LAS VEGAS–Outrage! That’s the best one word description of the reaction from unbiased boxing personalities after Manny Pacquiao was obscenely deprived of a deserved unanimous decision over game but punchless upstart Tim Bradley Saturday night at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. Another way to put it would be to say that split decision “gift” which gave the 28 year old from Palm Springs the WBO welterweight title was the worst robbery in Las Vegas since the one depicted in the last “Oceans 11” movie. Among those howling about the incompetent scoring of judges Duane Ford, CJ Ross and Jerry Roth were former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, HBO analyst Mad Max Kellerman, unbeaten super middleweight ruler Andre Ward and USA Olympic team members Dominic Breazeale and Michael Hunter. Jerry Roth saw it 115-113 for Pacquiao, which was ridiculous by itself. CJ Ross awarded the bout to Bradley, whose punches cannot crack a soft egg, by the same score and then Duane Ford checked in with a 115-113 Bradley tall. Naturally, promoter Bob Arum erupted like the geysers at Yellostone Park, barking about the Nevada commission judges being “too old” and not knowing how to properly score a bout. “It’s unfathomobile to me,” the 80 year old Arum said. “They don’t know how to score and they’re too damn old. “What fight were the people watching?” Arum asked, sarcastically. Compubox fight stats showed Pacquiao connecting with 253 blows to only 159 for Bradley. The stats showed Pacman landing 34 percent of his punches while Bradley landed just 19 percent. For power punches connected, Pacquia’s numerical edge was 190 to 108. The Michael Marley White Gorilla official scoring was 119-109 in favor of the Pinoy Idol. The only round which I had no doubt about Bradley winning was round two. I can understand, though, how others awarded two or even three, maybe four rounds…but that still would leave Pacman an 8-4 winner on a rounds basis. I bumped into the personal “Son Of God” Ward leaving the arena when the stench of the holdup which victimized Pacman, the entire country of the Philippines and the sport of boxing worldwide. (Ward will soon be fighting in hometown Oakland against light heavyweight champion Chadwick Dawson and just last week Ward was honored by the Boxing Writers Association of America as the 2011 Fighter of the Year.) “I feel happy for Tim, he came to fight, I am glad for him but Manny won the fight, I scored it either 118-110 or 117-111 so it was clear to me that Pacquaio deserved to win it,” Ward said. “I can’t see that decision” Holyfield told UK Daily Mail columnist Jeff Powell. “You’ve got to take the title away from the champion and I did not see Bradley do that.” Kellerman said he broke it down 8-4 in rounds in Pacquiao’s favor. “I gave Tim the benefit of the doubt in giving him four rounds,” the cable TV network interviewer/analyst told me outside the media center. Video journalist Elie Seckbach saw the fight the sam way, with Pacquiao winning eight of the 12 rounds. London Olympic competitors Brazeale, a super heavyweight who will carry the USA banner in the Summer Games and heavyweight Hunter were both openly rooting for their fellow American, Bradley. But they agreed that the victory was stolen from Pacquiao. I aksed GMA sports talker Chino Trinidad what Christian fellow Pacman said about the ring ripoff. “Ah, Manny said it was God’s will and he congratulated Bradley,” the popular Pinoy broadcaster said. No offense, Pacman, but that can’t be true. God can’t like this kind of incompetence in a sport which is supposed to be fair and impartial. Get ready for Bradley-Pacquiao II, coming in November.
