Timothy Bradley wins against Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines was stunned by American Timothy Bradley on Saturday, surrendering his WBO welterweight title on a controversial split decision at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
It was Pacquiao’s first defeat since he lost to Erik Morales in Las Vegas in March 2005, ending a run of 15 consecutive wins by the Filipino who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions.
“Desert Storm” Bradley, a 5-1 underdog against Pacquiao, improved his record to 29-0 with 12 knockouts, while Pacquiao slipped to 54-4-2 with 38 knockouts.
Judge Jerry Roth (115:113) awarded the fight to Pacquiao while CJ Ross (115:113) and Duane Ford (115:113) gave it to the American, but the crowd responded with boos after 12 rounds which the Filipino had appeared to dominate.
“I accept what the result is” – Pacquiao said ringside. “I respect the judges, I cannot blame them. It is a part of the game. I give thanks to the Lord. I do my best but my best wasn’t good enough.”
Asked if he thought he had won the fight, Pacquiao replied – “Absolutely, yes,” and the crowd erupted with cheers.
“It was a good, competitive fight” – said Bradley. “Every round was pretty close. Pacquiao won some of the early rounds. I controlled the later rounds with my jab. I need to go home and review the tape.
“He is a strong puncher. He rocked me a couple of times in the fight but I held my ground and fought to the end. This is boxing.”
Timothy Bradley ws. Manny Pacquiao.
A lot of things are legal in Las Vegas that are not legal anywhere else. Last night robbery was among them.
After what appeared to most observers to be a lopsided victory for Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Pacquiao became the victim of not merely petty theft but grand larceny when it was announced he’d lost a split decision to undefeated former junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.
Frankly, the decision was so outrageous as to defy description. Even the judge who ruled for Pacquiao, Jerry Roth, didn’t get it right, scoring it 115:113 for the champion. Both C.J. Ross and Duane Ford somehow scored it 115:113 the other way, making Bradley the split decision winner of the WBO welterweight title in a fight he didn’t appear to even be in after seven rounds. The Herald had Pacquiao winning easily, 117:111.
This was the kind of decision you expect to see in the Olympic Games or the state of Texas, two places where raising the wrong guy’s hand seems to be the norm. When HBO broadcaster Max Kellerman tried to interview Bradley live after the decision his voice was drowned out by the angry crowd, which booed lustily as he tried to speak.
When the video screens showed a close up of Bradley’s face as he tried to answer the crowd reaction only intensified, especially when Kellerman mentioned he’d remained “undefeated.”
Kellerman then turned to Pacquiao and asked him his thoughts. As he spoke a text appeared on my phone from an NFL player with a deep love for boxing. It read “I’m done with boxing!!! Trash! Worse nonsense I’ve ever seen.”
Pacquiao was then asked if he thought he won. Normally exceedingly polite Pacquiao said: “No doubt.”
Every effort Bradley made to speak was then drowned out by the crowd, even when he said: “I gotta give Manny a rematch.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biGaFIt1xJA
In a stunning slight to punch statistics — and the naked eyes of most everyone else — two Nevada judges Saturday scored that Timothy Bradley upset Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, who relied on his power and speed to repeatedly back up Bradley while fighting with an obvious sense that Bradley could not hurt him, said he will invoke his right for a rematch in November.
That probably further delays a Pacquiao showdown withFloyd Mayweather Jr.until at least 2013.
Asked whether he beat Bradley, Pacquiao said in the ring: “No doubt.”
Boos among the 14,206 in attendance cascaded in the arena upon the announcement of the scores, and veteran fight observers were left to reach back nearly 20 years for a more stunning decision.
Palm Springs’ Bradley said although he was pained by a twisted left ankle in the second round that bothered him until the sixth, he believed he rallied to win the fight.
Despite a 158:80 lead by Pacquiao on connected punches after seven rounds, Ross and Ford each awarded Bradley five of the final six rounds even though Pacquiao backed Bradley to the ropes in both the eighth and ninth rounds, and was tapping mitts urging the new champion to “Come on” and fight. Bradley appeared reduced to jabbing in the 11th round.
“Manny hurt me a few times with his left hand. He’s a beast” – Bradley said. “But my corner told me if I won the last round, I’d win the fight.
“I’ve got to give Manny a rematch.”