ESPN: Controversial bout gates $8.96M

 By Dan Rafael | ESPN.com

Manny Pacquiao's tremendously controversial split-decision loss to Timothy Bradley Jr. in their welterweight title fight on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas generated a live gate of $8,963,180 from 13,229 tickets sold.

Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, released the figures on Wednesday.

There were 2,070 unsold tickets for Pacquiao-Bradley and 925 complimentary tickets given away, according to the commission report. Also, the fight generated an additional $249,000 from 4,980 closed circuit tickets sold in Las Vegas.

The gate is the 17th largest in Nevada history. It is sandwiched just behind Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s September 2011 knockout victory against Victor Ortiz ($9 million from 13,364 tickets sold) and just ahead of Pacquiao's lopsided decision win against Shane Mosley in May 2011 ($8,882,600 from 15,422 tickets sold).

Pacquiao has six fights that rank in the top 21 of Nevada all-time gates, including No 3 -- $14,380,300 from 14,468 tickets sold for his career-defining victory against Oscar De La Hoya in December 2008, which sent De La Hoya into retirement.

Figures are still being compiled to determine how many units the Pacquiao-Bradley sold on pay-per-view, although HBO will replay the bout on Saturday night (10 ET).

Bradley was awarded a 147-pound world title in one of the most controversial decisions boxing has seen in years.

Judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross both scored the fight 115-113 in favor of Bradley while Jerry Roth had it 115-113 for Pacquiao. The scoring from Ford and Ross caused a firestorm worldwide because virtually everybody had Pacquiao clearly winning.

Pacquiao's promoter, Top Rank's Bob Arum, has called for the Nevada attorney general to investigate the scoring. Nevada congressman Harry Reid, whom Pacquiao once campaigned for, has also said there should be an investigation.