Las Vegas Boxing Examiner | Chris Robinson
If there is one thing that stands out about South Florida it very well may be the luscious beaches that go on for miles and miles. Whether you are in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or even further north you can be sure to find beauty in the Sunshine State but this Thursday morning Joshua Clottey’s mind was zoned in as he continued to train for the biggest fight of his life.
Las Vegas photographer Chris Farina covered Clottey in camp yesterday and was again chronicling the every move of the Accra, Ghana fighter as he trains tirelessly for his upcoming March 13th showdown with Manny Pacquiao. Farina stated that Clottey seems to be in good spirits while also noting how ‘ripped’ the former champion appears to be as he will be looking to snatch the WBO Welterweight belt away from the Filipino icon when they collide in Dallas Cowboys Stadium next month.
Thursday’s action saw Clottey running up and down Ft. Lauderdale beach in the early morning while hitting up Contender’s Gym later in the day. Overseeing the duties of Clottey is Lenny DeJesus from New York. Yesterday my colleague Michael Marley caught up with the veteran trainer and got a few words from him on the fight and Clottey’s chances against Pacquiao.
“I feel good,” DeJesus claimed. “I feel confident about this fight. But we’ll see in Dallas who’s done the better job of preparing his fighter, me or Freddie. Joshua didn’t have that extra oomph he needed to beat [Miguel] Cotto but I was in a different role then. The environment wasn’t right for that fight but that was then and this is now.”
It appears as though DeJesus is on the same page as his charge and surely their confidence has put the Clottey faithful at ease, as their was much speculation that the camp wasn’t running as smoothly just a matter of weeks ago. When gathering the input of more regulars from Contender’s Gym it is obvious from their words that Clottey is laying everything one the line for this fight.
Trainer John David Jackson has been running Contender’s Gym for years and has seen fighters of all kinds of race and backgrounds come through his facility. When taking a look at Clottey Jackson was able to see instantly what he is bringing to the table. Jackson noted that Clottey is a very strong fighter and if he wants the win it will be because he truly wants is.
Serving as Clottey’s chief sparring has been fellow Welterweight Damian ‘Devo’ Frias, by way of Placetas, Cuba. Frias is gearing up for a March fight himself and spoke on the camaraderie that has formed between the two men.
“We’ve been sparring like four times a week,” Frias said. “It’s been intense and we are really working. He’s got my respect and I have his respect. It’s a special bond, of course. I want to see him win. He’s good, he’s ready and it’s all up to him. If he comes to the fight with the right mindset he can be victorious and upset a lot of people. He’s not going to be a pushover for Pacquiao.”
By all accounts it looks like Clottey will be primed and ready come March 13th. When the fight was first announced everyone quickly jumped on the Pacquiao wagon but slowly but surely there has been a buzz coming from Florida that says Clottey will be much more than just a live dog come March 13th.
For a closer, in depth look at Clottey’s training please click HERE or check out the collage or slideshow below…
Source: Examiner.com
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.