LAS VEGAS — C.J. Ross finally got one right. She quit.
News on Wednesday that Ross would not be back, at least for awhile, in a judge’s seat was a surprise only because it wasn’t expected. It should have been. But this is boxing, where there is always an explanation for the inexplicable.
Just the fact that she resigned, probably under pressure from Nevada authorities and politicians, offers a partial explanation for how egregious her 114-114 score was for Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s overwhelming victory over Canelo Alvarez Saturday.
It doesn’t explain everything, of course. And that’s the problem. Suspicions linger because of unusual movement in the betting on a draw. The odds dropped precipitously during the week before opening bell. Two days before the fight, I called a friend and told him odds on a draw at the MGM Grand’s sports book were at 10-to-1.
“Huh,” he said, “I can get it online at 28-to-1.”
By Saturday noon — about eight hours before the fight, odds on a draw had fallen to 8-to-1. Weeks before opening bell, there had been suggestions that a draw was a good bet because it would ensure a rematch. Amid evidence that the fight would set revenue records, there were millions of reasons to do it again. Mayweather’s thorough brilliance against an overmatched Canelo all but ensured that it won’t.
But questions about the Ross card leave suspicions. You could hear it among fans at Las Vegas bars late Saturday. You can read it on twitter and web sites today. For the promoters, the talk is reason to worry. It’s bad for business. Some of the crowd that bought pay-per-view or spent $110 on closed-circuits seats at one of the Las Vegas casinos won’t be back. At least not at those prices..
I’m not saying that Ross got paid-off. I’m not saying she is corrupt. I have no evidence of that. If anything, I just happen to think that Ross is incompetent. Her scorecard in favor of Tim Bradley over Manny Pacquiao is evidence of that. But I am saying suspicions are running rampant. They were more than enough to force her out.
In her statement, Ross made it sound as if she were taking a leave of absence. At 64, however, don’t expect to see her with another official scorecard in hand. In comments to the Las Vegas Review Journal, Nevada State Athletic Commission Chairman Bill Brady said he apologized to Nevada Governor Rick Sandoval for any embarrassment to the state.
Ross had to go, no doubt.
But those suspicions? They’re not going anywhere for a while.
