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The Event: A tale of Pacquiao's pace and Clottey's toughness
Moments ago Manny Pacquiao retained his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey in a one sided decision victory.
Showing a tremendous pace from the outset, Pacquiao simply kept Clottey too busy to get many punches off. The overmatched Ghanaian employed his shell like defense to good effect again, but Pacquiao showed improved footwork in limiting Clottey's opportunities to catch him.
There were moments when Clottey's pinpoint punches caught Pacquiao, but he never got busy enough to win more than a couple of the closer rounds.
Clottey's defense was tight as always, and a lot of Pacquiao's punches were caught on the gloves, although the sheer volume of them put him way ahead on every scorecard, and needing a knockout in the later rounds.
The only problem Pacquiao still has is that he has always been easy to hit. Clottey was able to rock Pacquiao's head back a number of times but never often enough or hard enough to make much out of it.
A more cunning counter puncher might have a little more success, but few other fighters at welterweight could deal with the kind of barrage the always tough Clottey endured. Although Pacquiao lacked much head movement as he usually does, perennial rival Floyd Mayweather will not find much to draw comfort from if he intends to take on Pacquiao later on in the year.
In the tenth, it looked like Clottey might just be coming apart at the seams, as Pacquiao turned up the pace and found a way around his defenses on several occasions. In the last two rounds though he rallied, and with the end in sight let his hands go a little more, safe in the knowledge that he would probably be able to last the remainder of the fight.
Next for Clottey is unclear, without an immediate path open to him, he might want to consider taking on the loser of Mayweather vs. Mosley in May. Alternatively he could always move up to light middleweight and take on the winner of Miguel Cotto vs. Yuri Foreman.
Next for Pacquiao is the election in his home country, and possibly congressional duties. Bob Arum was confident that he would continue to fight either way though, so the search for his next opponent will probably begin after the election is over. Floyd Mayweather or Antonio Margarito are the favorites at the moment.
Stan Fielding, Pittsburgh PA: "Pacquiao proved again why everyone thinks he would beat Floyd Mayweather. Even Mayweather himself must know he wouldn't be able to stand up to his pace for 2 rounds"
Harry Shaw, Pittsburgh PA: "Clottey is the kind of fighter who it looks like would win a lot more if he just threw more punches. Its easier said than done against someone like Pacquiao, but when he did let his hands go he did pretty well"
Source: Examiner.com
KIMBALL'S RINGSIDE REPORT: Pacman Outclasses Clottey
By George Kimball
ARLINGTON, Texas --- Manny Pacquiao defended his WBO welterweight title with a runaway unanimous decision at sold-out Cowboys Stadium, but Joshua Clottey could take some solace in becoming the world’s best boxer’s first opponent in two years to hear the final bell, as well as the only Pacquiao foe weighing more than 130 pounds to go the distance.
Although he didn’t get much respect on the scorecards of the ringside judges, Clottey gained the admiration of the crowd as well as his opponent.
Pacquiao ran his record to 51-3-2 with the win. Asked afterward about a possible Paquiao meeting with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach replied, “It’s what the whole world wants to see.
“Just let the commission do its job,” said Roach of the drug-testing issue. “Just get in the ring and fight.”
Alfonso Gomez, who rose to prominence on ‘The Contender’ to become the boxer who retired that late Arturo Gatti, may have done the same favor for former world champion Jose Luis Castillo. After five rounds of a bout in which he had not been competitive, Castillo quit on his stool as his corner informed referee Kenny Bayless that he could not continue. Gomez is now 22-4-2, Castillo 60-10-1.
According to CompuBox stats, Gomez landed 92 punches to Castillo’s 47. The crowd of 50,994 was so worked up by Gomez-Castillo that they spend most of the fight between Humberto Soto and David Diaz attempting, with varying degrees of success, to perform The Wave.
