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Pacquiao vs Clottey: Photos

2010-03-13T23:18:00.000-08:00

KIMBALL'S RINGSIDE REPORT: Pacman Outclasses Clottey

2010-03-13T23:13:00.000-08:00

By George Kimball

ARLINGTON, Texas --- Manny Pacquiao defended his WBO welterweight title with a runaway unanimous decision at sold-out Cowboys Stadium, but Joshua Clottey could take some solace in becoming the world’s best boxer’s first opponent in two years to hear the final bell, as well as the only Pacquiao foe weighing more than 130 pounds to go the distance.

Although he didn’t get much respect on the scorecards of the ringside judges, Clottey gained the admiration of the crowd as well as his opponent.

Pacquiao ran his record to 51-3-2 with the win. Asked afterward about a possible Paquiao meeting with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach replied, “It’s what the whole world wants to see.

“Just let the commission do its job,” said Roach of the drug-testing issue. “Just get in the ring and fight.”

Alfonso Gomez, who rose to prominence on ‘The Contender’ to become the boxer who retired that late Arturo Gatti, may have done the same favor for former world champion Jose Luis Castillo. After five rounds of a bout in which he had not been competitive, Castillo quit on his stool as his corner informed referee Kenny Bayless that he could not continue. Gomez is now 22-4-2, Castillo 60-10-1.

According to CompuBox stats, Gomez landed 92 punches to Castillo’s 47. The crowd of 50,994 was so worked up by Gomez-Castillo that they spend most of the fight between Humberto Soto and David Diaz attempting, with varying degrees of success, to perform The Wave.

Fighting with his back to the ropes, Soto caught Diaz with a solid left followed by a right to put him down in the first round, and then with ten seconds left in the fight, drove him to the canvas again like a man playing Whack-a-Mole. The Mexican rode those two knockdowns to a unanimous decision over former champion Diaz of Chicago in their bout for the vacant WBC title.

Both David Sutherland and Hubert Minn returned 117-109 scores for Soto, while Gale Van Hoy had it somewhat closer at 115-111. Soto in picking up a championship at his third different weight, is now 51-7-2. Diaz is now 35-3-1.

Although John Duddy had promised “fireworks” in his bout against Michael Medina, their bout quickly transformed itself into a technical battle in which Duddy was more boxer than brawler. After battling Medina on fairly even terms over the first half of the bout, Duddy began to assert himself over the next four, during which he repeatedly tattooed Medina. Although at this point the Mexican seemed to have had most of the fight beaten out of him, Duddy unaccountably took the final stanza off, apparently convinced that he could coast to victory. Only over the final few seconds, when Medina trapped Duddy in his own corner, did the two go toe-to-toe, and the Irishman very nearly got the worst of that when he was clocked by a roundhouse right literally seconds before the bell.

Duddy won by identical 95-93 scores on the cards of judges Mike Mitchell and Charles Phillips. (The SweetScience card favored Duddy by the same margin.) Arturo Velasquez' 96-93 score in Medina’s favor was particularly bewildering, since referee Robert Chapa had taken a point from the Mexican in the eighth round.

In other words, not only did Velasquez score only three rounds for Duddy (as opposed to the six of both of his colleagues), but in only one of those round was his score in accord with both Mitchell’s and Phillips’.

Duddy, in any case, improved his pro log to 29-1 with the victory, his third straight since last year’s upset loss to Billy Lyell. Medina is now 22-2-2.

Nineteen year-old Dallas 122-pounder Roberto Marroquin, a four-time US amateur champion and as fine a prospect as we’ve seen at this weight in nearly three decades, ran his professional mark to 13-0 and registered his 10th career stoppage when he dispatched another hometowner, Samuel Sanchez (4-2-1), at 1:36 of the second.

After knocking Sanchez down in the first round Marroquin had celebrated by kissing his right glove before the opponent had even landed. A hard chopping right in the second sent him barreling over backward. When Sanchez tried to get up only fall back over again, referee Kenny Bayless took him into protective custody, ruling the TKO.

Salvador Sanchez Jr., the nephew, and namesake -- and doppelganger -- of the late Mexican featherweight legend, improved to 19-3-2 with a sixth-round knockout of Texan Jaime Villa. Down once in the fifth and twice more in the sixth, Villa (8-8-2) failed to beat referee Neal Young’s ten-count after the last trip to the canvas and was counted out at 1:09 of the round.

Two earlier bouts involved a pair of Pacquiao’s Filipino countrymen. Junior bantamweight Eden Sonsona (19-5) scored an 8th-round kayo of former world title challenger Mauricio Pastrana (35-13-2). Floored by a straight left, Pastrana was counted out by Young at 1:33 of the round.

Featherweight Michael Farenas’ bout against San Antonio’s Joe Morales came to a premature conclusion when Morales was cut by a clash of heads in the second round, and the result declared no contest. Farenas remains 26-2-3, Morales 20-13.

In other action, California junior middle Rodrigo Garcia (6-0) scored a second-round TKO over Calvin Pitts (5-13-1) of Grand Prairie, Tex., while featherweights Isaac Hidalgo and Arthur Trevino battled to a majority draw in their four-round prelim. Although one judge, Mitchell, scored it a 40-36 shutout for Hidalgo, his card was overruled by the 38-38 tallies returned by Don Griffin and Valasquez. Hidalgo is now 6-5-2, Trevino 5-3-3.    
* * *
THE EVENT
COWBOYS STADIUM
ARLINGTON, TEXAS
MARCH 13, 2010
WELTERWEIGHTS: Manny Pacquiao, 145 3/4, General Santos City, Philippines dec. Joshua Clottey, 147, Accra, Ghana (12) (Retains WBO title)
Alfonso Gomez, 145, Guadalajara, Mexico TKO’d Jose Luis Castillo, 144, Mexicali, Mexico (5)

LIGHTWEIGHTS: Umberto Solis, 134 1/4, Los Mochis, Mexico dec. David Diaz, 134, Chicago, Ill. (12) (Wins vacant WBC title)

MIDDLEWEIGHTS: John Duddy, 160, Derry, Northern Ireland dec. Michael Medina, 155 1/2, Monterrey, Mexico (10)

JUNIOR MIDDLES: Rodrigo Garcia, 149 3/4, Santa Ana, Calif. TKO’d Calvin Pitts, 149, Prairie View, Tex. (2)

FEATHERWEIGHTS: Salvador Sanchez, Jr., 125 3/4, Tianguistenco, Mexico KO’d Jaime Villa, 127, Midland, Tex. (6)
Arthur Trevino, 125 , Ft. Worth, Tex drew with Isaac Hidalgo, 125, Tucson, Ariz (4)
Michael Farenas, 127 1/4, Gubat, Philippines drew with Joe Morales, 126, San Antonio, Tex. (2)

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHTS: Robert Morroquin, 122, Dallas,Tex. TKO’d Samuel Sanchez, 122, Dallas (2)
Eden Sonsona, 119 3/4, General Santos City, Philippines KO’d Mauricio Pastrana, 119 1/2, Monteria, Colombia (8)

Source: thesweetscience.com

Pacquiao decisively dispatches Clottey, retains title

2010-03-13T23:10:00.000-08:00

(CNN) -- Manny Pacquiao defeated Joshua Clottey decisively Saturday night to retain his World Boxing Organization welterweight title.

The Filipino fighter, known affectionately as "Pacman" by his fans and in his country, won by unanimous decision. Two judges scored the fight 119-109 for Pacquiao, while a third scored it 120-108, according to the WBO.

Pacquiao has now won 12 straight bouts since losing to Erik Morales in March 2005.

The 12-round decision was a longer fight than Pacquiao predicted before the match. Following his weigh-in, Pacquiao sent a message to his adoring fans that he would be targeting a quick knockout in the fight against Ghana's Clottey.

"I am not going to promise you a knockout, but I will do my best," Pacquiao told the crowd who had gathered to watch the weigh-in Friday night in the Cowboys Stadium.

Saturday's match was fought at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in front of more than 40,000 people. The stadium is the home of the Dallas Cowboys U.S. football team.

Pacquiao, who began his career as a 112 pound flyweight, has won world titles at six different weights and boasts a 50-3-2 record with 28 knockouts.

The fight attracted worldwide attention, particularly back in the Philippines where Pacquiao is a national hero.

Pacquiao was originally slated to be taking on American Floyd Mayweather Jr, in what was billed as the richest fight in boxing history, but a row over dope testing led to negotiations be called off.

The Clottey fight was arranged in its place, but many expect Pacquiao to take on the unbeaten Mayweather later in the year.

Source: edition.cnn.com

Pacquiao keeps Clottey on defensive, wins nearly every round

2010-03-13T23:09:00.001-08:00

Unable to land his signature punch, the straight left, Manny Pacquiao nevertheless overwhelmed Joshua Clottey in a subtle performance Saturday that did not dilute his legacy.

Pacquiao (51-3-2) won a unanimous decision, all 12 rounds on one scorecard and 11 on the other two, to retain the WBO welterweight title in Arlington, Texas, at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium.

Jabbing and mounting a ferocious body attack, Pacquiao compensated brilliantly for his inability to land cleanly to the face. He established from the outset that he could preoccupy Clottey and discourage him from mounting an attack of his own. Pacquiao, landing only 246 punches but throwing 1,231, was three times as busy as Clottey.

Clottey did manage to hit Pacquiao with three or four uppercuts and five or six counter rights to the noggin’. But he did NOTHING else, except blocking hundreds of punches.

Nobody was going to give such an unaggressive challenger a decision in a fight like that. I gave him the fifth and sixth rounds, when Pacquiao moved less and invited Clottey to open up more, which he did a few times.

And that was that. By the seventh, it was obvious Clottey knew better than we did how badly he was outclassed. Maybe Pacquiao didn’t come close to a knockout, but Clottey obviously didn’t doubt it was possible.

“I think he’s feeling Pacquiao’s power,” Clottey’s trainer Lenny DeJesus said during a late-rounds interview with HBO.

Clottey (35-4), whose previous losses were narrow ones to Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito and a disqualification against Carlos Baldimir, gave Pacquiao his due. “He has (too much) speed,” Clottey said. “It was the first time I’ve lost a fight.”

In explaining his caution, Clottey praised Pacquiao. “He was waiting for me to open up so he could counter me.” Clearly Clottey felt that would be a lot worse than the 12 rounds of frustration and futility that ensued instead.

“It was not an easy fight,” Pacquiao conceded. But he didn’t let that frustrate him. “I wasn’t in a hurry because he was looking for a big shot, an opening.”

When he wasn’t bobbing and weaving and dodging and ducking, that is.

If there was any assumption that Clottey could have turned the tide by showing more courage, the 11th round ended that. Clottey mounted his only sustained attack of the fight, and Pacquiao answered every assault with more impressive flurries of his own.

Following his amazing victories against seemingly larger men in the past 16 months, over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Cotto, the whuppin’ Pacquiao administered Saturday was as lopsided as his other three and in its own way just as impressive.

Source: Examiner.com

The Event: A tale of Pacquiao's pace and Clottey's toughness

2010-03-13T23:03:00.000-08:00

Moments ago Manny Pacquiao retained his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey in a one sided decision victory.

Showing a tremendous pace from the outset, Pacquiao simply kept Clottey too busy to get many punches off. The overmatched Ghanaian employed his shell like defense to good effect again, but Pacquiao showed improved footwork in limiting Clottey's opportunities to catch him.

There were moments when Clottey's pinpoint punches caught Pacquiao, but he never got busy enough to win more than a couple of the closer rounds.

Clottey's defense was tight as always, and a lot of Pacquiao's punches were caught on the gloves, although the sheer volume of them put him way ahead on every scorecard, and needing a knockout in the later rounds.

The only problem Pacquiao still has is that he has always been easy to hit. Clottey was able to rock Pacquiao's head back a number of times but never often enough or hard enough to make much out of it.

A more cunning counter puncher might have a little more success, but few other fighters at welterweight could deal with the kind of barrage the always tough Clottey endured. Although Pacquiao lacked much head movement as he usually does, perennial rival Floyd Mayweather will not find much to draw comfort from if he intends to take on Pacquiao later on in the year.

In the tenth, it looked like Clottey might just be coming apart at the seams, as Pacquiao turned up the pace and found a way around his defenses on several occasions. In the last two rounds though he rallied, and with the end in sight let his hands go a little more, safe in the knowledge that he would probably be able to last the remainder of the fight.

Next for Clottey is unclear, without an immediate path open to him, he might want to consider taking on the loser of Mayweather vs. Mosley in May. Alternatively he could always move up to light middleweight and take on the winner of Miguel Cotto vs. Yuri Foreman.

Next for Pacquiao is the election in his home country, and possibly congressional duties. Bob Arum was confident that he would continue to fight either way though, so the search for his next opponent will probably begin after the election is over. Floyd Mayweather or Antonio Margarito are the favorites at the moment.

Stan Fielding, Pittsburgh PA: "Pacquiao proved again why everyone thinks he would beat Floyd Mayweather. Even Mayweather himself must know he wouldn't be able to stand up to his pace for 2 rounds"

Harry Shaw, Pittsburgh PA: "Clottey is the kind of fighter who it looks like would win a lot more if he just threw more punches. Its easier said than done against someone like Pacquiao, but when he did let his hands go he did pretty well"

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao vs Clottey Online Live Streaming

2010-03-13T19:29:00.000-08:00

Manny Pacquiao vs Joshua Clottey Fight is now Showing...Your can share this live streaming to to everyone and Enjoy the Fight..

FACTORS OF CONSEQUENCE

2010-03-13T15:54:00.001-08:00

By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 14 Mar 2010

WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao defends his crown against Ghanaian roughhouser Joshua Clottey in a 12-round bout at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this morning (Manila time) and the heavy betting is on whether the fight will go the distance or not.

Here are the 25 factors that may decide the outcome of the bout:

O Size. Clottey began campaigning as a welterweight in 1997 when Pacquiao was still a flyweight. In his last two bouts, Clottey tipped the scales at 147----the welterweight limit. Pacquiao was at his heaviest for Miguel Cotto last year and that only up to 144. Clottey will try to use his bulk to overpower Pacquiao in the trenches. Edge: Clottey.

O Hand-speed. Pacquiao throws from every conceivable angle, going backwards, sideways or forward. Clottey has respectable speed in unleashing counter combinations but he’s not nearly as fast as the Filipino icon. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Stamina. Nobody works harder than Pacquiao in the gym. Against Cotto, Pacquiao looked like he could go another five rounds when referee Kenny Bayless stopped it in the 12th. Clottey, in contrast, has a tendency to fade in the late going----as shown in his own tussle with Cotto last June. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Foot-speed. Clottey is basically a stand-up counterpuncher who’d rather wait than initiate. He likes to stalk his opponents, moving forward, inching in slowly to find the opening for his counters. Pacquiao is extremely mobile, using open space in the middle of the ring to run circles around his foes. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Durability. Clottey has never been knocked out and that’s a testament to his staying power. It’s not easy sending Clottey down to the canvas. He’s made of stern stuff. Besides, there may be less wear and tear in his body. Clottey has figured in only three fights the last two years compared to Pacquiao who was busier with five outings. Edge: Clottey.

O Quality of opposition. Clottey hasn’t faced anyone quite like Pacquiao. Their common opponent is Cotto whom Pacquiao dominated and Clottey lost to on a split decision. Pacquiao has engaged a slew of future Hall of Famers like Oscar de la Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton and Erik Morales. Clottey’s list of victims isn’t as celebrated. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Activity. Pacquiao has kept himself busy in the ring, logging two fights last year and three in 2008. He’s 7-0 in the last three years. Clottey saw action only once last year, losing to Cotto, and twice the year before. If there is ring rust in Clottey’s armor, he will likely start slowly and accelerate his pace as the fight unfolds. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Experience. Pacquiao and Clottey turned pro in the same year, 1995, but the Filipino has reported for 55 bouts and the Ghanaian, only 39. Pacquiao is 12-2-1 in world championship fights compared to Clottey’s 1-3. Clottey hasn’t been exposed as much to high-profile bouts. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Unpredictability. Because Clottey often resorts to foul tactics, he’s unpredictable. A fighter with bad intentions is always dangerous. Against previously unbeaten Shamone Alvarez, Clottey got into his opponent’s head and distracted him to the point of losing focus. Pacquiao had difficulty dealing with dirty fighters Nedal Hussein and Agapito Sanchez. Edge: Clottey.

O Resiliency. The ability to make adjustments during a bout is a mark of an intelligent fighter. Pacquiao proved how smart he is when he baited Cotto to fight from close range to take away his power left jab. Time and time again, Pacquiao has surprised the experts by changing tactics to fluster his opponents. In 1998, Pacquiao was badly behind on points when he shifted his attack downstairs and found Chatchai Sasakul’s weak spot. After battering Chatchai’s midsection, Pacquiao saw an opening for his left hook to the jaw and scored a come-from-behind knockout. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Hunger. Pacquiao is Clottey’s ticket to fame and fortune. The Ghanaian obviously wants to be where Pacquiao is----on top of the world. He has everything to gain and nothing to lose. The pressure is more on Pacquiao to win. Edge: Clottey.

O Knockout power. Clottey has scored just a single stoppage in his last 11 outings and his knockout rate is only 57.1 percent compared to Pacquiao’s 76 percent. Clottey relies on arm strength and doesn’t put body weight behind his shots----which probably explains his low knockout rate. In contrast, Pacquiao is a devastating puncher. It took only one shot to flatten Hatton. The mystery is whether Pacquiao’s power as a natural lightwelterweight will be as potent against a natural welterweight. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Corner. Freddie Roach is no stranger to Clottey’s trainer Lenny de Jesus. They worked together in Pacquiao’s corner for five fights. De Jesus was thrust into a chief second’s role by default and is more a cutman by profession. Roach will be assisted by Buboy Fernandez and conditioning coach Alex Ariza. De Jesus’ backups are nondescript. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Agility. Pacquiao is a master at slipping punches, moving his head, bending his body and making his opponents miss badly. That’s all because of his agility. He’s a fighter in constant motion and he won’t get tired. Pacquiao will move away from Clottey’s stronger side----the left----by sidestepping to the right but he must be conscious of coming smack into the Ghanaian’s right hand. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Arsenal. Clottey is heavier-handed because he is physically bigger. His deadliest weapons are a left uppercut, left hook and a right uppercut usually thrown like a bolo punch. Clottey also throws an occasional left jab. Pacquiao has a lot more weapons. Because of his southpaw style, Pacquiao will find it easy to land his overhand right or right cross. Pacquiao will use his left hook to the body to soften up Clottey. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Defense. Clottey likes to raise both arms in what is described as a turtle-shell defense. When he covers up, Clottey doesn’t punch and his idea is to tire out his opponent. Pacquiao will move side-to-side to break down Clottey’s defense and his bombardment to the body will be vicious. Clottey, however, has the body build to hang tough. Edge: Clottey.

O Chin. Clottey’s chin hasn’t really been tested by a banger. His solid defense is his protector. If Pacquiao hits him squarely on the chin, it’s not known how Clottey will react. For the moment, the record shows that Clottey’s chin isn’t made of china. Edge: Clottey.

O Heart. When it comes to digging deep into one’s reservoir of energy, Pacquiao has no equal. That’s because he fights with a lot of heart. It’s not just for himself that he fights----it’s for the entire Filipino nation. Pacquiao is braver than brave. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Style. Clottey was unperturbed in dismantling Alvarez and Zab Judah, both southpaws. He won’t be bothered by Pacquiao fighting left-handed. Pacquiao couldn’t care less whether he battles a southpaw or an orthodox fighter. He knows how to handle himself in the ring. His experience will show him the way. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Susceptibility to cuts. Clottey isn’t a bleeder. He bangs heads and never comes out of a collision on the short end. Pacquiao has suffered an assortment of cuts in his long career. After the Cotto fight, he was stitched up. Clottey is a vampire in the ring and extracts blood from his opponents. Edge: Clottey.

O Work rate. Pacquiao is a busybody and doesn’t stop throwing. Clottey picks his punches, countering when there is an opening. The Ghanaian isn’t a volume puncher. If Pacquiao displays his blinding hand and foot-speed, Clottey will be frustrated into a watching and waiting mode. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Combinations. Pacquiao isn’t a one-hit wonder. He’ll throw jabs, hooks, crosses and straights and move out of range before Clottey is able to unleash a counter. Pacquiao is a rhythm fighter. His timing is precise. Clottey won’t know what’s coming when Pacquiao starts to turn the heat on. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Body banger. Both Clottey and Pacquiao will look to attack the body. Clottey will try to slow down Pacquiao by leaning on him, throwing shots to the side of the body from up close and bringing him to the ropes or corners. Because Pacquiao is smaller, he may feel Clottey’s body shot more than the Ghanaian will feel his. Edge: Clottey.

O Reflexes. Pacquiao has cat-quick reflexes and it shows in the way he deflects punches, parries blows and moves his head to avoid a direct hit. Clottey isn’t as reactive. Edge: Pacquiao.

O Mental toughness. There’s no doubt Pacquiao is in a frame of mind that belies his inner strength. His focus is unflappable. Whatever he sets his mind to do in the ring, he executes with deadly precision. Clottey isn’t as mentally in control as Pacquiao who knows what it’s like to fight and win under pressure. Edge: Pacquiao.

Out of 25 factors, Pacquiao has the edge in 17.

My prediction is Pacquiao will frustrate Clottey from the onset with his speed, skills and agility. In desperation, Clottey will resort to foul tactics, trying to bully Pacquiao and using his strength to push him into the ropes or the corners. Referee Rafael Ramos will disqualify Clottey for butting, holding, hitting below the belt and whatever else in the seventh round and Pacquiao will retain his WBO welterweight title without much of a sweat.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

MANNY PACQUIAO, A CERTIFIED PED USER

2010-03-13T15:52:00.000-08:00

By Greg R. Penilla, M.D.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 14 Mar 2010

Dallas, Texas -- There is no doubt that the phenomenal success of Manny Pacquiao, boxing’s pound for pound king, can never be explained by just being a naturally gifted and hardworking fighter. There must be something else. His incredible rise from a gangly undernourished 106 pound boxer to an extraordinary, out of this world, elite, welterweight champion is beyond rational.

And at this stage of his career, it is already safe to proclaim him as “one of the greatest boxers of all time” in the company of Ali, Armstrong, Leonard and Duran.

I am very much convinced that PED is behind his colossal success.

Not just one but two different kinds of PED’s. Yes folks, PED’s. Not the chemical kind, but different type of PED’s that no Olympic style drug testing can detect. PED’s that Manny Pacquaio himself would like the whole world to know and share.

Prayer Every Day. His super PED

This PED makes Pacquaio not only a special boxer but also a remarkable human being. Manny Pacquiao’s strong faith and belief in God has made him the person he is now. He is unabashed in acknowledging that without Him, he is a just an ordinary boxer.

Pacquaio has accepted that he is not just a boxer but a special person with a higher calling. The whole world knows that he continues to fight not just for his own fame and glory but to give his beloved country, the Philippines and her 90 million people something to be proud of.

And that is where the second PED comes from.

Pilipinos’ Enormous Devotion.

There is not a single person in this planet that can make a whole country come to a standstill, other than Manny Pacquiao. Not even POTUS (President of the United States) can do it.

Bitter political rivals, setting aside differences and watch him fight together. Communist rebels, secessionist Muslims and Philippine government soldiers laying down their arms at least during the day Pacquio is fighting. Streets are deserted. Even criminals take a break.

To his adoring countrymen, he is Elvis, Jordan, Ali, and Pele combined.

Manny Pacquaio summons this energy from his people when he fights, each time giving a virtuoso performance that provides the whole nation a sense of tremendous honor.

And with all the fortune he has amassed, Pacquiao is generous to a fault in giving back to the less fortunate

In just another few hours, a PED enhanced Manny Pacquaio will once again prove he is the undisputed boxing’s royalty, unfortunately at the expense of an equally nice guy, Clottey.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

PACQUIAO WILL HAVE A FEW SUPRISES IN STORE FOR CLOTTEY

2010-03-13T15:51:00.000-08:00

By Jason Aniel
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 14 Mar 2010

Arlington, TX—With just a few hours before the beginning of “The Event”, Manny Pacquiao is in his final stages of his preparations for his fight against Joshua Clottey. This included a pre-fight mass at the Convention Center at the Gaylord Resort, which concluded a few hours. Manny is expected to sleep for a few hours before eating one more meal and going on a pre fight walk around the hotel with his trainer Freddie Roach.

Many fans and boxing experts forecast a dominant Pacquiao victory over the bigger and stronger Clottey. Pacquiao is expected to win not because Clottey lacks any talent or boxing ability, but because Pacquiao is in great shape—physically and mentally. With seven weeks of hard training and all taking place at Los Angeles, Pacquiao may even be in better shape then he was when he stopped Miguel Cotto in 12 rounds in his last fight in November.

Both Pacquiao and Clottey made the 147lbs weight limit at the weigh-in that took place yesterday and the magnificent Cowboy Stadium. Pacquiao did not have to struggle or reduce to make weight, coming in at 145.75lbs. Clottey came in right at the limit at 147lbs.

After the weigh-in, Pacquiao prayed the rosary in his hotel suite before shooting a quick scene for his sitcom show “Show Me the Manny.” There, he explained that he has a few tricks up his sleeves and some surprises in store of Clottey. If Clottey thinks he’s figured out Manny based on the tapes he watched, then he’s in store for a big shock.

Close to 50,000 seats have been sold and officials of the stadium intend to open up the standing room only section of the stadium. With the 72 feet HD Screen lowered to about 50 feet above the ring, there is not one bad seat in the house. However, surprisingly, despite the big screen, the stadium seems perfect for boxing because there are many great sight lines to the ring itself. Credit goes to Dallas Cowboys owner and co-promoter, Jerry Jones, for having the foresight to envision a stadium that would feature big time boxing.

FILIPINOS FEATURED IN THE NON TELEVISED

Because this is not a typical Vegas fight, many fight fans will venture to the stadium early to catch some of the undercard bouts. Two Filipino fighters will take on tough opposition.

Michael Farenas, 27-2-3 (24 KOs), takes on the toughest opponent in his career in Joe Morales, 20-13 (4 KOs). While the record is far from impressive, Morales has fought many current or former world champions like Rogers Mtagwa, Joan Guzman, Rocky Juarez, Zahir Raheem, and Joel Cassamayor. If Farenas wants to take his career to the next level as a championship contender, he must defeat this experienced journeyman. Despite the record, Morales is not a fighter you can knock out quickly and easily. He will force his opponents to go several rounds. Farenas is part of the Gerry Penalosa boxing stable. Penalosa’s prized pupil, Farenas has quietly made a name for himself as a force in his weight class, and has earned a fight in one of the biggest cards of the 2010.

Youngster, Eden Sonsona, 20-5 (6 KOs), like Farenas, is taking on an experienced journeyman in former world titlist, Mauricio Pastrana, 35-12 (23 KOs). Manny Pacquiao is handling the career of the 21-year-old. Pastrana does have a flare for an upset when he beat rising prospect, Antonio Escalante, in 2007. Therefore, if Sonsona expects an easy fight against a shot Pastrana, then he’ll play into the hands of the unset minded Pastrana.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Manny Pacquaio v Joshua Clottey, “The Event”, Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Texas

2010-03-13T15:49:00.000-08:00

By Gary Todd
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 14 Mar 2010

Going into this fight, there’s not a lot more you can say about Manny Pacquaio. He has done it all. Well almost.

Since debuting in 1995, he has worked harder than most to become a sporting superstar. He has fought the best fighters in multiple weight divisions and beaten ring legends to become recognized as the number one fighter in the world today. Well almost.

With the fight being billed as “The Event”, only hours away, and all the hard training over for Pacquaio and Clottey, both men will be resting, replenishing, and focusing on what lies ahead.

For Clottey, this is his biggest test to date in his 15 year career as a prizefighter. For Clottey, it’s everything. He knows, if he wins, he will become a millionaire, a national hero to his people of Ghana, but more than that he will get to fight the winner of Mosley and Mayweather.

For Pacquaio, its just another opponent. Well maybe.

When I spoke to Freddie Roach, after the Cotto fight last year, I asked what Pacquaio still had to prove, and who they wanted to fight. Freddie said Mayweather. Another guy jumps into the conversation and asks Freddie, “what about Mosley”? Freddie said, “Mosley is our toughest fight.”

I smiled at him, and he said ”Im serious.”

