By Radio Rahim
Former two division champion and Golden Boy Promotions partner Bernard Hopkins, felt Manny Pacquiao was the overwhelming winner when he fought Jeff Horn earlier this month at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.
But Horn shocked the entire boxing worked when he won a twelve round unanimous decision over Pacquiao to capture the WBO welterweight title.
The three official judges handed down scorecards of 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113.
Hopkins saw the contest in another light. He scored nine rounds of the fight for Pacquiao and believes he clearly won at least eight of the twelve.
"I was shaking my head, based on the decision. I gave Pacquiao at least nine rounds, eight easy. I don't see how [Horn won]. I don't know what they [the judges] were watching. I don't even call it a demand for a rematch, because I think people feel that it's going to be even easier for Pacquiao - and Pacquiao is not even the Pacquiao of two years, three years or even five years ago, but that Pacquiao fighting the other night [got the win]," Hopkins told BoxingScene.com.
"I think in another man's country, [Horn] could survive with Pacquiao. I think you see that often in the sport, with three judges judging the fight and everybody saw, and it not always the case, the same fight. But there is no way in the world that Pacquiao lost that fight, no way in the world."
There is a rematch clause in the contract. Pacquiao, 38 years old, has not officially exercised that option.
Hopkins would advise the former eight division world champion to forget about Horn and move in another direction.
"I think he should move on and not have sour grapes about it... move on at this stage of his career and fight somebody meaningful - a fight that's not only going to be profitable but also to enhance his legacy," Hopkins said.
2023-10-18 23:55:11
