Clottey stunned by Pacquiao chance: This is my miracle fight

Boxing Examiner | Michael Marley

Joshua Clottey was relaxing back home in Ghana over the holidays.

He wasn't too thrilled about promoter Top Rank discussing low paying bouts on Fox Sports Espanol as his next assignment.

That seemed to be so much chopped liver (do they have this in Accra?) to the fighter who now lives in The Bronx.

"I didn't want that," the 32 year old Clottey said at a Madison Square Garden press conference Wednesday to pump his March 13 bout in Arlington, Tx., against Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao.

"Then I was surprised to get the phone call about fighting Manny. I thought, 'This is my chance, this is my miracle fight.'

"I love to fight but I love to fight the best and right now he is the best out there, the guy who has beaten everyone and the pound for pound best. So I was most happy."

Clottey said he will base his training camp in Hollywood, Fl., so for this Pacman bout Manny and his opponent will be training in Hollywood, the other of course being the Freddie Roach Wild Card Gym in California.

Clottey makes no bones about being a Floyd Mayweather admirer also.

"If he fights (Shane) Mosley, he will beat him," Clottey said. "He's got such good defense and timing in the ring. He sees the other guys' punches coming and he evades them. I really feel he is one of the best. I would want to fight him also if he wants."

Clottey, whose ring nickname is "Grand Master," has a 35-3 record with one no contest and 21 KOs. He is the top rated WBO challenger to welterweight champion Pacman.

He lost a 12 round split decision in the Garden last June to Miguel Cotto, the Puerto Rican who then got stopped by Megamanny in Las Vegas on Nov. 14.

"I was robbed in that fight," Clottey has said. "They robbed me. He was 4running and I was chasing him."

I don't think the game African will have to pursue Pacquiao in the Dallas Cowboys stadium, do you?

Source: Examiner.com