WBO TO REVIEW PACQUIAO-BRADLEY FIGHT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 14 Jun 2012
World Boxing Organization president Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel that the WBO Championship Committee will review the welterweight title fight between ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao and undefeated challenger Timothy ?Desert Storm? Bradley who won the title in a decision that drew the ire of millions around the world.
Valcarcel had ironically awarded Pacquiao the first WBO Diamond Ring in a pre-fight press conference only to see him lose a hugely controversial split decision last June 9 at the MGM Grtand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who promotes both Pacquiao and Bradley formally requested the Nevada State Attorney General to conduct a probe into the fight and the circumstances surrounding what has been branded a ?robbery? both by media, fight fans as well as outstanding world champions such vas Lennox Lewis and Oscar De La Hoya.
US Senate majority leader Harry Reid while refusing to even suggest that corruption was involved in the judges decision said there must be a thorough probe to help clear the air.
Valcarcel said he ordered the review in order ?to take measures in accordance with the rules of procedure.?
He said the Championship Committee will meet soon and will examine ?with five recognized international judges to evaluate the video of the match.
Valcarcel said the Committee will ?agree to what emerges and make its recommendations according to the rules.?
Judges Duane Ford and CJ Ross scored the fight 115-113 for Bradley while Jerry Roth had Pacquiao the winner by the identical 115-113 margin.
The WBO president stated ?I want to clarify that in no way this says that we are doubting the capacity of these judges which we consider as honest and competent.?
Meantime, World Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman has apologized for his statement headlined by the Manila Standard in which he branded the Pacquiao-Bradley decision ?the theft of the century.?
Sulaiman claimed it was ?an exaggerated (remark) and a bad translation from Spanish? even as he took the high road by accepting the blame.
Sulaiman said he was ?deeply sorry for hurting a dear friend like Duane Ford (one of the judges who scored it for Bradley) and cannot find the words to express it, stating that Ford is ?not only a very good, honest and decent person in his private life but he is one of the best judges that I have known and in fact holds a vice chair in the WBC Ring Officials Board and has been a leader for many judges.?
Sulaiman noted that boxing being a subjective sport there are several differences of opinion and I scored the fight one-sided for Pacquiao which was meant as no offense to my friend.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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