Bradley’s defeat of Pacquiao meets with disapproval

The Filipino fighter appeared to have done more than enough to take the decision on Saturday night, despite slowing down in the later stages, but was left stunned by the decision which cost him as his WBO welterweight belt.

Two judges scored the bout 115-113 to the unbeaten Bradley and one handed the win to Pacquiao by the same score, the crowd reacting angrily and jeering when the verdict was returned.

Defeat must now place the long-delayed but much-debated super-fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr in serious doubt.

“He never hurt me with his punches,” said Pacquiao. “I did my best. I guess my best wasn’t good enough. Most of his punches hit my arm. I don’t know what happened.”

Bradley added: “Manny hurt me a few times with his left hand. He’s a beast. But my corner told me if I won the last round, I’d win the fight.

“I’ve got to give Manny a rematch.”

Criticism of the decision came thick and fast, with Pacquiao’s training partner Amir Khan branding it “robbery”, Lennox Lewis calling it disgraceful and fight promoter Bob Arum saying it was “nuts”.

Khan, who has been rebuffed by Bradley in the past, said on Twitter: “What a robbery. Bradley did not win this fight. The crowd are booing while he’s being interviewed.”

Khan had previously been critical of the judging in his own defeat at the hands of Lamont Peterson in December.

And the Bolton fighter, who was commentating on the fight at ringside, claimed the decision was further evidence boxing had to “clean up” its act.

“I’m shocked more than anything,” he said. “Manny won that fight clearly, I’d give it him by at least eight rounds. But the judges had it differently.

“It just shows that boxing has to clean up. The same thing happened to me when I fought Peterson.”

The win improves Bradley’s record to 29-0, with 12 knockouts, but there is sure to be considerable discussion about the manner of this result.

Pacquiao’s entrance to the fight was delayed, with the Filipino reportedly using a treadmill working on tight calves.

When he did arrive, he started sluggishly in the opening round only to land three meaty lefts in the closing moments to apparently edge it.

Bradley was allowing too many lefts to land, but was working hard to keep himself in the game, landing decent right-hands in the second and third round.

Pacquiao nevertheless looked comfortable, boxing within himself but seemingly controlling the pace. By the fifth round Bradley was in visible discomfort with an injured foot. A pattern had started to emerge, with Bradley attempting to come out hard at the start of each round but Pacquiao finishing strongly and connecting with some considerable blows.

Bradley enjoyed his best moments of the fight in the last three rounds as Pacquiao’s control waned a little and the challenger unleashed an array of punches in the 12th to close on a high, but the decision still came as a shock.