Manny won’t disrespect Horn

BRISBANE – Dethroned WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao displayed class and sportsmanship in refusing to denigrate Jeff Horn who clearly employed dirty tactics in winning a unanimous 12-round decision to wrest the 147-pound crown at the Suncorp Stadium here yesterday.

Asked to comment on American referee Mark Nelson’s tolerant attitude towards the roughhousing Horn, Pacquiao only smiled and shrugged his shoulders.  He wouldn’t even question the fairness of the verdict despite the surprisingly lopsided scorecard of New York judge Waleska Roldan who saw it 117-111.  The two other judges Chris Flores, a criminal defense lawyer from Arizona, and Ramon Cerdan of Buenos Aires had it both 115-113. 

The scorecards appeared to contradict the fight stats which put Pacquiao ahead in punches landed, 182-92, connection rate, 32 percent to 15 percent and power shots landed, 123-73.  Horn had the edge in volume, 625 punches thrown to 573 but he wasn’t as accurate as Pacquiao.

After the fight, Pacquiao was whisked to a private room for cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Roth to patch up his two scalp wounds.  The procedure took about an hour with four stitches in the inner skin layer and five in the outer on the left side and two stitches in the inner skin layer and three in the other on the right.  In all, Dr. Roth used 15 stitches to sew up Pacquiao’s cuts which were inflicted by headbutts.

Pacquiao admitted his focus was to take out Horn with one punch.  He looked for an early disposal.  Horn, however, proved tougher than expected and crowded Pacquiao with a relentless assault to take away his space and mobility.  Pacquiao never bargained for such a gritty stand.  Still, the numbers showed that Pacquiao might have done enough to retain the title.

Pacquiao said a rematch is a possibility, perhaps in the Philippines.  It’s something he’ll think about in the coming days.  Horn said he’s agreeable to a rematch.  The outcome hasn’t dampened Pacquiao’s spirits.  Unmindful of the cuts on his skull, Pacquiao did a jig and shadow-boxed in his dugout.  He combed his hair in front of a mirror and wore dark glasses before leaving the stadium for the hotel.

Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee said she’ll ask the fighting Senator to consider retiring.  “It’s his decision,” she said.  “But maybe, he should think about it.  If he retires from boxing, it would make Mommy D happy and of course, our kids and me.  Now’s not the time to make any decision.  We’ll discuss it and in the end, it’s up to Manny.”