Former champ Hopkins advises Pacquiao to 'move on' from Horn loss

Former world champion Bernard Hopkins is unconvinced that Manny Pacquiao lost to Australia's Jeff Horn when they fought earlier this month, but nevertheless hopes that the "Pacman" will move on from that defeat.

Pacquiao was a massive favorite over Horn when they fought in the "Battle of Brisbane" last July 2, but the homegrown fighter managed to hack out a controversial decision to claim the WBO welterweight belt.

Speaking to Radio Rahim, Hopkins said that in his opinion, "there is no way in the world that Pacquiao lost that fight."

"No way in the world," he said emphatically, as quoted by Boxing Scene.

Hopkins, who won titles at middleweight and light-heavyweight, said he could not help but shake his head when the decision was announced.

"I gave Pacquiao at least nine rounds, eight easy," said Hopkins, who became the oldest man to win a major world title in 2014. "I don't see how (Horn) won. I don't know what they (the judges) were watching."

There is a rematch clause in Pacquiao's contract, but Hopkins believes there is no reason for the "Pacman" to face Horn again. In his eyes, the Filipino star won their first encounter easily, and should do so again in a rematch.

Instead, Hopkins is hopeful that Pacquiao will target a different opponent for his next fight.

"I think he should move on, and not have sour grapes about it," Hopkins said of Pacquiao.

"(He should) move on at this stage of his career, and fight somebody meaningful," he added. "A fight that's not only going to be profitable, but also to enhance his legacy."

Pacquiao endorsed a request by the Philippines' Games and Amusements Board to have the fight reviewed by the World Boxing Organization (WBO). However, a WBO review still scored the bout in favor of Horn.

The "Pacman" briefly contemplated retirement following the loss, but later said that he intends to fight on.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Mayweather outpoints Pacquiao for 48th win

American superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. backed up his claim of being "The Best Ever" as he out-pointed Filipino fighter Manny Pacquiao to win the much-hyped "Fight of the Century" in front of a packed crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Facing a hostile, mostly pro-Pacquiao crowd at the MGM Grand, Mayweather lived up to his status as the odds-on favorite entering the fight, and flashed the form that made him the top pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

The judges scored the bout 118-110, 116-112, and 116-112, giving Mayweather his 48th straight victory.

The American became the unified welterweight champion of the world as he retained the WBC and the WBA welterweight championships, while also annexing Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title.

Pacquiao made a good account of himself and gave a strong effort, but it was not enough as he suffered the sixth loss of his career against 57 wins and two draws.

Mayweather was gracious in victory, as he said after the fight: "He's a hell of a fighter. I take my hat off to Manny Pacquiao. I see now why he's one of the guys that's at the pinnacle of boxing."

The "Fight of the Century," that was over five years in the making, eventually played out like a typical Floyd Mayweather bout, as the American neutralized Pacquiao with his shoulder-roll defense and footwork, keeping the "Pacman" at bay for most of the bout.

Pacquiao, who was in high spirits all throughout the lead-up to the event, was not convinced of Mayweather's victory.

"It's a good fight. I thought I won the fight," he said, sounding somewhat frustrated, after the scores were announced. "He didn't do anything. He was always moving outside."

Round-by-round

The first round was a feeling out process for both boxers, but it was Mayweather who landed the stronger blows with straight right hands down the middle that Pacquiao was unable to avoid. The "Pacman" did try to unload a flurry at the end of the round, only to be tied up by Maywether.

Action picked up in the second and third round, with the final 10 seconds of the third being particularly eventful. Pacquiao landed a combination to the head of Mayweather, only for the American to come back with a flurry of his own just as the bell rang.

Pacquiao shone in the fourth round, backing up Mayweather with a stiff left straight that sent Mayweather careening back against the ropes. Pacquiao then unloaded with a flurry of punches, but Mayweather was able to avoid much damage by covering up.

Mayweather regained control in the fifth round, and clearly hurt Pacquiao with a left straight that landed flush on the Filipino's chest, and was then able to circle away from Pacquiao's range. In the sixth round, Mayweather was again backed up against the ropes, and Pacquiao landed a flurry of punches, only to see the American shake his head as though saying that he was not getting hurt.

