Top U.S. senator backs probe of Bradley win over Pacquiao

Experts claim
fight congressman
robbed of victory

LAS VEGAS/WASHINGTON (PhilAmPress/PinoyNews) – A top United States senator has joined the calls for an investigation into the controversial split decision win of American fighter Timothy Bradley over world boxing icon Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 9.
In supporting the probe, Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada was quoted by AFP as saying: “If an investigation makes everyone feel better, do the investigation.” Reid himself was a onetime amateur boxer.
Senator Reid added: “I am confident that there was nothing untoward, I think people just make bad decisions in a lot of things they do, including judging fights.”
“But it doesn’t hurt to clear the air and take a look at this,” the influential senator said.
The call for the probe by the Attorney General of Nevada was first aired by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach following the loud protest by Pacquiao’s supporters over the outcome of the fight.
Philippine officials and supporters still consider Pacquiao a top fighter and prepared a hero’s welcome when he arrives in Manila from Jerusalem, Israel where he and family members were to have a pilgrimage.
World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman called the decision as a “theft of the century” while boxing legend Oscar dela Hoya said Bradley should have returned the welterweight belt to Pacquiao.
Even Floyd Mayweather Sr., father and trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr., who is in jail, and Mexican champion Juan Manuel Marquez also gave the fight to Pacquiao.
Fans and supporters of Pacquiao have also started a worldwide petition addressed to the governor of Nevada and the Nevada Sports Commission to conduct their own investigation.
Reid is a former member of the Nevada athletic commission who judged a few fights before entering politics.
“It’s an inexact science,” he said in Washington. “From all the reports that I’ve seen by people on the outside who saw the fight, who attempted to be fair and judge the fight, Pacquiao won the fight.”
According to AFP, Reid also said the controversy could be an opportunity for him and Republican Senator John McCain to resume their (Continued on page 26) efforts to get a national boxing bill passed in Congress.
“We have not been able to do it. Maybe this will be the impetus that Senator McCain can get back (to) work on that again,” Reid said, adding that he would talk with McCain about the issue.
The bout saw judge Jerry Roth, 71, give Pacquiao the fight 115-113, but C.J. Ross, 62, and Duane Ford,  74, both had Bradley winning by the same score, despite Pacquiao appearing to land the more damaging blows throughout the contest.
The fight’s promoter, Bob Arum, questioned the competence of the judges, the selection process the Nevada State Athletic Commission used to choose them, and the fact that all came from Nevada.
The three judges were unanimous in scoring only six of the 12 rounds. They all saw rounds three, four and six for Pacquiao and rounds seven, 10 and 12 for Bradley.
Ford and Ross gave five of the last six rounds to Bradley, virtually handing the championship to the unbeaten challenger. At the end of nine rounds, Pacquiao was ahead on two of the three judges’ scorecards – Roth, 88-83 and Ross, 86-85 – while Ford had Bradley ahead, 86-85. Roth awarded rounds five and eight to Pacquiao but Ross and Ford disagreed. If Ross and Ford scored those rounds like Roth did, Pacquiao would’ve won by a unanimous decision.
Joaquin Henson of Philippine Star quoted  writer Ryan Phillips, HBO Sports boxing analyst and ring judge Harold Lederman, who questioned Ross’ competence even before the fight started. She has been a judge since 1992 and was recently in the panel for Saul Alvarez’ win over Sugar Shane Mosley. A review of her boxing history shows a degree of indecisiveness. Last year, Ross scored a 95-all draw when judges Richard Ocasio and Ford saw it for Juan Carlos Burgos over Luis Cruz in a WBC silver superfeatherweight title fight. Ocasio had it 97-93 and Ford 98-92 so Ross’ tie seemed out of whack.
According to Henson’s report, in 2009, Ross also turned in a draw, 57-all, when judges Eric Cheek and Burt Clements had it 58-56 in Andrae Carthron’s win by majority decision over Tyler Hinkey in a six-round heavyweight bout. In 2005, she again scored a draw, 38-all, as judges Patricia Jarman and Richard Houck saw it both 39-37 in Juan Carlos Santiago’s win over Larry Olvera in a four-round featherweight duel. That same year, Ross turned in another draw, 57-all, in Filiberto Young’s win over Alain Hernandez by majority decision as Bill Graham scored it 58-56 and Al Lefkowitz 59-55 in a six-round lightwelterweight contest. Ross was the odd judge out when she saw it 57-56 for Lamar Horne as Graham scored it 58-56 and Lefkowitz 59-55 for Gerardo Prieto in a six-round lightmiddleweight tussle in 2005.
