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SPORTS Tuesday 4 July 2017

After shock win over Pacquiao, Horn ignoring the criticism

By JOHN PYE the sport. their feelings be known. scored it much closer at of the 51,052 fans at Sun-
AP Sports Writer Immediately after the fight, “Thank you for the support 115-113. corp Stadium, but couldn’t
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) Pacquiao said he had and for also believing that Top Rank promotor Bob complete the job. His own
— Manny Pacquiao had to respect the decision I won the fight,” he said in Arum said it was a “close handlers agreed that had
already left town without and noted that he had a the TV interview. fight. It could have gone a bearing on the fight —
saying much, even as criti- saying Pacquiao shouldn’t
cism of the referee in the have left it up to the judg-
WBO welterweight world es.
title fight and the judges As he mingled with fans on
who awarded a unani- Monday, his right eye still
mous points decision to a closed, Horn said he hadn’t
previously almost anony- paid a lot of attention to
mous Jeff Horn was still the criticism “but I’ve seen
pouring in on social media. my Facebook and that’s
The 29-year-old Horn, a gone gangbusters at the
former schoolteacher who moment.”
was given almost no hope “Manny Pacquiao is an
of beating the 11-time absolute warrior, a legend
world champion, was feted of the sport.
by fans and politicians in He might have come un-
his hometown on Monday derdone in this fight, I don’t
and didn’t care too much know,” Horn said. “I guess
about criticism — which if we have a rematch and
started in a TV interview as he put his all in, he might
soon as he left the ring on come in better, I don’t
Sunday after the Battle of know.”
Brisbane. One thing the fight has
“There will always be a done is ensure Horn will
backlash where people have a bigger profile be-
say I got lucky, or whatev- fore his next fight, whether
er. There will always be the that be a rematch with
naysayers saying I didn’t Pacquiao — now 59-7-2
win the fight, but I felt like Jeff Horn of Australia celebrates after beating Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines during their WBO and with three losses in his
I won the fight,” Horn, now World welterweight title fight in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, July 2, 2017. last eight fights — or not.
unbeaten in his 18 fights Associated Press Pacquiao was back in the
since turning professional Philippines later Monday,
in 2013, said as he basked clause for a rematch, but “I’m praying that it will not either way.” and had a military guard
in the victory on Monday. he later told a Philippines affect or ruin the boxing in- “A couple of close rounds, of honor to welcome him
“Everyone has a right to news channel that he’d dustry.” but you can’t argue with back to General Santos.
their opinion. I’m sure I’ve been confident he’d won Reports emerged that a the result,” he said after A unanimous points deci-
(gained) a lot more fans the fight. government department the fight. “I scored a lot of sion wasn’t what anyone
over there than I’ve lost.” His trainers were critical of in the Philippines wanted the early rounds for Jeff. had been expecting.
Pacquiao skipped the for- the referee for not doing the WBO to launch an in- Then I had Manny com- “It was, I guess, the Manny
mal post-fight news confer- more to stop or penalize quiry into the outcome. ing back in the middle. The Show.
ence, head clashes and neck The WBO had released the 12th round, Jeff really won. I can remember watching
his camp saying he need- holds. judge’s scores on Sunday If you give Manny the 11th, programs saying the Man-
ed to get seven stitches And they highlighted sta- night. you have it a draw. ny Pacquiao fight in Bris-
in each of the cuts on the tistics that showed Pac- All three judges awarded You give Jeff the 11th, it’s bane — my name wasn’t
top of his head, and also quiao threw twice as many it to Horn, with American 7-5.” normally mentioned,” Horn
declined other interviews punches. Waleska Roldan’s 117-111 The 38-year-old Pacquiao said. “But now hopefully
in the dressing room. In an interview with ABS- score attracting most of had a chance to knock I’m a bit more recognized
Some critics described the CBN News Channel, Pac- the criticism. U.S. judge Horn out in the 9th, with and I’ve established myself
result as a robbery and quiao thanked some high- Chris Flores and Ramon the Aussie on the ropes in the boxing community a
questioned the integrity of profile supporters for letting Cerdan of Argentina each and in big trouble in front bit more.”q