WBO panel says Pacquiao won by unanimous decision

Judges convened by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) unanimously scored in favor of Filipino ring icon Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao after reviewing his controversial split decision loss to American Timothy Bradley, which took place in Las Vegas June 9.

RingTV reported that the five judges, commissioned by WBO President Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel, unanimously scored the bout in Pacquiao’s favor, 117-111, 117-111, 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113.

In what was one of the most shocking decisions in boxing this year, Bradley was named the victor in their WBO welterweight clash last June 9, with judges Duane Ford and CJ Ross scoring the bout 115-113 in his favor. Only Jerry Roth scored the bout for Pacquiao, 115-113.

The result was derided by boxing media – most of whom saw Pacquiao winning by a wide margin – and fight fans, who suspected that there was a conspiracy which led to Bradley's victory.

Because of the controversial result, the WBO decided to take action, with Valcarcel saying that they will "take measures in accordance with the rules of procedure."

Despite the panel’s review, the WBO cannot reverse the decision of the judges on fight night.

"The only thing that we can do is authorize a rematch," Valcarcel told RingTV.

Pacquiao and Bradley’s fight contract contains a rematch clause, scheduled for November 10, but Top Rank officials – including chief executive Bob Arum and president Todd DuBoef – have said that they will most likely not push through with it.

Instead, Pacquiao may fight Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez for a fourth time this November.

Arum lauded the WBO's findings as a "Solomon-like conclusion."

"Paco is a good man, he really is. I have great respect for him and what he says. It's appropriate for him to make that final conclusion," the promoter told RingTV.

Arum said he will have to talk to Pacquiao about what he wants to do for his next bout.

"My first stop on any quest to determine what to do next is that I have to talk to the guy who is the money generator, and that's Manny Pacquiao," he said. "And I have to determine after discussions with him what he wants to do next, and we'll go from there."

Pacquiao is currently in the Philippines, where he is attending to his constituents in Sarangani after the province experienced severe floodings due to Typhoon "Butchoy."

Bradley is confident that he defeated Pacquiao, telling his supporters in Palm Springs, California that he won the fight eight rounds to four.

Pacquiao, for his part, has repeatedly asked his fans to accept his loss, as well as to not blame Bradley for the judges' decision.

The bout is also under investigation by the Attorney General of Nevada after a request filed by Arum. The Nevada State Athletic Commission, led by director Keith Kizer, will also review the video along with the three judges.

CHINA BEHIND PACQUIAO DEFEAT

It would be the first loss since 2005 for the ‘People’s Champ’ after losing via split decision to the ‘Desert Storm’, who is now the new WBO World Welterweight champion. Judges CJ Ross and Duane Ford scored it in favor of Bradley while Judge Jerry Roth scored it in favor of Pacquiao. Many believed that Pacquiao won the match.

What would seem like a failure or a flaw of the judging system implemented in boxing matches actually goes deeper, if a confidential report coming from Malacañang is to be believed.

According to our source, the confidential document contains findings by the intelligence community that concludes China as the one who was actually  behind the loss of the country’s prize-fighter. China apparently paid off the judges so that Pacquiao would surely lose the fight when it comes time to judge it. They were confident that the match would go to the scorecards because the gloves that the boxers used were specifically made in a factory in Tianjin, China. Said gloves had special materials that would soften the impact of the punches and minimize the chances of a knockout.  The original plan  was to payoff all the judges so that Pacquiao would lose unanimously, but being stingy that they were, China decided to just go with two judges hence the split decision.

The bribery was all part of the country’s grand scheme to destabilize the Philippines and to demoralize Filipinos, in an operation dubbed “打倒菲律宾人的骄傲 or “Bring Down Pinoy Pride” when translated to English.

This is China’s retaliation against the Philippines due to the ongoing dispute on Scarborough shoal which started a few months back. Authorities believed that China has targeted our weak spot when it decided to attack our pride. “Wala naman kasi tayong military installations or key strategic buildings na puwedeng atakin to speak of (We don’t even have military installations or key strategic building that they can attack to speak of),” said one high-ranking official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Many Filipinos were shocked and upset with the outcome of the boxing match. Even Pacquiao’s mother, Mommy Dionesia, fainted upon hearing the news of her son’s loss. But what is alarming is the fact that China state television network China Central Television (CCTV) featured the fainting incident in a humor inspired segment, similar to that of Marc Logan’s; as propaganda for its people to mock the Philippines.

Recent events that have transpired would lend credence to the findings by Malacañang and would indeed seem like China was behind the following events to demoralize Filipinos:

• Jessica Sanchez losing to Philip Phillips in American Idol
• China suspending importation of Philippine bananas
• Shanghai Sharks cancels goodwill games against Philippine basketball squad
• Controversial BAYO ad that angered netizens

Dr. Ignacio Sanchez, head of Human Behavioral studies at the Universal College of the Philippines; who recently did a study on criminals, believed that China also perpetuated the outcome of the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Corona.

“After masterminding the shocking result of Season 11 of American Idol, China then gave hope to the Filipinos when it orchestrated a 20-3 guilty vote for the impeachment of the Chief Justice,” explains Sanchez. “But it then quickly pulled-out the rug underneath us all by cancelling the basketball game,  launching the ‘racist’ ad to  dishearten the Philippines and the shocking results of the boxing match.”