I couldn’t believe it.

For me, he has to fight Mayweather, then retire. If the Mosley fight was 5 years ago, at a lighter weight, then I would have to agree with Freddie, but not in 2010.

Anyway, lets get back to Clottey.

Clottey is a strong, but limited fighter who has a good left hook, and a decent uppercut, but seems to lose focus after 6 rounds. He will be, as always, in great physical condition, and will be bigger on the night. Throw in, a height and reach advantage, for him, and really, a nothing to lose attitude, then it makes for an interesting fight. Well maybe.

Pacquaio has fought bigger guys who trained hard, and none of them could adjust or adapt to his speed or angles.

For Clottey to have any chance of beating Pacquaio, he has to get inside and go to the body, and follow up with the uppercut, left hook. [ his best punch]

At first, Pacquaio just wont be there. He will box and stay outside, counter punching Clottey as he throws his hooks. Clottey has a bad habit of dropping his hands, when he throws his hooks, and Pacquaio will catch him all night long.

Interesting to note though, Pacquaio will have to be careful , not to get sloppy, or try to exchange bombs, on the inside, as Clottey has a lethal weapon,- his head. If you look at his record, you will see that in some of his fights, his best punch was his head. In some of his biggest fights against, Miguel Cotto, Zab Judah, Steve Martinez, Carlos Baldomir, and Richard Guttierrez, he resorted to fighting with his head, which cost him dearly.

The fight and my prediction.

I see Pacquaio fighting his fight, from the outside, and in the centre of the ring. Clottey will try everything and anything to try and get to Pacquaio on the inside, and he will at some point, make contact with Pacquaio’s eyebrows, causing a bad cut. This will be a turning point in the fight, and it should force Pacquaio to go for the knockout. After another head clash, the referee will stop the fight, and the fight will go to the scorecards.

A bloodied Pacquaio wins on points.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Video: Manny Pacquiao on Good Morning America

2010-03-13T15:39:00.000-08:00

RAPEVINE, TEX. -- On Saturday morning -- a mere hours before he is to defend his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title against Joshua Clottey -- Filipino superstar boxer, Manny Pacquiao, made an appearance on Good Morning America.

Among the nuances discussed on the show is the fact that Pacquiao was abandoned by his father, earned $35 million last year, and that when he throws a punch, what goes through his mind is, "Power."

Pacquiao also unveals his ability to imitate the Braveheart movie character's Scottish accent, as it was portrayed by Mel Gibson.

There are also references to his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Cowboys Stadium: The Event Venue

2010-03-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey Weigh In Videos

2010-03-13T05:05:00.000-08:00

THE EVENT: Will Pacquiao be the first to stop Clottey?

2010-03-13T04:50:00.000-08:00

By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 13 Mar 2010

When Manny Pacquiao fought British Ricky Hatton last year, the then reigning world junior-welterweight champion had never been knocked down fighting in the 140pound division.

The Filipino sensation sent Hatton to the canvas, not only once but thrice, the first two right in the opening bell on the way to a sensational second round dethroning of the bigger and heavier British to capture the sixth of his historic seven world titles in as many weight classes.

Today the 31-year-old Pacquiao stakes his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against former champion Joshua Clottey of Ghana, who boasts of a distinction of not having kissed the floor in his previous 38 bouts of a rather roller-coaster career, winning 35, 20 of which via knockouts.
Can Pacquiao do to Clottey, definitely a taller, heavier and heftier slugger what he did to Hatton and become the first man to deal the Ghanaian his first loss via stoppage?
Or can Clottey cut short the Filipino’s winning streak to 50, 38 of them via KOs, deal Pacquiao his fourth loss and stash away with the title in addition to his biggest earning ever?

The fight will be held at the spanking $1.2 million Dallas Cowboys’ Stadium built for the NHL but will start venturing on big time boxing in this biggest event in sweet science this year fittingly titled “The Event.”
“The Event” actually got underway Friday (Saturday in Manila) with the weigh-in ceremony held before a jampacked crowd, including members of Team Pacquiao and Team Clottey.
Pacquiao checked in at a chiseled 145 ¾ lbs, while the finely-tuned Clottey weighed in at the division limit of 147 lbs..

At stake is the WBO welterweight title Pacquiao took from Puerto Rican Miguel, whom he dethroned via a violent 12th round stoppage TKO last November.
On the strength of his four-straight stoppage victories the past two years that earned for him the mythical pound-for-pound king over Juan Diaz ((9th round), Oscar De La Hoya (9th round), Hatton (2nd) and Clotto (12th), Pacquiao has been installed heavy favorite to keep the title and go home to start campaigning for a congressional he is seeking in Sarangani province this May 10.

That triumphant march following a split decision verdict over Juan Manual Marquez that, likewise, gave him the moniker “the Mexican Assassin”, led the Filipino southpaw to his third “Fighter of the Year” award in 2009 by the Boxing Writers Association of America besides establishing himself, too, as the biggest draw in the sport today.

After romping off with a piece of the 140-lb title at the expense of Zab Judah August of 2008, Clottey, on the other hand lost his lasts fight to Cotto via a controversial 12-round decision nine months ago.
Clottey will be playing plays the role of a happy accidental challenger hoping to cash in on this lifetime opportunity to earn his biggest purse ever coming on the heels of a nine-month layoff.
Clottey’s luck came about after plans for a Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr.showdown fell through due to an unresolved dispute over the handling of drug tests. Clottey could be, as he promised, determined to burn, but how long he can against Pacquiao’s master of the challenger's limited skills and straightforward approach, only chief trainer Freddie Roach knows.
Roach, for instance has already spotted all of Clottey’s bad habits like his tendency to remain stationary while covering his face with his gloves and leaving the body open defensively.

That could spell trouble against a busy fighter like Pacquiao who fires punches from so many angles and blurs the line between offense and defense so effectively. The challenger can eat leather all night, but it's Pacquiao's work downstairs that will set the stage for the first stoppage of Clottey's career.
No additional drug testing beyond what’s required by the Texas Boxing Commission has been demanded by either the Pacquiao or Clottey camp.

A crowd of 45,000 is expected to file in to the newly renovated state of the art Cowboys Stadium, a testament to Pacquiao’s drawing power alone. This because of the fact, except for features written about him in the course of the matchup, Clottey is only known in hardcore boxing circles.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Fightwriter: Pacquiao-Clottey

2010-03-13T04:49:00.000-08:00

By Graham Houston

Superstar Manny Pacquiao tops the bill in the year’s biggest fight so far, meeting the durable Joshua Clottey in a welterweight title fight on Saturday that will be watched by a 40,000 crowd at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas and a worldwide TV viewing audience (HBO PPV in the U.S., Sky Box Office in Britain). Even though Pacquiao is a massive favourite, people want to see the fighter who is now regarded as a potential all-time great. The way Pacquiao has stormed through the weight divisions from flyweight right up to welterweight, and the thrilling, dominant displays of speed and power against big-name fighters Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto have established the Filipino as a phenomenon, the type of fighter who comes along once in a lifetime.

Pacquiao defends his WBO welterweight title on Saturday and he is meeting a worthy challenger. Clottey is a big, strong fighter who will likely be coming into the ring as a junior middleweight. The fighter from Ghana promises to take the fight to Pacquiao and put him under pressure. Clottey is expected to put up a good fight. He has never been stopped. With his tight defence and his sturdy chin, Clottey has a blast-proof look. Can Pacquiao get him out of the fight inside 12 rounds? For many, this is the most intriguing aspect of the fight.

Clottey is a seasoned fighter but predictable. He moves straight ahead with gloves up and elbows tucked in, and he likes to unload bursts of punches once he is in firing range.

This style can be very effective against many fighters. Clottey was too strong and industrious for the faster, flashier Zab Judah, for instance. Although it was a cut over Judah’s eye that caused the fight to end prematurely, it did seem that Clottey was breaking down the southpaw from Brooklyn.

Pacquiao, of course, is no ordinary fighter. His hand speed and foot speed are very difficult to deal with for the more methodical types of fighter such as Clottey.

It seems to me that Pacquiao, at 31, is punching even harder — and taking a better punch — than at any time in his career while remaining just as fast as when he was boxing at much lighter weights. Floyd Mayweather Jr. doesn’t believe Pacquiao is doing this naturally, and his suspicions caused their potential superfight to fall apart, but in Pacquiao’s camp they say that it is modern nutrition and diet and incredibly hard work — plus the body’s growing process — that has seen the former flyweight give devastating displays at 147 pounds.

Pacquiao isn’t the only fighter to have started out as a slender flyweight and moved up to become formidable through the weight divisions. Old-time light-heavy champion Georges Carpentier started out as a flyweight; so did Jimmy McLarnin, who became a big-hitting welterweight champ.

The people associated with Pacquiao say that we should enjoy him while we can because we aren’t likely to see anyone like him again, and the success of Saturday’s show indicates that the public has got the message.

I am expecting an exciting performance and a convincing win from Pacquiao. Although Clottey is a capable fighter he has shown a tendency to do enough to lose in the big fights — he faded late against Antonio Margarito after making a strong start, and his failure to keep punching caused him to blow the late rounds and lose narrowly to Miguel Cotto. I can see him getting befuddled and discouraged if he if he finds himself unable to hit Pacquiao while getting peppered himself.

Clottey can give Pacquiao a competitive fight but I don’t think he will be able to maintain the constant, fists-pumping pressure that would give him his only chance of success. I think Clottey will find himself running into punches, and if he goes to the ropes and covers up he will get hammered to the body.

Pacquiao’s southpaw style as such might not be a factor, because Clottey has fought well against left-handers, but the Filipino’s speed, power and sheer dynamism are another matter. I think that Clottey might be struggling by the later rounds and it is easy to picture him being rescued while under bombardment. A head clash ending is an unfortunate possibility — Clottey has been involved in a few of those as he tends to lean in with his head when he throws uppercuts, and Cotto was badly sliced in a collision. I tend to lean a bit towards Pacquiao by decision rather than by KO or TKO, but he is on fire right now and Clottey might need all his durability and closed-shutters defence to hear the final bell.

Source: fightnews.com

Pacquiao plans to head off any butts in this fight

2010-03-13T04:48:00.000-08:00

By By Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times

from arlington, texas

The best strategy for challenger Joshua Clottey in his fight against Manny Pacquiao may be to use his head.

Not his brain, his head.

There is a history here, and the Pacquiao camp is aware. Their fighter is so heavily favored that some odds on Pacquiao winning have been as high as 15-2. There has been more discussion about where the fight is taking place — massive Cowboys Stadium in front of 45,000 people — than how it will turn out. To most, it's a foregone conclusion.

Still, Pacquiao and his people know that danger lurks in any ring battle, no matter the odds. They know that, in this one, Clottey's forehead may be as dangerous as his fists.

"We're not going to fight him in the box, straight on, where his head can get at Manny," says Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, of the Saturday night match.

The memory of Clottey's fight last June 13 against Miguel Cotto in Madison Square Garden remains vivid to all in boxing.

In the third round, Cotto and Clottey banged heads and Cotto was cut over his left eye. The remainder of the fight was a struggle in Cotto's corner to stop the blood flow, and it wasn't until the last two rounds that Cotto seemed to recover enough to chase down Clottey and score enough points to escape with a split decision.

In November 1999 in London, a then-unbeaten Clottey fought Carlos Baldomir of Argentina. Ahead on all three judges' cards, Clottey was penalized two points in the 10th round for what was termed an "intentional head butt" that opened a cut over Baldomir's left eye. In the 11th, Clottey was warned again about leading with his head, and when he did it one more time, the referee stopped it and gave Baldomir the fight on a disqualification.

The rules state that if a fighter is cut by a head butt, but is deemed by medical personnel to be able to continue, then there is no recourse for the wounded fighter, other than disqualification for repeated offenses, as happened in the Baldomir fight. With Cotto, there were no further detected head butts, so he had to fight his way back through it.

The exception occurs if the head butt happens in the first four rounds and the wounded fighter is judged to be unable to go on. Then they go to the scorecards to get the winner.

The head-butting issue is especially significant in this fight because Pacquiao has a history of not doing well when cut.

"He freaks out a little bit," Roach says.

Pacquiao has lost only three fights on the way to his current 50-3-2 record and status as the best boxer in the world. One loss occurred March 19, 2005, when Erik Morales cut him over the right eye — ruled a cut by punch, not head butt — and Pacquiao lost a unanimous decision.

"I couldn't see out of one eye, and it was very hard," Pacquiao said then.

He went on to avenge that loss by knocking out Morales twice.

Interestingly, the cut man in Pacquiao's corner Saturday night will be Miguel Diaz, whom Roach calls "the best in the business."

There is some history there too.

In May 2004, Pacquiao, still a little-known boxer on the rise, took on Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas. In the first round, Pacquiao nearly destroyed Marquez, knocking him down three times. The third time, Marquez barely made it to his feet in time, but his nose, clearly broken, was a bloody mess.

In his corner, veteran trainer Nacho Berenstein struggled to stop the bleeding in Marquez's nose. Sitting nearby at ringside, having worked an undercard fight, was Diaz, who saw the problem, knew how to help and went to Berenstein's aide, despite some resistance from security guards. He wasn't allowed in the ring, but he handed Berenstein the extra medical tools needed. Marquez went back out for the second round, survived, and Diaz did the same thing for Berenstein in the corner after the round.

Somehow, with the blood stopped just enough for him to be effective, Marquez turned the fight around enough to get a draw from the judges, one of whom had not realized he could have scored Pacquiao's three knockdowns in the first as a 10-6 round, rather than the 10-7 he made it.

Saturday night, Diaz will be on Pacquiao's side, just in case Clottey uses his head too much.

"I told Manny," Roach says, "that he's got the best cut man in the world in his corner. I told him not to worry."

Source: latimes.com

Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey bout just specter of what fans should've received

2010-03-13T04:47:00.000-08:00

GRAPEVINE, Tex. - When Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey step into the ring for their 12-round welterweight match at the palatial Cowboys Stadium Saturday, the specter of the fight that should be taking place will hang heavily in the air.

This was supposed to be the night that Pacquiao, the current No. 1 pound-for-pound king, faced off against Floyd Mayweather Jr., the man who held that title before he retired in 2008. The two men were placed on a collision course when Mayweather returned to boxing last year and as Pacquiao steamed through opponents such as Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.

But the negotiations for that fight fell apart because of Mayweather's insistence on Olympic- style drug testing for himself and Pacquiao and Pacquiao's refusal to agree to random blood testing.

So instead of the bonanza of Mayweather-Pacquiao, boxing fans, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones - who wanted to showcase a major fistic event at his new stadium - are left with Pacquiao-Clottey, something of a consolation prizefight.

Even though Jones, Pacquiao, Clottey and promoter Bob Arum have been talking up the welterweight showdown between the Filipino star and the former IBF welterweight champ from the Bronx by way of Ghana, it is hard to keep Mayweather out of the conversation.

As trainer Freddie Roach was laying out the strategy for how Pacquiao could dismantle the steel-chinned Clottey in the press room at the Gaylord Texan Hotel on Thursday, he was asked if he thought Mayweather-Pacquiao would ever happen.

"I think the fight will happen because he (Mayweather) wants to make Pacquiao money," Roach said. "He can't make it with anyone else. It's a great fight. It's the fight that everybody wants to see. That puts us (boxing) back in the lead of MMA. That's a fight that's good for the sport."

In order for there to be any talk of resurrecting the negotiations for that fight, Pacquiao must first take care of Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) and Mayweather must defeat Shane Mosley in Las Vegas on May 1.

Those two fights are not layups for either man. Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) has to contend with a full-fledged welterweight who might come into the ring weighing as much as a middleweight.

"My guy will weigh in at 147 pounds, but he'll come in at 155 or 160 pounds," said Lenny DeJesus, Clottey's trainer. "He likes to eat, and that's his normal walking around weight."

Pacquiao hit 145-3/4pounds and Clottey 147 at the weigh-in at Cowboys Stadium yesterday.

Roach expects Pacquiao's quickness, speed and confusing attacking angles to be enough to thwart anything that Clottey might bring. And he expects those skills to pave the way for Pacquiao to do something that none of Clottey's other opponents, including Diego Corrales, Zab Judah, Antonio Margarito and Cotto, have done - stop him.

"I think he can stop him," Roach said. "He's got a good chin. But the punch that will get you is the punch you don't see."

Despite the fact that Clottey isn't a household name in boxing, a win would be an impressive one for Pacquiao, who will start campaigning for a seat in congress in the Philippines once the fight is over. And he has talked about retiring, although he hasn't been too specific about the time frame.

There won't be much left for Pacquiao to accomplish in boxing if he can't get Mayweather into the ring. And if Pacquiao loses his race for the congressional seat, there won't be much to do in the Philippines, except enjoy his money and his fame. And that might be enough.

For Clottey an upset victory over Pacquiao could lay the groundwork for greater respect in the welterweight division. He would be in line for a match against the winner of Mayweather-Mosley.

Of all the people connected with this promotion and those who hover above it, Clottey is the one who will receive the biggest bounce if he wins.

Source: nydailynews.com

Clottey’s comedy corner turns weigh-in into laugh-in

2010-03-13T04:46:00.001-08:00

ARLINGTON, Tex. – Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey tried to play it straight when they were asked to pose. The stare-down is supposed to be serious stuff. One blink signals fear. But Pacquiao and Clottey laughed like kids at play. They couldn’t stop laughing.

A weigh-in, a well-rehearsed ritual, can be funny. One in front of Cowboys Stadium Friday was more laugh-in than weigh-in. Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) and Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs) made the welterweight limit, Clottey at 147 pounds and Pacquiao at 145 ¾, for their fight Saturday night at the $1.2 billion arena.

After they stepped off the official scale, they must have laughed off another quarter pound or two. The Clottey camp played the straight man, the tomato can. Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach delivered the punch lines.

Clottey camper Gjin Gjini, owner of John’s Gym in New York, leaned over and told Roach that if the corners were fighting, Clottey’s corner would win in a beat-down. It was the equivalent of one kid telling another kid: My dad can whip your dad. No wonder they were laughing.

“He tells me that if the corners were fighting, we’d get beat up,’’ said Roach, who didn’t recall Ginji’s name and referred to him only as “the Albanian.”

At 50, Roach is well-past his best days as a brawling featherweight. Nevertheless, he has managed to become a target for insults from opposing corners. Floyd Mayweather, Sr., spouted dismissive poetry and few other things at Roach before Pacquiao knocked out Ricky Hatton. Joe Santiago took his rhetorical shots at Roach before Pacquiao’s stoppage of Miguel Cotto.

“When Manny fights Floyd Mayweather Jr., no telling what will happen between me and Roger Mayweather,’’ Roach said of Floyd’s uncle and trainer, also a former fighter. “Roger really doesn’t like me.’’

Anger at Roach from opposing camps might just be rooted in Pacquiao’s recent run of dominance. Nobody has been able to beat the Filipino, who was heavier than he has ever been at an official weigh-in. The Pacquiao reign isn’t expected to change against Clottey in a ring above the 50-yard line and beneath the biggest and brightest high-definition screen in this video universe and maybe a few others.

An undercurrent of rancor between the Clottey camp and Roach starts with Lenny DeJesus, who moved into Clottey’s corner as the lead trainer when Godwin Kotey of Ghana could not get a U.S. visa in time to travel to Dallas.

DeJesus was Pacquiao’s cutman. His role ended in 2005 after the Filipino’s loss to Erik Morales. It also was the last time Pacquiao lost. That fight represents some important history. DeJesus hopes it repeats itself. Roach has been making sure that it won’t. Pacquiao was badly cut over the left eye in the fifth round by head butt. DeJesus couldn’t stop the bleeding. Pacquiao, bothered by a river blood the flowed over and into his eye, couldn’t see well enough to stop Morales. Pacquiao lost a decision. DeJesus lost his job.

With Clottey, DeJesus has an opportunity at revenge with a durable fighter whose best weapon might be a head butt. A clash of heads against Cotto in June almost allowed Clottey to escape New York’s Madison Square Garden with a major upset instead of a loss by split decision.

“We won’t be there for that to happen,’’ Roach said of the head-butt possibility. “We’re at perfect fighting weight.”

Roach paused and added:

“We’re where we want to be.’’

Pacquiao has been for a while. That’s no joke.

Source: 15rounds.com

Seconds Out: Clottey defence is no real test for King Pacquiao

2010-03-13T04:39:00.000-08:00

by Nick Peet

WITH so much going on right on the doorstep right now it would be easy to miss the fact the current, worldly accepted, pound-for-pound number one returns to arms tonight.

Manny Pacquiao takes on Joshua Clottey in front of around 100,000 fans in Dallas, Texas but I – like may others – will feel short changed regardless of how long the brave Ghanaian lasts.

All I will be thinking in the small hours of this morning will be, ‘What if?’

What if Pacquiao had committed to fight Floyd Mayweather Jnr ahead of chasing the dollars here. What if we’d be sitting down to the biggest fight of this generation tonight rather than waiting for Pacquiao to devour yet another ‘game’ opponent in spectacular but predictable fashion.

Reports of Clottey looking poor on the pads during his public workout earlier this week certainly don’t old well for the WBO welterweight title challenger, especially as Pacman’s hand speed was reportedly “better than ever”.

If Clottey survives the distance in the small hours of tomorrow then he’ll have done his people proud, but I don’t envisage this one going past eight rounds.

Come on Manny, it’s Mayweather we want to see you test yourself against. Surely, until you face ‘The Man’ you’ll never truly be the world number one.

Source: liverpoolecho.co.uk

Matthew Aguilar: Joshua Clottey's great but Manny 'Pac-Man' Pacquiao is greater

2010-03-12T23:55:00.000-08:00

By Matthew Aguilar / Special to the Times

Joshua Clottey is as tough and dangerous a welterweight as there is in boxing.

He has cut his teeth against the world's best 147-pounders; he has an aggressive, straight-forward style that makes him fun to watch and easy to root for. He is gutsy, determined and skillful, and two of his three losses have come via decision to a pair of boxing's elite fighters.

Those who think the native of Ghana is a mere replacement for Floyd Mayweather Jr. don't know boxing.

Unfortunately for "Grandmaster," he is fighting the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world -- a superstar who is in his prime and considered not only the best fighter of the last decade, but one of the greatest warriors to ever lace up the gloves.

Yes, even for highly-qualified, deserving, former world champions like Clottey, facing Manny Pacquiao is a daunting task. And the challenger will need a superhuman effort to come out victorious when the duo meets for "Pac-Man's" WBO welterweight title at Cowboys Stadium (7 p.m. today, HBO pay-per-view).

Matchup problems

Clottey, 35-3 (20 knockouts), nearly hit the jackpot in his last fight, a razor-close 12-round decision loss to Miguel Cotto last June. He rebounded from a flash knockdown in the first round to punish Cotto down the stretch, turning the Puerto Rican's face into a bloody mess.

Cotto got the disputed decision, with that knockdown playing a vital role in the outcome. Afterward, Clottey -- painfully close to a career-defining victory -- pleaded for a rematch.

It is ironic then that, nine months later, Clottey is getting an opportunity against the guy who beat Cotto. It goes without saying that he matched up better with Cotto. Because nobody matches up well with Pacquiao, 50-3-2 (38 KOs).

The Filipino mega-star not only fires lightning-quick punches out of a southpaw stance -- making him one of the most technically-difficult fighters in the world -- he also is among the hardest punchers in boxing.

He caught Oscar De La Hoya with a stiff, jarring left hand in the first round of their December 2008 fight, and the bigger, taller De La Hoya never fully recovered.

From there, it was a massacre, with the 5-foot-6 Pacquaio registering a ninth-round TKO over the 5-10 De La Hoya. That was the start of an all-time great stretch for Pacquiao, who since then has knocked out Ricky Hatton (KO 2) and Cotto (TKO 12) in spectacular fashion.

Pacquiao is at the top of his game. But, at age 31, you have to wonder how much longer the joy ride will last.

A tough one

The first six rounds will be key for Clottey.

If the Ghanian can survive Pacquiao's speed, accuracy and crunching power for 18 minutes, his physical strength and bigger frame could have an effect on the Filipino. And, since Pac-Man hasn't been shy lately about engaging in toe-to-toe slugfests -- especially against fighters to which he feels superior -- a bonafide war could ensue.

That would be Clottey's best chance at victory.

But, even then, the challenger would be outgunned -- and getting beat three punches to one. At least. Every round will be exciting, and the Texas crowd will be treated to an action-packed, historic fight.

But, at the end of the day, the champ is just too good.

Pac-Man will use his amazing speed and power to wear Clottey down, who will be badly beaten and swollen at the end -- but gallant and still standing.

Pacquiao by 12th round TKO.

Source: elpasotimes.com

Manny Pacquiao got push to star status

2010-03-12T23:54:00.001-08:00

By George Kimball
Saturday, March 13, 2010

ARLINGTON, Texas - With announcer Michael Buffer repeatedly describing the venue as “the Eighth Wonder of the World,” Cowboys Stadium hosted a dry run last night, as the world’s top boxer, World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and his Ghanaian challenger, Joshua Clottey, weighed in atop a stage erected on the concourse fronting the venue.

Just before Pacquiao and Clottey emerged from their dressing rooms, the massive floor-to-ceiling glass doors were winched open, leaving the end of the stadium fully exposed. With a beaming host and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and promoter Bob Arum looking on, first Clottey (147 pounds) and then Pacquiao (145) mounted the scale under the supervision of Texas boxing official Dickie Cole.

Pacquiao’s appearance was greeted by a thunderous ovation from what seemed to be thousands of Filipino supporters (as well as by one man carrying a sign whose allegiance proclaimed “Irish for Pacquiao”).

Clottey was met with polite applause.

According to Arum, one man is more responsible than any other for the fact that Pacquiao and Clottey will mix it up before a sold-out crowd of 45,000-plus, not to mention a pay-per-view audience that could top 750,000 buys and a worldwide television audience that will number in the millions.

And no, Arum wasn’t talking about himself, his partner Jones or even Floyd Mayweather Jr., although all of the above certainly bear some responsibility. Rather, the guy Arum had in mind was David Diaz, who in June 2008 put his World Boxing Council lightweight title on the line in agreeing to face Pacquiao.

“He didn’t have to do it,” noted Arum.

At the time Pacquiao had 50 professional bouts, but since he had never weighed more than 130 pounds, his credentials as a lightweight were nonexistent. There were those who felt Diaz might be too big for him and that the talented Filipino southpaw might be overreaching with the step up in weight.

But Pacquiao stopped Diaz in nine rounds that night to set in motion a remarkable journey that has taken him from a widely admired boxer to a veritable superstar legitimately compared to the very best who have ever worn gloves.

A guy who had never fought as a lightweight until he met Diaz will be fighting for the third time as a welterweight. In the interim he has fought and disposed of some of the sport’s biggest names: Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, none of whom survived to hear the final bell.

Win, lose or draw tonight against Clottey, Pacquiao will be in New York come June to pick up his third consecutive Fighter of the Year award from the Boxing Writers Association of America.

“But if the Diaz fight doesn’t happen, neither does the De La Hoya fight,” said Arum. “He might not have fought Hatton or Cotto, and he might not be fighting Clottey (tonight).”

Diaz’ reward is a berth against Humberto Soto in the televised portion of the 10-bout card, a fight in which he will attempt to regain the same championship he lost to Pacquiao 21 months earlier.

It is a bout that could well be the swan song for Diaz (35-2-1). The 33-year-old Chicagoan, who has fought only once since a majority decision over Jesus Chavez last September, is a 5-1 underdog against Soto, who brings a career mark of 50-7-2 to Dallas.

Source: bostonherald.com

Examiner Bio Pacquiao vs. Clottey: addressing the weight difference on fight night

2010-03-12T23:52:00.000-08:00

Pittsburgh Fight Sports Examiner | Scott Heritage

Earlier on today, Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey both made weight for their showdown tomorrow night in Dallas.

Pacquiao, who reportedly struggles to keep weight on to make welterweight, came in at 145 ¾ to Clottey's solid 147. On the night of the fight, Pacquiao isn't expected to come in a lot heavier than 150lbs, while Clottey's camp estimates 160lbs will be his actual fighting weight.

While on paper this might look to be in Clottey's advantage, there are some drawbacks of being that much bigger than his already faster opponent.

Pacquiao, coming from the lower weights is already much faster than Clottey. In fact the only welterweight who could probably match him today is Floyd Mayweather, a defensive fighter himself but a far cry from the Accra standout.

