14.05.04 – By Dennis Principe: THE Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) yesterday junked the formal protest filed by Filipino boxing kingpin Manny Pacquiao regarding his controversial 12-round split draw verdict versus world Featheweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez. NSAC Attorney General Brian Sandoval immediately responded to the protest by informing the Pacquiao camp that a review of Nevada law states that “there is no protest procedure to challenge or overturn a decision rendered in a boxing match based on the allegations made in your letter.”
“To our knowledge, Mr. Burt Clements never said that he thought “that Nevada’s rules and customs prohibit judges from issuing a 10-6 score.” was what Sandoval stated in a letter addressed to Atty. Lamont Jones, who is representing Pacquiao/M&M Sports.
The NSAC letter added that Clements “never said that he thought that Nevada’s rules and customs prohibit judges from issuing a 10-6 score.
“In fact, you claim that Mr. Clements allegedly said to Commission Executive Director Marc Ratner, “You don’t like 10-6s, right?” That is not the same as saying, “You don’t allow 10-6s, right?”
Clements gave a 10-7 score for the 25-year-old Pacquiao after the first round despite the fact that the Filipino champion floored Marquez three times in the same round.
The two other judges, Guy Jutras and John Stewart tallied a 10-6 round in favor of Pacquiao.
NSAC also maintained that a judge’s subjective feelings about the appropriateness of 10-6 rounds are part of his/her judgment.
The Commission contradicted Team Pacquiao’s allegation that Clements asked officials to correct the error during the bout.
“Consequently, just as a football referee cannot change his or her call on a play after the next play begins, a boxing judge cannot amend his or her score on a round after the next round begins.”
Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Marquez, holder of both International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Council (WBC) 126-lb belts, prefers to face IBF top challenger Orlando Salido in a title defense this August.
Marquez said that he is still willing to face Pacquiao provided that the latter will stake a major title in their rematch.
World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight ruler In Jin Chi of Korea has been recently mentioned as one of Pacquiao’s probably opponent.
Though regarded as “People’s Champion” and Ring Magazine featherweight titleholder, Pacquiao is not recognized as an official world champion by any sanctioning body.