Controversial week in the noble art of boxing. A few days ago the social networks exploded against Saúl El Canelo Álvarez for attacking Messi after a video in which he ‘kicked’ the Mexico shirt, but now it has been the turn of the legend Manny Pac-Man Pacquiao, the only winner of twelve world titles in eight different categories.
The former Philippine senator and one of the greatest boxers in history has seen the referee of his fight against Australia’s Nedal Hussein declare that he helped him win. The fight took place on October 14, 2000 on the outskirts of Manila, the capital of the Philippine country, so local fans filled the locations to cheer on their champion.
Referee Carlos Padilla, present in mythical fights such as the last one between Ali and Frazier called “Thrilla in Manila”, declared that it benefited the local boxer, giving 18 seconds and not 10 when his compatriot was knocked out. “I am a Filipino and everyone who was in the fight was Filipino, so I extended the count. I know how to do it,” said the referee in an interview with the World Boxing Council (WBC).
The boxer has come out to defend himself against this information, assuring that he did not cheat, although he does not rule out that the referee favored him when he was in his country, he assured local television. “I’m a boxer, I just do my job in the ring. That’s his problem, not mine,” he added.
The now controversial fight allowed him to keep the WBC super bantamweight title and opened the doors to dispute the world championship. For this reason, Padilla assures that they told him “Carlos, please… this is an important fight for Manny Pacquiao because the winner will have the opportunity to fight for the world championship.”
The president of the CMB, Mauricio Sulaiman, has assured that they have already granted a committee the investigation of what happened. It should be remembered that the 88-year-old referee, recently inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, raised Pacquiao’s arm at the end of the fight, but has detailed that he also forgave a headbutt that cut the opponent’s face, which would have to have subtracted points from the Filipino.
Nedal Hussein saw how the fight was stopped in the tenth round due to the seriousness of the cut received. Although this is a decision that falls to the match doctor, the referee has declared that he also pressured him to give a diagnosis that would make it impossible for him to continue. “That’s how he took away my responsibility because, as a referee, that’s the best way to do it,” Padilla said.
The Australian boxer entered the bout aged 22 with an unbeaten record of 19 wins. He managed to knock Pac-Man down twice, but after points were deducted for an elbow and a cut to his face, it was clear he would add his first loss to his record.
“That guy took everything from me. He stole my soul. I was not the same after that night,” Hussein told the media. He has also addressed the president of the CMB demanding an exemplary response to the referee. The boxer considers that he received a slab that conditioned his professional career, although he achieved 17 victories after the fight and disputed the WBC super bantamweight world championship, losing against Óscar Larios.
