Jeff welcomes WBO decision

– The World Boxing Organization has said it will review the scoring of the Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn welterweight title bout after the Philippine World Champion’s shock loss, but the verdict will stand.

The WBO announced the move on its website after Pacquiao, backed by the Philippine government’s sports regulatory body, criticised the referee and the judges and demanded a review.

The Filipino regulator, the Games and Amusements Board, has also called for potential sanctions on the referee and judges of the July 2 Brisbane bout if warranted.

“The purpose of this review is to be able to give the fans certainty of who was the winner of the bout,” WBO president Francisco Valcarcel said earlier this week.

The WBO is to appoint five “anonymous competent judges from different countries to watch the bout without sound distraction” then tabulate their roundby-round scoring.

However Valcarcel stressed the WBO did not have the power to reverse the decision of the fight judges. “The decision of an official should only be revoked when fraud or violations of the law occur,” he added.

Horn (above) welcomed the announcement, a day after saying he was ready for a rematch, an option that was specified in the Brisbane fight contract.

“Let them review it,” the 29-year-old told Queensland’s Courier Mail newspaper. – AFP

Manila