Manny Pacquiao should not have lost title fight, admit WBO officials

Boxing chiefs have admitted that Manny Pacquiao should not have lost his controversial bout against Timothy Bradley earlier this month.

The Filipino favourite lost a split points decision against Bradley in Las Vegas which prompted disbelief from commentators and fans alike.

The result also cost Pacquiao his world welterweight title, but yesterday the World Boxing Organization ruled that the result was incorrect.

WBO officials met with five international judges to evaluate video of the match and unanimously scored the fight in favour of Pacquiao.

However they do not have power to overturn the initial ruling - meaning the result will still stand and Bradley remains champion.

Pacquiao said after the announcement that he felt the ruling would restore people's faith in boxing after the controversy surrounding the original decision.

"I hope with this ruling the public's faith in boxing would be restored," 33-year-old Pacquiao said by phone from his home in the southern Philippines.

"I was not surprised by the WBO ruling. I knew that I won, so did the whole world. But that is already over and I am now focusing on the next fight."

He said he and his promoter Bob Arum would discuss his next move in a Los Angeles meeting set for next week, but remained coy on who would be his next opponent - although a rematch this winter against Bradley has been mooted.

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