MAYWEATHER, SR: I FELT PACQUIAO WON / MOM: HE WAS
ROBBED OF VICTORY
[PHOTO -Manny Pacquiao lands a punch to the face of Timothy Bradley
in the fourth round of their WBO welterweight title fight Saturday in
Las Vegas. Pacquiao tried to turn the fight into a brawl, using his
power to hurt Bradley in the early rounds. But Bradley changed tactics
in the middle rounds and used his boxing skills to win enough rounds to
take the narrow decision for the welterweight title.
"I did not feel his power", said BradleyAP …]
LAS VEGAS, JUNE
10, 2012 (INQUIRER) Even one of
the staunchest critics of Manny Pacquiao thought the Filipino boxing hero won
the fight against Timothy Bradley Jr.
Floyd Mayweather Sr (photo) told ESPN Saturday (Sunday in
Manila) that to him Pacquiao was "well in control" of the fight.
"I thought Tim Bradley put up one helluva fight. But I didn't think he won
the fight," he said.
Mayweather Sr. said he did not score the fight but he knew Pacquiao won.
"I felt he (Pacquiao) won the fight. I felt like there was a gap, where you
could see who was winning," he said.
In a fight Pacquiao seemed to have in hand, two judges decided otherwise,
giving Bradley a split decision Saturday night and ending the Filipino fighter's
remarkable seven-year unbeaten run.
Promoter Bob Arum fumed, the crowd at the MGM Grand arena booed, and Pacquiao
seemed stunned when the decision was announced. Arum said there would be a
November rematch, though he blasted the way the decision went down.
"I've never been as ashamed of the sport of boxing as I am tonight," said
Arum, who handles both fighters.
Bradley came on strong in the later rounds, winning five of the last six
rounds on two scorecards and four on the third. He won 115-113 on two
scorecards, while losing on the third by the same margin. The Associated Press
had Pacquiao winning 117-111.
"I did my best," Pacquiao said. "I guess my best wasn't good enough."
Pacquiao tried to turn the fight into a brawl, using his power to hurt
Bradley in the early rounds. But Bradley changed tactics in the middle rounds
and used his boxing skills to win enough rounds to take the narrow decision for
the welterweight title.
It ended a 15-fight winning streak by Pacquiao dating to 2005 that turned him
into a boxing superstar and made him a national hero in the Philippines.
"I thought I won the fight," Bradley said. "I didn't think he was as good as
everyone says he was. I didn't feel his power."
Ringside punching statistics showed Pacquiao landing 253 punches to 159 for
Bradley, who vowed before the fight to take the 147-pound title from Pacquiao.
The Compubox statistics showed Pacquiao landing more punches in 10 of the 12
rounds.
Bradley was so confident that he had oversized tickets printed up for a Nov.
10 rematch that will now likely happen.
Bradley seemed hurt in the fourth and fifth rounds, but Pacquiao had trouble
landing big punches after that. Still, he seemed in control of the fight
everywhere but on the judge's scorecards.
"Can you believe that? Unbelievable," Arum said. "I went over to Bradley
before the decision and he said, `I tried hard but I couldn't beat the guy.'"
Bradley said he hurt his ankle in the second round, and that trainer Joel
Diaz said he could either quit or try to take the fight to Pacquiao.
"I got my second wind in the sixth round," Bradley said. "I worked the
angles, sticking and moving."
Pacquiao said he studied Bradley on tape before the fight and wasn't
surprised by anything he did. He said he thought he was in control of the fight
and was shocked when the decision went against him.
"He never hurt me with his punches, most of them landed on my arms," Pacquiao
said.
Pacquiao tried to brawl with Bradley and seemed to hurt him in both the
fourth and fifth rounds. But Bradley started moving and counter punching, though
he never seemed to land any shots that hurt Pacquiao.
Pacquiao had vowed to look impressive against Bradley after struggling in his
last outing with Juan Manuel Marquez, a fight many thought he lost. And he did
early, landing good long left hands while beating Bradley to the punch on most
exchanges.
"He hurt me a couple of times with his left," Bradley said. "He's a beast."
Trainer Freddie Roach told Pacquiao after the 10th round that he had control
of the fight, and urged him to fight hard the final two rounds.
"You have six minutes to go, son," Roach said. "It's your fight."
But it wasn't Pacquiao's fight, with Bradley getting credit for winning some
of the close middle and later rounds. After the 11th round Bradley went back to
his corner and trainer Joel Diaz told him he needed to win the final round.
"I listened to my corner," Bradley said. "I got to give him a rematch now."
Arum said there will be one on Nov. 10, though he thought Pacquiao won
easily, as did most writers at ringside.
"I'll make a lot of money off the rematch, but this was outrageous," Arum
said.