In her Facebook page, Ross said she is interested in men and women, whatever that means. Two of her facebook friends are Filipino boxing judge-referee Danrex Tapdasan and Bruce McTavish.
Ross has avoided making a comment to defend her scorecard. “I wish I could give you a comment when I’m not supposed to do that,” she told Fox Sports. “Actually, you just look at the commission’s sheet and look at the scores and figure out your own comment.”
Lederman, who scored it 119-109 for Pacquiao, lashed out at Ross, saying, “She’s not the best judge in the world … when you get a major fight, you use the best three judges you can get, just like in the Super Bowl, you use the best officials.”
Ford has been a world championship judge since 1978 with assignments in Japan, Korea, Thailand, France and England. He was a judge when George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994, Larry Holmes stopped Gerry Cooney in 1982, Sugar Ray Leonard halted Tommy Hearns in 1981 and Holmes battered Muhammad Ali in 1980. A slight blemish in his record was when he scored it 143-all when Angel Tovar saw it 146-142 and Ansemlo Escobedo 143-142 in Lupe Pintor’s win by majority decision over Albert Davila in 1980.
While highly regarded as a boxing judge, Ford may be a little too old to stay sharp.
If it wasn’t robbery, the majority of the 14,000 crowd that witnessed the high-caliber showdown didn’t know what it was. They booed the split decision of the judges giving the fight to Bradley.
All scorecards of boxing experts saw Pacquiao leading over Bradley but the three judges gave the fight and the welterweight title to the American fighter, prompting Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach to ask the Attorney General of Nevada Catherine Cortez Masto to investigate how the judges came into the decision.
“I want to investigate whether there was any undue influence, whether the (Nevada State Athletic Commission) gave any particular instruction and how they came to the conclusion,” Arum said.
“We’re gonna ask the Attorney General to investigate the entire situation. What happened last night in Las Vegas was an absolute outrage, and we have to have a complete investigation to determine how something like this could happen and who is responsible,” Arum said.
Arum lambasted the judges in the post-fight press conference, calling them three blind mice and saying the decision was a “death knell” for boxing.
“You have these old (expletive) who don’t know what the hell they’re looking at. It’s incompetence. Nobody who knows anything about boxing could have Bradley ahead in the fight,” Arum said.
For Pacquiao, he readily accepted the judges’ decision, although he believed he was the runaway winner in the fight, earning for him plaudits for his sportsmanship and magnanimity.
Pacquiao was assured of $25 million prize in the fight while Bradley will get $5 million, the biggest prize in his career.
Bradley improved his ring record to 29-0 with one draw and 12 knockouts, while Pacquiao absorbed his fourth defeat in 50 fights with 38 knockouts.
Despite his loss, Pacquiao will get a hero’s welcome in Manila and in General Santos City when he arrives from Jerusalem in Israel where he and family will have a spiritual journey.
In Malacanang, Pacquiao is considered a great fighter. Pacquiao’s colleagues in the House of Representatives will also honor him when he returns for their session in July.
Despite his shocking loss, Pacquiao “has the true heart of a champion,” Malacanang and Vice President Jejomar Binay said in separate statements.
Binay said: “Manny fought hard and has shown he has the true heart of a champion.”
He added, “He remains a source of inspiration for the Filipino people.”
Malacanang said the Filipino people will remain behind Pacquiao.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said: “Sa anumang larangan, may nagwawagi at may nagagapi. Ngunit gaya ng ilang ulit pinatunayan ng lahing Pilipino, ang bawat pagkadapa at pagkalugmok ay pagkakataon upang ipamalas ang kakayahan nating taas-noong bumangon. Basta’t patuloy tayong nagkakapit-bisig, tiyak tayong titindig tungo sa tagumpay, kung saan lahat ng Pilipino ay panalo.
She asked the Filipino people to pray for Pacquiao in order that he will regain his strength and stamina.
