By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

World championship referee Brad Vocale will be inducted into the Queensland Boxing Hall of Fame in Brisbane on July 25.

Vocale, 67, was born in 1954 with his father of Italian heritage and his mother being aboriginal. Brad started boxing in 1964 at age of 10 years and had 52 amateur contests winning the Victorian State title and boxing in the 1968 Olympic trials as a flyweight.

Australia’s 1968 world bantamweight champion Lionel Rose was the cousin of Vocale and they were in regular sparring sessions along with world featherweight champion Johnny Famechon and also world light middleweight champion Rocky Mattioli.

Brad boxed in the professional ranks in the light welterweight division making his debut in 1970 and retiring in 1971 after eight bouts losing two.

In 1995 Brad made his debut as a referee and was the third man in the ring in bouts that featured Australian world champions including Jeff Horn, Daniel Geale, Robbie Peden, Sharon Anyos, Erin McGowan, Anthony Mundine, Gairy StClair, Vic Darchinyan, Danny Green, and TJ Doheny. Vocale has also worked as the referee in bouts featuring world heavyweight champions Joseph Parker, Hasim Rahman, Lucas Browne, world heavyweight challengers David Tua and Kali Meehan, as well as heavyweight contender Shane Cameron.

During the 1990s Vocale worked alongside Andy Raymond calling the “Fenech Fight Nights“ on Foxtel cable television network and on two occasions worked alongside the Hall of Fame broadcaster Colonel Bob Sheridan who has been a frequent visitor to Australia.

Today Brad is still active in boxing, holding seminars for aspiring boxing officials and boxers.