Philippine Daily Inquirer/ Inquirer Mindanao
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines—Protestant pastors have been coming
in droves to Manny Pacquiao’s mansion here. And their number is
increasing each day.
One day, seven of them coming from different religious factions
arrived. The next day, the number rose to 10. They take a bath, sleep
and eat right there as if it is their own house.
They are forming to be the Achilles’ heel of the boxing icon. They follow him wherever he goes—from here to Baguio and even the United States.
They started stalking the Filipino ring idol after the
Pacquiao-Marquez fight in November 2011, when the world’s eight-division
boxing champ decided to change his lifestyle and began holding daily
Bible study with his family, friends and supporters.
But there were just two or three pastors then attending the Bible study.
A source close to Pacquiao told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that
these pastors have been abusing the man’s kindness and generosity.
“They are making our boxing idol a milking cow. The real Manny
Pacquiao doesn’t know how to say no. But if they are real disciples of
God, they should be ashamed of what they are doing,” the source said.
The source said that one pastor was given an iPad but seemingly not
contented with what he got, he still asked for a new service vehicle.
“Now, he is sporting a brand-new pickup, courtesy of Manny Pacquiao,”
the source added.
Another pastor asked for cash, while still another abandoned his flock somewhere in northern Luzon just to be with the boxer-lawmaker.
Another pastor joined the Pacquiao team during the training camp in
Los Angeles. “He asked for 36 tickets in the Pacquiao-Bradley fight. The
guy got what he wanted,” the source said.
“I was the one so ashamed when he asked Manny Pacquiao to get eight hotel rooms for his family in the US,” the source added.
According to the Inquirer source, it was the first time that someone
asked for 36 tickets and eight hotel rooms from the boxing champ.
When Pacquiao and his entourage arrived at the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport (NAIA) on June 16, this same pastor was seen
brandishing a big Louis Vuitton bag.
“Now, there are so many pastors. I want to be a pastor, too,” the source stated.
Another source has admitted being convinced that religion is the
opium of the masses. “And the preachers are the pushers,” the source
added. “Before, we were expecting that these pastors would help or guide
Manny Pacquiao towards the path of salvation. We didn’t expect that
they would abuse his kindness and generosity.”
The poor, the source claimed, need Pacquiao’s help more than the
pastors do. “The poor people are more deserving of such blessings. I
hope, one day, they will realize their mistake and that they will stop
asking any kind of favor from Pacquiao.”
The sources said the preachers have been planning a “grand religious concert” for Pacquiao at the Araneta coliseum on June 28.
“They assigned Manny Pacquaio as the main speaker. From what I’ve
heard during the discussion, they wanted Pacquiao to settle all the
bills before the staging of the concert,” the source disclosed.
However, according to the source, Pacquiao insisted that all the bills for the venue rental, catering, transportation, etc., be settled only after the concert.
“Of course, it can be read between the lines that someone is bound to
make a killing out of this concert. This is a multimillion-peso event,”
the source said.
The same sources further revealed that a rift has developed among Pacquiao’s political backers, boxing circle and the pastors.
“Manny Pacquiao tends to listen to these pastors more than to his
advisers and friends from political and boxing circles,” one of the
sources claimed.
Those from political and boxing circles, the source said, believed
that Pacquiao’s involvement in religious activities has hurt his boxing
career.
Before, the source said, the distractions in Pacquiao’s life were his
gambling and drinking buddies. “Now, the distractions are the pastors
and they are far more costly than the previous ones.”
“The old Manny Pacquiao is gone. Atop the ring, he is no longer as
ferocious as before. Unless he learns to temper his newfound passion and
obsession, we would no longer see knock-out victories in his future
fights,” the source averred.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Manny Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum wants fourth duel with Juan Manuel Marquez
Manny Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum yesterday all but ruled out a rematch between the Filipino great and the new World Boxing Organisation welterweight champion Timothy Bradley yesterday after insisting last Saturday's night fight in Las Vegas "was not even close" after accusing the judging officials "of screwing up".
The split decision – two judges scored the contests 115-113 – was slated
around the world by former champions and seasoned observers as one of the
worst even seen.
