President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is welcomed by Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao upon arriving at the 1002nd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Malungon, Sarangani Province on Wednesday (July 5, 2017). (MNS photo)
MANILA, July 5 (Mabuhay) — Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday urged the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to take action on the letter of the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) over the “unfair decision and officiating” on his loss against Jeff Horn.
“WBO should take appropriate action on the letter sent by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) so as not to erode the people’s interest in boxing,” Pacquiao said in a statement.
Pacquiao said that while he has accepted the decision, “truth and fairness” should be upheld.
“On my part, I had already accepted the decision but as a leader and, at the same time, fighter, I have the moral obligation to uphold sportsmanship, truth and fairness in the eyes of the public,” he said.
“I love boxing and I don’t wanna see it dying because of unfair decision and officiating,” Pacquiao added.
GAB earlier wrote the WBO asking for a review of the fight between Pacquiao and Horn.
Horn won by unanimous decision in the fight dubbed Battle of Brisbane on July 2 but the result had been widely criticized by boxing experts and fight fans.
“We would like to echo the stand of many boxing followers on the possible errors of the referee and the judges who officiated the subject fight,” read the GAB’s letter to WBO president Francisco Valcarcel.
The letter by GAB chair Abraham Mitra and commissioners Eduard Trinidad and Matthew Gaston said the board respected the judges’ decision but was “constrained to request for a thorough review by the WBO for possible miscalls of the referee where some deductions were not made and of the judges in their judging that have caused varying opinions on their objectivity.”
“We are making
this request for a review, which may call for sanctions on the referee and judges if so warranted,” the letter read. (MNS)