Many thought Pacquiao won

By Jerome Lagunzad

Australian Jeff Horn’s stunning victory over Manny Pacquiao yesterday in Brisbane, Australia met scathing criticisms from boxing greats and aficionados, down to other notable sports personalities.

“They gave a trophy…a win…a huge win to Horn, a local kid, for trying hard. You’re not supposed to get it for trying hard,” said a visibly irate Teddy Atlas, who called the bout for ESPN alongside fellow commentator Joe Tessitore and guest analyst Timothy Bradley, a former two-division world champion who lost to Pacquiao twice in their own trilogy.

“You’re supposed to get it for winning. And I thought Pacquiao won the fight if you go by the real rules,” he added while pounding both his hands on the commentators’ table.

During the post-match TV interview with Horn at ringside, Atlas, also a veteran boxing trainer, still didn’t hold his punches, saying: “Congratulations! Great effort But I thought you lost.”

Former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis also felt Pacquiao got on the short end of the judges’ decision.

“This is what is wrong with boxing. Horn was very game but I’m hard pressed to see how he could have won that fight by any stretch. #PacHorn,” posted the British star on his personal Twitter account (@LennoxLewis).

Even a pair of up-and-coming NBA stars – Karl Anthony-Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard – expressed their disappointment on how the fight ended.

“Boxing has real issues man. That’s not right,” wrote Lillard (@Dame_Lillard).

Towns (@KarlTowns) shared: “Disrespected @mannypacquiao (Pacquiao’s official Twitter handle) like he’s not a legend.”

Bill Simmons, one of the more popular American sports columnists, was also disgusted with the result. “There’s been a robbery in Argentina!!! I mean Australia,” he posted on Twitter (@BillSimmons).