Clottey will try to use his size and weight to wrestle Pacquiao, rough him up in the clinches, lean on him and let's face it, its pretty likely he might cut him with his head. Pacquiao for his part will need to keep his distance and vary his usual pattern of straight forward attacking.

Pacquiao doesn't do well with dirty opponents or being cut, but similarly Clottey and his extra bulk is only going to slow him down even further. One of the biggest intangibles is that Clottey's stand in trainer used to work with Pacquiao as a cut man, and was present the last time Manny lost. DeJesus knows Manny isn't keen on being cut, and he also no doubt knows Clottey has a head like a block of concrete and his skin is like shoe leather. Other fighters can clash heads with Clottey all they want, but they are the only ones getting cut open.

If Clottey does cut Pacquiao, unintentionally or otherwise, then the fight will probably be a lot closer. Pacquiao's whirlwind attack will have to be more measured and Clottey might find picking him off as he comes in a lot easier.

Pacquiao will probably still take it, but Clottey might not go down without a fight as some are expecting.

Shaun Smith, Pittsburgh PA: "Lots of people thought Clottey's trainer being away would hold him back, but in the end it worked out a lot better for him. Lenny DeJesus is a better trainer than his original one, and he's worked with Pacquiao before as well"

Frank Hague, Pittsburgh PA: "My big worry about Clottey was that he might have struggled to make the 147lb limit. Cotto looked like a skeleton against Pacquiao and the fight reflected that. Clottey looked in great shape though, should be a good one"

Dean Martel, Pittsburgh PA: "Clottey looks a lot bigger than Pacquiao, but he'll need a lot more than size alone to make much of an impact. Cotto couldn't make a dent and he was nearly as big as Clottey by fight time"

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao, Clottey will tangle for title belt

2010-03-12T23:45:00.000-08:00

By JOHN WHISLER San Antonio Express-News

ARLINGTON — His campaign for political office in the Philippines will begin soon. He has hinted that this could be his last fight.

And then there is the lingering hangover from the whole Floyd Mayweather Jr. mess.

Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) has ample reason to be distracted when he steps into the ring tonight against Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) in boxing's debut at Cowboys Stadium.

But don't bet on it.

“I know he's bigger and stronger than me,” said Pacquiao, who hasn't lost in five years. “So I can't underestimate him because he is a former world champion also.”

A sellout crowd of 45,000 is expected for the 12-round bout for Pacquiao's World Boxing Organization welterweight title, the main event on an HBO pay-per-view card that starts at 8 p.m.
Heavenly bout

On paper, it's a match made in boxing heaven: Pacquiao, the world's greatest fighter, competing in perhaps the world's greatest sports venue.

Maybe that's why promoters dubbed it “The Event.”

“The Fight,” the one fans wanted to see, is Pacquiao-Mayweather. But it died a slow and painful death after negotiations broke down over Mayweather's camp demanded random, Olympic-style blood tests.

Pacquiao and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum walked away from the bout and decided on Clottey, another fighter from the Top Rank stable.

Clottey, 32, is no Mayweather. His best hope for victory might be a distracted Pacquiao. A native of Accra, Ghana, now living in the Bronx, Clottey is coming off a 12-round split-decision loss to Miguel Cotto in June, a fight some say Clottey won. He owns wins over Zab Judah and Diego Corrales, but lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Antonio Margarito in 2006.

Pacquiao dominated Cotto in November in his last fight, winning by 12th-round TKO.

A durable fighter with underrated hand speed whose forte is blocking punches, Clottey has never been stopped or knocked out in 38 pro bouts.

But Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, predicts that will change.

“We've watched a lot of tape on Clottey,” Roach said. “Manny will overwhelm him with his speed and I do believe he will be the first person to (knock him out).”

Pacquiao is a 5-1 favorite in the scheduled 12-round fight.

Pacquiao weighed in at 145¾ pounds for the fight; Clottey weighed in at 147 pounds Friday.

Pacquiao, 31, maintains he is focused on this fight and nothing else.

He plans to return to the Philippines by March 22 to begin his campaign for a congressional seat. He ran for office in 2007 and was defeated.

“This is my last fight before the election,” Pacquiao said. “I am not saying I am going to retire.”
Strong denial

Pacquiao maintains he has never taken steroids and has declined to discuss the blood-testing issue in recent days.

It won't be a problem for this fight because Texas only requires urine testing after a fight.

Rafael Ramos of San Antonio will referee the bout.

San Antonio featherweight Joe Morales (20-13, four KOs) is scheduled to appear in a non-televised bout on the undercard.

Source: chron.com

ESPN’s ‘Around the Horn’ thinks the Pacquiao vs. Clottey fight is ‘no big deal’

2010-03-12T23:44:00.000-08:00

Sacramento Fight Sports Examiner | Rick Rockwell

You can count out some of today’s panelists on ESPN’s Around the Horn for being excited about the upcoming Pacquiao fight. 3 of the 4 panelists on today’s episode think that this fight is no big deal at all. Some panelists even said don’t bother them until Pacquiao and Mayweather fight. Let’s examine further.

During the show’s “Buy or Sell” segment, the host Tony Reali asked the question “is the Pacquiao vs. Clottey fight a deal or no deal”? All 4 panelists J.A. Adande, Woody Paige, Gene Wojciechowski, and Kevin Blackistone had an opportunity to share their opinions about the fight.

Gene Wojciechowski
“This is no deal. PPV? You gotta pay me to watch this fight.”

J.A. Adande
“It aint Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, that’s why I’m not interested”.

Woody P.
“I will find something on the food network rather than pay to watch this fight. When he fights Mayweather then I will care. They could have marble shooting at that stadium and 45,000 people will show up”.

Kevin B.
“It is a big deal and I will be there. Pacquiao’s the champion and he’s the biggest personality in boxing. And it’s the first big fight there.”

Only Kevin Blackistone thought this fight was a big deal and he was correct in the reasons that he gave. But let me add a few more obvious reasons. The stars that are showing up this fight will give it the “important” feel. The venue is a first of it’s kind. And Pacquiao is the best fighter in the sport.

Kenny Wallace Roseville, CA “Did you catch Around the Horn today? What was Gene smoking?”

Yeah, I thought Gene’s comments were absolutely absurd. Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world. Even if he’s fighting someone that might be perceived as inferior, there’s still the entertainment value of watching one of the All-Time greats at the top of their sport. Gene needs a reality check.

Mark Jones Sacramento, CA “What was up with all the Mayweather talking on Around the Horn today? Don’t they realize that Pacquiao is fighting a top welterweight contender?”

It’s clear that they only want to see Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. And who can really blame them? However, to act like this fight has no meaning is just ignorant. Clottey is a legit fighter.

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao: World’s only Seven-division Champ

2010-03-12T23:41:00.000-08:00

PhilBoxing.com
13 Mar 2010

Boxing writers named him as having re-invented the sport of sweet science, inspired millions, perhaps billions of people around the world. It would not be an overstatement that Manny Pacquiao is being hailed these days as the savior of a sport and a nation.

The Filipino boxer, who barely stands at 5ft 6½ inches , is universally regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, a point he emphatically demonstrated the past decade by crowning himself world champion in seven weight classes, the last the welteweight belt at the expense of Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto only November of last year, in the process enriching himself by US$13 million.

No less that Bob Arum, his promoter who head Top Rank, believes Pacquiao, otherwise – known as “ Pacman”, is the one boxer responsible for a resurrection of the long-dormant sport.

As for his countrymen, he approximates the status of deity.

Every time he fights, crime in the country drops to virtually zero. Whenever Pacquiao’s fights are on television. Shooting between army troops and the rebels in the south or elsewhere actually stopped.
All this simply adds to his status in as a humble superstar who gives away thousands of dollars each year to help his fellow countrymen cope with grinding poverty.

Born 31 years ago in the little-known town of Kibawe, Bukidnon in far south Mindanao, Pacquiao grew up selling breads and flowers to help keep his family in food. Like many of his countrymen, he had no shoes, little formal education and no future until he fled home at 14 to try his luck in prizefighting.
From the time he won his first professional fight, a four-rounder by decision, on January 22, 1995, rose from a 106-pound fighter to someone who has won world titles at flyweight (112), super-bantamweight (122), featherweight (126), super-featherweight (130), lightweight (135), light-welterweight (140) and welterweight (147).
His victims include Ricky Hatton, Oscar DeLa Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera, and |Erik Morales, future Hall of Famers all and, in baseball, members of the murderers’ row in the batting order. Those victories catapulted the Filipino icon to the world pound-for-pound throne, a mythical title he has worn the past three years.

Pacquiao has fought 55 times, six fewer than the great Muhammad Ali and had boxed the same number of rounds (305) that Sugar Ray Leonard had when he retired.

Reason why even on the very eve of his fight with Ghanaian challenger Joshua Clottey for his welterweight plum on Sunday, debate on whether he should retire continues.

And chief trainer Freddie Roach, who has been handling him since 2001 as a flyweight champ,, has been pursuing the issue as a reminds of the perils of an overextended boxing career, as he battles the effects of pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome.

"It's hard to say. Is this my last fight? We'll see," Pacquiao, for his part, said. "One never knows. It's still so early to be talking about this, but I do like the thought of going out on top."We did a lot in boxing, achieved a lot -- more than what we set out to do."

Arum though, citing money as reason, said he was "inclined to doubt" that his star fighter would walk away from the sport
Another reason could be politics as the 31-year-old father of four with wife Jinkee is running anew for congress in the lone district of Srangani province.
Despite his iconic stature, he was unsuccessful when he ran for the Philippine Congress in 2007. Undaunted, he is running again this year.
Time magazine honored in 2009 ranked Pacquiao among the 100 people who most affect the world. Among his peers were Sister Mary Scullion, an advocate for the homeless in Philadelphia, and Suraya Pakzad, a women's rights activist in Afghanistan. He also appeared in the Time cover, the first Asian athlete to have been honored.
Pacquiao was already a pretty good fighter when he walked into Roach's Los Angeles gym in 2001 and asked Roach to be his new trainer. Pacquiao had won 31 of 35 bouts outside the United States and already owned the first of his major titles, the WBC flyweight (112-pound) championship. But the fighter, who relied almost exclusively on his dominant left hand, sensed he needed more if he wanted to conquer the sport in the United States. Roach agreed.

Roach, whom Pacquiao referred to as his “master”, tutored technique and preached the importance of ring strategy. He taught the importance of angles as well as the art of hitting and running. In the end, it has been a match made in boxing heaven. In their first fight together, Pacquiao won the IBF super bantamweight (122-pound) championship in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao has won his last 11 bouts by KO, including a career-ending against DeLa Hoya. He’s been voted Fighter of the Year in 2006, 2008 and 2009 by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Has a 90-1-2 record in world championship fights.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Pacquiao’s Challenger Clottey Follows in Footsteps of Warriors

2010-03-12T23:39:00.000-08:00

ARLINGTON, Tex. — Even here, with Saturday’s welterweight title fight in Cowboys Stadium, with nearly 45,000 seats sold, with Manny Pacquiao defending his latest world championship, the fight that fell apart looms over the proceedings.

Every day, someone asks Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, about the other fight, the dream bout between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., boxing’s undisputed kings. Roach gets that question in grocery stores and shopping malls, from Magic Johnson and the celebrities who train at his Wild Card Boxing Club, even from a waiter at an ice lounge in Los Angeles.

“I was wearing an Eskimo hat,” Roach said. “Same question. Everybody wants to see that fight.”

Instead, Pacquiao will face Joshua Clottey under the most jumbo of all JumboTrons, in the fight few wanted except for the participants, none more so than Clottey. To get here, he survived poverty in Africa, career turmoil and four years spent out of boxing, all to become the latest challenger from the most unlikely of boxing hotbeds.

Pacquiao travels in a luxury bus with his image plastered on the side. On Thursday, Clottey rode to Cowboys Stadium in a hotel shuttle van. Pacquiao houses his sizable entourage in two homes in Los Angeles. Clottey lives in a one-bedroom apartment in the Bronx.

Clottey lives a simple life, born out of necessity, buoyed by boxing, each of his 32 years defined by struggle and by spirit.

“I have the mentality of a warrior,” he said. “I love to be in the ring.”

Clottey grew up in Accra, Ghana, a place he described with two words: small and poor. His father worked in road construction, earning barely enough money to care for six children and Clottey’s mother.

Clottey grew up in a house with one room. As many as 10 people stayed there at a time, sharing a single bed, sleeping in shifts.

Clottey, part of the Ga tribe, grew up in a neighborhood called Bokum. He said the Ga fancied themselves as warriors, and that translated naturally to boxing.

“There is no help from nowhere,” Clottey said. “That makes you a harder boy. You have to be hard. Because if you don’t do that, you’re not going to eat.”

Boxing reigned in Bokum, like football in Texas or basketball in Harlem. Except, instead of pickup basketball, the boys in Bokum had pickup boxing.

Clottey said his neighborhood was split into seven areas, each with its own gym. He used the word “gym” loosely, because fights often took place on concrete, inside a thin rope, without hand wraps and with torn, mangled gloves. “Like there,” Clottey said, pointing to a dilapidated parking lot.

From this warrior mentality sprung dozens of warriors, the modern-day kind who fought their battles inside makeshift boxing rings. All the fighters — from the featherweight champion Azumah Nelson to the bruising welterweight Ike Quartey, among others — came from this small, poor place.

Many boxing champions have risen from similar circumstances, but the concentrated volume made Bokum different. Boxers became the area’s chief export.

“Manny Pacquiao’s poverty makes an American kid’s poverty look like luxury,” said the promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank Boxing. “From what I’ve heard, Clottey’s poverty makes Manny’s poverty look like luxury.”

Throughout his career, Clottey carried with him the spirit from the neighborhood. He endured a disastrous stretch in England, where he said he never faced top competition. He returned to Ghana, where he began plotting his big break — which was available only in the United States.

He arrived in 2003, broke, and landed in the Bronx, minutes from Yankee Stadium. The first time his manager, Vinny Scolpino, watched Clottey spar, Scolpino had never so much as heard of him.

“I didn’t know him from a hole in the wall,” Scolpino said. “Joshua Clottey was nobody, basically, just another 10-round fighter. I always thought he had something, a spark. Maybe because he had so little, he needed something.”

Clottey compiled a 35-3 record, with 21 knockouts, and his losses came against world champions. He beat Zab Judah. He lost by close decision to Antonio Margarito, despite fighting with a pair of broken hands. In his most recent fight, last June, he lost by controversial split decision to Miguel Cotto.

None of those fighters knocked Clottey down, or cut him, or left any mark other than three losses on his record. The only mark on Clottey is the tattoo he had inked a few weeks back, his initials interlocked with boxing gloves on his right forearm.

Roach predicted Pacquiao would become the first fighter to “stop” Clottey, to end the fight before the scorecards are tallied. Clottey responded: “Why would Manny Pacquiao knock me out? That surprises me. He can’t knock me out with punches.”

After the Cotto fight, Arum consoled an emotional Clottey in the dressing room by promising bigger future fights. Neither Scolpino nor Clottey envisioned what came next, when the Mayweather negotiations fell apart because of blood testing and Clottey landed the biggest of all bouts.

All week, these fighters tossed compliments at each other. Pacquiao called Clottey a gentleman and a “nice guy.” Clottey, while vowing to attack the smaller, quicker Pacquiao, lauded his place in boxing history.

Scolpino believes his fighter can shock Pacquiao on Saturday. He pronounced Clottey to be in the best shape of his career and said, “If he comes out with a ‘W,’ man, he’s on top of the world.”

If Pacquiao wins, and Mayweather defeats Shane Mosley on May 1, negotiations are expected to resume for the fight that would transcend boxing. But first, Pacquiao must topple Clottey, a fighter familiar with long odds.

“People have lost sight of Clottey because of the Mayweather stuff,” Arum said. “He’s never had the exposure. He’s never been a network favorite. But people who say this is going to be a walk in the park for Pacquiao are crazy.”

Inside Cowboys Stadium on Thursday, Clottey leaned forward in the stands, his eyes fixed on the scoreboard that read “Pacquiao-Clottey, The Event.” Clottey had secured the fight he always wanted. For him, Mayweather-Pacquiao could wait.

Source: nytimes.com

Pac-man primed for Clottey showdown

2010-03-12T23:38:00.001-08:00

ARLINGTON, Texas – Manny Pacquiao has ascended to the level of the boxing legends.

He faces a difficult test on Saturday at Cowboys Stadium when he defends his World Boxing Organization welterweight title in an HBO Pay-Per-View bout against Joshua Clottey.

Promoter Bob Arum was beaming after Friday’s festive weigh-in that attracted around 2,500 enthusiastic fans to the plaza outside the swank stadium.

Only a few hundred of the 45,000 tickets for the card remain, prompting Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Friday to offer standing-room tickets at $35 apiece.

Jones refers to his standing-room seats as “party passes,” and Arum will be partying for a week if early indications of the fight’s popularity prove true.

The closed-circuit locations and presales in the East are at record levels, surpassing where they were in 2007 for the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight. Indications are that the pay-per-view is tracking better than expected, and Arum said he won’t be shocked if it touches 900,000 buyers.

That’s an astonishing number for just about any fight but even more so for a bout against a largely unknown opponent like Clottey, who doesn’t bring with him a large fan base.

Had Pacquiao-Clottey fought two years ago, Arum would have been lucky to have sold a quarter of the tickets he has sold for Saturday’s card.

One of the truths in boxing promoting is that you always need a strong ‘B-side’ if you’re going to do real business.

Pacquiao, though, is one of the few exceptions to that maxim. He is one of those, like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, who no longer needs a wildly popular B-side to sell. Pacquiao sells tickets and pay-per-views on his name alone.

He erased any doubts about his legitimacy as a welterweight when he decimated Cotto in November.

Pacquiao has set the bar enormously high, and though Clottey never has been knocked out, trainer Freddie Roach is expecting Pacquiao to set another first.

“I really believe Manny will find a way,” Roach said.

Pacquiao was as relaxed as ever on Friday. He was wolfing down food in an attempt to come somewhere near the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.

He was 142 when he awakened on Friday, then ate a large breakfast featuring eggs and had a lunch of grilled pork, grilled beef, white and brown rice and steamed vegetables. He was also gulping large amounts of water.

That’s in stark contrast to the vast majority of fighters, who can’t eat at all on the day of the weigh-in and wind up sucking on ice or, if they’re lucky, slices of fruit.

Despite all he ate – and he was headed for dinner after the weigh-in – he still was only 145 pounds.

Like Ali, he understands his place in the sport, as well. Boxing fans were bitterly disappointed when a bout with Mayweather wasn’t finalized. That would have pitted the two best fighters in the world for overall supremacy in a match that in essence would have been boxing’s Super Bowl.

Facing a difficult, but far less notable opponent, Pacquiao understands the need to perform to give the sport a jolt when it needs one after it lost a mega-fight at the negotiating table.

“I can’t promise a knockout, but I want to put on a good show for the people who support me all the time,” he said.

Clottey is a bigger man naturally and probably will weigh around 160 pounds by the time he walks to the ring on Saturday. Pacquiao may go up to 148 but certainly isn’t expected to hit 150.

He has been smaller than everyone he has fought since his epic 2008 match with Juan Manuel Marquez, but in subsequent knockout victories over then-lightweight champion David Diaz, De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Cotto, Pacquiao has been stalking his larger opponents.

Perhaps the most stunning scene in many a year was Cotto, one of the toughest, most aggressive fighters in recent times, backpedaling to flee the power of the man who just two years earlier was fighting at 128 pounds.

His meteoric rise from super bantamweight in 2001, where he won the International Boxing Federation title while weighing 121 pounds, to his crushing victory over Cotto in November has caused some to suspect he has used performance-enhancing drugs.

The Mayweather fight was unable to be made for that very reason, as Mayweather for the first time in his career demanded that his opponent agree to random blood and urine testing.

Arum, though, insists it’s a misnomer to believe Pacquiao is a big man now.

“He was having trouble making 130 and after the Marquez fight (on March 15, 2008), he wanted to go to lightweight (and its 135-pound limit,” Arum said. “But he’s really a 140-pounder now. He fought Hatton at 138. His most comfortable weight now is 140, but if there were some kind of a huge fight at 135, he could make that if he had to.

“That’s what makes what he’s doing all the more remarkable, because you have this little guy just beating the (expletive) out of guys who are physically a lot bigger than he is.”

Clottey has a tight defense and isn’t a guy who throws a lot of punches, thereby reducing the number of openings to be hit. So Pacquiao may not get the knockout, but there is one thing you can count on when Manny Pacquiao hits the ring – excitement.

Legendary hockey announcer Mike Lange of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins often would say during a particularly exciting game, “If you’ve missed this one, shame on you for six weeks.”

And if you’re a boxing fan and you miss a chance to see Pacquiao, you’re going to regret it a lot longer than just six weeks.

He’s that good.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

PACQUIAO MAY GIVE AWAY TEN POUNDS TO CLOTTEY

2010-03-12T23:36:00.001-08:00

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 13 Mar 2010

Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao may give away around ten pounds when he enters the ring in “The Event” against Ghana’s tough guy Joshua Clottey at the unbelievable $1.2 billion Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Sunday, Manila Time.

At the official weigh-in which drew a huge crowd of predominantly Pacquiao supporters, the Filipino champion weighed 145 ¾ pounds while Clottey who reportedly had to shed off some excess weight the previous day tipped the scales at the exact welterweight limit of 147.

Clottey said earlier that he was going to have a hearty meal after the weigh in and the consensus is that he will enter the ring at around 160 pounds on fight night although his trainer Lenny De Jesus told us the other day that he wanted to make sure Clottey comes in around 155 so his weight won’t slow him down against the super fast Pacquiao.

Pacquiao’s conditioning expert Alex Ariza said he expects Pacquiao to weight around 150 at fight time which would definitely give Clottey, who can take a big shot, an advantage in weight to go with his slight advantage in height which was evident when the two fighters posted for the media.

Try as they might to provide the customary stare-down, Pacquiao and Clottey couldn’t pull it off and instead smiled at each other further accentuating what Pacquiao has always maintained – there is no need for trash-talk.

Indeed, if there is one added dimension to the Pacquiao legend is that like the late, great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, he earns the respect of his opponents by being a gentleman in and outside the ring.

The two Filipinos featured in the undercard also made weight without trouble.

Featherweight Michael Farenas, a protégé of former two-division world champion Gerry Penalosa came in at 127 1/5 pounds as against the 126 of veteran Joe Morales while bantamweight Eden Sonsona, a protégé of Pacquiao’s former business manager, the late Rod Nazario weighed 119.7 pounds while his opponent, former world champion, veteran Mauricio Pastrana checked in at 119 ½ pounds.

In the WBC lightweight title fight former champion David Diaz from whom Pacquiao won the title with a crushing 9th round tipped the scales at 134 while champion Humberto Sotto was slightly heavier at 134 1/5 pounds.

Diaz believes that Pacquiao faces "a tough fight against Clottey, but its a winnable fight for Pacquiao." WBA super flyweight interim champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire says he expects Pacquiao to win by a twelve round decision and the chances of winning by a knockout are about 30 percent.

Diaz, who came back from the loss to Pacquiao on June 28, 2008 to win a majority decision over former WBC and IBF lightweight champion and WBC super featherweight champion Jesus Chavez last September 26 said he is “feeling good and f eels blessed to get another opportunity to fight for the world title. I am getting ready and hope everything will go right.”

He said the almost six months break since the Chavez fight wont affect him since he has been sparring a lot and while its not the same thing Diaz said “I think I’ll be okay.”

Diaz has been training under Mike Garcia and Jim Strickland in Chicago and said although Sotto “is a tough guy but I’ll work that body and try to get inside of him. He’s a real good technician in the way he uses his reach but if you get inside of that and work him I think we’ll be okay.”

Diaz recalled how well he was treated when he was Pacquiao’s guest along with Edwin Valero at Pacquiao’s lavish 30th birthday celebration in his hometown of General Santos City in December 2008. He said “they were all very nice and give them my best wishes.”

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Pacquiao-Clottey Weigh-In Report/PREDICTION PAGE

2010-03-12T23:34:00.000-08:00

By George Kimball

ARLINGTON, Texas --- When they stepped on the scale outside Texas Stadium Friday night the differential between them was a mere pound and a quarter, but Manny Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach supposes that as much as 15 or 16 pounds could separate Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey by the time they step into the ring tomorrow night.

“Manny won’t put on much at all. He can’t gain much more (than the 145 3/4 he scaled in last night),” said Roach, who expects his righter to come into the ring weighing no more than 148 or 149. Clottey, on the other hand, is a natural welterweight who has made no secret of his intent to come in ‘big’ for the megabout, and Roach fully expects his fighter to be facing a full-fledged super-middleweight by the time the bell rings.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Clottey weighs 165 or 166 by fight time,” said Roach, who nonetheless remains resolute in his prediction of a Pacquiao knockout.

The weigh-in was conducted before an audience several thousand strong that would make for a decent crowd at most any club fight show you could think of. Announcer Michael Buffer was kept busy introducing the dignitaries, who included former champions Antonio Margarito and Jorge Arce of Mexico, along with Dallas‘ own Stevie Cruz, who upset Barry McGuigan to win the WBA featherweight title almost a quarter-century ago. Actor Robert Duvall was also introduced on the dais but did not weigh in, and Cowboys‘ safety Darren Woodson took the microphone from Buffer to warm up the crowd, whose allegiance seemed evenly divided between Mexico and the Philippines. If there were any rooters from Ghana they did not make their presence known.

Even though Cowboys Stadium was reconfigured to accommodate 45,000 for Pacquiao-Clottey, promoter Bob Arum said shortly before the weigh-in that just a handful of tickets remained, and a sellout appears likely. Arum revealed that his partner, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, had opted to put an undetermined (but probably unlimited) number of $35 “party” tickets on sale 24 hours before the fight.

The “party pass” is an innovation Jones developed for sold-out Cowboys home games. Patrons don’t get a seat, but rather are allowed to mill around on a plaza high above the field. Sight lines are pretty limited, but the party patrons are able to watch on the state of the art video boards, and, of course, have access to a bar. The setup was designed, according to Jones, “to accommodate fans who just want to be part of the atmosphere" -- and judging from the turnout at last night’s weigh-in and their reaction to Arum’s “party time!” announcement, there appears to be an abundance of those.

The main event referee, Rafael Ramos, was working the night Manny Pacquiao last fought in Texas three years ago, but their paths didn’t cross that night at the Alamodome. Ramos drew several undercard bouts, including those involving Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Victor Ortiz, but the assignment for the Paquiao-Jorge Solis main event went to Vic Drakulich of Transylvania.

Although he has resided in San Antonio for the past 17 years, the 53 year-old Ramos was born in Puerto Rico and cut his refereeing teeth in the New Jersey casinos two decades ago. Although he has worked upwards of 30 world title bouts, more than half of them were overseas, and he seems to specialize in Oriental junkets, having worked two dozen title bouts in the Far East, including 21 separate trips to Japan.

Ironically, Ramos was not the WBO’s first choice to work tonight’s bout. The slate of officials initially proposed listed Laurence Cole as the referee, but that was overruled by William Kuntz, the executive director of the Texas Commission. Not only has Cole involved himself in controversy by mishandling several high-profile bouts over the years (including a suspension for his misconduct in a 2006 fight involving Juan Manuel Marquez), but it was felt that the fact that he is the son of former Texas boxing boss Dickie Cole might create the appearance of impropriety. (This apparently never occurred to anyone on Dickie’s watch.)

At the very least, had the Cole appointment stood, there would have been as much attention focused on the referee as on the fighters themselves, and, Ramos noted earlier this week, “the fans aren’t paying to see me.”

Should their services be required, the panel of ringside judges for the main event will be Duane Ford (Nevada), Levi Martinez (New Mexico) and Nelson Vasquez (Puerto Rico).

Ramos was the referee when Marquez stopped Juan Diaz in the ninth round of their 2009 Fight of the Year candidate in Houston. Ironically, although their services were not required that night, both Ford and Martinez were judges for that bout.
* * *
Ten bouts in all are on tap, with the last four of them slated to be aired on the HBO PPV telecast, including the Humberto Soto-David Diaz WBC lightweight title fight.

In introducing the principals for that one at Thursday’s undercard press conference, promoter Bob Arum noted that more than any other single person, Diaz is responsible for setting in motion the chain of events leading to tonight’s megafight by agreeing to Pacquiao’s 2008 challenge for his WBC lightweight title.

