Well, I figure after the fight last
night, there was little to do but to watch it and see just how bad
that homophobic, bigoted big-mouth got screwed.
Jeff Horn is a world champion this day
in Australia, with a hotly-disputed decision over Manny Pacquiao in
his home Australia...
So here's how I would've scored it
(and, courtesy of Bloody Elbow, SB Nation's boxing blog,
how
the judges did)...
ROUND 1: Not much landed by either
fighter, but as far as control of the ring and the like, no contest
here. Round to Horn. All three judges also gave the round to Horn.
ROUND 2: Really look at, if you watch
this fight on ESPN streams or whatever else you choose to use, as to
who's making who go which way when nothing big is landing. For at
least the first half of round 2, it's the same as round 1 – Horn's
doing the moving, Pacquiao is being moved. One of the main precepts
of boxing judging is called “ring generalship”, and, with the
lack of many substantive punches in the first two rounds, Jeff Horn,
even in my book, has won them both! Round to Horn for 20-18. There
was some dissent on the WBO scorecards: Waleska Roldan and Ramon
Corgan scored the round for Horn for 20-18. Chris Flores, however,
scored the round for Pacquiao for 19-19.
ROUND 3: Pacquiao looks old and slow,
and Horn is able to press him to the ropes for a bit almost
immediately. One of the things I see in the first three rounds is
Horn, with energy, making movement, and Pacquiao is just plodding out
there, and I can see where the judges might key into it. A little
more fire from Pacquiao in the mid-round. Pacquiao lands his first
solid hit on the chin of Horn with 20 seconds to go in Round 3.
Though it does appear Pacquiao is finding the range a bit more, Horn
still had control and ring generalship for the better part of the
round. Round to Horn, but closer than 1 and 2. I have it a sweep
for the Australian so far. All three judges gave the round to
Pacquiao (Roldan and Corgan 29-28 Horn, Flores 29-28 Pacquiao), and I
don't know why. Yeah, he gave a bit more in the latter half or so of
the round, but is that and one decent shot to the chin enough to win
the round?
Probably because Pacquiao cut Horn in
round 3, and blood tends to make an impression on the judges.
ROUND 4: A better ref might've warned
Horn for hand around the head once Pacquiao went down (correctly
ruled no problem for Pacquiao). Good exchange for Horn halfway
through the round. Aussie commentators sensing Horn slowing a bit.
Another good shot for Horn about 45 seconds left seals the round for
a 40-36 sweep so far, but the damage near the eye of Horn is somewhat
worsening. All three judges also gave it to Horn (Roldan and Corgan
39-37 Horn, Flores 38-38.)
I mean, the one round that Pacquiao
won, I think was because of the cut. If you take the cut out of the
equation, it's actually Round 4 where the generalship evens up.
ROUND 5: Horn, again, dictating where
Pacquiao goes early in the round. Horn getting several decent shots
in the first half of the round, nothing really hurting Pacquiao, but
he's making the scoring blows. Pacquiao has to wake up or he's going
to get blown out. Horn might have staggered Pacquiao 30 seconds to
go. Pacquiao basically fighting in much shorter spurts than Horn
here.
Horn's won the first five rounds,
people! The only case you can make for one round for Pacquiao is the
cut in the third. Me: 50-45 Horn. Roldan and Flores gave the round
to Horn, Corgan gave it to Pacquiao. (Roldan, 49-46 Horn, Corgan
48-47 Horn, Flores 48-47 Horn)
ROUND 6: LONG break between the
rounds, but both fighters were ready in the one minute regular time.
Again, Horn bullies Pacquiao into the
ropes, but has to watch his head on several occasions here. And, on
cue, Pacquiao is cut on the headbutt. Referee calls it immediately
and correctly stops it to check.
I'm actually surprised Horn hasn't been
penalized here. That might be the first real case you can make for
an anti-Pacquiao or pro-Horn fix here – the referee is letting Horn
do a lot of things that aren't exactly within the rules here. Horn
nailed him in the scalp with a couple of butts there.
