Ariza says Clottey goes down in 8

PACQUIAO, CLOTTEY FINAL PRESSER

Pacquiao vs Clottey
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 11 Mar 2010

3/10/10, Arlington,Texas -- Surrounded by the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, seven-time world champion and "Fighter of the Decade" Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao (L) and challenger Joshua Clottey(R) pose during the final press conference Wednesday 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: PhilBoxing.com

Joshua Clottey ready to follow hometown heroes when he fights Manny Pacquiao

Pacquiao vs Clottey
Bukom, in Jamestown, on the outskirts of the country's capital Accra, is an area known to all Ghanaians. It is a slum, and yet the small number of criss-crossed dusty streets in the port town have spawned a succession of world-class fighters over several decades.

Clottey follows in the tradition of the great Azumah Nelson, arguably the best boxer to come from Africa, who defeated Wilfredo Gómez in the Eighties and held the World Boxing Council title at feather and super-featherweight, and Ike Quartey, the welterweight from the mid-Nineties, who fought, and lost, to Oscar de la Hoya.

They all hail from those tough streets. The people of this tiny shanty are renowned as warriors throughout Ghana.

Clottey remembers when, as a youngster, he was beaten up in a street fight by the local bully. Until then, football had been his game, his precious football boots lovingly polished.

He had dreamt of playing professionally, even for his beloved Manchester United, with his heroes, among them Ryan Giggs and Eric Cantona.

Why Manchester United? "Why? Because they were the team who were always winning, and sport is about winning," he says.

Clottey, cool, calm, calculated and softly spoken, admits the street fight was the moment his life changed. He started training, strengthening his arms by weight training with bags of bricks and rocks and running twice a day.

But he also started going to one of the renowned Jamestown gyms. And then he went back and got his revenge.

"I beat him and I became a boxer. It was a simple as that, and from that, here I am today, at the point where I am facing the No 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world."

There are those who believe Manny Pacquiao's relentless attacks will prove too much for Clottey when the two powerful welterweights collide in front of the newly built $1.2 billion (£800 million) Dallas Cowboys Stadium on Saturday night, in front of a capacity crowd of 50,000, but Clottey shakes a finger slowly.

"He is showing you that he cannot be discouraged," one of his entourage said.

Clottey and his brother, Emmanuel, set out to make their fortunes in boxing in Europe just over a decade ago. They alighted at the Lennox Lewis Centre, in Hackney, where promoter Frank Maloney housed fighters from Africa and Eastern Europe, a spartan environment where fighters ran in the morning, slept in miniature dormitories, showered and sparred, repeating the process daily.

Clottey, now 33, made New York his base after that, and has a nine-year-old daughter in Ghana, whom he cites as his "inspiration". He has clawed his way through the welterweight division, having lost only twice to world champions Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto, and the second of those was close.

Clottey has never been stopped nor been knocked out. He has a reputation for being a dirty fighter, probably because he has a very hard head and has led with it at times. But if the battler from Bukom has his way, the form book will be overturned on Saturday night.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Pacquiao's Final Fight?

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By GORDON MARINO

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

After Manny Pacquiao's dramatic stoppage of Miguel Cotto in November 2009, the scribes of the sweet science proclaimed that boxing had peeled itself off the canvas. Once again, there was a boxer who, like Mike Tyson and Oscar De La Hoya, could command the interest of the general sports fan.

Soon after the Filipino sensation's victory over Mr. Cotto, the public was clamoring to see Mr. Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) and the undefeated, recently unretired Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 knockouts) battle for the unofficial title of best pound-for-pound pugilist on the planet. But boxing has a knack of clobbering itself on the chin.

A couple of months ago, Messrs. Mayweather and Pacquiao were poised to ink contracts when Mr. Mayweather insisted on Olympic-style drug testing. Mr. Pacquiao took umbrage and sued Mr. Mayweather and his promoters for defamation of character. When attempts at mediation failed, the two welterweight giants stomped away from what could have been the biggest payday in boxing history.

Still, Mr. Pacquiao, who has garnered titles in a record seven different weight divisions, was intent on fighting in March, as he is set to begin campaigning for Congress in the Philippines in April. Instead of facing Mr. Mayweather, Mr. Pacquiao will be tapping gloves with Joshua Clottey (35-3, 21 knockouts), the No. 1 welterweight contender from Ghana. The fight, which has already sold more than 38,000 tickets, will take place on Saturday at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Mr. Clottey, who now in lives in New York, began boxing on the streets at age 6 in his hometown of Accra, Ghana. He made it to the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games in 1994 and turned professional in 1995. A broad-shouldered man with an endearing smile and laid-back body language, Mr. Clottey is a rugged and highly competent combatant who has the respect of his peers and the boxing press. But the 32-year-old former world champion has yet to win a mega pay-per-view fight. He came close in June 2009, losing a split decision to Mr. Cotto. Many observers believed that Mr. Clottey should have had his hand raised after that bloody 12-round contest, but virtually everyone agreed that he would have won the fight had he brawled with less caution.

After a brisk workout at his Florida gym, the soft-spoken Mr. Clottey gushed: "This fight is a dream come true, I can hardly believe it. I'm so excited. Right now, Manny is the best of the best. He is the man. I know that I can beat him, but I have to fight the whole time. I have to keep busy. But unlike some of the other guys that he has fought, I will not underestimate his power. One punch from him can take you out. So I also have to stay calm and think in there as well as fight." While reasonable enough, that note of caution would land like a punch on elements of Mr. Clottey's boxing braintrust.

In this pivotal contest, Mr. Clottey will be without his trainer, Godwin Dzanie Kotey, who could not get a visa to come to the U.S. Mr. Clottey's veteran cutman, Lenny De Jesus, will work the corner instead and told me: "You have to take risks in there to be a great champion, and that is what Joshua has to learn to do in this fight. I used to work with Manny, and he is not afraid of losing."

While the elite of the elite in boxing have very special powers of concentration and reservoirs of motivation, Mr. Clottey, for all his virtues, has yet to show that he can hit the internal switch, turn his tempo up a notch, and take over a close fight.

Mr. Clottey is quick, coordinated, strong and gritty. While not an overpowering puncher, his blows are fast, direct and flinty. He boasts a solid straight right, which he likes to chase with a left hook to the body. The combination of right uppercut and left hook is also essential to his slugging syntax. Watching Mr. Clottey work out, one gets the impression that his camp believes their man needs to make the Pac Man pay for his hyperaggressive tendencies with hooks to the body.

Freddie Roach, Mr. Pacquiao's famous trainer, assessed his antagonist: "Clottey is a big welterweight [5 feet 8 inches, compared with 5 feet 6½ inches for Mr. Pacquiao]. He is a great fighter. He has good skills. He has some power. He can take a punch. But I have watched a lot of films of him and he is not versatile. He does not move his head. He is easy to hit." For weeks now, Mr. Roach has been saying that "Manny will be the first one to knock Joshua out."

For his part, Mr. Pacquiao says: "The victory is always the most important thing to me. If I get a knockout, it's a bonus. But a knockout has never been a goal for me for any fight." But then he adds, "Freddie has his own opinion on the outcome of the fight with Clottey, and I will try not to disappoint him."

The diminutive dynamo with the impish smile unleashes hellfire in the ring. He seems to delight in the utter destruction of the opponent whom he will hug and praise after the fight.

Mr. Pacquiao, recently voted the Fighter of the Decade by the Boxing Writers Association of America, is still improving. In boxing, he who is not busy learning will soon be busy losing. When I asked Mr. Pacquiao what lessons he was working on for this fight, his maestro, Mr. Roach, was quick to answer for him: "Manny has to stay off the ropes and continue to work from his strengths—and that is throwing punches from different angles and to keep moving. . . . Manny's speed is the key to winning any fight. People think I mean the speed of his hands, but what I really mean is the speed of Manny's feet. He has the best footwork in the game."

Mr. Roach, who has Parkinson's probably brought on by too many bouts during his own boxing days, warned that this might be the last time we see his champion in the ring, especially if Mr. Pacquiao wins a seat in Congress. His stellar charge has had a long, tough career. And if Mr. Pacquiao wins and Mr. Mayweather does not quickly agree to terms, Mr. Roach says, "there will be nothing left for Manny to prove." There will only be bales of money.

Mr. Marino writes about boxing for the Journal.

Source: online.wsj.com

Roach: Clottey won’t find us

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:30:00 03/11/2010

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—The hype and hysteria surrounding Manny Pacquiao continues as The Event heats up.

Obliging more than 400 fans and the press that have gathered at the Gaylord Texan Hotel Tuesday, Pacquiao put on a dazzling display of footwork, hand speed, rhythmic movement and astounding stamina to underscore his status as overwhelming favorite against Ghana’s Joshua Clottey in their World Boxing Organization welterweight title fight this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Egged on by intermittent applause and shouts of “Manny! Manny!” from his fans at the cavernous Exhibition Hall, the Fighter of the Decade put on a hit-and-run show, sliding and gliding while throwing a series of punches.

Pacquiao said his speed will be the key to victory, adding that he and Roach are confident that Clottey won’t be able to react when he gets tagged by body shots, followed by blows to the head and back to the stomach.

“He’ll wait for you to throw a combination and then, when you’ve stopped, he’ll throw back,” said four-time Trainer of the Year Roach. “So if you stand in front of him, you’re an idiot. We’re not going to do that. He’s not going to be able to find us.”

After warming up, Pacquiao, assisted by conditioning expert Alex Ariza, did the mitts with Roach.

Ariza noted that Pacquiao stopped using plyometrics exercises two weeks ago, but remained super-fit to carry out his mission of becoming the first boxer to knock Clottey out.

Pacquiao proceeded to jump ropes before completing his workout with more exercises.

With the crowd refusing to leave the venue, Pacquiao decided to approach them and sign autographs.

Meanwhile, Arnel Pineda, lead vocalist of rock band Journey, has been chosen to sing the national anthem. Pineda will be arriving here Thursday.

San Antonio referee Rafael Ramos has been chosen to officiate The Event. He has more than 300 fights, including 50 world title bouts, tucked under his belt. Ramos was also the third man on the ring when Juan Manuel Marquez beat Juan Diaz for a version of the lightweight championship last year.

Two Filipino prospects, bantamweight Eden Sonsona and featherweight Michael Farenas, and former Pacquiao victim, David Diaz are also seeing action in the undercard.

Diaz, who was knocked out by Pacquiao in the ninth round when they clashed in 2008, will try to regain the WBC lightweight title against reigning titlist Humberto Soto of Mexico in the main supporting bout.

Sonsona will be battling Colombia’s Maurcio Pastrana in the opener while Farenas will be tangling with local find Joe Morales in the second round.

Other TV matches will be the 10-round collision between Mexicans Alfonso Gomez and Jose Luis Castillo for the WBC Continental Americas welterweight title.

Also on tap is the middleweight battle between Michael Medina and John Duddy.

Source: sports.inquirer.net

Pacquiao-Clottey tiff headed for sellout

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:03:00 03/11/2010

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—For billionaire Jerry Jones, Manny Pacquiao is the money man of boxing.

This is the reason why the owner of the Dallas Cowboys and the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium is co-promoting The Event between Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey on March 13.

The 67-year-old Jones, who struck it rich in oil and gas exploration, is on target in his belief that any fight featuring the Fighter of the Decade will be saleable.

Bob Arum of Top Rank, which is co-promoting Pacquiao-Clottey, said that only 4,000 out of 45,000 tickets are left for Saturday’s fight.

Arum and Jones remained confident of a sellout due to the interest the fight has generated, not only among Filipino-Americans but Hispanics, Mexicans and Americans as well.

“It’s like a Super Bowl,” said Jones of his first major boxing promotion.

Jones, who drew 2,500 fans in his first fight promotion in 1984 in Little Rock, Arkansas, said he admires Pacquiao as a great athlete and a great person.

“The main reason that I wanted the Pacquiao-(Floyd) Mayweather (Jr.) fight was Manny,” said Jones of the botched negotiations between the current and former pound-for-pound kings. “He (Pacquiao) is the draw.

“And so certainly when that didn’t work I still had the interest of getting him here at all cost and whoever he fights,” added Jones.

This early, Pacquiao-Clottey is certain to break attendance records in Pacquiao’s previous fights in the United States, way over the 18,276 paying fans who watched Pacquiao-Erik Morales III in Las Vegas in 2006.

Source: sports.inquirer.net

Pacquiao and Mayweather: One Bout Away from the Big One?

Pacquiao vs Clottey
It is 7:13 a.m. in Los Angeles and Manny Pacquiao, the world's best pound-for-pound boxer, is jogging on a public high school track. There are palm trees in the distance, and the low hum of traffic on I-10 is starting to turn into a low roar as the Filipino boxer, clad in a red tracksuit, dashes around the dirt oval despite a painful shin splint. A handful of early-arriving students hang on the chain-link fence surrounding the track and watch him do his work. The Pac-Man is preparing for his March 13 fight against Joshua Clottey, a dangerous but relatively unknown welterweight from Ghana. The $49.95 pay-per-view fight is billed as "The Event" but could easily be called "The Letdown."

Just three months ago, boxing was preparing for its version of the Super Bowl. Fresh from his mega-fight win over Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao had begun negotiations with Floyd Mayweather Jr., a brash welterweight whom non-sports fans know best from his appearance on Dancing with the Stars. The proposed battle was being compared to some of the greatest matchups in boxing history. Even people who had given up on boxing or hadn't really thought about it much were talking about the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, which would probably earn each boxer $40 million, the most lucrative match ever. (See pictures of Manny Pacquiao's boxing career.)

But negotiations became so acrimonious that they descended to the level of bad soap opera. Mayweather insisted on Olympic-style random blood testing, which Pacquiao refused, saying that drug-testing rules should be decided by boxing commissions, not individual fighters. Though suspicions were raised that Pacquiao was on some sort of performance-enhancing drug, the Filipino boxer — who has won an unprecedented seven belts in seven weight classes, putting on 40 lb. throughout his career — has never tested positive for banned drugs. He says he is willing to submit to random urine testing. (See pictures of Olympic athletes' tattoos.)

Pacquiao's camp says the boxer refused the blood testing because he is superstitious and doesn't want to give blood so close to fight time. He was blood-tested a couple of days before his fight with Erik Morales, and lost. "It made me weak," says Pacquiao, who is suing Mayweather for sullying his reputation. There is speculation in some boxing gyms that Mayweather knew about Pacquiao's aversion to pre-fight blood testing and used it as a tactic to duck him. But Mayweather insists that he simply wants to reform the sport's drug policies. "I am taking a stand," he says, adding, "I should get to choose who I want to fight." But by allowing the negotiations to collapse, Pacquiao and Mayweather quickly became defined as the boxers who wouldn't fight each other. "I think Floyd is scared of Manny," says Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer. "I think the public is disgusted by the controversy, but they still want the fight to happen." (See "The Meaning and Mythos of Manny Pacquiao.")

To fill the vacuum and assuage dissatisfaction, each boxer decided to take on formidable interim opponents. Pacquiao will fight Clottey, and Mayweather will battle "Sugar" Shane Mosley on May 1. The hope is that if Pacquiao and Mayweather both win their respective fights, they will work out their differences and fight in the fall. "My nails are going to be bitten down to the bone waiting until May 2," says Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports, which is hoping to televise the Pacquiao-Mayweather spectacle.

Source: time.com

Pacquiao's Sparring Is Becoming Legendary

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Frank Lotierzo

Watching two upper-tier fighters/contenders spar while preparing for an upcoming fight is the highlight of any activity in a boxing gym. Sparring was my favorite part of training back in the day. So much so, that on the days I didn't spar I felt as though my workout was incomplete and was one day further away from getting to where I wanted to be. There's only one way for a fighter to improve and that is for him to spar and fight.


