Laurence Cole tabbed as Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey referee

I have learned that Laurence Cole, the veteran referee who resides in Texas and runs an insurance business, has been tabbed by WBO President Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel as the referee for the Joshua Clottey-Manny Pacquiao welterweight title bout at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington on March 13.

I had recently written that Cole, a more than competent referee, would be an obvious choice for the plum assignment.

It was Valcarcel who chose Cole The Younger and not the ref's father Dickie "Old King" Cole, who runs the Texas boxing board.

Laurence just did the WBC lightweight title bout in Monterey, Mexico, between champion Edwin Valero and Antonio DeMarco Saturday night.

Cole also reffed the 2003 bout in San Antonio between Pacman and Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera.

I was speaking with someone today about the burning issue of whether Antonio Margarito will be licensed to fight on the Cowboys Stadium undercard while his California boxer's license is still technically revoked.

"That reminds me," a Texas fight guy said, "of some controversy when they talked of possibly bringing Mike Tyson to our state to fight Lennox Lewis. They asked Dickie and he snapped, "Why the hell not? We ain't got too many choirboys around here."

Tyson a choirboy, funny thought.

Source: Examiner.com