By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© 2011 Journal Group Link International)

with 2 photos

CHICAGO (jGLi) – Referee Kenny Bayless should not have apologized after the 12 rounds of the welterweight bout for his mistaken call that Filipino pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao was knocked down in the 10^th round in Pacquiao’s lopsided win over American champion Sugar Shane Mosley last Saturday (May 7) at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bayless should have halted the fight immediately if he did not see the cause of the knock down and watched a video footage replay and reconsidered his call had replay warranted a reversal of his call.

This manner of officiating called “instant replay” should now be adopted, according to the manager of former lightweight champion Chicago, Illinois-based David Diaz, Jim Strickland, to avoid controversial calls by boxing referees in the future.

Instant replay is the replaying of video footage of an event or incident in a sport event very soon after it has occurred.

If there were an “instant replay” rule in professional boxing, Bayless’ erroneous call should have been reviewed immediately after Pacquiao fell on his back and if the call was challenged by Pacquiao’s corner.  Bayless should have reviewed the video clip of the fight to find out if he really made a mistake or if he should have stuck by his decision, Mr. Strickland said.

If Bayless reversed his call, Bayless should have informed the judges of his decision.

It was reported that after the fight, Bayless reached out to Pacquiao’s corner and told Pacquiao that “he made a mistake. He didn't see it." And Pacquiao told dzMM anchor Noli de Castro that Pacquiao told Bayless, "It was OK. Part of the game." 

Bayless was seen making the count that indicated that Pacquiao was knocked down although Pacquiao was not even hit by a punch of Mosley.

American major leagues have been adopting “instant replay” and adopting it in boxing will not hurt, according to Mr. Strickland, who welcomed reports that Mexican boxing champion Juan Manuel Marquez is considering his ward, David Diaz, as his opponent in Marquez’ tune-up match with Manny Pacquiao in November.

Major leagues observing “instant replay” include National Hockey League, National Football League,Canadian Football League, National Basketball Association, and Major League Baseball.

BACK-PEDALLED TO LOSE

The botched call angered Pacquiao, who went for the kill in the 11^th and 12^th rounds. But Mosley succeeded in his defense by back-pedaling until the final bell.

Strickland said two days before the Pacquiao-Mosley fight, he got a call from a Top Rank official about prospects of Diaz having a fight in the “first week of July but that’s all there is to it.”

Although, he is surprised to know that it will be Juan Manuel Marquez who will be opposing Diaz, Strickland said, “We stand ready and very anxious to fight Marquez if the purse is more than we got from Diaz’s fight with Erik Morales.” Diaz earned a guaranteed prize of $350,000 from the Morales bout.

Strickland said, “it is a fight that I have lots of interest at this point. Diaz maybe a three to four underdog against Marquez but this is an opportunity for us to get us to bigger fights.” He said Diaz has still three to four fights left in him.

It was reported that Marquez would be promoting the fight himself on July 2nd against Diaz for a still unknown venue.

Marquez told Michael Marley of Boxing Examiner that “I am going to fight (former Pacman foe) David Diaz on July 2 and I will be the promoter of that fight. I just want to get really sharp to fight Pacquiao for the third time in November. I do not want to be rusty, I want to get myself extra sharp so I can show that I am the better fighter,” Marquez said.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum had initially penciled in Marquez and other boxers to fight Manny Pacquiao on November 5 or 12, 2011 at MGM Grand Arena in case Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will not make himself available for that bout.

Diaz, fresh from a majority decision win over Robert Frankel last January, has a 36-win (KO 17), three-loss (KO 2) and one-draw record from his 40 fights. While Marquez, who knocked out Michael Katsidis last November, holds a record of 52 wins (KO’s 38), five losses and one draw for all his 58 fights.

Diaz lost to Manny Pacquiao in 2008 via TKO in the ninth round while Marquez lost to two split decisions to Manny Pacquiao in 2008. In the first, Marquez was knocked down three times in the first round. In the second, Marquez claims to have won the bout that’s why the third fight in November dubbed “unfinished finish” should clear things up who really will win in the trilogy. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)

SLIP:

Manny Pacquiao was ruled knocked down in the 10^th round by referee Kenny Bayless, who apologized to Manny after the bout when Bayless realized that he messed up in his call last Saturday (May 7) during the welterweight fight between Manny and Sugar Shane Mosley (foreground) at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. If there was “instant replay,” Bayless could have halted the bout and reviewed the video footage and re-affirmed or reversed his decision. (jGLiPhotograb by Joseph G. Lariosa from pay-per-view Showtime)

KENNY BAYLESS:

Referee Kenny Bayless, the man in the middle, gives instructions to Manny Pacquiao (right) and Sugar Shane Mosley (left) before they touched gloves Saturday (May 7) at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. At Manny’s right is his trainer Freddie Roach. (jGLiPhotograb by Joseph G. Lariosa from pay-per-view Showtime)