McGregor recruits ex-referee Joe Cortez to teach him boxing rules

Boxing hall-of-fame referee Joe Cortez prepares to officiate his final boxing match before retiring between Canelo Alvarez, of Mexico, and Josesito Lopez on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

UFC fighter Conor McGregor during a world tour event stop to promote his upcoming fight against Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Tuesday, July 11, 2017. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, and UFC fighter Conor McGregor during a press conference in their world boxing tour to promote their upcoming fight, at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 11, 2017. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Victor Ortiz, right, has a point taken from him by referee Joe Cortez after a head butt on Floyd Mayweather Jr. during their WBC welterweight title fight Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011, in Las Vegas. Mayweather won by TKO in the fourth round. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

UFC fighter Conor McGregor, right, during a world tour event stop to promote his upcoming fight against Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 11, 2017. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Floyd Mayweather, left, and Conor McGregor exchange harsh words during a promotional stop in Toronto on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, for their upcoming boxing match in Las Vegas. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

Fernando Guerrero, of the United States, is declared the winner by referee Joe Cortez after defeating Jose Medina, of the United States, shortly after their super middleweight boxing match, Saturday, July 14, 2012, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Guerrero won by unanimous decision. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

Referee Joe Cortez calls time after Victor Ortiz, top right, head butted Floyd Mayweather in the fourth round during a WBC welterweight title fight, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011, in Las Vegas. Mayweather won by knockout in the fourth round. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

President Bush, left, greets Joe Cortez, right, a boxing referee, after autographing boxing gloves with the images of Bush and Vice President Cheney on them, during a campaign rally at the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America International Training facility, Thursday, Aug. 12, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Boxing Hall of Fame inductees pose with their rings after a ceremony in Canastota, N.Y., on Sunday, June 12, 2011. From left are trainer Nacho Beristain, of Mexico; Julio Cesar Chavez, of Mexico; Mike Tyson; Kostya Tszyu of Australia; actor Sylvester Stallone; and referee Joe Cortez. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Referee Joe Cortez, left, and Sylvester Stallone on stage at the Boxing Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Canastota, N.Y., on Sunday, June 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Ref Joe Cortez calls time to speak with ringside officials during the Humberto Soto - Francisco Lorenzo interim WBC super featherweight championship boxing match at Mandalay Bay hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Saturday, June 28, 2008. Lorenzo would win the title via 4th round DQ after the referee ruled that Soto hit Lorenzo on the back of the head after Lorenzo was down. The WBC president after watching replays felt that the punch missed and Lorenzo may have faked his injury and would not let Lorenzo keep the belt in the controversial bout. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

Bernard Hopkins, left, argues with Joe Cortez during the light heavyweight boxing match against Joe Calzaghe at the Thomas & Mack center in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 19, 2008. Calzaghe won by split decision. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

Referee Joe Cortez gives a count to Ricky Hatton of Great Britain after he was knocked down in the 10th round by Floyd Mayweather Jr., not shown, in their super middleweight boxing match at the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007. Mayweather won the fight by knockout later in the 10th round. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Ricky Hatton, of Great Britain, right, is penalized by referee Joe Cortez after being called for hitting Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the back of the head during their WBC welterweight boxing title fight at the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

UFC superstar Conor McGregor recently sparred former two-division champion Paulie Malignaggi to prepare for his highly anticipated boxing debut against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Aug. 26 at T-Mobile Arena.

There was a third man in the ring that night.

Joe Cortez, an International Boxing Hall of Fame referee, officiated the simulation match and was there to make sure the UFC lightweight champion knew the rules. McGregor recruited Cortez as a boxing instructor and referee for all his sparring sessions during his camp in Las Vegas.

“I was highly recommended to (McGregor’s) team as a referee to teach them the rules of boxing before the fight against Mayweather,” said Cortez, who officiated close to 200 world championship fights before retiring in 2012. “He wants to make sure he understands all the rules going into the fight.

“So what I’m doing with the sparring sessions, we try to do everything to simulate the real fight from the instructions at the beginning to everything that goes on in a real fight.”

Cortez makes sure to give McGregor the full experience of a boxing match by wearing his referee attire and saying his trademarked phrase “I’m fair but I’m firm” before the first bell rings. Cortez said McGregor had a simulation match that went 12 rounds this week.

“He has been doing very well,” Cortez said. “I was pretty impressed with everything he knows.”

Cortez, who moved to Las Vegas 25 years ago, said he has gone over the knockdown and eight-count rules with McGregor.

“We’re going to practice everything,” Cortez said. “If he scores a knockdown, he has to go to a neutral corner. He has to understand that there could be more than three knockdowns in a round, and teach him that there’s a mandatory eight count.”

All that could come into play if McGregor plans on knocking out Mayweather inside of four rounds like he boldly predicted last week.

Cortez said he’s enjoyed working with McGregor and his team and got to meet the Irishman’s longtime girlfriend, Dee Devlin, and newborn son.

“He’s a great athlete with great potential, and he is a champion in MMA and he brings a lot of talent to the sport of boxing,” Cortez said. “I believe he will bring a lot to boxing.”

Cortez, a boxing analyst for ESPN, was critical of the cross-sport bout and didn’t give McGregor a chance against the undefeated legendary boxer. Cortez has changed his opinion since joining McGregor’s camp.

“I can see he’s a good puncher,” Cortez said of the southpaw McGregor. “He’s a very powerful puncher. I can say that it will be an interesting fight.”

Cortez, 73, has been the third man in the ring for many memorable bouts, such as Mike Tyson-Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe I, Oscar De La Hoya-Fernando Vargas and Mayweather-Ricky Hatton.

The longtime Las Vegas official’s most criticized match was in 2011 when he lost control of the Mayweather-Victor Ortiz bout that ended in controversy. The fight featured a blatant head-butt by Ortiz, and a Mayweather knockout with Ortiz’s hands down amid chaos. That was Mayweather’s last knockout victory.

Cortez’s job is to make sure that type of madness doesn’t happen with McGregor during his 154-pound bout versus Mayweather.

“He would have to understand what is excessive holding in boxing,” Cortez said. “I’m breaking him out of his MMA habits and bringing him into boxing mode.”

Cortez has spent many years teaching aspiring referees around the world the rules of boxing. He is currently a member of former welterweight champion Shawn Porter’s team.

“I take the sparring serious, and I don’t pick sides or play games,” Cortez said. “I’m there to teach and make sure that when fight night comes, (McGregor’s team) can’t say they weren’t taught the right way.”

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GManzano24 on Twitter.