Floyd Mayweather’s favorite referee, Kenny Bayless, who oversaw the fight with Manny Pacquiao, retired at age 73.
Bayless took over half of Mayweather’s last twelve fights, including notable wins over Saul Canelo Alvarez and Shane Mosley.
The first time Bayless was the third man in the ring for a battle against Mayweather was in his big Pay Per View victory over Oscar De La Hoya.
Mayweather took over the PPV machine from De La Hoya on May 5, 2007. He never looked back as he earned over a billion dollars in the rest of his career.
After competing on the exhibition circuit, Mayweather continued to make money. For his final matchup with John Gotti III earlier this year, Floyd used Bayless again.
However, a riot broke out when Bayless stopped the fight and disqualified Gotti. Mayweather vs Gotti II will take place during Super Bowl weekend in February.
After his latest statement, the experienced official could still be involved in the second fight.
Referee Kenny Bayless retires
“I am happy to announce that I am retiring as a referee for the state of Nevada. After more than four decades in the ring, 32 as a professional referee and another decade in amateur boxing, I am satisfied with my contribution to the sport of boxing and grateful for my achievements.
“Over the years I have maintained good health, so I plan to stay involved in the sport, perhaps as a supervisor in one of the four major boxing organizations or even as a judge.
“You might even see me in the ring for an international exhibition or celebrity match. I am open to whatever comes my way.
“I have a couple of opportunities in the works right now. I want to thank God for taking care of me and the fighters over these many years.
“But I also want to thank my wife, family, friends and all my boxing fans for their continued support. I hope you enjoy the photos of some of my memorable matches!
“See you at the fights!”
Floyd Mayweather controversy
Despite his obvious talent inside the ropes, Bayless was embroiled in controversy before Mayweather fought Conor McGregor.
The UFC star rejected Mayweather’s plan to give Bayless the third man spot for their August 2017 meeting. Bayless had expressed his opinion on the fight before the objection.
“He made public his views on what he thought the fight was,” McGregor said. “He cannot participate in the event.”
Speaking to Elie Seckbach in 2016, Bayless said: “I wouldn’t want to see Mayweather vs McGregor. They are two different sports. UFC and boxing are two different sports. What would be the point?”
Nevada Commission Chief Bob Bennett stated that Bayless was never in contention because of the video comments.
“Conor McGregor had nothing to do with the dismissal of Kenny Bayless,” Bennett said. “Kenny Bayless was removed from consideration due to the comment.
“Based on your comment, you shouldn’t talk to the media unless it’s something mundane, like how an official works. He was dismissed long before McGregor said anything.”
Bennett continued to praise Bayless and denied that he was biased toward Mayweather.
“Kenny is an exceptional referee,” Bennett said. “I don’t think he is biased toward Mayweather or anyone else, but the fact that he made the statement that the event should not happen makes him ineligible to be considered a referee.”
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