Since Pacquiao had not once in 50 pro fights ventured north of 130 pounds, it was not a fight Diaz was obliged to take, and Pac-Man’s TKO9 presaged similar fates for Oscar De Lay Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto in Manny’s subsequent climb up the scales.

At 29, Alfonso Gomez is better known for his role in ‘The Contender’ and as the man who retired the late Arturo Gatti than for anything he’s done lately. Gomez revealed that much of his recent energy has gone into performing with his two brothers in a Spanish hip-hop group called Hybrid. Thursday afternoon the Fonz provided a sneak peek, reciting the lyrics to a recent composition, the subject of which was tonight’s 36 year-old opponent, Jose Luis Castillo.

The recitation was in Spanish, but we can reliably report that Gomez’ song incorporated the names of Castillo, Bob Arum, Freddy Krueger, and Tecate beer. Castillo seemed properly amused.

The PPV show will kick off with a scheduled ten-rounder in which Irish middleweight John Duddy has been pitted against his third consecutive Mexican-born opponent in his year-long quest for redemption following last year’s upset at the hands of Billy Lyell. Unlike his recent victims Michi Munoz and Juan Astorga, both of whom now reside in Kansas, Michael Medina lives in Monterrey and will be fighting North of the border for just the third time in his career.

It was consequently something of a surprise, then, to hear Medina address the gathering in perfectly un-accented English. (In fact, claimed a Texan in attendance, “Medina’s English is easier to understand than Duddy’s is.”)

“English was actually my first language,” Medina explained to us later. “I was born in Mexico, but my family moved to California when I was little. I went to American schools until I was 12, when we moved back to Mexico.”

In addition to the sold-out live audience, Arum is hoping for as many as 750,000 buys for the US pay-per-view telecast. Millions more, as Buffer likes to say, will be watching on live television around the world. The team of Ian Darke and Jim Watt are here to call the bout for Britain’s SKY TV. Because no Brit is involved, Pacquiao-Clottey will be shown on free television in the United Kingdom. By contrast, May’s Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi fight at the Madison Square Garden Theatre will be a pay-per-view fight in Britain. Go figure.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Exclusive image gallery: Pacquiao and Clottey both make weight for Saturday night

2010-03-12T23:22:00.000-08:00

Moments ago both Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey made weight for their WBO Welterweight title fight tomorrow night at Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Las Vegas photographer Chris Farina was able to capture images of each man and both fighters looking extremely relaxed and confident heading into tomorrow.

The champion Pacquiao weighed in at 145.75 pounds while Clottey weighed in right on the button at 147. It's not surprising that Pacquiao came in well under the Welterweight limit, as he was fighting at 135 pounds just a year and a half ago. While it was rumored that Clottey may have been having weight issues throughout the week he also showed his professionalism and desire in making the limit. Both men looked extremely fit and strong and there will surely be fireworks come Saturday night.

For exclusive images of Pacquiao and Clottey making weight please click on the collage below...

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao vs Clottey Weigh In Video

2010-03-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

Photos: Pacquiao vs Clottey Weigh-In in Texas

2010-03-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

Arlington,Texas — (L-R) Seven-time world champion and "Fighter of the Decade" Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao and challenger Joshua Clottey weigh in (Pacquiao 145.75 lb, Clottey 147 lb) at Cowboys Stadium Friday for their upcoming World Welterweight championship on Saturday,March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington,Texas on HBO Pay-Per-View. — Photo Credit : Chris Farina - Top Rank

Source: mannypacquiaovs.com

Doors of world's greatest stadium open on Manny Pacquiao v Joshua Clottey

2010-03-12T19:43:00.000-08:00

By Gareth A Davies

When the 80ft pairs of glass doors of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium slowly eased their way open for the arrival of Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey for a windswept weigh-in – the event which has become known officially as ‘The Super Brawl’ truly came alive. Thousands of specatators had gathered on the quad outside this great temple to sport, built at a cost of $1.2 billion dollars. It is staggering in its detail, its levels, and its finishing. It is both gaudy and classy, all at once. The 70ft screens in the arena – they have to be seen to be believed, and are in High Definition – have been lowered by some distance on giant pulleys, and now hover like floating craft above the ring.

Their proximity to the ring enables them to dwarf the taught canvas and ropes where the brutal dance will be enacted in just over 24 hours. The fight is a sell-out. The anticipated chatter has begun. Pacquiao weighed in last.

145 and three quarter pounds. Clottey dead on 147. There is speculation that the African fighter, naturally the bigger man, may be as much as 20lbs heavier when they collide in the ring. Pacquiao will have to throw and run, and plans to trap Clottey, who will unleash upper cuts that may be dangerous for the Filipino who holds the WBO welterweight crown.

The giant canvas of the Cowboys stadium would befit a classic fight. The venue’s 45,000 seats have sold out, Jerry Jones announced through promoter Bob Arum that ‘party tickets’ would be on sale at $35 dollars, which means standing tickets around the flat bowl tiers of this great expanse to sport. Another 10,000 may now come.

No wonder they called it ‘The Event’. And little wonder that Arum, once more, has proven that he is a promotional genius.

Photos by Chris Farina.

Promoter Bob Arum, Manny Pacquiao, Joshua Clottey and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk

Manny Pacquiao plays head games with Joshua Clottey

2010-03-12T19:41:00.001-08:00

Boxing Examiner | Michael Marley

MICHAEL MARLEY'S POST WEIGH-IN EXCLUSIVE: THE FIGHTS BEHIND THE FIGHT AND THE STORIES BEHIND THE STORY

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS--Don't let his Smiling Jack, giggling public persona fool you. Manny Pacquiao loves to play psychological games with his opponents.

Muscular Joshua Clottey, who could climb into the Cowbooys Stadium ring late Saturday night as heavy as 164 pounds (or so manager Vinny Scolpino told me seconds ago as our hotel rooms are adjacent at the Gaylord Texan Hotel here), is no exception to Manny's penchant for trying to infect the mind of his foes.

A source who witnessed it told me that, upon their very first face to face meeting in the initial press conference hosted by Cowboys owner and billionaire Jerry Jones, Pacquiao shook hands with the study Ghanaian and leaned in close as if to share a special secret.

I'm reminded of the O'Jays song about "Smiling Faces..." (Top Rank, Chris Farina Photo) as Joshua Clottey made the welterweight limit of 1467 while Pacman was 145 3/4 at Friday afternoon outside the front gates of Cowboys Stadium

"I did you a favor," Pacman said to the African fighter. "I beat up Miguel Cotto for you."

Nudge, nudge and wink, wink. It was Pacman's obvious mental jab, his way to say I beat the rugged Puerto Rican and he beat you.

Pacquiao was at ringside in Madison Square Garden last June when Cotto pulled out a split decison over Clottey.

Did Clottey take Manny's bait?

According to the eyewitness, Clottey just kept grinning.

On the HBO telecast, look for lead announcer Jim Lampley to mention accurately how Pacman tries to "befriend" all his foes, never badmouthing them and then inviting some over to the Philippines as his personal guest...after he gives them a thorough beating.

Will Clottey be the next guy to get a free roundtrip to Manila? David Diaz, who fights on the undercard here, coould tell him how much fun and how lucrative it can be being a beaten down Pacman foe who lost graciously.

Source: Examiner.com

Weights: Manny Pacquiao 145-Pounds, Joshua Clottey 147

2010-03-12T19:39:00.000-08:00

By Jake Donovan

The year’s first big event – aptly named “The Event” is officially under way.

Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey both made weight for their welterweight fight at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday evening (HBO PPV, $54.95).

Pacquiao checked in at a chiseled 145 ¾ lb, while the finely-tuned Clottey weighed in at the division limit of 147 lb.

The fight marks the first truly big event of 2010, though with plenty more in queue.

At stake is the alphabet welterweight title Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38KO) violently annexed in his 12th round stoppage of Miguel Cotto last November.

The title-winning effort led to Pacquiao –widely regarded as the best fighter in the world, pound-for-pound - securing Fighter of the Year honors in 2009. The award was the third in the past four years for the Filipino southpaw, in addition to being named the top fighter of the past ten years and establishing himself as the biggest draw in the sport today.

Clottey (35-3, 20KO) plays the role of hard-luck challenger hoping to cash in on the opportunity of a lifetime that landed in his lap. The Ghana-born, Bronx-based welterweight enters the fight on the heels of a nine-month layoff. His last fight came in his close, disputed points loss to Cotto last June in New York City.

The last time Clottey has seen the win column was August 2009, when he won a vacant title against faded former two-division champ Zab Judah.

However, the opportunity came about after plans for a Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather showdown fell through due to an unresolved dispute over the handling of drug tests for the fight. Clottey willingly stepped in the moment he was contacted by manager Vinny Scolpino.

No additional drug testing beyond what’s required by the Texas Boxing Commission has been demanded by either side for this event.

A crowd of 45,000 is expected to file in to the newly renovated state of the art Cowboys Stadium for this event, a testament to the drawing power of Pacquiao considering that Clottey is only known in hardcore boxing circles, save for the features dedicated to him for this particular event.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.

Source: boxingscene.com

Trainer says Pacquiao, with little left to prove, should retire soon

2010-03-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

GRAPEVINE, Texas -- From the day he collected his first boxing paycheck, Manny Pacquiao has been surrounded by yes men. Dozens of would-be handlers, many with nebulous jobs and no real responsibilities to speak of, have surrounded Pacquiao. And for the last five years, as Pacquiao has risen to the top of the sport, they have been well-paid to live a life of leisure.

Freddie Roach is not one of them. It's true, Pacquiao's astute trainer has had to be accommodating toward his No. 1 fighter. He's had to rush to the Philippines just to track down his star pupil and has had to be tolerant of the human barnacles that attach themselves to Pacquiao and sponge his time, energy and, of course, money.

But Roach is keenly aware that one of his responsibilities as Pacquiao's boxing guide is to say no. No to the late-night karaoke sessions that sap Pacquiao's energy during training camp. No to the idea that the bulk of camp should be held in the Philippines, where Pacquiao is part Springsteen, part Obama and more popular than both. No to a fight with junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, because a 5-foot-11, 154-pound opponent is just a little too large for comfort.

But Roach's most important rejection is the one he has yet to give. No, Roach will soon say to Pacquiao. No, you should fight no more.

It seems ludicrous to even suggest that the clock on Pacquiao's career might be ticking toward termination. It was just four months ago that Pacquiao, 31, was in the ring brutalizing an overwhelmed Miguel Cotto. Before that it was a second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton, a fight that ended after Pacquiao scrambled Hatton's brains with a concussive left hand. For the past two years the Boxing Writers Association of America has named Pacquiao its Fighter of the Year, and other prestigious publications have followed suit. Why shouldn't Pacquiao continue for a long time?

Roach knows why. He only has to look in the mirror. The Parkinson's disease that eats away at his body is a direct result of Roach's decision to stay too long at the fair. Nearly a quarter century earlier his own trainer, Eddie Futch, pulled a 26-year-old Roach into his office and told him that it was time to quit. Too many punches, Futch said. Too many clean shots.

Roach's response: You retire, Eddie.

It's a challenge persuading a fighter to retire. When Roach told Bernard Hopkins to walk away, Hopkins sniffed that Roach had just lost his paycheck. A similar conversation with James Toney ended with a snarling Toney telling Roach to "go f--- himself." Last month Roach had the conversation with Gerry Penalosa, a lightning bug former champion who lost his second consecutive fight. For the moment Penalosa, 37, is heeding Roach's advice, but it would surprise no one -- Roach included -- if Penalosa makes a comeback sometime in the future.

"It's a hard thing when a coach tells you to quit," Roach said.

His talk with Pacquiao won't happen after Saturday night, when the Filipino defends his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium (9 p.m. ET, HBO PPV). Now is not the time. Clottey is not the fight with which you end your career. Both Roach and Pacquiao profess the utmost respect for Clottey, but neither wears any semblance of concern on his face.

"It's a tough fight, but I don't think it's a tougher fight than Cotto," Roach said. "I think Cotto is a more versatile fighter and has more tools. This guy does the same thing over and over again. He's not too versatile.

"I don't think this fight will take [Pacquiao] to a higher level because we all know [Clottey] is a good fighter but the general public doesn't know Clottey," Roach continued. "They know he lost to Cotto so they view him in a different light. People will say Manny is supposed to beat him. That's always going to happen in sports."

Roach knows there is only one fight out there that will elevate Pacquiao to a new level: Floyd Mayweather. Despite all the jawing, and even with both promoters exchanging heated words, Roach keeps Mayweather on the brain. He talks about how Pacquiao goes into "Mayweather mode" during training camp, where he breaks off his preparation for Clottey and shows Roach just how he would muscle through Mayweather's impregnable defense. He claims Mayweather is the one person in the world Manny Pacquiao just doesn't like. He pokes and prods at Mayweather's planet-sized ego, crediting Mayweather for achieving greatness at 130 and 135 pounds but calling him average at 147.

"I won't say it's an easy fight for Manny," Roach said. "But I think we can make it look easy."

He wants that fight for Pacquiao. For the challenge. For the prestige.

And then he wants him to retire.

"This fight and Mayweather and be done with it," Roach said. "There are no more challenges out there. I know there are some fights, but will the general public really want to buy that? I'd like to see him go out on top and not be one of those cases that stayed too long. Manny has things to fall back on that others don't. He's an actor, a singer, he's running for Congress. Why is Roy Jones still fighting? Because he doesn't know nothing else but boxing. Manny does."

These are the points Roach will lay out when the time comes. He knows it won't be an easy conversation, not with Pacquiao's leeches hardly eager for the gravy train to stop running. But he hopes Pacquiao will listen because he, like always, only has his best interests at heart.

"People ask me, 'Why would you want the guy you make the most money off to quit?' " Roach said. "We've done well with each other. I'd rather see him quit than go on after Mayweather. It's more important to me that he has a long and healthy life when this thing is over."

Source: sportsillustrated.cnn.com

WEIGHTS FROM TEXAS

2010-03-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 13 Mar 2010

ARLINGTON, TX -- The fighters for the “Event” scheduled on Saturday night at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington had the official weight in this afternoon.

The following are the weights:

FOR PACQUIAO'S WBO WELTERWEIGHT BELT:
Manny Pacquiao - 145.75 lbs.
Joshua Clottey - 147 lbs.

FOR THE VACANT WBC LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE
David Diaz - 134 lbs.
Humbert Soto - 134 lbs.

FOR THE WBC CONTINENTAL AMERICAS WELTERWEIGHT TITLE
Jose Luis Castillo - 144 lbs.
Alfonso Gomez - 145 lbs.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

WEIGHTS FROM DALLAS: PACQUIAO - 145 3/4, CLOTTEY - 147

2010-03-12T16:55:00.001-08:00

PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 13 Mar 2010

Pound-for-pound king and WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38KO) of the Philippines, who will defend his title Saturday night at the $1.2 Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, came in at 145 and 3/4 lbs while challenger Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20KO) of Ghana weighed in at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs during the official weighin held at the Cowboys Stadium moments ago.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

The Myth of Joshua Clottey Weighing 170 Pounds...

2010-03-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

by John Chavez

Mar 12, 2010 -

170 pounds is the weight reported by premium cable network Showtime as to what Joshua Clottey weighed in on fight night against Diego "Chico" Corrales (rip). This fight would take place back in April 2007 and would be fought at a catch-weight of 149.

Why the two combatants fought at 149 instead of the welterweight limit of 147 boggles the mind but it was the official contracted weight nonetheless.

Apparently the reported 170 pounds is the number that boxing fans love to clamor about being that it sounds enormous and quite imposing especially for a fighter competing at the welterweight limit.
I'll admit it, I'm a bit skeptical of this reported weight being that we have visual evidence that when Clottey fought Zab Judah, albeit 14 months after his fight with Corrales, his fight night weight was 156 pounds.

The evidence is the picture used up top.

So basically Clottey would have to be 14 pounds heavier against Corrales in comparison to when he squared off against Zab Judah 14 months later. As shown in this picture, "The Hitter" would weigh in at 156 pounds on fight night against the Brooklynite.

There are only three scenarios in this situation:
A. Joshua Clottey miraculously shrunk 14 pounds in 14 months.
B. The unofficial weight reported by Showtime was when Clottey was weighed wearing a back-pack full of nickels.
C. Those extra two pounds of catch-weight allowed "The Hitter's" body to require less severe muscle atrophy leading up to the weigh-in and it therefore created the huge discrepancy between his weights against Judah in comparison to that of Corrales.

Here's an example of why I feel as though the 170 pounds "reported" weight has to somehow be off the mark.

Kermit Cintron, a former IBF welterweight title-holder who stands at 5'11" with a 74 inch reach... a full three inches taller and four inches greater reach than Clottey at 5'8" with a 70 inch reach weighed in at 169 pounds on fight night against Alfredo Angulo in 2009.

Here is the evidence to show it.

Cintron was a guy who had always struggled mightily to make the 147 pound weight limit and when allowed to compete at the much more comfortable junior middleweight limit proceeded to grow substantially overnight.

So basically we're saying that the broad-shouldered Cintron who boasts factual greater height and reach advantages over Clottey would weigh less than the 170 pounds reported by Showtime.

Just as Clottey has in fights past, he'll probably enter the ring against Manny Pacquiao in the 155-158 pound range.

Not 170 pounds like many in the boxing media love to throw around.

In any case, it doesn't really matter either way. Pacquiao-Clottey will come down to two relatively evenly matched opponents that will battle for welterweight supremacy in the Top Rank stable.

It will be a very, very entertaining fight for as long as it lasts...

PS. Official weights for the fight... Manny Pacquiao 145.75 pounds / Joshua Clottey 147 pounds.

Source: theboxingtruth.com

Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey – The Road to Dallas

2010-03-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

Analyzing the upcoming welterweight showdown between Pound for Pound King Manny Pacquiao and challenger Joshua Clottey that will mark the first-ever Pro-Boxing event at the Landmark $1.2Billion dollar Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The intriguing fight will take place on Saturday, March 13 and be televised on HBO PPV.

On the line will be Manny Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight title that he won from Miguel Cotto last November. Joshua Clottey is a tough customer from Ghana with a record of 35 wins, 3 defeats with 20 knockouts. Clottey who goes by the name of grand master has campaigned at welterweight for most of his professional career and has been in the in the upper echelon of the welterweight division for several years. Unlike his opponent Clottey has lacked the recognition and has vowed to capitalise on the once in a life time opportunity.

Pacquiao’s head trainer Freddie Roach has predicted a stoppage; initially Roach was reluctant to give his prediction. “The more tapes I watch of Clottey, the more I become convinced we will stop him. Manny will be the first to stop Joshua Clottey” said Roach.

This will be the first true welterweight the Filipino champion has faced. Reports suggest Pacquiao will be 149 pounds come the night of the fight, with Joshua Clottey weighing north of 160 pounds.

On the undercard David Diaz will challenge Humberto Soto for the vacant WBC light weight title. Alfonso Gomez who became a household name during his appearing in the first series of the reality TV show “the contender” will face Mexican Jose Luis Castillo, who in the past has been sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao. Other fights include Michael Medina vs John Duddy.

On the line will be Manny Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight title that he won from Miguel Cotto last November. Joshua Clottey is a tough customer from Ghana with a record of 35 wins, 3 defeats with 20 knockouts. Clottey who goes by the name of grand master has campaigned at welterweight for most of his professional career and has been in the in the upper echelon of the welterweight division for several years. Unlike his opponent Clottey has lacked the recognition and has vowed to capitalise on the once in a life time opportunity.

Pacquiao’s head trainer Freddie Roach has predicted a stoppage; initially Roach was reluctant to give his prediction. “The more tapes I watch of Clottey, the more I become convinced we will stop him. Manny will be the first to stop Joshua Clottey” said Roach.

This will be the first true welterweight the Filipino champion has faced. Reports suggest Pacquiao will be 149 pounds come the night of the fight, with Joshua Clottey weighing north of 160 pounds.

On the undercard David Diaz will challenge Humberto Soto for the vacant WBC light weight title. Alfonso Gomez who became a household name during his appearing in the first series of the reality TV show “the contender” will face Mexican Jose Luis Castillo, who in the past has been sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao. Other fights include Michael Medina vs John Duddy.

Source: theboxinghistorian.com

Pacquiao-Clottey insider predictions, part two

2010-03-12T16:46:00.000-08:00

Anaheim Boxing Examiner | Brent Alderson

In anticipation of Saturday night's championship bout between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey, the Examiner spoke with boxing insiders through out the Southern California region about the clash and their perspective of the fight.

1. Yohnny Perez (Undefeated IBF 118 Pound World Champion)

We all know that Pacquiao is on a roll and we all know Clottey and I don't know who's going to win, but if I had to make a prediction I would say Clottey. I think Clottey is a good fighter and he's fighting at his natural weight. We all know that Pacquiao has won a lot of big fights, but those were against boxers that were on the way out. And Clottey is a good fighter and has also had some big fights. With the weight and his previous big fight experience I think Clottey is going to win."

2. Jimmy Lennon Jr. (Hall of Fame Boxing Announcer)

I think Clottey should not be underestimated. Here is man who has already fought some of the greats in the sport he is extremely strong, he takes a great shot he is serious, he's a hard worker so he definitely has a shot. The only problem is he's fighting Manny Pacquiao who doesn't take people lightly, but you have to give Clottey a shot, but Manny should win.

3. Alex Camponovo (Matchmaker & Tim Bradley's Co-Promoter)

I don't see Clottey winning. I think it's going to be a competitive fight for five or six rounds. I think Manny is just too much for most of the guys out there at the moment. It should be a very entertaining fight because Clottey is not a runner, and he likes to exchange. He likes to fight you. He's always in great shape. Manny is just at a top level so I don't think Clottey has much of a shot against him to be honest with you.

4. Edison Miranda (168 Pound Contender)

Clottey is a very passive fighter, very defensive and that is going to favor Pacquiao. I think it will go ten or eleven rounds and Pacquiao is going to win the fight.

5. Alfredo Angulo (154 pound WBO Interim Champion)

It's going to be a good fight I think Manny should win. Clottey isn't an easy opponent to fight. Clottey is a fighter that has a very tight defense, but he doesn't have that much offensively and I think that's going to be the difference.

6. John Scully (Former world Title challenger & Top Trainer)

I think it shapes up to be a very, very interesting fight, probably more physically tough than Manny's last three were. At the same time, I won't be surprised at all if the fight goes the distance and that Manny's speed more than his power is what gives him the edge. Most people think Manny will end all his fights by KO now and he does have great power but sometimes a smart boxer has to use other tools to beat certain people and his speed is probably going to be needed for this fight more than power. If Clottey can't find Pacman with that very strong jab of his then he's going to have to kind of abandon that patient style of his and open up more. And I tend to think Manny will welcome that. I have Manny by a competitive but wide unanimous decision.

Source: Examiner.com

Manny Pacquiao Vs. Joshua Clottey: The Ultimate Guide

2010-03-12T16:44:00.000-08:00

Written by Tim Starks
Friday, 12 March 2010 16:25

Whether you’re looking for a basic primer or a complete run-down, I’m bringing you the links you need to get fully caught up on the big welterweight fight in Dallas between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey.

We always start with the work we’ve done here. We looked at what was at stake; how good Clottey is; the keys the fight, parts I and II; the undercard (first me, then Scott); and after all that looking, produced a final preview and prediction.

If you’re still unfamiliar with one or both men after that, or just want to take a short cut, it’s hard to do better than watching some short clips. Unfortunately, HBO seems to have only produced a “greatest hits” for Pacquiao, but there’s a lot of other Clottey footage on HBO’s YouTube page. I included the one I thought was best. (HBO also has some more in-depth stuff, like a Compubox analysis of both men, on its website’s page for the fight.)

You can glance over each fighter’s complete record at their Boxrec pages, here and here.

My provider is charging $49.95 for standard definition and $59.95 for high definition broadcasts of the pay-per-view. Since I just upgraded to HD, I guess I’ll have to swallow paying the extra ten-spot, then gulp down a bunch of Tecate to get their $20 rebate.

Rarely are the weigh-ins interesting as a spectacle, but there’s probably some mild intrigue about whether Clottey struggled to make weight, and whether Pacquiao will come in at the full 147-pound limit. It could all make a strategic difference in the fight’s outcome, however minute. You can watch it at 6 p.m. on Top Rank’s website.

Among the biggest papers and magazines in the country, the New York Times stayed on the sidelines this time around, but The Washington Post – the last major pub not to return to boxing coverage – joined in, and provided a welcome, well-done and informative piece about Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach. GQ put together a beautifully written profile of Pacquiao, while Time looked forward to the prospects for Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather. (I’m perturbed by the degree to which Pacquiao’s side is saying they want the fight and they’ll do anything to get it, but always conveniently note they won’t agree to Mayweather’s preferred drug testing regimen, which is the whole reason the fight fell apart and isn’t likely to go away). The New York Daily News honed in on the Bronx angle – it’s where Clottey and his trainer live. The Wall Street Journal does a pretty straight preview, but notes this may be the last time we see Pacquiao in the ring. The L.A. Times and USA Today examined, respectively, promoter Bob Arum’s grudge against Las Vegas and the Cowboys Stadium venue. Some of those publications did plenty more on the fight, by the way, most of it very much worth reading.

Just about done. I leave you with some thing off-beat -- If you’re the kind of person who likes to watch boxers being drawn in time-lapse footage, then you should love this…

…and I leave you with a question. How big do you think this fight will be, as far as pay-per-view sales? Earlier this week, Top Rank boss Arum was predicting no less than 900,000, and I was originally inclined to agree. But the traffic on this blog for this Pacquiao fight has been nowhere near that of the usual Pacquiao-generated numbers, and not nearly as many people want to come watch the fight at my house as usual. Arum recognizes that Pacquiao-Clottey is a huge comedown from Mayweather-Pacquiao, and in a way I’m glad he got that message. But the question remains – how many buys? I’m guessing a little below the bottom end of Arum’s prediction, 800,000. Drop your prediction below.

Source: queensberry-rules.com

FIGHT FIT FOR THE GODS: All Pray For Joshua; The “HITTER” On A Death-Row

2010-03-12T16:43:00.001-08:00

Oh, how marvelous it will be if “Hitter” Joshua Clottey, will suddenly create the fairy tale in the history of boxing in just a matter of Forty-eight hours. Just as the hour draws nigh for what looks like a David and Goliath affair, lovers of the former IBF Welterweight King of the World, have their hearts in their hands, as they wish the Bukom man, the best of luck even as he tries to move the immovable in Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao, popularly known as Manny Pacquiao.

Good to say I’m on the same side with well wishers and positive thought holders for Joshua, who knows all Ghanaians wait, but not exclusive of panic for the upset they all dream for. Upset or not, it will be a dream come true and you know what will come next, Joshua would turn into the best boxer to face Mayweather Jnr., an overnight alteration in status quo, what happens afterwards will only be good for history.

The likes of Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey must be thinking, good Joshua should make Ghana proud! The flag bearers in the past know what it means to stand in the ring or better still the four corner circle minutes before the bell is tolled for the first round and the national anthem comes rolling. At that special moment, even the uninitiated can appreciate a boxer is on a war path!

Ghana is without a world title, as the other holder of a global crown ‘King Kong’ Agbeko, also lost his own against Columbian, Yohnny Perez, some months back. Fortune tellers might have their own views on the fight happening two days away, but in terms strengths and weaknesses, the Filipino Manny Pacquiao looks by far the most feared, given his record as the world’s first man to win titles at seven different weight divisions. Even American Floyd Mayweather Jnr, screwed up their much talked about fight which turned into Joshua’s joy and the stage is set for Saturday, when the plush 1.2 billion dollar Cowboys stadium will be officially commissioned.

In terms of aggression, both boxers can stand toe-to-toe, but advising Joshua to do so will be asking him to hang himself in the gallows. Pacquiao does not retreat in the ring; always on the offensive, his combination of punches is admirable and it is heavily anticipated our countryman will fight with the intelligence of a serpent being alert and on guard all night.

If you ask me about the weaknesses of Joshua, I would say it has to do with his speed and ability to finish off when the opportunity avails itself. Against Miguel Cotto, the story could have been different if Joshua after opening a cut on the brow, was able to finish off the job by knocking out the Puerto Rican. Cotto continued with the bloody face to the end, winning on a split decision, a fight the Ghanaian dominated. Like Azumah always said, in boxing you carry your own judges along in your gloves, it is either you knock out the opponent or be ready for bizarre decisions.

