By Michael Marley
Neither the Antonio Margarito or Manny Pacquiao camps have expressed any objection to the quick, quiet selection of "Texas' Favorite Son" Laurence Cole as the referee for their Nov. 13 WBC super welterweight title bout at Cowboys Stadium.
Cole, 47, was bypassed in favor of San Antonio's Rafael Ramos as the third man in the ring when Pacman slapped reluctant Joshua Clottey all over the ring inside Jerry Jones' billion dollar football playpen on March 13.
Ramos is well regarded as a referee and it didn't hurt his cause that Pacman-Clottey was a WBO title bout in that he is from Puerto Rico, where the WBO is based.
Cole, whose father used to run the Texas boxing board with an iron hand if not a velvet glove, is considered “competent but erratic” by one veteran boxing man in the state.
Old King Cole does not have the same power over boxing in the state as in prior years although he's still heavily involved.
Some in Pacland will howl about Cole, who is a favorite of Don Jose Sulaiman and the Mexico-based WBC, being tabbed as they recall how the referee erred in calling a Pacquiao slip a knockdown in San Antonio in November, 2003.
The younger Cole has reffed fights in Denmark, Germany, Mexico and elsewhere.
Some bouts he's handled included Oscar de la Hoya, Erik Morales and the late Edwin Valero.
