MANILA, Philippines ? Manny Pacquiao said he saw nothing criminal in what Floyd Mayweather did in knocking out the inexperienced Victor Ortiz on Saturday night (Sunday noon in the Philippines) in Las Vegas.
But Pacquiao pointed out that Mayweather?s deadly left-right combination that sent Ortiz down for the count was a flagrant foul.
?There was nothing illegal in what Floyd did but it was unsportsmanlike,? said Pacquiao, noting that he acknowledged the fact that referee Joe Cortez had signaled the fight to continue, something a lot of ringsiders said they never saw.
Ortiz had been slapped a one-point deduction by Cortez for intentional head-butting and the 24-year-old Ortiz had apologized for his misconduct by embracing and touching gloves with Mayweather. But as soon as Ortiz was backing away, the 34-year-old Mayweather immediately unleashed a two-punch assault that floored Ortiz, sending a cascade of boos to the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Pacquiao adviser Mike Koncz said Mayweather ?took advantage of Ortiz?s inexperience.?
Koncz said if Pacquiao is exposed to the same situation, ?Manny would never do something like that.?
Trainer Freddie Roach was aghast at what Mayweather did.
“Yeah,” Roach answered when asked if Mayweather’s tirade was uncalled-for. “I didn’t see the referee say ‘box.'”
Pacquiao lawyer Franklin Gacal said Ortiz was also to blame for violating one of boxing’s cardinal rules but the fact is “Mayweather showed he is not a true sportsman.”
Now that Mayweather has hurdled a major stumbling block, experts are beginning to salivate over a super showdown between Pacquiao and the brash American in May 2012.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is training at the MP Tower (former site of the L&M Gym) in Quiapo this afternoon before he proceeds to Baguio City to start the eight-week buildup for the Marquez rubber match.
Trainer Freddie Roach is going to follow Pacquiao to the City of Pines on Tuesday.
