By Ben Cal
A Filipino group based in Washington, D.C. on Monday joined other organizations calling on the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to investigate the controversial split decision favoring American boxer Timothy Bradley over Manny Pacquiao despite the overwhelming punches thrown by the latter as shown by a computer-analyzed Compubox.
“We wrote an open letter to the NSAC asking for a probe on the manner of judging the Pacquiao-Bradley fight. We do not want to be cheated right under our noses. This may just be a sport but public trust and decency are at stake here,” said Arnedo Valera, co-executive director of the Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC), which provides legal services and cultural development programs to U.S. immigrants.
The MHC furnished the Philippines News Agency (PNA) with a copy of its letter to the NSAC.
Valera said that the “MHC also asked Bradley to act with decency, by asking the NSAC for a probe and acknowledge that the judges were wrong,” adding, “it is good for his (Bradley’s) dignity and restore the honor of boxing.”
Millions of viewers around the world thought Pacquiao was the clear winner and were shocked when Bradley was declared the victor in a split decision swirling with controversy.
Valera said that “except for judges Cynthia J. Ross and Duane Ford, the roaring audience, ringside journalists, and the world thought that Manny Pacquiao was the winner last night (Sunday, Manila time) in his bout against Timothy Bradley. Even Bradley himself could not believe he won. Before the announcement of the winner, he earlier said he could not beat him, he was a beast.
“However, the split decision had favored Bradley, with an ironic same scores of 113-115, from the scoreboards of Ross and Ford,” he said.
Valera further said: “The world thought there was something bizarre in the judging that night. All throughout the game, Pacquiao had been mostly in control.
“Ringside punching statistics showed Pacquiao landing 253 punches to 159 for Bradley. The Compubox statistics showed Pacquiao landing more punches in 10 of the 12 rounds. Major networks CNN, HBO, BBC, and USA Today had been analyzing the game with Pacquiao as winner.”
Valera said “the MHC is asking the Nevada State Athletic Commission, chaired by Raymond Avansino, to conduct a probe as to how the judges could have arrived at the same scores, which were in contrast to the results of the computer-analyzed Compubox.”