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Insider secrets on Pacquiao's brilliant game plan

If Manny Pacquiao is running for a political seat in the Philippines he should be gunning for secretary of defense and appoint Freddie Roach, Buboy Fernandez and Alex Ariza to head up his army.

I was on the fence about flying to Dallas for this one but opted to stay in Boston and join some friends at 21 Nickels bar and Grill in Watertown, MA. I am happy I did.

We all know the outcome of the shutout in Cowboy stadium last night. Instead of boring you with the details of this lopsided decision. I will shed some insight on the brilliance and preparation that went in to making this Pacquiao victory look easy.

Joshua Clottey had a few things working against him. While his ring entrance oozed confidence you have to assume that 50,000 screaming Pacquiao fans will put a few butterflies in the knees of even the most seasoned ex-champions.

My 8countnews.com colleague Peter Czymbor predicted a first round knockdown delivered by Clottey with a late round stoppage in Pacquiao’s favor . Czymbor’s predictions are usually spot on but not this time.

Clottey maintained a very conservative defense and took absolutely no chances. I believed he was simply feeling Pacquiao out and would open up by the fourth round. Each round was like a recurring bad dream for boxing fans. Clottey covered up most of the round and attempted to wake up every now and then without delivering much if any damage on Pacquiao. Even ringside commentator Jim Lampley felt it necessary to try and make the fight more interesting by screaming, BANG, BANG, BANG as Pacquiao sliced Clottey with a series of body punches. Lampley’s plea to cause excitement wasn’t convincing to anyone. The only one who would make this a real fight was team Clottey. It took me a few rounds to understand what was really going on here and I believe half the battle was lost in his corner.

While Clotteys regular coach was stuck in Ghana due to visa issues, he brought in ex- Pacquiao cut-man Lenny DeJesus. In a post fight interview DeJesus acted confident by boasting that he knew how to beat Pacquiao and how the champion has not changed his style in the past five years.

Flashing back to the three days I spent watching Pacquiao train for this fight it all started to make sense.

While I was snapping photos of Manny’s sparring sessions I was getting a little aggravated at the fact that all the pictures I was capturing was of him getting hit. Pacquiao seemed to be laying back, holding his guard high and allowing jabs to pepper his face every now and then. My initial thought was that he was not training as hard for this fight, especially when he would cup his mitts around the head of his sparring partner, playing with him. In retrospect it seemed as if Pacquiao was climbing into the skin of Clottey and role playing his style to better understand the mind of his opponent.

More Pacquiao Photos

If that was the case then it worked brilliantly. You may have even noticed Pacquiao being warned for using two hands to play with Clotteys head just like he was doing in training. It’s wasn’t dirty. Pacquiao was simply bored with his opponent.

To make matters worse, DeJesus really didn’t have an answer for his fighter. In one round he simply said to Clottey “ You have to do something” . There was no solid advice as how to get in on Pacquiao, nothing.

While Clottey may have blown his chance at super stardom , I give him credit for going the distance. No fault to Manny, this fight was mearly a giant sparring match for him. Bring on Mayweather!

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: examiner.com

The Curse of Clottey, The Greatness of Pacquiao

If Dennis Green, rather than Freddie Roach, had served as the trainer for Manny Pacquiao during the Pacman's welterweight tilt with Joshua Clottey on Saturday night, I think after the fight Denny would have screamed something like this to reporters:

"Joshua Clottey is who we thought he was. He's who we thought he was. We watched film on him, we trained for him, who the (bleep) ignores film on a guy who's had the same problem his whole career?! JOSHUA CLOTTEY IS WHO WE THOUGHT HE WAS!!! AND HE DIDN'T HAVE IT IN HIM TO GO AFTER THE WIN!!!"

Or something like that.

I guess you could say Josh Clottey was made to look like a caricature of himself on Saturday night. He fought his usual, passive-aggressive fight against Manny Pacquiao, but on this night his opponent's activity trumped him so badly it made him look just passive.

Against Miguel Cotto, a great but mortal fighter, Clottey's act was enough to keep it close, with many observers believing he deserved the decision.

Against Pacquiao, a transcendent, immortal fighter, it was not nearly enough.

Against Cotto, Clottey only needed to push himself a little and it would have been his.

Against Pacquiao, he needed to fight the fight of his life in order to give himself a chance to win.

On both occasions, he was unwilling to walk the necessary miles. And against Pacquiao, Clottey's fatal flaw was more glaring than ever.

In the fifth round, Jim Lampley said, "I'm not sure Joshua Clottey came to win tonight."

He didn't.

In the sixth Lampley said Clottey was "Not willing to lay himself on the line to win the fight."

That pretty much sums up Josh Clottey, Jim.

