After spending some time reflecting on his weekend loss to Jeff Horn in Brisbane, Manny Pacquiao is speaking out on the referee and what he feels was a set-up.
Boxingscene.com reports that Pacquiao told a group of reporters aboard his flight back to the Philippines, which included the Manila Bulletin, that the referee wasn’t competent and he feels set up. Declining to state a name, the assumption is Pacquiao is referring to promoter Bob Arum who arranged the fight in Australia. Shifting back to the subject of referee Mark Nelson, Pacquiao complained that Horn was allowed to get away with dirty tactics like head butting which left him requiring fifteen stitches after the fight.
Aboard the same flight, Pacquiao was reportedly asked if the controversial decision was connected to his soon-to-expire promotional contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank to which Pacquiao replied, “Let’s not think about that.”
Pacquiao has said on the record that he is open to a rematch in the Philippines but there is some confusion on what is contained in the agreement. Arum says there is a rematch clause in the contract while Pacquiao’s advisor Michael Koncz says no such condition exists in what he negotiated according to Philstar.com.
Horn won the fight by unanimous decision with final scores of 117-111, 115-113, 115-113 over Pacquiao.
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