Manny accepts Bayless' apology

LAS VEGAS – WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao yesterday accepted referee Kenny Bayless’ apology for making a wrong call in the 10th round of the title defense against Sugar Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here.

Mosley clearly pushed Pacquiao down after a brief scuffle in close quarters. The Filipino lost his balance and took a tumble near the ropes, his legs twisting slightly under him. Pacquiao immediately bounced back on his feet and was in disbelief as Bayless gave him a mandatory eight-count. Mosley probably couldn’t believe it, too.

 A replay of the “knockdown” was shown on the wide monitor screen in the venue in between rounds and the crowd booed Bayless’ call as the slip was evident. Bayless, however, couldn’t take back the call.

 Showing he was none the worse for wear, Pacquiao pursued Mosley after the fall as if he wanted to prove a point. Pacquiao could only smile when Bayless ruled the knockdown.

 How the three judges scored the 10th round was interesting. Glenn Trowbridge saw it 10-9 for Mosley. Usually, a knockdown merits a 10-8 score, two knockdowns 10-7 and three knockdowns 10-6 if the three knockdown rule isn’t in effect. Dave Moretti had it 10-10 all while Duane Ford saw it 10-9 for Pacquiao despite the “knockdown.”

 In the end, Moretti and Ford saw Pacquiao the winner on a shutout. Moretti, a judge in Pacquiao’s last loss to Erik Morales in 2005, scored it 120-108. Ford had it 120-107. Trowbridge saw it 119-108 for Pacquiao, giving Mosley only the 10th round.

 Trainer Freddie Roach said Bayless approached him after the fight to apologize.

 “Kenny admitted it was a mistake and asked me to say sorry to Manny,” said Roach. “But that’s boxing. You make mistakes sometimes. But Kenny was man enough to admit it and ask for an apology.”

 Pacquiao didn’t take it against Bayless, a prostate cancer survivor who worked his fifth bout involving the Filipino. “It was clearly not a knockdown but the referee called it and you’ve got to take it,” said Pacquiao. “I thought it would be a 10-8 round so I wanted to recover.”

 Few fighters would’ve reacted like Pacquiao under the circumstances. But Pacquiao knows the true meaning of sportsmanship. He forgave Bayless for the mistake without hesitation. That kind of reaction is what makes Pacquiao such a revered name in global boxing.

 “Although it was a mistake, the knockdown will stay in the record books,” said Roach. “That’s how it is in boxing. Kenny made a mistake but you can’t overrule the referee’s decision. It will go down as a knockdown in Manny’s career.”

 Pacquiao has now been floored by six fighters – Rustico Torrecampo, Medgeon 3-K Battery, Nedal Hussein, Serikzhan Yeshmagambetov, Marco Antonio Barrera (a TV replay showed Pacquiao was tripped) and Mosley.

 Popular boxing author Thomas Hauser said he scored the controversial 10th round a 10-10 draw. Roach said boxing authorities discourage scoring even rounds but in special cases like in the Pacquiao “knockdown,” it’s justifiable.