Fighting with his back to the ropes, Soto caught Diaz with a solid left followed by a right to put him down in the first round, and then with ten seconds left in the fight, drove him to the canvas again like a man playing Whack-a-Mole. The Mexican rode those two knockdowns to a unanimous decision over former champion Diaz of Chicago in their bout for the vacant WBC title.
Both David Sutherland and Hubert Minn returned 117-109 scores for Soto, while Gale Van Hoy had it somewhat closer at 115-111. Soto in picking up a championship at his third different weight, is now 51-7-2. Diaz is now 35-3-1.
Although John Duddy had promised “fireworks” in his bout against Michael Medina, their bout quickly transformed itself into a technical battle in which Duddy was more boxer than brawler. After battling Medina on fairly even terms over the first half of the bout, Duddy began to assert himself over the next four, during which he repeatedly tattooed Medina. Although at this point the Mexican seemed to have had most of the fight beaten out of him, Duddy unaccountably took the final stanza off, apparently convinced that he could coast to victory. Only over the final few seconds, when Medina trapped Duddy in his own corner, did the two go toe-to-toe, and the Irishman very nearly got the worst of that when he was clocked by a roundhouse right literally seconds before the bell.
Duddy won by identical 95-93 scores on the cards of judges Mike Mitchell and Charles Phillips. (The SweetScience card favored Duddy by the same margin.) Arturo Velasquez' 96-93 score in Medina’s favor was particularly bewildering, since referee Robert Chapa had taken a point from the Mexican in the eighth round.
In other words, not only did Velasquez score only three rounds for Duddy (as opposed to the six of both of his colleagues), but in only one of those round was his score in accord with both Mitchell’s and Phillips’.
Duddy, in any case, improved his pro log to 29-1 with the victory, his third straight since last year’s upset loss to Billy Lyell. Medina is now 22-2-2.
Nineteen year-old Dallas 122-pounder Roberto Marroquin, a four-time US amateur champion and as fine a prospect as we’ve seen at this weight in nearly three decades, ran his professional mark to 13-0 and registered his 10th career stoppage when he dispatched another hometowner, Samuel Sanchez (4-2-1), at 1:36 of the second.
After knocking Sanchez down in the first round Marroquin had celebrated by kissing his right glove before the opponent had even landed. A hard chopping right in the second sent him barreling over backward. When Sanchez tried to get up only fall back over again, referee Kenny Bayless took him into protective custody, ruling the TKO.
Salvador Sanchez Jr., the nephew, and namesake -- and doppelganger -- of the late Mexican featherweight legend, improved to 19-3-2 with a sixth-round knockout of Texan Jaime Villa. Down once in the fifth and twice more in the sixth, Villa (8-8-2) failed to beat referee Neal Young’s ten-count after the last trip to the canvas and was counted out at 1:09 of the round.
Two earlier bouts involved a pair of Pacquiao’s Filipino countrymen. Junior bantamweight Eden Sonsona (19-5) scored an 8th-round kayo of former world title challenger Mauricio Pastrana (35-13-2). Floored by a straight left, Pastrana was counted out by Young at 1:33 of the round.
Featherweight Michael Farenas’ bout against San Antonio’s Joe Morales came to a premature conclusion when Morales was cut by a clash of heads in the second round, and the result declared no contest. Farenas remains 26-2-3, Morales 20-13.
In other action, California junior middle Rodrigo Garcia (6-0) scored a second-round TKO over Calvin Pitts (5-13-1) of Grand Prairie, Tex., while featherweights Isaac Hidalgo and Arthur Trevino battled to a majority draw in their four-round prelim. Although one judge, Mitchell, scored it a 40-36 shutout for Hidalgo, his card was overruled by the 38-38 tallies returned by Don Griffin and Valasquez. Hidalgo is now 6-5-2, Trevino 5-3-3.
