Pacquiao to 'continue to fight' as Horn seeks rematch

Manny Pacquiao says he will "continue to fight" as the new World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Jeff Horn called for a rematch to validate the Australian's stunning victory.

Philippines legend Pacquiao, winner of an unprecedented eight world titles in different weight divisions, defiantly suggested he was not ready to hang up his gloves after controversially losing to Horn in Brisbane on July 2.

"I love this sport and until the passion is gone, I will continue to fight for God, my family, my fans and my country," the 38-year-old declared on social media.

A bloodied picture of his face accompanied the posts on his Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts and appeared to open the way for a rematch.

The posts were made Wednesday as Horn was telling reporters in the United States he was the deserving winner of the bout but that only a rematch will settle the controversy.

Horn stunned the boxing world with a unanimous 12-round decision over Pacquiao, a hotly contested result that triggered an outcry in the Philippines.

The WBO moved to quell the controversy by re-scoring the fight with a different set of judges -- who found that Horn won by seven rounds to five.

"I kind of feel it has been put to bed and that I definitely won the fight because it has been rescored," Horn told AFP in Los Angeles.

"But people are always going to have their opinions and you're not going to be able to change those. So I guess the only way you're going to be able to do it is to have a rematch. And I think I would do better a second time."

Pacquiao's camp did not immediately respond to AFP on Thursday when asked about Horn's challenge.

US trainer Freddie Roach advised his boxer to quit a day after the Filipino's defeat to the unheralded Horn.

But US promoter Bob Arum told AFP he believed Pacquiao would be reluctant to retire after a loss. The Horn fight contract included an option for a rematch.

Arum said any rematch in Australia might be held in November, with the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne the likeliest venue.

Pacquiao has not stopped an opponent in eight years and briefly quit boxing last year to pursue his long-held political ambitions and was elected senator.

But he quickly made a successful comeback against Jessie Vargas in November before losing to Horn.

Pacquiao 'not surprised' by WBO review

Manny Pacquiao is "not surprised" the World Boxing Organization affirmed the loss of his welterweight title to Australian Jeff Horn, but the Philippine ring legend railed at large at judges who "manipulated results".

The WBO ordered a review of the scoring of the July 2 Brisbane bout at the request of the Philippines' Games and Amusements Board, which criticised the judges and the referee.

The WBO set up a panel of independent and anonymous judges to watch the bout without sound and determine who won each round. On Tuesday it said the judges found Horn won seven rounds to Pacquiao's five.

"We have seen worse judgments in the past where judges manipulated results. Nothing surprises me now," Pacquiao said in a statement late Tuesday.

He did not name the judges nor mention the specific fights in his allegations.

"Let the people judge for themselves. People saw what happened," said the 38-year-old, who had won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions.

The undefeated but unheralded Horn, 29, had stunned the Filipino legend with his ultra-aggressiveness to earn a unanimous decision.

But the Filipino's camp alleged the referee let the Australian get away with illegal tactics.

The WBO ordered the review while stressing it did not have the power to reverse a decision unless fraud or law violations were proven.

Pacquiao had endorsed the call for a review issued by the Filipino sports regulatory, which lashed out at the "unfair decision and officiating" of the fight.

In a statement sent to AFP on Wednesday, the Filipino regulator thanked the WBO for looking into the fight but blamed American referee Mark Nelson for the results.

"No matter what review they do, it will be hard to change the result as the referee didn't call it close," said board chairman Abraham Kahlil Mitra.

"The judges' scores would have greatly changed if the referee did his job properly," Mitra alleged.

"He (referee) didn't give (Senator) Manny Pacquiao the respect and fair protection that is due to a people's champ," Mitra said, referring to Pacquiao's elected post as a Philippine senator.

Horn, a former schoolteacher written off before the bout by most observers, welcomed on Tuesday the ruling as "evidence" of his victory.

"It's definitely nice to have it finally put on paper," said Horn, who had been keen for a rematch.

In the twilight of a 22-year pro career, Pacquiao had initially called for a rematch, but later said he would also "think hard" about retiring.

Pacquiao briefly quit boxing last year to pursue his long-held political ambitions and was elected senator. But he quickly made a successful comeback against Jessie Vargas in November, saying he still felt like a youngster.

Pacquiao's loss to Horn had prompted calls that he retire for good.

WBO review rules Horn beat Pacquiao

Australian Jeff Horn's shock welterweight title victory over Manny Pacquiao was confirmed Tuesday after a scoring review by the World Boxing Organization declared him the clear winner.

The WBO took a close look at the fight after Pacquiao, backed by the Philippine government's sports regulatory body, criticised the referee and the judges and demanded a review after losing in Brisbane on July 2.

Horn stunned the Filipino legend - who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions - with his ultra-aggressiveness to earn a unanimous 12-round decision.

The WBO - which does not have the power to reverse a decision unless fraud or law violations are proven - set up a panel of independent and anonymous judges who were asked to watch the bout without sound and determine who won each round.

The results were tabulated to show clearly the rounds each fighter won using an average scale based on 60, 80 and 100 percent, with three of the five officials needing to be in agreement.

A similar method has been used to review WBO title fights before.

"Upon the analysis, the findings stated that Pacquiao won the 3rd, the 8th and 9th by 100 percent; the 5th round was won by 80 percent; and the 11th round by 60 percent," the WBO said in a statement.

"Horn won the 1st, 6th and 12th rounds by 100 percent; rounds 2, 4, and 7 by 80 percent; and then, the 10th round by 60 percent.

"From the results, it can be established that Pacquiao won five rounds while Horn won seven rounds. Based on this analysis, Jeff Horn was the winner of the bout."

The original fight was scored 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113 by judges Waleksa Roldan, Chris Flores and Ramon Cerdan respectively.

Concrete evidence

Horn, a former schoolteacher written off before the bout by most observers, welcomed the ruling as confirming what he already knew.

"It gives me evidence behind me that I can just use now. Instead of saying I think I won the fight, now a heap of other people - professionally - think I won the fight," he told reporters in Brisbane.

"It's definitely nice to have it finally put on paper. I thought I'd won the fight on the day and I think Pacquiao thought it as well. Now just to have it clear in front of us is good."

He has made clear he is keen for a rematch and Brisbane's Courier-Mail said talks were already under way for a possible November duel between the two in the same city.

Both the Philippine board and Pacquiao had criticised American referee Mark Nelson for supposedly allowing the underdog Australian to get away with illegal tactics without giving him warnings or point deductions.

The loss sparked calls in the Philippines for the 38-year-old Pacquiao, a national icon after rising from poverty to be considered one of the greatest fighters of his generation, to retire and concentrate on politics.

Pacquiao briefly quit boxing last year to pursue his long-held political ambitions and was elected senator. But he quickly made a successful comeback against Jessie Vargas in November, saying he still felt like a youngster.

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