Pacquiao vs Marquez 3: Tony Weeks Likely to Referee

Ryan Maquiñana reports at BoxingScene.com that Tony Weeks will likely be the third man in the ring on November 12 when Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez go head-to-head at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has yet to make a formal announcement, but all signs point to the veteran referee who has worked over 30 world title fights, the last one being Daniel Geale’s first defense of his IBF middleweight title against Eromosele Albert in Australia three months ago.

It would be a wonderful choice. I think there are two Nevada referees that stand above the rest and deserve these big, important fights more than anyone, and those two referees are Kenny Bayless and Tony Weeks. Weeks was probably last seen by most on the Mayweather vs Ortiz undercard, refereeing the Josesito Lopez vs Jessie Vargas fight, and was the third man for Pacquiao vs De La Hoya, Pacquiao vs Barrera II, Mayweather vs Marquez, Casamayor vs Marquez, and Marquez vs Salido in 2004. He's familiar with both. Weeks' most famous fight was, of course, the epic Corrales vs Castillo I.

As for why the infamous Joe Cortez probably wasn't even considered, you might recall that in the past, Juan Manuel Marquez has refused to let Cortez referee his fights. The more time passes, the more you can understand Marquez's concerns.

A quick list of notable fights Weeks has refereed in 2011: Miguel Vazquez vs Leonardo Zappavigna (3/12); Erislandy Lara vs Carlos Molina (3/25); Marcos Maidana vs Erik Morales (4/9); Beibut Shumenov vs Danny Santiago (7/29); Daniel Geale vs Eromosele Albert (8/31); Jessie Vargas vs Josesito Lopez (9/17).