* * *
THE EVENT
COWBOYS STADIUM
ARLINGTON, TEXAS
MARCH 13, 2010
WELTERWEIGHTS: Manny Pacquiao, 145 3/4, General Santos City, Philippines dec. Joshua Clottey, 147, Accra, Ghana (12) (Retains WBO title)
Alfonso Gomez, 145, Guadalajara, Mexico TKO’d Jose Luis Castillo, 144, Mexicali, Mexico (5)
LIGHTWEIGHTS: Umberto Solis, 134 1/4, Los Mochis, Mexico dec. David Diaz, 134, Chicago, Ill. (12) (Wins vacant WBC title)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS: John Duddy, 160, Derry, Northern Ireland dec. Michael Medina, 155 1/2, Monterrey, Mexico (10)
JUNIOR MIDDLES: Rodrigo Garcia, 149 3/4, Santa Ana, Calif. TKO’d Calvin Pitts, 149, Prairie View, Tex. (2)
FEATHERWEIGHTS: Salvador Sanchez, Jr., 125 3/4, Tianguistenco, Mexico KO’d Jaime Villa, 127, Midland, Tex. (6)
Arthur Trevino, 125 , Ft. Worth, Tex drew with Isaac Hidalgo, 125, Tucson, Ariz (4)
Michael Farenas, 127 1/4, Gubat, Philippines drew with Joe Morales, 126, San Antonio, Tex. (2)
JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHTS: Robert Morroquin, 122, Dallas,Tex. TKO’d Samuel Sanchez, 122, Dallas (2)
Eden Sonsona, 119 3/4, General Santos City, Philippines KO’d Mauricio Pastrana, 119 1/2, Monteria, Colombia (8)
Source: thesweetscience.com
Clottey Latest Training Video
A native of Ghana who is preparing for a March 13 challenge for the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) crown held by seven-division champion, Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), of the Philippines, Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 knockouts), of The Bronx, N.Y., has been speaking with FanHouse from his training quarters facility at Fort Lauderdale's Contender Gym in Fla.
The bout against Pacqauiao is the biggest in the career for the 32-year-old Clottey (pictured above, with trainer Lenny DeJesus), whose only losses were to former world champions, Carlos Baldomir, Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto.
Clottey never has been knocked out, and is known for his steller defense and punching accuracy.
Under new trainer, Lenny DeJesus, Clottey claims to be in the best shape of his life heading into the bout with Pacquiao.
"I have more confidence this time around because I'm taking this fight like if I win, I have bigger things ahead. I have so much respect for Manny, so that gives me more confidence because I respect the guy," said Clottey recently, telling FanHouse that he weighed 154 this past Thursday.
"I respect the guy because, if he has the chance, he can stop me," said Clottey. "So I respect him because of that, and because of that, I'm more confident."
Photos such as this one (at right), by Top Rank Promotions, Chris Farina, detail the muscular upper torsoe of Clottey. But you can also check out the live video links of his training that are viewable by clicking below.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
FACTORS OF CONSEQUENCE
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 14 Mar 2010
WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao defends his crown against Ghanaian roughhouser Joshua Clottey in a 12-round bout at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this morning (Manila time) and the heavy betting is on whether the fight will go the distance or not.
Here are the 25 factors that may decide the outcome of the bout:
O Size. Clottey began campaigning as a welterweight in 1997 when Pacquiao was still a flyweight. In his last two bouts, Clottey tipped the scales at 147----the welterweight limit. Pacquiao was at his heaviest for Miguel Cotto last year and that only up to 144. Clottey will try to use his bulk to overpower Pacquiao in the trenches. Edge: Clottey.
