Thomas Taylor is the referee for Pacquiao-Barrios

Veteran referee Thomas Taylor will be the lone authority inside the ropes when eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao ends his four-year hiatus against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on July 19 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. The California official, widely considered one of the sport’s steadiest hands, has worked two previous Barrios bouts but never a Pacquiao fight, despite the Filipino’s 22 previous trips to a Vegas ring.

Taylor’s appointment only confirms the high-stakes narrative swirling around this Prime Video PPV. Pacquiao already made Hall-of-Fame history earlier this month; a win at 46 would shatter his own record as boxing’s oldest welterweight titlist. Standing in the way is the six-foot Barrios, a rangy counter-puncher who has grown into the role since dethroning Yordenis Ugas under Taylor’s watch in 2023.

Joining Taylor ringside are judges Tim Cheatham, Steve Weisfeld and Max DeLuca - a trio whose scorecards have previously cut both ways for these fighters. Cheatham favored Pacquiao over Thurman in 2019 but also judged Barrios’ gritty win over Batyr Akhmedov. Weisfeld tallied Ugas’ upset of Pacquiao in 2021 and saw Thurman edge Barrios in 2022. DeLuca, meanwhile, has logged seven Barrios assignments yet hasn’t scored a Pacquiao bout since 2003.

Oddsmakers list the 29-year-old Barrios a 3-to-1 favorite, citing youth, height and recent activity, but Pacquiao’s history of defying boxing arithmetic - Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman can testify - keeps intrigue high.