In the corner after the sixth round, Mayweather's father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., was heard exhorting his son, saying: "I don't know what's wrong with you, man."

By the seventh round, Mayweather started bleeding from the mouth, and Pacquiao was able to land a left jab that hit the American flush on the face. Mayweather was able to regain control in the eighth round, using his jab to measure Pacquiao and landing two good left hands that the Filipino shook off.

Mayweather controlled the next rounds, using his jab to keep Pacquiao at bay while pot-shotting with counter rights and lefts every time the "Pacman" tried to move forward. Pacquiao tried his best to corner Mayweather, but this time around, the American was able to roll away from his punches.

The two boxers hugged at the start of the 12th round, and again Mayweather kept Pacquiao at bay though the Filipino landed a few clean shots.

Fight of the Century

It was a fight that took over half a decade to put together, and many in boxing circles have given up hope that it will ever take place after several rounds of negotiations over the years fell apart and bad blood built up on both sides.

The Pacquiao and Mayweather camps finally came to terms earlier this year - with Pacquiao acceding to most of Mayweather's demands - for a fight that likely broke most if not all of the sport's box office records.

Boxing pundits, including trainers and boxers, tabbed Mayweather as the favorite, believing that his sublime defensive skills will be enough to neutralize Pacquiao's offensive prowess – and the American proved them right.

Pacquiao had his moments, particularly in the fourth round, but for the most part it was Mayweather who controlled the pace of the fight and forced the Filipino to chase him around the ring in a futile effort to land power punches.

Pacquiao, who was expected to be the more active puncher, landed only 81 punches out of 429, while Mayweather landed 148 punches of 435.

"I knew he was gonna win some rounds. He had moments in the fight," Mayweather said. "I'm a smart boxer… I out-boxed him."

Mayweather used his jab to great effect, keeping Pacquiao at arm's length especially in the second half of the fight. Even when Pacquiao had Mayweather on the ropes, the American was able to roll away from Pacquiao's punches.

In the sixth round, when Pacquiao landed a brutal flurry of punches, Mayweather simply kept his hands up and then shook his head when Pacquiao backed away.

"He's a tough competitor," Mayweather said of Pacquiao. "He's a true champion at heart."

"He's moving around, he's moving around, and it's not easy to throw punches if he's moving around," Pacquiao said. "But if he stays, I can throw punches."

"I'm cutting him and counter(ing), but that's (the) fight," he added.

The "Pacman" also shrugged off Mayweather's size advantage, saying: "He's not bigger than me. It's not about the size. I've been fighting (men) bigger than him, and no problem."

Richest fight

The fight is expected to be the richest in the history of the sport, with initial estimates projecting that Mayweather can earn at least $120 million and Pacquiao $80 million – both figures are expected to rise as more details about the pay-per-view sales and gate receipts come in.

Fans shelled out $99.95 for the high-definition feed of the pay-per-view, while the high-priced tickets were sold out within minutes of release to the public.

The event was attended by Hollywood stars and sports icons, but for the night, they took a backseat to Mayweather and Pacquiao – two of the highest paid athletes on the planet.

Mayweather was booed vociferously throughout the night, but was all smiles in the end as his team raised his assortment of belts around him.

"When the history books is written," he said, "it (the fight) was worth the wait."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

What Algieri has to say about loss to Pacquiao

American boxer Chris Algieri called his brutal loss to Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao a learning experience but assured fans that his confidence in his abilities and skills remain unshaken despite suffering his first defeat.

In what was the biggest fight of his career so far, Algieri came up woefully short, as he was thoroughly dominated by Pacquiao in their 12-round encounter. The American tasted the canvas six times and simply did not have the strength or speed to keep up with the "Pacman."

"This is not exactly how I expected to be up here," Algieri said in the post-fight press conference, after he lost via unanimous decision. "I expected to be 21-0 at this point."

"I'm very disappointed, but this is boxing," he added. "Manny Pacquiao is a great champion. I said prior (to the fight) that it is an honor to share a ring with him, and I still feel that way."

"The man is exactly what he's billed as – he's a great champion, he's an all-time great, he's one of the best fighters in his era."

