Bruce McTavish, renowned boxing ref and Filipino by heart, dies at 84

Bruce Donald McTavish, the New Zealand-born boxing referee who became a naturalized Filipino and beloved Kapampangan figure, has died at 84.

Photos Courtesy of iOrbit News/Remate PH.

Before paperwork caught up with reality, McTavish had long belonged to the Philippines by grit, by service, and by heart.

Best known for his no-frills officiating style, McTavish was thrice hailed as World Boxing Council Referee of the Year — in 2013, 2015, and 2017 — an honor no other Filipino has held.

His name carried weight in global fight cards, but his loyalty was always with the flag he chose, not the one he was born into.

He landed in the Philippines in 1967 as a field manager for an American auto firm, but destiny had other plans tucked in his gloves.

A boxer in his youth with a 31-2 fight record, McTavish began trading punches at nine long before he commanded ringside respect.

As an international referee, his reach spanned continents, officiating in arenas across Japan, Russia, North Korea, and the UAE.

He refereed legends like Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire without ever stealing their spotlight, only sharpening it.

But it wasn’t only the squared circle where McTavish stood his ground; it was in community work, often without cameras.

As Rotary Club of Mabalacat president in the early ’80s, he launched the Polio Plus Project — a prototype later adopted by Rotary International.

Beyond polio eradication, he anchored the Bahay Bata Foundation, giving street children structure, shelter, and second chances.

He married Carmen Tayag, scion of a respected Pampanga family, with whom he raised two children in a household fluent in service.

McTavish’s path to citizenship was long, first initiated by the late Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Sr. and later championed by Rep. Jon Lazatin.

Despite stalled endorsements in 2014, it was House Bill 7388, backed in the Senate by Richard Gordon, that sealed McTavish’s status as Filipino in law, not just in spirit.

In that pivotal moment, Carmen declared to Punto, “Bruce is now Filipino.”

He is remembered as a devout Catholic, civic force, and quiet constant in Pampanga’s evolving story.

McTavish lies in repose at Divine Mercy Chapel, Carmenville Subdivision; funeral Mass is set for July 20 at 7:30 a.m., with interment to follow.