WBO tasks five-judge panel to review Pacquiao-Bradley

Filipino boxing idol Manny Pacquiao outpunches American Timothy Bradley Jr. (left) but still loses his WBO welterweight title at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a highly controversial and unpopular split decision. AFP

There will be no reversal, but the World Boxing Organization still wants to find out whether the three judges at ringside for the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley showdown Saturday night did their job right or bungled it big time.

WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel, who sanctioned the bout that unbelievably went Bradley’s way, has assigned five international judges to review the scoring of Jerry Roth (115-113 for Pacquiao), CJ Ross (115-113 for Bradley) and Duane Ford (115-113 for Bradley), according to the Los Angeles Times.

Puerto Rican Nelson Vasquez has been chosen for the panel along with selected judges from New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida and Pennsylvania.

Their primary task is to review the fight video and take a vote regarding the result that reverberated throughout the world and drew rebuke not only from the sporting community but also from the show biz and political sector.

US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has even joined the bandwagon and is endorsing a probe by the Nevada Attorney General probe to find out whether the battle for the WBO welterweight crown was indeed fraudulently decided.

Reid, whom Pacquiao campaigned for in the 2010 elections, also said he’s bent on reintroducing a boxing regulatory bill that will propose the creation of a National Boxing Commission.

Valcarcel, who gave Pacquiao a diamond ring for being the best fighter of his generation last Thursday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, said: “We want to get the impression of five international judges, but we cannot reverse the decision.”

Meanwhile, Pacquiao told ESPN’s Deportes’ “Golpe A Golpe” on Monday that he’s more inclined to facing old nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez for the fourth time in Mexico than a rematch with Bradley on Nov. 10 in Las Vegas.

Marquez, boxing analyst of the program, gave Pacquiao the victory over Bradley, 8 rounds to 4.