In the eighth round Lampley began yelling, "Bang...bang...bang...bang..." as Manny fired away at a shelled up Clottey, who refused to throw back. But try as he might, Lampley wasn't able to make the fight exciting because Josh Clottey was not going to allow it to be.

He showed up, and fought, but not really.

By the last quarter of the fight, Clottey's trainer, Lenny DeJesus, was pleading with his fighter to take a chance, to let his hands go, but Clottey wouldn't do it. And so at the end of the night one judge had scored the fight a shutout for Pacquiao, while the other two had Clottey winning the third round. I scored it a shutout.

It's easy to be critical of Clottey on this night, but the argument can also be made that Pacquiao forced Clottey not to try. Clottey said after the fight, "He has speed. This is the first time where I believe I lost a fight. He was waiting for me to open to counter me. I realized that I couldn't land my power punches on him, because he was so fast."

So while common sense would seem to indicate to Clottey that he needed to throw more to win, apparently the reality of Pacquiao's speed on offense and defense made the notion of him being more aggressive both dangerous and futile in the mind of the Ghanaian fighter. Furthermore, DeJesus told Max Kellerman during the fight (yes, during the fight - what is this, baseball?) that he felt Clottey was afraid to open up because he was scared of Pac's power.

And indeed, after another one-sided victory I mean to give Manny Pacquiao all of the credit he deserves. Against Cotto, Large pointed out that Pacquiao showed us he had a Margarito-esque chin; against Clottey he showed us his Margs-esque stamina. We knew he had it but Saturday night it shined brighter than ever. Pacquiao threw more than 100 punches per round.

The other thing that was very impressive about Pacquiao on Saturday night was his ability to stick to the gameplan. To fight from the outside, work Clottey to the body, and in general just keep pounding away, at the guard, around it, under it, content in racking up points against a man who declined to throw back. He didn't get frustrated and try to force anything to happen, he didn't worry about getting a knockout. He is an intelligent and disciplined fighter now, on top of everything else.

Clottey didn't really try to win Saturday night, but he was also well out of his league.

So, where do we go from here? Well, we know where we go from here. Let the Mayweather-Mosley mania start for real now. In the ring after the fight Pacquiao and Roach called out Floyd Mayweather Jr., saying they want to fight him.

During the HBO wrap-up, Max Kellerman's final words spoke for all of us.

"Should Mayweather beat [Shane] Mosley, it must happen," he said.

Yes.

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: sportingnews.com

Pacman Dominates Clottey on a Historical Night in Texas

Pacquiao wins...

Over fifty one thousand crazed fans in attendance at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium went wild as pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao inched toward the ring for his welterweight tile defense against former welterweight champion Joshua Grandmaster Clottey. After twelve rounds of boxing Pacquiao held on to his throne of a pound for pound king and a WBO welterweight crown via impressive unanimous decision victory with scorecards: 1220-108,119-109,119-109 all in favor of Pacquiao.

The first ever event in newly built Cowboys Stadium was a huge success and produced record ticket sales It was staged in a grand style of Texas and created a night to remember and an opportunity for future shows.

Dominating every minute of every round pound for pound king had high praise for his opponent. "It's not an easy fight," said Pacquiao: "It's not; he is a very strong opponent." Many Pacquiao did look like he was in a fight with his right eye badly swollen. Manny and his trainer Freddie Roach said that they can't wait to fight Mayweather.

"Let commission do their job," said Roach: Let's just get in the ring and fight!"

Pacman dominated round one penetrating high guard offense of Clottey with ease going to the body and around the guard. Pacquiao landed a right hook that stunned Clottey and caught him off balance to culminate the round. Despite being dominated in the second Clottey landed some very telling blows, but more than that he showed the world that he is not going to be intimidated by the champion. Round three was the most competitive round with Clottey landing some big bombs to compensate for lack of punch output. Pacman completely dominated round four, unleashing furious combinations from everywhere and pinning Clottey to the ropes several times.

Pacman's assault continued in the fifth, but in the sixth he tried to get Clottey to open up by laying on the ropes and covering up inviting attack, but Joshua was defense first fighter and he would not engage and continued to throw one punch at a time while Pacquiao moved around the ring like a butterfly unleashing furious combinations from everywhere. And so it went, almost reminiscent of a glorified sparring session with Clottey being a heavy bag until the end of the tenth when Joshua landed the straight right hand that hurt Pacquiao. The Pilipino idol retaliated and launched a furious assault in the eleventh that had Ghana challenger in trouble. Not wanting to rest on his laurels the champion tried his best to finish Clottey off to the very final second.

They embraced each other at the final bell as mostly pro Filipino crowd went home happy applauding their hero for another job well done. According to a media from Philippines two parades are planned for their national hero; one in Manila and one in Manny's home town, general Santos City. Many Pacquiao will be running for a political office in his region in May. Will the fans get to see Pacquaio Mayweather later on this year? Stay tuned.

