By Henni Espinosa ABS-CBN North America Bureau June 13, 2012
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—The executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) said the judges’ controversial decision in the match between boxer Timothy Bradley and former World Boxing Organization title holder Manny Pacquiao cannot be reversed. “Even if the commission wanted to overturn the decision, they just don’t have the power to do so,” NSAC executive director Keith Kizer told Balitang America in a phone interview. “There’s just no basis for it in the law. There’s just no power to do so.”
The NSAC regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of Nevada, including licensing and supervision of promoters, boxers, kick boxers, mixed martial arts fighters, ring officials, managers, and matchmakers. “The judges’ decision is final. If you see a soccer match or a baseball game or football game — even if later, the sanction(ing) body thinks the umpire or referee made the wrong call, the call still stands and there has to be finality,” explained Kizer. Kizer admitted that after watching the fight, he personally thought Pacquiao had the win. “It was a situation where Bradley was able to finish strong,” he said. “Was it enough to overcome Manny? I didn’t think so. But I could see someone thinking so.” WORLD BOXING ORGANIZATION ECHOES NSAC Kizer’s statements echo the World Boxing Organization (WBO) president’s words earlier today. WBO president Francisco Valcarcel said that their organization is also accepting the judges’ decision as final, reported boxingscene.com. “We want to get the impression of five international judges but we cannot reverse the decision,” said Valcarcel. As a courtesy, the WBO will send their review to the NSAC, which has no power to change the judges’ call. Bradley won 115-113 on two scorecards, while losing by the same margin on the third. The decision was roundly booed Saturday night by the crowd at the MGM Grand arena. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum has said that he has submitted a formal request for an inquiry to the Nevada attorney general’s office.
RESPONDING TOCOMPLAINTS The NSAC has responded to the letter of a Filipino-led advocacy group, Migrant Heritage Commission, that called for a full investigation into Pacquiao’s controversial loss. Migrant Heritage Commission executive director Arnedo Valera said that Kizer emailed him last night, citing Raymond Avansino, the chairperson of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, as saying, “We had three seasoned professional working and I don’t question their determinations. Unless something is brought to our attention that there was improper behavior, we’re not going to take any action. I’m not going to second guess our judges.” Valera said the Migrant Heritage Commission sent a formal letter to Bradley, requesting him to give up the belt.
In their letter, the group told Bradley, “You are a great boxer but you lost to a boxing icon, fair and square.” Bradley has yet to respond.
BETTER BOXING REGULATION In the aftermath of Pacquiao’s devastating loss to Bradley, top lawmakers in the U.S. plan to reintroduce a boxing bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) urged Congress to take up a boxing regulatory bill they’ve been pushing for the past decade.
The bill would establish a National Boxing Commission that would regulate the sport, and set licensing standards for boxers, judges and referees and registration standards for promoters and trainers.
McCain has expressed interest in introducing the bill again and said he considers the controversial Pacquiao-Bradley bout, a “black mark” in image of professional boxing. Reid said, “Senator McCain and I have been trying for years, years to get a National Boxing Bill passed here. We have not been able to do it. Maybe this will be the impetus that can get Senator McCain and I to get back on this and to work on it again.” ON INVESTIGATING THE CONTROVERSIAL BOUT On the pressure from many boxing fans and from Arum for boxing officials to conduct a full investigation on the Pacquiao-Bradley fight, Reid said, “If an investigation makes everyone feel better, do the investigation.” Reid was a former member of the NSAC and had judged boxing matches before becoming a senator.
As a former boxer himself, Reid said he was impressed by Pacquiao’s boxing skills. Pacquiao endorsed Reid’s reelection bid in 2010. Reid said, “One of my very good friends was one of the judges in this fight and from all the reports that I’ve seen by people on the outside who saw the fight and tempted to be fair and judge the fight, Pacquiao won the fight.” Meantime, Jennifer Lopez, a spokesperson for Nevada’s State Attorney General Catherine Cortez, said that on Monday, June 11, Arum submitted a complaint about the decision in the Pacquiao-Bradley fight.
Lopez said: “We are treating this complaint like any other complaint our office receives. We will review the information submitted and take appropriate action if necessary. Per standard office policy procedures, we do not confirm or deny if we have an ongoing criminal investigation.” COMPLAINTS The NSAC has responded to the letter of a Filipino-led advocacy group, Migrant Heritage Commission, that called for a full investigation into Pacquiao’s controversial loss. Migrant Heritage Commission executive director Arnedo Valera said that Kizer emailed him last night, citing Raymond Avansino, the chairperson of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, as saying, “We had three seasoned professional working and I don’t question their determinations. Unless something is brought to our attention that there was improper behavior, we’re not going to take any action. I’m not going to second guess our judges.” Valera said the Migrant Heritage Commission sent a formal letter to Bradley, requesting him to give up the belt.
In their letter, the group told Bradley, “You are a great boxer but you lost to a boxing icon, fair and square.” Bradley has yet to respond.
BETTER BOXING REGULATION In the aftermath of Pacquiao’s devastating loss to Bradley, top lawmakers in the U.S. plan to reintroduce a boxing bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) urged Congress to take up a boxing regulatory bill they’ve been pushing for the past decade.
The bill would establish a National Boxing Commission that would regulate the sport, and set licensing standards for boxers, judges and referees and registration standards for promoters and trainers.
McCain has expressed interest in introducing the bill again and said he considers the controversial Pacquiao-Bradley bout, a “black mark” in image of professional boxing. Reid said, “Senator McCain and I have been trying for years, years to get a National Boxing Bill passed here. We have not been able to do it. Maybe this will be the impetus that can get Senator McCain and I to get back on this and to work on it again.” ON INVESTIGATING THE CONTROVERSIAL BOUT On the pressure from many boxing fans and from Arum for boxing officials to conduct a full investigation on the Pacquiao-Bradley fight, Reid said, “If an investigation makes everyone feel better, do the investigation.” Reid was a former member of the NSAC and had judged boxing matches before becoming a senator.
As a former boxer himself, Reid said he was impressed by Pacquiao’s boxing skills. Pacquiao endorsed Reid’s reelection bid in 2010. Reid said, “One of my very good friends was one of the judges in this fight and from all the reports that I’ve seen by people on the outside who saw the fight and tempted to be fair and judge the fight, Pacquiao won the fight.” Meantime, Jennifer Lopez, a spokesperson for Nevada’s State Attorney General Catherine Cortez, said that on Monday, June 11, Arum submitted a complaint about the decision in the Pacquiao-Bradley fight.
Lopez said: “We are treating this complaint like any other complaint our office receives. We will review the information submitted and take appropriate action if necessary. Per standard office policy procedures, we do not confirm or deny if we have an ongoing criminal investigation.”
