The ripple effects of Francis Ngannou‘s controversial loss to Tyson Fury appear to resonate across the boxing world. Emotions are running high after the judges awarded Fury a victory by split decision. Now, former 8-division champion and one of boxing’s all-time greats, Manny Pacquiao, seems to have caught the attention of fans and followers for his relatively innocuous reaction.

Sitting at the ringside, when he heard Fury being declared the bout’s winner, a delighted Manny Pacquiao started cheering. Amidst shouts, looking at the camera, he said, “I told you it’s a split decision…it’s a split decision, close by.” But many fans would have none of it, as it appears. One by one, many chimed in with their feelings. To some, it appeared that ‘The PacMan’ found solace when a boxer won. To others, the smile on the former champion’s face seemed unfair since he had lost many bouts due to unfair decisions.

Manny Pacquiao: Ignorance is bliss? Fans ask

According to the following user, in all probability, Manny Pacquiao may not be aware of why he’s so ecstatic. He was smiling even when Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated him in 2015. The user said, “Pacquiao doesn’t know why he’s [cheering]. He was happy as hell when Mayweather whipped his a**.” Then, according to the next fan, perhaps embarrassed by Tyson Fury’s performance, Pacquiao finally seemed relieved. It was as if he wanted to thank the judges for restoring a degree of honor to boxing. The fan wrote,” Manny Pacquiao is like, thank God that the judges did rescued our game from this global embarrassment.” The following fan pointed at Dmitry Bivol, sitting behind Manny Pacquiao. The Light Heavyweight champion appeared unenthusiastic about the fight’s outcome since he knew that Francis Ngannou had been unfairly treated. The fan said, “Even Dimitry Bivol at the back of Pacquiao wasn’t excited at the fight result because he knew Ngannou was robbed...”

Manny Pacquiao’s reaction seems to have surprised the following user. They highlighted how often in his career, ‘The PacMan’ has been denied a victory. “Really surprised from Manny’s reaction after how many times he was robbed,” The user said. On the other hand, for the first time, this fan ever disliked the Filipino great. The latter wanted Tyson Fury to win and thus make boxing appear suitable to everyone. The fan said, “First time I don’t like Manny… just because he doesn’t want boxing looks bad in the world..he really wants Fury [to win] that fight….”

‘The PacMan’s Swan Song?

It’s been over two years since Manny Pacquiao retired from professional boxing. However, somewhere in one corner of his heart, the sport still beats around. Despite an outstanding and glorious career, there remains a gap in his career. It is an Olympic medal. Unlike many of his peers, such as Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao has yet to score a win at the biggest sports event.

Thus, to close the most pronounced chink in his career, Manny Pacquiao recently announced his intentions to represent his country during next year’s Olympics. The Olympic committee of his country formally requested that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) consider his participation under the universality rule. Given he would turn 45 in December, fans are keenly watching whether ‘The PacMan’ could finally fulfill his one last professional dream.

Read More: “Hustle Don’t Stop”: Manny Pacquiao Leaving For Saudi Arabia In Recent Clip Leaves Fans Ecstatic

What’s your take on the reactions? Do you think fans are justified in getting angry over the boxing great’s reactions? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

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