Hall of Fame boxing judge Lederman dies at 79
Hall of Fame boxing judge and HBO personality Harold Lederman died Saturday after a long battle with cancer. He was 79.
Starting in the late 1960s, Lederman judged more than 100 world title fights on six continents. He later enjoyed a prolific career with HBO, scoring more than 1,000 fights as the network's unofficial scorekeeper since 1986.
"Harold Lederman had a lifelong love affair with the sport of boxing," HBO Sports executive vice president Peter Nelson said in a statement. "Over the past 50 years, he was universally respected and celebrated by the many people who make the sport what it is. Harold was happiest when seated ringside, studying the action and scoring the fight."
Lederman, a native of the Bronx and a graduate of Columbia University, was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2016.
He worked as an official judge for fights involving boxing luminaries such as Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes and Evander Holyfield.
"He was an historian and walking rulebook," Nelson said. "He always had time for you whether you were a heavyweight champion or just a spectator looking to say hello. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Eileen and daughters Julie and Iris. There isn't a person in the sport who won't miss our Harold Lederman."
Lederman passed on his passion for the sport to his daughter, Julie, who remains active as one of the sport's top judges.
--Field Level Media
