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We remember boxing referee and friend Steve Morrow

Published

8 months ago

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Remembering Boxing Judge and Friend Steve Morrow

Eric Bottjer

This one is vital. And it hurts. Steve Morrow is gone. You may recognize the name – Steve was a long-time boxing referee in California who became part of the WBC family. And if you actually knew Steve – on any level – today will be a day dedicated to processing his loss.

I met Steve in 1989. I moved to Gilroy, California right out of journalism school, working at the local newspaper, The Dispatch. The editor put me on a town hall beat. Huge mistake. A great reporter from the neighboring San Jose Mercury News, Jack Foley, regularly kicked my butt (he caught me).

And then a stroke of luck. The police and court reporter was leaving and the editor in desperation threw me into her seat (Perrin Weston, HUGE shoes to fill and not because she had massive feet). Soon I was kicking Jack’s ass (which I’m kind of proud of because Jack Foley shared the Pulitzer Prize with other Mercury reporters in 1989). And I used my press badge to get into local fights.

One night at Joe Gagliardi’s gala in San Jose, there was a great four-round fight that ended with fans littering the ring with coins (for the fighters). I noticed a group of guys in economical seats who seemed to be aiming coins at my ringside seat (where I happened to be sitting).

Stupidly fearless, I went to face them. And there they were – six Gilroy cops, Steve Morrow among them. It was a really significant moment (for me). I gained the trust of most of the department (“He’s a good kid. He likes boxing”), and these officers graciously allowed me a peek into their world, which gave me credibility not only with them, but also with my colleagues in the journalism industry, because these cops gave me information that allowed me to write some notable stories (I knew I was almost accepted by the police when the cops started calling me “Jimmy Olsen” – nicknames were popular with them).

Steve wasn’t their leader, but he was the one I bonded with the most. Steve was a thoroughly decent man who “got” life and what meaning life could (and should) have – helping others. He wrote an occasional column for The Dispatch, explaining his work to the 40,000 people who lived in Gilroy. There is no doubt that Steve was a tough guy, but in the many rides I went on with Steve and other officers, he was never aggressive towards people, and many of those people were not elated to see Steve and his fellow officers. I learned that a good officer smooths over arguments and treats everyone the same, regardless of their personal feelings (some police officers face terrible behavior). Even when I occasionally encountered officers I didn’t care about, Steve humanized them for me. And I know he made it clear that I was being humane towards them (cops and reporters have a natural, adversarial working relationship).

Everything Steve did for me, the most gracious act he ever did in my newborn life was allowing me to aid him. I wrote a column for Virgil Thrasher’s excellent trade publication Boxing Update (and its sister publication The Flash), and Steve asked me how he could write some. For eight years I introduced him to Virgil and Steve’s boxing, going to all the events in Northern California and reporting from the ring.

In the meantime, he told me that he would like to try refereeing. I talked to Dean Lohuis from the committee, who helped Steve get into this world. When I first saw Steve smiling as a ring referee during a title fight on HBO, I felt like a proud little brother.

I don’t take credit for Steve getting into boxing. He would have found his way even if we had never met. But I’m very glad we met. I love him so much.

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Boxing

Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshuas Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns

Published

18 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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"Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshua's Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns"

Oleksandr Usyk has shared his reaction to Anthony Joshua‘s dramatic knockout victory against Kristian Prenga.

Usyk nearly suffered his own shock defeat in May when he was pushed to the limit by kickboxing star Rico Verhoevenand two months on it was nrw teammate Joshua’s turn to come close to a massive upset loss that would have stunned the heavyweight division.

The Brit was dropped twice by massive underdog Prenga in the opening round of their clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, but ‘AJ’ managed to recover and record a big knockdown of his own in the second round that resulted in the stoppage victory.

Joshua and Usyk now train together, having famously had two battles for the unified world heavyweight title in 2021 and 2022, and the Ukrainian has had his say on his stablemate’s victory over Prenga.

Speaking to TalkSporttwo-time undisputed champion Usyk praised Joshua, insisting ‘AJ is back’ before predicting that Joshua will now claim a knockout win over long-term rival Tyson Fury in his next bout.

“Anthony Joshua is next undisputed champion. First round it’s a test but AJ is back.

It’s boxing, [the] big upper cut is good, it’s a knockdown. AJ [come] back and win.

“Greedy Belly [Fury] will speak now and say weak chin, Greedy Belly get out. AJ wins [against Fury], [he will] knock him out.”

Fury was victorious on Friday as he earned a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, paving the way for the showdown against Joshua later this year.

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Boxing

Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshuas Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns

Published

20 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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"Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshua's Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns"

Jake Paul was the last man to fight Anthony Joshua and he has now revealed his verdict on AJ’s chaotic victory over Kristian Prenga.

Joshua went up against Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturdayin a clash that was expected to be a comfortable win for the former world heavyweight champion in order to set up the long overdue battle against Tyson Fury.

Any hopes of seeing that clash were nearly ended after AJ was dropped twice in the opening round of the bout, though he was able to recover and claim the second round knockout to come out on top and prevent a stunning shock upset from taking place.

Saturday’s outing saw Joshua back in the ring for the first time since his sixth round triumph over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul back in Decemberand now ‘The Problem Child’ himself has shared his reaction to his former rival’s victory over Prenga.

Posting on social mediaPaul praised AJ for earning the win, after returning to action following the tragic car crash he was involved in at the end of last year which took the lives of his two close friends.

“Happy for Joshua with that win after all he’s been through. Remembering Sina and Latz with this one.”

The win for Joshua should now tee up for meeting with Fury later this year, after ‘The Gypsy King’ held up his end of the bargain by also securing a win in his warm-up bout on Friday, securing a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach.

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Boxing

Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshuas Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

Published

20 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshua's Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

Anthony Joshua may have earned a knockout win over Kristian Prenga but the fight certainly didn’t unfold as most people expected.

Joshua was facing the Albanian in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, and it looked like a massive upset could be on the cards when he was dropped twice in the opening round.

‘AJ’ was able to recover and went on to secure a second round knockout victory to prevent the shock lossseemingly paving the way for the battle against Tyson Fury later this year.

One man who was ringside to witness the battle was former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellewand he praised Joshua’s ability to turn things around in the fight after describing it as ‘chaos’.

“We predicted round two but I don’t think we foresaw that. That was chaos. He doesn’t see the uppercut coming and finds himself on the floor without knowing how he got there.

“The second one he did see it coming and he was able to clench down on the jaw. He got up and then the experience that he has he used tonight because he tied him up. Against Andy Ruiz he didn’t know what he was doing and didn’t know how to do that, but tonight he did.

“He showed once again there is no quit. To be that hurt in the first round and get up, that’s the recoveries of power. People talk about your chin, but it’s not, it’s the level of fitness that gets you up from the floor.

“When Joshua gets a fighter hurt he’s the best finisher in the division. Whenever he hurts someone they’re gone. I haven’t seen him drop anybody and they survive, only Andy Ruiz. He’s a ruthless finisher.”

The clash between Joshua and Fury is now expected to be announced soon for later this year, after Fury won his own interim fight on Friday by defeating Mariusz Wach.

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