The 30-year-old Algieri, who lost for the first time in his career, said he would take the fight's events as a "learning experience."

"I'm gonna take this as a learning experience to pursue my own career and to get better, and to have something to look forward to and reach out for," said Algieri.

Algieri believed that he was doing well in the early goings of the fight, despite having gone down twice in the second round.

"I was trying to establish the game plan. It was going well early. I wanted to slow it down in the beginning, and then look to pick it up as the fight went on," said the American.

"I felt comfortable on the way to that, but Manny's adjustments were flawless, and he's a great fighter. It's just one of those things," Algieri also said.

"It's a learning experience, and it's not gonna shake my confidence in my ability. I'm still proud of my skills, I'm just dominated with the way the fight went."

As for his future, Algieri said he will go back to the drawing board but insists that he can fight at either light-welterweight or welterweight.

"I could have made 140 (pounds) for this fight. It's not an issue of where I have to go, but that's an option – I could go in either weight class," he said.

"I can contest at either weight class, and I'll go to my team and figure out the best route for 2015," he added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao landed 121 more punches than Algieri

Not only did Manny Pacquiao topple Chris Algieri six times, he also outworked Long Island’s favorite son by more than 120 punches.

Compubox stats showed that Pacquiao was the busier fighter during his WBO welterweight title defense against Algieri in Macau.

Pacquiao threw a total of 669 punches, of which 229 landed. Algieri, for his part, only landed 108 of his 469 punches. This means, the Filipino connected 121 more punches than his American counterpart.

Algieri is known as a volume puncher due to his boxing-counterpunching style. He averaged 87.9 punches per round in his last four bouts prior the Pacquiao fight.

During his junior welterweight clash against Ruslan Provodnikov last June, he connected 288 out of 993 punches. Nearly half of those were jabs that he used to maintain his distance against the Russian brawler.

In comparison, Provodnikov threw 776 punches and connected only 205, most of which were power punches.

But Algieri’s output noticeably went down when he went on full defensive mode against Pacquiao.

Pacquiao chased him all throughout the fight and knocked him down six times.

"I was disappointed by Algieri. All he did was run,” Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach said in Yahoo! Sports. “He didn't show the heart or the [expletive] he did versus Ruslan Provodnikov."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao floors Algieri 6 times en route to easy win

Filipino legend Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao put together a truly dominant display as he demolished American challenger Chris Algieri, registering six knockdowns en route to a unanimous decision victory Sunday morning at the Cotai Arena in Macau.

Against a taller fighter with solid boxing skills, Pacquiao showed that he still had the explosiveness, punching power and speed that once made him the top pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

The "Pacman" was never seriously challenged by Algieri, shrugging off the American's sporadic punches and putting together multi-punch combinations that caused Algieri's left eye to swell and wobbled his knees.

Pacquiao clearly wanted to end a knockout drought that stretches all the way back to 2009, but Algieri managed to stay standing until the final bell. The Filipino boxer nevertheless won in overwhelming fashion, with judges scoring the bout 119-103, 119-103, and 120-102.

"Tonight, I did my best," a beaming Pacquiao said after the fight. "I am satisfied with my performance tonight. I came to fight, I did my best, and that was enough."

Pacquiao hiked his professional record to 57 wins with five losses and two draws, and has now won three consecutive fights in convincing fashion since losing back-to-back bouts to Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.

Algieri, for his part, lost for the first time in 21 professional fights.

Six knockdowns
Pacquiao floored Algieri for the first time in the second round, although it was a contentious call as Algieri claimed he slipped.

Algieri repeatedly tried to dodge and duck Pacquiao's punches in the first four rounds, but the Filipino icon still found his mark.

"I knew he was gonna come on strong," Algieri said after the fight. "But Manny is the best in the world at fighting like Manny Pacquiao. That's really what it is."

Pacquiao wobbled Algieri in the sixth round with a huge left hand, and a flurry of punches put the American on the canvas again. Algieri beat the count but went down for the second time in the sixth round, although he once more argued that it was a slip.

Pacquiao continued to dominate the fight in the middle rounds, landing his left hand with regularity and connecting on combinations.

