You know, I heard folks talking ’bout them boxing referees, and I got to thinkin’, how much money do them fellas make? I mean, they’re in there, right in the middle of all that punching and sweating. They gotta be makin’ somethin’, right?
So, I started askin’ around, you know, like I do. And what I heard, well, it kinda surprised me. Turns out, how much a boxing referee makes depends on the fight. Like, if it’s just a little local thing, not a big deal, they might only get a few hundred bucks. Maybe $500 to $1000, somethin’ like that. Not much for standin’ in there with them big fellas, if you ask me.

But then, you got them big-time fights, the ones on TV, where everyone’s watchin’. Those referees, the ones in the fancy shirts, they can make a whole lot more. I heard some of ’em get $10,000, even $25,000 for one fight! Can you believe that? For one night’s work! That’s more money than I ever seen in my whole life. Boxing referee pay is different, depends on the situation.
Now, I heard about this one fella, Walt Anderson. He was a referee, but not for boxing. He did football. Anyway, by the time he hung up his whistle, he was pullin’ in $250,000 a year! Now, that’s a lot of money. I guess bein’ a referee ain’t such a bad job after all, ‘specially if you can get them big games.
Then there’s this thing called VAR, it’s somethin’ they use in soccer, I think. They watch the game on a screen and help the referee. Them VAR fellas, they can make a good chunk of change too. I heard anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 of them euros, whatever those are, per game. And in that fancy English Premier League, a referee can make up to 1,500 pounds per game. Plus, they get a base salary, over 100,000 pounds a year! That’s a lot of fish to fry, if you know what I mean. how much do boxing referees make per fight, probably less than them.
- Little fights: $500 – $1,000
- Big-time fights: $10,000 – $25,000
- That Walt Anderson fella (football): $250,000 a year
- VAR folks (soccer): 1,000 – 3,000 euros per game
- English Premier League referees: up to 1,500 pounds per game, plus over 100,000 pounds a year
And this other fella, Herb Dean, he’s a referee for them mixed martial arts fights. For regular fights, he gets around $2,500. But when he does them big, important fights, he can make anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000. See, it’s all about them big-time events. That’s where the money is. how much do boxing referees get paid, probably same thing.
Now, I heard that most boxing referees here in the States, they make anywhere from $150 to $25,000 for a fight. It’s a big range, ain’t it? Guess it depends on how famous the fight is, and how good the referee is, I reckon. It all depends on how big the fight is and all. You got them small, local fights, where the referee might make $500 to $1,500. But then, you get them big national championships or title fights, and the pay goes way up.

I even heard from someone who does a little refereeing on the side. They said they make between $2,000 and $5,000 a year, depending on how much they work. They said you can work as much or as little as you want. Two matches a week for ten weeks in the spring, ten weeks in the fall. That’s what they said.
And someone else told me a boxing referee’s salary is between $350 and $1,500 a match. But for them big events, the top referees can earn between $5,000 and $25,000. That’s a lot of money for one night’s work. I guess it ain’t easy being a referee, though. You gotta be tough, and you gotta know the rules, and you gotta be able to handle them big, sweaty fellas punchin’ each other.
So, there you have it. That’s what I learned about how much them boxing referees make. It’s a lot more than I thought, that’s for sure. Guess it’s a good job if you can get it, especially them big fights. But me, I think I’ll stick to my garden. Less chance of gettin’ punched in the face.
You want to become a boxing referee? Better make sure you know what you doin’. It ain’t easy job, that’s for sure.