No courtroom needed, all decisions made in ring

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Cia Newman
  • Air Warfare Center Public Affairs
Intense noise from the crowd, tension of the impending final decision and the intimidation of the boxers do not matter to a boxing judge. The focus stays on one thing -- the punch.

“When you take your seat at ringside, the only things that have your attention are the boxer and his punch,” said a six-year veteran boxing judge.

In 1986, Robert Hoyle started his military career as a communications technical administration clerk with no thought of ending it 20 years later as the first Air Force professional boxing judge in Nevada.

Now a master sergeant in the 99th Communications Squadron’s plans and programs flight, he said getting into the world of boxing was a lifelong dream that came true because of an Air Force career.

“I remember as a child watching countless appearances of Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, and ever since then I’ve been intrigued with boxing,” he said.

After leaving his home town of Pittsburgh, Sergeant Hoyle’s Air Force career began here, and so did his boxing exposure. He began working a second job at Caesars Palace in nearby Las Vegas as an usher and security supervisor. After gaining enough exposure, experience and a little luck, he was introduced to the world of boxing. Sergeant Hoyle developed a friendship with a boxing inspector who was able to open the doors for him to eventually become a judge.

“Before I became a judge, I worked as a boxing inspector for eight years,” Sergeant Hoyle said. “I was able to feel the electricity and energy that you get from being in the ring. Each match was like being at the Super Bowl.”

But in professional football, how often does someone get to witness a player lose part of his ear? Sergeant Hoyle’s job brought him up close and personal with the famous heavyweight boxing match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield in 1997.

“I was working as an inspector for the athletic commission when I was assigned to work the championship fight,” Sergeant Hoyle said. “It was surreal. All I remember saying to myself was, ‘I can’t believe (Mike Tyson) bit his ear off.’ I was (part) of the first group of inspectors to enter the ring to cordon off Mike Tyson from Evander Holyfield.”

Sergeant Hoyle said the best thing about being an inspector was having that one-on-one contact with the boxers, but nothing compares to having the responsibility that comes with being a judge.

“I loved being an inspector because I got the chance to get closer to the fighters and watch them mentally and physically prepare for a fight,” Sergeant Hoyle said. “But I love being a judge because of the responsibility. It really puts you in the hot seat.

“As with the referee, my job as a judge is so critical; if the boxing match goes the full distance, I have one-third vote of the final decision. What a great responsibility,” he said.

The key to being a good judge falls back to living one of the Air Force’s core values, Sergeant Hoyle said.

“Integrity is everything when you are judging a fight,” he said. “Regardless of what is going on around you, in regards to what the audience or coaches are saying, a judge is concentrating on one thing -- deciding the outcome of the fight.”

With about 300 boxing cards and more than 2,000 rounds of judging in his portfolio, Sergeant Hoyle is well on his way to building an impressive resume.

“I’ve seen it all,” he said. “I’ve experienced the tragedy of watching three fighters die in the ring, a man lose part of his ear and (boxers) get into physical confrontations with referees; nothing surprises me anymore.”

But Sergeant Hoyle said nothing compares to the memory of the first world title fight he judged.

“My most memorable fight was the first International Boxing Federation title fight I judged in 2001,” he said. “It was an action-packed fight that went into the 12th round; it was a tough fight. When you judge a famous fight, like Tyson and Holyfield, it’s easier to distinguish who is winning; but with some of these fighters who are in the lighter weight divisions, fighting toe-to-toe for 12 rounds, it takes complete concentration to really distinguish who is actually winning the round.”

Sergeant Hoyle said, regardless of whether it is a title or undercard fight he is judging, it comes down to one thing -- making a difference.

“The justice of the sport is in my hands as a judge,” Sergeant Hoyle said. “It’s my job to ensure I judge each fight without bias. My loyalty and commitment is to the sport, and I am held accountable for doing the right thing.”

But the glitz and glamour of the boxing world has not allowed Sergeant Hoyle to deviate from staying his ground.

“In the beginning, it was intimidating meeting and hanging out with celebrities and people in such high places,” he said. “But after a while, it humbles you, and you begin to learn a lot more about your own self worth and what you’re capable of doing.”

He said the passion that is seen in the fighters pushed him to fulfill his own dreams.

“It lets you know that if you have a dream and follow it, you can do anything. It keeps your dreams alive,” Sergeant Hoyle said. “My goal was to have a long and fruitful Air Force career, and now this is one more goal that I can say I’ve completed.”

After spending more than 19 years serving his country, he said he now hopes he will be able to put 100 percent into his passion.

“My decisions have been consistent with picking the winner, so I feel my judging philosophy is working” he said. “I credit my many boxing mentors, but most importantly Marc Ratner, whose philosophy is, just pick the fighter who is making the fight.

“The travel and pay are incentives for what I do, but not a motivator,” he said. “I have developed a passion for the sport, and there’s nothing better than to get paid for something you would do for free.”