No issues with fight ref
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 03 Jul 2025
Thomas Taylor will be the third man in the ring when Manny Pacquiao takes on WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, on July 19 and MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons said the other day he has no issues with the Newport Beach, California, referee despite a “little disagreement” when he worked Mark Magsayo’s fight against Brandon Figueroa two years ago.
“Taylor’s a very experienced referee who’s done a lot of big fights,” said Gibbons. “I did have a little disagreement with him in the Magsayo fight but overall, he’s a solid, good referee. I don’t see any issues with Manny or Barrios with his refereeing.” Gibbons referred to Magsayo’s loss on points to Figueroa when Taylor slapped a one-point deduction on Magnifico for holding in rounds eight and 11 in Ontario, California. Taylor ruled Figueroa’s cuts over the right eye in the fourth frame and over the left eye in the 10th were caused by accidental headbutts. Taylor was also the referee when Magsayo decisioned Eduardo Ramirez at MGM Grand last year.
Gibbons said judges Tim Cheatham of Nevada, Max DeLuca of New York and Steve Weisfeld of New Jersey are familiar with both Pacquiao and Barrios. “They’ve done some of Manny’s fights and some of Barrios’ fights,” he said. “No one’s completely gone one way or the other or have any red flags. They pretty much scored fights the way they went. Cheatham scored it for Manny over (Keith) Thurman, Weisfeld scored it for (Yordenis) Ugas over Manny.”
Cheatham also scored Pacquiao’s fight against Adrien Broner in 2019. Weisfeld was a judge in Pacquiao’s bouts against Ugas, Tim Bradley (third fight) and Juan Manuel Marquez (fourth fight). He had Pacquiao ahead, 47-46, when Marquez scored a KO in the sixth. DeLuca, who was WBC’s Judge of the Year in 2010 and whose father Dr. Mike was a ringside physician for over 20 years, has scored seven Barrios fights and only one with Pacquiao halting Emmanuel Lucero in Los Angeles in 2003.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 05 Dec 2025Class of 2026 Announced in Canastota
Fri, 05 Dec 2025Thailand’s Niyomtrong “Knockout CPF” Decisions Junior Zárate, Becomes World Champion Again
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 05 Dec 2025WORLD RANKED FILIPINO BOXERS AS OF DECEMBER 2025 BY THE RING, WBC, WBA, IBF, AND WBO
By Maloney L. Samaco, Fri, 05 Dec 2025Shinard Bunch Takes on John Paul Magalong on Tuesday, January 13th at The UFC Gym North Brunswick in North Brunswick, NJ
Fri, 05 Dec 2025Severino and Mendoza win Blitz Asian Chess Championship for Players with Disabilities
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 05 Dec 2025Herlan Gomez Departs for Australia for Moloney Fight Saturday on DAZN
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 04 Dec 2025KENNETH LLOVER DEFENDS OPBF TITLE IN FOURTH FIGHT OF 2025
Thu, 04 Dec 2025Canoy, Mama, Into Contend in IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in Dubai
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 04 Dec 2025CHAMPIONING MENTAL HEALTH 2: REMATCH SEASON FULL FIGHT CARD SET
Thu, 04 Dec 2025MERRY FISTMAS! World-Ranked KO Artist Ramon Cardenas Faces Erik Robles in ProBoxTV Main Event at War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Thursday, December 18
Thu, 04 Dec 2025THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 2 DECEMBER 2025: Kavaliauskas Wins by Split Decision Over Molina; Whittaker Stops Gavazi in 1; Malajika Wins by UD Over Paras
By Eric Armit, Wed, 03 Dec 2025WBC Strips Terence Crawford of Super Middle Title
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 03 Dec 2025Soledad wins WBC Asian Continental title
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 03 Dec 2025A night of power, legacy, and UAE pride: IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships opens in spectacular fashion in Dubai
Wed, 03 Dec 2025