Thursday, March 11, 2010
Joshua Clottey questions Manny Pacquiao's focus
Pacquiao vs Clottey
Joshua Clottey believes Manny Pacquiao's mind will be on other things when they meet at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas on Saturday.
Ghana's Clottey, 35, is challenging for the Philippine superstar's WBO welterweight crown.
"Pacquiao has three things on his mind: Me, Floyd Mayweather and an election he wants to win," said Clottey.
Pacquiao was set to fight Mayweather on the same date, but it fell through because of a row over drug-testing.
In addition, after the bout with Clottey, Pacquiao will start campaigning in a bid to seek election for the Congressional seat in the Philippine province of Sarangani.
The champion, though, insisted he was focused on the bout: "Joshua Clottey is a very dangerous fighter, I cannot underestimate him, I have to remain focused."
606: DEBATE
I don't think that it will happen, but what if Clottey wins - and wins big? What would that do to Manny's legacy?
wayne
Clottey added that he was not worried by Pacquiao's prodigious punch output, saying: "It doesn't matter if he throws 1,000 punches if I'm blocking them. I don't waste punches."
But Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said: "Blocking punches doesn't win fights. We can stop him in the later rounds."
The 31-year-old Pacquiao only ended up fighting Clottey after his proposed super-fight with Mayweather fell through, but the five-weight world champion said he was "inspired to give a good show" for an estimated 45,000 crowd.
"There's no stage big enough for Manny Pacquiao," added Roach. "He loves it, and I love it. He'll entertain all 45,000, he'll entertain everybody.
"The accumulation of punches Clottey will be taking in this fight he's never seen before. I don't think he'll be able to handle it."
Clottey, a former IBF welterweight champion, has 35 wins and three losses from 39 fights and has never been knocked out. He was beaten on a split decision by Miguel Angel Cotto last time out, the man Pacquiao dismantled so ruthlessly in his last outing.
The bout is the first at the new $1.2 billion (£800m) stadium and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declared himself more than happy to be showcasing Pacquiao v Clottey rather than Pacquiao v Mayweather.
"This is the first fight ever in this stadium and to have an individual like Manny Pacquiao fighting here is everything I had hoped would be a part of this stadium," Jones said.
Meanwhile, promoter Bob Arum has laughed off suggestions Pacquiao is planning to walk away from the sport to concentrate on his political ambitions - Pacquiao will begin campaigning for election to Congress in his homeland on 26 March.
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
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