O Hand-speed. Pacquiao throws from every conceivable angle, going backwards, sideways or forward. Clottey has respectable speed in unleashing counter combinations but he’s not nearly as fast as the Filipino icon. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Stamina. Nobody works harder than Pacquiao in the gym. Against Cotto, Pacquiao looked like he could go another five rounds when referee Kenny Bayless stopped it in the 12th. Clottey, in contrast, has a tendency to fade in the late going----as shown in his own tussle with Cotto last June. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Foot-speed. Clottey is basically a stand-up counterpuncher who’d rather wait than initiate. He likes to stalk his opponents, moving forward, inching in slowly to find the opening for his counters. Pacquiao is extremely mobile, using open space in the middle of the ring to run circles around his foes. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Durability. Clottey has never been knocked out and that’s a testament to his staying power. It’s not easy sending Clottey down to the canvas. He’s made of stern stuff. Besides, there may be less wear and tear in his body. Clottey has figured in only three fights the last two years compared to Pacquiao who was busier with five outings. Edge: Clottey.
O Quality of opposition. Clottey hasn’t faced anyone quite like Pacquiao. Their common opponent is Cotto whom Pacquiao dominated and Clottey lost to on a split decision. Pacquiao has engaged a slew of future Hall of Famers like Oscar de la Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton and Erik Morales. Clottey’s list of victims isn’t as celebrated. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Activity. Pacquiao has kept himself busy in the ring, logging two fights last year and three in 2008. He’s 7-0 in the last three years. Clottey saw action only once last year, losing to Cotto, and twice the year before. If there is ring rust in Clottey’s armor, he will likely start slowly and accelerate his pace as the fight unfolds. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Experience. Pacquiao and Clottey turned pro in the same year, 1995, but the Filipino has reported for 55 bouts and the Ghanaian, only 39. Pacquiao is 12-2-1 in world championship fights compared to Clottey’s 1-3. Clottey hasn’t been exposed as much to high-profile bouts. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Unpredictability. Because Clottey often resorts to foul tactics, he’s unpredictable. A fighter with bad intentions is always dangerous. Against previously unbeaten Shamone Alvarez, Clottey got into his opponent’s head and distracted him to the point of losing focus. Pacquiao had difficulty dealing with dirty fighters Nedal Hussein and Agapito Sanchez. Edge: Clottey.
O Resiliency. The ability to make adjustments during a bout is a mark of an intelligent fighter. Pacquiao proved how smart he is when he baited Cotto to fight from close range to take away his power left jab. Time and time again, Pacquiao has surprised the experts by changing tactics to fluster his opponents. In 1998, Pacquiao was badly behind on points when he shifted his attack downstairs and found Chatchai Sasakul’s weak spot. After battering Chatchai’s midsection, Pacquiao saw an opening for his left hook to the jaw and scored a come-from-behind knockout. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Hunger. Pacquiao is Clottey’s ticket to fame and fortune. The Ghanaian obviously wants to be where Pacquiao is----on top of the world. He has everything to gain and nothing to lose. The pressure is more on Pacquiao to win. Edge: Clottey.
O Knockout power. Clottey has scored just a single stoppage in his last 11 outings and his knockout rate is only 57.1 percent compared to Pacquiao’s 76 percent. Clottey relies on arm strength and doesn’t put body weight behind his shots----which probably explains his low knockout rate. In contrast, Pacquiao is a devastating puncher. It took only one shot to flatten Hatton. The mystery is whether Pacquiao’s power as a natural lightwelterweight will be as potent against a natural welterweight. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Corner. Freddie Roach is no stranger to Clottey’s trainer Lenny de Jesus. They worked together in Pacquiao’s corner for five fights. De Jesus was thrust into a chief second’s role by default and is more a cutman by profession. Roach will be assisted by Buboy Fernandez and conditioning coach Alex Ariza. De Jesus’ backups are nondescript. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Agility. Pacquiao is a master at slipping punches, moving his head, bending his body and making his opponents miss badly. That’s all because of his agility. He’s a fighter in constant motion and he won’t get tired. Pacquiao will move away from Clottey’s stronger side----the left----by sidestepping to the right but he must be conscious of coming smack into the Ghanaian’s right hand. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Arsenal. Clottey is heavier-handed because he is physically bigger. His deadliest weapons are a left uppercut, left hook and a right uppercut usually thrown like a bolo punch. Clottey also throws an occasional left jab. Pacquiao has a lot more weapons. Because of his southpaw style, Pacquiao will find it easy to land his overhand right or right cross. Pacquiao will use his left hook to the body to soften up Clottey. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Defense. Clottey likes to raise both arms in what is described as a turtle-shell defense. When he covers up, Clottey doesn’t punch and his idea is to tire out his opponent. Pacquiao will move side-to-side to break down Clottey’s defense and his bombardment to the body will be vicious. Clottey, however, has the body build to hang tough. Edge: Clottey.