Algieri was more active in the ninth round, but paid for it when Pacquiao connected on a vicious left cross that sent the American tumbling to the mat once more. Algieri again beat the count, but was clearly on wobbly legs and had to hold on to Pacquiao while the Filipino was going for the kill.

Because of that, the referee called another knockdown on Algieri, and Pacquiao visibly tried to end the fight as he swarmed Algieri with punches from all angles, but the American managed to survive.

Algieri went down for the sixth time in the 10th round, but danced and dodged away from danger the rest of the way and managed to survive until the final bell.

"I was looking for a knockout, but he's fast," Pacquiao said. "He was moving, and it's hard to get careless and overconfident."

One legitimate knockdown

Algieri, however, claimed that the only "legitimate knockdown" was the one that occurred in the ninth round, when Pacquiao's left hook stunned him.

"I thought that it was my best round of the fight at that point," he said, adding that he wanted to go for a left hook of his own only to be shocked by Pacquiao's faster punch.

"That was the only shot that hurt me, but I had my legs pretty good when I got up," Algieri claimed.

Algieri's height and reach advantage, which was seen to be his biggest physical advantages entering the fight, proved to be of little use against Pacquiao who was able to solve the problem by the second round.

But Algieri said he still stuck to his game plan, which was to make it to the second half of the fight without incurring too much damage.

"We were looking to set up the pace (in the later rounds) and land shots that would hurt him… We were looking to put some damage on the guy," said Algieri.

But by the eighth round, Pacquiao was in complete control of the encounter and was simply shrugging off Algieri's punches.

Algieri said Pacquiao's fighting style was simply unique.

"He's perfected fighting like Manny Pacquiao. It's not so much the punching power, but its how he mixes the punches together. He's the best in the world at fighting like Manny Pacquiao, and it's a very, very unique style," he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Round-by-Round: Pacquiao vs Algieri

Manny Pacquiao shut out Chris Algieri via unanimous decision to retain the WBO welterweight belt at the jampacked Cotai Arena in the luxurious Venetian Macau.

Judges scored the fight 119-103, 119-103, and 120-102, all in favor of the eight-division champion.

The Filipino boxer racked his 57th career win and is now looking forward for a possible clash against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2015.

Check out how the fight panned out:

Round 1

Algieri tried to establish his jab. Pacquiao briefly cornered Algieri, but Algieri moved out of trouble. Algieri tried to stay out of range. Pacquiao gave chase. That was a feeling out round for both Pacquiao
and Algieri.

Round 2

Pacquiao landed a combination but Algieri again dodged out of trouble. Algieri now jabbing at Pacquiao. Algieri went down! Algieri beat the count, and fight continued. Pacquiao went to the body of Algieri then connected to the head. Pacquiao again went to the body, Algieri just tried to avoid the Pacman's punches. A 10-8 round for Pacquiao because of the knockdown.

Round 3

Pacquiao moved forward, landed a couple of shots. Algieri tried to be more active now. Algieri connected with a lead right, Pacquiao shook it off. Pacquiao connected to the body again, and connected on a combo.

Round 4
Algieri again jabbed, but Pacquiao blocked his blows with his gloves. Pacman again going to the body of Algieri. Pacquiao put his punches
together very well, connected several times on Algieri. He landed a huge uppercut. Pacquiao with three punches using his left hand. Algieri tried to stay away but Pacquiao continued to connect.

Round 5

Algieri jabbed with his left, trying to set up the right hand. Pacquiao missed with a hook. Algieri warned to keep them up. Algeri missed with a right and Pacquiao was keeping the pressure on him. Good exchange by both fighters. Algieri's movement was making Pacquiao miss but Algieri wasn't landing much either. Pacquiao was more active.

Round 6

Algieri again tried to establish his jab to set-up his right. Pacquiao gave chase and lands a couple. Algieri again warned for low blows. That's his second warning. Algieri went down again! Pacquiao clearly hurt Algieri there. Algieri again down for the second time in the round! Algieri argued it was a slip but referee gave him a count. Algieri just trying to move out of danger now. Two knockdowns for Pacquiao in the sixth round.

