LAS VEGAS: The verdict: Pacquiao won.
All five international judges asked by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to review the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley fight agreed that Pacquiao won the bout.
On its website, the WBO announced that on the scorecards of the judges who reviewed the videotape of the June 9 fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Pacquiao was the unanimous winner.
The scores were: 115-113 (Judge 1), 116-112 (Judge 2), 117-111 (Judge 3), 118-110 (Judge 4), 117-111 (Judge 5).
The unnamed judges were from Puerto Rico, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida and Pennsylvania.
In the analysis provided by WBO, there was 100% agreement among the five judges that Pacquiao won rounds 1, 3, 5, 6 and 9. In rounds 4 and 8, he won in the scorecards of 4 of the judges and he won rounds 7 and 11 in the scorecard of three judges.
Bradley meanwhile got the nod of all the judges only for round 10 and three scored it in his favor for rounds 2 and 12.
However, WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel said he is not considering stripping the WBO belt from Bradley, and will not order a mandatory rematch, because Pacquiao’s contract stipulated he would get a rematch if he lost the bout.
In promoting the fight, Bradley had printed up a poster and ticket hyping Bradley-Pacquiao II on Nov. 10.
“This wasn’t Bradley’s fault, and we’re not saying there was any evidence of fraud or corruption here,” Valcarcel said.
He said he’s also not questioning the integrity of Duane Ford or C. J. Ross.
Ford and Ross scored the bout 115-113 (seven rounds to five) in Bradley’s favor, and a third judge, Jerry Roth, had it 115-113 for Pacquiao.
The result of the review is not expected change both fighters’ fight plans, although Bradley is clamoring for a rematch to vindicate him.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, is setting his sight on a fourth fight with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, likely in Mexico, that will bring him another mega pay-day.
He is ranked just behind Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the world’s highest-paid athlete with $62 in total earnings to the unbeaten American’s $85 million.
Pacquiao wants
rematch with Bradley
AP adds: Manny Pacquiao says he wants a rematch with Timothy Bradley after a five-judge panel assembled by the WBO championship committee unanimously favored the Filipino fighter in a video review. Pacquiao said yesterday he would prefer a rematch rather than Bradley giving up the WBO welterweight title that he won on a split decision because “people may think I just usurped it.”
“My supporters shouldn’t worry. We’re going to get that title,” Pacquiao said.
The WBO can’t overturn the result of the fight.
