Byrd refs Mayweather-McGregor
Official ‘allows fighters to work on the inside’
Vastly experienced American boxing referee Robert Byrd will be the third man in the ring ensuring both Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Conor “The Notorious” McGregor adhere to the rules in their money-spinning nontitle 12-rounder in Las Vegas this weekend.
While Mayweather is guaranteed R4.6-billion and McGregor R987-million, Byrd, the 74-year-old International Hall of Fame inductee, will earn about R330 000.
In South Africa, referees in IBO title fights earn R10 000 per fight, while WBA and WBF title fights pay R2 000, the ABU R1 500, SA title fights R300 and development tournaments R150.
Byrd has been in charge of 682 fights. He was in charge of the IBF, WBA Super and WBO light-heavyweight championship between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev in November last year.
He was at Emperors Palace when Chris van Heerden retained his IBO welterweight belt onpoint against Kaizer Mabuza in 2011.
The Nevada Athletic Commission, which appointed Byrd, said: “Byrd is a referee who allows the fighters to work on the inside, often keeping a respectful distance using his voice to command the bout and make boxers break. He does not meddle too much and gives boxers wide latitude.”
He refereed Mayweather’s unanimous points decision victory against Robert Guerrero four years ago.
Byrd also recently bossed Saul Alvarez’s win over Miguel Cotto and George Groves’s unsuccessful challenge of Badou Jack.
Burt Clements and Dave Moretti (both Americans) and Italian Guido Cavalleri will be the judges. They will each be paid about R263 000.
Clements has judged four Mayweather fights – against Manny Pacquiao, Marcos Maidana, Juan Manuel Marquez and Ricky Hatton. Cavalleri has judged one and Moretti has judged 11.
SuperSport will cross over to Las Vegas from 3am.