LAS VEGAS — Kenny Bayless once said, “It’s every referee’s dream to work a big fight.”
Let’s hope come Saturday night he hasn’t regretted those words, after being named the third man in the ring for Floyd Mayweather’s mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
There will be millions upon millions of dollars riding on the outcome of the bout, not just in the fighters’ purses but the bets being made all over the world. Aside from the boxers, Bayless will have the biggest impact on the tempo of the bout.
A veteran of more than 100 championship fights, Bayless, 64, was named to work the biggest fight of his career.
“My job as a referee is to keep control of the fight at all times and administer the rules in the ring,” Bayless said in a recent episode of HBO’s “Cornered.” “I want to be on my A-game every time I’m in there.”
He will need to be on his A-game Saturday for what is expected to be an action-packed fight, with Pacquiao throwing punches in bunches and Mayweather using his impenetrable defensive skills and counter-punching to neutralize the Filipino star. The question heading into the bout is how aggressive Bayless will allow Pacquiao to be.
There are some who suggest Bayless was overprotective of Mayweather in his rematch with Marcos Maidana last September, breaking up the fighters whenever Maidana pinned the pound-for-pound champ on the ropes. However, Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach isn’t concerned about Bayless, though Roach added would caution Bayless to watch Mayweather’s use of elbows and shoulders.
“I’m just going to ask him for a fair fight, and I think we’ll get one,” Roach said. “I think he’s the best man for the job.”
So does Bob Bennett, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission.
“He’s a Hall of Fame referee who has been consistent and professional,” Bennett said. “He brings expertise and experience to this epic event.”
Bayless was in the ring for two of Pacquiao’s most significant bouts: his second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton in 2009 and his crushing loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, when he was knocked out cold in the sixth round. He has called five previous bouts involving Mayweather. It is doubtful Bayless will be as busy as he was in Mayweather-Maidana II.
Pacquiao’s best attack will be to deliver a high-volume of punches from all angles using constant in-and-out movement. Being the smaller opponent, he will avoid fighting inside the way Maidana did.
Floyd Mayweather Sr., Floyd Jr.’s father and trainer, doesn’t expect it to be much of a contest.
“I think Floyd is going to stop him,” Floyd Sr. told The Post on Thursday. “Don’t ask me how many rounds, but when Floyd gets to banging on him that’s going to be it. Floyd has faced a lot of opponents that’s better than [Pacquiao]. He’s just an opponent. He has no zest.”
Mayweather will be “banging on” Pacquiao with Grant gloves, which were delivered to the Nevada Athletic Commission on Thursday. Bennett said the commission received and inspected four sets of Reyes gloves from Pacquiao’s camp and three sets of Grant gloves from Mayweather. The gloves, all 8 ounces, will remain in the possession of the NAC until after the weigh-in Friday, when the two sides will select a primary set and a back-up set for Saturday. The chosen gloves will remain in possession of the NAC until they are placed on the fighters hands on fight night.
“The policy requires we have the gloves 72 hours before the fight so we can inspect them and make sure there’s no manufacturing defects,” Bennett said. “We’ll keep them in our custody until fight night.”
Roach had complained early Thursday he hadn’t seen Mayweather’s gloves made.
“I just want to make sure of the weight and that the gloves are fair,” Roach said. “I want to know what they’re made of.”
He will get his chance after the weigh-in on Friday.
“Everything is fine,” Bennett insisted.