The most intense sparring I've ever witnessed was between former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champ, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, and former light heavyweight contender Jerry "The Bull" Martin in the early eighties. The closet parallel I can make to describe the rounds they logged is to suggest imagining Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez weighing 185 pounds wearing training gloves and head gear while going at it five or six rounds a day. I would've paid to see them spar each other every day of the week if that's what it took just to have the pleasure of watching them work together.


When it comes to sparring, I've never read nor have I had it conveyed to me by any fighters or trainers stories like the ones that surface about Manny Pacquiao's sparring. Has anyone reading this ever heard of Pacquiao getting his butt kicked in the gym even once? Or heard of someone who has even held their own with him? If it's happened during the last four or five years, it seldom has surfaced. Yet there's a flood of reports pertaining to his sparring on a daily basis after almost every workout. And that's nowhere near the case pertaining to Paul Williams, Floyd Mayweather, Edwin Valero, Chad Dawson or either of the Klitschko brothers when they train and spar in preparation for a big fight.


Pacquiao's legendary sparring further illustrates just how much he truly loves to fight. It's rather apparent that Manny brings the same kind of passion and joy to his sparring sessions that he seems to bring to every aspect of boxing -- and he genuinely seems to be a man who loves what he's doing for a living.


Earlier this week Pacquiao said, “I am ready to rumble (referencing to his March 13th bout with Joshua Clottey). I can’t wait to get into the ring. I am feeling very good and I am excited to put on a memorable show for the boxing fans. I want to make them happy again.”


Pacquiao reiterating that he wants to put on a good fight for the fans no doubt endears him to them a lot, and I believe that he means it to a point. But more than that Pacquiao projects from his deeds in the ring that he really loves ring combat and can't wait to glove up on fight night, in much the same way Roberto Duran and "Smokin" Joe Frazier did. I'm sure there may be a few reading this and saying to themselves that I forgot about Mike Tyson... and they'd be wrong.


Tyson had a presence about him that projected he couldn't wait for the bell to start the fight, and when he was having his way with his opponent he looked as if he loved being inside the ring. However, when Mike was met with resistance like he was when he fought Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, he wasn't nearly as willing and stopped letting his hands go and began thinking about possibly losing leading to him being more measured offensively.


That's the polar opposite of Duran and Frazier who actually got stronger and became more confident and willing as the fight got tougher and intensified. And Pacquiao is cut from the same cloth as they were and relishes the joy of physical combat. In his previous two fights against Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, both tried to bring it to him only to realize they were confronted by what must've seemed like a school of piranha who raised them one.


Hatton tried to jump on him early hoping to assert himself physically, and was met by a buzzsaw who made him pay for his deed. Cotto, after seeing what happened to Hatton, tried to go about it a little more measured. When Miguel felt Pacquiao was stepping back to reset, he tried to impose himself physically and not only did Manny oblige him to do so, he let him have a few free shots at his body and literally fed off of Cotto not doing any real damage when he landed with his Sunday left-hook in succession.


For his WBO title defense against Clottey, it's been reported in several Philippine newspapers that Pacquiao has worked with Jamie Kavanagh, Mike Dallas, Dave Rodela, Ray Beltran, Shawn Porter, Jose Benavidez, Abdullay Amidu and Steve Forbes as his spar-mates. Forget what their records are, they're all in good shape physically and present him with something unique. Some are small and quick, others are a little bigger and more physical and present varying styles. And the reports coming out of Pacquiao's training camp all indicate that he's had his way with every one of them. And it seems as the fights gets closer Pacquiao is looking better every time out and is once again peaking at the right time. Which confirms that team Pacquiao knows exactly how to get the most out of it's sparring work as they ready Manny for his upcoming bouts.


Maybe because we're in the midst of a media explosion and almost everything is on YouTube, at least for a little while before it's taken down, Pacquiao's sparring as he prepares for his major bouts have drawn a lot of attention, more so than any fighter in recent memory.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Pacquiao confident speed can trump Clottey's size

"My quickness will be the key, my speed," the seven-time world champion told Reuters as he prepared for a public workout in front of a throng of fans.

However, the WBO welterweight champion is not taking his Ghanaian opponent lightly.

"You cannot underestimate Joshua Clottey," he said. "He's a good fighter, and he's bigger than me, and I have to be very focused in the fight."

Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach acknowledges that former IBF title holder Clottey, a natural welterweight, has a size advantage over the champion, who began his career forty pounds lighter.

"But I don't think size wins fights," he said. "I think skill does. He may be a little stronger than Manny on the inside, he might hit a little harder, but I think our speed will nullify that."

Roach said he has been watching footage of Clottey's fights, and has identified a few key habits that he and his fighter intend to exploit.

"He'll wait for you to throw a combination and then, when you've stopped, he'll throw back. So if you stand in front of him, you're an idiot," he said. "We're not going to do that. He's not going to be able to find us.

"Sometimes he uses his head," Roach said of Clottey, 35-3 (20 KOs), whose first defeat came when he was disqualified for headbutts.

"If you fall into the pocket with him, his best punch is an uppercut and his second best punch is a headbutt. So we're not going to go in there. We're going to fight him at distance."

A crowd of several hundred watched Pacquiao's workout, a turnout that a beaming Pacquiao, 50-3-2 (38 KOs), described as 'amazing'.

The fight will be the first to be held at Cowboys Stadium, with 45,000 spectators expected to attend, and the Filipino said he was looking forward to the opportunity to show his skills in front of such a large audience at a new venue.

"I'm very excited to fight in Cowboys Stadium, especially because this is the first fight there," said Pacquiao. "It's an honor to fight in Dallas. I can't wait until Saturday. This is for the fans. This is my chance to show them what I can do."

Source: reuters.com

Pacquiao Army breaks Ali entourage record, 140 strong, including dog

Pacquiao vs Clottey
Boxing Examiner | Michael Marley

GRAPEVINE—That's actually where the world record breaking Manny Pacquiao Entourage, which makes the old Muhammad Ali carnival troupe look like a ragtag and smallish assembly, has landed.

Megamanny, gorgeous wife Jinkee, Pacman the dog and 139 of Manny's closest (?) friends and associates all came to Texas for his Saturday night bout against Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium over in Arlington (said to be a 20 minute ride away).

After the charter flight, organized by the efficient Canadian Michael Koncz and his various helpers, Team Pacquiao was suitably ensconced in the lavish Gaylord Texan Hotel , which has a huge atrium and is a microcosm of the state complete with a rendering of The Alamo.

Gaylord is the official hotel of Jerry Jones' storied NFL franchise which is commonly referred to as “America's Team.” Guess you could properly call the Pacman troops “Philippines' Team.”

I don't think the Philadelphia Eagles game traveling party runs as deep as Pacman's crew does. Btw, don't think Uncle Bob Arum pays the freight, not to mention the room service and bar tabs, for all these people. The entire bill is eventually paid by Pacquiao.

Suffice to say Pacman shirts and Pinoy flags are seen all over the Gaylord. The crowd is mixed in Manny's group, you basically have two kinds of people, Filipinos and Fil-Ams meaning Filipino-Americans.

I'm not sure if wife Jinkee is Manny's best friend or if little canine Pacman is but, just to be on the safe side, he brought them both to this, his last bout before the crucial May 10 Congressional election in Sarangani province.

Pacquiao is 0-1 in runs for elective office in his homeland and his foe this time is billionaire Roy Chiongbian who comes from a politically connected family.

I bumped into one of Pacman's 140 near my room. Now I don't want Floyd Mayweather, who claims to own and operate something a recording label/music management firm tastefully called Philthy Rich, but Pacman brought his vocal coach, Helen Buscema, along.


Buscema hooked up with Manny at Christ The King Church, not far from Freddie Roach;s Wild Card Gym, where she is the church cantor.

Can Manny really sing, I asked, and if he can't, who would have the nerve to tell him?

