Last weekend was certainly one that Kenny Bayless will always remember. Outside of celebrating his birthday with friends and family on May 2nd Bayless was also a key figure in last week?s Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley bout at the MGM Grand as he was the referee for the highly-anticipated contest. It was an eventful weekend for Bayless on many levels yet despite the swirling celebrity buzz surrounding the fight the Berkeley, California native?s best memories of the event all seem to lie within the ring.
Speaking from the Mexican restaurant Lindo Michoacan on the East side of Las Vegas earlier today, Bayless was in great spirits, having just gotten through another huge fight week in Nevada while eyeing his immediate future. Mayweather?s performance consisted of him getting through a rocky second round against Mosley in which he was wobbled by a straight right hand before turning the bout around completely and dominating the remaining rounds. The bout has revived interest in a Mayweather clash with WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in a fight that could easily be looked at perhaps the biggest of this generation.
Expressing his thoughts on everything, Bayless spoke about his preparation for the Mayweather-Mosley clash, his duties on fight night, the intense action in the second round, and what he expects from Mayweather in the future.
In his own words this is what Bayless had to say?
Getting recognized as a top official? ?Whenever your work is admired it does something for your spirit. And my work has been viewed by millions of people. Whenever you get feedback about your work and that I?m doing well. It gives me a boost and in this business you need a boost. If something goes wrong or I miss something you could get the backside of the coin too.?
Getting chosen for Mayweather-Mosley? ?I usually get a call from the commission either two or three weeks before the fight. That way it gives us time to prepare. I was happy to be chosen. I am always happy to be chosen. A lot of people think that I am too modest and I am probably am. People always say to me that I am going to get a [certain fight] but I always say ?I don?t know?. I had just done the Pacquiao-Cotto fight, which was a pretty big fight, and we have pretty good referees in Nevada, we really do. So I never overlook the fact that it?s not just me. Whoever they pick is a referee who is worthy of that fight.?
Getting mentally prepared for the fight? ?One of the things that I will do is if it is a fighter who in the past has had issues with fouls or warnings I will try to pull out video and watch. Joe Cortez has been real great for me because to me he is like the grandfather. He called me prior to Saturday?s fight and just told me of a few things to kind of keep an eye out. That is one thing in Vegas we do so well is looking out for the other officials. And Joe does it the best. He gave me some advice on a few things to which I invited and I wanted. When I am in there I wanted to do the very best I can and make sure my work is clean and that the fighters can perform to the best abilities that God has given them.?
Giving directions to Floyd and Shane in the dressing rooms? ?They both were very calm. Both camps were very respectful. During the course of all the fight hoopla and even during the 24/7 [episodes] I only watch it to make sure that there isn?t any sort of animosity being brought into the fight. I have refereed Shane a couple of times as well as Floyd. I know that both fighters are basically clean. You just never know how they are going to perform under the bright lights. Things can always change and I have to be willing to change as well. I just try to make sure that nothing out of the ordinary happens.?
Staying focused in the ring before the fight? ?It?s not hard for me to keep my focus because I have been at it for some time now. Speaking of that, last Saturday night after the semi-main event I climbed into the ring and I had to do my normal maintenance in the ring before the fight. I was ready to go and was focused but I had to take it down a notch until the fighters came. In the meantime I was just walking around the ring killing time. The good thing was that you had all the celebrities in the stand and people trying to waive to you. That?s all fine and dandy but I have to keep a side of me and keep my focus. That same guy waiving at me is the same guy who could be booing me if I missed a call. When that bell rings the safest place for me is in the ring because I get a chance to do my work and it?s what everybody has been waiting for.?
Floyd Mayweather getting rocked in the second round? ?We have to pick it up a notch when a fighter is hurt. Because that is the other fighter?s opportunity and Shane saw an opportunity when he hurt to capitalize on the situation so my intensity goes up as well. I have to prepare myself now and know where I am even more so now. In any event that Mayweather had went down I had to know where to pick up the count. I had to know what corner to put Shane in and thinking of this before it happened. Even when I am breaking them up there is timing to it and I try to make my work smooth. I was impressed with Floyd because a lot of people, including myself, have not seen Floyd take a real good shot. He is defensively skilled. To see Shane get in a good shot, which he did, and then see how well Floyd was able to weather it was impressive to me. It could have been a whole lot worse for him.?
A potential Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight? ?It would be very huge. You kind of almost have to look back in the days when Tyson was fighting and the electricity that he brought whoever he fought. This fight is obviously, without question, is on that scale or even bigger. I could probably say that the whole world would want to see Pacquiao and Mayweather go at it.?
In his time as an official Bayless has refereed bouts including the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins, and many more. Click on the collage below for a picture by picture look at Bayless in the ring?
