Former Filipino Referee Admits to Cheating in Manny Pacquiao Title Fight

A few years down the line, as he looks back to the Manny Pacquiao fight, Nadal’ Skinny’ Hussein’s heart will burst with anger and impotent rage. The scars of what was ‘snatched’ away from him had barely healed. The current revelation from his past opened a can of worms.

Carlos’ Sonny’ Dolorico Padilla Jr. officiated the WBC Super Bantamweight title fight on October 14th, 2000, at Antipolo, Philippines. He revealed that he deliberately took time to count when Hussein knocked down Manny Pacquiao in the fourth round.

Recounting the infamous incident during an interview which is now viewable on YouTube, Padilla confessed, “I’m Filipino, and everybody watching the fight is Filipino, so I prolonged the count. I know how to do it. When he got up, I told him, ‘Hey, are you okay?’ Still prolonging the fight. ‘Are you okay?’ ‘Okay, fight!'”

Read More: Manny Pacquiao Reveals His 8 Powerful Statements for the Day

Twenty-one-year-old Manny Pacquiao won the WBC International Super Bantamweight title when he defeated Reyante Jamili on December 18th, 1999. Later, he defended it twice against Arnel Barotillo and Seung Kon Chae within six months.

The prolific fighter faced the next title defense in October against the Australian Super Bantamweight champion.

Take care; the PacMan needs to win

Padilla mentioned receiving calls for ‘taking care’ of the match since it was critical for Pacquiao to win and retain the title. Hussein was no doormat. Jeff Fenech, arguably the greatest boxer to come out of Australia, was his trainer. The Sydneysider stood out at 5 feet and seven inches in sheer physicality.

‘The Skinny’ knocked the air out of PacMan in the fourth round. As he gasped, referee Carlos Padilla Jr. stepped in to save the day for one of the greatest boxers in history.

Counting slower than usual, he timed it perfectly for Pacquiao to recover and start fresh. Further, he would butt in every time Hussein pushed Manny, informing judges to deduct the Australian’s point. Then, not stopping, he details how he helped convert Manny’s head-butt to a punch, making it legal. The move avoided a point deduction for Manny.

Finally, the cut Hussein received from Pacquiao’s head butt forced the doctor on site to declare him unfit for a further fight. Thus, Manny Pacquiao managed to defend his title through a technical knock-out.

Act II : Nedal Hussein, Manny Pacquiao, Carlos Padilla Jr.

Knocked for six, an upset Hussein remembers that his camp was ‘aware’ of the dishonorable behavior, but more than the act per se, the moral turpitude appalled him.

“It’s not the fact that he said what he said. It’s more because we already knew it. But the way he said it with a smirk and a smile like he was proud of what he had done, like the depth of corruption, it’s obviously in his veins and his heart.”

Continuing for another seven years Nadal Hussein could never win a world title.

For referee Padilla, the Hussein – Pacquiao bout was the last he refereed. Later, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Philippine Sportswriters Association. Manny, for his part, went on to bigger fights and created history. It is a legacy we all are thorough with and cherish.

Like his former rival Floyd Mayweather, he is reportedly planning a comeback exhibition. On December 11th, he will take on South Korean YouTuber D K Yoo in Seoul.

Watch Out for More: The PacMan’s journey

The incident, a skeleton in the closet till now, may never match the uproar, the infamy, Maradona’s Hand of God caused. So what do you feel after listening to this blast from the past?