Arum's view is that Pacquiao dominated the first fight with Bradley to such an
extent they will simply move on. “I don’t want to do a rematch,” Arum told The
Las Vegas Sun.
“This fight was a one-sided fight. If it had been scored properly, 10-2 or 9-3
[in rounds], who would be asking for a rematch? – Nobody. Just because these
officials screwed up, that doesn’t justify a rematch.”
Pacquiao, 33, and a Congressman in The Philippines, where the mood has been
one of complete indignation at the scoring, is now expected to move on to a
fourth challenge against the Mexican great Juan Manuel Marquez in November
as calls for a fight with Floyd Mayweather continue to be ignored by the
long-time promoter.
Arum, the 80 year-old promoter, has asked the Nevada State Attorney General
and the State's Athletic Commission to investigate the scoring of the
Pacquiao-Bradley fight, while the WBO themselves have called on its own
five-man panel "to review" the scoring.
Arum has also insisted he be interviewed as part of the investigation.
“I asked them to investigate my involvement as a promoter. I want them to take my testimony,” said Arum.
“I asked them to investigate my involvement as a promoter. I want them to take my testimony,” said Arum.
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Disputed fight spurs less fact than fiction
By Ed Graney
Bob Arum has called for an investigation by the attorney general, and Sen. Harry Reid is endorsing such a move, and the WBO has said it will launch a review, and Timothy Bradley has ice on his ankles, and Manny Pacquiao is probably home in the Philippines handing out money to strangers who wander by his house.
The saga that was the most-ridiculous-split-decision-in-recent-memory plays on, with majority opinions about those who judged it remaining strong in this sense: They got it wrong.
The names Jerry Roth and Duane Ford and CJ Ross have been front and center since Saturday evening, when Bradley was handed a win he didn't earn in a welterweight title fight against Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden.
The three scores of 115-113 - Roth was the one who sided with Pacquiao - have created more questions than answers, affording us a wonderful opportunity to play another version of a wildly popular game.
Fact or Fiction.
Claim: Any investigation into the scoring will prove futile, and Pacquiao will follow through with his rematch against Bradley in November.
Fact.
I don't believe the fight was fixed. I don't believe anyone was on the take.
I believe the three assigned to judge it had forgettable nights at the office and will be surprised to see any of them scoring another major title fight here anytime soon.
Arum is a promoter whose leading fighters also have been handed favorable decisions over the years, with an argument being made for Pacquiao as recently as November against Juan Manuel Marquez.
Time will pass. Negotiations will begin. More millions will be made on the rematch for all parties.
As for Reid, perhaps he should worry about something a tad more serious than Pacquiao-Bradley. Like, well, the more than 400 pink slips being handed teachers across the valley.
Claim: Judges such as Ford (74) and Roth (71) are too old to continue scoring such major fights.
Fiction.
It's not a function of age. It's one of accountability. Judges need more clinics, more film study, more seminars to keep their skills sharp. Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer should be the one ensuring this happens. How can you claim to regulate your sport when you don't consistently regulate those who judge it?
Kizer didn't return a message left on his phone Monday, which I have to believe was due to the fact he was busy explaining to others how those he chose to judge the fight erred in such a blatant regard.
Highly competent judges have made sound scoring decisions into their 80s. Some in their 40s wouldn't know a 10-count from a body punch.
The education of judges never should end, and if Kizer and his commissioners think they're doing enough in this regard, then they all were taking turns on Pacquiao's treadmill Saturday and not watching the fight.
Claim: Ross wasn't experienced enough to judge a fight the level of Pacquiao-Bradley.
Fiction.
You can't judge a second megafight until you score your first one. Every official in the NBA, every umpire in the major leagues, every referee in the NFL has to make his maiden voyage into the big time at some point. Ross has scored fights since 1992 and was a judge on the Canelo Alvarez-Shane Mosley bout here in May.
At some point, she was going to get this shot.
And to those in the Top Rank camp, who since Saturday have questioned Ross' viability and resume to judge the fight: Why, then, didn't your representative stand up and speak out against her when given the opportunity at a commission meeting that made official the three judges for Pacquiao-Bradley? Why did you remain silent if you had such concerns about her experience?