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: 411mania.com

Freddie Roach predicts stoppage, says Joshua Clottey ‘not versatile’

Despite some reports, Manny Pacquiao retirement seems unlikely


Manny Pacquiao speaks with his trainer, Freddie Roach, during a workout at Wildcard Boxing Gym in Hollywood, Calif. on Feb. 1, 2010.

According to Freddie Roach, in no way is his fighter, Manny Pacquiao, taking Saturday's welterweight fight with Joshua Clottey at Dallas Cowboys Stadium lightly.

The trainer himself however, isn't giving Clottey much of a shot.

Roach, who is famous for accurately predicting fights, said he sees one of two scenarios playing out in the first boxing match ever at the newly built $1.2 billion stadium in Arlington, Texas — and neither of them are good for Pacquiao's opponent.

"He'll either try to come out and impose his size or he'll go to the ropes and try to get Manny to wear himself out," Roach said. "That won't happen, because Manny won't get tired. If he does come forward, he's going to come in straight lines and we'll use lateral movement.

"It's not that hard of a game plan. It's pretty simple actually."

So confident is Pacquiao's trainer, he didn't mind sharing a bit of the strategy the Filipino champion is planning to use in the ring this weekend.

Clottey (35-3, 20 KO) has never been stopped in his professional career, a streak Roach believes will end against Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO).

"The body attack is very essential in this fight because he doesn't protect his body that well," Roach said. "He's got a great chin, but I think we can break him down with body shots. I think we can stop him.

"He doesn't come out and chase punches and he doesn't block punches; he just puts up earmuffs. If you can throw the hook a little deeper on the ear and get him to block that, the chin is open. That's Manny's favorite punch. That's his bread and butter."

While Roach is obviously comfortable in sharing his confidence in what will happen Saturday, he's mindful to make sure his fighter is staying humble.

Looking back on the biggest upsets in boxing history, Roach said the losers all have one thing in common.

"They got lazy. They got satisfied," Roach said.. "But I haven't seen that in Pacquiao yet. I'm still waiting for the day he comes in the gym and doesn't have that work ethic. He works as hard today as he did the day he first came in.

"He knows (Clottey) is a dangerous guy and he respects him."

As Saturday's fight draws closer, there have been reports from various media outlets that Pacquiao's choice to run for Congress in the Philippines this spring and an inability to come to terms for a super-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. may turn this into the last fight of his career.

After speaking with parties involved however, it appears those reports are based mostly on statements only by Roach and that the chances of Pacquiao retiring after this weekend are slim.

In fact, Pacquiao's chances of even winning the election into Congress in May seem to be anything but a sure thing, as his opponent comes from a family with a deep political background.

"I talk to Manny, and he's winning by a landslide," said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum. "Then I talk to (Filipino newscaster) Dyan Castillejo and she thinks it's fifty-fifty. He's running against a son of a ruling, warlord kind of family.

"He has an uphill battle, but he seems confident. I hope he wins, but I have no idea."

Whether Pacquiao's political dreams come to fruition or not, Roach remains set in the hope his fighter will take the ring no more than twice before hanging up his gloves.

Roach, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease likely caused by taking too many punches during his own fighting career, believes the only test left for Pacquiao would be Mayweather sometime in 2010.

Win or lose to Mayweather, Roach says, Pacquiao should retire.

"That's Freddie. I don't know why Freddie is saying that," said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum. "Freddie is the most compensated trainer in the world and he keeps talking about retirement. Manny doesn't talk about it."

Roach says he also wants Pacquiao to have the luxury of retiring on top of the sport, rather than after a loss under the pressures of a coach as he did.

"It's really hard to tell somebody to quit," said Roach, who unsuccessfully urged James Toney and Bernard Hopkins toward retirement. "I remember when my coach told me to quit it made me cry. I thought, 'This is all I've done my whole life.' I was 26.

"We've talked about it a little bit. I'd like to see Manny fight two more fights and quit. This fight and Mayweather and be done with it. There are no more challenges out there. "

And for the man referred to by Pacquiao himself as 'master,' defeating Mayweather and then having the discipline to walk away on top may be the only challenges left.

Because even though he wants his fighter to take Clottey seriously, it's obvious the Ghanaian fighter doesn't scare Roach.

"I don't think (a win over Clottey) would take (Pacquiao) to the next level," Roach said. "We all know he's a good fighter, but the general public doesn't know much about Clottey and they know he lost to Cotto.

"It's a must-win situation, but I don't think it's a tougher fight than Cotto. Cotto was a versatile guy. This guy does the same thing over and over again."

