6-9-07

Judge Kellie Yoh

Kellie Yoh is probably not what first comes to mind when you think about a pro boxing judge. But there she'll be sitting at ringside in many of Houston's matches, lending a welcome touch of class to what can be sometimes a less than civilized environment.


HBS - How long have you been a judge?

KY - A little over a year.

HBS - How did you get into that?

KY - I started watching boxing on TV. and really enjoyed it. Decided I wanted the best seat in the house and drove down to the Main Street gym and talked to Ronnie Ralston and he told me to start judging the amateurs. So I did that for a number of years and then got into the professional realm.

HBS - You're originally from Houston?

KY - I'm from Dallas. Now I live in Katy, Texas.

HBS - What do you do for a living?

KY - I am a high school counselor.

HBS - How did you originally become interested in boxing at all? What drew you to the sport?

KY - I saw it on T.V. and I just couldn't get enough of it.

HBS - You're very attractive and it might seem as though it might be out of character for you to be at ringside, judging fights. How do you reconcile that?

KY - How do you explain anything that you really enjoy? It's just a passion that I have and don't necessarily think, you know, one has to go with the other. You don't have to be a big, burly person to enjoy the sport of boxing. A lot of it is brains over brawn so I guess I'll have to go that route.

HBS - How did you end up in Katy from Dallas?

KY - I took a teaching position in Aquatic Science at Fort Bend I.S.D. Did that for ten years. Aquatic Science is Marine Biology so being in Houston you're a little closer down to the coast, a little more need for that sort of position as far as teaching. I do also teach aerobics, I do kickboxing, I do water aerobics, things like that, so I'm somewhat athletic but I wouldn't say that I'm a typical athlete.

HBS - Give us an idea of how you determine who wins a round.

KY - I'm just looking for clean, effective punching, ring generalship, defense, things like that and take all those things into consideration and figure out who's really commanding the round, really punching and avoiding punches and that's pretty much what it boils down to?

HBS - Since you've started doing this, what has surprised you most about it?

KY - I'd say maybe it's a little harder sometimes to make the decisions than what people think. Sometimes it looks a little close and it is close sometimes to really call who won it but ultimately you've got to just kind of put everything together and come up with someone who won the round. And I guess I'm surprised how nice everybody is. They're extremely nice and willing to help you out, just all around good people.