Respected amateur boxing judge and referee, Ina Ruby Schuster, passed away on Wednesday 30 August, in hospital, in Auckland New Zealand, after a long battle with cancer, her family confirmed via FB.

Ina Schuster is the daughter of well-known boxing trainer Henry Schuster, who has trained some of New Zealand's greats, including Junior Fa, Shane Cameron, David Tua, Shay Brock and many more.

Before Ina became an official, she started as an amateur boxer, achieving multiple New Zealand national championships, including winning the 2000 New Zealand Boxing National Junior Championships, and the 2005 New Zealand Boxing National Elite Championships, both times representing Fielding.

As an official, she has judged and refereed many talented boxers, including Jerome Pamellone, Erin Walsh, Richie Hadlow, David Nyika, Troy Garton, Genah Fabian, Ariane Nicholson, Ryan Scaife, Wendell Stanley, Tasmyn Benny, Holly McMath, and many more talented people.

Ina climbed the ranks as a boxing official as she qualified as an International Boxing official with the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur (AIBA). With this, she was able to officiate across the world, including at the Pacific Games.

In 2021, she got her first hand at professional boxing as an official, where she refereed Jerome Pampellone vs Thomas Russel and judged Ariane Nicholson vs Genah Fabian.

With her long history as an official, competing as a two-time New Zealand Champion and her wide knowledge in boxing, she eventually rose to the ranks of becoming the President of the New Zealand Boxing Referees and Judges Association in 2021.

Ina Schuster will be well remembered for her bubbly personality, kind warmheartedness, massive contributions to the sport of boxing, and the love she shared with friends and family. She is a mother, daughter, sister, and a friend to a lot of people around her.

Ina is the second loss for the New Zealand boxing community, after they mourned the death of the legendary boxing trainer, Chris Martin, who passed away last week, on 21 August.