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WBO to review Pacquiao-Horn fight but result reversal unlikely

Jeff Horn won the WBO welterweight title from Manny Pacquiao following a highly-controversial unanimous decision. Reuters (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--The WBO approved GAB's request to review the Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn bout.

In an open letter as response to GAB's letter calling for a recount of the final scores of the controversial match that took place Sunday in Brisbane, the WBO said that it "will appoint five anonymous competent judges from different countries to watch the bout without sound distraction. Then, we will tabulate the results to ascertain clearly which rounds each fighter won using an average scale based on 60, 80 and 100 per cent. This means that 3 of the 5 officials have to agree to determine which fighter won the round."

However, WBO made it clear that it is not keen on reversing the result of the bout, in which Horn won by a controversial unanimous decision over Pacquiao to win the WBO welterweight title unless GAB can show evidence there was fraud that took place involving either Waleska Roldan, Chris Flores, or Ramon Cerdan, the three judges of the said bout.

"I assure you that the officials who participated in this fight are all professional, distinguished, honest and honorable human beings," the WBO further said, although the boxing body added that GAB can immediately send to them and the Australian National Boxing Federation a proof that one of the judges violated the judging protocol "so that we may proceed accordingly."

Roldan came under fire after giving a 117-111 scorecard favoring Horn.

The WBO then stated, "The purpose of this review is to be able to give the fans certainty of who was the winner of the bout, even though we do not have the power to reverse the decision of the Judges based on discretion."

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno