Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Monday 3 July 2017

Pacquiao

Continued from Page 17

But it was Pacquiao who
allowed the fight to be
as close as it was, and
it’s hard to argue much
(though those blabbering
on ESPN certainly did) with
the two judges who had it
115-113 in Horn’s favor.
Besides, Pacquiao knew
going in what was ex-
pected of him. He need-
ed to dominate and he
didn’t, outside of a ninth
round where he tried his
best to take Horn out only
to punch himself out and
leave the final rounds in
Horn’s hands.
After 22 years as a pro, Pac-
quiao should have known
the old boxing axiom: Go
to someone’s hometown,
and sometimes you get a
hometown decision.
Forget about the punch
counts, which showed
Pacquiao landing twice
the number of punches Manny Pacquiao, right, of the Philippines and Jeff Horn, left, of Australia fight during their WBO World welterweight title bout in
Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, July 2, 2017.
that Horn did. Associated Press
Those punches are count-
ed by humans and with
the awkward style of both score a reputed $10 million analyst Teddy Atlas and hour prime-time marathon. can be influenced by the
fighters, it was difficult with- payday. the bloviating Stephen As for Atlas, well, he’s an crowd’s frenzied backing
out the benefit of slow-mo- The talk before the fight was A. Smith, you would have acquired taste for the casu- of Horn just as television
tion replays to see just who that there weren’t many thought this was the rob- al fan. It’s one thing to play viewers can be influenced
landed what as the two opponents for Pacquiao bery of the century, when it the role of outraged ring- by analysts who insist that
flurried furiously at times in after Horn, unless he was was anything but. side expert, but Atlas is so in the way they see the fight
the ring. offered up as fodder for It’s also not a stain on box- love with his own voice that is the only way it could pos-
The real problem was that Terrence Crawford or Keith ing in any fashion. Fights even when he was talking sibly be seen.
Pacquiao couldn’t finish Thurman in one final effort are subjective, judges see to the fighters afterward he The fact is, Pacquiao is an
Horn in the ninth round, to cash in on his name. At different things and the was giving long statements aging fighter who has been
something that isn’t new least now he’ll get a re- fact is that Pacquiao simply instead of asking pertinent in too many ring wars. Time
for the Filipino great, who match with Horn, assuming couldn’t reach down and questions. catches up with all fight-
hasn’t stopped anyone in he can get enough time find enough to take the Still, unlike the Aug. 26 cha- ers, and it looked for long
eight years. away from his duties as a decision out of their hands. rade with Mayweather and stretches in Sunday’s fight
He also couldn’t win the senator in the Philippines to The people at ESPN who Conor McGregor, this was like it finally caught up with
12th round on any score- take the fight. signed a deal with pro- a real fight. Both fighters him.
card, when a strong final “That’s the decision of the moter Bob Arum for a se- were bloodied and bat- Give Horn credit for beat-
round would have sal- judges. I respect that,” Pac- ries of Saturday night fights tered, yet both refused to ing a legend, faded as Pac-
vaged a draw in the wel- quiao said afterward. “We weren’t crying foul after- give an inch even as the quiao might be. Give both
terweight title bout. have a rematch clause, so ward. They had to be ec- rounds went on and the credit for fighting through
The top fighters do that. no problem.” static with an entertaining blood kept flowing. head clashes and blood to
But Pacquiao is no longer Those screaming on ESPN fight card that ended with Mute the television and fight to the final bell.
among the elite, which is and in social media after- enough controversy to let it looked like a very close And enjoy the rematch,
why he had to go to Aus- ward should have been Smith babble on endlessly fight. I had Pacquiao win- because there will surely be
tralia in the first place to as calm. Between ringside even at the end of a 4½ ning 115-113, but judges one.q