WBC Investigate Referee Who Admits Cheating to Help Pacquiao Win 2 Decades Ago

Manny Pacquiao (Instagram @manypaquiao)

JAKARTA - Some time ago, former boxing referee from the Philippines Carlos Padilla admitted to cheating to help his compatriot boxer Manny Pacquiao defeat Australian boxer Nedal "Skinny" Hussein in a fight more than two decades ago. Now, the WBC has announced it will conduct an investigation.

Pacquiao was 21 at the time and became a rising star when he fought 10 rounds against Hussein for the WBC International super bantamweight title near the Philippine capital, Manila, in 2000.

But in a shocking confession, Padilla -- who is best known for refereeing the fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in Manila in 1975 -- said he helped Pacquiao secure victory by "extending" the standard count of 10 when the Filipino fell and was dazed in the fourth round.

"I'm Filipino and all Filipinos were watching the fight, so I extended the count. I know how to do it", said Padilla, who was recently inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, in an interview posted on the World Boxing Council's YouTube page.

"When he woke up, I said 'hey, are you okay?' -- and that prolongs the fight", Padilla said with a smile, as quoted by Antara via AFP.

Pacquiao then headbutted Hussein, leaving the Australian with a gash above his left eye. But Padilla classified the head-on collision as a "blow". Pacquiao won by TKO after doctors stopped the fight because Hussein was bleeding.

"I said it was a punch but it was a real (head-bang)", said Padilla, who allowed the fight to continue. As a referee, that's the best way to do it -- let the doctors stop the fight but they know it's my fault."

This statement caused a reaction from Pacquiao, he loudly stated that what Padilla said was a lie.

This legendary boxer said that the referee did it out of admiration for him. Meanwhile, Pacquiao thought that this empty statement would only be a problem for the referee, not himself.

“I'm not cheating. He (Padilla) probably likes me for fighting at home", Pacquiao told TV Patrol quoted by Marca on Sunday, December 4.

"I'm a boxer. I just do my job in the ring. In that case, (cheating) is his problem, not mine", he said.

Meanwhile, the referee's daughter, Suzy Padilla, wrote to the WBC in an attempt to defend her father and argued that her father's statement was misinterpreted. However, last Thursday, Mauricio Sulaiman, president of the World Boxing Council (WBC), ordered an investigation into Padilla's confession.

"The World Boxing Council (WBC) has established a special panel to review the situation of legendary referee Carlos Padilla in light of several comments in an interview published by the WBC a few days ago", Sulaiman quoted Marca as saying on Friday.

He said he would be following up on the case privately and would not be making any further statements.

“As president of the WBC, as well as being a human being who has known Mr. Padilla since he was 10 years old, I can definitely empathize with Suzy and the contents of her letter. I personally will follow the process."