing legend at his impressive gym located in Las Vegas and was able to get his insight on a variety of subjects from the art of refereeing and the current state of boxing to what he hopes to accomplish with his new promotional company.

How’s it going Richard?
It’s going real good.

Can you tell us how you first became involved with boxing?
Oh boy! That is about forty years ago. I have always loved sports and used to play football, but I kept getting injured and soon realized that I was just too small and too slow to play football. A friend of mine who was a boxer in the Marine Corps suggested that I get involved in a sport where I could compete against other athletes that were more my size, so I tired out for the Marine Corps boxing team and I made it.

How did the opportunity come along for you to make the move from fighter to referee?
I fought Amateur for three years and I also fought pro for seven years, but I had a reoccurring rib injury that forced me to hang up the gloves. A fellow on the boxing commission named Joey Amos knew that my boxing career was over and suggested to me that if I wanted to stay involved with the sport that I become a referee so took his advice and that is how I made the switch from fighter to referee.

Did you ever imagine that you would referee more title fights then any other referee and one day be inducted into the boxing Hall of Fame?
(Laughs) No, when I took the job as a referee I just did it to stay involved with the sport. I really wanted to continue fighting but I understood that my injuries would not allow me to do that so I just accepted the job to see how it would all work out. It worked out well! I never thought I would get the opportunity to travel all over the world and referee more title fights then any other person in history. I never imagined that my refereeing would grow into what is has become today.

Out of all the fights that you have refereed, is there any one that holds special meaning to you?
(Pauses) Well Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler went down as the three greatest rounds in history, and that was three rounds that I will never forget.

Out of all of your accolades which do you hold in highest regard?
I consider being inducted into the boxing hall of fame my finest accolade. You understand that once you reach that level you have done pretty well.

Looking back at your career, is there any one call that you made that you would change now?
NO! Not a single one. Even though some of the calls I made were controversial, when I reflect back on them I feel much better about the decisions that I made. A perfect example of this is the first fight between Razor Ruddock and Mike Tyson, I could have let him keep going, get hurt and knocked out, but then I would not be doing my job. My job was to stop him from getting hurt and protect him allowing him to comeback and live to fight another day, which he was able to do. I can honestly say that every call I made over a period of thirty years would be handled the same way today.

Past or present who are your favorite fighters?
Sugar Ray Robinson, he was a little before my time but he was a great fighter. I also like Oscar De La Hoya, he’s a smart guy who boxes wonderfully and is the type of fighter you can respect. He does well with his money and carries himself well outside the ring.

Speaking of De La Hoya whom did you have winning in his rematch with Shane Mosley?
I had De La Hoya winning. I scored the fight eight rounds to four for De La Hoya. The very next day I decided to sit down and score the fight again and came up with seven rounds to five for De La Hoya.

Who do you feel are some of the top referees in the game today?
Nevada has a young guy by the name of Kenny Bayless, he is going to referee the Roy Jones/Antonio Tarver fight on November eighth. He has been refereeing for some time, but has never had the opportunity to really display his talents. Another referee who I feel is at the top of his game is Tony Weeks, he’s a guy who has proven himself over and over again. Also there is Robert Byrd, he is definitely one of the top referee’s, not only in Nevada but the country. I really have a lot of admiration for them because they do a really good job.

Overall, since you left the game do you feel that referee’s are doing an adequate job?
Yes, I feel overall they are doing a good job. It’s important for referees to remember that they need to practice their art. You cannot be a weekend referee! You must practice and stay in top shape.

What advice would you give to someone who is looking to become a quality referee?
First thing I would tell somebody who is interested in becoming a referee is to get into shape mentally and physically. Mentally you have to do your homework, you must study tapes and watch the fights.

How do you stay in tiptop shape?
I jog and do some calisthenics and even though I am sixty years old I still try to hit the heavy bag every now and again. But jogging and calisthenics along with eating right is what I currently do to stay in shape.

So you feel doing your homework is a huge part of becoming a successful referee?
Yes, I cannot understand how people want to become involved with boxing yet they do not even like to study tapes. I hear this more and more from people, when you ask them about certain fights they have no idea what you are talking about because they do not take the time to watch the fights. They only want to get involved on the weekend or when somebody calls for them to work. Officials should study as many fights as possible because there is always something to be learned. Don’t look for the negative things that referees are doing, look at the positive things they are doing and it may help to improve you skills as a referee.

Why did you decide to retire from refereeing?
After thirty years of refereeing and being inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, I felt that there was nothing else left for me to do.

Do you miss refereeing?
NO! (Laughs) Refereeing is a very hard job it is the hardest job that I have ever had in my life. When you referee you have two human lives in your hands and a large amount of people who are focused on your ability to perform your duties and will critique your every move. Refereeing is a very tough job to have.

I take it that you would not consider refereeing again?
NO, NO, when I first retired about a year ago there was talk about Mike Tyson fighting here in Nevada, but I have worked five of Mike Tyson’s bouts and I don’t care to do anymore of them. In fact, a lot of people feel that I could have continued being a referee for many more years and they are correct I could have, but why not go out on top? I have always been vocal about people staying to long past their prime, by staying in the game too long you can ruin a great career.

A fighter many people feel has stayed in the game well past his prime is Evander Holyfield…
(Cutting me off) He has stayed too long and it is a real shame because he can never accomplish enough to get that feeling of fulfillment.

To be continued...

Questions? Comments? Please e-mail Trinidad Guzman