Mendoza: Arum is ‘The Real Upset of The Decade’
-A A +AAll Write
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
BOB Arum promotes both Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley.
As promoter, he chooses fights for his fighters.
As promoter, he arranges fights for his fighters.
As promoter, he makes sure his fighters are never short-changed.
In short, Arum always looks after the welfare of his fighters.
But how about when two of his fighters are up against each other?
Does he have to be neutral? I mean, is he forbidden to take sides?
I guess so.
He should be happy either way the fight goes.
He should welcome the result whichever way it goes.
Agree?
Not to Arum.
With the way Arum reacted to the outcome of the Pacquiao-Bradley fight wherein judges CJ Ross and Duane Ford found Bradley the winner by identical 115-133 scores, it could very well mean that he sided with Pacquiao.
Really? Read on.
Jerry Roth, the third judge, saw Pacquiao the winner 115-113, thus the split decision victory for Bradley.
I had Pacquiao the winner, also by 115-113.
I’d figure Arum saw Pacquiao the winner, otherwise, Arum would not react the way he did when ring barker Michael Buffer announced Bradley the winner.
“That was the most ludicrous decision I’ve seen in my boxing life ever,” Arum said of the verdict.
Arum would next demand for an investigation of the result, obliquely suggesting that pro-Bradley Ross and Ford ought to be probed.
I found this funny, if not ludicrous, too, since Arum pretty well knows that decisions in boxing are irreversible.
It also exposed his bias for Pacquiao and thoroughly belittled Bradley’s efforts.
To be sure, I’m sure Arum strongly felt that Pacquiao won, just like the majority in the crowd and virtually the whole world even.
But for him to openly express his displeasure at the decision -- would that be all right?
Bradley’s victory might be the “Upset of The Decade” all right but if I call Arum’s reaction to the verdict as “The Upset of The Decade,” will you mind?
Never mind.
But how about if I call Arum’s tirade “The Most Unreal Upset of The Decade?”
Let’s get real here, please.
If Bradley isn’t sore at Arum, then the new champ is not real, too.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on June 19, 2012.
Sports
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