Rematch not a done deal

Timothy Bradley, Jr. is ready for a rematch with Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 10 but Top Rank chairman Bob Arum insists there will be no return engagement without an investigation on the two judges who scored it for the unbeaten challenger in the controversial WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas last Saturday night.

Pacquiao wouldn’t categorically declare his willingness to do a second fight with Bradley. In the dressing room after losing a highly disputed split decision to Bradley, Pacquiao repeatedly ribbed trainer Freddie Roach. “I told you, I told you,” said Pacquiao. “I knew he’d run away. You thought he wouldn’t, that he’d fight me toe-to-toe, that he’d just come forward. If he fought me toe-to-toe, I would’ve knocked him out. He started running away when he felt my power. If we fight again, he’ll run away starting the first round.”

Curiously, several historic fights that ended in controversial decisions never got a second chance. In 1993, Pernell Whitaker appeared to have won nine of 12 rounds in a fight against Julio Cesar Chavez in San Antonio but it ended in a majority draw. The odds for a draw were 20-1 so bettors who wagered on a tie laughed all the way to the bank. Were the two judges who had it a draw in on the deal?

There was no question Whitaker was the better man that night. How Chavez salvaged a draw was beyond logical explanation. Judges Franz Marti and Mickey Vann saw it both 115-all while judge Jack Woodruff had the decency to score it for Whitaker, 115-113. No rematch was ever made to settle the issue.

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In 1999, Oscar de la Hoya took on Felix (Tito) Trinidad in Las Vegas. De la Hoya was a 6-5 favorite. Arum and promoter Don King were behind the project. The Golden Boy clearly had the upper hand, connecting on 263 of 648 punches compared to Trinidad’s 166 of 462. But after the judges’ scores were announced, it was Trinidad whose arm was raised. Judge Jerry Roth had it 115-113 and judge Bob Logist 115-114 for Trinidad while judge Glenn Hamada saw it 114-all. Again, no rematch was ever held.

In 1987, Sugar Ray Leonard defied the odds in hacking out a dubious split 12-round decision over Marvelous Marvin Hagler in Las Vegas with Arum as promoter. Hagler was a hot 3-1 favorite and earned a guaranteed $12 million. Leonard was assured an $11 million paycheck. Judge Jose Juan Guerra had it 118-110 and judge Dave Moretti 115-113 for Leonard. The dissenting vote came from Lou Filippo who saw it 115-113 for Hagler. Guerra’s scorecard was as incredible as it was ridiculous. Hagler was so disgusted at the outcome that he quit boxing completely, never to return.

In 1976, Tyrone Everett dealt Alfredo Escalera a boxing lesson in at least 10 of the 15 rounds of their WBC super featherweight title bout in Philadelphia or so HBO Sports’ boxing analyst and long-time ring judge Harold Lederman thought. Escalera won on a split decision as judge Lou Tress had it 145-143 and judge Ismael Fernandez 146-143 for the Puerto Rican. Judge Ray Solis scored it 148-146 for Everett who was shot and killed shortly before a rematch was to be staged. According to the book “Boxing’s Most Wanted” by David Hudson and Mike Fitzgerald, ring experts consistently describe the decision as corrupt and perhaps the worst of all time.

In 1947, 20-1 underdog Jersey Joe Walcott was supposed to be easy prey for Joe Louis in their heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City. But to everyone’s surprise, Walcott dropped Louis twice and had total control of the bout. What was more surprising was when Louis was declared the winner by split decision. Referee Ruby Goldstein gave Walcott seven rounds and Louis, six. Judge Frank Forbes had it 8-6 for Louis and judge Marty Monroe 9-6, also for the Brown Bomber. The late boxing historian Bert Randolph Sugar wrote, “A disheartened Louis, believing he had lost, started to leave the ring before the decision was announced…restrained by cooler heads, he was rewarded with a split decision for his efforts…for the first time in his career, Joe heard the crowd boo him.”

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It was a similar ending in the Pacquiao-Bradley fight. At the end of the bout, Bradley apologized to Arum, saying he tried his best but couldn’t beat Pacquiao. Then, ring announcer Michael Buffer declared Bradley the winner in a startling verdict that has cast doubt on the integrity of the fight game.

A source said less than an hour before the fight, someone plunked in $1 million to bet for a Bradley win. If the report is true, that meant a $3.6 million payoff for the late wager. Were two of the three judges aware of something that bettor knew? It makes you wonder if the fight was fixed.

Postscript. There was a jumble of words in the final layout of the last two paragraphs in yesterday’s column. This is the correct version: ”Bradley anticipated a rematch when he brought out a giant facsimile of a ringside ticket for a Nov. 10 return engagement during a press conference last week. It was his way of guaranteeing a win over Pacquiao last Saturday. Who put Bradley up to the creative gimmick? Surely, he couldn’t have thought about that himself. Did Top Rank have anything to do with it? Who stands to gain in a rematch? Bradley or Pacquiao or Top Rank’s Bob Arum? Was the rematch sealed with rigging at Pacquiao’s expense? Was Pacquiao a sacrificial pawn in the machination?

“Last Saturday’s result stunk like a rotten carcass. The outrageous outcome has left many fans to believe boxing is that rotten carcass. It’s up to Pacquiao if he’ll agree to a rematch as the option is his. Bradley is obligated to engage in a rematch but it’s Pacquiao’s call if it happens or not. If you ask the pastor, the 10,000 angels will guide Pacquiao to a wise decision.”