Round 7

Algieri looked to be more active, tried to go to the body of Pacquiao. Pacquiao backed Algieri on the ropes, landed a left hand. He landed
another left straight in the middle of the ring. Pacquiao with a combination to the head. Algieri missed, then Pacquiao lands another combination. Algieri looked like he's wobbling, but he landed to the body of Pacquiao.

Round 8

Pacquiao with a combination, Algieri missed a hook. Algieri pumped the left jab. Algieri with a short right hand, Pacquiao countered with a combination. Pacquiao just shrugged off Algieri's punches. Algieri more active in this round but Pacquiao still out-landed him.

Round 9
Pacquiao targetted the head, got a left hand through and connected. Algieri tried a hook but Pacquiao blocked it with his glove. Algieri down again! Algieri held on, the referee called another knockdown. Pacquiao went for the kill. Algieri fought back and survived the round.

Round 10

Pacquiao simply looked more explosive than Algieri. The American looked wobbly early in the 10th. Pacquiao wth another straight and Algieri wobbled again. Algieri clearly felt Pacquiao's punches. He wasn't throwing anything, and Pacquiao gave chase. Algieri went down again! Algieri has been down six times in this fight.

Round 11

Algieri again became active, but Pacquiao kept moving forward. Pacquiao landed to the head of Algieri again. Algieri with a right that glanced off Pacquiao's glove. Algieri clinched. Pacquiao made Algieri miss and then caught him with a right.

Round 12
Algieri's trainer tried to encourage him. Algieri with a body shot. Pacquiao with a left hand. Pacquiao with another left to the head. Pacquiao was not slowing down, still looked for the knockout. Algieri however was moving well. Fight ended. Pacquiao knocked down Algieri six times but the American survived.

Judges scored the fight 119-103, 119-103, and 120-102 for Pacquiao, who retained his WBO welterweight title.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Analysts weigh in on Pacquiao-Algieri bout

MANILA, Philippines – Kill the body and the head will fall.

Fight analysts believe that this will be Manny Pacquiao’s strategy when he clashes with a taller Chris Algieri on Sunday.

There is so much talk about Algieri and Pacquiao's height difference, but boxing commentator Ronnie Nathanielsz doesn’t think the American’s reach is an advantage.

“I saw his fight with Emmanuel Taylor and Jose Peralta,” Nathanielsz said on DZMM’s “Fast Break” of the 5’10” Algieri. “The moment Peralta pushed him on the ropes and worked on the body, nahihirapan na siya.”

“Pacquiao will do the same thing. To me, he will get under the jab and work the body. Tapos na ang boxing.”

Height may be an advantage in some sports, but it’s different in boxing, according to the veteran fight analyst.

“Iyung sinasabi nilang height advantage, ang sabi ko sa kanila, 'This is not basketball, this is boxing.'''

For his part, sports analyst Ed Tolentino said experience will play a major factor in the WBO welterweight fight.

Algieri was not beaten in all his 20 fights, most of which took place in his home town in New York.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, had been into 63 fights, winning in 56 of them and losing in 5.

“If you look at the record of Pacquiao in his last few fights, it is either against reigning or former world champions. The last time he fought a contender was against Jorge Solis in 2007,” said Tolentino.

“This is the first time after 14 fights na he's taking on a medyo lesser opponent, pero champion. Pero kung ikumpara naman natin kay [Juan Manuel] Marquez, [Miguel] Cotto, Shane Mosley, mukhang malayo [si Algieri] eh.''

Algieri's biggest payday

If there’s one thing that makes Algieri intriguing to fight fans, it’s his life story.

“’Yung kanyang determination is deeply rooted sa background niya,” said Tolentino.

“This is a guy who live with his mother and father and trains at the basement of the family home, who rides a 2005 Honda accord ng 190,000+ miles na ang natakbo. This guy, to earn extra money, nagta-trabaho bilang conditioning coach ng ilang mga executive. Ganun ang kanyang pinanggalingan.”

Algieri will be getting the biggest payday of his career with a guaranteed $1 million against Pacquiao. His highest pay before that was $100,000 against Ruslan Provodnikov.