Boxing is a whole mafia society where treasured assets in the ring make money for gamblers, promoters and such like. Suffice it to say that Pacquiao remains a money making machine awaiting the multimillion dollar fight which will definitely take place in December against Mayweather Jnr. The issue of the urine sample and blood test which would irk Pacquiao and the ultimate annulment of the fight with Mayweather, are all but gimmicks to hype the intended big match up which will happen later in the year. You now get the point I’m making about why Joshua can only win if a knock out miraculously prevails, remember only miracles allow things like this to happen.

The Ghana Boxing Authority must be up by now with support for Joshua; I know Mohammend Amin Lamptey, the GBA spokesman would not sleep hoping the expectations of the entire nation would come into fruition. All lovers of boxing need to rally behind Joshua as he tries to exorcise the ghost in Manny Pacquiao. Monitoring proceedings from the camps of both boxers, I have ascertained that respect is not being thrown to the dogs by any of the two as Pacquiao indicated Joshua is bigger and taller than him and so is going to work himself up to gain a shape of his life to avoid any embarrassment, whiles Joshua on the other hand has never left any stone unturned ever since the fight was sanctioned to take place, save the problems his brother and trainer went through in getting the American VISA, and the fact that a Ghanaian, Abdulai Amidu has been sparring with Pacquiao.

That should not distract Joshua, after all Amidu has been in the camp of the Filipino a long time ago, training with them to get his livelihood. Joshua is aware of the mountain he faces in the man called ‘Pacman’. It’s boxing, it’s about who guards and throws effectives punches. Joshua can take punches and so is Pacquiao, meaning punishment will come from both ends.

Pacman has already beaten Joshua’s conqueror Miguel Cotto, others like Ricky Hatton and Oscar De la Hoya have all fallen prey to the monstrous Filipino, the big question is, CAN JOSHUA TURN THE TABLE UPSIDE DOWN AND STUN THE BOXING WORLD BY DEFEATING PACQUIAO? Let’s stay awake and watch fate unfold itself on Saturday as we pray for Joshua Clottey.

Joshua Clottey knows Pacquiao is beatable, as the best pound for pound boxer has lost three times in his career.

Source: sports.peacefmonline.com

Pacquiao and Clottey meet on the star

2010-03-12T16:41:00.000-08:00

By TIM DAHLBERG (AP) – 3 hours ago

ARLINGTON, Texas — The phenomenon that is Manny Pacquiao grew with a series of wins against some of the biggest names around. Now he has a fight to win against a guy who has nothing to lose.

It wasn't supposed to be that way, but things rarely turn out as planned in boxing. Instead of fighting in one of the biggest bouts ever against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao will have to settle for fighting in one of the biggest stadiums ever.

The opponent is Joshua Clottey, and he's what the wise guys in Las Vegas would call a live dog. A talented boxer who has never been stopped and briefly held a piece of the welterweight title, he brings some credentials of his own into Saturday night's 147-pound fight at Cowboy Stadium.

But while he may be fighting on the star, there's only one star in this show. Little guys aren't supposed to fill big stadiums, yet some 45,000 fans are expected to be on hand to watch Pacquiao up close and personal — and on the huge overhead video screens that will show every drop of sweat and blood.

"The best fighter I've ever seen," said promoter Bob Arum, who includes Muhammad Ali in that group. "No one has ever punched with equal power from both hands like Manny."

Arum has a financial interest in saying that, of course, but there are few in boxing who would argue that Pacquiao is a talent unlike any the sport has seen in recent years. He's coming off a stoppage of Miguel Cotto that cemented his credentials at 147 pounds, and he has created a buzz about boxing the sport desperately needed.

Twelve years ago he won his first title at 112 pounds. Now he's a champion in seven weight classes who will make at least $12 million in a gleaming new stadium far from the bright lights of Las Vegas.

Just as importantly, he's doing it without Mayweather, now a bitter rival after talks for their megafight collapsed over Mayweather's insistence on blood testing — and what Pacquiao believes was the inference he bulked up on performance-enhancing drugs.

"Some fighters like me, we can be the greatest fighters without fast words and trash talk," Pacquiao said. "His (Mayweather's) style is talking a lot of trash and it is not a good example for everybody."

Pacquiao is a 5-1 favorite in the scheduled 12-round fight (HBO pay-per-view beginning at 9 p.m. EST) which is expected to sell out a stadium scaled down for boxing. The odds are probably more lopsided than the talent differential between the two fighters, but it takes long odds to get anyone to bet against Pacquiao these days.

He was already a well-respected fighter when he began his current streak by stopping Oscar De La Hoya and forcing him into retirement. He followed that with a knockout of Ricky Hatton before stopping Cotto in December.

Now he plans to add Clottey to his list of victims, and then take some time out to run for congress in his native Philippines. Mayweather could await in September, assuming Pacquiao wins and Mayweather beats Shane Mosley on May 1, but Pacquiao has also hinted it may be time to hang the gloves up after fighting as a pro for 15 years.

"This is my last fight before the election," he said. "I am not saying I'm going to retire. It is hard to say right now when I'm going to retire, but this is my last fight before the election and I'm very excited about that."

Clottey, a native of Ghana who lives in New York City, was picked as an opponent largely on the basis of his fight last June against Cotto. Most believe he was winning that bout before inexplicably backing off in the last few rounds. He throws a lot of punches and has a strong chin, but his style of standing in front of an opponent seems perfectly suited to Pacquiao's frenetic pace of punching.

"He is what he is. Let's face it. He fights the same way in every tape I watch," said Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach. "Whether he fights southpaws or right-handers, he is predictable. He's good at what he does, but he does the same thing over and over again and he is very predictable. He's going to try to change for this fight, but once he gets in he will revert back to it."

Clottey (35-3) faces the additional challenge of fighting without his usual trainer, whose visa issues kept him out of the country. But he's quietly confident he can rise to the occasion, hoping to use his excellent defense to thwart Pacquiao.

"It's the key to the fight because he throws a thousand punches," Clottey said. "Everybody that he's fought, when he throws a thousand punches, they've all landed. When I'm blocking mine, I'm going to see how he's going to think."

If Pacquiao wasn't enough to sell this promotion, Arum and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones have combined to promote the $1.2 billion stadium as an attraction of its own. Boxing has been done in stadiums over the years, of course, but this may be the first time even those in the cheap ($50) seats will have a good view of the action.

Jones wanted to host a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, and was bitterly disappointed when it couldn't be made. But his investment in this fight could have a big payoff for future fights.

"It didn't take me long to make my mind up that somehow, some way, we wanted to have Manny fighting here," Jones said. "I made my mind up in building this stadium I was not going to be associated with anything but the best."

Source: Google.com

Pacquiao no longer flies under the radar

2010-03-12T16:36:00.000-08:00

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Manny Pacquiao is an international star, but there was a time when boxing's current pound-for-pound champion toiled in anonymity.

When Pacquiao left his native Philippines for his first bout in the United States, he was an unknown fighter searching for an American trainer to help him for his 2001 bout against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba in Las Vegas.

He no longer deals with being unknown. Everybody knows his name. Traveling under the radar is a thing of the past. His party of 130 uses a private jet. Trainer Freddie Roach is always at his side.

On Saturday night, in the biggest and most expensive stadium in sports, Pacquiao gets to show why he's the best fighter in the world when he faces Joshua Clottey in front of a sellout crowd of 45,000 at Cowboys Stadium.

"He's been here since 2001, and he's been fighting nothing but the best," said trainer Emanuel Steward, who is a fight analyst for HBO. "I don't recall a fighter -- maybe Sonny Liston -- who comes into a fight with so much attention. He fights everybody. He fights hall of fame fighters. You don't see that too often."

He has fought the best and beaten the best. Bouts with Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton are part of his impressive résumé. In his last fight, he stopped Miguel Cotto in the 12th round to win his seventh title in seven weight classes.

Fight fans have noticed.

A June 2008 fight in which Pacquiao knocked out David Diaz grossed $12.5 million and sold 250,000 pay-per-view telecasts.

His fight against Hatton in 2009 generated a live gate of $8.83 million and produced $50 million in pay-per-view buys.

In his last fight -- versus Cotto on Nov. 14, 2009 -- 1.25 million pay-per-view purchases helped generate $470 million in sales.

"He's an unbelievable star," said Mark Taffet, a senior vice president with HBO Sports, which broadcasts all of Pacquiao's fights in the United States. "You look at the numbers, and they're unheard of for a person of his weight class."

Pacquiao's seven titles have come in classes ranging from flyweight to welterweight. His style resembles that of classic Mexican fighters, who displayed punishing power, head movement and quick hands.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, when visiting Mexico with promoter Bob Arum, said he was stunned at how many fans knew Pacquiao.

"Our goal when we started with Manny was to break him out from the Filipino base that he had," Arum said. "We were able to pick up millions of Hispanic fans, and we have broken him into the general conscience of the people around the world. He is truly a crossover star. How many fighters of our time go on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' and go on 'Good Morning America' and have a big article coming out in Time magazine? I think that is saying something."

And Pacquiao's fans aren't just Hispanic. Filipino fans have traveled far to see their hero. Even Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams, a causal boxing fan, said he would follow Pacquiao to any fight during the offseason.

When this fight is over, Pacquiao has said that he'll run for Congress in the Philippines because he's tired of the social ills of his country. That has raised concerns about whether Pacquiao is truly focused on Saturday's fight.

"I'm not there yet," Pacquiao told ESPN Dallas when asked whether he might retire. "That's down the line. For now, I'm ready for this fight."

Pacquiao officially starts his campaign March 26.

"It is going to be busy," he said. "I want to pass some bills that will be good for the livelihood of the people there and education for the children."

But first he has to fight Clottey, who is no stranger to the big stage. He lost a split decision to Cotto last June and isn't an easy opponent.

"This is a very close fight," Steward said. "I like Manny in this fight, but not by much. He should win because that's what stars do."

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Joshua Clottey to test Manny Pacquiao before Floyd Mayweather fight

2010-03-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

Manny Pacquiao will do what most of boxing expects him to do under the stars in Texas tomorrow night: a number on Joshua Clottey in what might be a marginally tougher assignment for the amazing Filipino than was Miguel Cotto.

In defending a WBO welterweight belt that needs no sanction other than his ownership of it, Pacquiao carries into the ring charisma of the sort possessed by very few in the history of his sport. At their zenith, the Sugar Rays, Robinson and Leonard, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson had it – a right, almost, to claim victory before a blow has been thrown or received.

There is an eerie inevitability about Pacquiao's fights. Who seriously imagined an aged and weight-confused Oscar De La Hoya would stay with the buzz-saw for the full route? Did Cotto, in his diminished state, pose much more than a physical threat to the Pacman? And Ricky Hatton, employing mental gymnastics of the most extraordinary kind, might have been the one person in Las Vegas last May who thought he could best this modern phenomenon of the ring.

It is a cruel reflection of the fight game that the very weekend Pacquiao sets about another chapter in his remarkable story, against a big and noble foe, the brittle man from Manchester he destroyed inside two rounds has gone to ground, confused and hurt, as he ponders an ill-advised comeback from that disastrous evening.

Clottey could make it hard for Pacquiao, not through his advantage in size and strength but in his method. He is a methodical and correct fighter, not a monster, and Pacquiao will have to bring his boxing to the highest level to break him down.

What Pacquiao does in a boxing ring is tantamount to magic. It is the reason he is saddled now with the slur issued on his character by Floyd Mayweather Jnr, his putative mega-opponent up the road – if Mayweather beats Shane Mosley on 1 May in Las Vegas.

Mayweather's insistence that Pacquiao might be using performance-enhancing drugs has become a tiresome coda to boxing politics in 2010. Most in the sport want to see it resolved in the only place that matters, and Pacquiao can secure his part in that pact by beating up Clottey in the Cowboy Stadium in Arlington tonight.

I expect it to last into the later rounds. If Clottey survives it will be as a bruised and humbled fighter.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Pacquiao is master of his trade

2010-03-12T16:33:00.000-08:00

Manny Pacquiao has had many vocations.

The “Pac Man” has tried his hand as a construction labourer, stevedore, street vendor, film producing, actor and musician.

A life in politics beckons once he hangs up his gloves and he has already signalled his intention to run for a congressional seat in the Philippine elections in May. Pacquiao is a jack of all trades, but truly a master of one: boxing.

The one thing Pacquiao has enjoyed doing to excess for the last 14 years is throw punches.

His stamina is surpassed only by his speed and Zeus-like power.

Tonight, he makes the first defence of his WBO welterweight championship against Joshua Clottey, the American-based Ghanaian, at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Beating Clottey will not elevate Pacquiao’s status any higher than it already is. Only a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr, his rival for the mythical pound-for-pound title, can do that.

Suggestions that Pacquiao, a southpaw, is someone who simply likes to “slug it out” ignore his attributes as an astute ring technician.

It also ignores the tactical nous of his trainer, Freddie Roach, who is fast carving out a reputation as one of, if not the greatest, trainer of all time.

“The Mexicutioner”, another nickname garnered for the brutal way in which he has dispatched Mexico’s elite pugilists such as Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales in the past, likes to fight off the front foot and going toe-to-toe with Clottey will suit him; he has been to the coal face so many times it is a wonder his teeth are not charred black.

But that may well be the one area where Clottey can capitalise.

An outstanding defence is backed up by counter-punches that rarely miss, with timing you could set your watch by, although one criticism is that he does not throw enough of them.

If he hopes to usurp Pacquiao, he will need to launch some earth-to-chin missiles on a frequent basis because if there is a weakness in Pacquiao’s defence, it is that he struggles against good counter-punchers. That was evident in his two duels with Juan Manuel Marquez, arguably the best counter-puncher in the business.

The main weapon in Pacquiao’s arsenal is his lightning-quick combinations. He is of the same ilk as , Joe Calzaghe, the retired, undisputed super middleweight champion, in terms of the damage his flurries cause.

The science behind combinations is simple: they are designed to shock and awe as you try to, ultimately, line up that one big punch to knock your opponent out.

Most boxers will have a good mixture of four-to-six punch combinations.

However, Pacquiao comes at you with eight, nine and 10-punch medleys consistently for 12 rounds. At times he resembles a two-fisted maniac.

The key to Pacquiao’s combinations is that, like Calzaghe’s, they do not diminish in strength from punch one to punch 10.

The freak of his nature is that they actually get stronger with every blow.

Strangely, victory, rather than defeat, could signal the end of Pacquiao’s boxing career.

If he beats Clottey, and Mayweather Jr keeps up his gamesmanship of trying to reinvent the laws of drug testing (the American wants the mandatory drug test to be done the day before the fight instead the usual 30 days), there is no one left in the welterweights division to entice him.

The number of contenders is the one aspect of Pacquiao’s life that, sadly, lacks excess.

Source: thenational.ae

Pacquiao will be too quick for Clottey but probably will have to settle for winning by decision

2010-03-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

SF Boxing Examiner | Colin Seymour

Welterweights can stand up to Manny Pacquiao, but few if any can keep up with him. Joshua Clottey won’t be the exception Saturday on HBO pay-per-view.

Pacquiao is only human, and Clottey is one impressive specimen of human being. He’s the biggest man Pacquiao has fought yet. Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton were a bit bigger than Manny, and Oscar De La Hoya famously towered over him, but Clottey will appear to be from a much higher weight class. How is Pacquiao supposed to counter the Big C in Big D?

Not to worry. The issue is whether Clottey can counter Pacquiao. He’s very competent and intelligent, but he’s notably unspectacular, especially when every one else’s adrenaline starts kicking in.

There’s more interest in where Pacquiao is fighting than whom. Dallas with its new football stadium, as San Francisco’s AT&T Park would, offers a glamorous, circusy atmosphere in which champions like Pacquiao thrive and challengers like Clottey are merely “the opponent.”

If Clottey were to turn aggressor, as he ultimately did in his 2008 battle of counter-punchers with left-hander Zab Judah, the 33-year-old from Ghana would give himself his best chance to win.

It’s also the strategy that would offer Pacquiao’s best chance of stopping Clottey, in six rounds say, by beating him to the punch time after time.

That’s why Clottey won’t be aggressive. He’ll pick his spots, counter effectively from time to time and win some rounds, but Pacquiao will win most of them to earn a unanimous decision.

Source: Examiner.com

Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey Preview: Fans Still Dream Of What Could Have Been

2010-03-12T16:27:00.000-08:00

Written by Demetrus Stokes
Friday, 12 March 2010 15:38

Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey Tomorrow night was supposed to be the biggest night for boxing in the last 20 years. A night that would have brought widespread media attention and a world of potential new fans to the sport.

On March 13th all eyes were to be on the sport of boxing for the biggest fight possibly of this era between undefeated Floyd Mayweather arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world and Manny Pacquiao, arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world.

The dispute was to be settled, the king of boxing would truly be crowned on tomorrow night.

Oh, how our dreams have been dashed.

Those who have been keeping a close eye on things know the story. A potential deal had been reached for the mega fight only to be nixed over a drug testing dispute. Mayweather wanted Olympic style drug testing while Pacquiao didn’t wanted his blood drawn too close to the fight. Eventually the deal fell through and both men have gone in different directions.

Mayweather is set to fight World Champion Shane Mosley on May 1st in Las Vegas and tomorrow night Pacquiao will fight Joshua Clottey.

Some of you are asking, who is Joshua Clottey?

Clottey is a very tough fighter from Ghana who has made a name for himself in the US and is a former World Champion. He has compiled a record of 35-3 with 20 wins coming by knockout. Of his three losses, one was a disqualification in the 10th round of a fight he was winning; the second was a very competitive fight against Antonio Margarito and the third was a controversial split decision loss to Miguel Cotto in a fight many thought Clottey won.

He has defeated very solid fighters in Zab Judah and the late Diego Corrales, so he will not be afraid of the big fight atmosphere.

On Saturday, however, he’ll be stepping in the ring with the hottest name in boxing.

Pacquiao has ridden a whirlwind of success with recent victories over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. He has also seen his popularity rise and with the brief retirement of Floyd Mayweather has become the pound for pound king of boxing and its biggest attraction.

It’s no surprise that the biggest name in boxing will fight in the place where everything is “bigger”, Texas. The Pacquiao-Clottey fight will take place at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium with an estimated 45,000 people scheduled to sellout the venue. Having already hosted the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys owner) is adding another high profile sporting event to the new stadium’s resume. His hope is to attract other big name boxers to fight in his arena and become viable competition for Las Vegas, boxing's hotspot.

Booking the number one name in boxing is a great start.

Pacquiao is a 5-1 favorite going into Saturday night’s fight. Outside of Clottey’s handlers, family and the people of Ghana, no one is giving him a fighting chance to win tomorrow night.

Clottey has great defensive skills and a good chin as he has never been knocked out. He also has some quickness and power and will have to stay really active to give himself a chance against Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is just on another level right now and I just don’t see him losing this fight. This may be the first time we see Clottey knocked out or stopped. In any event, Pacquiao wins.

After the fight Pacquiao is scheduled to sing (yes he sings too) at his post-fight party and then prepare himself for his Congressional campaign in the Philippines where he is running for a seat. Whether or not Floyd Mayweather is in his future depends on whether or not Mayweather beats Mosley in May and if they can sit down together and iron things out.

Neither Pacquiao nor Mayweather will mention each other as they prepare for their fights. Both say they are focused on the task at hand and nothing else. Everyone else knows better.

The bright lights will be on Dallas, Texas tomorrow night as Manny Pacquiao will bring out former Cowboys, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and other celebrities to witness his greatness.

Though all eyes will be on Pacquiao, everyone will be thinking about Floyd Mayweather in the back of their minds and the opportunity that passed.

Here’s hoping that one day soon the dream of many if not all boxing fans will come true.

Source: hittheropes.com

Exclusive Video Interview: Joshua Clottey has no problem making 147

2010-03-12T16:23:00.000-08:00

I caught up with former world welterweight champion Joshua Clottey hours before the weigh-ins for his surely epic battle against Manny Pacquiao tomorrow night at Jerry Jones famed Dallas Stadium for the WBO belt.

I spoke to "The Grandmaster" regarding his weight as he is considered by many as one of the biggest welterweights and have re-hydrated on fight night to as much as 170 pounds when he fought Zab Judah in 2008.

I asked Clottey whether he is having problems making the 147 limit and he quickly replied, "I'm okay. I'm already 147".

Check out the quick video interview below:

http://www.examiner.com/examinerslideshow.html?entryid=1075405

Source: Examiner.com

Jerry Jones Smells Title: King of the Ring

2010-03-11T16:44:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
ARLINGTON, Texas -- When you get past the Botox and the BS, when you ignore a run of futility that has produced merely one NFL playoff victory in 14 years, the new conclusion about Jerry Jones is quite flattering. Seems he's one hot mess as a stadium promoter and huckster, much better at luring human bodies to his shimmering, $1.2-billion colossus than producing championships in the new millennium as owner of the Dallas Cowboys.

I'm beginning to believe he could book a cockfight at Cowboys Stadium and attract 60,000 fans, the vast majority of whom would be thrilled to observe the proceedings on the 72-foot-high, 160-foot-wide, hi-def video boards. What Jones is doing -- between sellouts at football games and concerts and attracting a stupefying 108,713 to the NBA All-Star Game -- is creating a mystique at his cathedral that heightens the magnitude of prestigious events and athletes. The eyes of the stadia world are upon his crib, and while we await Super Bowl XLV next February in this concrete wasteland between Dallas and Billy Bob's Honky Tonk in Fort Worth, Jones first will attempt to pull off the unthinkable.

The man is trying to save boxing.

You know ... boxing, the old-man sport that preceded mixed martial arts, Octagons, Kimbo Slice and Brock Lesnar.

Very wisely, Jones has wrapped his promotional skills around the charisma of Manny Pacquiao, whose talents as an elite, pound-for-pound force are matched by his charms as a smiling, crooning entertainer who will just as easily run for Congress in his native Philippines as he'll belt out -- earplugs, please -- "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You'' on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night TV show. Jones wasn't interested a few years back when Bill Parcells, then coaching the Cowboys, suggested he invest financially in a Filipino fighter whose career was about to take off. But as a boxing fan who once promoted a fight card in Little Rock, Ark., where only 2,500 fans showed up that night in 1984, Jones was too savvy not to jump on Manny Fever when he needed immediate events to generate revenues to recoup the massive construction costs. Remember, Arlington voters and the NFL itself funded the project to the tune of a half-billion dollars. And Jones, a billionaire, supported his end of the deal via loans. With only 10 Cowboys home games a year, he had to become that fast-talking Arkansas oil man again, lest he allow the stadium to become a red-ink-bleeding elephant.

In Pacquiao, he has his fan-friendly, cash-generating machine. Jones was willing to shell out a $25-million site fee to outbid the competition on the one blockbuster fight left on the planet -- Pac-Man vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- and when that epic collapsed under the weight of Mayweather's lame accusations that Pacquiao wouldn't agree to blood-testing because he used performance-enhancing drugs, Jones still paid $7 million for a Manny compromise: his Saturday night fight against Joshua Clottey, called "The Event.'' About 45,000 fans are expected to sell out the boxing configuration, centered around the famed Cowboys star at midfield, and expect that figure to swell if Jones sells standing-room-only tickets as he did at the NBA All-Star Game and routinely does for Cowboys games. With promoter Bob Arum estimating a pay-per-view audience of 700,000, well, Jerry Jones has struck gold on a fallback fight that includes a challenger known only to boxing aficionados.

"This is going to be big time. 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 gushed. "I'm going to over-deliver what it means to fans to be involved in this stadium. That does enhance the competition, help the sport. You don't want to deal with anything but the top. Manny Pacquiao transcends everything, including himself, not only as a great athlete but as a great person.

"It's like the Super Bowl.''

It isn't even close to the Super Bowl, of course, but let's not douse Jerry's high. "It says everything I want,'' he said. "We want big fights here. We're going to make this one of the most interesting fights to view that's ever been. I really think that we could be a special place for fights.... It's a very logical way to introduce our stadium to the world and lift its aura. We write checks like that around here all the time."

Yes, they do -- and to no avail since the Cowboys' glory days of the 1990s, when they won three Super Bowls in four years. No one ever has doubted Jones' ability to attract attention and buzz, which seems like so much needless hot air when the Cowboys fizzle every year. But he's already won the Pacquiao game, managing to enhance the legend of the WBO welterweight champion by marketing him in tandem with America's most compelling arena, with apologies to the new Yankee Stadium, which is a close second and booking boxing events itself. "I have never had an experience where the venue has played such a paramount role in the promotion," said Arum, who has promoted fights in too many venues to count. "It has helped us sell the tickets, helped us get the publicity. I have never, ever seen anything like this place. It just blows you away." Despite claims by Team Clottey member Kwaku Gyamfi that "Manny is going straight to the hospital after the fight'' -- and, thus, wouldn't be able to perform a medley of songs for fans at a post-game party in the Texas Rangers' ballpark -- few doubt that Pacquiao will dismiss his taller, bigger opponent with hand speed, footwork and guile. This is clearly about enjoying The Manny Experience, not about whether he'll lose the title.

"I'm inspired to give a good show, to do my best," said Pacquiao, who appeared at a news conference flanked by two Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. "To impress the people, you have to make your best effort. I want people to be very satisfied with my performance."

"There's no stage big enough for Manny Pacquiao," said Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer. "He loves it, and I love it. He's going to perform for the crowd. He'll entertain all 45,000 fans. He'll entertain everybody."

The end game for Jones is a Pacquiao-Mayweather spectacular, assuming the parties stop squabbling long enough to make history happen. Mayweather refuses to even mention Pacquiao's name as he prepares for a May 1 fight in Las Vegas against Shane Mosley, saying the other day, "I'm in the check-cashing business, baby." That tells me neither fighter will pass up the biggest payday in boxing history, despite Pacquiao's disgust that Mayweather has soiled his otherwise spotless reputation with steroids-related potshots. "We're not happy with his remarks and Manny really wants to fight him in the future because of the remarks he made," said Roach, who is fighting Parkinson's Disease. "Manny, sometimes when he's shadowboxing, he shows me how Mayweather fights and how he'll take care of the problem, and I've never seen that before. He's trying to ruin our reputations and so forth, but we want to fight him and we'll knock him out."

"We don't have to be geniuses to know what they were trying to do: They were trying to get into Manny's head so that he would be discombobulated," Arum said. "Mayweather against Manny is a no-contest, no contest. Manny would wipe the ring with Mayweather."

Instead, they have to settle for Manny wiping the ring with Clottey. "People were looking forward to a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, that's clear. But Manny has a huge, huge fan base," Arum said. "Every sports fan knows Manny Pacquiao. Our job is to present Joshua Clottey as he is, a bigger guy, a stronger guy, a guy who has never been off his feet -- a real test for Manny Pacquiao. That's what will sell this fight. I think the public gets it, and I think the pay-per-view is going to do extremely well. In Vegas, fight tickets are limited generally to the high-roller types. Here, the tickets go to regular customers."

True to his character, Pacquiao isn't into trash-talking or dissing. "Clottey is a good fighter. He is so strong and he is bigger and taller than me,'' he said. 'I don't want to underestimate this opponent. I am going to do my best and give it a shot."

And when he wins, he'll have a political career to weigh. Though the feeling in the Philippines is that he can't win, Pacquiao awaits a May 20 election for a congressional seat in the Sarangani province against the well-heeled, silver-spooned Roy Chiongbian, whose father is a powerful politician in one of the nation's largest cities. "I know I have to work hard and campaign," Pacquiao said at his news conference. "From what I hear so far, the surveys (polls) are good ... In the eyes of God, I'm at peace. I know I've tried to help."

Even if he manages a political upset, he is assuring his fans that this won't be his final fight. He will go on a concert tour -- I am not kidding -- to Hawaii later this month and to Canada in June. Then, after Mayweather-Mosley, he'll survey the landscape.

As will the huckster. "Hopefully, this is not the last time we'd host a Pacquiao fight,'' Jones said. "The main reason I wanted the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight was Manny. He is the draw.''

Actually, Jerry Jones and his stadium are the stars of this show. As the NFL wobbles in an uncapped 2010 season toward a possible labor shutdown, he will use his Cowboys cachet to pay the stadium bills. "The NFL is reluctant to cross over with other sports," Jones said. "But in a very obvious way, when we compete in Cowboys Stadium, the sports and non-sports people will recognize the crossover interest, and that excites me. We all know how popular the NFL is and it raises all boats. I'm getting short on time and I want to create some action while I'm still in the ring. We (the NFL) are the most visible programming in all of television. Vicariously, these fights can benefit from that.''

And certainly, the fighters appreciate the interest. Remember earlier this month at the NFL scouting combine, when New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton playfully stole a bottle of vintage wine that Jones had reserved at an Indianapolis restaurant? Remember how Payton then left a message reminding Jones that the Saints had won the Super Bowl? Well, this week, Jones was handed a bottle of the same Caymus Special Selection.

It was a gift from Manny Pacquiao.

Source: jay-mariotti.fanhouse.com

PACQUIAO-CLOTTEY SPECIAL ON 'THE MAIN EVENT'

2010-03-11T16:41:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 12 Mar 2010

A one hour pre-fight special on “The Event” featuring pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and former world champion Joshua Clottey of Ghana will be telecast on the top-rated weekly boxing show “The Main Event” over RPN 9 at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Hosted by veteran boxing commentator Ronnie Nathanielsz, the special sponsored by Tanduay, the No.1 Rhum will provide viewers an insight into both fighters, their training camps and the launch at the spectacular $1.2 billion state-of-the-art Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas with famed ring announcer Michael Buffer as host.

Highlights of Pacquiao’s title fights and Clottey’s showdowns with Miguel Cotto, the late Diego Corrales and Zab Judah will also be part of the special

The Pacquiao-Clottey special will set the stage for what many believe will be an intriguing contest and although Pacquiao is an overwhelming favorite to win Clottey’s trainer Lenny De Jesus has warned Pacquiao and his legions of fans not to underestimate the tough, strong and bigger fighter from Ghana.

The fight will be telecast on Sunday, Manila Time by Solar Sports and GMA 7 while it will be shown on a pay-per-view basis at the Araneta Coliseum where the giant four-sided screens create an atmosphere that makes viewers feel they are actually at special ringside at the venue.

The fights will also be telecast at all SM, Robinson and Rockwell Cinemas and in numerous other venues including restaurants and clubs across the country.

Manila Mayor Fred Lim has also guaranteed that city residents in the various congressional districts will be able to follow the action on big screens strategically located in the various districts free of charge.

The giant broadcast network ABS-CBN will telecast the fights on a pay-per-view basis over its widely watched global channel TFC in the Middle East, Europe and Australia with well-known commentators Bill Velasco and Ed Tolentino handling the coverage.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Promoter's anger at MGM/Mirage could keep Manny Pacquiao out of Las Vegas

2010-03-11T16:40:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
The animosity that exists between Manny Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, and Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s camp extends to MGM/Mirage, the company that operates the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

That arena will be dark Saturday night, when it could have been the site of Pacquiao's world welterweight title defense against Joshua Clottey.

In an interesting column Thursday by The Times' Bill Dwyre, Arum addressed his anger at Mayweather promoter Golden Boy Promotions and at MGM/Mirage, which has staged several of Oscar De La Hoya's bouts as a fighter and as a promoter, including the upcoming April 3 fight between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. and the May 1 Mayweather-Shane Mosley bout.

In January, Arum said he extended MGM/Mirage the opportunity to host Pacquiao-Clottey, while Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones bid to do the same. During that period, Arum said he had a discouraging conversation with MGM/Mirage President Richard Sturm, while checking to see if Pacquiao could fight at the MGM Grand for a fourth consecutive time, after bouts against De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.

“They said the date’s booked,” Arum said, referring to a prior request filed to the Nevada State Athletic Commission by Golden Boy Chief Executive Richard Schaefer to keep the March 13 date open for Jones-Hopkins first, then Mayweather-Pacquiao.

"Golden Boy had told me at the time that they planned to bring in Mayweather versus another opponent -- [Paulie] Malignaggi at the time," Sturm told The Times on Thursday. "It's industry practice to honor whoever has the first hold on the date. Bob called me, I explained that situation, and the rest is history."

When Mayweather ultimately opted to fight Mosley May 1 at MGM Grand, the March 13 request was dropped.

The MGM explanation, as Arum said he interpreted it, was that the company had more loyalty to Golden Boy fighters than Arum’s.

Last week, at a lunch with The Times, Arum said this: “We’ll never have Manny fight at MGM again. Manny brings in more business to Las Vegas than any other boxer, more than anyone since [Mike] Tyson. Manny’s a boon to the gaming tables. A casino guy once told me, ‘Manny’s Frank Sinatra times 20.’ So MGM just [hurt] themselves, and all the other casinos in Vegas.”

Sturm said he hopes that's not true.

"We had no idea March 13 was going to open," Sturm said. "Had I known, I'd be more than excited to have Manny come back here, and I'd love to have him back."

Sturm said he plays no favorites among promoters.

"We don't book promoters; we book fights," he said. "Bob is entirely wrong to say there's anything more to our relationship with Golden Boy than that."

For now, however, Arum is talking of taking his business elsewhere.

After Dallas, Arum said he is going to stage light-middleweight world champion Yuri Foreman’s first title defense against ex-welterweight champ Miguel Cotto June 5 at the new Yankee Stadium, and he’s promising another Dallas show later this year, along with a spring 2011 event at the new Meadowlands in New Jersey.

On Thursday, Arum mildly softened his stance to say he'd "never say never" to another Pacquiao fight at the MGM Grand.

"But Pacquiao is disillusioned after the way they disrespected him," Arum said.

Sturm said he's willing to extend an olive branch.

"I wouldn't have a problem picking up the phone and expressing my interest in having Manny back here soon," Sturm said.

-- Lance Pugmire

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Pacquiao-Clottey: The People’s Eyebrow

2010-03-11T16:38:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
March 11th, 2010 | by Jesse Campbell

Prior to the 2001 baseball season, baseball pundits and fans alike could reasonably conclude the following about Barry Bonds:

1.) Barry Bonds was an exceptional baseball player

2.) Barry Bonds was physically achieving what many people thought impossible for someone his age, but as suspect of an achievement as it may have been, it was still explainable and therefore celebratory.

Then, the 2001 season happened. Bonds hit 24 more homers than the previous season and broke Mark McGwire’s single season record. He batted .328 with 137 RBI’s and a slugging pct. of .863, an astounding accomplishment for a 36-year-old. At an age where most players’ statistics begin to plummet, he rewrote the baseball record books.

The 2001 season was so disproportionate to his previous achievements that it served as an “eye brow raiser.” At that time there wasn’t any conclusive evidence linking Bonds to steroids, but when you looked at the numbers, his age and what he achieved, you at least raised an eye brow.

Manny Pacquiao placed a microscope on his achievements this past winter when he declined to accept Floyd Mayweather’s contractual request to submit to Olympic-style random blood testing. Whether you believe Manny is reasonable when he says he feels drained after such tests, the amount of money left on the table for declining such a request is enough to give pause.

Still, all of Manny’s achievements up to this point are explainable and reasonable. Is it suspicious that in March 2008, he was in a war with Juan Manuel Marquez at 130lbs and by November of 2009, he was crushing an established and bigger Miguel Cotto at 145lbs? Sure. But Manny is an exceptional workhorse whose training regime is second to none. Up to this point, his achievements should still be celebrated.

This Saturday, Pacquiao is set to face Joshua Clottey in what could be his “2001 season”. Clottey has never been stopped inside of 12 rounds. He is a much bigger Welterweight than Pacquiao, has a solid chin and is a defense-first boxer. His three losses come from a disqualification, a decision to Antonio Margarito and a very questionable loss to Miguel Cotto.

Yes, Manny Pacquiao is arguably the best boxer, pound for pound, on the planet. His last three wins illustrate a type of streak that is incomparable to any recent fighter. On the surface, this fight should serve no other purpose other than to showcase Pacquiao’s skill set, Dallas’s new venue and help magnify the public’s desire for a fight with Floyd Mayweather. But a closer look at the Pac Man’s last three tornado wins should lead someone to the following three facts:

1) Oscar De La Hoya was not only in the twilight of his career but was physically and mentally drained prior to the start of the fight.

2) Ricky Hatton is not, nor was he ever, an elite boxer. He was a very good fighter whose most notable win was against a much older Kostya Tszyu. In his two opportunities to fight on the grand stage, he was knocked out.

3) Cheaters never prosper, but they sure can hurt you. Miguel Cotto was badly beaten and battered in his 2008 loss to Antonio Margarito, who would later lose his boxing license for tampering with his hand wraps prior to his 2009 fight with Shane Mosley.

This fight with Clottey is an entirely different animal. Clottey is still on the rise, he hasn’t been unceremoniously battered into a pulp like Cotto and he’s not going to drop his hands and engage in a pub fight like Ricky Hatton.

Manny is by far the superior fighter. He has the faster hands, and his pace is likely to frustrate and confuse Clottey. A unanimous decision win for Manny would be nothing more than a stamp on a hall of fame career. However, I cannot help but realize that going into this fight, the following states are relevant:

1.) Manny Pacquiao is an exceptional boxer.

2.) Manny Pacquiao is physically achieving what many people thought was impossible for someone his size, but as suspect of an achievement as it may be, it’s still explainable and therefore celebratory.

Maybe Manny is telling the truth and has absolutely NO idea what a steroid even is. Maybe he’s a once-in-a-lifetime fighter.

As a longtime boxing fan, I know anything can happen in a fight, but then again, a knockout of a very game, very big, very underestimated Clottey on Saturday should at least…be cause to raise an eyebrow. Or two.

Source: newyork.fighthype.com

Joshua Clottey Hopes to Turn “The Event” Into “The Upset”

2010-03-11T16:32:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Gabriel Montoya

It was just a few short months ago when boxing seemed on the verge of getting what it always wanted: a super fight of epic proportions between the two top pound-for-pound fighters in the world of boxing in Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. All roads had led to this exciting match up; they had common opponents, had publicly spoken about fighting each other and flew through initial negotiations with reported ease. But then a sport-changing thing happened.

In reaction to Pacquiao’s grandiose (some say grotesque) demand that Mayweather, who had missed his catch weight limit of 144 pounds by two against Juan Manuel Marquez back in September of ’09, pay ten million dollars per pound for every pound over the 147-pound limit, Mayweather asked Pacquiao to join him in cleaning up the sport by submitting to random Olympic-style blood testing. What followed was a storm of controversy as Pacquiao and his promotional team, Top Rank, gave a myriad of reasons as to why they would not submit to the tests, and then negotiated for a cutoff date of 24 days before the fight to Mayweather’s offer of a 14-day cutoff. In the end, Pacquiao, Top Rank, and his team walked away from the bout and instead decided to face another fighter in the Top Rank stable, Joshua “Grand Master” Clottey, 35-2 (20) with one no-contest, at the Cowboys Stadium this Saturday live, on HBO PPV.
Lost amidst the aftershocks felt from the superfight that didn’t happen is the fact that this weekend’s welterweight fight, dubbed “The Event” between Filipino superstar Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao, 50-3-2 (38), and Ghana’s Clottey is a very good fight.

Clottey is, in some ways, this generation’s Ike Quartey; good enough compete at the top but not quite good enough to win there. But like his fellow Ghanaian fighter, Clottey’s physical strength, durability, underrated speed and tough-to-crack defense will present all kinds of problems, at least early on for the division-jumping Pacquiao. He has had his shots at elite welterweight glory before, most notably a decision loss against Antonio Margarito in December of 2006 and again, last June, when he dropped a close (and in some circles, controversial) split decision to Miguel Cotto.

But boxing fans loss is Clottey’s gain and this time, he feels, he will cash the winning lottery ticket.
“Like I always said, Manny’s a good fighter; he’s the best now,” said Clottey during a recent conference call. “This is my 40th fight in the professional ranks and it is the most special and I’m taking it a special way. I think this is the third time going for the WBO title and my fourth world title overall. I have had a fight with Cotto and now Manny Pacquiao. I was so surprised that I had this opportunity to fight against Manny Pacquiao and when Bob Arum and Top Rank called me about this opportunity to fight Manny Pacquiao. I was so happy and I want to win this fight in a big way.”

In Pacquiao, Clottey is facing a fighter who has traversed weight classes from 106 to 147 pounds, is shorter at 5’6½” to Clottey’s 5’8” and who has grown into 147 pounds at the age of 31, but is not what most would call a natural welterweight despite wins over Oscar De La Hoya in 2008 and Miguel Cotto last year. Pacquiao, from a style standpoint, is a southpaw power-puncher who uses his speed of hand and foot to set up shots from odd angles while leaving his opponents turning in circles looking for and walking into shots. While the slower, defensively-challenged Cotto and the older, weight-drained looking De La Hoya were favorable match ups for Pacquiao, it is Clottey’s defensive style that makes him a puzzle that may be a lot harder to solve than Pacquiao’s team thinks.

“He does throw a lot of punches. He throws a lot of punches to people when he sees the openings,” said Clottey. “He won’t see the openings with me. When I block the punches, it will always make him think. You see, I have my game plan. I know what is going to happen in the ring. I always come to fight and I always see my openings. My game plan is to chase him, but if he is going to be there, fine.”

Clottey is considered to have a large frame for the weight class and is expected to be at least 160 pounds by fight time. It is not so much his size advantage, but the fact that he is natural to the weight coupled with his seemingly impenetrable shell defense that has Clottey confident as ever going into the fight. While Cotto is the first, close to his prime welterweight that Pacquiao has fought, that fight was at a catch weight of 145 pounds. This fight is at the full 147-pound limit and pits Pacquiao against not only a natural welter, but one who looks like he can easily move up another weight class.

“You know, I’m not a flyweight. I am not a bantamweight. I am a welterweight and welterweights only throw punches that connect,” explained Clottey. “I can throw shots which connect and land and cause damage; not throw a lot of punches that he is deflecting and blocking. If you look at the last fight [the Cotto fight], I won the last round. He threw punches and I blocked them and I threw punches and they connected. I will throw punches that cause damage.”

Clottey was born and raised in Accra, Ghana. It was there that he began his journey in boxing; one that has taken him across the world in search of the fulfillment of his dream of becoming a world champion.
“When I was a young boy growing up, I saw the boys in the area and I said I wanted to fight them. I fought one and then I wanted to fight again like a revenge. I beat him and I became a boxer,” explained Clottey. “My life was not easy for me at all. I had to go all over the world to become champion. I came to America after fighting in England where things were very wrong. Then I came here and things were moving along with Top Rank and Bob Arum and I have to give thanks to them.”

Even though Clottey is a solid B-side fighter, being a naturally big welterweight with a tough style and more than a chance to win, this fight is all about Pacquiao. He is the star in the equation and the favored guy to win. But this situation is not unusual for Clottey. He got his first taste of what the shady side of boxing in 1999 against Carlos Baldomir. Clottey, up on all the cards, was inexplicably disqualified for a head butt and suffered his first loss. It is a lesson that has stayed with him and has only been solidified by the close loss to another marquee name in his own stable, Miguel Cotto. Despite that history, Clottey says he is walking into this fight fully confident and not looking to make excuses should he lose fair and square.

“No matter what people are going to talk about [Pacquiao], he is the best now,” said Clottey. “When he beats guys, like in the Cotto fight, he beats guys that don’t have a good defense. I have a defense. I will never say anything bad about the guy because he is the best now. When I walk in the ring with Manny Pacquiao and I lost, I will tell everybody I lost the fight. But I keep telling people I didn’t lose the Cotto fight because I don’t feel that I did. When I walk into the ring, I do what I want to do to win the fight, to do my best. When I walk into the ring, I will know what I need to do to win the fight.”

If there is one major disadvantage in this fight for Clottey, it’s that his longtime trainer, Godwin Nii Dzanie Kotey, is not with him for the biggest fight of his life. Visa problems kept him back in Ghana where Clottey began his training camp. But Clottey’s manager, Vinny Scolpino, claims the last-minute promotion of Clottey’s cutman Lenny DeJesus to lead trainer was a bump in the road they prepared for.

“I think Lenny brings a lot of experience, probably over 40 years and he was with Pacquiao during many of his fights,” said Scolpino. “Lenny has always been more than just a cutman; he also trains a lot of fighters. He brings a wealth of experience; he knows the business. He knows what to do in the ring whether he’s a cutman or whether he’s a trainer. So we are comfortable. Joshua is comfortable with him and we are ready to rumble. We feel comfortable coming out of that ring with a victory with what we are doing.”
While he is comfortable with the change, the loss of his trainer in this most important of fights did not leave him unmoved. Clottey reportedly broke down and cried when he heard the news but rather than let it defeat him before the fight, he has chosen to use it as fuel during it.

“We have been together for a very long time. If he could get his visa, I would fly him here,” said Clottey. “They are not going to give him his visa and I can’t wait for him because I have to get ready to fight and my life is on the line. When I get in the ring, my trainer will give me motivation. I had him in Ghana for weeks and that matters. In other fights, my cutman, Lenny, was pushing me a lot so I thought I would use him as my trainer.”

One interesting aspect of Clottey’s preparation is that he never watches tape of his opponents, instead focusing on getting into top shape and being mentally ready for anything that comes. To hear Clottey tell it, the only way to find out what the other fighter brings is to face him in the ring.

“I have never watched his tapes,” said Clottey. “I never sit down and watch him and I never sit down and talk about him. The only thing I think about is me and what I have to do when I come into the ring. I have been training very hard for myself to get to the ring and do my best. When I get to the ring, the fight will start and that’s what I’ll do.”

Without his trainer and a preconceived notion of what he will be facing, Clottey has prepared as best he can under the circumstances. With all odds seemingly against him, he heads into the unknown looking to be the upset special incarnate and turn the “The Event” into “The Upset.” This is Clottey’s moment and he plans to make the most of it.

“A victory would mean very, very more than a lot to me,” said Clottey. “That’s why I am so happy about this opportunity. And second, if I beat Manny Pacquiao, I am going to be very much happy, because he is the best fighter out there. He is the man now and he’s giving me a chance to fight him and if I beat him, I’m going to be on top of the world. It will be very important to the people in my country and that is very important in life.”

Source: secondsout.com

He Might Be Too Big For Pacquiao: The Case For A Joshua Clottey Win

2010-03-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Frank Lotierzo

Four words.

In the end, what happens in this fight will come down to four words: Is he too big?

Aside from bulk and strength, what does Joshua Clottey have that can beat Manny Pacquiao on March 13th?

In order to make a case for Clottey -- which I’ll now try to do -- you have to make it backwards, thinking in terms of the negative factors that Manny Pacquiao will have to overcome instead of any offensive attributes that Clottey may have.

Here are the givens: Manny Pacquiao is a more gifted fighter than Joshua Clottey. He’s quicker handed, more mobile, more versatile, is a better puncher for their comparative sizes, has more of fighter’s heart, has a history of passing the Big Stage tests that Clottey fails, and, since there’s a ton of money to be made if he wins, has the boxing establishment behind him in the event the fight goes to a decision. Clottey would damn near have to kill Pacquiao to win a decision. And Joshua Clottey, as we’ve repeatedly seen, is no killer in the ring.

But let’s flip the script a little bit. Let’s imagine that we’re training Joshua Clottey (since he may actually need a new trainer if Godwin Kotey can’t be brought into the US by fight time), and we’ve got to devise a strategy for him to win. What’s he got that can be worked with?

Clottey is an enormous welterweight, and a tremendously physically strong one. By the time the two fighters hit the ring, he’s going weigh in the vicinity of 165 pounds, bigger than a middleweight. Pacquiao, regardless of the weight he comes in at, is still a junior welterweight with junior middleweight legs. Size is Clottey’s most obvious advantage.

There’s a point of diminishing returns in how many divisions a fighter can jump before he’s finally reached the place where his punches don’t have a great effect on his opponent. At around this same point, the inverse issue -- what happens when a sturdy little guy is finally hit solidly by a guy who’s too big for him -- tends to assert itself.

Someone playing devil’s advocate could say that Pacquiao certainly had no trouble hurting welterweight Miguel Angel Cotto, and that Cotto -- a better puncher than Clottey -- didn’t seem to bother Manny much on the occasions when he tagged him.

But Clottey takes a much better shot than Cotto. And he sees incoming punches much better. Add to this that his defense is a lot tighter than Cotto’s, and all of it more or less nullifies using Miguel Angel as a gauge for how Clottey’s going to deal with the punches.

And, although he started falling behind very early in the fight, I got the sense that Cotto actually was disturbing Pacquiao with his power. He was definitely moving him back with every shot he landed in the first couple of rounds. And those weren’t Cotto’s biggest shots, they were just his average punches; it was the size of the guy throwing the punches that was pushing Manny across the ring. Make no mistake: Pacquiao will feel the punches from anybody above 147 pounds.

If Clottey is no Thomas Hearns in respect to punching power, he’s not Floyd Mayweather either. I’ve never seen him in a fight where he’s failed to hurt his opponent. What he does at that point is what’s open to criticism. Although I don’t believe a leopard can change his spots, I do think that, given the stakes of this fight, if Clottey discovers that he can hurt Pacquiao, he’s going to become very tough to handle.

This will be more true if he’s not getting hurt by the quick handed shots that Pacquiao is sure to dart in and out to land. You have to factor into this equation Pacquiao’s real appetite for fighting. He is capable of being a smart boxer, but not one who is temperamentally suited to playing things safe. He always wants to test this opponent’s heart. And this time it could come back to bite him.

If Clottey, as a leopard, can’t change his spots, to some degree you can say same about Pacquiao. Imagine Frazier deciding that discretion was the better part of valor and opting to play it safe. He couldn’t do it, and I don’t think Pacquiao can either.

Just to be clear here: Manny Pacquiao is a great, great fighter. If you want to say he’s the best in the world, I won’t debate you. But his last four fights may have made him look better than he really is. I say may have. Three of those four fights meant very little. David Diaz had no business being in the same ring as Pacquiao. And it’s pretty clear that both Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton were no longer professional prizefighters by the time they fought Manny.

But Cotto could have been another story. And Pacquiao looked nothing short of sensational in beating him. But what if Cotto really was used up from the Margarito fight? I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I kept hearing stories from his training camp that Cotto was being roughed up by his sparring partners, and that everything they threw at him landed. What if those stories were true?

And what if Joshua Clottey represents the first truly big, in-his-prime opponent Pacquiao has faced since moving up in weight? Clottey, with his tight defense, tested chin, solid conditioning, and by-the-book punching is the toughest nights work even for big guys.

Pacquiao, in order to penetrate Clottey’s high hands and tight defense, has to shoot his punches a little wider than usual to reach him, has to loop things just a bit. And he has to step inside to deliver those shots. Even though he has the faster hands, he’s still got to take a circuitous route. And Clottey, fast handed himself, throws very straight shots. He also throws an absolutely beautiful short uppercut. It’s not out of the question that he’ll be able to throw one right up the middle when Pacquiao moves into range.

If Joshua Clottey gets hit be Manny Pacquiao’s best punch early and discovers that he can handle it, he will have taken one of Pacquiao’s two best attributes away (speed being the other.) If he then finds that his own punches push Manny back, it will encourage him to be more aggressive.

At this point, he could still be outpointed. But that’s assuming two things: that Pacquiao can get in and out to score with impunity, and that he’d be willing to win the fight by scoring a safety first decision. As stated earlier, that’s just not who Manny Pacquiao is. He’s going to keep looking for a way to kayo Clottey.

The best case scenario for Joshua Clottey would be that, even after Pacquiao finds that his punches don’t have the effect he’d expected and that he’s being bothered more than anticipated by incoming punches, Manny stays committed to the knockout. That kind of mistake could prove to be the thing that causes Pacquiao to be the one who’s knocked out.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Pacquiao – Clottey: Keys to Victory + Predictions

2010-03-11T16:26:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
We are now just a few days away from one of the biggest fights this year and the boxing world is buzzing once again. After a very quiet couple of months with nothing much happening, we find ourselves on the edge of our seats once more eagerly anticipating an all-out war between Pound for Pound king Manny Pacquiao and rough and rugged Ghanaian, Joshua Clottey. Coming into the fight, most observers didn’t give Clottey much of a chance to upstage Pacquiao, even going so far as to dub Clottey the equivalent of a “Miguel Cotto Lite”. And rightfully so in my opinion, Joshua Clottey though easily the largest fighter Pacquiao will have ever fought to date is a perfect opponent to showcase the Filipino’s extremely aggressive style. For those of you that don’t know, Clottey is a safety-first fighter and tends to cover up during attacks. He employs a shell defense that though can be very effective in deflecting shots, is not the ideal way to combat Pacquiao’s ultimate offense. Anyone who knows boxing, knows that the only way to beat Pacquiao is by counter-punching, a department Clottey lacks talent in. The result is lopsided betting odds in favor of the Philippine’s finest.

Manny Pacquiao’s Keys to Victory:

Already expected to win, Pacquiao is the overwhelming favorite. What’s left to discover about him? We all know how explosive he is, how his blinding speed suffocates and hits you from all these unconventional angles. In his last fight with Miguel Cotto we discovered how durable he really is in the Welterweight division. All Pacquiao has to do is be himself, and that is the two-fisted beast that Freddie Roach created. Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza pointed it out that the blueprint to defeating Clottey would be the same as when they fought Cotto, and he was right. Clottey is Miguel Cotto minus the mobility but with better defense. And just like what happened in his last fight, Pacquiao’s offense will throw Clottey off his game and completely frustrate the guy. Pacquiao’s foot speed and volume punching is key here. He will have to dart in and unleash his combinations, then dart back out before the retaliation comes in, just like he has done so brilliantly in the past. He will have to make Clottey work every minute of every round, constantly on the offensive, beating Clottey to the punch. Another tactic that he and Roach had perfected is when he throws a right hook and simultaneously slips a counter-punch by stepping to the side, spinning his opponent and out of harm’s way, a sequence that shows unbelievable coordination. This should be very effective against a plodder like Clottey. Will we see a knockout? That may be difficult but Pacquiao is notorious for trumping the odds and defying the logical. I don’t see Clottey being knocked out cold, but a referee stoppage would not be surprising if he isn’t able to defend well against Pacquiao’s crazy angles.

Joshua Clottey’s Keys to Victory:

Clottey has to use his size advantage. He simply has to. I know Pacquiao’s previous opponents all tried but failed, but for Clottey to have any chance at beating Pacquiao, he will have to be the first to effectively rough Pacquiao up and win the fight on the inside. Clottey needs to use his strong Welterweight jab to keep Manny off balance and rush in quickly to close the gap. Once he is in position he has to score clean shots, preferably to the body in the early going to slow down Pacquiao. Easier said than done as Manny is a quick little guy and is very hard to catch. Most importantly however, Clottey cannot be content with just covering up. He has to counter-punch, which is a tall task, since he is not a counter-puncher by nature. Everytime Pacquiao launches himself forward for an attack, Clottey will have to catch him with his strong jab. He needs to make use of his 3 inch reach advantage to do some damage. If Pacquiao tries his rope-a-dope on Clottey the way he did against Cotto, Clottey will have to take that as a sign from god to move in for the kill. That is a golden opportunity to deal out some real hurt. Make every opportunity count and we could be seeing Pacquiao in a real fight since his battle with Marquez.

Prediction:

I foresee a very exciting match with great back and forth action. Clottey is a tough customer and will not bow down easily. I go for a referee stoppage by the 10th round in favor of Pacquiao. I believe Clottey will be tired from all the defense he’d be playing up until that time and against a guy with boundless energy like Pacquiao, it will be his downfall. He will take too much damage without dishing out his own that the referee will have no choice but to stop the fight. Score another TKO for the Pacman. Pacquiao by TKO 10.

I went around and asked a couple of my boxing friends what their predictions are and here’s what they had to say. Fight fans from all the way over here in the Philippines!

“Of course Manny Pacquiao will win, but I hope Clottey lasts more than 4 rounds. Clottey is a hard and tough fighter, but we are only human, if you get hit multiple times on the chin you’re going down.” –Adz Garcia, Computer Expert/Pro Gamer

“I see Pacquiao winning by ref stoppage in the 9th, if Paquiao catches Clottey clean on the chin, we could see a real knockout but I doubt it. What we’ll be is seeing speed, speed and more speed, bunches of punches against a guy who stops throwing punches after the 6th round. I do think that Clottey’s chance to get Pacquiao is if he hits him hard to the body. I think Clottey is a harder body puncher than Cotto. Pacquiao has to stay off the ropes.” –Hans Visitacion, Call Center Trainer/Athlete/Boxing Enthusiast

“Contrary to popular belief, I think Pacquiao is stronger than Clottey. Speed and more importantly strength will be in favor of Pacquiao. I do think Clottey is a tougher fight than Cotto, but Pacquiao should catch him with something he doesn’t see in and around rounds 10-12. Clottey’s only chance is to land a lucky punch. Pacquiao by stone cold knockout.” –Elijah Ortiz, Tech Support Agent/Pacquiao Fan

“I think either Pacquiao wins by late round stoppage or on points. There is absolutely no chance that Clottey can win on points, his punch output is way too low and he only fights for half a round as opposed to Pacquiao, who fights the full 3 minutes. People, even judges nowadays want to see offense. We are tired of seeing ‘impressive defense’. We have enough of that with Floyd Mayweather. Look for Pacquiao and Clottey to redefine what throwback fighters are all about, expect a war on the most impressive stage of them all, the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, with Pacquiao staking his claim as Boxing’s biggest and brightest star!” –Marco Garcia, Long time boxing fan

Source: officialscorecard.com

Pacquiao- Clottey's Undercard

2010-03-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
Bob Arum is no fool. Arum knows there is exactly one reason people will be buying Satuday night's Pacquiao-Clottey PPV. They want to see if that little magician can perform another incredible trick and make the bigger man disappear. It's all about Pacquiao.

Knowing this, Arum has provided us with yet another underwhelming undercard. Let's take a look at the thin gruel.

John Duddy - Michael Medina: The opener will present two rising middleweights. The key figure here is Duddy, who I like to call the "Irish Chavez Jr." Arum throws Duddy on cards to draw interest among Irish fans in much the same way he uses Julio Caesar Chavez Junior. You might be wondering to yourself why Chavez Jr. isn't filling this spot and the answer is that he was suspended for using drugs in his last fight. It was a horrendous affair on the undercard of Pacquiao-Cotto which even the announcers stopped paying attention to after the first few rounds.

I expect no better this time. Duddy is vaguely more entertaining than Chavez in that he gets hit more often and they set him up with a slightly higher level of mediocrities, but he's nothing to get excited about. I don't know much about Michael Medina. He has an impressive record at 23-1, but no wins over recognizable opposition. I expect Duddy will win, because otherwise they wouldn't have made this fight. Really, that's about all I can say.

Alfonso Gomez - Jose Luis Castillo: Now this is such a strange pairing I can almost get behind it. A few years ago Castillo was one of the finest fighters in the sport and Gomez was a lovable underdog from the television show The Contender. Things fell apart quickly for Castillo after his legendary fights against the late Diego Corrales, and he has looked a shell of himself in recent fights. He now campaigns at welterweight but he has the tragic air of a great fighter just looking for a paycheck.

Gomez is a fraction of the fighter that Castillo used to be, but he should probably be the favorite here. He went through a bit of a "post-Contender" malaise before putting Arturo Gatti's career to an ignominious end. He was on a bit of a streak before running into a brick wall in Miguel Cotto, one of the most one-sided fights I've ever seen. He's had some good results since, including a nice win over Jesus Soto Karass. Part of me thinks that the old warhorse, Castillo, has one last go left in him, but then I recall his dismal defeat to Sebastian Lujan and I just can't see it. I think Castillo will land his share, but I think Gomez will swamp him with activity. Prediction: Gomez UD Castillo.

Humberto Soto - David Diaz: The co-main event, and I use that term very loosely, pits super featherweight title holder Soto against former lightweight champion David Diaz for a vacant lightweight belt. Interestingly, both fighters are coming off a victory over the same opponent, Jesus Chavez. Soto swept every round against Chavez while Diaz scraped out a split decision.

Soto is a good fighter, he kind of reminds me of a smaller Antonio Margarito if you like that sort of thing. He doesn't have much science to his game, and can be outboxed - as he was against Joan Guzman a couple years ago - but if you stand in front of him he will find and outwork you.

David Diaz is best known for taking an awful beating from Manny Pacquiao. That fight had probably the greatest difference in handspeed I've ever seen in a championship level bout. It looked as though Diaz was fighting underwater and he took unbelievable amounts of punishment, lasting longer and taking more than the bigger opponents who would later face Pacquiao. Diaz has struggled with injuries since that defeat.

Fortunately for Diaz, Soto doesn't have close to Pacquioa's handspeed, but I don't know how much that will help him. We know that Diaz can take a shot, and he'll take a ton here. I expect Diaz to be game, but I think Soto is a level above him and will prove that on Saturday. You're not going to be seeing much of the sweet science here, but I have a feeling this could be some exciting, caveman-style action while it lasts.

If Soto defeats Diaz I would love to see him face another fighter from Bob Arum's stable, Edwin Valero. Soto TKO 9 Corner Retirement Diaz.

Source: sportingnews.com

Biggest name in boxing in biggest US stadium

2010-03-11T16:16:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The brand new and extremely modern Dallas Cowboys Stadium easily stands out here in Arlington.

The $1.2 billion-stadium is the home of the popular Dallas football team, but this Saturday (Sunday in Manila), it plays host to the boxing championship fight of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey from Ghana.

The stadium is being transformed for the welterweight showdown. The fighters' names are flashing all over the place.

The center of attraction is the much talked about huge HD screen, the biggest in the world. Measuring 180-feet wide, the screen alone costs $40 million or P1.8 billion.

“We’ll show Manny Pacquiao fighting, he’ll be about be 72-feet tall and 50 feet above the ring,” said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Filipinos thoroughly enjoyed the experience of walking inside the stadium, taking many pictures from different angles.

“I can’t believe I’m here!” said one Pacquiao fan.

“It’s so beautiful,” said another.

Pacquiao-Clottey presser
Pacquiao arrived early at the stadium with wife Jinkee. He hung out in a private suite with his team.

The Filipino champ, who checked out the boxing ring, said he is very excited to fight here.

The popular Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders escorted both Pacquiao and the Clottey to the center stage. Boxing media from all over the world came to hear both fighters.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum introduced the champion and challenger.

The 32-year-old Clottey said he has done all he can to get into tip-top shape to take everything the 7-division world champion will throw at him.

“I never cracked before so I want to test him to see if he can do that but no matter what happens, I will still respect him,” said the Ghanaian.

Pacquiao expressed his appreciation for the respect shown by his opponent.

“I like this match because there was no trash talk from both sides,” he said.

Pacquiao and Clottey were very friendly as they went side by side for pictures.

Experts speak their mind
Most boxing experts believe Pacquiao will win. But at the same time, they said Clottey can put up a fight.

“I think it’s a very interesting fight. I think Manny will win the fight because I think he’s got a lot more speed and a lot more quickness than Joshua does,” said Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports.

“A lot of people who aren’t familiar with Joshua Clottey probably think Manny is gonna dominate the fight and while I think Manny wins the fight, I don’t think he dominates,” he added.

Kieran Mulvaney of Reuters echoed Iole’s observation.

“In the early parts of the fight, it’s gonna take Manny a little while just to figure out because he’s (Clottey) a big strong guy. It could cause him some problems. I think ultimately, what will happen is that Manny’s angles, his speed and his footwork and his combinations will be too much,” he said.

Forty-five thousand fans are expected to fill the stadium to watch the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight bout.

Fans can hardly wait for the very first boxing fight here at the Dallas stadium where the world's biggest name in boxing, Manny Pacquiao, will be fighting inside the biggest stadium in America.

And of course, The Pacman himself is looking for another resounding victory to take home to the Philippines.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao A Good Guy Without a Bad Guy In front of Him

2010-03-11T16:14:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
New England Boxing Examiner | Peter Czymbor

When Filipino Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO's) defends his welterweight title against Ghana's Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 KO's) this Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, he'll be the crowd favorite and the overwhelming reason why most viewers tune into PPV. However, the traditional good guy vs. bad guy theme that has been the focus of most boxing promotions is not part of this one, nor has it been the selling point of any Pacquiao PPV's.

Reports are that Clottey spent time signing countless autographs and getting his picture taken with fans in Texas the past few days. Hardly the villain to the hero Pacquiao.

"We have much respect.", Clottey said Wednesday at the prefight news conference. Neither fighter resorted to any trash talk.

He's an unknown but capable boxer who, despite briefly holding a world title, has never really had much fanfare and is often brought in as a "B" side fighter to the stars he's fought (Antonio Margarito, Diego Corrales, Miguel Cotto).

Playing the role of underdog this weekend, Clottey may have some fans rooting for him simply becuase he's not expected to win and a victory would allow us to see his life and fortunes change before our eyes. There's really not much to dislike about him.

(What are Clottey's chances of winning? http://www.examiner.com/x-34564-New-England-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m1d11-Clotteys-golden-chance-can-he-make-the-most-of-it)

This has been a common theme in Pacquiao fights over the years. Pacquiao has excelled and become a major draw and hero to fight fans despite a true villain opposite of him in the ring.

Cotto was a hardworking and skilled fighter, quiet and reserved, and neither him or Pacquiao resorted to trash talk. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, even lent Cotto a jacket when he was cold at an outdoor prefight news conference months before their bout they liked each other so much.

Ricky Hatton was a likable lad you might find at the bar. Charismatic, but not cocky, "The Hitman" could hardly upset fight fans with any of his antics. The closest thing to it was when his fans booed the American national anthem prior to his fight with Floyd Mayweather. Even then, people chalked that up to his fans being drunk and in a stupor, and held no ill will towards Hatton.

De La Hoya was "The Golden Boy". Even if fans were beginning to tire of the same old smile by the time he and Pacquiao met, De La Hoya was always a gentlemen and gave Pacquiao major props prefight and post defeat.

Some promoters will tell you that a fight needs a good guy vs. bad guy theme to sell. To an extent it works, see pro wrestling, but Pacquiao has never needed that.

(Mayweather's heel characteristics even fire some boxing officials up - http://www.examiner.com/x-34564-New-England-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m1d7-Massachusetts-Boxing-Commissioner-Thinks-Mayweather-is-Ducking-Pacquiao)

Despite not needing it, what will happen when he does has a dance partner willing to play antihero? Enter Floyd Mayweather.

(Floyd doesn't mind playing the villain in the media - http://www.examiner.com/x-34564-New-England-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m3d8-Mayweather-and-The-American--Filipino-Media )

Despite Pacquiao never saying anything bad about Mayweather publicly, Coach Roach has told stories of Pacman claiming he wants to smash Mayweather like no opponent put before him. Surely, Pacquiao's lawsuit against Mayweather for his team making allegations that the fighting Filipino uses steroids can't sit too well with Pacman. There must be some animosity.

(Mayweather's Antics have led to PPv success: http://www.examiner.com/x-34564-New-England-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m3d5-Can-Mosley-vs-Mayweather-Break-the-All-Time-PPV-Record)

However, for now it's amiacable Manny. Smiles when he enters the ring. A smirk after he does something good in the ring. And plans for a postfight concert.

(Pacquiao likes to sing, even "Happy Birthday" - http://www.examiner.com/x-34564-New-England-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m3d2-Roach--Pacquiao-wish-Forbes-Happy-Birthday)

The public will buy Pacquiao, it seems, without needing any personal reason to see him annihilate his opponent.

(Hollywood loves Pacman: http://www.examiner.com/x-34564-New-England-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m3d2-Pacquiao--Pearlman)

Source: Examiner.com

Clottey, trainer find resolve as subs

2010-03-11T16:11:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
Joshua Clottey was in his native Ghana in January not even thinking about boxing when he got the call from manager Vinny Scolpino. The Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. negotiations had imploded, and Pacquiao needed an opponent to face.

Top Rank, which promotes Pacquiao and Clottey, was offering Clottey, a former welterweight titlist, the opportunity to make a seven-figure payday by challenging Pacquiao for his title.

Clottey, admittedly a great admirer of the pound-for-pound king, quickly accepted the chance of a lifetime and will fight Pacquiao on Saturday night (HBO PPV, $49.95) at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

As Clottey and Scolpino went about setting up the training camp, Clottey hoped to reunite with trainer Godwin Kotey, from whom he had split in 2004.

Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs) had parted ways with trainer Kwame Asante last year following his close decision loss to Miguel Cotto in June, and he wanted Kotey to return to his corner.

Kotey agreed, and after a brief media tour to promote the fight, Clottey returned to Ghana to help Kotey secure a visa that would allow him to come to the United States for training camp and the fight. However, Kotey was denied.

When Clottey found out that Kotey would not be able to enter the United States after a clampdown on visas following an attempted airliner bombing on Christmas Day, he wept.

"It is true," Clottey said of his reaction to the news.

Clottey said he couldn't wait for the visa situation to be ironed out "because I have to get ready to fight and my life is on the line."

That left Clottey, the substitute fighter against Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), to find a substitute trainer.

Enter Lenny De Jesus, a 64-year-old New Yorker and locksmith by trade -- but a boxing lifer. De Jesus has been around the game for more than 40 years working on and off as a trainer, but mostly as cutman -- the role he performed in Clottey's corner for his past three bouts.

In February, De Jesus took over Clottey's Fort Lauderdale, Fla., camp as head trainer, and he will also serve as the cutman on Saturday night.

"In other fights, my cutman, Lenny, was pushing me a lot, so I thought I would use him as my trainer," Clottey said. "I have known Lenny, and he is a very good man. He was my cutman with Cotto. So my trainer could not get a visa and I picked [De Jesus] to be my trainer for this fight."

It is just a bonus that De Jesus is quite familiar with Pacquiao. De Jesus served as the fighter's cutman for six fights and believes his knowledge of Pacquiao can help in Clottey's quest for the upset.

"I really don't need to look at video of Manny Pacquiao. I worked enough of his fights and know how he fights," De Jesus said. "Manny will be Manny. You can teach a fighter certain things, and when you get hit and hurt you go back to your style. He has fought many fighters who were on top on the way down. [Clottey] is a strong, lean fighter. I'm going to bring the best out of him."

Of course, Pacquiao's cutman, Miguel Diaz, also has good knowledge of Clottey, having worked in his corner before De Jesus was part of the team.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer and a four-time trainer of the year, said De Jesus' past work with Pacquiao won't make a difference.

"He knows us pretty well, but we have changed a lot since then," Roach said. "He thinks he's going to face the old Manny Pacquiao, but that's not going to be the case. I respect him and he's a good boxing guy. Am I a better trainer? I don't know, but I have the better fighter. We have the perfect game plan, and I don't care who trains Joshua Clottey for this fight; he can't beat us. He is what he is. Let's face it: He fights the same way in every tape I watch. Whether he fights southpaws or right-handers, he is predictable.

"He's good at what he does, but he does the same thing over and over again and he is very predictable. He's going to try to change for this fight, but once he gets in he will revert back to it. We are 100 percent ready for his style. He is resilient. The beginning of the fight is going to be very hard because he is a very good opponent and he likes to fight. We will break him down, and I am confident the fight will not go 12 rounds."

By all accounts, the Clottey-De Jesus pairing has worked well so far, even if using a substitute trainer doesn't seem like the ideal way for Clottey to go into the biggest fight of his life, one in which he is a prohibitive underdog.

"I asked Joshua about that, and he and Lenny are getting along really well," said Top Rank's Bob Arum. "Lenny has taught him a lot of new things. Lenny has been around the sport for a long time. You know how much of boxing is mental. Joshua feels at ease and confident with him. Is Lenny De Jesus going to be mentioned in the same category as Freddie Roach? Of course not, but there are very few trainers who can be."

Scolpino said he is comfortable with De Jesus in the lead role and, more importantly, so is Clottey.

"Lenny is an old-school guy," Scolpino said. "Been around 40-plus years in the business. He's calm, cool and collected and has a lot of knowledge that Joshua has just been absorbing.

"He brings a wealth of experience, he knows the business, he knows what to do in the ring whether he's a cutman or whether he's a trainer. So we are comfortable. Joshua is comfortable with him and we are ready to rumble. Josh was training in Ghana with another trainer [Kotey] and we tried to get that trainer in, but we weren't sitting on the sidelines hoping and praying that that trainer would get in. We had plans. If the trainer joined us from Ghana, we would love it. Right now we are comfortable with what we have, and Josh is a true professional. Josh is so excited to get in that ring with Manny. We are ready to rumble."

De Jesus said Clottey has been a good student and a hard worker.

"Camp was good. We have a good respect between us," De Jesus said. "I don't talk too much. I see little mistakes and let Joshua know. He's been very good in camp. We've done about 90 good rounds [of sparring]. I think I got a chance, like anybody else [would], to win this fight. I know we're 4-to-1 to lose. That's good. It will motivate us some more."

Even if Kotey had made it stateside, Scolpino said De Jesus was going to be part of the camp. Now his role has just expanded.

"Whether Godwin came or not, Lenny was going to be there -- and as a bit more than just a cutman," Scolpino said. "It was always the plan to have Lenny in camp. We didn't sit there and wait to see if Godwin would get the visa. We were always prepared for the worst. We were hoping [Godwin] would be able to come. It is what it is. All I know is that this has been the best training camp I have ever seen, and the kid is in phenomenal shape. He wasn't even in this kind of shape for the Cotto fight."

Scolpino thinks the change of trainer has been refreshing for Clottey.

"I think it's a change of pace," Scolpino said. "I think everything is clicking. I am not just saying it. I have never seen this kid in such good shape. Just fabulous. Him and Lenny just hit it off. It just clicked. It's been a very good training camp."

Scolpino has known De Jesus for years. One of Scolpino's other fighters, former super middleweight titlist Alejandro Berrio, also has him as a trainer.

"He's not the most known guy, but he's trained guys. He's just never had anybody in this kind of spotlight before," Scolpino said.

A Clottey win, of course, would do wonders for De Jesus' reputation and significantly raise his profile. But when asked about that possibility, he downplayed the potential personal rewards.

"To me, it's the whole camp, not just me," De Jesus said. "Scolpino, the chef, the kid with the pads, all of us. It's going to be a good win for all of us. I'm a team player. I know it will put us all in a good position. I think we have a pretty good chance. I'm not overconfident, but I'm very excited. Fighting Manny Pacquiao comes once in a lifetime. You're fighting the pound-for-pound best guy on the planet.

"These guys will get in the ring and fight, and my job is to have a calm, collected corner so Joshua can listen to instructions and then go out there and do it. I will tell my kid if there is an opening and what to do."

From one substitute to another.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Joshua Clottey questions Manny Pacquiao's focus

2010-03-11T16:08:00.000-08:00

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

Manny Pacquiao's Secret Weapon for Joshua Clottey: Abdullai Amidu

2010-03-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
ARLINGTON, Texas -- For Manny Pacquiao, the secret to beating Joshua Clottey is no longer that.

The Filipino superstar's trainer, Freddie Roach, revealed a source of his supreme confidence that has resulted in what what they consider to be a perfect strategy during a press conference at Cowboys' Stadium on Wednesday, where Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) will defend his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title against Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) on Saturday night on HBO pay-per-view.

His name, said Roach, is Abdullai Amidu.

"[Amidu] was our best sparring partner because he fights a lot like his teammate at one time, Joshua Clottey," said Roach. "They know each other very well. And they have the same style."

Like Clottey, Amidu is a native of Accra, Ghana. Amidu has been a childhood friend of Clottey's who has been commissioned by the 31-year-old Pacquiao's camp to emulate the 32-year-old Clottey in sparring.

"I didn't even have to ask Amidu to be like Joshua Clottey, he is like Joshua anyway," said Roach. "He's a very good sparring partner and he was the main sparring partner for the camps."

Pacquiao certainly seemed confident that his efforts with Amidu had paid off.

"Joshua Clottey is a very good defensive fight, but we're going to adjust right away," said Pacquiao. "We studied, like what I said. We a lot of different techniques for this fight. Whatever happens, we're going to adjust right away."

A long, rangy fighter, Amidu is 18-0 record and 17 knockouts competing as a welterweight.

Amidu recently spoke with Elie Seckbach of FanHouse concerning his contributions to the Pacquiao cause.

"It's been very, very good. We could learn a few things from each other. He's [Pacquiao] good, he's fast, and he's always in condition," said Amidu, who also has sparred with wBA junior welterweight (140 pounds) king, Amir Khan, of England.

"Amir Khan is a very good friend of mine. And he's also good. He's also the best," said Amidu. "They're [Pacquiao and Khan] all good. They're both good."

Roach called Amidu Pacquiao's best of six sparring partners in a well-balanced group.

"We had six sparring partners altogether, just in case Joshua tries to switch up on us. So we're ready for boxers, punchers, and we have all of the bases covered," said Roach. "We'll make the adjustments if we have to, but that's what it takes to get ready for a fight at this level."

At this point, Roach knows Pacquiao better than anyone.

Pacquiao is 18-1-2, with 15 knockouts under Roach, a four-time Trainer Of The Year who has guided him to an 11-0 record since his last loss to Erik Morales in March of 2005.

That run includes eight knockouts, with those in his past foru bouts coming over David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto -- the last being in the 12th round in November, dethroning Cotto as WBO king.

Clottey's defense is his forte, holding his fists high up around his ears, as his long, muscular arms extend down to his hips, allowing him to block punches in an amazing way.

"But blocking punches doesn't win fights," said Roach. "And Joshua blocks punches in a method that I feel can broken down. I feel that we can break that defense."

The problem, for Clottey, has been punch output.

And even though Clottey's trainer, Lenny DeJesus, has indicated that Clottey will throw punches more frequently, Roach believes that the speedy Pacquiao can tag Clottey while the challenger is in transition from blocking to punching.

"I think that we can stop him in the late rounds. I didn't say knockout, but I think that we can stop him," said Roach. "The accumulation of punches that he's going to be taking in this fight, he's never seen before. He's never been attacked like he will by a guy like Manny Pacquiao before, and I don't think that he'll be able to handle it."

One concern Roach said that he has against Clottey is the head-butt, something the fighter was disqualified for in a loss to Carlos Baldomir even as he was winning.

"It [head butt] does happen in boxing, expecially when a left-handed fighter fights a right-handed fighter," said Roach, referring to the fact that Pacquiao is a southpaw, and Clottey, a right-handed boxer.

"I'm not saying that he's a dirty fighter, but the thing is, he clashed heads quite a bit with Zab Judah in the same scenario -- with a southpaw and a right-handed fighter," said Roach, referring to a technical decision win for Clottey that earned the IBF crown. "So, the thing is, we're not going to put ourselves in those positions."

One other thing that concerns Roach, just a little bit, is Pacquiao's tendency toward freelancing.

Take, for example, his bout with Cotto.

Roach wanted to avoid being on the ropes at all costs, but Pacquiao, early in the fight, decided to stay on the ropes and test Cotto's best punch -- a digging, hybrid uppercut-left hook.

Pacquiao survived, but Roach could really do without that -- even as he expects that his fighter may be tempted to engage in such behavior, yet again, opposite Clottey.

"That's a part of Manny, and if he sees something in there and wants to test something at times, that's fine. We will take Clottey to the ropes at times, and we're prepared for that and we've worked on that. We've worked on that, and we're prepared for that because Joshua Clottey is a big, strong guy," said Roach.

"If Clottey does choose to come forward, we know that he can come forward, but he doesn't always choose to of course," said Roach. "When Clottey lays on the ropes, he's defensive when he's there. But then, when you finish a combination, he will throw back of course. We know his characteristics very well."

In the end, however, Roach believes that Pacquiao's training, in general, and his workouts with Amidu, in particular, will win the fight.

"I think that Joshua Clottey will bring out the best in Manny. He's a big, strong guy. Does he bring more to the table than Cotto? I don't know. Cotto beat him in a close fight. That's up to you guys to decide after watching his performance," said Roach, speaking of Clottey's disputed, 12-round, split-decision loss to Cotto in June.

"It's hard to compare Manny to other people. You had Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran. You had all kinds of talent. But Manny Pacqauiao is a one-of-a-kind person who can compete in any era," said Roach. "I think the notion that Manny's too small, that's starting to go away. I think after seeing him against a big guy like Joshua, you won't be calling him too small anymore."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Reasons why he was Pound 4 Pound King

2010-03-11T08:37:00.000-08:00

Despite being miles away, Manny Pacquiao’s presence is still felt in Las Vegas

2010-03-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
Las Vegas Boxing Examiner | Chris Robinson

It is the Wednesday before a Manny Pacquiao fight and typically around this point in time the streets of Las Vegas began heating up with a certain kind of buzz in relation to the Filipino icon’s upcoming fight. Having fought eight of his last eleven fights in the Vegas valley, Pacquiao has helped in keeping the city relevant during these hard economic times but this week there is a different kind of feel in the area as Pacquiao is actually over 1200 miles away getting ready to do battle with Joshua Clottey at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

Immediately following Pacquiao’s 12th round stoppage of Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand, the Filipino’s supporters began eyeing a contest with former pound for pound King Floyd Mayweather. The fight appeared to have a real chance of becoming a reality and one man who was desperate to try to land the contest was Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones. Despite losing out to Las Vegas in the potential Pacquiao-Mayweather scuffle, Jones resurfaced to make a huge play for Pacquiao-Clottey and the ending result now finds Pacquiao well away from the bright lights of Sin City.

Despite all of the developments people in Las Vegas are still looking forward to this weekend’s fight with a vested interest. When talking to people in the sport of boxing in particular it is obvious that many people still have their eyes on Manny.

“I’m going to be watching,” Lightweight prospect Rynell Griffin said recently following his training at Richard Steele Boxing Club. “I think Clottey is too defensive for Pacquiao. Pacquiao has that hand speed. He also has the will to win and it’s just his endurance. What I admire about him is his faith in himself. He believes in himself.”

Another man who has grown a tremendous amount of respect for Pacquiao in recent years is the Operations Director for Steele Boxing, Alonzo Jones. Speaking candidly, Jones stopped to gather his thoughts before fully giving Pacquiao his praise.

“He’s an incredible athlete,” Jones states. “He’s just a phenomenon right now. I think anybody in boxing who competes against him is going to have problems.”

While the vibe inside of Steele’s seemed to be that Pacquiao had the contest in the bag, there was a completely different feel inside of Barry's Boxing off of Highland Drive. For trainer Don House, who has guided the likes of Joan Guzman, former champion Jorge Linares, and Zahir Raheem in recent years, this seems to be nearly a pick em’ fight.

“To be honest with you I really think that is a dangerous fight for Pacquiao," House stated. "I wouldn’t overlook Clottey at all. To me I think he is one of the strongest guys that he could have faced. He’s not your typical handpicked guy. Don’t get me wrong I still lean towards Pacquiao because of what he has proven but he has a tough opponent in front of him.”

18-1 Heavyweight Bermane Stiverne seems to share the same sentiments of his trainer. While having obvious respect what Clottey brings into the ring, Stiverne still believes that Pacquiao should find a way to emerge victorious on the 13th.

“I really don’t know," Stiverne admitted. "I don’t think it’s an easy fight for Pacquiao. I believe people are underestimating Clottey. This is boxing you know? All it takes is one shot. Boxing is full of surprises. I think it’s a hard fight but after seeing Pacquiao fight I think that he should find a way to win.”

Aaron Williams, a Cruiserweight with a 19-2 record, seems to be on the fence a bit regarding the fight. Williams is currently helping prepare John Ruiz for his upcoming April 3rd fight with WBA Heavyweight champion David Haye but took some time to give his thoughts.

“In my opinion it’s going to be a great fight,” Williams stated. “I really can’t pick a winner. Clottey can take a puncher and he is durable. He fought Zab, he fought Cotto, and he wants to win. I just can’t decide a winner.”

Despite many feeling that Clottey has a realistic chance of winning, I haven’t come across anybody who can fully commit towards predicting a victory for the Ghanaian fighter. Gym owner Pat Barry seems to have a great rationale when looking at the contest, as he simply sees Pacquiao as having too much momentum on his side going into the fight.

“I think it’s going to be a great fight,” Barry said. “They are both supreme athletes but I can’t see anybody going against Pacquiao at this time. He’s on the top of his game and he’s a workhorse. Seems like he enjoys every minute that he is in the ring. I think Pacquiao will stop him, maybe between the 8th and 10th rounds.”

All around Las Vegas people are definitely still talking about the contest, from tellers at the local Citibank, to partisans at the nearby Los Mochis Mexican restaurant, to even the casual fan on the street. There still is much anticipation towards the contest but for now the real buzz is in the city of Dallas. Perhaps summing it up best is Fight Hype’s Sabrina Montez, who has been covering the sport in the city for the past ten years. Also known as the ‘Verbal Vixen’, Montez points out that the fight involving Pacquiao that everyone wants to see would be down the road a bit.

