PACQUIAO WIN IGNITES UNRULY RESPONSE

Manny Pacquiao’s controversial split decision win over Juan Marquez on Saturday led to outbursts of unruly fan behavior rarely seen at Las Vegas title fights.

Unhappy fans took out their frustration at MGM Grand Garden Arena by pelting the ringside area with beer bottles and soft drinks. Several media members tweeted they were hit.

After the fight, a tense situation developed when pro-Marquez fans recognized Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, on his way to the press conference and jeered him with epithets and shouts that he “stole the fight.”

The 80-year-old Arum, accompanied by a security guard, had just left the arena floor via an escalator and had to walk through a corridor filled with departing  fans.

At the front of our group was Yahoo.com’s boxing and MMA columnist Kevin Iole, whose back was soaked from drinks that struck him at a media table.

The heated gauntlet confrontation bothered Arum enough that he brought it up during the press conference, saying Marquez’ fans “wanted to lynch me.”

Veteran Associated Press sports columnist Tim Dahlberg, who confirmed he was hit in the back by a half-full aluminum beer bottle, said it was one of wilder scenes he’s witnessed during his 32 years of covering boxing.

“I’ve seen a lot of things happen at fights but I don’t remember getting hit by a pretty stout beer,” said the Las Vegas-based Dahlberg, who scored the fight a draw, as did Iole.

The predominantly Marquez crowd loudly booed the judges’ decision, drowning out Pacquiao’s post-fight interview.

“It was a very passionate crowd on both sides,” said Dahlberg.

--NORM CLARKE, Vegas Confidential