Kenny Bayless has been named referee for the “Battle of East and West” between Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao and IBO light welterweight champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2. Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer informed insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that aside from Bayless, the NSAC had chosen Michael Permick, Glenn Trowbridge and CJ Ross as the three judges for the eagerly awaited showdown.
Bayless was the referee who cautioned Juan Manuel Marquez three times for low blows in the fierce rematch against Pacquiao on March 15, 2008 and also served as the third man in the ring in Pacquiao’s rematch against Erik Morales which the Filipino won by a tenth round TKO on January 21, 2006.
Bayless was also referee in the Hatton-Paulie Malignaggi title fight last November 22 in which he called a halt in the 11th round as Hatton inflicted a bad beating on Malignaggi.
Boxing Confidential once referred to Bayless as the only referee who should be used in Las Vegas super bouts praising Bayless for always being in control of the bout “with the highest degree of fairness, firmness and accuracy.”
Aside from the two Pacquiao fight he refereed, Bayless also handled “The World Awaits” super-fight between Oscar de la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. In a long list of major fights, Bayless was also referee for Roy Jones Jr vs Antonio Tarver and De La Hoya vs Bernard Hopkins in 2004, Shane Mosley vs Fernando Vargas in 2006 and Miguel Cotto vs Antonio Margarito in 2008. Bayless showed his firmness in Bobby Pacquiao’s distressing performance against Hecto Velasquez in November 2006 when he disqualified Manny Pacquiao’s younger brother in the waning seconds of round eleven for numerous low blows .
Judge Glenn Trowbridge who was an official in the Pacquiao-Barrera rematch on October 6, 2007 agreed with his colleague Jerry Roth who turned in a lopsided 118-109 scorecard for Pacquiao while the third judge Tom Schreck had it by a much closer 115-112 margin. Trowbridge was also a judge when Pacquiao knocked out Morales in the third fight of their classic trilogy on November 18, 2006. Trowbridge was also a judge in the Hatton-Malignaggi title fight.
CJ Ross was a judge when Pacquiao won the WBC lightweight title with a 9th round demolition of David Diaz on June 28, 2008.
Michael Pernick was invited by the Florida State Boxing Commission sometime in March 2005 to a three-day seminar for referees, judges and ringside physicians at the Sheraton Suites in Fort Lauderdale where officials working in Floroida were mandated to attend. The boxing sessions were conducted by Pernick and Peter Tremeterra who were both described as “world class officials.”

Lol Kenny Bayless is one fussy referee.. Why do they keep appointing guys like that to hatton fights? is it because they think he holds? Which he does, but he also muscles them inside which they dont seem to understand - or do and do it to negate Hattons strengths!

Well at least it isn't Joe Cortez or the pyscho Eddie Cotton

Im going for Pacquiao 7/8 KO

Hatton's punch resistence is not what it was, and even though he will give Manny trouble early with his strength and rough housing, when all said and done this will come down to levels and that fact Hatton cannot take what Pac can dish out.

Pacquiao is just the better fighter when all said and done. That will show up.

I dont even think Hatton will be able to muscle him early on. Pac is too fast and elusive.. Hatton wont get near him. The only chance he has is a monster body punch, but thats a long shot lol.

I think it will be a great fight but I predict Hatton to stop Manny in the 8th.
Pacquiao will land fast flurries early on, but due to Hatton actually moving (unlike Diaz and Oscar) he won't be a sitting duck for repeated shots, furthermore Ricky will close the ring down and swarm on Manny, mauling at times but also using his jab and throwing it in a double action to set himself up for punishing body-shots.

I expect Hatton to also land uppercuts on the inside and have some success with overhand rights, but it s the body work that will ensure Pacquiao is weakened.

Manny having fought Oscar and Diaz will not know whats hit him when Ricky does not go the same way, he will not be target practice and one or two shots back from Ricky will far out-weigh anything Manny has been significantly hit with before.

I expect a real war at times but Ricky to surprise everyone.

I still feel Hatton will prove too big and strong for manny

I would like win Paquiao, but what is going to have ver y difficult

The main worry for me is Ricky getting cut, he needs to attack Mannys body but may get cut in trying to get in close

My analysis here:

http://thesplitdecision.blogspot.com/