Mills Lane: Boxing Referee, Judge, and TV Personality
Mills Lane, born in Savannah, Georgia in November 1937, had a net worth of $2 million at the time of his death in December 2022 at the age of 85. Lane was a boxing referee from 1971 to 1998 and was most famously known for refereeing “The Bite Fight” between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson. Prior to his career in boxing, Lane served in the United States Marine Corps and was the NCAA boxing champion. He also competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics, making it to the semifinals.
Aside from his work in the ring, Lane starred on the court television series Judge Mills Lane from 1998 to 2001. He was also featured on the MTV TV series Celebrity Deathmatch, with his likeness being used for the show. Lane authored two books, Let’s Get It On: Tough Talk from Boxing’s Top Ref and Nevada’s Most Outspoken Judge. In recognition of his contributions to the sport, Lane was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013.
