Pacquiao’s patrons still point fingers over poor corner work
The finger-pointing over Manny Pacquiao’s loss to Australia’s Jeff Horn in a WBO welterweight title fight continues, and it’s not just aimed at the dubious judging and refereeing.
While Pacquiao’s veteran promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, and manager Michael Koncz thought referee Mark Nelson allowed Horn far too many liberties by punching Pacquiao while holding him and placing him in headlocks, both men said they expected more objections from Pacquiao’s longtime cornerman and trainer, Freddie Roach.
“What the hell is wrong with that corner? Why wasn’t Freddie Roach out in the ring between rounds yelling at the referee? It’s his job,” said Arum, who also blamed assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez, who speaks Tagalog, and cut man Miguel Diaz. “And there’s confusion in the corner with the languages, with Buboy and Miguel Diaz yelling and screaming like a maniac.
“And Freddie has to stay close to Manny to give him some advice … to me, they were so overconfident going in. I had seen the kid. I told everybody he was a big, tough kid who could take a punch. I didn’t think he’d beat Manny, but it wasn’t the same Manny.”
Roach was critical of the refereeing and judging, as were members of ESPN’S broadcast team. Roach called for an investigation of judge Waleska Roldan of New York, who awarded Horn a 117-111 (nine What the hell is wrong with that corner? Why wasn’t Freddie Roach out in the ring between rounds yelling at the referee? It’s his job. rounds to three) scorecard while turning in just his third world-title bout scorecard since June 2016.
While Koncz said Floyd Mayweather Jr. personally told Pacquiao that he wasn’t interested in a rematch of their record-selling but disappointing 2015 meeting, Pacquiao was being pointed to a meeting later this year against unbeaten junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford.
“First, I have to find out if Manny wants to continue fighting,” said Arum, who acknowledged Pacquiao has a heavy workload as a senator in the Philippines. “There were some troubling signs. I said sitting there ringside, ‘This is not the Manny Pacquiao that we had even a year ago.’ You can’t be a senator and fight part time. And he’s getting older, not younger.”
Koncz said he’ll travel to Manila this week to huddle with Pacquiao, who turns 39 in December. “We’re not sure he’s ever going to fight again,” Koncz said.