RENO, Nev. (KTNV) — Legendary boxing referee Mills Lane has passed away, according to an announcement from the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame mourns the passing of great referee Mills Lane. A longtime resident of Reno, Mills was a district attorney and later District Court Judge in Washoe County. The courthouse in Reno now bears his name. He refereed many of the biggest fights in boxin... pic.twitter.com/xmoI2DwyFb
— Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (@nvbhof) December 6, 2022
"The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame mourns the passing of great referee Mills Lane," the post from the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame read. "He refereed many of the biggest fights in boxing history and was inducted into NVBHOF Inaugural Class of 2013."
Lane would become a household name as a boxing referee when he refereed a boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson. Lane would disqualify Tyson during the fight after Tyson bit Holyfield's ears twice.
Lane was a longtime resident of Reno and would later become a prosecutor with the Washoe County District Attorney's office in 1971, where he would work for nearly 17 years. Reno's justice administration building was named after him in 2006.
Governor-elect Joe Lombardo issued the following statement about Mills' passing:
“I’m saddened to hear of the passing of Mills Lane today. Not only was Mills a boxing icon and legendary referee, but he was a devoted public servant and beloved community member. Mills’s heart for public service was exemplified throughout his distinguished tenure as a district attorney and as a longtime district court judge in Washoe County. Mills was an extraordinary Nevadan by all measures, and he will be missed greatly. Donna and I extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and loved ones."