In two Jimmy Kimmel appearances, Manny has crooned two love songs.

“Manny has singing talent,” Buscema said. “He really does. My frustration is getting his time and attention for lessons. I am lucky to get bits of him, 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there because he has so many other demands on his time.”

Maybe Manny and Floyd can add a karaoke competition to that one on one basketball game between them that people keep suggesting.

Let's see who can deliver “My Way” in a more pleasing way, I say.

Have I lost my musical mind, I ask myself.

I just looked back at my now proper dateline.

The song must be the old Motown classic, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.”

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao could put Cowboys Stadium on boxing's map

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By JAIME ARON (AP) – 3 hours ago

DALLAS — About 41,000 tickets have been sold for the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday night.

That's around 4,000 away from a sellout for the first boxing match at the $1.2 billion stadium.

Promoter Bob Arum says he's not sure whether people are coming to see Pacquiao — widely considered the best boxer, pound per pound — or this showplace facility, which Arum called "the greatest venue in the world."

Arum said he's eager to hold more fights at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. He said on a conference call that Kelly Pavlik, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and other boxers will be at the fight in hopes of getting to become headliners there.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said his stadium becoming a top destination would boost the sport of boxing.

Source: Google.com

Manny Pacquiao Vs. Joshua Clottey: Keys To The Fight, Part I

Pacquiao vs Clottey
Written by Tim Starks
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 14:37
How Pacquiao (above left) and Clottey (above right) match up could be more telling than who's the overall better fighter. Today, we'll look at how they stack up physically, as well as how they stack up in the more mental aspects of boxing. First up: The physical.

Size. Both men will weigh 147 pounds or less the day before the fight. But by the next day, Clottey will have transformed into the physically largest opponent Pacquiao has ever fought. For his bout against Diego Corrales, Clottey weighed a whopping 170 pounds the night of the fight due to rehydration. He’s a bulky, muscular specimen, Clottey, who’s prone to having to fight to get down to 147. And he’ll have a height and reach advantage, too, at 5’8” and 70” to 5’6 ½” and 67”.

It gets more pronounced still. Pacquiao’s team frequently notes that he’s a natural 140-pounder, and that he has to almost be force-fed an absurdly calorie-rich diet to keep any weight on him above that. This size gap didn’t prove determinative for Pacquiao against the other welterweights he’s fought, Oscar De La Hoya, who was taller and had a longer reach than Clottey, or against Cotto, who had some of Pacquiao’s same physical dimensions but was a natural 147-pounder. But it could be a bigger factor here than in those fights for several reasons, besides Clottey’s ridiculous rehydration.There is less risk of Clottey draining himself the way there was in the case of De La Hoya or Cotto, with De La Hoya fighting at 147 for the first time in years and Cotto having to shave off an extra two pounds for a 145-pound catchweight. The size differential is the most thorough edge for Clottey in this fight. Advantage: Clottey

Speed. Until the day Pacquiao fights Floyd Mayweather, if it ever happens, there’s just not going to be anyone in his league in the speed department. He is quick-fisted and nimble of foot to the degree that everyone who faces him complains later that his speed is the one of the two most difficult aspects of facing him (see “offense,” in keys to the fight part II).

Clottey’s not slow of hand, but he’s not particularly quick either. I’d give him about a B, B- for a welter. Quick hands bother him, too – Zab Judah and Miguel Cotto both had success by being faster and beating him to the punch, which forced him into the defensive shell (see “defense,” in keys to the fight part II) for spells. Where Clottey really suffers is in his movement around the ring. He’s a plodder. He makes up for some of his handspeed problems with excellent timing, and he makes up for some of his footspeed problems by cutting off the ring well. But in both speed categories, Clottey is going to be so much slower than Pacquiao that Clottey will make the U.S. Senate seem jumpy and hyperactive by comparison. Advantage: Pacquiao

Power. Pacquiao demolished Cotto, knocking him down hard twice and stopping him in the 12th round of a prolonged beating that should have ended at least three rounds earlier. Clottey rocked Cotto here and there, but never had him in any serious trouble.

Let’s say the respective handling of Cotto is not a fair measure by itself. For nearly two years, moving up in weight from 135 to 147, Pacquiao has either pounded the stuffing out of his man until someone saves him or knocked him out with shocking cleanliness. Over that same period, Clottey has one knockout. In his last 10 fights, that’s his only knockout. If you saw it, it was a b.s. stoppage over Jose Luis Cruz, a decent fighter. Clottey was probably cruising to a knockout of Judah before a head butt ended matters, but he’s a strong puncher at best, not at all as powerful as his physique suggets. Even at 147, Pacquiao is the true puncher here. Advantage: Pacquiao

Stamina. Time and again, stamina is far and away the most underrated quality of Pacquiao’s game. He’s hyperkinetic and he expends a lot of energy, but from the 1st to the 12th, he never once looks any worse for the wear. His speed and power wow you, but his athleticism manifests itself equally in his non-stop, ceaseless motor.

Clottey never seems to wear down, either, but he usually starts fights so slow and his punch output is so economical as to make you wonder whether stamina factors into it. Somehow, perhaps, his struggles to get to 147 could drain him. I’d be more inclined to think it’s a stylistic question (see “offense,” in keys to the fight part II), but that’s enough for me to give the edge to the other guy. Advantage: Pacquiao

Chin. We’ve got some real iron men here. Both stood toe-to-toe with Cotto, a very powerful hitter. Clottey went down in the 1st round, but it was from a jab and probably had more to do with balance. Cotto rocked Pacquiao a little, and Pacquiao acknowledged later that Cotto had hurt him, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.

Elsewhere, I’ve never seen Clottey even remotely hurt. Big-punching Antonio Margarito pounded away at him (maybe with loaded gloves if Margarito’s cheating went back that far) to no avail. Pacquiao got wobbled by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2008, but he hasn’t been in that bad a shape since. Ultimately, Clottey’s chin is more proven overall, and more proven in particular against bigger men. Advantage: Clottey

Source: queensberry-rules.com

Joshua Clottey's Keys To... Effectiveness

Pacquiao vs Clottey
by John Chavez

The chatter leading up to a big fight can tend to sway one's opinion as the fight draws nearer. This seems to be the case for boxing pundits leading up the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey battle coming up this Saturday night.

When the bout was initially announced, there were many fight fans stating that it would undoubtedly be the toughest fight of the "Pacman's" career being that it'd be the first time he'd be fighting a legitimate welterweight on even terms meaning... no excuses of weight-drain for his opponent. They also stated that Clottey's professionalism in the ring which would include his virtually impenetrable high-guard and short crisp punches would give the Filipino superstar all he could handle and much more.

Now as the fight draws nearer, it seems as though those sentiments have changed.

Boxing fans can definitely tend to be a fickle bunch at times.

Out of all the active welterweights out there today, it is my belief that Joshua Clottey presents the most stylistic problems for Manny outside of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

After having reviewed Pacquiao's last six opponents in chronological order: Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, David Diaz, Oscar De la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto... it's obviously quite clear that the most effective opponent out of the bunch was Marquez. Yes... I know, not exactly ground-breaking stuff.

It is of my opinion that the second most effective fighter out of that particular bunch was a defensive-minded Marco Antonio Barrera.

When I use the word "effective", I'm referring to the fact that a faded Barrera survived the distance with the "Pacman" and had a few... keyword "few" moments of effectiveness against the hard-punching southpaw.

The key aspect that both Marquez and Barrera implemented against Pacquiao to not only go the distance with the man but also remain somewhat effective against him (Marquez much moreso than Marco) was the fact that both men had absolutely no desire to play the role of aggressor in the fight. In essence, they were quite content to let Manny "make the fight".

Both Mexican fighters weren't under any sort of delusional mind-frame that the most famous man in the Phillippines was a smaller, weaker opponent that could be bullied.

This was undoubtedly an extremely faulty mindset by Diaz, De la Hoya, Hatton, and Cotto.

