Las Vegas referee Robert Byrd out of Pacquiao-Bradley bout due to medical condition
Las Vegas veteran referee Robert Byrd, who was scheduled to work the main event Saturday between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr., has been taken off his assignment after a medical condition prevented Byrd from doing his job.
Tony Weeks, who was scheduled to work the World Boxing Organization super middleweight title fight between Arthur Abraham and Gilberto Ramirez, will now handle the Pacquiao-Bradley fight. Kenny Bayless will be the referee for Abraham-Ramirez.
Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett learned of Byrd’s condition late Wednesday afternoon. Bennett consulted with NAC chairman Anthony Marnell III, made the switch from Byrd to Weeks. Neither camp objected to the move.
“It’s nothing serious,” Byrd said Thursday, refusing to elaborate on what exactly is ailing him. “But if I can’t be 100 percent for those two guys, I shouldn’t be in the ring.”
Byrd said he expects to be back in the ring in a couple of weeks.
The judges for the Pacquiao-Bradley fight remain the same. Las Vegas’ Dave Moretti, Reno’s Burt Clements and Steve Weisfeld of New York will work the main event.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj