The referee who officiated over the controversial "Fight of the Century" between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is back. Kenny Bayless will again be the referee for Mayweather's last professional fight versus Haitian boxer Andre Berto on Sept. 12.
However, Franchise Herald reports that some boxing fans are not happy with the choice of Bayless because he is perceived as pro-Mayweather. Tweets point out that Bayless favored Mayweather not only during "Money May's" bout on May 2 but also when the unbeaten American boxer fought Argentinean boxer Marcos Maidana in 2014.
It is not just boxing fans who disagree with the choice of Bayless as referee. Even former world champion Oscar de la Hoya questions also the referee's being biased in favor of Mayweather. "There is no secret about that. I had heard Kenny Bayless was going to be the referee and that's one point for Mayweather right there," quotes Yahoo Sports.
De la Hoya points out that whenever Bayless referees Mayweather's fights, he always breaks them up if both hands are tied up and not throwing punches, which happened during the bout against Maidana which works to Mayweather's advantage.
However, Bayless said the deducted points from Maidana for breaching rules. "I think that it was in the next round when Maidana wrestled Floyd with his forearm in his face and just literally threw him to the ground. At that point, I took a point from Maidana," RingTV quotes Bayless.
To be judges are Dave Moretti and Adalaide Byrd of Las Vegas and Steve Weisfield of New York. It would be Moretti's fifth consecutive stint as judge of Mayweather's bouts and the second for Byrd's whose first was in September 2011. It is the first time for Weisfield, reports Live New Journal.
To prepare for the bout, Berto said he is taking more seriously his nutrition with the help of a tremendous chef and nutritionist. He eats three to four times a day, takes in a lot of calories, proteins and carbs.
"This is the healthiest I've been since I can remember," ESPN quotes the underdog.