Professional boxer and Philippine legislator Manny Pacquiao has again shown how to be gracious in defeat. The 38-year-old boxing champ, as expected, accepted the result of the July 2 boxing event ‘Battle of Brisbane’. “It’s okay,” he told reporters immediately after the fight. “Part of the game. That’s the decision of the judges. I respect that.”
Pacquiao even said he did not expect his opponent, 29-year-old Jeff Horn, to be that tough. Consequently, Pacquiao lost his WBO Welterweight title following a unanimous 12-round decision in a match that fully packed the 50,000-seating-capacity Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Queensland in Australia.
Judge Waleska Roldan scored the fight 117-111, favoring Horn, while the other two judges Ramon Celdran and Chris Flores both gave scores of 115-113, for Horn.
Social media outcry
As expected, the social media got busy as numerous users shot back with their allegations that the judges were wrong. Tech and Lifestyle Journal monitored the opinion of some analysts and experts whose words surely do matter, though it is expected that these will not have any bearing at all to possibly change the final and official result of the controversial match.
Lennox Lewis took to Twitter to dispute the judges’ decision. The three-time world heavyweight champion boxer thought that Horn was game but could not have won the match.
Other sports personalities who aired disappointment over Pacquiao’s loss were NBA’s Kobe Bryant, DeMar De Rozan, and Damian Lillard; and NFL’s Doug Baldwin and Aaron Rodgers.
Different scores from experts
CompuBox, a provider of real-time statistical data for major boxing fights, released interesting information. Based on its own tally, Pacquiao should have won after delivering 182 landed punches, compared to Horn’s 92, although the latter delivered 73 power punches (out of 92).
Sports broadcaster ESPN also had its own score: 117-111 favoring Pacquiao. From across the social media, we got hold of a photo of sports analyst and broadsheet columnist Al Mendoza’s actual scoring sheet, which scored 116-112 in favor of Pacquiao. Mendoza was at the exclusive screening sponsored by Lexus Manila.
Meanwhile, respected boxing commentator and ESPN ringside analyst Teddy Atlas held his own scoring sheet revealing Pacquiao’s supposed victory: 116-111. “They gave a trophy, a win, a huge win, to Horn, the local kid, for trying hard,” he said. “You’re not supposed to get it for trying hard, you’re supposed to get it for winning and I thought Pacquiao won the fight,” Atlas declared.
Roach reacts
In a media interview following the match, Pacquiao’s long-time trainer Freddie Roach said judge Roldan should be investigated for his controversial scoring. “That was hard, sometimes I think people need to be investigated,” he said referring to Roldan’s 117-111 score.
“At least in America, where you get odd scores like that with the judges, the head commissioner should ask at some point, ‘Why? Where? Show me how you came up with that score.’”
Roach revealed that his team would assess the future for Pacquiao and consider options, including retirement. However, Pacquiao said in an interview with GMA News that he will not yet retire.
A possible re-match between Pacquiao and Horn may be set in November.