LAS VEGAS – Former All-American track star Kenny Bayless will be the third man in the ring when WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao defends his crown against Sugar Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here this morning (Manila time).
It will be Bayless’ fifth assignment for both Pacquiao and Mosley.
In an exclusive STAR interview, Bayless said he expects an “interesting” fight that “can be explosive, for sure.” He described the protagonists as warriors with similar come-forward styles.
“Manny and Shane have basically the same style,” said Bayless who is considered one of the world’s top referees today. “Who wins will depend on which fighter is able to execute his offense.”
Bayless has worked Pacquiao’s fights against Erik Morales in 2006, Juan Manuel Marquez in 2008 and Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, both in 2009. Pacquiao won three of the four bouts inside the distance. The only one who went the full route was Marquez.
“Manny’s fight against Ricky was probably the most memorable I’ve worked of the four fights,” said Bayless. “Ricky’s from England and it was so loud in the arena with cheering English fans. It was such an electric atmosphere. There was a lot of action in two rounds. Of course, it ended quickly but that had to be one of the most exciting fights I did with Manny, certainly off the hook.”
Bayless, 60, worked Mosley’s fights against Raul Marquez in 2003, Fernando Vargas in 2006, Luis Collazo in 2007 and Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year. Mosley beat Vargas and Collazo, fought Marquez to a no-contest and lost to Mayweather on points.
“The fight against Vargas was explosive,” recalled Bayless. “It was a rematch. In their first meeting, there was an accidental headbutt and it led to the stoppage. Shane put on an impressive performance in the rematch which he won by knockout in the sixth round.”
Bayless said his twin brother Kermit will be at the arena to witness the Pacquiao-Mosley fight. Kermit was a judge in Mosley’s last fight with Sergio Mora at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Kermit scored it 115-113 for Mora and the outcome turned out to be a split draw.
Bayless was a physical education teacher for 29 years, an amateur boxing referee for 19 years and a Nevada State Athletic Commission supervisor for eight years before becoming a professional referee in 1991.
The judges in the fight will be Duane Ford, 73, Dave Moretti, 66, and Glenn Trowbridge. The supervisor will be WBO Asia Pacific president Leon Panoncillo, a Hawaiian of Filipino descent now living in Bangkok. It is the second major WBO title fight where Panoncillo has been assigned as supervisor by WBO president Paco Valcarcel. The first was the Fernando Montiel-Ciso Morales fight for the WBO bantamweight crown last year.
Moretti was a judge in Pacquiao’s last loss to Morales in 2005. He saw it 115-113 for Morales who won by a unanimous 12-round decision. Pacquiao has since won 13 bouts in a row. Moretti and Ford have been assigned to four Pacquiao fights previously. This will be Trowbridge’s fourth Pacquiao fight. Moretti and Ford were judges in Pacquiao’s fight against Cotto while Trowbridge was assigned in the Hatton fight and the Marco Antonio Barrera and Morales rematches.