by Ronnie Nathanielsz

Well known American referee Jack Reiss has been appointed by World Boxing Organization president  Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel as the third man in the ring for the WBO light flyweight title defense of Donnie “Ahas” Nietes against Mexico’s Gilberto Parra on March 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Reiss was a referee in the Nietes-Carlos Velarde title fight on “Pinoy Pride 28”, last November 15 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City.

Originally from New York, Reiss moved to Los Angeles when he was 23 and became an accredited referee in 1998.

The widely respected Reiss who lives is Oxnard, California  also served as referee when former flyweight champion Brian Viloria faced Armando Vasquez in Glendale, California on December 6 last year.

Appointed as judges for the Nietes-Parra fight were Takeo Harada, William “ Bill” Lerch of Chicago  and popular boxing judge Max De Luca, the son of Dr. Mike De Luca who was an amateur boxer in college and a ringside physician for more than 30 years.

Max De Luca was named |Judge of the Year” by the World Boxing Council in 2010 and worked for three seasons in the “Contender” series.

He also portrayed referee Harry Kessler in the Muhammd Ali-Ernie Terrel fight in the Ali movie.

Lerch was an amateur boxer in Chicago during his high school and college days  and trained and managed James Tillis in 1978-79. He started judging in 1980 and by 2014 he officiated for all the major organizations, WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO.