Ref defends decision not to stop fight

MACAU – Genaro Rodriguez, the third man in the ring for Sunday’s fight between Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri, stood firm on his decision to let Algieri continue despite getting knocked down several times.

Speaking to a couple of Filipino scribes after the post-fight press conference, Rodriguez said he thought Algieri didn’t appear to be hurt after each of the six knockdowns he suffered at the hands of a more devastating Pacquiao.

“It was not [time] to stop [the fight] yet. He was still able to fight well,” the American referee argued.

This includes the one in the ninth round when Pacquiao again dropped Algieri, that time flat on his back with a booming left straight – the biggest knockdown of the fight. Another knockdown followed, but the New York-based fighter managed to survive the round again.

Prior to that, Pacquiao had floored Algieri once in the second canto and twice in the sixth, but a determined Algieri still rose up  and refused to quit. The former kickboxer went down for the last time in the 10th round, and Pacquiao just can’t put him away for good.

This brings up the argument that it shouldn’t have gotten to that – that Algieri should’ve been saved from further beating.

But Rodriguez didn’t see it that way.

“The man has to be hurt, and he was not hurt. It was not to stop yet,” Rodriguez insisted.

The ring official though thought the outcome could’ve been different had Algieri chosen to slug it out with Pacquiao instead of running around the ring.

“He [Algieri] would've gotten knocked out. Algieri was just moving out of Pacquiao’s reach.”

Asked if Algieri simply tried to go the full 12 rounds with Pacquiao, Rodriguez replied: “I think so.”

And the referee’s response to those insisting the fight should not have gone to the scorecards?

“It's my discretion to stop the fight,” Rodriguez stressed.

****

Editor's note: Philstar.com's special coverage of the Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri fight is made possible by Cebu Pacific Air, why every Juan flies.