Alright, listen up, y’all. You wanna know how to be a boxin’ judge, huh? Well, it ain’t rocket science, but it ain’t just sittin’ around eatin’ popcorn neither. It takes a bit of know-how and a whole lotta guts.
First off, you gotta love boxin’. I mean, really love it. Not just the punchin’ and the knockouts, but the whole shebang. The footwork, the strategy, the sweat, the whole darn thing. If you think it’s just two fellas beatin’ each other up, then you ain’t cut out for this, honey. You gotta see the art in it, the dance, the… the… well, you get the picture.
Now, seein’ as how you wanna be official-like, you gotta get yourself registered with USA Boxin’. Yep, that’s the big leagues, the real deal. And don’t go thinkin’ you can just waltz in there with your hands in your pockets. You gotta do some learnin’ first.
- They got this thing called SafeSport Certification. Sounds fancy, huh? It’s just a course you gotta take online. Teaches you how to keep things fair and safe. No funny business allowed, y’see?
- Then, you gotta take a test. A referee test. Don’t worry, it ain’t like them tests they give in school. This one’s about boxin’. You can do it online, or if you’re lucky, you can go to one of them clinics. That’s where some old-timers, like me, teach you the ropes. They’ll show you what to look for, how to score a punch, and how to tell a jab from a hook.
Now, some folks think judgin’ boxin’ is easy. Just count the punches, right? Wrong! It’s way more than that. You gotta look at the effective aggression. That means, who’s controllin’ the fight? Who’s makin’ the other guy dance? Who’s landin’ the punches that actually do somethin’? It ain’t just about throwin’ punches, it’s about landin’ ’em with power and precision.
And then there’s defense. A good boxer knows how to slip a punch, how to block a punch, how to make the other guy miss. That counts for somethin’ too. You can’t just stand there like a punching bag and expect to win. You gotta be smart, you gotta be quick, and you gotta be tough.
Let’s talk about money, shall we? ‘Cause nobody works for nothin’, right? Well, startin’ out, you ain’t gonna get rich, I’ll tell you that much. Down here in Texas, they say you make about $23 an hour. That ain’t bad, but it ain’t gonna buy you a Cadillac neither. But if you’re good, and I mean really good, and you get to judge them big fights on TV, well, then you can make some real money. I heard tell of folks makin’ ten thousand, twenty thousand, even thirty thousand dollars for a single fight! Can you imagine? But don’t go gettin’ greedy now. The money’s just a bonus. The real reward is seein’ a good, clean fight and knowin’ you helped make it fair.
Now, there’s this fella, Wally Jernigan. He’s got a program for judgin’ and refereein’. Real important stuff. Don’t go copyin’ it though, he don’t like that. You gotta get his permission first. It’s all about respect, y’see?
So, there you have it. That’s the long and short of it. It ain’t easy, but it ain’t impossible neither. If you got the passion, the brains, and the guts, then go for it. Become a boxin’ judge. And who knows, maybe someday I’ll see you on TV, callin’ the shots in a big championship fight. Just remember what I told you, and you’ll do just fine.
And remember one more thing, no matter what, you got to keep your eyes open and keep it fair! That’s what makes a judge a good judge.
Tags: [Boxing, Judge, USA Boxing, SafeSport Certification, Referee, Effective Aggression, Defense, Wally Jernigan, Boxing Career, Sports Official]
