Written by Vanessa Taylor
Photo by Jeff Dojillo
Starting this weekend, about 100 countries will participate in the International Federation of Muaythai Associations World Championships in Abu Dhabi. The competitions, which take place from May 26 to June 4, are the first official qualifier for the World Combat Games 2023. The USMF is sending a team of athletes coached by Rami Ibrahim and Aziz Nabih. Pulling off an event at this scale, however, also requires IFMA to tap into some of the best officials that the global Muaythai community has to offer.
This year, the United States’ Joshua Ferraro was selected as an International Technical Officer. Ferraro, who refereed at multiple IFMA competitions, tells USMF that the selection is the “biggest accomplishment” of his decade-long career. He adds, “Being an ITO means you are now representing IFMA as an official…You get the invite and accommodations from IFMA directly to work events.” Standards that referees have to follow not only include their performances in the ring but ability to follow a code of ethics.
As a life-long martial arts fan, Ferraro’s interest in officiating began young. Although he first fell in love with combat sports by watching boxing bouts, he tells USMF, “My older brother used to rent the early UFC PPVs at Blockbuster and let me watch them.” Ferraro was mesmerized by the athletes he watched but never wanted to get involved beyond spectating. Eventually, Ferraro says, “I started analyzing the scoring and refereeing. For some reason, I thought it would be a cool job.”
Ferraro’s decision to begin training in Muaythai coincided with his journey to become a referee. After a family member recommended a certification course in 2010, Ferraro took up both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muaythai, which he was familiar with through MMA. He says, “Muaythai eventually became my only interest as far as training goes, and I even went as far as competing.”
The process of becoming a referee wasn’t too difficult. Ferraro explains, “[It’s] as simple as paying for the course, studying, and passing.” Getting licensed, however, was a whole other story. Ferraro says, “I had to send a lot of emails to my state before they gave me a chance.” In addition, referees often deal with uncertainty about when and where their next assignments will come. But with assignors willing to give Ferraro a shot, he’s been able to take advantage of numerous opportunities that have helped him reach this point in his career.
Overall, Ferraro’s selection as an ITO speaks to his high standards in refereeing and dedication to the sport of Muaythai. However, Ferraro is clear that his achievements are not only the result of his hard work but the support of many people across martial arts. With IFMA 2022 just on the horizon, Ferraro tells USMF, “I want to thank everyone who has believed in me and everyone who has given me a chance to do what I love. I’d like to keep doing this until I physically can’t anymore.”