Claim: Boxing should be more transparent in its approach and begin showing scorecards at the end of each round.
Fiction.
Nice idea, in theory. In reality, a disaster.
Who's to say a fighter leading 4-1 after five rounds and who gets cut doesn't have an unscrupulous cornerman who makes that cut a tad deeper, claims his guy can't continue and the fight goes to the scoring cards? Who's to say someone trailing 8-0 in rounds doesn't quit?
Open scoring would do far more harm than good.
Claim: When told of the fight's outcome in his cell at the Clark County Detention Center, Floyd Mayweather Jr. cracked a large smile, somehow pulled himself off his cot in such an emaciated state that two weeks in jail reportedly has left him, threw caution to the wind and took a big gulp of tap water.
Fact.
Well, at least the part about smiling.
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on "Gridlock," ESPN 1100 and 98.9 FM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.
WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel said in a statement Wednesday that the WBO's championship committee will review video of the fight with five "recognized international judges" and make a recommendation. He said the WBO does not doubt the ability of the scoring judges.
Most reporters seated ringside and the vast majority of fans inside the MGM Grand Garden on Saturday night thought Pacquiao had easily retained his welterweight title against Bradley.
The first surprise came when ring announcer Michael Buffer announced that there was a split decision, and the biggest surprise came in the reading of the judges' scores. Jerry Roth had it 115-113 for Pacquiao, while Duane Ford and CJ Ross had it for Bradley by the same score.
The Associated Press scored the fight 117-111 for Pacquiao.
"The public saw the fight, and they're outraged, and we need clarity here," Arum said Wednesday. "We need those responsible to investigate, to see what happened, how the judges could be so off.
"Was there any funny business going on? Or no funny business? Did they have a conversation with e
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bob Arum has called for an investigation by the attorney general, and Sen. Harry Reid is endorsing such a move, and the WBO has said it will launch a review, and Timothy Bradley has ice on his ankles, and Manny Pacquiao is probably home in the Philippines handing out money to strangers who wander by his house.
The saga that was the most-ridiculous-split-decision-in-recent-memory plays on, with majority opinions about those who judged it remaining strong in this sense: They got it wrong.
The names Jerry Roth and Duane Ford and CJ Ross have been front and center since Saturday evening, when Bradley was handed a win he didn't earn in a welterweight title fight against Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden.
The three scores of 115-113 - Roth was the one who sided with Pacquiao - have created more questions than answers, affording us a wonderful opportunity to play another version of a wildly popular game.
Fact or Fiction.
Claim: Any investigation into the scoring will prove futile, and Pacquiao will follow through with his rematch against Bradley in November.
Fact.
I don't believe the fight was fixed. I don't believe anyone was on the take.
I believe the three assigned to judge it had forgettable nights at the office and will be surprised to see any of them scoring another major title fight here anytime soon.
Arum is a promoter whose leading fighters also have been handed favorable decisions over the years, with an argument being made for Pacquiao as recently as November against Juan Manuel Marquez.
Time will pass. Negotiations will begin. More millions will be made on the rematch for all parties.
As for Reid, perhaps he should worry about something a tad more serious than Pacquiao-Bradley. Like, well, the more than 400 pink slips being handed teachers across the valley.
Claim: Judges such as Ford (74) and Roth (71) are too old to continue scoring such major fights.
Fiction.
It's not a function of age. It's one of accountability. Judges need more clinics, more film study, more seminars to keep their skills sharp. Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer should be the one ensuring this happens. How can you claim to regulate your sport when you don't consistently regulate those who judge it?
Kizer didn't return a message left on his phone Monday, which I have to believe was due to the fact he was busy explaining to others how those he chose to judge the fight erred in such a blatant regard.
Highly competent judges have made sound scoring decisions into their 80s. Some in their 40s wouldn't know a 10-count from a body punch.
The education of judges never should end, and if Kizer and his commissioners think they're doing enough in this regard, then they all were taking turns on Pacquiao's treadmill Saturday and not watching the fight.
