Another famous ref facing tough tests

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, June 2, 1998 | 11:09 a.m.

While Mills Lane has seen his life altered for the better, another prominent boxing referee perseveres in a battle to make ends meet.

Joe Cortez, arguably the world's finest referee and a Las Vegas resident since 1992, has had to expand his income-producing activities to cover the expenses of his daughter Cindy's rehabilitation from a spinal-cord injury that left her a quadriplegic.

That injury, the result of a June 26, 1996, single-car accident on I-15 near San Bernardino, requires relatively constant care for Cindy as well as extensive rehabilitation.

Compounding his family's troubles, Cortez's wife, Sylvia, was diagnosed with cancer last year and had to quit her job with the Clark County School District.

As a result, Joe Cortez, in an attempt to maximize his earnings, has taken a management position with a medical firm in New Jersey that requires him to be there five days a week.

"I can't say I like all this travel but it's something I had to do to help my family's money situation," he said. "What can I say? It's difficult being away from my family and I wish I didn't have to do it and it makes me feel a little guilty to be away from them, but we need the money."

Cortez, 54, considered running for constable in North Las Vegas and also has attempted to initiate a pay-per-view concert series that would be available on the Internet. Yet when he considered his options he decided he had to take the job in New Jersey.

"I wish I could get the Internet thing going," he said. "The MGM showed some interest in hosting a concert but we haven't had any serious follow-up discussions. I'd say all of that is sort of iffy right now, although the Internet people are ready if I can ever get it all arranged here."

He's looking to provide inexpensive concerts to Internet subscribers, utilizing his contacts in Latin, jazz and salsa music. But with that at least on temporary hold, he was forced into Plan B.

"At least when I'm in New Jersey, (New Jersey Athletic Commission chairman) Larry Hazzard has been using me to referee some fights there," Cortez said. "I told him I'll take everything I can get."

Obviously, he's also refereeing fights in Las Vegas.

And he's being showcased in a documentary that's being filmed on the sport's four greatest referees, an all-Nevada quartet that also includes Lane, Richard Steele and Mitch Halpern.

"Things are OK," Cortez said. "Although they could always be better."