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: lasvegassun.com

Pacquiao Makes Great Fighters Look Bad

It's amazing how it has become common play for certain boxing analysts, reporters, and writers to criticize Manny Pacquiao for fighting unworthy opponents. Due to this, the Pacquiao-Clottey fight hasn't been taken as seriously as Pacquiao's last several bouts.

Before Pacquiao faced Oscar De La Hoya, some went so far as to say it was a “ridiculous” and “pointless” match. Some experts held to the belief Pacquiao would suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of his bigger opponent. When Pacquiao signed the deal to fight Cotto, many claimed that Pacquiao couldn't stand up against a legitimate, top-notch welterweight. After Pacquiao destroyed both men, De La Hoya was “old and weight-drained” and Cotto was “damaged goods”. It might be wise of the aforementioned boxing experts to entertain the notion that Manny Pacquiao possesses the skills to make great fighters look bad.

Pacquiao's skills have been finely honed over time by his hard work, and determination. Freddie Roach has also been instrumental in helping Pacquiao develop into the elite pugilist that he has become. The completely offensive, left-handed brawler that was the young Manny Pacquiao been transformed into the ultimate boxing machine.

Manny Pacquiao has an unusual style and an uncanny ability to confuse and frustrate the best fighters in his weight class. He's keeps on his toes and forces his opponents to turn. He doesn't give them time to T-off on him. He throws such volumes of punches from such strange angles that his foes are simply unable to defend against his attacks. Eventually he breaks them down, and overwhelms them.

Pacquiao's dominating performance over Miguel Cotto has been both a blessing and a curse for him. Before that fight occurred, Joshua Clottey would have undoubtedly been considered a legitimate threat. Now many just consider him to be Pacquiao's next victim. As 8CN's Kenneth Ragpala pointed out in his article entitled “Making a Case for Joshua Clottey”, anybody who thinks Clottey is easy pickings for Pacquiao needs to reconsider the facts.

Clottey is the biggest man that Pacquiao will have ever faced and has a defense that is all but impenetrable. Joshua Clottey was considered a very good welterweight until he signed a contract to fight Manny Pacquiao.

Here's the real scoop:

1.The negotiations with Mayweather fell through. That's been well covered so we won't dredge that up again.

2. The No. 2 ranked welterweight, Shane Mosley and No. 3, Floyd Mayweather Jr. are fighting each other on May 1st. At the time the fight with Clottey was made, Mosley was expected to face Andre Berto.

3. Miguel Cotto is No. 4 in the welterweight rankings. Pacquiao has been there and done that.

4. That leaves the next best option, Joshua Clottey. What is it that is difficult to understand about this whole scenario?

Throughout Pacquiao's career, he has fought the best opposition available. Once again, he's doing just that. Clottey is legit. He's no pushover and he has a chance to upset Manny Pacquiao. However, if Pacquiao does what is expected and beats Clottey, he will undoubtedly be criticized once again for facing a lesser fighter.

Perhaps Pacquiao’s critics would like to see him face Klitschko?

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: 8countnews.com

Pacquiao has perfect game plan for Clottey

DALLAS, Texas (AFP) – Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao puts his World Boxing Organization title on the line Saturday against Ghana's Joshua Clottey as they headline the first fight card at Cowboys Stadium.

The 31-year-old Pacquiao will be making the first defence of his WBO welterweight belt but it could also be his last fight as he prepares to embark on a political career in his native Philippines.

Pacquiao, who will run for a congressional seat in May after failing to get elected three years ago, said Filipinos are now more accepting of his political goals.

"Before they don't want me to enter politics because I am still fighting," Pacquiao said. "They didn't want to lose Manny Pacquiao in boxing. But now my time in boxing is really short. I have to think about the future and helping my people."

But first the three-time fighter of the year Pacquiao has to get past the much bigger Clottey who is fighting at his natural weight (147 pounds) unlike Pacquiao who is moving up in weight class.

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 28 KOs) has looked unstoppable in his last three fights and he isn't showing any signs of losing power as he fights bigger and stronger opponents.

Pacquiao has won 11 consecutive fights, eight by knockout, since losing to Erik Morales in March 2005.

His plan is to wear the 32-year-old Clottey down on Saturday so he can finish him off in the later rounds.

"Joshua will bring out the best in Manny," said Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach, who wants to see his champion fight one more time - against Floyd Mayweather - then retire. "Manny will go out there and fight another perfect fight."

Promoters are expecting a sellout of 45,000 for the first fight card at the 1.2 billion dollar Cowboys Stadium which was opened last year.

The home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys is an unusual venue for a world championship fight because of its location and size. The majority of world title fights these days are held in much smaller venues in Las Vegas.

This will be the largest crowd Pacquiao has fought in front of and he is looking forward to showing what he can do.

"This is very important fight for me," Pacquiao said. "This is my first time here in Dallas.

"It is going to be worldwide and it is a good example to other places that also want to promote boxing."

