LAS VEGAS ? Timothy Bradley’s manager has what he casts as a simple explanation for anyone who suspects a fix Saturday night when his fighter upset Manny Pacquiao. “I know Tim’s very grateful that he won. He has nothing to do with the decision. There’s nothing corrupt going on, and if there was something corrupt going on, Tim wouldn’t have won,” Cameron Dunkin said Monday. “They didn’t want Tim to win. He was the underdog. He wasn’t supposed to win, and he won, and the judges saw it that way. They gave him those real close rounds.”
A criticism of the split decision continues to resound, promoter Bob Arum said Monday that he is asking the Nevada state attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto to open an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the scoring. Ringside judges CJ Ross and Duane Ford scored it 115-113 for Bradley while Jerry Roth favored Pacquiao by the same score. MORE: Decision leaves boxing reeling
Boxing experts across the country were nearly unanimous in saying Pacquiao should have been awarded the fight.
“Unless there’s an investigation, it’s not good for boxing, it’s not good for anyone,” Arum said Monday. “We want to get some clarity as to what happened.”
Arum said he thinks the attorney general should investigate every facet of the fight, including the Nevada Athletic Commission, the officials, the betting and the promotion (which Arum did).
“Maybe it’s just bad judging; we just want to know the truth.” he said. “I’m not making any accusations.
“This is a case of one side (Bradley) fighting valiantly, and the other side dominating.”
Calls to the attorney general’s office were not immediately returned. Neither were messages left with the Nevada Athletic Commission.
Asked about Arum’s call for an investigation, Dunkin basically dismissed the idea.
“That’s his business, and there’s nothing corrupt going on,” he said. “When you have judges, I don’t care if it’s figure skating, I don’t care if it’s gymnastics or what it is, it’s someone’s opinion.”
Also Monday, Bradley underwent an MRI to determine the seriousness of foot and ankle injuries he suffered in the fight. Test results were not immediately available.
Contributing: Schmenner writes for the Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif., and reported from Palm Springs.
