Bayless to referee Pacquiao-Cotto title bout

Bayless to referee Pacquiao-Cotto title bout

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10/18/2009 | 06:46 PM



The Nevada State Athletic Commission has named Kenny Bayless as the third man in the ring for next month’s title fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto.

And for a man as superstitious as the “Pacman," Bayless’ appointment as referee in the Nov. 14 showdown for Cotto’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas should come as a welcome development.

And why not? In all three previous Pacquiao fights that Bayless officiated, the pride of General Santos City ended up triumphant.

Bayless first officiated in a Pacquiao bout back in 2006 when the 30-year-old boxing icon scored a 10th round demolition of Mexican Erik Morales in their celebrated rematch.

Two years after, Bayless was also the referee during Pacquiao’s dramatic 12-round split decision victory over nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez during their highly-awaited return bout.

Bayless was also the referee when the world’s reigning pound-for-pound king hacked out a brutal second round technical knockout of Ricky Hatton last May.

The same commission from Las Vegas also made public the names of the three judges working the 12-round Pacquiao-Cotto title match, namely Duane Ford, Dave Moretti and Adelaide Byrd.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao shrugged off the recent scuffle that marred his training camp in Baguio involving conditioning coach Alex Ariza and close adviser Michael Koncz.

“Everything is under control," Pacquiao said with a wink and a smile on his face.

Reports emanating from the summer capital had it that Ariza threw punches against Koncz, whom the soft-spoken conditioning coach had accused of trying to block his accreditation to be in Pacquaio’s corner for the Cotto fight. - GMANews.TV :smoke

 

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