It was the biggest fight of Bradley's career and it came with a minimum $5
million payday. The rematch will be even richer, though Pacquiao's loss could
damage any plans for a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather did not see the fight because he is serving a sentence on a
domestic abuse charge at a jail a few miles from the MGM Grand. With a report from Tim Dahlberg, AP Boxing Writer
Pacquiao's mom believes boxing champ was robbed of victory
5:54 pm | Sunday, June 10th, 2012
[photo - Dionisia Pacquiao AFP PHOTO/Paul
Bernaldez]
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – Like most fans of boxing champ Manny
Pacquiao, his mother, Dionisia believes her son was robbed of victory.
"I'm going to watch the replay. I failed to see it live because I was in deep
prayer. But I was informed by my daughter, Liza, and also by my friends that my
son was robbed of the victory," Dionisia said.
In May 2011, Dionisia had asked her son, aside from an Hermès bag as birthday
gift, to retire from boxing after his fight with American Shane Mosley.
She got her bag, but Manny continued fighting.
This time, however, Dionisia joined calls for a rematch. She also said she
would join her son during a rematch with Bradley.
"Payag akong mag-rematch sila. Kahit di muna mag-retire sa boxing ang anak ko
para maiganti niya ang pagkatalo niya. Dinaya lang naman siya eh (I agree to a
rematch…even if my son holds off retiring so he can avenge his loss. Anyway, he
was cheated)," Dionisia said.
Should there be a rematch, Dionosia said she would travel with her son to the
US to watch the fight live.
Dionisia also denied reports that she lost consciousness upon learning of her
son's defeat.
"The truth is, it's so hot inside the prayer room. I had difficulty breathing
because the prayer room was small and it was so hot inside," Dionisia during a
hastily called press conference.
Pacquiao fans from all walks of life were saddened and disappointed following
his split-decision loss to Bradley.
The crowd inside the jam-packed Lagao gymnasium in General Santos City roared
in disbelief when Michael Buffer announced the result of Pacquiao-Bradley fight.
They said that throughout the fight, their hometown ring idol was never hurt.
Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio remained seated on the bench and declined to
grant interviews until after Pacquiao's television interview was over.
"I was shocked. Almost everybody here was shocked by the result. You have
seen the reaction of the crowd and they were not satisfied with the decision of
the judges," Custodio said.
Custodio vowed to give the Pacquiao the usual hero's welcome despite the
defeat.
"Definitely, there will be a hero's welcome for him. Deep in our hearts, he
is still our champion," Custodio said.
In Tagum City, from soldiers pursuing communist rebels in Compostela Valley
to drivers who did not ply their routes to watch Pacquiao fight in a widescreen
set up by the provincial government said the Filipino fighter and congressman
should be given a rematch.
"The troops were OK but somehow disappointed (that Pacquiao lost)," said
Captain Jan Sanggacala, information officer of the 71st Infantry Battalion based
in Maco, Compostela Valley. "They doubted the judges' decision."
Rene Catubig, a habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) driver in Tagum, said
Pacquiao was landing the more telling blows and should have won the judges'
nods.
Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy agreed, saying a rematch should be set the soonest.
"I think Pacquiao won," he said in a text message.
Bystanders and onlookers standing by the fence of the Zamboanga City
Puericulture Center, where the fight was shown live on a wide screen, hit the
concrete fence when Bradley was declared winner. Some of them shouted "luto ang
laban (the fight was rigged)," and demanded a rematch.
Army soldiers in Basilan also took their time off to watch the fight.
Colonel Arthur Ang, commander of the Basilan-based 104th Brigade, said his
men were disappointed by the decision.
Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat said he was also surprised by the judges'
decision, "but I am still looking forward to a rematch."
In Cotabato City, Fr. Jonathan Domingo of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate said
Pacquiao's defeat would serve as a "wake up call" for him to make it next time
around.
"He's used to winning…he won in his last 15 bouts, now he lost. Next time he
can make it better," Domingo said.
"The result may be controversial yet Pacquiao did not even raise a howl even
if he was convinced he won the fight. He wholeheartedly accepts the verdict, a
Filipino trait and truly a sportsman," the priest added.
In Koronadal City, the crowd at the pay-per-view screening at the city hall,
booed in unison when the decision was announced.
Chris Mondana, a resident, said the promoter Bob Arum might have sold the
game to ensure a rematch. "That's the quickest analysis you could come up with.
Boxing is a not a sport anymore, it's business, generating billions for
promoters," Mondana said.
(Aquiles Z. Zonio, Frinston Lim, Julie S. Alipala, Edwin
O. Fernandez, Rosa May de Guzman-Maitem, Inquirer Mindanao)
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
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