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This week, Christians celebrate the Holy Week. We here at iSTORYA.NET would like to take you into a day-to-day journey of articles of this practice so as to shed light on what this is all about. This is based on the various research that we have, starting today, Spy Wednesday.
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However, as a sports fan who happens to have a job as a journalist, I have a job to do. And it is to come up with words to sum up the travesty that occurred on June 10, 2012. Let me start with these words.
Stunned. Appalled. Horrified. Outraged.
Words that best describe the injustice that Pacquiao suffered at the hands of the shady judging of Duane Ford and CJ Ross, who each gave scores of 115-113 in favour of Bradley, that proved to be the difference-maker in handing the welterweight crown to the latter.
To be fair, injustices in the sport of boxing are a dime a dozen but that does not make the controversial call – pundits even call it the worst decision ever – any easier to swallow, whether for the most ardent Pacquiao fan or the casual boxing observer.
As they say in the world of sports, the numbers don’t lie and across the board, Pacquiao dominated as he has done so for the last seven years. A seven year era of indomitable success that spanned 15 victories which propelled the humble man from General Santos City from general obscurity to worldwide superstardom.
Peep the figures from CNNSI.com: Pacquiao connected on 253 of 751 punches (34 percent), compared to 159 of 839 (19 percent) for Bradley, and outlanded the challenger in 10 of the 12 rounds. And even then, with such dominating percentages, it appeared to be not enough as the judges saw fit, that Bradley did enough to warrant the crown.
The decision was met with horror, then shock, then anger, as the entire world vented their outrage at such a ridiculous decision.
It started with the two boxers’ promoter, Bob Arum, who according to ESPN.com, angrily said after the fight, “Something like this is so outlandish, it's a death knell for the sport. This is f------ nuts. I have both guys, and I'll make a lot of money in the rematch, but it's ridiculous. You have these old f---- who don't know what the hell they're looking at. It's incompetence. Nobody who knows anything about boxing could have Bradley ahead in the fight."
Arum further stoked the fire in an interview with CNNSI.com, where he added, "I've never been as ashamed of the sport of boxing as I am tonight.”
Celebrities also chimed in on the controversy through the social networking site, Twitter, as they expressed their disbelief and disgust moments after the announcement of the winner.
Pop superstar, Justin Timberlake said "I cannot believe what I just saw... Please tell me they read that decision wrong... #Rigged" while rapper, Drake added, “What an embarrassing night for Boxing. Shit looked like the WWF. Pac Man and Jinky deserved to go home happy.”
Comedian Marlon Wayans also tweeted, “Were we all watching the same fight? Bradley got clearly "****ed up!"” Another veteran comedian, Cedric the Entertainer tweeted, “Las Vegas should be ashamed!!!!! You dont do that to a Champion like Pac!!! Total Bullshit!”
Acclaimed sports writer Chris Palmer also said “Manny Pacquiao "loses". What a joke” while his colleague Skip Bayless of ESPN added “WHAT?! THIS IS THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS DECISION IN BOXING HISTORY! I SCORED IT 11 OF 12 ROUNDS FOR PACQUIAO! FLAT-OUT ROBBERY! I'M IN SHOCK!”
Fellow Filipino and MMA star, Mark Munoz, also left his thoughts on the matter when he said “Wow!!!!!!!!!!!! #PacquiaovsBradley That decision was crazy. Don't know what the judges were watching! #craziness”
Several basketball players from the NBA also gave their two cents about the ignominious decision starting with LA Lakers forward Metta World Peace, who said “I love Bradley.. But what the f..hhhjjjjkkkkkhhhhlkkllkk U must be kidding me.” Chicago Bulls wingman Rip Hamilton also said, “Wow. Are u kidding me. That can't be right.”
However, the best tweet had to be the one that came from hardcore rapper, XZIBIT, who poignantly had this to say about boxing’s latest debacle. “I live in LA, if I wanted to see somebody get robbed,I could go outside and see it for free, it shouldn't cost me 65 bucks. #PacBradley”
In boxing’s recent history, no decision has ever been maligned or has elicited such venom as this one and the argument will forever rage on or until such time when Bradley purposely admits his defeat and gives the belt back or when the two meet again in their rematch set for November 10 of this year.
The point though is moot, as everyone around that ring, the audience that packed the MGM Grand, the viewers that watched the PPV, and damn near everyone in the entire universe knew who won that fight. As tough as this decision was to swallow, it is what it is and Pacquiao seemed to have wrapped his heart and soul around it, no matter how gruesome or unfair it was.
He summed it up in his statement to the press during the wee hours of Sunday morning, according to a report on CNNSI.com.
"Whatever happens, don't be discouraged about boxing," Pacquiao said. "Next time."
Jonas Rey N. Panerio
iSTORYAn League of Writers- Sports
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