Lane, Hall of Fame boxing referee, dies at 85

Mills Lane, the Hall of Fame referee who officiated the Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield "Bite Fight" and much than 100 different title bouts, died connected Tuesday greeting astatine his Reno, Nevada, home, his son, Terry Lane, confirmed to ESPN. He was 85.

Lane, known for his pre-fight catchphrase "Let's Get It On!" suffered a changeable successful March 2002 that partially paralyzed him and near him virtually incapable to speak.

He was surrounded by his wife, Kay, and sons, Terry and Tommy, during his last days. Much of that clip was spent watching videos of astir 50 fights helium refereed during the 1980s and 90s, including Marvin Hagler's 1979 gully vs. Vito Antuofermo for the middleweight championship.

"The past 20 years aft the changeable were beauteous pugnacious to beryllium honest," said Terry Lane, who manages salient Chinese boxers Zhang Zhilei and Fanlong Meng. " ... We're relieved of the outpouring of support.

"He was conscionable this truly astonishing begetter and hubby and I don't cognize if radical got to spot that benignant and delicate broadside of him. My ma took attraction of him since the stroke; helium ne'er spent 1 nighttime successful a nursing home. I don't cognize if Dec. 6 is my dad's day of decease oregon a caller beingness for her."

Lane, regarded for his no-nonsense cognition arsenic the 3rd antheral successful the ring, started boxing aft helium joined the Marines successful 1956 and was aboriginal defeated successful the U.S. Olympic Trials successful 1960 successful San Francisco.

He turned pro arsenic a welterweight the pursuing twelvemonth and suffered a first-round TKO nonaccomplishment successful his debut. Lane went connected to triumph 10 consecutive fights (with six KOs) and retired successful 1967 with a 10-1 record.

He graduated from the University of Utah's instrumentality schoolhouse successful 1970 and refereed his archetypal rubric combat the pursuing year.

Lane ever seemed to find himself successful large boxing moments. Whether it was Tyson's comeback DQ triumph implicit Peter McNeeley oregon Julio Cesar Chavez's rematch triumph implicit Meldrick Taylor, Lane was determination arsenic arguably the astir recognizable referee successful boxing's storied history.

In 1998, Bernard Hopkins' combat with Robert Allen ended successful a nary contention erstwhile Hopkins was ejected from the ringing portion Lane was trying to interruption 1 of the galore clinches. Even his last combat - Tommy Hearns' 1st-round KO of Jay Snyder successful 1998 - featured an ultra-rare treble knockdown.

That aforesaid year, Lane crossed implicit into the mainstream with his syndicated tribunal program, "Judge Mills Lane," which ran until 2001 (the Savannah, George, autochthonal antecedently served arsenic some a District Attorney and District Judge.)

Lane added to his spot successful popular civilization lore erstwhile MTV's fashionable Claymation series, "Celebrity Deathmatch," debuted successful 1998 with Lane arsenic the referee implicit with his trademark catchphrase.

"Everything is discipline," Lane told the Los Angeles Times successful 1991. "When I'm moving a fight, I springiness the aforesaid vigor and attraction to a four-rounder arsenic I bash a million-dollar fight. The mode I spot it, successful either case, connected that night, it's the astir important combat successful those fighters' careers."