O Chin. Clottey’s chin hasn’t really been tested by a banger. His solid defense is his protector. If Pacquiao hits him squarely on the chin, it’s not known how Clottey will react. For the moment, the record shows that Clottey’s chin isn’t made of china. Edge: Clottey.
O Heart. When it comes to digging deep into one’s reservoir of energy, Pacquiao has no equal. That’s because he fights with a lot of heart. It’s not just for himself that he fights----it’s for the entire Filipino nation. Pacquiao is braver than brave. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Style. Clottey was unperturbed in dismantling Alvarez and Zab Judah, both southpaws. He won’t be bothered by Pacquiao fighting left-handed. Pacquiao couldn’t care less whether he battles a southpaw or an orthodox fighter. He knows how to handle himself in the ring. His experience will show him the way. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Susceptibility to cuts. Clottey isn’t a bleeder. He bangs heads and never comes out of a collision on the short end. Pacquiao has suffered an assortment of cuts in his long career. After the Cotto fight, he was stitched up. Clottey is a vampire in the ring and extracts blood from his opponents. Edge: Clottey.
O Work rate. Pacquiao is a busybody and doesn’t stop throwing. Clottey picks his punches, countering when there is an opening. The Ghanaian isn’t a volume puncher. If Pacquiao displays his blinding hand and foot-speed, Clottey will be frustrated into a watching and waiting mode. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Combinations. Pacquiao isn’t a one-hit wonder. He’ll throw jabs, hooks, crosses and straights and move out of range before Clottey is able to unleash a counter. Pacquiao is a rhythm fighter. His timing is precise. Clottey won’t know what’s coming when Pacquiao starts to turn the heat on. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Body banger. Both Clottey and Pacquiao will look to attack the body. Clottey will try to slow down Pacquiao by leaning on him, throwing shots to the side of the body from up close and bringing him to the ropes or corners. Because Pacquiao is smaller, he may feel Clottey’s body shot more than the Ghanaian will feel his. Edge: Clottey.
O Reflexes. Pacquiao has cat-quick reflexes and it shows in the way he deflects punches, parries blows and moves his head to avoid a direct hit. Clottey isn’t as reactive. Edge: Pacquiao.
O Mental toughness. There’s no doubt Pacquiao is in a frame of mind that belies his inner strength. His focus is unflappable. Whatever he sets his mind to do in the ring, he executes with deadly precision. Clottey isn’t as mentally in control as Pacquiao who knows what it’s like to fight and win under pressure. Edge: Pacquiao.
Out of 25 factors, Pacquiao has the edge in 17.
My prediction is Pacquiao will frustrate Clottey from the onset with his speed, skills and agility. In desperation, Clottey will resort to foul tactics, trying to bully Pacquiao and using his strength to push him into the ropes or the corners. Referee Rafael Ramos will disqualify Clottey for butting, holding, hitting below the belt and whatever else in the seventh round and Pacquiao will retain his WBO welterweight title without much of a sweat.
Source: PhilBoxing.com
Pacquiao vs Clottey Online Live Streaming
Manny Pacquiao vs Joshua Clottey Fight is now Showing...Your can share this live streaming to to everyone and Enjoy the Fight..