Pacquiao had been expected to fight Mayweather on the same date in a pound-for-pound mega-fight.

But when that bout fell through over a drug-testing dispute, former IBF champion Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs) came into the picture.

Both fighters fought former champion Miguel Cotto in their most recent fights - southpaw Pacquiao winning by a 12th round TKO four months ago and Clottey losing a close decision to Cotto nine months ago.

Clottey, who has never been knocked down, comes into the fight without his long-time trainer Godwin Kotey, who is back in Ghana because he couldn't get a visa to come to the US.

Kotey's replacement is former cutman Lenny DeJesus, 64, who was promoted to head trainer just seven weeks ago.

DeJesus says his boxer is more than just a fill-in fighter for Mayweather.

"It is a hurting game," said DeJesus, who worked a half dozen fights in Pacquiao's corner as a cut man. "If my guy can put a hurt on Pacquiao that will change the fight.

"I got a stronger and bigger guy. I have created some different movements so he won't be a target."

This is Pacquiao's second fight as a true welterweight. He weighed just 106 pounds for his first professional fight in 1995 and won his first title in the 112 pound flyweight division

His major titles have come in weight classes ranging from 112 pounds to 147 pounds and he is the first Asian to win four or more major belts.

Before systematically dismantling Cotto in 12 rounds, he sent Oscar De La Hoya into retirement in December 2008 and demolished Briton Ricky Hatton in just two rounds in May 2009.

"I want to give a good fight and make people happy," Pacquiao said. "We have a plan. We have some strategy and whatever happens in the ring we will adjust to.

"We based our training on our opponent's style. We trained perfectly to the style of the opponent so I think our team work for this fight is very good."

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: news.yahoo.com

CAN JOSHUA CLOTTEY WIN THE BIG ONE?

There is a sense of irony that Saturday’s Joshua Clottey and Manny Pacquaio fight will be contested at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. My contrast to the NFL is that Clottey is trying to avoid becoming the Buffalo Bills of boxing. The Bills of the 1990’s were the greatest team in history that never won the Super Bowl. They went 0-4 in the big game in consecutive years. Forever they have been maybe unjustly labeled as chokers or failures. Clottey despite being a former world title holder and universally recognized as one of the best boxers in the sport today, he has failed to win the “Big Fight.”

He does own an impressive win over former undisputed welterweight champ Zab Judah. In August 2009, Clottey dominated and grabbed the then vacant IBF welterweight crown, via a technical unanimous decision. The referee ordered the score cards to be read after Judah could not continue due to a cut. Throughout the fight Judah was manhandled by the physically bigger man and like many before him, the Brooklynite found his offense futile versus the Ghanaian’s stingy defense.

I was ringside in Atlantic City on December 2, 2006 when Clottey failed in his attempt to win the WBO title versus Antonio Margarito. During the first 8 rounds Clottey took advantage of the slow starting Margarito. Gradually Clottey let the champion off the hook by not punching as much as he did at the beginning, so much so that the final Compu-Box numbers read a 337-207 edge to Margarito. Later on Clottey’s fading performance was attributed to a hand injury. Witnessing it in person it appeared like a guy who did not to get the job done. It looked as if Clottey did not want it bad enough. Now I know I’m getting into a dangerous realm because no one knows exactly what’s inside of a fighters mind. But I can only go by what I see or better yet what a fighter shows you. During the post fight it was disclosed that Clottey suffered a hand injury. I still refused to give him the benefit of the doubt I was left with the impression that despite his talents Clottey did not posses the mythical “heart of a champion.” It’s the special trait that we fight fans demand from all who step in the ring. It turns out that the judges had a different view then most observers as they awarded a unanimous decision in favor of Margarito. One of those judges Eugene Grant, who I feel should have had his license revoked for a year delivered the preposterous score of 109-118, against Clottey. Subsequently at the end of the day it was a loss on Clottey’s resume.

Clottey’s most recent high profile test was on June 13, 2009 against Miguel Cotto in front of a sold out Madison Square Garden . After 12 grueling rounds Clottey once again fought on even terms with his opponent. Clottey overcame a flash knockdown in the 1st rd to and wound up landing according to Compu-Box estimates 222 punches, which was 43 more punches than Cotto. However I’ve always felt that numbers in professional boxing are not like baseball or any other sport, you should be awarded for quality not quantity. Also body language in the ring can determine a win or loss. The site of Cotto fighting with a grotesque cut, masked in his own blood for about 9 rounds and being spurred on by a partisan Puerto Rican crowd was the antithesis to a boxer who seemed content to do just enough to get by with a basic non dynamic offensive approach. Once again Clottey came up short and lost a razor thin split decision. I personally had the bout a draw but I certainly did not feel Clottey did enough to take the title away from the champion.