Claim: Ross wasn't experienced enough to judge a fight the level of Pacquiao-Bradley.
Fiction.
You can't judge a second megafight until you score your first one. Every official in the NBA, every umpire in the major leagues, every referee in the NFL has to make his maiden voyage into the big time at some point. Ross has scored fights since 1992 and was a judge on the Canelo Alvarez-Shane Mosley bout here in May.
At some point, she was going to get this shot.
And to those in the Top Rank camp, who since Saturday have questioned Ross' viability and resume to judge the fight: Why, then, didn't your representative stand up and speak out against her when given the opportunity at a commission meeting that made official the three judges for Pacquiao-Bradley? Why did you remain silent if you had such concerns about her experience?
Claim: Boxing should be more transparent in its approach and begin showing scorecards at the end of each round.
Fiction.
Nice idea, in theory. In reality, a disaster.
Who's to say a fighter leading 4-1 after five rounds and who gets cut doesn't have an unscrupulous cornerman who makes that cut a tad deeper, claims his guy can't continue and the fight goes to the scoring cards? Who's to say someone trailing 8-0 in rounds doesn't quit?
Open scoring would do far more harm than good.
Claim: When told of the fight's outcome in his cell at the Clark County Detention Center, Floyd Mayweather Jr. cracked a large smile, somehow pulled himself off his cot in such an emaciated state that two weeks in jail reportedly has left him, threw caution to the wind and took a big gulp of tap water.
Fact.
Well, at least the part about smiling.
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on "Gridlock," ESPN 1100 and 98.9 FM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.
wbo committee to review disputed judges' decision
One of boxing's major sanctioning bodies will review Timothy
Bradley's controversial split decision over Manny Pacquiao, the first
step toward what promoter Bob Arum hopes will be "clarity" in the
judging of the fight.
WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel said in a statement Wednesday that the WBO's championship committee will review video of the fight with five "recognized international judges" and make a recommendation. He said the WBO does not doubt the ability of the scoring judges.
Most reporters seated ringside and the vast majority of fans inside the MGM Grand Garden on Saturday night thought Pacquiao had easily retained his welterweight title against Bradley.
The first surprise came when ring announcer Michael Buffer announced that there was a split decision, and the biggest surprise came in the reading of the judges' scores. Jerry Roth had it 115-113 for Pacquiao, while Duane Ford and CJ Ross had it for Bradley by the same score.
The Associated Press scored the fight 117-111 for Pacquiao.
"The public saw the fight, and they're outraged, and we need clarity here," Arum said Wednesday. "We need those responsible to investigate, to see what happened, how the judges could be so off.
"Was there any funny business going on? Or no funny business? Did they have a conversation with e
ach other? We need to get clarity. The
public is demanding it."
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ESPN: Introducing 'Fixing The Fight Game'
By Jason Langendorf | ESPN.com
Unbelievable. They did it to us again.
Just when you thought boxing couldn't possibly catch you by surprise one more time, that it couldn't steal another tiny piece of your sporting soul -- or that the overlords of the fight game wouldn't dare continue to sit idly by while it happened -- the sport steps on your foot and cracks you behind the ear. Again.
The verdict in Saturday's Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley Jr. welterweight title bout is just the most recent foul boxing has committed against its fans -- and although Bradley's stupefying split decision victory is one of the more egregious violations of recent vintage, it's not remotely uncommon.
And yet, while many swear that the situation worsens with every passing fight, to say dodgy decisions -- or nearly any of boxing's manifold troubles -- are a new trend would be disingenuous, an act of willfully shrugging off a hundred years and more of history. Even if Pacquiao-Bradley didn't pass your sniff test, if you -- like many -- suspect dirty dealings that tilted the scorecards in Bradley's favor, a single apocryphal outcome is hardly symbolic of a shift in core values of the business of boxing. Before today's self-interested promoters, sanctioning bodies and networks, we had shady "managers," connected bookies and the mob. Ah, progress.
