Manny Pacquiao Aides Assaulted Getty Images Lensman Al Bello
There was a side melee that erupted during the epic Pacquiao-Marquez battle in Las Vegas last weekend, reports said.
The commotion, according to Yahoo Sports, involved two key members of Team Pacquiao and a Getty Images photographer who Yahoo identified as Al Bello.
Mr Bello allegedly earned the ire of Michael Koncz and Buboy Fernandez, both part of the Pacquiao entourage and serve the prized-fighter as adviser and trainer respectively. The two, Yahoo said, ran after the sports photographer for taking pictures of the fallen Pacquiao.
Mr Pacquiao was knocked out Saturday by Mexican pugilist Juan Manuel Marquez in the dying seconds of round six of their fight, the former surprised by a strong counterpunch that sent him lying, face-first, on the floor.
As he was about to take shot of the downed Pacquiao, Mr Bello said he was 'requested' by Freddie Roach, the fighter's chief trainer, to leave the fighter alone. Before the photographer could move an inch, Mr Fernandez was already after him, prompting him to flee the ring and escape further trouble.
On the way down, Mr Koncz reportedly grabbed the sports journalist by the shirt while Mr Fernandez was letting out some kicks. Yahoo's Kevin Iole reported.
Mr Iole's account of the incident was accompanied by photos that can be viewed via this link: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/boxing/manny-pacquiao-aides-allegedly-attacked-photographer-brutal-knockout-005405170--box.html. The images showed Mr Koncz holding on Mr Bello by the latter's shirt while making his way out of the crowded right.
The succeeding pics also showed Mr Fernandez trying to land some kicks on the photographer and appears to berate Mr Bello when the latter was already 'out of harm's way'.
In a later interview, Mr Bello said it was Mr Pacquiao's trainer, also reportedly a close friend of the fighter, who started assaulting him. He clarified too that Mr Roach was not part of the trouble and even apologised to him for his earlier actions.
"I was where I was credentialed to be and I was trying to do my job, which is to document the event," Mr Bello told Yahoo, stressing too that he meant not to offend anyone in the course of doing his duties.
There is no intention on his part to press charges, Mr Bello added, and he only expects to get formal apologies from the two members of Team Pacquiao.
When reached for comments, Mr Koncz downplayed the incident and told Yahoo that what happened was simply "a misunderstanding in the heat of the moment."
However, he refused to comment further when informed that photographs of the incident have been posted online.