Remenber Max Kellerman, whose post fight interview with Manny Pacquiao incensed the boxer’s loyal fans?
The
HBO color commentator had just defended the Filipino champion over
Pacquiao's injury, which has been dubbed “shouldergate” by some sports
journalists.
In his analysis on HBO Sports, Kellerman asserted
that Pacquiao didn’t commit fraud when he chose to fight on despite
having a torn rotator cuff three weeks before his fight with Floyd
Mayweather Jr.
Kellerman said that with the injury, the Filipino was faced with a dilemma.
“A
dilemma is not a tough choice. A dilemma is choice between two bad
options. What was Manny Pacquiao supposed to do, when three weeks before
the fight, he was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff that needed
surgery? Was he supposed to postpone the fight, taking twelve months off
in the interim?” he said in the HBO video posted by Boxing Videos Only
on Facebook.
“Does
coming back after shoulder surgery and a seventeen month ring absence
give him a better chance to beat the best pound for pound fighter in the
world? The tickets had already been sold, the hotel rooms had been
booked, the airfare, etc…the eyes of the boxing world waiting six years
to see this fight.”
Kellerman said that instead of vilifying the boxer, he should get praise for fighting despite the odds.
“What did Manny Pacquiao do? He manned-up,” said the analyst.
If
there’s anyone to blame for the superfight flopping out, it should be
the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), Kellerman said, noting that
the USADA has approved Pacquiao’s use of an anti-inflammatory drug, but
the Commission has prevented this because of a “clerical error.”
“USADA
says, ‘fine…a shot of Toradol is fine’. And then ultimately, at the
eleventh hour, the Nevada State Athletic Commission says Pacquiao can’t
get a shot of Toradol because of what is essentially a clerical error?
Because some box wasn’t checked off and some form wasn’t filled out
correctly?” said the analyst.
“If people are mad at anybody for
Pacquiao not being at his best on May 2, be mad at the Nevada State
Athletic Commission, in my view. Because just when the boxing world
needed them to show sound judgment, they decided to stand on principle
instead of cooperating with the spirit of the event.”
Analyst blames NSAC instead
Analyst blames NSAC instead