Pacquiao urged to just pursue fight with Mayweather

Manny Pacquiao. AFP/JOE KLAMAR

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao should just pursue his fight with American Floyd Mayweather Jr. rather than seek a rematch with Timothy Bradley whose shock victory has been widely seen as a rigged decision.

“I think Manny should not consider agreeing so easily to a rematch with Bradley because the public might think he was a willing accomplice to what happened. I think it should be Mayweather and nobody else even if it means taking a lower prize,” said Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing.

The chairman of the House committee on games and amusement said that the continuing outrage by Filipino, American, Mexican, Arab and Asian boxing fans three days after the fight showed how unpopular and unbelievable was the split decision made by the three judges. “Public opinion is really behind Manny,” said Bagatsing.

According to Bagatsing, Pacquiao has no choice but to continue fighting in Las Vegas despite doubts on the ingtegrity of the Nevada Athletic Commission, which sanctioned the bout. He said Pacquiao’s last fight outside Las Vegas with Joshua Clottey in Texas two years ago did not earn much compared to his Las Vegas fights where the tickets were subsidized by casinos.