Clottey’s career up until now is following the path of fellow countrymen Ike Quartey. Quartey was a much heralded former 147lb champion in the late 90’s who recorded wins over Oba Carr and Vince Philips. But much like Clottey he was not able to secure that one signature win in his career. When he met Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas, he fell short despite giving more than stellar performances in both fights. Frankly I still feel to this day he was robbed when he fought “The Golden Boy”, it was a draw at worst.

Maybe there is a cultural paradox here at work. I felt watching Quartey that boxing to him was simply a job, but not his passion. He fought about once a year got his paycheck and went back to live a luxurious life in his native Ghana . The impression that I have of him is like many immigrants who work hard here in the U.S.A. make their money and go back home. Even during his comeback, attempt in which he was shafted against the late great Vernon Forrest and then was too small to deal with Winky Wright. I always questioned Quartey’s desire to be great, much like I do Clottey.

There are fighters who come along that you feel that they would be willing to die in the ring. Jorge Arce, Diego Corrales, Arturo Gatti, Mickey Ward and Marvin Hagler, Edwin Valero and ironically Manny Pacquiao are just some who come to my mind.


Who am I to judge? Neither Quartey nor Clottey are wrong for choosing to have a complacent mentality. At the end of the day, boxing is a business and they are employees performing a dangerous occupation. However there is a special place in boxing lore reserved for those who push the envelope and dare to be considered an all time great. Those who chose to go another rout must deal with how they will be perceived by the media, boxers and more importantly the fans.

So to Grandmaster Clottey to quote another African, hip hop crooner Akon, “its all up to you.” How will we remember your career?

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: boxingtalk.com

Will Speed or Size prevail in “The Event”

Fight week has arrived and “The Event” is just mere hours away. Both fighters, of course, sport grinning smiles with matching confidence but only one will leave the new 1.2 billion dollar Dallas stadium a winner. Manny Pacquiao (50-3, 38 ko’s) already has concreted a site for his concert to follow immediately after the showdown, and Ghana’s golden child, Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 ko’s), has also made promises to his countrymen with notions of ‘shocking the world’.

While the Pacman is offering an interesting, more aggressive input on Money Mayweather (“I will crush Mayweather, knock him out!”), I don’t doubt that his head is in the game as he faces a man who has never been stopped. And that, alone, is saying a lot when we compare the Filipino’s last couple opponents. Miguel Cotto was stopped by the more-than-likely loaded hands of the Tijuana Tornado, Antonio Margarito. Britain’s favorite son, Ricky Hatton, was flattened by a perfect picture counter hook from the aforementioned Mayweather Jr. De la Hoya was sent down and counted out with a body shot from the age-defying Bernard Hopkins. But, as we already know too well in this sport, one loss, even by devastating KO, doesn’t define the fighter. Hall of fame ballots tend to cast the bigger picture and not
necessarily windows of greatness anyhow.

Many are claiming that Clottey just might be Pacquiao’s first legitimate welterweight foe but I felt that, personally, Miguel Cotto was in excellent physique and conditioning when they fought.

Even if you judge solely by size and style, Clottey isn’t too far from the upper tier of the welterweight division. His nutshell defense and low output, yet accurate offense spelled trouble for many different styles of fighters, including Cotto and Zab Judah.

Although Clottey has admitted to Pacquiao’s greatness, he, himself, holds little fear of the Filipino’s punching power. He’s been quoted as saying that he would be willing to test it out in person, with trouble to follow for his opponent if the ‘punches don’t hurt’. I beg to differ. Since when does a punch NOT hurt? Take this and add it with the fact that team Clottey is seemingly coming into the biggest fight of their careers blind (they also admitted to not viewing any fight tapes of Pacquiao); it will definitely be a night of self realization. Yes Clottey throws fewer punches than his opponents with a higher hit percentage, but he doesn’t realize that it was his lack of offense and his inability to close the show that cost Ghana a big, big win over Puerto Rico in New York not too long ago.

With Jerry Jones committed to bringing boxing to Dallas full time, we can count on more and more exciting cards for the remainder of the year and so forth. It would seem that Jerry’s foot is just about through the door so there are only bigger and better things to come from the Lone Star state.

Although the prize fight is outside of Vegas, the drawing power to bring in 45,000 fans which include a throng of celebrities has definitely proven than Pacquiao is a seller in the states. I would even go as far to say that the Filipino would be pushing the boundaries of ANY international stadium if a Rumble in the Jungle type event were to take place in the near future. With the sour relationship between the UFC and boxing withstanding (thanks to Mayweather Jr.), Dana White, head honcho of the UFC, will be in attendance. He’s also to give away a couple tickets for fans to join in as well. Other names include Steven Segal, Jean Claude Van Damme, and regulars such as Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington. Besides actors, professional sports and political figures such as Ron Artest of the Los Angeles Lakers, Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees, and former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are also rumored to be ringside.

