Nagbago ng pahayag ang pamosong analyst ng ESPN na trainer ngayon ni WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley na si Teddy Atlas nang sabihin nitong dapat nagtabla sa unang laban ng Amerikano at ng 8 division world titlist na si Manny Pacquiao noong Hunyo 9, 2012 sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ayon kay Tony Deebs ng Boxing Buzz, kakatwa ang bagong pahayag ni Atlas sa BoxingScene.com na nirepaso niya ang laban at dapat idineklara itong tabla.
“The first fight, I had Timmy winning six rounds. That’s a draw. That’s a draw in my book,” giit ni Atlas. “I had him winning six rounds. If I look at it again – which I will look at it again, obviously – maybe I’d find something else. Maybe I’d say he won seven rounds…I don’t see the backlash. I see a competitive fight. I see a reason for them to fight a third time,”ang bagong pahayag ni Atlas.
Kumbinsidong tinalo ni Pacquiao si Bradley sa kanilang rematch noong 2014 kaya kabado si Top Rank big boss Bob Arum na hindi na bumenta ang laban lalo sa pay-per-view ng HBO.
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Ngunit para kay Deebs, ang pagbabago ng statement ni Atlas ay paraan lamang upang maging kontrobersiyal ang laban. Ginawa niyang halimbawa ang komento ni Atlas mismo sa unang laban.
“The bottom line is, if you’re an honest man, if you’re a competent person that knows what he’s watching, Pacquiao won that fight,” sabi ni Atlas sa kanyang post-fight analysis sa ESPN. “Only one man won that fight. And, you know, he doesn’t get the decision. It’s an injustice to the sport, injustice to the fighters, injustice to the fan base...the worst thing you can say about the sport is it’s either corruption or incompetence.
“I saw it. I think you saw it. I think that even the HBO commentators saw it. I think the fan base saw it. But unfortunately, the most important people in the crowd that were supposed to see it, the judges, for some reason, they didn’t see it. Look, I think that we should have a national commission in boxing, I think there should be an accountability,” sabi pa ni Atlas. (Gilbert Espeña)
