20Jun12-Giving voice to the outrage over Timothy Bradley's controversial split decision
over Manny Pacquiao, two senators introduced legislation yesterday that would
create a special boxing commission to oversee all matches in the United States
and restore integrity to the sport.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who boxed while at the U.S. Naval Academy, and Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., a former middleweight boxer, are pushing the
measure establishing the U.S. Boxing Commission, an entity that would carry out
federal boxing law, work with the industry and local commissions and license
boxers, promoters, managers and sanctioning organizations.

Speaking on the Senate floor, McCain evoked the words of former sportswriter
Jimmy Cannon, who called boxing the "red light district of sports."

He said the recent dispute stemming from the welterweight bout between Bradley
and Pacquiao "is the latest example of the legitimate distrust boxing fans have
for the integrity of the sport."

Earlier this month in Las Vegas, Pacquiao seemed to have the fight in hand, but
two judges decided otherwise, giving Bradley a split decision in the
welterweight title bout. T

he results ended Pacquiao's outstanding seven-year unbeaten streak and left
promoter Bob Arum angry and demanding a full investigation by Nevada officials.

"I've never been as ashamed of the sport of boxing as I am tonight," Arum, who
handles both fighters, said after the fight.

Bradley won five of the last six rounds on two scorecards and four on the third.

He won 115-113 on two scorecards, while losing on the third by the same margin.

The Associated Press had Pacquiao winning 117-111.

"Clearly, the conspiracy theories and speculation surrounding the fight are
given life because there are so many questions surrounding the integrity of the
sport and how it is managed in multiple jurisdictions," said McCain, who pointed
out that professional boxing is the only sport in the United States without a
strong, centralized association regulating it.

Under the legislation, all referees and judges participating in a championship
or a professional fight lasting 10 rounds or more would have to be fully
registered and licensed by the commission. A sanctioning organization could
provide the names of judges and referees it considers qualified for that caliber
bout, but only the commission could appoint judges and referees to participate
in the matches.

"After a few weeks of uneasy waiting, Queen Underwood learned she'll get to
fight for an Olympic medal.

USA Boxing said yesterday that the 28-year-old lightweight from Seattle has been
awarded a berth in the first Olympic women's boxing tournament in London.

Three-time world champion Mary Spencer of Canada also received an at-large
berth.

Underwood is a five-time national champion who won the first U.S. Olympic boxing
team trials in February. But she dropped a one-point decision to Norway's Ingrid
Egner in the preliminary round of the world championships in China last month,
falling just short of Olympic qualification and jeopardizing her berth in
London's 12-fighter lightweight field.

Underwood finally learned yesterday morning she had been chosen for an Olympic
spot by AIBA, the international governing body of amateur boxing. The news
reduced her to tears.

"This past three weeks almost destroyed me mentally," Underwood said. "All this
pressure, everything since China, has been so hard. ... I now have the chance to
write my own story and my winning the gold medal is now going to be the
headline. That's what I owe to everybody and to myself. I can't wait to get in
the ring, I really can't. It is going to be way different this time."

Underwood started boxing nine years ago after becoming fascinated by the sport's
one-on-one competition. After overcoming sexual abuse during a difficult
childhood, she worked in construction while training for national championships
and Pan-Am Games trips.

LOAD-DATE: June 19, 2012
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
PUBLICATION-TYPE: Newspaper
JOURNAL-CODE: ttt
BYLINE: TIMES' WIRE SERVICES
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. B06
LENGTH: 652 words
DATELINE: WASHINGTON