With Daylight Savings to take effect just hours after the night is over and March Madness selection Sunday following not too close behind, this will be a great, but shorter weekend for sports enthusiasts. Pacquiao has been deemed the type of fighter who is embraced by even the most casual of fans. His die-hard power is also a draw for MMA nuts who thrive for the fast-paced, all action brawls.

We won’t know whether speed or size will prevail in “the Event”, but if you ask me, the smaller fighter has more firepower. As a current 5-1 under dog (formerly 4-1 to start), Clottey will enjoy a two inch height and two and a half inch reach advantages. Will this be enough for the Ghana native?

I see a wide unanimous decision for the champion with the possibility of a late rally stoppage. Clottey’s iron chin will be a factor, but only until the middle rounds. The speed and output will be too much for Clottey to persevere through, let alone overcome.

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: diamondboxing.com

Experts expect tough fight for Pacquiao

ARLINGTON, TEXAS—Hall of Fame boxing historian Bert Sugar and several boxing writers believe that the Pound-4-Pound King Manny Pacquiao’s bout against Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday, March 13 is not as easy as many people believe.

On the surface, it seems like the fast hands and quick feet of Pacquiao will easily vanquish the bigger, slower and defensive minded Clottey. But experts say the Ghanaian will put up a fight.

"Clottey is a tough nut to crack," said Sugar. "He’s like (defensive boxer) Winky Wright. He puts his gloves up and he’ll block anything. Trying to get through to him is like trying to open an oyster with a butter knife," he added.

Sugar said he still expects Pacquiao to win but he will have his work cut out for him.

"Manny is a salad spinner to his opponent who’s the lettuce leaf," added Sugar. "He’ll keep coming and coming in and he’ll be far more active because Clottey is waiting for a counter punch (opportunity) so this is a tougher fight than what many people think it is."

Sugar said he expects Clottey to go for a knock out win against Pacquiao because he believes "he is not going to win a decision."

"Manny will outwork (Clottey) but I don’t think he’s going to knock him out," he said. "He’s facing a man who was born a welterweight. (Clottey) is that big and he’s going to have a 10 to 15 pound weight advantage by the time he walks out of that door," he added.

Kieran Mulvaney of Reuters also believes this will be a difficult match for Pacquiao.

"I won’t be surprised that early on in the fight, it’s going to take Manny a little while to figure him out because Clottey is a big strong guy and he can cause problems," said Mulvaney. "But I believe ultimately what will happen is Manny’s angles, speed and footwork will prove to be too much (for Clottey)."

Yahoo! boxing writer Kevin Iole agrees. He thinks Pacquiao will prevail but Clottey will make it difficult for him.

"While I think Manny will win the fight, I don’t think he’ll dominate," said Iole. "Manny is so good that you’ll know he’ll put on a good show but this guy is a big, tough guy with probably the best chin Manny has ever faced and if Manny knocks this dude out, that’s a big statement," he said.

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: asianjournal.com

Does Clottey have a chance?

If one were just looking at the two gentleman side by side, and didn't know any better, they would all point at Clottey. They would say, "That guy, the big fella, he will win." But, it's not that simple. Pacquiao has been here before. He's been in the big fights, and he's been on the big stage. This is however the biggest opponent that Manny will have ever faced.

Clottey is no joke, and Pacquiao has trained just as hard for him as he has any other opponent. Back in 2006, Joshua Clottey was taking Margarito to school. Clottey was dominating the fight until he injured his hand. After the injury, Margarito was able to regroup and barely get out of there with a victory. The man from Ghana knows how big a victory over Pacquiao would be for his career. He also knows how Pacquiao's previous opponents have ended up. Most of them are knocked out, or they quit in their corners.

Check out video of Pacquiao training here - http://http://www.examiner.com/x-10947-Filipino-Sports-Examiner~y2010m3d10-Exclusive-Video-Pacquiao-training-with-Freddie-Roach-for-Clottey--the-Gaylord-Texan-Hotel

Clottey has wins over the late Diego "Chico" Coralles, and Zab Judah. He is a big strong welterweight that keeps coming. Manny will have to respect Clottey's power, and he will have to respect his chin. It's difficult to hurt him. Clottey is banking on catching Manny coming in. He hopes to catch Manny with a perfectly timed punch. It's been a long time since Manny was remotely hurt inside of the boxing ring, so it would be interesting to see how Manny handled being injured in the ring.

Does Clottey have a chance to pull of this victory? It's not very probable, but it's possible. The general consensus is that Pacquiao's speed and his own power will prove too much for Clottey to handle. This scenario may very well happen, and seems more likely.