Many authorities, fans and invested observers have expressed outrage at this latest insult, including trainer and ESPN analyst Teddy Atlas, who has publicly railed against boxing's injustices for years. After watching Saturday's fight, it's hard to argue against his point that the result -- and others like it -- must be attributed to either corruption or incompetence. Are there other possibilities? Would we suffer fewer of these stinkers by adding more judges at ringside, providing them the same TV feed granted to viewers and better defining the criteria for scoring a fight, as some have suggested?
We'd like to find out. In a week that seems as appropriate as any, ESPN.com is launching the granddaddy of all DIY projects in an effort to cure what ails boxing. We call it "Fixing The Fight Game," and we're enlisting experts, insiders and fans to help identify the sources of boxing's worst problems and, most important, to share their ideas and devise strategies for restoring a grand old sport that has fallen into disrepair.
The scorer's table is only where we'll start. FTFG will cover topics ranging from officiating to matchmaking to the messy sanctioning bodies to fighter safety and welfare, an issue we consider to be as important (and currently overlooked) as any other. We expect the project to grow organically, and the hope is that, with your help, we'll cover whatever ground necessary and arrive at actionable solutions to bring boxing -- for too long perceived as a back-alley sport -- into the light.
It's a challenge, we know. Call us hopeless optimists, though -- we don't consider it a quixotic quest. Boxing's troubles are entrenched, and there will be no quick fixes. But an open forum of ideas and a groundswell of support for change is a good place to start if the sport is to have a chance to get off the ropes. By sharing your thoughts in the comments sections of stories covering these issues and with ESPN Boxing on Twitter (using hashtag #FixFightGame), you can help to at least try to make it a fair fight.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
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.
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.
WBO to review Pacquiao-Bradley decision; Nevada attorney general might follow suit
By Kevin Iole | Yahoo! Sport
More than a quarter of a century later, umpire Don Denkinger's mistake is available to be analyzed, over and over, on Major League Baseball's website.
Denkinger called Kansas City's Jorge Orta safe at first base in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6 of the 1985 World Series and the Royals went on to win. When they then won Game 7, they captured a championship they likely wouldn't have had Denkinger correctly called Orta out.
In boxing, however, there is no such simple mechanism to prove a bad call – or a perceived bad call – no matter how much Jim Lampley or Teddy Atlas scream and holler about it.
Boxing is perhaps the most subjective sport to judge. Two people can, and often do, watch exactly the same fight and evaluate it in dramatically different ways.
Manny Pacquiao lost Saturday to Timothy Bradley in a bout most experts – though not all – felt he deserved to win. Judge Jerry Roth scored it 115-113 for Pacquiao, closer than most ringside reporters had it. He was overruled by judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross, who each had it 115-113 in favor of Bradley.
On Wednesday, the World Boxing Organization announced it would review the verdict with a panel of five international judges. Normally that would be sanctioning-body code for "we're preparing to strip Bradley and give the belt back to Pacquiao," though WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday that is not the case this time.
The WBO decision to examine the outcome of the welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden comes on the heels of promoter Bob Arum on Sunday calling for an investigation by Nevada attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto, a sentiment that was supported by longtime Arum (and Pacquiao) ally U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.). Arum is the promoter for both Pacquiao and Bradley.
Outraged Pacquiao fans have petitioned Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval to overturn the result. Jennifer M. Lopez, the public information officer for the state attorney general's office, said via email it is office policy not to comment on potential or ongoing investigations.
However, Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, told Yahoo! Sports that the attorney general's office had requested information from him regarding the selection of the officials, the boxers' licensing and the judges' records as it related to past Pacquiao and Bradley fights.
That would seem to indicate that Cortez Masto is at least considering an inquiry. Lopez, though, would not confirm that.
"On Monday, June 11 Bob Arum, with Top Rank Inc., submitted a complaint about the decision in the Pacquiao/Bradley fight," she wrote. "We are treating this complaint like any other complaint our office receives. We will review the information submitted and take appropriate action if necessary. Per standard office policy procedures, we do not confirm or deny if we have an ongoing criminal investigation."
Long-time commission member Skip Avansino, now in his second term as its chairman, declined to say how he scored the fight. He said he did not know if Cortez Masto would order an investigation but said he believed in transparency and would cooperate fully with whatever she asked of his office.
