Canadian boxing referee Marlon B. Wright died at 51 on Thursday Night at Sacre-Coeur hospital. He was suffering from a skin cancer since 2014, however he worked as recently as last February 24, when he was the third man in the ring between Lucian Bute against Eleider Alvarez in Canada.
The Combat Sports Commission Michel Hamelin announced this sad news after he visited the Jamaican- born at hospital. “It’s a big loss, we will be missed,” said Hamelin to the media.
The 51-year-old used to lead of some of the biggest fights of the past 20 years, includes Kell Brook’s triumph over Kazakh Gennady “GGG” Golovkin last September in London, and David Lemieux against Hassan N’Dam.
In 2008, Wright made a controversial decision on Lucian Bute fight against Librado Andrade. He made Bute kept the belt even thought Andrade had passed the KO. Wright stopped his countdown midway to order Andrade to return on the neutral corner. What his critics termed a long count gave Bute time to stand up before the last bell.
“He had acted well. He followed the book exactly. In my opinion, he made the right decision. It’s hard boxing since when you’re involved in a controversial story like this, it follows you all your life.” said Hamelin.
Meanwhile, Russ Anber who was coached Wright in 1980s, admitted that former his man made the professional jump in 1983, compling a 10-1 record, fights delivered in Quebec. He won his last fight in 1992, against Alain Bonnamie.
“This fight marked him for the rest of his career and prevented him from progressing faster towards big fights. But in my eyes, he was one of the best referees I’ve ever seen. I always thought he had his place amomg the best in the profession.” said Anber.
Anber also said Wright could have gone far, but he had no manager ready to do his boxing overseas, as the coach did with two other Jamaican-born boxers, Otis and Howard Grant.
Referee Marlon B Wright counts out Joachim Alcine. (Source:www.sportnet.com)
Former WBO middleweight world champion in the 1990s, Otis Grant, said Wright was one of the three boxers defeated himself and his brother.
“He is one of the three boxers to have beaten me and my brother. Professional, but when he turned to arbitration, he excelled.” said Otis to media.