Just like Erik Morales had a glimpse of what Pacquiao was capable of back pre-2005 in his destruction of Barrera and shocking early performance against Marquez, Joshua Clottey should have a relatively good idea that Manny is not a fighter to be taken lightly at 147 pounds. "El Terrible" watched tapes of Pacquiao-Marquez over and over and over leading up to their initial encounter as well as starting off the fight as trying to get a sense of Manny's power and punch delivery prior to opening up completely.

So now we've set the pre-fight stage assuming that Team Clottey has studied the tapes and understands that playing the role of counter-puncher against the dynamic lefty might suit them best to start off the fight initially. Opening up offensively should be a secondary concern to first being able to gauge Manny's movement, punching range, ability to close the distance, and punch delivery before it's too late and you find yourself stunned or on the canvas.

It's alot easier said than done when squaring off against such an unorthodox fighter but it's exactly what Floyd Mayweather Jr. implemented in his bout with a determined Zab Judah. It was necessary to give a couple early rounds away in order to see the openings more clearly and adjust as need be.

Here's a short list of what Clottey should do in order to be effective against Pacquiao:

1. Keep the closed guard very high and very tight while moving backwards in order to force Manny to press the action, possibly frustrate him and eventually force him to focus on the body.

2. Instead of relying on the jab to touch Pacquiao from the outside, vary the attack and shoot the straight right hand fast and hard right down the middle consistently (at least 12-15 times per round) when the opportunity presents itself.

3. After throwing the right hand lead, roll out and under to the side to avoid being countered easily and quickly.

4. Lure Pacquiao in to throw body shots using the tight, high guard by backing up and leaning against the ropes and possibly close to corners to limit his dynamic movement. If Clottey backs himself into the side of a corner, he has a better idea of what angle and range Pacquiao will attack from.

5. Use the ropes to gain leverage on punches when countering off the back foot. This is much easier and more effective than attempting to back away from the "Pacman", stopping on a dime and throwing hard counters which takes too much energy and athleticism to pull off consistently.

6. Force Pacquiao to reach around with his left hand and right hands when throwing body punches by crouching over slightly and keeping the guard up which will create openings for short uppercuts that Clottey is very adept at throwing. Manny is open to those uppercuts right down the middle when he throws to the body as you can see in these two videos... Morales bout & De la Hoya bout.

7. Throw the uppercuts with precision and accuracy rather than power but follow them up with heavy left hooks to get the damage done.


Here's a short list of big bozo No No's when it comes to what Joshua Clottey should not do from the initial bell:

1. Do not press forward following Pacquiao around the ring.
2. Do not attempt to match Pacquiao's speed and quick movements as this will tire you before he does. Use the boxing fundamentals that you've acquired.
3. Do not think a shotgun jab will be strong enough to deter Manny from attacking. You don't roll under and to the side after throwing the jab which leaves you open to counter attacks from the lefty.
4. Do not engage in a brawl with the "Pacman" but do engage in controlled and calculated exchanges.
5. Do not load up on any punches.


Joshua Clottey cannot afford to make many mistakes in order to possibly pull off the potential upset of the year.

He has the punch delivery and the defensive professionalism to give Manny Pacquiao all sorts of problems come Saturday night. I like the fact that the Ghanaian relies on a very tight guard as a defensive tactic to avoid punches as this isn't as physically draining as relying on constant body and head movement to avoid the Filipino's onslaught. Being that Manny tends to throw punches to the head directly down the middle, this bodes well for Clottey being that he has a better idea of where to place his hands.

Usually against a southpaw, the orthodox fighter is told to circle to his left in order to avoid the left hand of his opponent. However, it's been quite clear that highly esteemed trainer Freddie Roach has been working with Manny on a 1-2 combination comprising of a right hook followed by a left uppercut which works quite well on orthodox fighters circling to their left. Instead of circling right or left, I'd advise Clottey to simply work off that guard and place his counters carefully sometimes throwing one-shot counters and sometimes throwing two-shot. Anything more than two shots against Pacquiao is possibly dangerous due to his quick hand release and unorthodox punches from various angles.

Can Joshua Clottey win this fight if he follows all of the above suggestions?

It's so hard to say when you're squaring off against one of the most gifted professional boxers to have crossed our paths in quite some time. I know that stylistically it will be a very intriguing and explosive fight that is for damn sure.

It's up to all you hardcore fight fans to actively push your non-hardcore friends to purchase this fight as it is these types of bouts that make boxing special.

A relatively unknown guy in Joshua Clottey who will without a doubt give Pacquiao a run for his money and maybe more...

The Boxing Truth cannot wait until Saturday night as we will be running a special post-fight live radio show immediately preceding this megabout.

Source: theboxingtruth.com

Clottey's Defence May Not Hold Versus Pacquiao's Non-Stop Offense

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Leo Reyes Joshua Clottey says he will try to capitalize on his natural defensive skill to foil Manny Pacquiao's known offensive fighting style and hope to land a lethal blow to snatch Pacquiao's WBO welterweight crown. Joshua Clottey is known for his defensive fighting skill which he has developed throughout his fairly successful boxing career.

On Saturday the former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey will face one of the world best offensive boxers to prove that his defence will hold. Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao will try to demolish his fortified defence arsenal with his non-stop offensive punches.

“I keep telling people I didn’t lose the Cotto fight because I don’t feel I did,” Clottey said. “When [Pacquiao] beats guys like Cotto, he beats guys that don’t have a good defence. I have a defence.”

The popular boxer from Ghana promises he will come forward and attack.

"It will be an exciting fight, as they are predicting," said Clottey.

"I'm always coming forward to face my opponent and fight like a man, not like I just come in like that, I come forward with timing'.

"Everything is in my head, I'm always looking, and the truth is I'm a forward fighter."

Clottey is coming to face Pacquiao with his superior advantage in reach and height. Despite Clotteys natural physical advantage over Pacquiao, hall of fame trainer Freddie Roach says Pacquiao will finish Clottey inside nine rounds. A week before Pacquiao's entourage moved to Texas for the final phase of training, Freddie Roach changed his prediction and said Pacquiao will finish Clottey inside six rounds.

Pacquiao's speed and power will be too much for Clottey to take, Roach stressed after observing how Pacquiao punished his sparring partners who are physically superior that the popular Filipino boxer.

The Pacquiao-Clottey match will take place at the giant Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas on March 13. At stake is Pacquiao's WBO welterweight crown.

Source: theboxinghistorian.com

Manny Prepares To Attack The Body

Pacquiao vs Clottey
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Posted By Avi "Shoefly" Korine 5:00 PM



I've often said that I prefer watching Manny Pacquiao shadowbox to tuning in to certain fights; I can say the same thing about watching him hit the mitts. Manny looks primed and ready for Saturday's fight against Joshua Clottey in this excellent footage above provided by Maxboxing. The entire thing is worth watching, particularly Pacquiao's Bruce Lee impression at 3:50.

Manny looks typically fit and his combination of hand and foot speed is a marvel to behold. Too often I am guilty of picturing Manny as a mindless slugger reliant on his incredible natural talents and aggression. If Pacquiao engages in new strategies it is thought that it was part of Freddie Roach's role as a tactical genius.

While Freddie is obviously essential, as a trainer is for every fighter, I think you can see in this footage some of Manny Pacquiao's growth as a thinking fighter. Watching him work through combinations and communicate to Freddie with their own special language it's hard to view him as some sort of natural savant; he is that, but he is more. Manny is a fully realized fighter, a thinking fighter, and that's why he has had so much success.

In particular I'd like to note Pacquiao's repeated efforts to slide to the side and finish with work to the body. As anyone who has watched Joshua Clottey fight will know, though Clottey is a good defensive figher he tends to wait until an opponent stops punching before he starts to punch. Against Migueal Cotto, Clottey had his greatest successes when his opponent stood with feet planted and traded. As long as Clottey remained set he was effective and remained in punching range.

