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Cavalleri to refs: know the rules, be fit physically, mentally
Cavalleri (C) using volunteers to demonstrate a referee's ideal position during a boxing match. PHOTO/ABDUL-NASSER SSEMUGABI
What you need to know:
Cavalleri, who has handled 172 bouts as a referee since 1994, 240 as a judge since 1998 and 13 as an inspector since 2015, said besides knowing the rules, a professional referee must be physically and mentally fit.
Seasoned ring official Guido Cavalleri has warned African boxing referees against sloppy decisions if they dream of high profile assignments.
Cavalleri, who has handled 172 bouts as a referee since 1994, 240 as a judge since 1998 and 13 as an inspector since 2015, said besides knowing the rules, a professional referee must be physically and mentally fit.
The Italian, who spoke French through an English translator, is the lead instructor at the ongoing African Boxing Union ring officials seminar at Hotel Africana, Kampala.
“Besides making ideal movements and positioning, a referee’s decisions must be swift and spot-on,” he said.
“Try as much as possible to leave your worries outside the ring,” Cavalleri told his trainees including Ugandans, Nigerians, South Africans, Tanzanians, Ivorians, Malawians, Rwandese, among others, on Wednesday afternoon.
“Forget that bank loan, your errant lover, your sick family member, etc. But if you cannot, be professional and tell the supervisor to choose another referee.”
Warnings, penalties, stoppages
Cavalleri showed videos of refereeing blunders. The most curious case was of a referee who simply looked on as a boxer conceded 10 heavy blows on the head before stopping the fight.
Another video showed a boxer who had been knocked down and spit the mouth guard as the referee counted. The referee quickly put the mouth guard back into the boxer’s mouth. “That’s wrong,” Cavalleri said. “The referee shouldn’t have put the mouth guard back before taking it to the corner to be cleaned or be replaced. And he should have deducted one point from the boxer because spitting the mouth guard was an intentional foul by the boxer to buy more resting time.”
When a boxer punches an opponent below the belt, Cavalleri said, the referee must signal to the time keeper to stop the watch, deduct a point from the offending boxer and give five minutes to the offended boxer to recover. “If the offended boxer does not recover, he loses the fight as he is adjudged as simulating because every boxer must wear a groin protector,” the instructor said. “And if a boxer lands three low blows, the ref should disqualify him.”
A boxer who punches an opponent at the back of the head commits an intentional foul, which can severely damage the opponent and must be deducted one point. Repeating the foul the third time should lead to disqualification, Cavalleri said, much to his audience’s wonderment.
“And a warning and a point deduction should be loud enough and signaled to all the judges and the fight inspector.”
Cavalleri said though the referee is the boss of the ring, should also have a sharp sense of judgement to decide when to stop a fight even without counting. “The essence is the safety of the fighters.”
KEY ERRORS
Low blows
Back head blows
Spitting gum shield
REF’S IDEAL POSITION
Left side of attacking boxer
WORST POSITION
Behind any boxer
