Pacquiao robbed of world titles

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and Manila Sports Council (MASCO) chairman Ali Atienza expressed extreme disappointment over the controversial decision calling the match between IBF superbantamweight champion and featherweight boxing great Manny Pacquiao and reigning WBA and IBF featherweight Juan Manuel Marquez a draw.

How could they call it a draw when Manny was obviously the better fighter? He even knocked down Marquez three times in the first round and more than held his own against the featherweight champion in the succeeding rounds," said an obviously disappointed Mayor Atienza.

Atienza, a long-time friend and benefactor of Pacquiao since the start of the Filipino boxer’s career at the Lainez Mondejar Gym in Sampaloc, deplored the decision of Bert Clements, one of the three judges, who gave Pacquiao a 10-7 score in the first round when he should have given the Filipino boxer a 10-6 score, which is customary when a fighter scores three knockdowns during a round.

The two other judges, Guy Jutras and John Stewart, gave Pacquiao, a 10-6 score in the first round of the bout. Had Clements joined the two other judges in giving the Filipino boxer a 10-6 score in the said round, Pacquiao would have won the fight 113-112 and would have wrested the two featherweight titles from Marquez.

Atienza said Pacquiao will receive a hero’s welcome when he gets back.