“Sa susunod mo pang mga laban at pagpupursigi, makakaasa kang lagi mo kaming kaisa at kasama,” she said.
In the meantime, Pacquiao and Bradley agreed to have a rematch in November.
Boxing promoter Arum initially supported the call for a rematch, but backpedalled later, saying there should be an investigation first of the June 9 fight which he said sounded the “death knell” to boxing.
Arum was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying, “The brokers are telling us if we make a Bradley rematch, no one will go,” referring to public dismay at the shocking split decision in favor of Bradley in last weekend’s welterweight title bout.
Compubox scores had Pacquiao dominating the various punching stats, landing a greater total of jabs (24 percent versus 11 percent), and power punches (39 percent versus 28 percent) landed.
Bradley did throw more punches (839 versus Pacquiao’s 751), but the Filipino was the more accurate fighter overall, connecting on 34 percent, compared to a measly 19 percent for the “Desert Storm.”
Filipino boxing analysts led by Ronnie Nathanielz said Pacquiao won the fight by a mile.
To the trained eye and even to ordinary boxing fans, there was no way that Bradley—who showed up in the postfight conference in a wheelchair—could have won, granting that he swept the last four rounds, which he didn’t, even by the questionable scorecards.
As it turned out, Bradley suffered torn ligaments in his left foot and is due for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), according to his manager, Cameron Dunkin. Bradley’s right foot swelled because it got twisted.
Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank, Arum’s company, wants to poll fans first if they want to see such a rematch, before committing to the bout on paper.
Pacquiao has a contractual right to demand a rematch in case Bradley wins.
Local analysts, however, have no doubt a rematch is on the horizon. “Arum’s perspective is an American perspective,” says sports commentator Sev Sarmenta. “Hintayin mo mga Pinoy fans sa America, at lahat ng Pinoy rito. Hahanap ng ganti yan.”
At the end of May, Bradley was already bragging that Pacquiao would have to cash in his rematch clause, a boast he made good on by beating Pacman in a split-decision, 115-113, 115-113, 113-115.
Bradley went to pre-fight and post-fight press conferences with mock-ups of a November 11 rematch between him and the Sarangani congressman.
Pacquiao, for his part, is eager to fight Bradley again, with the aim of knocking Bradley out to leave no more room for controversial decisions.  His mother, Dionisia, said she approves of the rematch because she believes Pacquiao won clearly the fight over Bradley.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum and  UFC president Dana White called the Nevada State Athletic Commission the “worst” in the U.S. as its executive director stood firm on the judges split decision and was not expected to discipline or review any of the judges in  the fight for the WBO welterweight title.
Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer told the Los Angeles Times’ Lance Pugmire that no such action would be needed. NSAC chairman Skip Avansino supported Keith Kizer’s statement.
Filipino featherweight Ernie Sanchez won a unanimous decision over the Dominican Republic’s Wilton Hilario, Saturday (Sunday, PHL time), in the preliminary card of the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley bout.
The fight, which went the full eight rounds, was scored 79-73, 78-74, 78-74 by the judge, in favor of Sanchez, who improved to 13-3 with 5 KOs. Hilario (12-3-1, 9 KO), by contrast, looked rusty, which was apt for someone who had not fought in the last 18 months.
Sanchez could have the potential to become another Filipino boxing stalwart should he continue to improve his technique.
“I am 100 percent sure that I won the fight,” Pacquiao said after the fight.
Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach concurred in, saying, “those judges must have their eyes examined.”
“I accept, which has already been handed. It was part of the game,” he said during the post-fight news conference where he attended with wife Jinkee and sons Jimwell and Michael.
Asked if Bradley ever hurt him, he retorted “I cannot remember Bradley hitting me solid with a solid punch.”
Pacquiao still gave his conqueror credit for giving him a good fight, adding he gave Bradley three rounds the most.
Bradley, likewise, was all praised for Pacquiao acknowledging his victim’s power and speed.
“It was a good fight. Manny really showed his punching power and speed, but as I have said before the fight, I am giving him a rematch.
To which Pacquiao answered, rematch, it’s okay with me. I still will continue fighting. But when it is realized, I will make sure the fight won’t go 12 rounds.
“We have to do this again. Let’s do it in November,” Bradley said as he once again showed a mock ticket to a purported Nov. 10 fight.