Edition: U.S. / Global

BOXING; Featherweights Unsatisfied With Draw

Published: May 10, 2004

The fight of the year had everything but a winner.

In a wild battle, Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico, the best featherweights in the world, fought to a 12-round draw Saturday night at the MGM Grand Arena.

Marquez, 30, retained his World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation titles with the draw. But there was controversy, starting with why the fight went beyond the first round, when Marquez was knocked down three times.

''Marquez is ruined,'' said Murad Muhammad, Pacquiao's promoter. ''Yes, we want a rematch, but the other guy won't want to get in the ring with Manny Pacquiao again.''

It did not appear as if Marquez, one of the most technically sound boxers to come out of Mexico, would make it out of the opening round. He was knocked down three times by straight left hands from Pacquiao, a 25-year-old southpaw. The third time, Marquez went down slowly, somewhat tangled in the ropes, and lay on his back, his gloves over his face.

Marquez finally rose, although the Pacquiao camp said it took 12 seconds on a slow count by Referee Joe Cortez. The three-knockdown rule was not in effect because this was a title fight.

Muhammad criticized Cortez for allowing the fight to continue.

''He grabbed my kid and I'm coming up the steps, the fight is over,'' Muhammad said. ''But then he lets the fight go on.''

That was not the only controversy. The Pacquiao camp said it objected to Guy Jutras of Montreal being a judge. Jutras gave Pacquiao a 10-6 margin for the opening round, then scored 10 of the 11 next rounds in favor of the counterpunching Marquez.

Jutras's final score was 115-110 for Marquez. John Stewart of New Jersey scored the bout 115-110 for Pacquiao.

The third judge, Burt Clements of Reno, Nev., had a 113-113 tie. His scoring included a 10-7 opening round because, he admitted later, he did not realize he could give a 10-6 round. If Clements had scored the opening round 10-6, as the other two judges had, Pacquiao would have won by 113-112 on Clements's card and earned a split decision.

''I just screwed up,'' Clements said. ''I feel badly because I dropped the ball, plainly and simply. You can make a lot of arguments that it was a very close fight, but that's immaterial. The fact is, I dropped the ball.''

Marc Ratner, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, ruled that Clements's admission was no grounds for a protest.

Muhammad said he and Rodney Nazario, Pacquiao's manager, would probably file a protest anyway.

A rematch would seem to be called for, if both battered fighters can make it.

''I got careless,'' Marquez (42-2-1) said of the first round, which he admitted left him disoriented.

Still, Marquez made a remarkable comeback. Pacquiao (38-2-2) said that his left hand was hurting from the second round on and that his feet did not permit him to set himself for right-hand punches or body shots.

Marquez landed a couple of big rights flush, but Pacquiao took them. Despite holding no titles, Pacquiao is generally considered the top featherweight because he knocked out Marco Antonio Barrera on Nov. 15. Barrera had defeated all the title holders but has refused sanctioning bodies' belts so he can choose his own opponents.

Pacquiao never looked in danger of falling Saturday. He hurt Marquez a few times after the first round, most notably in the 11th, which Jutras and Clements still gave to Marquez.

''Marquez showed a lot of heart coming back, but that doesn't win rounds,'' said Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer.