A Day in Honor of Richard Shannon Steele

WHEREAS, Richard Shannon Steele was the preeminent international boxing referee for the Nevada State Athletic Commission from 1972 through 2007; and

WHEREAS, Richard began his amateur boxing career in the United States Marine Corps and was a teammate of future World Heavyweight Champion Ken Norton; and

WHEREAS, Richard was named "All Marines" in 1963-1964; and

WHEREAS, Richard began his professional boxing career in 1966 and competed through 1970, during which he compiled a professional record of 12 wins, 4 losses, and 10 KOs; and 

WHEREAS, Richard began his professional boxing referee career in 1972 and officiated a total of 540 bouts, of which 147 were world title fights, before concluding his career in 2007; and 

WHEREAS, Richard was personally recognized by former South African President Nelson Mandela for refusing to referee fights in South Africa during apartheid; and

WHEREAS, Richard was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014 alongside fellow inductees Oscar De La Hoya and Félix Trinidad and inducted into the United States Marine Corps Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017; and

WHEREAS, Richard refereed notable boxing matches between Mayweather vs. Corrales, Pryor vs. Arguello, De La Hoya vs. Camacho, Dokes vs. Weaver, and Hagler vs. Hearns; and

WHEREAS, Richard Shannon Steele has stayed active and continued to support the boxing community while running The Richard Steele Boxing Club and the Richard Steele Foundation; 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOE LOMBARDO, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, do hereby proclaim September 4, 2026, as a day in honor of 

RICHARD SHANNON STEELE