He said he had asked Kizer to watch video of the fight with the judges. Kizer said he was awaiting receipt of a DVD so he could do so.
"I wanted Keith to go through the fight with them and test and vet their determination round by round," Avansino said. "If [Kizer] sees something, we should be advised about – let's look into it. And then, of course, certainly, we always have to consider whether there was some untoward behavior, any corruption or any kind of undue influence.
"At this point, I haven't any evidence of any of that other than looking at three seasoned professionals who have done a lot of good championship bouts for us. That's where I stand on it and I have been supportive of those judges for that reason."
Arum wants the investigation largely to clear his own name. After the fight, he went to great lengths to point out he did not accuse the judges of corruption.
"I want to make very clear, there was no chicanery going on here," Arum said shortly after the bout.
On Sunday, though, in a telephone call to Yahoo! Sports, he demanded the investigation. This was the first major fight of the social media age to end in a decision the public overwhelmingly disagreed with. Arum was taking as much abuse as the judges and was accused, without any evidence, of tampering with the outcome.
The fact is Arum would have benefited more had Pacquiao won. Though a Pacquiao fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. might still be made, it would have been far more lucrative had Pacquiao defeated Bradley.
Prior to the fight, Bradley had made faux credentials and posters touting a rematch. But clearly Top Rank had other plans. In attendance Saturday night was Juan Manuel Marquez, who after the fight Top Rank planned on announcing as Pacquiao's next opponent in November.
There was a rematch clause in the contract, but this isn't unusual. Mayweather, for example, had one against Miguel Cotto when they fought May 5. It is standard operating procedure for stars, in this case Pacquiao, to have one.
Valcarcel said his organization would not strip Bradley of the title no matter what its independent review found. He said he would simply order a rematch. That would only differ, he said, if corruption comes to light, but he said he did not expect that.
"I have known Roth and Duane and Cynthia [Ross] for many, many years and they are wonderful, honest people and excellent judges," Valcarcel said. "We just want Nevada to consider all of the judges. Nevada picks its judges and we want them to consider who we recommend. I gave them a list of 20 judges, from all around the world – New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, everywhere – and they were great judges.
"I think this is a great opportunity for the ABC [Association of Boxing Commissions] and the sanctioning bodies to work together. I am not saying there was anything going on here, but I just think it would be important for Nevada, and all the states, to work with us on the selection [of officials]."
As it stands, allegations of fraud have been leveled against Ford, Ross and Arum. These allegations will continue, which is why Cortez Masto is being pressed to launch a formal investigation.
Like Denkinger, the judges made a call in a high-profile, significant sporting event.
But unlike Denkinger, theirs isn't one that can be proven right or wrong by a replay.
An investigation should prove that. Then, the business of boxing can move on, Pacquiao and Bradley can fight again and all of the conspiracy theorists can look for another issue.
More than a quarter of a century later, umpire Don Denkinger's mistake is available to be analyzed, over and over, on Major League Baseball's website.
Denkinger called Kansas City's Jorge Orta safe at first base in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6 of the 1985 World Series and the Royals went on to win. When they then won Game 7, they captured a championship they likely wouldn't have had Denkinger correctly called Orta out.
In boxing, however, there is no such simple mechanism to prove a bad call – or a perceived bad call – no matter how much Jim Lampley or Teddy Atlas scream and holler about it.
Boxing is perhaps the most subjective sport to judge. Two people can, and often do, watch exactly the same fight and evaluate it in dramatically different ways.
Manny Pacquiao lost Saturday to Timothy Bradley in a bout most experts – though not all – felt he deserved to win. Judge Jerry Roth scored it 115-113 for Pacquiao, closer than most ringside reporters had it. He was overruled by judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross, who each had it 115-113 in favor of Bradley.
On Wednesday, the World Boxing Organization announced it would review the verdict with a panel of five international judges. Normally that would be sanctioning-body code for "we're preparing to strip Bradley and give the belt back to Pacquiao," though WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday that is not the case this time.
The WBO decision to examine the outcome of the welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden comes on the heels of promoter Bob Arum on Sunday calling for an investigation by Nevada attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto, a sentiment that was supported by longtime Arum (and Pacquiao) ally U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.). Arum is the promoter for both Pacquiao and Bradley.
