Grand larceny
in Las Vegas

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

This time we Filipinos should not fear we would be called “poor losers” if we rise up in indignation over what the obviously unworthy judges chosen for the much-awaited Pacquiao-Bradley fight did to the sport of boxing.

As the whole world watched Manny Pacquiao, the world’s greatest pound-for-pound boxer, and holder of eight championship titles in different weight categories, pummel the challenger Timothy Bradley in the ring of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, everybody thought that the conclusion was inevitable, that Manny Pacquiao had clearly shown the upstart who is who in the ring.

Alas, all of us who were watching did not reckon that the promoters of the fight had chosen for judges three men who must have already made up their minds before the fight, whom they were going to crown as the winner. Because as boxing fans thrilled to the skill and the fluid movements of the Philippine Pacman that sent the supposedly unbeaten Bradley cowering, or retreating to gather his wits much of the time, we did not know that his worst opponents were two unjust judges who would never acknowledge him as the winner.

Not even the statistics from the compubox that recorded all the blows thrown and had connected by the antagonists, could convince them to name the true winner. What could have been the motivation for them to do that?

There are speculations about the role of the Mafia, and even of the present administration of the United States where an election is coming. But boxing is supposed to be a sport that, despite its savagery at times, happens to be a very popular one. Could there be truth in the alleged Mafia intervention, or did Timothy Bradley happen to have a guardian angel who blindfolded the judges even to the mechanically tallied statistics of the fight?

We fully agree with reporter Ron Borges of the Boston Herald who wrote that Manny Pacquiao “became a victim of not merely theft, but grand larceny” in Las Vegas Saturday night (Sunday in the Philippines).”*