Was ruled accidental, Pacquiao nor I
agree with that. However, if the fight had been stopped, Horn wins a
technical decision on the scorecards due to WBO rules, since 4 rounds
had been completed.
Getting quite rough in there now, as it
appears Pacquiao is beginning to rightly panic.
Though I'd have docked Horn at least
one point for the butt, if not two, Horn wins this round too. Horn's
got the first six, and enough for the draw if nothing happens. 60-54
Horn.
The WBO judges: All three for Horn.
(Roldan, 59-55 Horn, Corgan and Flores 58-56 Horn)
ROUND 7: One of the more even round
starts in the fight so far. Horn allowed a cheapie on the break
about a minute in. Horn hits three right hands to start sequences in
the second minute, unable to follow up. Another butt, though this
one looks like Pacquiao might've started it, stops the fight for
another check. But it's clear Horn is winning almost every exchange
at this point.
You can hear in the coverage the doctor
saying, in his own words, a “terrible” cut. A lot of blood
mixing with the sweat over the left eye on this one.
Horn looking to finish, but Pacquiao
fends off. My card is still clean for Horn. 70-63, and Pacquiao is
in bad trouble.
WBO cards: Also all to Horn. (Roldan,
69-64 Horn, Corgan and Flores 68-65 Horn)
ROUND 8: Pacquiao's corner up in arms
immediately at the official at the end of Round 7. And every reason
to be.
Immediate stop for Horn's glove-tape,
would be addressed between rounds.
Now Pacquiao beginning to fire off a
bit in the first minute of this round. Horn is allowed three little
paws on the break there to Pacquiao. Why is the ref not warning and
taking points???
Big shot for Pacquiao a half-minute to
go. And another near the end of the round. Pacquiao wins that round
on my card for 79-73.
WBO cards: Roldan (78-74 Horn) and
Flores (77-75 Horn) for Pacquiao. Corgan (78-74 for Horn) for Horn
(????))
There's no way Horn won that round.
There's no way it was even. It was Pacquiao's best round of the
fight by a distance, and the next one would prove even more telling!
ROUND 9: Biggest round of the fight
for Pacquiao. Horn establishes early control, but an exchange evens
that up.
All sorts of rough stuff inside, and
the ref, even with two massive Pacquiao cuts due to accidental butts,
is doing NOTHING.
Big shot for Pacquiao at about the
minute mark. And then the barrage begins, as Pacquiao gets off
several of the biggest shots of the fight.
A lot of people pointed to the
Compu-Box numbers in this fight. Pacquiao lands a lot in this round
he wasn't earlier – the Australian commentators I listened to said
the ESPN people had Pacquiao up substantially, and I just can't see
it, until this last half of the eighth and into the ninth.
Horn's taking the round off, and he's
getting annihilated for it! Horn is busted up good, but the ref is
not ordering it checked. Horn staggered hard and has to hold for
dear life as the round ends.
Yeah, I'll say that round was
“extremely decisive” for Pacquiao and give the 10-8. Horn is
busted up good and there might even be some question he comes out for
the 10th. 87-83 Horn.
WBO judges however do not see the 10-8,
in a situation which many question. All do give the round for
Pacquiao. Roldan and Corgan now have it 87-84, Flores has it 86-85,
all to Horn.
ROUND 10: Getting to be a war on the
inside here.
Horn is somehow able to impose ring
generalship again, though his face wouldn't tell that to you.
But now I can say it officially, given
what I've seen over 9 ½ rounds: If you're going to investigate:
START WITH THIS REFEREE. JEFF HORN SHOULD'VE BEEN DISQUALIFIED FOR
NUMEROUS REPEATED AND UNCALLED FOULS.
It seems like any time Pacquiao is
about to get off, side headlock here, butt there, head down with the
forearm over here, little cheapies on the break all over the fight...
Horn should've been DQ'ed. It's beginning to appear that, absent
point deductions, the American uproar is largely a media creation –
it appears that Horn wins this fight if he's not DQ'ed or have 3-4-5
points taken away!