“Before that it was only $15,000,” Tolentino said. “Sabi nga nila he’s the real-life Rocky.”

Algieri got the chance to fight Pacquiao when he survived two first-round knockdowns to complete a split decision win against a heavy handed Provodnikov last June.

That victory gave the New Yorker the WBO junior welterweight crown.

In an interview, Pacquiao said Algieri's resilience is what helped him win the Provodnikov fight.


"I watched his fight with Ruslan, he's tough there. He deserved this fight," said the eight-division champion who was interviewed together with Algieri on ESPN.

Algieri said he is happy to be given the chance to square off with one of the world biggest boxing superstars, describing it as a once in a lifetime experience.

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime, every young fighter dream of being a world champion. I did that the last time when I beat Ruslan Provodnikov, now I get to fight the best of the world," he said.

The fight will take place at an expected jam-packed Cotai Arena in The Venetian Macau.

China's Zou Shiming and Kwanpichit Onesongchaigym, Vasyl Lomachenko and Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo, and Jessie Vargas and Antonio DeMarco will face each other in the undercard fights.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao says he anticipated Bradley's tactics

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino ring icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao said he was not surprised to see Timothy Bradley actively seek a knockout against him in their WBO welterweight rematch Saturday in Las Vegas.

Bradley, who is more known for his slick boxing style, fought aggressively against Pacquiao, often winding up for big shots, although the “Pacman” was able to evade most of his power punches.

“Alam na alam ko naman, anticipated ko naman ‘yung style ni Bradley, so hindi ako masyadong nag-adjust or nahirapan sa taas ng ring,” Pacquiao on “Buzz ng Bayan” on Sunday.

“Ine-expect ko na rin ‘yung tatakbo siya, and then makikipagpalitan siya, tatakbo siya then makikipagpalitan siya. Expected ko na ‘yun, na ganoon ang magiging style niya,” he added.

Pacquiao was briefly in trouble in the fourth round, when he got hit with a huge right hand that dazed him, but the Filipino recovered well and seized complete control of the bout a couple of rounds later.

When asked if he found the rematch easy, Pacquiao said: “Ang laban na ito, siguro, may madali at may mahirap din na pagkakataon.”

“Nahirapan ako noong gumagalaw-galaw siya. Mas madali sa akin, easy sa akin kapag nakahinto lang siya at hindi tumatakbo-takbo,” he added.

Pacquiao was more successful in the second half of the 12-rounder, when he was repeatedly able to pin Bradley against the ropes and unleash a flurry of punches. He also clearly hurt Bradley in the seventh round, landing a cracking left hand that buzzed the American.

Although Pacquiao was unable to register his first knockout victory since 2009, the “Pacman” was satisfied with the result of the fight.

“Maganda naman ang naging resulta ng laban,” he said, later adding, “Itong fight na ito ang magpapatunay na the journey of my boxing career will continue.”

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao-Bradley judge defends scorecard

MANILA, Philippines – One of the judges in the controversial World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title bout between Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao and American boxer Timothy Bradley Jr. has spoken out to defend his scorecard.

Bradley was outpunched, outlanded and generally dominated by Pacquiao through most of their 12 round encounter last Saturday in Las Vegas (Sunday in Manila).

Despite this, the unbeaten American was shockingly named the winner via split decision, with scores of 113-115, 115-113, and 115-113.

One of the judges who scored it for Bradley, Duane Ford, spoke with the Las Vegas Review-Journal to defend the way he scored the bout.

"I thought Bradley gave Pacquiao a boxing lesson," he told writer Steve Carp. "I thought a lot of the rounds were close. Pacquiao missed a lot of punches and thought he was throwing wildly."

Carp said CJ Ross, the other judge who scored the fight for Bradley, did not return calls seeking comment.

Only Jerry Roth scored the bout in Pacquiao's favor.

"I'm looking for effective aggressiveness. I thought Pacquiao won a lot of the early rounds, and I thought Bradley came on in the end. That's why I gave Bradley the last three rounds," Roth said.

"But I still thought Pacquiao had done enough to win," he added.

The judges were roundly criticized by Top Rank boss Bob Arum, who called them the "three blind mice" in the post-fight press conference.