Whenever Cotto moved Clottey would have to reset and begin things again. The same was true of the Zab Judah fight. In the early rounds Judah had some success by jabbing and getting inside, but as the rounds progressed he remained stationary and took punishment because of this.

Clottey's philosophy can be clearly understood in his interviews. This week Clottey has said repeatedly that he, "fights like a man." By this he means he walks forward applying pressure and is content to stay within the striking zone at all times.

That is Clottey's style, but it is partially out of necessity. While Clottey has good hand speed his footwork in not comparable to the darting rhythm of Pacquiao (no shame on Clottey, perhaps only Mayweather can match Pacquiao here.)

Watching Pacquiao work repeatedly on turning his opponent and finishing up to the body shows that both Manny and his trainer know that this is where their advantage rests. Roach has made no secret of his belief that Manny can penetrate Clottey's high guard by attacking the body. This can be done both by hooking while facing the opponent, or - more effectively and with less risk - by changing the angle of engagement.

To watch a true master working on something repeatedly is a great pleasure, to see the craft involved in greatness. I immediately think of Ricky Hatton dismissing Pacquiao's insistence on the "right hook, roll under."

Hatton felt he could stop the combination, but was functionally finished by it in the very first round. Joshua Clottey will need to be better prepared, because it's clear that Pacquiao is again primed to put his plan into action.

Source: sportingnews.com

Making a case for Joshua Clottey

Pacquiao vs Clottey

March 9th, 2010
Kenneth Ragpala

It is quite hard not to look past Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent, former IBF welterweight champion, Joshua Clottey. It can be argued that Clottey is perhaps the toughest challenge for Pacquiao at the welterweight division, being the fact that he is the physically biggest welterweight the Fighting Pride of the Philippines will have to hurdle in the latter’s first defense of his WBO welterweight crown.

That said, Clottey do poses some serious threat to Pacquiao. Naturally bigger and taller, many boxing analyst concur that it is Clottey’s almost impregnable high guard and his granite chin will spell troubles for the top pound-for-pound king. One should take into consideration that Clottey was never once hurt in a single fight of his career.

Clottey has already slugged it out with the elite names of his division – Zab Judah, Antonio Margarito, and Miguel Cotto. Of the three, Clottey convincingly trumped Judah, who, like Pacquiao, is a lightning-handed southpaw.

His losses to Margarito and Cotto can be easily brushed aside. He was clearly winning the fight against Margarito when he broke on of his hands. Against Cotto, he would have won should he decided not to let his foot off the gas.

But his win against Judah should, if it does, register some cause for alarm for Pacquiao and his crew. Judah’s speed was clearly negated by the uncanny timing and relentless attack employed the Face of Ghana’s boxing. If Clottey can do that again and early into the fight, then he might have the chance to score an upset against boxing’s biggest superstar.

Having said that, against the caliber of Pacquiao, it is always easier said than done. Since his loss to Erik Morales, Pacquiao is yet to taste defeat again. But with the vast improvement that is apparently showing since that fateful defeat, one can only say that it is hard to beat Pacquiao and would be arguably right in saying so.

Even the size factor imposed by the Ghanaian is nothing new to the Filipino superstar, who felled physically bigger opponents in David Diaz, Oscar dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto. However, there is a question that can be imposed on Pacquiao with regards to bigger guys.

Did all boxers mentioned use to the full extent their size advantage? Of the four, two were able, at least visibly, to do so.

Hatton used his size and strength to roughhouse Pacquiao and was knocked out cold in the second round. Cotto used his physical dominance to push Pacquiao to the ropes and succeeded in bringing the hurt to the Filipino champion.

However, he was no longer the same when he got decked to the canvas in the fourth round and was in full retreat, occasionally firing a volley of punches to keep the stalking Pacquiao at bay but he was obviously looking to survive the fight and avoid being added to Pacquiao’s KO victims.

Where Hatton failed and Cotto had little success, Clottey has the chance to excel. Hatton, though deemed bigger, was just as tall as Pacquiao. Cotto on the other hand, lost the will to push Pacquiao back.

Clottey certainly can push Pacquiao back to the ropes the way Cotto did. He can even rough it up with the Filipino champ the same way Hatton attempted to concoct. But what will provide Clottey an added extra is his almost impenetrable high guard and that iron-cast chin.

He can close the gap between him and Pacquiao behind his locked arms and launch a body assault or a couple shots to the head and cover up again, much like a Spartan phalanx. If he can block most of Pacquiao’s punches using that tight guard of his and counter with his own power shots, he can hurt Pacquiao so bad that eventually, speed will be not much of a factor.

If that do happens, then Ghana’s proud ring warrior may be able to unseat boxing’s king.

But then again, against Manny Pacquiao, it is always easier said than done.

Source: 8countnews.com

'Never lost in Texas' - Roach warns

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star) Updated March 10, 2010 12:00 AM

DALLAS – As the chartered Boeing 737 was coming to a complete stop at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport late Monday evening, fond memories of Texas must have suddenly crossed Freddie Roach’s mind.

“Never lost in Texas,” said Roach, still seated near the front row of the narrow-bodied aircraft that flew Manny Pacquiao and 140 others, his family and friends, some members of the media from Los Angeles.

Roach was unmindful of all the fun and noise inside the plane during its two-hour 20-minute flight, unmindful that in one section a card game was being played, and “Pacman,” the boxer’s Jack Russell Terrier, was running along the aisle.

He had his mind focused on boxing.

Roach, of course, had guided Pacquiao to two victories at the Alamodome in San Antonio, the first being a very big one, a stunning 11th round knockout of Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003, followed by an eighth-round KO of Jorge Solis in 2007.

Roach said he also steered lightweight Juan Lazcano to five victories in El Paso over the last few years, and also remembered that in March 21, 1984, more than 25 years ago, he fought Delio Palacios at the Rodeo Arena in Pasadena, Texas.

The four-time Trainer of the Year said he was a 4-1 underdog when he beat Palacios via a unanimous decision. The noise made it quite difficult to understand Roach as saying like he knocked his fancied opponent down once during the contest.

Roach said he plans to keep his perfect record intact when Pacquiao, unbeaten in nearly five years, stakes his WBO welterweight crown against the big, strong and hungry fighter from Ghana, Joshua Clottey.

“Yeah, we want to do that,” said Roach, who got off the plane just carrying a black back-pack and his three-inch body armor which he puts on whenever he works the mitts with his hard-hitting fighter in training.

Pacquiao wrapped up his sparring Monday noon at the Wild Card Gym in LA, and before 6 p.m. he boarded the plane to Dallas. He sparred four rounds with Ray Beltran and closed the book with a total of 142 rounds in over seven weeks.

Pacquiao, the overwhelming favorite in his fight with Clottey, stepped out of the plane with his wife Jinkee, and was met at the tarmac by Top Rank executives Ricardo Jimenez and Lee Samuels, publicist Fred Sternburg and a 12-degree weather.

They were led to a couple of black Lincoln Navigators that brought them straight to the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, close to 30 minutes away from the airport and located “in the middle of nowhere,” according to the bus driver.

Those who joined Pacquiao on the plane, all of them, filled three buses that also took them to the same hotel where Pacquiao will stay for the rest of the week.

It was not clear, however, if Pacquiao would pay for all their accommodation.

“Who are these people?” said Jimenez, who looked so amused that so many people had joined Pacquiao in the trip. “How did you get all these people inside the plane?” was the comment made by Top Rank photographer, Cris Farina.

But again, it was Pacquiao’s wish for all these people to join him in the trip.

At the hotel, Pacquiao was welcomed by Top Rank big boss Bob Arum who did not keep the boxer up. He went straight to his suite and was ready to tuck himself in, at around midnight, when scribes tried to get a hold of him.

Pacquiao will hold another media workout Tuesday afternoon at the specially built training facility at the basement of the hotel. Clottey held his Monday afternoon, and Top Rank will make sure they don’t bump into each other when they train until Thursday.

Source: philstar.com

Veteran Miguel Diaz speaks on the intertwining lives of Pacquiao, Clottey, Mayweather, and Cotto

Pacquiao vs Clottey

Las Vegas Boxing Examiner | Chris Robinson

Involved in the sport of boxing for well over sixty years, Miguel Diaz’ boxing odyssey has been one that has seen him work the corner of countless champions and contenders from the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Erik Morales, James Toney, Kelly Pavlik and several others. Serving as a head trainer for Top Rank and their stable of fighters, Diaz is able to fill just about any role that is needed in a corner and his expertise is invaluable.

Sitting at Barry's Boxing Center in Las Vegas, Diaz speaks with a sharpened mind that has seen just about any curveball you could throw at him in the sport. The Argentinean has a quick wit about him and rarely raises an eyebrow no matter what news is cast his way. Despite all of that Diaz’ interests were momentarily perked when discussing this weekend’s WBO Welterweight title tilt between champion Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey. When assessing what the Filipino icon has amassed in recent years Diaz immediately tipped his hat.

“Amazing,” Diaz states. “A guy who was a 106 pounder and he went up to be a 147 pounder and to me he is the best, pound for pound. It’s amazing how he brought not only the ability to fight but also his punching power all the way up. Not even the great Roberto Duran was able to do that, one of the greatest Latin fighters. Duran was a great puncher at 135 pounds and became champion at 147, 154, and 160 but he didn’t carry the power. He was wise but didn’t have the power. Pacquiao is unbelievable, he’s knocking out guys at 147 pounds.”

Diaz has been able to see Pacquiao’s destruction on an intimate basis over the past year as he was brought in by Freddie Roach to work the corner as a cutman for the departed Joe Chavez for Pacquiao's December 2008 showdown with Oscar De La Hoya. Looking back on how everything played out, Diaz points to simply knowing the right people in the right places while also being reminded of a situation of his from years’ past.

“The fact that I lined up with [Pacquiao] was because I have a great relationship with Freddie Roach,” Diaz states. “The cutman for Pacquiao at that time was Joe Chavez but he was already working with Oscar and he just had to take De La Hoya over Pacquiao. One day I was training Diego Corrales but I had been working with Floyd Mayweather for twenty-two fights. Then they were going to fight each other but because I was working with Diego Corrales as a co-trainer along with his father I had to take the side of Corrales. Just like Chavez decided to work with De La Hoya, Freddie Roach decided to bring me on as part of the team. The rest is history.”

Diaz has been a key member to Pacquiao's corner ever since and this past November 14th when Manny demolished Miguel Cotto had to be a slightly telling night for him, as he had spent years nurturing the brave Puerto Rican fighter. Despite the disappointing nature in which Diaz’ tenure with Cotto came to a halt he insists that there weren’t any feelings of ill will that night at the MGM Grand.

“I felt uncomfortable because of the way they let me go,” Diaz admits of the Cotto camp. “They never told me anything. They never came in and told what I was or wasn’t doing right. Nobody ever told me anything. I found out through Todd duBoef, the president of Top Rank. I had a meeting with him when they went to sign the fight with Joshua Clottey. I don’t know if it was the lawyer or his father who passed away, but they had him tell me that I wasn't working with the team. I don’t feel like it was a revenge for me because I am not a fighter and I am not a revenge guy but I did feel uncomfortable. As a matter of fact I had worked with Joshua Clottey in the past but I couldn’t for this fight when he fought Miguel. I was working with Clottey as a cutman before that though.”

Upon the mention of Clottey, Diaz was asked to switch gears and reflect upon his time assisting Joshua’s corner. Typically mild mannered, Diaz slightly boasts when claiming that he had a key role in helping the Accra, Ghana fighter realize his championship potential on the night of August 2nd, 2008, when Clottey overcame Zab Judah at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas.

“I believe myself that I am fully responsible for him winning the fight against Judah,” Diaz says reflectively of their IBF Welterweight championship bout. “He had a bad bicep and he seemed ready to talk to the referee but I saw the action in Judah’s corner and they wanted to stop the fight. [Clottey] had a really bad bicep but I grabbed him and I told him ‘If you say something I will kill you’. After the fight Clottey told his manager that ‘Miguel Diaz really wanted me to win this fight’. I always want my fighter to win the fight no matter what.”

With our conversation coming towards a close it had become increasingly evident that Diaz knows both Pacquiao and Clottey all too well. With that in mind all one needed to do was simply ask the veteran for his thoughts on the matchup to get an insightful response.

“We know how Pacquiao is going to be, there is no question about it,” Diaz says. “Clottey is a very strong fighter with very tight defense. Sometimes he is short on the attack but he is talking about how he is going to come out right from the beginning and try to fight Pacquiao. I don’t know if he is just talking but I think it’s going to be a very hard fight for Pacquiao. He has to be very careful with the countering of Clottey. I see the fight turning in Pacquiao’s favor in the later rounds but before that it’s going to be a fight. Believe me it’s going to be a fight.”

This Saturday night Diaz will once again join Pacquiao and his team as a vital member of their corner as he heads into battle at Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Despite knowing that much responsibility lies in his hand Diaz is wise enough to know that he is just one piece of Pacquiao's puzzle on the 13th.

“With Pacquiao. I’m coming at the last minute. Later this week. There is no need for me to come right away. Freddie has a great relationship with Manny and I don’t think there is anything that I can change. Nothing has to be changed anyways and I will be there Thursday night. They know what they are doing and I am just there to help. It’s not going to be a problem.”

Source: Examiner.com

Joshua Clottey: What He Is and What He Isn't

Pacquiao vs Clottey

A lot of times in boxing, hype is just hype. And in a lot of ways, that rings very true this week for Joshua Clottey, who in just four days will share the ring with Manny Pacquiao in the biggest, richest and most important fight of his career.

Truth be told, the fight hasn't generated the usual big fight buzz. This is nowhere near what we saw for both of Pacquiao's 2009 fights, against Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. Those were massive events. This fight -- called "The Event," no less -- just isn't that sort of matchup, and there's a big reason for that.

The casual fans don't know who Joshua Clottey is. The mainstream writers and TV talking heads that don't really know boxing past a few names don't know who Joshua Clottey is, either. They're either counting him out, doing their ignorant "Who is THIS bum?" jive talk, or they're admitting that they don't really care about this fight.

That affords Top Rank, HBO and the other people responsible for selling this fight the opportunity to exaggerate some of Clottey's assets, if not flat-out lie about what he is as a fighter. Top Rank's 30-second TV spot calls Clottey a "devastating brawler." If you're a Comcast customer, you can go into your On Demand menu and find the Ghana-born New Yorker being hyped as a big-punching action star.

These things are just not true.

Of course, that's not to say that Clottey (35-3, 20 KO) isn't a challenge for Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO). He is an elite-level welterweight, a physically strong, defensively excellent, rugged and extremely durable fighter who will almost certainly be the biggest man (weight-wise) that Pacquiao has ever fought. Clottey likely will come into the ring anywhere from 156 to 160 pounds. Pacquiao has never weighed over 149 once he's actually stepped into the ring for fight night.

But for the genuinely curious, let's tell the truth about Joshua Clottey and what kind of fighter he is.

Past Big Fights

Clottey, 32, has had more hard luck than good or bad luck in his career. He's had a few chances to really emerge as a major player in the welterweight division, and while you can argue he took advantage in all three of his biggest fights, he officially went just 1-2 in those bouts. (His first loss in 1999 to Carlos Baldomir is widely accepted as having been a robbery disqualification. Clottey was leading on the cards at the time the referee called it off.)

The first came against Antonio Margarito in December 2006. Margarito was seen by many as a fierce, unstoppable force, but Clottey won a toe-to-toe battle early on in that fight, before suffering injuries to both hands that took him out of the contest. Judges' scorecards for that fight were wide (116-112 twice and an awful 118-109 card), but it was Clottey who generated a lot of discussion from his performance that night.