Any generalship advantage Horn had in
this round was largely due to fouling. Pacquiao could not
capitalize, so I'll call this round even. That makes it 97-93 for
Horn on my card.
WBO judges: Roldan had it for Horn
(which I could see if you ignore the blatant fouling allowing Horn to
wrestle Pacquiao around in that round!) for 97-93 Horn. Corgan gave
it to Pacquiao for 96-94 Horn. Flores gave it to Pacquiao for 95-95
even.
So Pacquiao still has a way out here,
and the only real difference between my card and Corgan's was Round
3.
ROUND 11: Horn with ANOTHER large
foul, this one at least cautioned, for a near facewash with the glove
on the first clinch.
Horn just wrestling Pacquiao around,
and the referee is completely slow on the break. And another side
headlock ends another Pacquiao charge.
And seconds later, yet again... And
another punch on the break as Pacquiao is prevented by Horn's holding
and fouling from getting anything off.
More tape problems for Horn later in
the round, and Pacquiao just isn't being allowed to get anything
started! It really appears that Jeff Horn's gameplan was to get a
lead and foul himself to victory, knowing this incompetent/paid off
referee wasn't going to do anything about it!
The referee finally calls Horn for the
cheapies after the break after two more clinches have Horn either
arming Pacquiao's head down or side headlocking him.
Clear round for Pacquiao. It's clear,
now, that Horn believes he's ahead and is willing to repeatedly foul
to prevent a replay of the 9th. 106-103 for Horn, though
– but that's within 3, and Horn has committed enough fouls to get
DQ'ed or have upwards of 4-5 points taken away.
WBO Cards: Roldan to Horn for 107-102,
Flores to Horn and Corgan for Pacquiao for 105-104.
Pacquiao wins the 12th, he
gets a draw. He gets a knockdown, he wins the fight.
ROUND 12: I'll save the WBO judge
bother, because all three gave this round to Horn for the UD win
(117-111 for Roldan, 115-113 for Flores and Corgan).
Horn's able to bully Pacquiao into the
ropes, but then tries to wipe his forehead across Pacquiao's face to
try to butt in another cut!!
Side headlock, more wrestling, ANOTHER
tape timeout....
This fight has become UNWATCHABLE!!!
Good exchange cut off... by another
Horn side-headlock...
Pacquiao getting the slight better of
the punches here. Horn is landing and going forward, but Pacquiao is
more effective.
Another side-headlock after it appears
Pacquiao got a shot in, and it almost looks as if Horn wants to
wrestle Pacquiao's head over the top rope!
Horn is laying, wrestling, and fouling.
Pacquiao is now more effective.
How Horn wins this round on all three
scorecards is a JOKE!
And, as almost a final insult, the
fight is apparently ended 10 seconds early as it appears Horn has
Pacquiao on the ropes to try to con the judges into giving the round.
Pacquiao won that last round. So I
actually agree with 115-113 for Horn, except for a problem...
And here's where you start the “FIX!”
investigation: Referee Mark Nelson. From Maplewood, MN, and a
28-year veteran of officiating fights. Has officiated SOME world
title fights (here's his career from
BoxRec
if you want to see what), but NOTHING of this magnitude.
A number of WBO title fights (and a few
others), but it's clear...
Mark Nelson was put in here to do a
job, and a job he precisely did.
Start the fix investigation here.
He does his damn job as a referee, and Pacquiao wins this fight
either by DQ or on the scorecards.
Two headbutts and a fight full of fouls
won Jeff Horn the WBO World Welterweight Championship.
And now he wants Mayweather... Dear
God...
Yes, the 117-111 was an abortion that
needs it's own look. But if this incompetent stooge who was put in
here to ensure that Jeff Horn won this fight even referees an
acceptable fight, Pacquiao wins on fouls!
On the cards themselves, I actually
agree with 115-113 Horn. I have strong disagreement of Horn winning
the last...
The fact is, though, you've got a dirty
piece of crap as your champion now, and Mark Nelson needs to be
called on the carpet...
