LOS ANGELES ? Trainer Freddie Roach will be uncomfortable if Joe Cortez is named as the third man in the ring during the Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera fight on Oct. 6.
Roach, who is winding up his training session with the Filipino fighter, described Cortez as one who “favors Hispanic fighters.”
The Nevada State Athletic Commission will release the names of the referee and three judges early this week,
Roach said he prefers that either Kenny Bayless or Vic Drakulich be named to officiate the fight that will be staged at the 12,000-seat Events Center inside Mandalay Bay.
Bayless was the referee during the second Pacquiao-Erik Morales brawl that ended with Pacquiao winning by 10th-round knockout, while Drakulich was the third man when Pacquiao beat Morales in their third fight last November and also last April when Pacquiao battered Jorge Solis.
Cortez has refereed three of Pacquiao?s fights, against Lehlo Ledwaba, Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales (first fight).
Pacquiao knocked out Ledwaba in six rounds in his US debut in June 2001, drew with Marquez in May 2004 despite knocking him down thrice and lost by decision to Morales in March 2005.