Mississippi fans for the most part are all saying Pacquiao wins easily. Assistant MS Athletic Director, Patrick Turner believes that an upset is possible, but not likely. Stan Nichols, Chief of Officials (MS) and President of the USA Boxing Southern Association believes that Pacquiao will win, but he will have some difficulty, " I think this fight is a dangerous fight for Pacquiao. He's facing a natural welterweight who can crack. The question is, will Manny be able to avoid Clottey's power for 12 rounds?"

This is not a fight that anyone should be taking lightly. Manny Pacquiao knows that he is going up against a very live opponent. Clottey knows all too well how Pacquao's previous opponents have ended up. Does Clottey have a chance? Yes, but it's not a very good one.

Check out additional footage of Pacquiao and an interview with Alex Ariza here - http://www.8countnews.com

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: examiner.com

Pacquiao calm, confident for fight vs Clottey

ARLINGTON, Texas — Manny Pacquiao arrived at Cowboys Stadium on Wednesday in a bus skinned with his likeness, the seats filled with members of his entourage.

He walked into the formal part of his appearance wearing a snazzy straw hat and a dark blazer. He quickly swapped the sports coat for a red jacket featuring his MP logo in golden thread.

He talked about his upcoming election for Congress in his homeland, the Philippines.

He talked about singing — rehearsing with his band the night before, with another session later Wednesday night, all in preparation for a performance at the after-party following his fight Saturday night.

Oh, yeah. The fight.

Billed as "The Event," Pacquiao is facing Joshua Clottey on Saturday night in boxing's debut at the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium.

It's an intriguing matchup perfect for a football stadium — Pacquiao's furious offense against Clottey's dedication to defense — and it'll look amazing on the 72-foot-high, 160-foot-wide video boards towering over the ring.

A sellout crowd of 45,000 is expected, with the attendance possibly soaring if Cowboys owner Jerry Jones decides to sell standing-room-only tickets. And, of course, there's the pay-per-view audience that promoter Bob Arum said is likely to top the hoped-for total of 700,000.

Put the pieces together, and it all makes perfect sense: The WBO welterweight champion — already considered the best fighter in the world, pound for pound — is treating this entire week as one big performance, especially if he wins that election and decides to devote more time on politics that pugilism.

"I'm inspired to give a good show, to do my best," Pacquiao said, smiling. "To impress the people, you have to make your best (effort)."

Then trainer Freddie Roach jumped in, cranking up the hype.

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

Roach said the adrenaline surge that's going to come from walking into the ring in these surroundings already has been factored into the game plan. That likely means even more punches from Pacquiao (50-3-2), who is already knowing for throwing plenty.

Then again, Clottey (35-3) is known for blocking punches. The 32-year-old Ghana native also has never been knocked out and knocked down only once.

"Blocking punches doesn't win fights," Roach said. "I think we can stop him in the late rounds. The accumulation of punches he'll be taking in this fight he's never seen before. ... I don't think he'll be able to handle it."

Clottey is taller and with a longer reach. He's never been stopped cold, with his few losses including a disqualification in 1999 and a split decision to Miguel Cotto in his last bout, in June.

Clottey was given this opportunity against Pacquiao when his proposed megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. fell through. He's very appreciative for this opportunity and has nothing but nice things to say about Pacquiao.

It's Roach who rankles him, from the predicted result to talk of a head butt being one of Clottey's best punches.

Clottey's prediction?

"I'm predicting a win," he said.

Clottey's trainer is Lenny De Jesus, who spent a few years as Pacquiao's cutman. Clottey went with him after his preferred trainer was denied a visa.

Something else missing from his preparation: film sessions, at least not any featuring Pacquiao.

"I don't like doing that," Clottey said. "I know his style, I know the way he moves, the way he throws punches, so it doesn't matter.

"I study myself," he added. "I watch my own fights. I know what I have to do."

As for Pacquiao's future, Arum laughed off any chance that his ace would walk away at the top of his career. He said he keeps hearing about it from Roach, but never from Pacquiao.

All Pacquiao said about it Wednesday was, "I don't know."

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: statesman.com

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

What is most remarkable about the teak-tough Joshua Clottey is where he hails from.


Tough neighbourhood: Joshua Clottey hails from Bukom in Ghana Photo: REUTERS

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.

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Photos: Pacquiao vs Clottey Final Presser in Texas

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

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: boxingscene.com

Photos: Manny Pacquiao Media Day in Dallas, Texas

Dallas,Texas --- "JAM-PACKED" --- A standing-room-only crowd of media and fans showed up to see seven-time world champion and "Fighter of the Decade" Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao shadow box during training for his upcoming World Welterweight championship against challenger Joshua Clottey on Saturday,March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington,Texas on HBO Pay-Per-View. --- Photo Credit : Chris Farina - Top Rank

For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.

Source: boxingscene.com