Bayless to referee Pacquiao-Morales rematch

Veteran referee Kenny Bayless has been named as the third man on the ring in the highly anticipated rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales billed as "The Battle" on January 21 at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

When the fight lasts the full 12-round distance, the bout will go to the scorecards of judges Dave Moretti (Nevada), Jerry Roth (Nevada), and Paul Smith (Nevada).

Meanwhile, Morales said he wants to prove to his fans that he can still fight and defeat the best fighters in the world.

"I know I let a lot of people down with my last performance. I know I can do better than what I showed last September in Los Angeles and I will prove it on January 21 in Las Vegas," Morales said in a report by Fightnews.com

"Sometimes after a defeat, it's good to change things up and that's why I made some changes in my team and in my training site. I have had a very good camp, the weather has been great here and I was able to get all my work done," added Morales.

Morales said he is expecting a fight even better than his first match with Pacquiao where he won by the narrowest of margins on March 19, 2005 at the MGM Grand Hotel also in Las Vegas.

"I expect the fight to be even better than the first one. Now we know each other better and know what each is capable of doing. I think the fans will get a great fight and something to remember for a long time," said Morales.

About his first fight with the Filipino legend, Morales said, "It was a very tough fight, very intense and very competitive thru the 12 rounds. But I felt that I was able to dictate the pace and handle his power and speed very well. I took full advantage of my size and made him work for everything he got."

Morales, who is wrapping up his training in Queretaro, Mexico, is set to arrive in Las Vegas on the 17th on board his private jet.