Outraged Pacquiao fans have petitioned Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval to overturn the result. Jennifer M. Lopez, the public information officer for the state attorney general's office, said via email it is office policy not to comment on potential or ongoing investigations.
However, Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, told Yahoo! Sports that the attorney general's office had requested information from him regarding the selection of the officials, the boxers' licensing and the judges' records as it related to past Pacquiao and Bradley fights.
That would seem to indicate that Cortez Masto is at least considering an inquiry. Lopez, though, would not confirm that.
"On Monday, June 11 Bob Arum, with Top Rank Inc., submitted a complaint about the decision in the Pacquiao/Bradley fight," she wrote. "We are treating this complaint like any other complaint our office receives. We will review the information submitted and take appropriate action if necessary. Per standard office policy procedures, we do not confirm or deny if we have an ongoing criminal investigation."
Long-time commission member Skip Avansino, now in his second term as its chairman, declined to say how he scored the fight. He said he did not know if Cortez Masto would order an investigation but said he believed in transparency and would cooperate fully with whatever she asked of his office.
He said he had asked Kizer to watch video of the fight with the judges. Kizer said he was awaiting receipt of a DVD so he could do so.
"I wanted Keith to go through the fight with them and test and vet their determination round by round," Avansino said. "If [Kizer] sees something, we should be advised about – let's look into it. And then, of course, certainly, we always have to consider whether there was some untoward behavior, any corruption or any kind of undue influence.
"At this point, I haven't any evidence of any of that other than looking at three seasoned professionals who have done a lot of good championship bouts for us. That's where I stand on it and I have been supportive of those judges for that reason."
Arum wants the investigation largely to clear his own name. After the fight, he went to great lengths to point out he did not accuse the judges of corruption.
"I want to make very clear, there was no chicanery going on here," Arum said shortly after the bout.
On Sunday, though, in a telephone call to Yahoo! Sports, he demanded the investigation. This was the first major fight of the social media age to end in a decision the public overwhelmingly disagreed with. Arum was taking as much abuse as the judges and was accused, without any evidence, of tampering with the outcome.
The fact is Arum would have benefited more had Pacquiao won. Though a Pacquiao fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. might still be made, it would have been far more lucrative had Pacquiao defeated Bradley.
Prior to the fight, Bradley had made faux credentials and posters touting a rematch. But clearly Top Rank had other plans. In attendance Saturday night was Juan Manuel Marquez, who after the fight Top Rank planned on announcing as Pacquiao's next opponent in November.
There was a rematch clause in the contract, but this isn't unusual. Mayweather, for example, had one against Miguel Cotto when they fought May 5. It is standard operating procedure for stars, in this case Pacquiao, to have one.
Valcarcel said his organization would not strip Bradley of the title no matter what its independent review found. He said he would simply order a rematch. That would only differ, he said, if corruption comes to light, but he said he did not expect that.
"I have known Roth and Duane and Cynthia [Ross] for many, many years and they are wonderful, honest people and excellent judges," Valcarcel said. "We just want Nevada to consider all of the judges. Nevada picks its judges and we want them to consider who we recommend. I gave them a list of 20 judges, from all around the world – New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, everywhere – and they were great judges.
"I think this is a great opportunity for the ABC [Association of Boxing Commissions] and the sanctioning bodies to work together. I am not saying there was anything going on here, but I just think it would be important for Nevada, and all the states, to work with us on the selection [of officials]."
As it stands, allegations of fraud have been leveled against Ford, Ross and Arum. These allegations will continue, which is why Cortez Masto is being pressed to launch a formal investigation.
Like Denkinger, the judges made a call in a high-profile, significant sporting event.
But unlike Denkinger, theirs isn't one that can be proven right or wrong by a replay.
An investigation should prove that. Then, the business of boxing can move on, Pacquiao and Bradley can fight again and all of the conspiracy theorists can look for another issue.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley
WBO Welterweight Championship
June 9, 2012
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada
video credit: YouTube/sweetboxinghbo
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