Freddie Roach vouches for fight officials

Freddie Roach inside the Wild Card Boxing Gym in Hollywood, CA. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA

HOLLYWOOD—The third man in the ring for the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. clash is now the least of Freddie Roach’s worries.

After going over the list of the leading candidates from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the seven-time Trainer of the Year said Monday that his prized ward Pacquiao will get a fair officiating deal when he collides with Mayweather on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The selection process requires the NSAC to submit a list of referee candidates to both Team Mayweather and Team Pacquiao.

Both camps will then indicate their choices, from which the supervising NSAC will make the final pick in consultation with both parties.

According to reports, the leading candidates are the veterans Kenny Bayless, Tony Weeks, and Robert Byrd. Each one of them has worked previous fights of both protagonists.

Bayless has worked seven Pacquiao and four Mayweather fights while Weeks has done three for each. Byrd, on the other hand, was inducted into boxing’s Hall of Fame in 2006.

The same procedure is observed in choosing the three ringside judges.

The selection of officials for the Fight of the Century is being widely followed by ring pundits due to the crucial roles they will play on May 2.

Their important role was highlighted in early 2012 when Pacquiao lost in his first fight against the hitherto-unbeaten Tim Bradley by split decision. The boxing community, however, saw Pacquiao the clear winner.

A panel of veteran judges chosen by the NSAC to review the fight later declared Pacquiao as the true winner, although they let the decision stand.

Pacquiao proved the reviewers right when he convincingly beat Bradley in their rematch last year.

“I’m okay with that,” said Roach on being shown the short list of referees.