Pacquiao ‘not surprised’ by fight review decision
MANILA: Manny Pacquiao is “not surprised” the World Boxing Organization affirmed the loss of his welterweight title to Australian Jeff Horn, but the Philippine ring legend railed at large at judges who “manipulated results.”
The WBO ordered a review of the scoring of the July 2 Brisbane bout at the request of the Philippines’ Games and Amusements Board, which criticised the judges and the referee.
The WBO set up a panel of independent and anonymous judges to watch and score a recording of the bout without sound.
On Tuesday it said the judges found Horn won seven rounds to Pacquiao’s five.
“We have seen worse Judgments in the past where judges manipulated results. Nothing surprises me now,” Pacquiao said in a statement late Tuesday.
He did not name the judges nor mention the specific fights in his allegations.
“Let the people judge for themselves. People saw what happened,” said the 38-year-old, who had won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions.
The undefeated but unheralded Horn had stunned the Filipino legend with his ultra-aggressiveness to earn a unanimous deci- sion. But the Filipino’s camp alleged the referee let the Australian get away with illegal tactics.
The WBO ordered the review while stressing it did not have the power to reverse a decision unless fraud or legal violations were proven.
Pacquiao also issued a separate statement yesterday denying news reports that he had failed to pay his trainer Freddie Roach. “I have no problem with coach Freddie Roach. I’m not the one paying him, it’s Bob Arum,” Pacquiao said, adding that he was also waiting to be paid by the owner of US fight promotions firm Top Rank.
“The trainer’s fee is automatically deducted by the Top Rank from my purse. So if coach Freddie has not yet received his payment, we are on the same boat.”