WBO agrees to review Pacquiao-Horn bout, won't reverse decision News

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WBO agrees to review Pacquiao-Horn bout, won't reverse decision

By Daily Sports on July 8, 2017

The controversy surrounding the Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn July 1, 2017 championship bout in Brisbane, Australia is yet to go away in a hurry following what many boxing pundits perceived to be a robbery in the fistic sport.

The boxing body responsible for Sunday's upset bout, which saw welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao lose his belt to underdog challenger Jeff Horn, has agreed to review the fight but said it will not reverse the decision.

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) said Thursday it agreed to review the officiating of Sunday's welterweight title fight in Brisbane after cries of protest from boxing fans and industry figures, and a formal request from the Philippines' Games and Amusement Board (GAB) -- a request backed by the losing fighter.

In a letter addressed to the GAB, the WBO agreed that it would appoint a review panel to watch the bout, round-by-round.

"We will appoint five (5) anonymous competent Judges from different countries to watch the bout without sound distraction," the letter said."

Then, we will tabulate the results to ascertain clearly which rounds each fighter won using an average scale based on 60, 80 and 100 per cent. This means that 3 of the 5 officials have to agree to determine which fighter won the round.

"The WBO has repeatedly said that it doesn't have the power to reverse the decision of the three judges, who unanimously awarded the fight to Horn, 117-111, 115-113, 115-113.

It does, however, state that the fight had a rematch clause in the contract, teasing the possibility that the two boxers may meet again, giving Pacquiao a chance for redemption.

Photo shows Pacquiao and Horn in their July 1, 2017 title fight in Brisbane.

Source Daily Sports

Posted July 8, 2017