Amid controversy surrounding undefeated American fighter Timothy Bradley’s split decision victory over Manny Pacquiao, fight promoter Bob Arum said he would not sign on to a rematch unless an investigation was launched about the scoring by the judges who called the fight.
“I want to investigate whether there was any undue influence, whether the (Nevada Athletic Commission) gave any particular instruction and how they came to this conclusion,” Arum told Yahoo! Sports a day after the fight. “But the whole sport is in an uproar. People are going crazy.
The outcry has been almost universal from fans, media, and boxing observers that Pacquiao was robbed of victory. While Arum has expressed disgust over the decision, believing that the Filipino fighter also won, Arum hasn’t escaped criticism, with some accusing him of somehow having a hand in the decision.
Longtime boxing trainer Teddy Atlas, in an appearance on ESPN, earlier hinted that Arum may have motivation to see Pacquiao lose.
“I’m not sure if it’s accurate that Pacquiao was about to leave one of the kingpins of the sport, Bob Arum. His contract was running out. But I think it was. And when that happens, sometimes funny things happen,” said Atlas.
Arum is pushing the investigation to clear everything up.
“If this was a subjective view that each of [the judges] honestly held, OK. I would still disagree, but then we’re off the hook in terms of there being no conspiracy. But there needs to be an independent investigation because it strains credulity that an event everybody saw as so one-sided one way all three judges saw it as close. It strains credulity,” he said.
It is unclear how Arum’s stand would fly for Pacquiao, who already expressed his desire for a return bout.
“I want a re-match,” Pacquiao said earlier.
“That makes me become a warrior in the ring, this coming re-match, because in the re-match my thinking is I don’t want to finish the whole 12 rounds.”
