The referee for Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather has yet to be assigned.
And UFC President Dana White is rather concerned about the comments from one of the top candidates to share the ring with the pair of fighters come August 26.
Kenny Bayless is one of the most experienced boxing referees in the business and he’s overseen some of the biggest fights in recent history, including Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao.
But to say that he’s convinced by the spectacle that is expected to overtake Maypac in terms of pay-per-view buys and gate revenue would be an outright lie.
Bayless has made no secret of the fact that he’s not interested in the bout because “it’s two different sports.”
Seriously? This is Kenny Bayless who works for the NSAC a potential ref for the fight. Sounds like he works for the crybaby Oscar De La Arum pic.twitter.com/7yLvORqMOQ
— danawhite (@danawhite) June 23, 2017
And while the interview in which he condemned McGregor vs. Mayweather might be slightly old, Dana White has just gotten wind of it and he’s not happy. On Twitter, White wrote:
‘Seriously? This is Kenny Bayless who works for the NSAC a potential ref for the fight. Sounds like he works for the crybaby Oscar De La Arum.’
Now, just like in politics, nothing is quite as it seems in the fight game and White’s concern about the potential for Bayless to be the third man in the ring likely stems from the alleged Mayweather bias of the official.
Bayless has been criticised in the past for protecting Mayweather and giving the 49-0 boxing great more leeway than another referee might.
White has been known to use his words to manipulate the masses and perhaps he’s voicing his concern about Bayless.
It would be no surprise if McGregor, White’s dog in this fight, will have a more favourable official in charge once the Nevada State Athletic Commission decide on a referee for what will be the biggest sporting event of 2017.
