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Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao: Who is the referee Kenny Bayless?

The 64-year-old will receive £16,500 for his night's work

Sunday 03 May 2015 03:12 BST

Floyd Mayweather Jr complained that Marcos Maidana bit him as referee Kenny Bayless examines his glove (REUTERS/Steve Marcus )

The man tasked with refereeing the richest fight in boxing history on Saturday night, when Floyd Mayweather faces Manny Pacquiao in a $300m super-fight, will be Las Vegas native Kenny Bayless.

Bayless, 64, will receive more than double the normal purse for the fight - £16,500. It is the richest fight in boxing history after all...

Bayless's catchphrase is "what I say you must obey"

He has taken charge of four previous Mayweather fights, and seven previous Pacquiao bouts.

Bayless was memorably in charge for Pacquiao's two-round demolition of Ricky Hatton in 2009.

LIVE: MAYWEATHER VS PACQUIAO LATEST

The welterweight clash, which has been six years in the making, will be most lucrative fight in boxing history, with the combined purse for the bout expected to top $300m (£201m).

Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

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1/10Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Mike Tyson (Pacquiao)

Iron Mike thinks Pacquiao will win because he throws more punches. "Floyd doesn't throw anywhere near 100 punches a round. He is more of a scientific fighter, he really plots a lot, he poses whereas Pacquiao is feinting and moving around. That's just my opinion, Pacquiao has perpetual motion he's all over the god damn place."

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

George Foreman (Pacquiao)

"If we’ve got good judges this time, it's go Pacquiao," said Foreman. "Mayweather starts off early kind of looking for his timing and ... Pacquiao will pot shot him and get ahead on points and he’ll stay ahead. He’ll slow down later on and Mayweather will take on the more aggression but he doesn’t have a right hand. He’ll hurt his right hand. He can't get a knockout. So he’ll just have to cruise on in and win or lose the fight just by a couple of points."

Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Oscar De La Hoya (Pacquiao)

De La Hoya, who has fought both, nods in Pacquaio's direction...but only "if he can start well in the first two rounds, then the fight can go in his direction."

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Ricky Hatton (Mayweather...just)

Hatton said: "Manny has been in some real wars and that gives Floyd the slight advantage."

Jon Super

Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Nigel Benn (Mayweather)

Benn: "This fight is going to make Mayweather who he is. I believe that he has not got the recognition."

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Kell Brook (Mayweather)

"I'm leaning towards Floyd Mayweather," Brook said. "He's never lost before, he knows how to win and it's in Vegas. I think Mayweather is going to control the pace and I think he's too clever for Manny Pacquiao."

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Amir Khan (Mayweather)

"Mayweather will be smart and keep moving, so I think he will get a good unanimous win," Khan said.

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Shane Mosley (Mayweather)

"I think Mayweather’s going to out-point Pacquiao by moving, evading punches, and being able to do combinations and stuff like that," Mosley said.

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Miguel Cotto (Pacquiao)

"I'm rooting for Manny Pacquiao. I think the quickness of Manny is going to have a big impact on Floyd's performance," he said.

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Ronda Rousey (Pacquiao)

The unbeaten UFC fighter is backing Paquiao.

Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC

Pacquiao will be defending his WBO welterweight title, and aiming to win Mayweather's WBC and WBA welterweight titles.

Unbeaten Mayweather, 38, is an 11-time, five-weight world champion, while the Filipino Pacquiao, 36, has won versions of the world title at a record eight different weights.

Mayweather's record stands at 47-0, while Pacquiao has lost five of his 64 fights, with two draws.

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