Arum said the decision was "ridiculous" and signaled a "death knell" for boxing. The promoter even offerered to have the judges fly to Los Angeles to get their eyes checked by his own doctor.

But Ford defended himself, saying, "This wasn't an 'American Idol' contest."

"If I judge for the people, I shouldn't be a judge," he said.

Pacquiao has been gracious in defeat, saying in numerous interviews that he respected the judges decision, but at the same time insisting that he is the real winner.

Bradley, for his part, said there should be a rematch in November so there can be a more decisive result.

"What do you want me to do? There were three judges and they saw it the way they saw it. We definitely need to do this again in November and make it more decisive for everyone," he said.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Timothy Bradley shocks Manny Pacquiao in a split decision

Unbeaten Bradley defeats eight-time champion Pacquiao with a controversial decision, taking the WBO welterweight title and throwing boxing's mega-fight further up in the air.



In a stunning slight to punch statistics — and the naked eyes of most everyone else — two Nevada judges Saturday scored that Timothy Bradley upset Manny Pacquiao.



Judges C.J. Ross and Duane Ford gave Bradley a 115-113 edge in the WBO welterweight title fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena, while judge Jerry Roth scored the bout 115-113 for Pacquiao.

Pacquiao, who relied on his power and speed to repeatedly back up Bradley while fighting with an obvious sense that Bradley could not hurt him, said he will invoke his right for a rematch in November.

That probably further delays a Pacquiao showdown withFloyd Mayweather Jr.until at least 2013.

Asked whether he beat Bradley, Pacquiao said in the ring, "No doubt."

Boos among the 14,206 in attendance cascaded in the arena upon the announcement of the scores, and veteran fight observers were left to reach back nearly 20 years for a more stunning decision.

Palm Springs' Bradley said although he was pained by a twisted left ankle in the second round that bothered him until the sixth, he believed he rallied to win the fight.

Despite a 158-80 lead by Pacquiao on connected punches after seven rounds, Ross and Ford each awarded Bradley five of the final six rounds even though Pacquiao backed Bradley to the ropes in both the eighth and ninth rounds, and was tapping mitts urging the new champion to "Come on" and fight. Bradley appeared reduced to jabbing in the 11th round.

"Manny hurt me a few times with his left hand. He's a beast," Bradley said. "But my corner told me if I won the last round, I'd win the fight.

"I've got to give Manny a rematch."

Bradley was jarred often by Pacquiao — in the third round by a hard left, he reeled and wobbled off the ropes from a hard left hand and combination in the fourth, and hammered at a neutral corner post in the sixth.

"Unbelievable," fight promoter Bob Arum told reporters afterward. "I had it 10-2," for Pacquiao, adding that Bradley's manager, Cameron Dunkin, told him ringside he scored the fight 8-4 for the Filipino superstar.

In November, Pacquiao won a controversial decision over Juan Manuel Marquez.

"This is nuts," Arum said. "People don't know what they're watching anymore. I'm going to make a lot of money [in a rematch] but who's going to take this sport seriously?"

Pacquiao shook his head in amazement to reporters, and made a prayer sign.

"He never hurt me with his punches," Pacquiao said. "I did my best. I guess my best wasn't good enough. Most of his punches hit my arm. I don't know what happened."

CompuBox showed Pacquiao connected on 253 punches to Bradley's 159, with a 63-51 advantage in jabs and 190-108 in power punches.

Many reporters at ringside unofficially scored the bout for Pacquiao in the 9-3 to 11-1 range.

In keeping with an odd pre-fight atmosphere around Pacquiao, the fighters' entry was delayed more than 45 minutes while Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach declared he briefly couldn't find his fighter.

Pacquiao was later located in an adjoining room, stretching his calves on a treadmill. The calves gave him problems in disappointing decision victories over Marquez and Shane Mosley in his two most recent fights.

But Pacquiao has spoken of flipping a switch to convert to fight mode. The "on" button was the savage look he greeted Bradley with before the opening bell, and the remaining rounds seemed to assure the same old Pacquiao existed.

If you asked Pacquiao, it was just the judges who seemingly turned off.

source: latimes.com