Other Sport
Nothing illegal in Manny's loss
2012-07-04 08:39
Manny Pacquiao (Gallo Images)
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Las Vegas - Nevada's state attorney general has found nothing illegal or criminal in Manny Pacquiao's split-decision loss to Timothy Bradley.
Interviews with the referee of the welterweight title fight in Las Vegas on June 9, two Nevada Gaming Control Board officials and state athletic commission director Keith Kizer turned up no evidence of wrongdoing.
State attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto has confirmed this in the letter to Top Rank chief executive Bob Arum.
Arum, who manages both fighters, asked for an inquiry on June 11, telling Masto he hoped it would "show the world that there were no improprieties."
"Displeasure with the subjective decisions of sporting officials is not a sufficient basis for this office to initiate a criminal investigation," Masto's wrote.
"There do not appear to be any facts or evidence to indicate that a criminal violation occurred."
Masto’s aide Jennifer Lopez issued a statement calling the matter closed.
Bradley won 115-113 on two scorecards and lost by the same margin on the third.
The decision was booed by the ringside crowd at the MGM Grand arena, drew a video review by the WBO and resulted in a call by Pacquiao for a rematch.
A five-judge panel assembled by the WBO championship committee unanimously favoured the Filipino fighter in a review. However, the WBO can't overturn the result of the fight.