Boxing trailblazer Catherine Iaria lands a blow as Geraldton’s first female judge

Boxing is no longer a male preserve, as women fighters are now part of the scene, but women are pioneering elsewhere in the sport.

Among the trailblazers is Geraldton’s Catherine Iaria, who last week became an accredited judge.

The role is challenging, as judges must not only see punches being thrown, but determine their effect.

If one boxer throws 100 punches compared to an opponent’s 50, but lands 10 while being hit by 20, a judge has to know that.

It’s not about the action, it’s about the outcomes.

“I started out in boxing just for fitness, but it got me in, and I ended up competing for six years and then getting involved with training and coaching,” Iaria said.

“That opened other doors, which led to me completing a Boxing WA referees and judges course.

Iaria attended tournaments in Perth, where she helped with timekeeping and judging, and later judged under supervision.

“It’s a process, but I’m now accredited and planning to be an accredited referee too,” she said.

“It’s an honour to be Geraldton’s first female judge, and I’m looking forward to improving and judging as often as I can.”

WA Referee and Judges boss Dave Evans said judging in amateurs was different from what people saw in professional matches.

“Some people think they’re familiar with how judges score, but though we use the same system, what we consider to be a scoring punch or illegal is different,” Evans said. “A good judge must be alert, have a sound knowledge of the rules, and able to forget what spectators or a fighter’s supporters are saying.”