LAS VEGAS – Promoter Bob Arum was still fuming about the split-decision verdict that went against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday and said there would be no rematch with Timothy Bradley unless Nevada attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto launches an investigation.

Bradley, a 4-1 underdog, upset Pacquiao in one of the most controversial outcomes in years to take the World Boxing Organization welterweight title.

All three judges scored it 115-113, with Duane Ford and C.J. Ross seeing it in favor of Bradley and Jerry Roth siding with Pacquiao.

The rematch that Bradley thought he would get may be on hold, at least for a while, however. Arum, whose company promotes both fighters, said his feeling that Pacquiao had won a wide decision had not changed a day later.

But because of the outcry among the fans and media, many of whom accused Arum of somehow rigging the outcome, the veteran promoter said he would demand an investigation.









"I want to investigate whether there was any undue influence, whether the [Nevada Athletic Commission] gave any particular instruction and how they came to this conclusion," said Arum, who at the post-fight news conference was adamant the result was a mistake but not the result of any chicanery. "But the whole sport is in an uproar. People are going crazy.

"If this was a subjective view that each of [the judges] honestly held, OK. I would still disagree, but then we're off the hook in terms of there being no conspiracy. But there needs to be an independent investigation because it strains credulity that an event everybody saw as so one-sided one way all three judges saw it as close. It strains credulity."

[Related: Timothy Bradley beats Manny Pacquiao in controversial split decision]

Ford spoke by telephone to Yahoo! Sports on Sunday. He said the criticism is a part of the job he accepts, but said those criticizing the outcome are almost certainly not familiar with the way fights are judged.

"If this were 'American Idol', without a doubt, Manny Pacquiao would have won," Ford said. "But it was not. I gave an honest opinion. I had Pacquiao up 4-2, I think, at the end of six rounds. I thought he hurt Bradley a couple of times early in the fight. But when the bell rang to end that round, it was over and what happens in one round doesn't carry over to the next round. They're separate units.

"In the second half of the fight, Pacquiao picked off a lot of punches to the head, but Bradley landed some hard body shots. That hurt Pacquiao. I don't mean it hurt him in the sense of it physically hurting him, but in terms of scoring and piling up points. Bradley did an excellent job standing his ground as a boxer. Remember, it's a boxing match and Bradley demonstrated his ability to box expertly."

Bradley has been harshly criticized by many who believe Pacquiao won, but the fact that Bradley won the fight with two badly injured feet should say something about his tenacity.

And the bout might suggest that Pacquiao is declining more than previously thought. If he had trouble with a fighter who had two injured feet and needed a wheelchair to attend the post-fight news conference, how difficult would it have been for him had his opponent been completely mobile?

[Related: Timothy Bradley attends post-fight press conference in wheelchair after win]

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