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The doctor likens this tactic to a man who humiliates another man by pulling down the latter’s pants in front of the public after rescuing him from the brink of death (i.e. speeding truck, psycho mugger, asthma attack). “It’s catching you off-guard when you least expect it, or when you think that you’re on top of the world,” said Dr. Sanchez. “It’s very disheartening indeed. A perfect one-two-three counter-punch combination”

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The confidential report also narrates in detail the final coup de grace of Operation 打倒菲律宾人的骄傲. It describes a strategic pull out of all things Chinese from the Philippines that would ensure total destabilization of the country.

The ‘final push’ would anger, dishearten, bankrupt and depress adults and children alike that would send a chilling effect to the entire archipelago. And when the entire nation is down, that is when China would claim victory and proceed to occupy Scarborough Shoal. “If Filipinos are getting depressed by non-favorable contest results, what more would they feel if something big indeed happen,” said a Chinese diplomat who wishes to be unnamed.

The government is already coming up with contingency plans to provide substitutes for the above mentioned services, in case China indeed pushes through with the final stage of their plan.

Controversial split decision victory over Manny Pacquiao

WBO President Francisco ''Paco'' Valcarcel said in a statement Wednesday that the WBO's championship committee will review video of the fight with five ''recognized international judges'' and make a recommendation. He said the WBO does not doubt the ability of the scoring judges.

Most reporters seated ringside and the vast majority of fans inside the MGM Grand arena on Saturday night thought Pacquiao had easily defended his welterweight title against Bradley.

The first surprise came when ring announcer Michael Buffer announced that there was a split decision, and the biggest surprise came in the reading of the scores. Jerry Roth had it 115-113 for Pacquiao, while judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross had it for Bradley by the same score.

The Associated Press scored the fight 117-111 for Pacquiao.

''The public saw the fight and they're outraged, and we need clarity here,'' Arum told The Associated Press on Wednesday. ''We need those responsible to investigate, to see what happened, how the judges could be so off.

''Was there any funny business going on? Or no funny business? Did they have a conversation with each other?'' Arum asked. ''We need to get clarity. The public is demanding it.''

Arum's powerful promotional company, Top Rank, has staged thousands of fights over more than four decades, including some of the most significant in the history of the sport.

He said that the scoring of Saturday night's fight was among the worst he's ever seen.

''It puts boxing in a very horrible light,'' he said. ''I'm looking for the sport to do damage control, and the only way it does damage control is if you do a full and complete investigation.''

Arum submitted a formal request to the Nevada Attorney General's office on Monday asking for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fight. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the senior senator from  
Nevada, also has asked for an investigation.

Jennifer Lopez, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Attorney General's office, said in an email to the AP that Arum's complaint is currently under review.

''We are treating the complaint like any other complaint our office receives,'' Lopez said. ''We do not confirm or deny if we have an ongoing criminal investigation.''

The Nevada State Athletic Commission's executive director, Keith Kizer, said this week that he has no plans to review the fight, even though he acknowledged having Pacquiao ahead.

Commission chairman Skip Avansino told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he was content with the scoring, while Ford defended his scorecard in an interview with the newspaper.

''I thought Bradley gave Pacquiao a boxing lesson,'' Ford said. ''I thought a lot of the rounds were close. Pacquiao missed a lot of punches and I thought he was throwing wildly.''

Arum believes the decision - along with the Nevada commission's reluctance to conduct its own investigation - could provide the impetus for a federal commission to provide oversight for the sport, which has long battled the perception that it is rife with corruption.

''If the commission here in Nevada will be in intransigent, and won't cooperate, we have to have a federal commission,'' Arum said. ''We have to examine who these are on the commission, how they got there, how they operate. Something is broke.''

Stats compiled by Compubox showed Pacquiao landing 253 punches to 159 for Bradley, and having a 190-108 edge in power punches. Pacquiao landed at 38.5 percent to 27.7 percent for Bradley.

The decision ended Pacquiao's 15-fight winning streak, but also sets up a potential rematch later this year.

There has been talk that it could happen in November.

Perhaps by then, Arum will have the clarity he is seeking from their first fight.
''Any other sport - football, baseball - the commissioner's office would investigate,'' he said. ''I'm not saying hang anybody, but let's get clarity here. Let's get a complete report as to what happened. They could say,

'Hey, all three judges had a bad night.' That's possible, too. I'm not leaping to conclusions. I want to know as well as anybody else.''

House bill that would institutionalize the Palarong Pambansa

House Bill 6119 aims to create a policy and coordinating body for the conduct of the 37-year-old Palaro, which shall be headed by the Department of Education (DepEd).

Saying it has lost its prestige and popularity among Filipinos over the years, the House of Representatives recently approved a bill that would institutionalize the Palarong Pambansa as the premier national sporting event of the country.

The Palaro Board members are the DepEd secretary, four DepEd undersecretaries, three DepEd assistant secretaries, chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), and the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Among others, the board will be tasked to provide incentives/rewards to participating schools and local government units; formulate and issue policies and guidelines on the accreditation of athletes, coaches and chaperones; approve bids to host the Palarong Pambansa; and identify the sports events to be included.
The measure also requires the organization of the Regional Athletic Associations, which shall supervise the conduct of the regional meets.

To ensure the event’s success, the PSC shall make available its manpower and technical resources, as well as facilities, said Camarines Norte Representative Renato Unico Jr., chair of the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development.

In coordination with the DepEd, the PSC shall formulate and implement a training program for outstanding athletes of the Palarong Pambansa to ensure the continuity of their athletic development and education.
The Senate may adopt the House version of the bill for early transmittal and signature by President Benigno Aquino III.