Philippines hero Manny `Pacman' Pacquiao captured the World Boxing Council super featherweight crown on Saturday, dethroning Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez with a 12-round split decision victory.
In a rematch of a 2004 slugfest that ended in a draw, one judge gave Marquez a 115-112 decision while another saw Pacquiao the winner by the same margin. The third judge gave the bout to the Asian star 114-113.
The difference in a bout when both men were bloodied but traded hard punches to the finish proved to be a third-round knockdown inflicted by Pacquiao, who improved to 46-3 with two drawn.
Marquez, who fell to 48-4, said he felt robbed by the decision.
"I thought I won. The decision wasn't correct," Marquez said. "I haven't lost anything at all. The people know who really won the fight. Decisions like this are disturbing. I believe I won the fight."
"I think I won the fight," Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao is expected to move up to the lightweight division and challenge US fighter David Diaz, the WBC lightweight champion who improved to 34-1-1 with a majority decision win over Mexican Ramon Montano in a non-title undercard bout.
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