INTERNATIONAL REFEREE MCTAVISH INSISTS PACQUIAO NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THE RIOS FIGHT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 01 Aug 2013
Internationally respected referee Bruce McTavish who makes his home in Angeles City, Pampanga, insists that ?Fighter of the Decade? and eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao needs to remain totally focused on his showdown with exciting Brandon ?Bam Bam? Rios in Macau on November 24 or he could lose.
McTavish told the Manila Standard that Pacquiao ?has to get focused. He can?t rely on politics or religion. He can only do one thing and that?s boxing, boxing, boxing.?
He warned that ?if Pacquiao is not focused, Rios can win the fight easy but if he?s not, Rios is a danger.?
Although Rios is tailor-made for Pacquiao because he stands in front and throws punches ?but without the focus, Rios has got the weapons to beat him.?
McTavish was full of praise for Milan Melindo who put on a gallant effort in a losing cause against Mexican WBO/WBA flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada in Macau last Saturday.
He said Melindo ?is a class act. He?s very nice man. He has got all the potential in the world and is still young enough to come back. He just fought a champion (Estrada) who was on the top of his game and probably had the best fight of his life, the wrong time for Melindo.?
McTavish said ?I wish it was an eight round fight we would have had a world champion. He made a mistake by changing his style after the first six rounds when he tried to mix it up.?
He blasted the three judges for their lopsided scorecards, calling them ?ridiculous.?
Photo: Pacquiao poses for cameramen at China's great wall. Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
SUNDAY: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev Undisputed Super Bantamweight Showdown to Stream Exclusively on Top Rank’s Facebook Channel in the U.S. & UK
Fri, 12 Sep 2025National Shelter Month Run on October 25 in DGT
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 12 Sep 2025Canelo-Crawford: Betting Odds Reveal a Battle of Money vs. Public Opinion
By Dong Secuya, Fri, 12 Sep 2025BELFAST PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING LEWIS CROCKER AND PADDY DONOVAN SAID AHEAD OF HISTORIC WORLD TITLE SHOWDOWN
Fri, 12 Sep 2025GABRIELA “SWEET POISON” FUNDORA TO DEFEND UNDISPUTED CROWN AGAINST HIGHLY RANKED NEW FOE ALEXAS “IRON LADY” KUBICKI
Fri, 12 Sep 2025Chino Sy Tancontian is Sports Hero of the Year 2025
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 12 Sep 2025Two (or Three) Lefts Make a Right: Francisco Guilledo to Luisito Espinosa
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Thu, 11 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Advances to 2025 World Boxing Championships Semifinals
Thu, 11 Sep 2025UNIFIED WORLD CHAMPION OSCAR COLLAZO HOSTS MEDIA WORKOUT
Thu, 11 Sep 2025Jerwin Ancajas Set for IBF Mandatory Eliminator Against Former World Champ Ryosuke Nishida; Winner Fights Naoya Inoue
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 11 Sep 2025“Night of Champions” Returns to Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando on September 19
Thu, 11 Sep 2025Local Favorite Bryce Mills Tops First Boxing Card At del Lago Resort & Casino
Thu, 11 Sep 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: It´s Fightweek Fight: Canelo vs. Crawford
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Wed, 10 Sep 2025Casimero comeback next month in Kyrgyzstan?
By Nick Giongco, Wed, 10 Sep 2025Team USA Concludes Day Six of 2025 World Boxing Championships
Wed, 10 Sep 2025