Pacquiao camp blasts WBA for non-reinstatement

MANILA, Philippines – The camp of Manny Pacquiao did not not hide their disappointment over the decision of the World Boxing Association (WBA) not to reinstate the Filipino icon as its welterweight champion.

Sean Gibbons, who heads Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, said they never received fair treatment from the WBA and felt blindsided the moment they stripped Pacquiao of the WBA “super” welterweight belt sometime last year.

“I can tell you what Manny didn’t receive — due process and respect,” Gibbons said in a news release sent to the media by Pacquiao’s US publicist Fred Sternburg.

Pacquiao won the said title two years ago when he defeated reigning champion Keith Thurman, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, hasn’t defended the crown.

The WBA then designated Pacquiao as “champion in recess” due to inactivity and instead promoted its “regular” champion Cuban Yordenis Ugas to “super” status.

“It took two years to get the world title belt he earned inside the ring by beating the undefeated Super Champion Keith Thurman. Hell, Manny only received that belt on Saturday. The WBA never inquired about Manny’s title defense plans,” Gibbons added.

“The WBA never warned us Manny’s Super Champion status could be in jeopardy. The WBA never informed us that Manny had been designated its Champion in Recess. We had to read the WBA’s press release on that on the internet.”

“And speaking of Keith Thurman, the WBA had no concern about his lack of activity when he went over 22 months between title defenses (Danny Garcia on March 4, 2017, and Josesito Lopez on January 26, 2019),” Gibbons also explained.

Gibbons had appealed to the WBA to reinstate Pacquiao as champion as soon as the fighting senator’s showdown with Errol Spence Jr. was announced. If reinstated, Pacquiao would have entered the ring as the WBA titlist and will try to unify against Spence, who holds the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation belts.

Pacquiao even went to promote the fight at yesterday's press conference in Los Angeles with his WBA belt in tow.

But the WBA board met to discuss whether to reinstate Pacquiao — and ultimately decided against doing so.

WBA president Gilberto Mendoza told @ChavaESPN that the regulations do not allow Manny Pacquiao to be reinstated as WBA super welterweight champion.

The WBC, IBF and Ring titles will be the three belts on the line at #PacquiaoSpence in August. pic.twitter.com/TvrV4kzgwL

— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) July 10, 2021

The reputable Ring Magazine, which also awards championship belts, has decided it will crown the winner of Pacquiao-Spence as its welterweight champion. Pacquiao is rated No. 3 by The Ring while Spence is its top fighter in the division.

Gibbons couldn’t agree more.

“Recess is over. The two best fighters in the welterweight division are facing each other. It should be celebrated and properly recognized,” he said.

Pacquiao and Spence will lock horns on August 21 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (August 22, Manila time), with the winner walking away as the top dog of the 147-pound weight class.

As for the WBA, it should be safe to say that Pacquiao’s camp would be steering clear of the organization from now on.

“This is not a sanctioning group. It is a used car lot. Take my advice. Before paying the WBA a sanctioning fee, kick the tires and read the warranty. Perhaps their new slogan should be ‘Caveat Emptor’," said Gibbons.