Legendary Referee Arthur Mercante Passes!

Word has come that perhaps the greatest referee boxing has ever seen has passed. Arthur Mercante, Sr. has died at the age of 90.

Mr. Mercante refereed more than 120 world title bouts during a six-decade career from 1956-2001. He is perhaps best known for being the third man in the ring in one of the most famous battles in the sport's history -- "The Fight of the Century" -- the first bout between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. There were other memorable title bouts as well -- Ali-Ken Norton III (September 28, 1976, Yankee Stadium, New York) Alexis Arguello-Jim Watt (June 20, 1981, London England), Dwight Muhammad Qawi-Matthew Saad Muhammad (December 19, 1981, Atlantic City) and so many more.

The list of notable boxers in which Mr. Mercante shared a ring with is a true who's who of this sport -- Emile Griffith, Roberto Duran, George Foreman, Thomas Hearns, Carlos Palomino, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson and dozens more.

Mr. Mercante has a link to some notable bouts and names along the Beltway. He was the referee when Sugar Ray Leonard uncorked a devastating right hand and knocked out Davey Boy Green in the fourth round on March 31, 1980 at the old Capital Centre in Landover, MD. Also, Mr. Mercante was the third man for two successful Keith Holmes title defenses of the WBC Middleweight championship and both were local bouts. The first was a 12th round TKO over Richie Woodhall at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD on October 19, 1996. The second was Holmes's second meeting against Andrew Council on September 24, 1999 at the MCI (now Verizon) Center in DC. Holmes won a 12th round unanimous decision.

Mr. Mercante was also the referee when Reggie Green challenged Zab Judah for the IBF Junior Welterweight title on January 13, 2001 in Uncasville, CT, and also refereed bouts including Derrell Coley and Floyd Favors.

The Judah-Green bout was Mr. Mercante's second-to-last bout. I was privileged to witness his final appearance in the ring as a referee -- September 29, 2001 in Madison Square Garden. The bout was an IBF Junior Flyweight title bout between champion Ricardo Lopez and Zolani Peleto. I felt honored to be there to witness a legend at work.

I had the honor of meeting Mr. Mercante first at the Holmes-Woodhall bout and then doing an interview with him in 1997 at the Fight Night charity boxing event in DC. One of the great moments of my journalistic life was when, after a conversation about one of his great highlights, Mr. Mercante said to me, "you really know your boxing."

Arthur Mercante was a true treasure for this business and he was a truly great man!