“It's quite strange to not see Pacquiao in Las Vegas as he has become very successful fighting here,” Montez closes out. “He brings an exciting energy to the city and his absence is surely missed. Pacquiao is one of the best fighters of this era and his previous fights created major buzz on the Vegas strip. Locals will definitely be interested and watch but would much rather see Pacquiao vs. Mayweather. That's the talk of Vegas right now. For now Dallas can eat up the attention, but Vegas will have their shine once again in May when Mayweather and Mosley fight.”

Source: examiner.com

Clottey’s mistakes will cost him dearly – Roach

2010-03-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By NICK GIONGCO

DALLAS, Texas - Freddie Roach said the mistakes Joshua Clottey made against Miguel Cotto would cost the Ghanaian fighter dearly.

“He can’t afford to do that against Manny (Pacquiao this Saturday),” said Roach, referring to a few instances in their June 2009 brawl that saw Clottey allow himself to get pounded on the ropes.

“If he does that, he’ll get knocked out,” said Roach, stressing that not only does Pacquiao hit harder but is much faster than the Puerto Rican, who struggled against Clottey in carving out a 12-round split decision.

Roach once thought that it would likely take all of 12 rounds for Pacquiao to stave off Clottey’s challenge before cutting it down to about nine rounds after weeks of viewing the African on tape.

Then just before Team Pacquiao left Los Angeles, Roach told Filipino scribes that the pound-for-pound king would likely struggle in the first four rounds before taking full control en route to a stoppage in rounds six or seven.

Roach had also noted that Clottey moves in “straight lines” and that would make it easier for Pacquiao to place his punches, blows that he believes has enough power to shatter Clottey’s anvil jaw.

Roach has been in Pacquiao’s corner the last nine years and called the shots in each of his fighter’s previous 17 fights on American soil.

Source: mb.com.ph

Pacquiao-Clottey Fight Prediction

2010-03-11T08:13:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Geoffrey Ciani

Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium, pound for pound King Manny Pacquiao is set to square off against highly regarded welterweight contender Joshua Clottey. This starts a long stretch of good fights already scheduled for the coming months which should represent a very exciting time for boxing fans. With so many good fights on the near horizon, it feels as if 2010 is now finally underway. Here is my take on some of the action we will see unfold in the near future.

Jean Pascal vs. Chad Dawson (for the WBC light heavyweight title)
August 14, 2010
The Bell Centre—Montreal, Canada
Jean Pascal’s title will be on the line in this one and it should be a good one. Pascal is a live underdog especially since he will be fighting on his home turf. He has exhibited tremendous heart and skill in recent bouts and should provide a tough test for Dawson. In fact, aside from Bernard Hopkins and possibly Tavoris Cloud, there is not a fighter south of cruiserweight I would give a better chance at beating Dawson. Unfortunately for Pascal, Dawson really seems to be coming into his own as an elite level fighter.
Prediction: Dawson by unanimous decision

Yuri Foreman vs. Miguel Cotto (for the WBA junior middleweight title)
June 5, 2010
Yankee Stadium—Bronx, New York
This could be a tougher fight for Cotto than most people are expecting. Many observers questioned whether Cotto had ever recovered mentally from the beating he suffered at the hands of Antonio Margarito. Since then he scored a razor-thin victory against Joshua Clottey in a fight that many people (myself included) thought Clottey deserved to win. After that, he suffered an even worse beating at the hands of Manny Pacquiao. Cotto’s father also passed away earlier this year after suffering a heart attack. Will Cotto be mentally strong for this fight? Only time will tell, but it is also important to remember that Cotto will be making his debut appearance in the 154 pound weight class. On paper, Yuri Foreman might seem like safe opponent but given Cotto’s recent circumstances this could be a tough contest. At the end of the day, I think Cotto’s superior skills and home crowd advantage will ultimately see him pull out a close one.
Prediction: Cotto by split decision

Nate Campbell vs. Victor Ortiz
May 15, 2010
Madison Square Garden—New York, New York
Victor Ortiz has not been the same fighter since losing to Marcos Maidana. Yes, he has won two fights since then, both inside the distance, but he no longer resembles the relentless fighter we previously saw working his way up through the rankings. He has become more reluctant to engage and it appears as if his confidence level is way down. This is bad news against a skilled veteran like Nate Campbell.
Prediction Campbell via 6th round TKO

Amir Khan vs. Paulie Malignaggi (for the WBA junior welterweight title)
May 15, 2010
Madison Square Garden—New York, New York
This will be Amir Khan’s first fight in America and it will take place in Malignaggi’s own back yard. This is a very intriguing match-up that should tell us a lot about where both fighters stand in the talented-rich 140 pound weight class. On one hand, Khan is a bit of an unknown mystery, and on the other, Malignaggi is very inconsistent in his performance. Khan was once stopped in a single round by Breidis Prescott, but he seems to have improved since pairing up with trainer Freddie Roach and Malignaggi is not known as a big puncher. That makes this seem like a relatively safe match-up for Khan. Malignaggi, however, is a very good boxer when he stays focused. He is the naturally bigger guy, he has more experience in the division, and he has made noticeable improvement himself since pairing up with his new trainer, Sharif Younan. If Malignaggi can remain focused for a full twelve rounds without resorting to any clowning tactics, he can (and should) win. Unfortunately for Malignaggi, I don’t think he can help himself—he loves clowning around inside the ring too much and this time, I think it will cost him.
Prediction Khan via controversial split decision

Sugar Shane Mosley vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (for the WBA welterweight title)
May 1, 2010
The MGM Grand—Las Vegas, Nevada
I am in the minority on this one—I believe Mosley will beat Mayweather. Not only do I believe Mosley will be victorious, but I also believe he will win in dominant fashion. Many of you reading this will be surprised by Mosley’s performance come fight night, but not me. I will get into all of this in greater detail in a future article. For now, I will simply state that Nazim Richardson is the x-factor. Not only is he a world class trainer who will undoubtedly derive a quality fight plan but he has also helped rejuvenate Shane’s career.
Prediction Mosley by sixth round stoppage

Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler (for the WBC super middleweight title)
April 24, 2010
MCH Messecenter Center—Herning, Denmark
This is probably the most interesting match-up in round two of the Super Six Tournament. Kessler is coming off of a humbling loss at the hands of Andre Ward and Froch is coming off of a close, somewhat controversial victory against Andre Dirrell. Kessler’s confidence has to be way down after that fight. Many perceived him as the best super middleweight in the world before he was thoroughly outclassed by Andre Ward in every facet of the game. Froch is one of the most confident fighters out there and this in itself could cause Kessler some problems. Froch, however, is not as slick as Ward and not as good as Calzaghe. Once Kessler settles in and finds his groove, he will soon realize this is a very favorable clash of styles—so long as the Ward loss did not leave him doubting his abilities.
Prediction Mikkel Kessler by unanimous decision

Andre Ward vs. Allan Green (for the WBA super middleweight title)
April 24, 2010
Oakland, California
Allan Green enters this tournament as the replacement for Jermain Taylor. This means he is coming in with a nothing-to-lose attitude and this could make him a dangerous opponent for Ward. Green felt disrespected that he was not included as part of this tournament from the onset and will most likely enter this contest with a strong desire to prove his worth. Unfortunately for Green, he is going up against the best super middleweight in the world and no amount of determination will overcome that.
Prediction Ward by unanimous decision

Tomasz Adamek vs. Chris Arreola
April 24, 2010
Citizens Business Bank Arena—Ontario, California
This is another interesting match-up. Adamek is a fighter whose heart cannot be questioned. He is determined, focused, and always gives his best. Arreola, on the other hand, rarely gives it his best—as evidenced by his poor conditioning practices which are on full display whenever he enters the ring. Adamek is a former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion. In his last fight, he beat Jason Estrada but it never looked easy. Estrada was competitive and even appeared to hurt Adamek once late in the fight. Adamek has also since parted ways with his trainer Andrew Gmitruk due to health issues. Adamek is now being trained by Ronnie Shields. Although Adamek is the much more talented fighter—the bottom line is he is not quite big enough to compete against the top dogs at heavyweight—especially without Gmitruk in his corner. Then again, if anyone has the heart to overcome these physical disadvantages—it’s Adamek.
Prediction Arreola by 10th round TKO

Kelly Pavlik vs. Sergio Martinez (for the WBC & WBO middleweight titles)
April 17, 2010
Boardwalk Hall—Atlantic City, New Jersey
Sergio Martinez has had a couple of tough outcomes in recent bouts. For starters, his fight with Kermit Cintron was inexplicably ruled a draw. This was a fight Sergio deserved to win three different times during the course of the same fight. After that, he lost a very close decision against Paul Williams in a bout where viewers seemed evenly split. When I first heard about this fight being made, I was leaning towards Pavlik—but after giving it more thought, I now believe Martinez will pull it off. Pavlik has not seemed like the same fighter since suffering a one-sided loss at the hands of Bernard Hopkins. Martinez is not on the same level as Hopkins, but he is a slick fighter with good movement who can counter-punch. I believe he can emulate the Hopkins blue print and execute just well enough to squeak by with a narrow victory.
Prediction Martinez by close decision, possibly split

Bernard Hopkins vs. Roy Jones Jr. Rematch
April 3, 2010
The Mandalay Bay Casino—Las Vegas, Nevada
When Jones and Hopkins first fought back in 1993 who would have thought they would be having a rematch seventeen years later? That this fight is even happening is a bit baffling considering Jones was stopped in a single round last time out by the unheralded Danny Green. Even forgetting the Green fight, this match-up still seems peculiar. Hopkins has continued fighting at an elite level whereas Jones has been fading and feeding on hand-picked opponents. Every time Jones has stepped up in class over the past six years, he has lost—and he is going to lose to Hopkins. Although this fight has some significance in terms of legacy, it means little in terms of the current boxing landscape. Hopkins is still a major player, Jones isn’t—it’s that simple.
Prediction Hopkins by tenth round stoppage

David Haye vs. John Ruiz (for the WBA heavyweight title)
April 3, 2010
The M.E.N. Arena—Manchester, England
It is kind of amazing that John Ruiz is once again the WBA #1 mandatory. It almost seems as if he is a permanent fixture when it comes to having that distinction. This will be Haye’s first title defense since winning the crown from Nicolay Valuev in a fight that was very close and could have gone either way. Ruiz is probably a bit better than Valuev who has aged very poorly in recent years. This is a fight that Ruiz could win and it might even wind up being a fight that he should win, but he will not win. Expect Ruiz to keep this one both ugly and competitive.
Prediction Haye by a controversial unanimous decision

Arthur Abraham vs. Andre Dirrell
March 27, 2010
The Joe Louis Arena—Detroit, Michigan
A lot of people (myself included) feel that Dirrell deserved the decision against Carl Froch. However, Dirrell did not help his own cause too much by throwing too few punches. Now Dirrell is facing off against one of the Super Six favorites, Arthur Abraham, who is coming off an impressive stoppage victory over Jermain Taylor. Abraham is the safe pick here. It is reasonable to assume that he will land a big shot somewhere along the line and that will be all she wrote. Dirrell, however, has the style to out box Abraham. He is slick, quick, and knows how to use the ring to his advantage. I do not expect him to make the same types of mistakes he made with Froch. If he can remain focused for twelve full rounds and neutralize the explosive power of Abraham, he should win this. It is also worth noting that this will be the first time Abraham has faced a true super middle.
Prediction Dirrell by unanimous decision

Wladimir Klitschko vs. Eddie Chambers (for the IBF & WBO heavyweight titles)
March 20, 2010
The Espirit Arena—Dusseldorf, Germany
If anyone has earned a title shot against Klitschko, surely it is Eddie Chambers. He worked his way into title contention by taking out a pair of top ten contenders in Sam Peter and Alexander Dimitrenko. Chambers is slick. He has speed, good counter-punching technique, and he possesses more heart than any of Klitschko’s recent opponents. Regardless, he is going to be thoroughly outclassed by a superior fighter. Chambers may cause Wladimir some confusion in the early going but once Wladimir establishes his rhythm it will only be a matter of time. Expect this one to look similar to Klitschko’s victory against Calvin Brock.
Prediction Klitschko by seventh round stoppage

David Diaz vs. Humberto Soto (for the WBC lightweight title)
March 13, 2010
Cowboys Stadium—Dallas, Texas
This is a solid match-up on the under card of Pacquiao-Clottey. Diaz and Soto are both skilled fighters who have a lot of heart. This fight should be a very competitive. Diaz is the naturally bigger fighter with more experience at the weight class, but going on 34 years old, he is also the older fighter. This one is going to probably come down to who wants it more and at the end of the day, I think Diaz will regain the title he once lost to Pacquiao.
Prediction Diaz by close unanimous decision

Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey (for the WBO welterweight title)
March 13, 2010
Cowboys Stadium—Dallas, Texas
Not many people are giving Clottey a fair shake in this one, and not without good reason. After all, Pacquiao has been on one of the most amazing runs in boxing history. As such, it is no surprise that everyone is writing Clottey off. The irony in all of this is that Clottey may well be the best fighter Pacquiao has ever faced. At the very least he is certainly Pacquiao’s biggest foe and this could play a factor in the fight. Clottey has a good chin and an outstanding turtle shell defense. This will be difficult for Pacquiao to penetrate. Ultimately, however, I believe Pacquiao will begin finding the mark with more and more frequency as the fight progresses. Clottey is not an especially active puncher which will provide Pacquiao with ample opportunity to test him for weaknesses—and I believe Manny will find some.. Clottey is a strong guy who will definitely be a test, however. He may even manage to hurt Pacquiao at some point during the fight, but when the championship rounds come along—this is when Pacquiao will shine his brightest. Clottey has a bad habit of slowing down a great deal during the championship rounds and if he stays true to character against Pacquiao, it will be his undoing.

Source: eatthemushroom.com

Promoter Bob Arum gets in his shots ahead of Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight

2010-03-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Bill Dwyre

Reporting from Arlington, Texas

The gloves are off, and this isn't even hockey.

Manny Pacquiao will fight Joshua Clottey on Saturday night in an airplane construction hangar known as Cowboys Stadium. Think of two Staples Centers, placed side by side, with a retractable roof, and you've got it. The people at Boeing are green with envy.

If Texas truly wants us to believe everything is bigger here, then with this, it wins.

Such is the backdrop for the match.

But this is boxing, and a bigger fight is going on outside the ring. Bob Arum, president of Top Rank, called Saturday night's fight a "huge moment" for his sport, and he was referring to much more than punches in the ring.

Arum used the platform here to torch his largest competitor and, until recently, his business partners, Richard Schaefer and Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions. Arum also directed cracks at the Las Vegas casinos, with whom he has been doing business for years, and at the Floyd Mayweather Jr. camp, which was represented in the failed Pacquiao-Mayweather negotiations by Schaefer and Golden Boy.

It was a wide-ranging smackdown, clearly an aftershock of the Pacquiao-Mayweather controversy. Even for the ever-controversial and outspoken Arum, it was surprising in its depth of bitterness. Hollywood might want to grab this one for a reality series: Arum, a 78-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer, versus Schaefer, a 49-year-old former Swiss banker.

As recently as the December 2008 Pacquiao-De La Hoya fight, which made both sides filthy rich, the relationship was sugar and spice and everything nice. No more. The Vegas future book is expected to open soon with Arum a 2-1 favorite.

In an impromptu gathering here Wednesday, before the start of a news conference for the fight, Arum said the future of boxing was in big fights in big stadiums, such as Saturday night's. He mentioned Yankee Stadium, where he will promote a fight in June, and the Meadowlands in New Jersey as his prototypes, as well as more in Dallas.

"If boxing is to be big league — and it's not now — we have to put on these kinds of big events around the world," he said. "We can't be big league by putting on the same old casino fights.

"I look at these Vegas fights and I look ringside and all I see is people from Hong Kong. Nothing but guys from China. You aren't going to grow boxing's brand like that. The casinos don't give a damn about anything other than their customers, and it becomes a circus act."

He implied that he was pretty much out of business with the MGM Grand, where he has held the bulk of his big fights in recent years, because "Golden Boy is in bed with MGM."

Asked if he worried about upsetting Schaefer and Golden Boy with his comments, Arum, surrounded by about 10 writers, said, "…Golden Boy." Fill in your own profanity.

Schaefer, reached by telephone in Los Angeles, took the high road.

"It sounds like Bob is declaring war," Schaefer said. "I am sorry he feels like that. I respect him and Top Rank, and I won't get involved in this back-and-forth."

Arum, of course, is sly like a fox. He knows there are more ways of calling attention to a boxing match than praising the competitors at a news conference. He also knows that his line of pro-big-stadium, anti-casino talk will help endear him to new investors in the sport, such as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, the man who built this most recent Texas treasure.

Most men Arum's age stop looking forward. At 78, he still has visions of grandeur. He talks about having fights in Jones' stadium that would headline Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who can't fight a lick but can sell tickets. He talks about getting a license in Texas for the suspended and disgraced Antonio Margarito, knowing that there might be enough Mexican support nearby to be worthy of a Cowboys Stadium match.

He is at his best as an attack dog. He heard of an incident last week in which TV reporter Chino Trinidad of GMA News in the Philippines was denied access to Mayweather at a Mayweather-Shane Mosley news media gathering in Los Angeles to promote their May 1 Las Vegas fight. Trinidad said he was told he would not get an interview — when all other members of the media could and did — because Mayweather wouldn't talk to Filipino reporters.

"That's racist," Arum said. "If anybody on my staff denied a reporter like that, they'd be gone."

It is also possible that Arum was merely setting the table for the next round of talks, post Pacquiao-Clottey and Mayweather-Mosley fights, for the boxing granddaddy of them all: Pacquiao-Mayweather.

Schaefer and Mayweather have said they won't fight at Cowboys Stadium. Negotiations to that end failed before. Perhaps if Arum makes them mad enough, they'll stop talking about steroids and the glory of Vegas fights and take on Pacquiao here just to make Arum shut up. Arum could act shocked and giggle all the way to the bank.

It is boxing. There is always a method to all the madness. And it is never dull.

Source: latimes.com

TOO BAD THE FIGHT IS NOT TODAY

2010-03-11T08:07:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 11 Mar 2010

“Fighter of the Decade” and pound-for-pound superstar Manny Pacquiao is so eager to get on with his WBC title defense against former champion Joshua Clottey at the fabulous Dallas Cowboys $1.2 billion state-of-the-art stadium that adviser Michael Koncz says “too bad the fight is not today.”

Pacquiao and some 40,000 fight fans who are expected to kick-start Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ stadium into the mainstream of big-time boxing and what Top Rank promoter Bob Arum believes will become the “Mecca of boxing in this century will have to wait until Sunday, Manila Time, to get “The Event” underway.

Koncz who appeared to feel a little more relaxed after attending to the needs of Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee and the room assignments of an entourage of some 160 people who were ferried aboard a specially chartered “Air Pacquiao” jet from Los Angeles to Dallas told us that “everything is going fabulous. Manny had a media workout where there was an overwhelming turnout and the final press conference was great.”

He said Pacquiao “is in fine shape and Freddie (Roach) had to pull him back in training but he went jogging and is looking really good.” Koncz said Pacquiao is “enjoying himself in Texas and the people are very hospitable.

However, Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach has shown a little concern over whether Clottey, the big, strong challenger from Ghana will be as hospitable in the ring as he is friendly and respectful outside.

Although he is confident they have studied Clottey and know how to capitalize on his flaws Roach is concerned about the Ghana fighter’s penchant to use his head when he fights on the inside.

Roach noted that “sometimes he (Clottey) uses his head and if you fall into the pocket with him, his best punch is an uppercut and his second best punch is a head-butt.”

To Roach there’s an obvious answer.”We are going to fight him at a distance and not stand in front of him” he says, pointing out that “if you stand in front of him you’re an idiot. We are not going to do that. He’s not going to be able to find us.”

Conditioning guru Alex Ariza said earlier that Pacquiao’s bothersome left leg had healed completely and there was no cause for concern which means that the Pacquiao will use his incredible speed, quick in and out and lateral movements to the full and pepper Clottey with punches from all angles.

However, Clottey’s trainer Lenny De Jesus isn’t fazed by Pacquiao’s stature, Roach’s name and even the thousands who have shown their support and admiration for Pacquiao as he himself told us recently he would have loved to be working with Pacquiao. Their relationship ended after the first Erik Morales fight when Shelly Finkel took over as manager and after de Jesus worked six fights in Pacquiao’s corner

He said that while Pacquiao is a much more refined and cautious fighter that he was in the past he expects Clottey to put pressure on him, unsettle the Filipino and push him backward because that will make Pacquiao “go back to his old style where if he gets hurt or gets hit hard” he will come back swinging recklessly. De Jesus believes the key to beating Pacquiao is to put a lot of pressure on him and throw punches” pointing out that Clottey is tough and can take a good shot and defends well.

De Jesus pointed out that this fight is not one of those catch-weight fights like Manny had against Miguel Cotto or even De La Hoya who came down in weight to fight Pacquiao and Clottey himself pointed out at the final pre-fight press conference that he is “really a true welterweight. Big for that matter. He's a smaller guy and can throw a lot of punches. I connect punches. 'll make sure that if I throw a few, it's going to connect, and I'm going cause damage. I believe in that”

Clottey added "If he's going to throw a thousand punches, then I'll block a thousand punches. And that will get him thinking. I'm not going to back up. And the fear and the pressure will make him think more. I'm not going to go backward. I'm going to stay in there. Wherever he goes, I'll cut off the ring. I'll make him fight. I want him to fight for the first time."

Team Pacquiao is confident that no matter what Clottey does, including the use of roughhousing tactics, Manny will be equal to the task. The word is that Pacquiao himself has told close associates that he plans to go after Clottey from the opening bell and hopes to take him within the first few rounds if he gets the chance although Roach has predicted a knockout within rounds seven to nine.

The Pacquiao-Clottey fight card will be carried on a “live” basis on a number of pay-per-view outlets and on television by Solar Sports including the “Mecca of Philippine sports and entertainment – the Araneta Coliseum where huge, four-sided screens provide the ambiance of almost being at ringside in Dallas.

The fights will also be carried in all Robinson, SM and Rockwell Cinemas and numerous other venues, restaurants, bars and clubs around the country. Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim will also provide “live” telecasts in venues in each of the congressional districts in Manila, free to the public.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

A first look at Cowboys Stadium, which is a really impressive fight club

2010-03-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By John Katsilometes · March 10, 2010 · 10:02 PM

What type of praise would be appropriate for Cowboys Stadium? You enter this gleaming, domed enormity after having been exposed to such unrelenting hype you almost want to hate it just to be different. Or, if you will, “dif’rnt.”

But Cowboys Stadium is as staggeringly impressive as advertised, even as it advertises itself with an LED screen that is as big as, well, Boulder City. This stadium is so brilliantly over-the-top, with its mirrored exterior, let-the-sunshine-in retractable roof and 110,000-seat capacity, that if CityCenter were to incorporate a sports venue, Cowboys Stadium would be that place.

At a cost of $1.2 billion, it would just about put the cost of CityCenter to an even $10 billion. So when Jerry Jones asks, “What do you think of the place?” complaining that the rest rooms are a little difficult to locate seems pointless.

“Amazing,” is all you can say, shaking your head. “Love the screen.”

Like a Manny Pacquiao right jab, the stadium’s signature effect nearly knocks you off your spindles as you enter. The famous high-def video board spans to each 20-yard line of a football field, when a football field is actually unrolled along the floor of the big beast. But today, staging crews on the ground and operating very tall cranes cranked away on the metal skeleton that would be the ring and seating for Saturday night’s Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey WBO world welterweight title bout.

These guys pack a punch, but they are not big, and never seemed more diminutive as they were as they were engulfed by the splendor of the stadium they will half-fill on Saturday.

“I want to thank Jerry Jones for bringing this fight to this stadium,” Pacquiao said in his brief comments from the glass podium. “Without Jerry Jones, there would be no fight here. It wouldn’t happen.”

Top Rank chief Bob Arum made note of a pair of startling names on the guest list for Saturday’s fight card: UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta and the organization’s president, Dana White. As Arum said, the two are encouraging UFC fans to buy into the fight’s pay-per-view package, an impressive diplomatic move considering Arum once compared UFC fights to gay erotica (as a means of criticism, not praise, mind you). “We want to thank Dana and Lorenzo for crossing sports to help promote this fight,” Arum said, as Jones, the guy who helped make that unlikely visit happen, nodded from the dais.

For sure, Jones is entering the fight game – and in the process competing with Las Vegas for some of boxing's premier events – with all the delicacy of a Walt Garrison off-tackle blast. His approach is simple: build a the largest domed facility in the world, throw a saddlebag full of cash across the table and say, “Do we have us a deal, or not?”

Jones is nothing if not eager to fill seats and finance this billion-dollar bowl o’ fun, which was financed largely through credit.

“We want all events here, any events that will fill seats,” he said after the news conference. “The Dallas Cowboys only play a set amount of games, but boxing you can do many, many times, and I’m interested in putting as many fights as possible in here. How many? I can’t yet say. But we are interested.”

Ever a showman who often seems to have learned the art of promotion from the knee of P.T. Barnum, Jones secured a flag team and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders today to usher the fighters into the stadium. For a press conference.

Of Jones, Arum has said it’s a good thing the Cowboys owner wasn’t around a generation ago when Arum and Don King were kings of dueling empires in the fight game. Jones might have taken the whole sport for himself.

Luckily for Arum, the Jerry Jones of today is all too happy to share the wealth.

Source: lasvegassun.com

No trash talk needed with 'nice' guys Pacquiao, Clottey

2010-03-11T08:04:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By TOBIAS XAVIER LOPEZ

tlopez@star-telegram.com

ARLINGTON -- There were no YouTube moments Wednesday.

Neither Manny Pacquiao nor Joshua Clottey needed to be bleeped for broadcast.

No punches were thrown and no one in the entourage needed to be restrained.

This is the nature of the two fighters who will meet Saturday for Pacquiao's WBO world welterweight (147-pound) title at Cowboys Stadium.

The final news conference took place in Arlington without some of the silly displays of testosterone rage or smack talk that commonly blemish boxing news conferences.

"I like that there is no trash talking," Pacquiao said. "This is a good example to those who idolize us and want to get into boxing. You can be a great fighter and still be a nice person."

Throughout the week Clottey has remained a calm, unassuming challenger.

He's spoken repeatedly about the respect he has for Pacquiao and the opportunity.

"The boxer I like most, I respect the most, is him," Clottey said. "He respects people."

Clottey said he didn't care for the trash talk of Zab Judah prior to their August 2008 IBF welterweight title bout. Clottey defeated Judah with a technical decision in the 10th round for Clottey's lone world title.

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum has endured all sorts of pre-fight hype and theatrics.

"Some people say trash talking makes a fight," Arum said. "I say it kills the sport."

Pacquiao good for HBO

HBO's Mark Taffet said the cable network has produced 106 pay-per-view events, but never one in a stadium.

Taffet said Pacquiao brings home the financial bacon with nearly $290 million in pay-per-view money so far.

Pacquiao's past three fights have averaged 1 million buys, which at $49.95 means roughly $150 million total.

Arum and the UFC?

Promoter Bob Arum thanked UFC president Dana White for throwing his support behind the fight. Arum said White will be in attendance for Saturday's fight.

"I am of a generation where mixed martial arts is strange to me. I don't particularly care for it, but that's personal taste," Arum said. "I know that they've done a wonderful job promoting it and they're nice people. I think it's good that we're going to help each other."

Clottey at weight

The official weigh-ins, which are open to the public, will be 5 p.m. Friday at the East Plaza in Cowboys Stadium. However, Clottey's manager, Vinny Scolpino, said Clottey is already at the 147-pound limit and won't have to drop weight.

Ticket talk

Online ticket marketplace StubHub.com has seen the lowest average prices for the Pacquiao-Clottey fight of any championship bout due to the 45,000-seat capacity at Cowboys Stadium.

Tickets have sold as low as $33, with the top transaction so far at $2,730 for a center ringside seat. On average tickets are trading at $137 with about 1,000 remaining.

In comparison, the 2007 Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Oscar de la Hoya fight in Las Vegas averaged $1,892. It ranks as StubHub's highest grossing fight. However, Saturday's fight already ranks second in terms of gross.

Source: star-telegram.com