Ray Wheatley

Raymond Douglass Wheatley OAM (25 July 1948 – 20 June 2023) was an Australian Boxing Hall of Fame official and a Golden Gloves boxing champion.

A heavyweight contender, he was also an International Boxing Federation supervisor, referee and judge of world championship title fights in Australia, America, South Africa, China, South Korea, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

Wheatley started boxing as an amateur in 1963, under Pat Rochford at the Parramamtta Police Boys club.

He won his first ten bouts by knockout.

In 1964, he won the New South Wales featherweight title.

At the Balmain Leagues club in 1967, Wheatley won the New South Wales Golden Gloves welterweight title.

In 1968 Wheatley was defeated by Dennis Mason from Narrabri in the light middleweight division at the NSW championships.

Bill McConnell, who trained world bantamweight champion Jimmy Carruthers, asked if Wheatley would like to train with him.

Wheatley finished his amateur career with a record of 25 wins and four losses.

Wheatley turned professional in 1969, and competed in nine bouts.

In 1969, Wheatley boxed future world Middleweight title challenger Tony Mundine, dropping him with a right hand shot in round one.

Mundine got up and stopped Wheatley in the following round.

He retired from boxing in 1971.

After twelve years in retirement, Wheatley made a comeback in 1983 and defeated Australian heavyweight contenders Leo Moore and Brian Fitzsimmons.

He lost to Australian heavyweight champion Dean Waters and top contender Rudy Darno.

Wheatley refereed, judged or supervised world IBF title bouts in Australia, USA, China, South Africa, Indonesia, South Korea, Philippines, New Zealand and Thailand.

He worked as an official on four Kostya Tszyu IBF title bouts in Australia and USA.

Gold Logie winner Don Lane interviewed Wheatley and former Australian light middleweight champion John Layton on 2KY at Parramatta studio in 1989 about professional boxers working as security officers (Bouncers) in Sydney clubs.

Don Lane became interested after reading an article in the People magazine about this subject.

Wheatley was a commentator on ESPN documentary - Ali The Greatest Of All Time with Kostya Tszyu, Joe Bugner, Jeff Fenech.

Also on ESPN Speed and Power with Grantlee Kieza and Jeff Fenech.

He was a regular guest on Sky Channel KO show during the 1990s with Mathew Brooks and in 2005 and 2006 was a broadcaster on Foxtel Fenech Fight Night with Andy Raymond and Colonel Bob Sheridan also Sports Sunday with Ken Sutcliffe in 1997 on channel Nine Television Network.

Wheatley was editor and publisher of World of Boxing, from 1992 to 2013, which is a record of 21 years of a continuous boxing publication in Australia under the one publisher.

Wheatley published World of Boxing in 1992 with Jeff Harding and Manny Hinton on the cover.

He was also publisher of Title Fight (1997–2007) and The Greatest magazine (three issues).

In 1997, Wheatley published Title Fight magazine, which was distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand until 2007.

Wheatley was voted International Boxing Federation vice-president in Acapulco, Mexico in June 2000 and held that position until 2012 when he resigned in Waikiki, Hawaii.

Wheatley attended regular Board meetings in New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Orlando, Miami, Phoenix, New Orleans, San Antonio, Toronto, Canada, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Hamburg, Germany, Panama City, Panama, Waikiki, Hawaii.

Wheatley was voted Vice President of the International Boxing Federation in Acapulco Mexico in 2000.

In 2002, he was an IBF supervisor for IBF heavyweight world title bout Evander Holyfield vs Chris Byrd in Atlantic City.

He was also an IBF official on bouts featuring world champions Vic Darchinyan, Lovemore Ndou, Nonito Donaire and Muhammad Rachman.

In 2010, Wheatley was promoted to International Editor of the leading boxing website FIGHTNEWS.

Wheatley was inducted into the Australian Boxing Hall Of Fame in 2012 along with Joe Bugner, Wally Taylor and Robbie Peden.

Wheatley was the 2012 Inductee to the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Non-Combatants category.

Wheatley resigned from IBF Board in 2012.

The final issue was published in April 2013 with Daniel Geale and Graham Shaw on the cover.

It had been distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand.

The longest surviving (21 years) boxing publication under one publisher.

It was regarded as "Australia's Bible of Boxing".

The chief boxing writer was Grantlee Kieza and the chief photographer - Werner Kalin.