Guyanese International Boxing Official Eion Jardine is mourning the passing of an acclaimed boxing colleague, Eddie Cotton, a former world champion boxing referee. Cotton, 72, passed away in the United States of America last Friday. He succumbed to complications from COVID – 19 after being hospitalized for several days, this newspaper was told.
Jardine, the bereaved comrade, lamented to Stabroek Sports the tremendous impact the now deceased had on the sport of boxing and his career.
“I met him in 20o1 in New York when I was there for the Raul Frank [a Guyanese] versus Vernon Forrest fight… I was one of the officials for that fight; I met him again in 2015 in Jamaica during the Contender Boxing Series where he came as a judge,” the Guyanese official recalled.
He added: “I use to always follow him because of how he handled the big fights. When he met me in Jamaica and he saw me referee he said for my age [and that] I was very energetic and he commended my movements. He congratulated me and we would talk from time to time after he went back to the states. One of his mentors was a guy that I actually look up to by the name of Larry Hazzard.”
Jardine noted that Cotton started referring professional boxing in 1992 until he retired in 2014. He officiated over 300 bouts, over 50 of which were title fights. “This guy was really good. He was even one of the IBF board of directors,” Jardine said.
Cotton was best known for refereeing the 2002 blockbuster pay-per-view bout between heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson.
“Cotton refereed George Foreman’s final win of his illustrious career, a split decision WBU title victory over Lou Savarese after the New Yorker was deducted a point by the official,” the UK Sun reported.
It added that Wladimir Klitschko, Tyson Fury, and Gennady Golovkin would all fight under him before he retired in 2014.
Legendary announcer Michael Buffer tweeted: “Eddie Cotton was a great referee! Always in command and control. I used to always introduce him as ‘BIG’ EDDIE COTTON! This COVID-19 has taken another one from our boxing community-I’m heartbroken! R.I.P. Big Eddie-Much Love.”
Tributes from around the boxing fraternity are pouring in following Cotton’s successful 22-year career. Jardine on behalf of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control and the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control expressed condolences to Cotton’s wife, Ruby, and his two children. (RA)
