WBC launches investigation on referee over Pacquiao title win

Pacquiao triumphed by TKO and went on to win five different world championships

By Web Desk
December 01, 2022
Manny Pacquiao defeat Nedal Hussein and successfully defend his WBC International super-bantamweight title in Manila in 2000 — AFP

KARACHI: The World Boxing Council (WBC) is investigating allegations made by former referee Carlos Padilla that he affected the result of a Manny Pacquiao championship bout in the past.

In order to assist Pacquiao defeat Nedal Hussein and successfully defended his WBC International super-bantamweight title in Manila in 2000, Padilla claimed he extended a count.

He added that he snubbed Pacquiao's headbutt, which caused a cut above Hussein's left eye and forced the fight to be stopped for medical reasons.

Pacquiao triumphed by TKO and went on to win five different world championships.

"The WBC has appointed a committee to look into this matter and we will be working on this situation with full attention," WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told BBC Sport.

Before agreeing to fight Hussein, Padilla claimed he was informed that the match would be "essential" for Pacquiao's career.

Before defeating South African Lehlo Ledwaba in 2001 to win the IBF super-bantamweight championship, Pacquiao continued to defend the title twice more.

"Manny is not a (super-bantamweight) world champion yet. He was only a god in the Philippines," said Padilla.

"They told me 'Carlos, please, this is an important fight for Manny because the winner will have a chance to fight for the world championship'."

"I am a Filipino and everybody is a Filipino watching the fight," Padilla said. "So I prolong the count. I know how to do it. When he gets up I say to him 'Hey, are you OK?', which is prolonging the fight."

Later in the round, Pacquiao was knocked down once more, but Australian Hussein was penalised for an elbow, and Padilla claimed that Pacquiao was given more time to recover.

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