Byrd was selected to officiate the 12-round boxing match between the undefeated pound-for-pound great and the UFC lightweight champion during a Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting on Wednesday.
Byrd has refereed boxing bouts since 1983 and was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006. Recent notable fights officiated by Byrd include Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Miguel Cotto. Byrd will earn $25,000 for his duties.
According to a recent report from ringtv.com, Byrd is “generally regarded as a ref who doesn’t meddle too much and gives boxers wide latitude, often standing off to the side, keeping a respectful distance.” Also of note: Byrd’s wife is Adalaide Byrd, who has served as a cageside judge for numerous UFC events.
Meanwhile, Burt Clements, Dave Moretti and Guido Cavalleri were selected to score the fight from ringside. All three have judged at least 10 boxing matches thus far in 2017. The trio will be paid $20,000 apiece for their work.