‘I Just Did What I Had To’: Amid Cheating Scandal, Manny Pacquiao Takes a Bold Stance

Manny Pacquiao, the only fighter in the history of sports who clinched belts in eight weight divisions has established himself as an immaculate boxing great. But after the referee Carlos Padilla’s recent admission, his legacy has been questioned.

The Filipino referee confessed to helping his countryman win the WBC international super-bantamweight championship that took place in October 2000 in Pacquiao’s hometown.

He acknowledged that he prolonged the count when Pacquiao got knocked down in the fourth round of the fight against Nedal Hussein. Stating on the World Boxing Council’s youtube channel, the referee, who oversaw Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier disclosed that he declared Pacquiao’s headbutt a punch.

This became the turning point in the fight. Because that headbutt caused a cut on Hussein’s forehead and later it became the reason for the fight’s stoppage. Pacquiao won the championship by TKO.

What did Manny Pacquiao say about this?

The southpaw legend, who was unaware of this favor prior did not get into details much. He kept his stance simple and clear while responding to the controversy.

He said, “We didn’t cheat. We were just favored because it was our ‘home court. As a boxer, I just did what I had to do.”

Speaking to the local outlet TV Patrol, he added, “I’m just a boxer. I’m just doing my job inside the ring. That’s his problem, not mine.”

Read more- Former Filipino Referee Admits to Cheating in Manny Pacquiao Title Fight

Certainly, it’s not Pacquiao’s problem. He did not pursue the referee to do a favor to him. Referees did not make him great. It’s his skills that made him a Hall of Famer.

What did Hussein say about the cheating scandal?

The Referee’s confession infuriated Hussein. The fight’s verdict changed the course of his life.

He said, “I would have been able to buy a house and been so much better off. With my career, I missed out on the big fights [afterward] because of it. It set me back four years. I hated the sport after that.”

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What do you think of this controversy? Let us know in the comments below.