BoxRec

I wonder which boxer had the most former World Champions referee his career fights.
Al Hostak had Jack Dempsey, James Braddock, and Benny Leonard referee some of his bouts.
http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=013957

Did any other boxer have more Champs officiate his fights?

Joe Louis refereed the second Joe Frazier-Jerry Quarry fight, and had a shocker. John Condon was screaming at Joe to stop it.

I think Jersey Joe Walcott was ref for the second Ali-Liston fight.

Jersey Joe Walcott was ref for the second Ali-Liston fight, you can see him having trouble getting Ali back to a neutral corner after the knockdown

I actually felt sorry for JJW in that one. He was out of his league. Although, it was almost like the planets had aligned to create a disaster that night.

But that match did produce one of the most enduring images of boxing, the black and white shot of Ali stood shouting down at Liston lying on the canvas.

That famous shot is in color, too. I'm sure if you look around you can find it somewhere on the net. It was taken by a Sports Illustrated photographer whose name escapes me. I saw him on an HBO special recently describing the sheer luck involved in getting that shot.

Also, didn't Benny Leonard die of a heart attack while refereeing? That's the story I remember.

And did you know that 19 year old Georges Carpentier reffed the Johnson-Moran heavyweight title bout on 6/27/14?

J-C wrote:But that match did produce one of the most enduring images of boxing, the black and white shot of Ali stood shouting down at Liston lying on the canvas.

I've got a mug with that on the front

Feel free to play with the captions:

Inbetween Ali's legs (if you pardon the expression), with his mouth open, is a young Larry Merchant.

On the subject of referees, I recently read that Tex Rickard wanted to find a celebrity ref for the Jack Johnson -Jim Jeffries fight, and invited people from Arthur Conan Doyle to President Taft! (Both of whom declined)

Neil Leifer (who took the famed) Ali/Liston photo tells many a great story about getting that snapshot, and how the wet-behind-the-ears Leifer rooked the oldtime photographer (can't think of his name) for boxings greatest shot. To add to the old guys misery, he's in the shot, looking at Ali's back. Great stuff.

Personally...I think Jersey Joe Walcott's referee job in Ali-Liston II was the definitive worst job in the history of championship fights. His butchering of the bout is the biggest reason why so much controversy (about the way the fight ended) lingers on today in the minds of fight fans. If Ali didn't go to a neutral corner, Liston gets extra time down...(same as Tunney in the 2nd Dempsey fight)...and the fight goes on. How a referee can let a civilian with absolutely no authority what so ever (Nat Fleisher) dictate that the fight should be stopped is just mind boggling...the referee is supposed to be IN CHARGE for God's sake. Walcott sucked that night bigtime!!!!