Almost two years later, after running through overmatched competition, Clottey got another shot at the big-time, meeting Zab Judah in a Boxing After Dark main event for the vacant IBF welterweight title. Judah looked to start fast, and as usual faded fairly quickly. As Clottey began to take over the fight, a punch cut Judah. Last anyone knew, Judah and his father/trainer Yoel will claim a headbutt opened the gash that had Judah pull out after nine rounds. Clottey won a well-earned technical decision.

10 months later, Clottey met Miguel Cotto. It was pretty well-known that Cotto had to beat Clottey, and then he was looking at a fight with Manny Pacquiao for late in 2009. Cotto escaped with a very narrow victory in a rough-and-tumble fight that saw Clottey knocked down on a jab in the first round, and then later bodyslammed in the corner by the Puerto Rican. A bad cut half-blinded Cotto, and the two both fought hard for most of the night.

Those who feel Cotto deserved the win will point to Clottey's single terrible habit: he gives rounds away. I scored the fight 114-113 for Cotto, personally, and if Clottey hadn't given a couple of rounds to Miguel, it would have been a different story on my card, too.

Power?

A lot of folks are talking about Clottey's power. I don't know if it's a general misconception or owes to the hype being put out there right now, but it's not near what it's being made out to be. Clottey is not Paul Malignaggi or Ivan Calderon. He can punch a little. But Clottey is nowhere near a one-punch KO artist, and really his power is more something the other fighter has to respect rather than something they need to fear.

The 1999 fight with Baldomir was really the first time Clottey faced a legitimate opponent, and after that debacle he faced a good amount of straight-up bums again. A lot of Clottey's stoppage wins are negligible when talking about an opponent like Pacquiao; frankly, a lot of Clottey's record is fairly meaningless. That goes for a lot of guys, but Clottey's record is very heavily padded in the early days.

Clottey, to be honest, only has one notable stoppage win on his entire sheet. That came in 2008 against Jose Luis Cruz, and some argued that that stoppage was a bit premature. It's Clottey's only stoppage win in the last 5 1/2 years, though to be fair, a lesser-regarded warrior than the late Diego "Chico" Corrales might have been saved by a referee during the beating Clottey gave him in 2007.

Excitement?

I wouldn't go so far as to call Joshua Clottey boring, but he's not thrilling by any stretch of the imagination. He keeps his hands up and is often content to wait, wait, wait for counter-punching opportunities. He's promising to be aggressive against Pacquiao, but it would be well out of the norm for him to actually come looking to pressure Pacquiao, so even if he starts out with that, expect him to return to what he's known for the first 15 years of his professional boxing career. "Deliberate" might be the best term to describe Clottey's offensive pace.

But...

I realize that this might sound like a bunch of reasons to count Clottey out, or at least some reasons that might temper your expectations. But there's also the fact that Clottey will on occasion really start fighting hard. He did it some against Cotto, and did it against Judah.

Judah, a fast lefty with good movement, is the only guy he's been in with that even closely compares to Pacquiao, and the 2010 Manny and 2008 Zab aren't that much alike. For one thing, I can't see Manny getting weary, frustrated and quit-happy the way Judah did. Clottey will have to really beat Pacquiao to beat him. For another thing, Judah just doesn't have Pacquiao's offensive firepower, and nobody really fights quite like Pacquiao. He's hard to duplicate.

Clottey can fight, and he's more than just a warm body to put in there with Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao is a major favorite and deserves to be one. But don't ignore Clottey or count him out. If Pacquiao and Freddie Roach are looking past Clottey, they could find themselves in their first real fight since the rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez in 2008.

Source: badlefthook.com

Clottey's trainer knows Pacquiao's ring secrets

Pacquiao vs Clottey
By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star) Updated March 10, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA
, Philippines - Joshua Clottey’s trainer Lenny de Jesus worked five fights in Manny Pacquiao’s corner for two years and was in Manila for the bout against Fahsang 3-K Battery at the Fort, Global City, in 2004. No doubt, the insider’s information on Pacquiao may come in handy for Clottey when the Ghanaian challenger takes on the defending WBO welterweight champion at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this Sunday morning (Manila time).

De Jesus, 64, took over from Ruben Gomez as Pacquiao’s cutman starting the Emmanuel Lucero fight in Los Angeles in 2003. He stayed for the fights against Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Fahsang and Erik Morales until Joe Chavez got the job in 2005. Chavez has since been replaced by Argentina’s Miguel Diaz.

De Jesus was brought into Pacquiao’s camp by Murad Muhammad who represented the Filipino in negotiating US fights since the Lehlo Ledwaba bout in 2001 and was later bumped off by Shelly Finkel then by Top Rank’s Bob Arum.

Clottey ditched his long-time trainer Kwame Asante reportedly due to a financial dispute after losing to Miguel Cotto last year. Asante, a Ghanaian like Clottey, was legendary champion Azumah Nelson’s trainer. Clottey picked another Ghanaian to replace Asante but Godwin Nji Dzanie Kotey, who used to train Ike Quartey, couldn’t get a US visa to travel from Accra.

Clottey then settled for De Jesus who will be working his corner in the Pacquiao fight with two Ghanaians, Kwaku Gyamfi and someone named Bruce. It’s not certain what experience Kwaku and Bruce will bring to the corner. Also in the corner will be Gjin Gjini, the Albanian owner of John’s Gym where Clottey trains in the Bronx.

But De Jesus is an old hand, for sure.

“I’ve been involved in boxing for over 40 years,” De Jesus said in a Manila interview before the Pacquiao-Fahsang fight. “I live, love, sleep and eat boxing.” The Puerto Rican native fought as an amateur, winning the borough championship at 16, and appeared in six fights as a pro before becoming a trainer at 19. Among the world champions whose corners he worked were Wilfredo Gomez, Roberto Duran, Alexis Arguello, Hector Camacho and Carlos Santos. Some of the trainers with whom he shared corner chores were Angelo Dundee, Eddie Futch, Al Gavin and Freddie Roach.

De Jesus is more of a cutman than a head trainer but with Kotey unavailable, Clottey promoted the Puerto Rican out of necessity. It’s been close to 22 years since De Jesus was a chief second in anyone’s corner and he’d rather forget the memory. That was when De Jesus’ protégé Miguel Santana lost a technical decision to IBF lightweight champion Greg Haugen in Tacoma in 1988 after he had been declared the winner by stoppage.

“There are five things you can do in a corner and I’ve done all of ‘em,” said De Jesus, quoted by John Whisler. “Not even Roach can say that. I’ve been the bucket guy, the stool guy, the advisor, the cutman and I’ve been the head guy before, too. But mostly, I’ve been a cutman.”

Aside from boxing, De Jesus is into locks. He owns a locksmith store in the Jackson Heights section of Queens. Clottey hopes De Jesus has the key to unlock Pacquiao’s secrets to his success.

ESPN described Clottey as “a part-time locksmith and long-time boxing satellite.”

De Jesus admitted that treating cuts is his specialty, more than anything else. He was employed six years as an orderly and technician in a New York hospital so the experience has come in handy. “I’m good at what I do and that’s to save fighters from cuts,” said De Jesus. “Manny’s not a bleeder. He was cut in the Barrera, Marquez and Morales fights but nothing serious. He’s got good bone structure with no jutting edges.”

Curiously, in the five fights that De Jesus worked with Pacquiao, the Filipino icon was cut in three.

When Clottey fought Miguel Cotto last June, De Jesus was in his corner as a cutman. But Clottey said De Jesus worked beyond his scope of duty.

“We established a good relationship during the Cotto fight,” said Clottey, quoted by Lem Satterfield. “When he was my cutman, he pushed me. He sort of wakes you up, tells me some good things. I chose him to be primary trainer for the Pacquiao fight. It was an easy transition. He motivates you.”

De Jesus will share his knowledge of Pacquiao’s secrets with Clottey but will the tips make a difference? After all, it was six years ago when De Jesus worked his last fight with Pacquiao and the Filipino has since won four more world titles to bring his unprecedented collection to seven.

Source: philstar.com