Pacquiao keeps Clottey on defensive, wins nearly every round
Unable to land his signature punch, the straight left, Manny Pacquiao nevertheless overwhelmed Joshua Clottey in a subtle performance Saturday that did not dilute his legacy.
Pacquiao (51-3-2) won a unanimous decision, all 12 rounds on one scorecard and 11 on the other two, to retain the WBO welterweight title in Arlington, Texas, at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium.
Jabbing and mounting a ferocious body attack, Pacquiao compensated brilliantly for his inability to land cleanly to the face. He established from the outset that he could preoccupy Clottey and discourage him from mounting an attack of his own. Pacquiao, landing only 246 punches but throwing 1,231, was three times as busy as Clottey.
Clottey did manage to hit Pacquiao with three or four uppercuts and five or six counter rights to the noggin’. But he did NOTHING else, except blocking hundreds of punches.
Nobody was going to give such an unaggressive challenger a decision in a fight like that. I gave him the fifth and sixth rounds, when Pacquiao moved less and invited Clottey to open up more, which he did a few times.
And that was that. By the seventh, it was obvious Clottey knew better than we did how badly he was outclassed. Maybe Pacquiao didn’t come close to a knockout, but Clottey obviously didn’t doubt it was possible.
“I think he’s feeling Pacquiao’s power,” Clottey’s trainer Lenny DeJesus said during a late-rounds interview with HBO.
Clottey (35-4), whose previous losses were narrow ones to Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito and a disqualification against Carlos Baldimir, gave Pacquiao his due. “He has (too much) speed,” Clottey said. “It was the first time I’ve lost a fight.”
In explaining his caution, Clottey praised Pacquiao. “He was waiting for me to open up so he could counter me.” Clearly Clottey felt that would be a lot worse than the 12 rounds of frustration and futility that ensued instead.
“It was not an easy fight,” Pacquiao conceded. But he didn’t let that frustrate him. “I wasn’t in a hurry because he was looking for a big shot, an opening.”
When he wasn’t bobbing and weaving and dodging and ducking, that is.
If there was any assumption that Clottey could have turned the tide by showing more courage, the 11th round ended that. Clottey mounted his only sustained attack of the fight, and Pacquiao answered every assault with more impressive flurries of his own.
Following his amazing victories against seemingly larger men in the past 16 months, over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Cotto, the whuppin’ Pacquiao administered Saturday was as lopsided as his other three and in its own way just as impressive.
Source: Examiner.com
Pacquiao decisively dispatches Clottey, retains title
(CNN) -- Manny Pacquiao defeated Joshua Clottey decisively Saturday night to retain his World Boxing Organization welterweight title.
The Filipino fighter, known affectionately as "Pacman" by his fans and in his country, won by unanimous decision. Two judges scored the fight 119-109 for Pacquiao, while a third scored it 120-108, according to the WBO.
Pacquiao has now won 12 straight bouts since losing to Erik Morales in March 2005.
The 12-round decision was a longer fight than Pacquiao predicted before the match. Following his weigh-in, Pacquiao sent a message to his adoring fans that he would be targeting a quick knockout in the fight against Ghana's Clottey.
"I am not going to promise you a knockout, but I will do my best," Pacquiao told the crowd who had gathered to watch the weigh-in Friday night in the Cowboys Stadium.
Saturday's match was fought at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in front of more than 40,000 people. The stadium is the home of the Dallas Cowboys U.S. football team.
Pacquiao, who began his career as a 112 pound flyweight, has won world titles at six different weights and boasts a 50-3-2 record with 28 knockouts.
The fight attracted worldwide attention, particularly back in the Philippines where Pacquiao is a national hero.
Pacquiao was originally slated to be taking on American Floyd Mayweather Jr, in what was billed as the richest fight in boxing history, but a row over dope testing led to negotiations be called off.
The Clottey fight was arranged in its place, but many expect Pacquiao to take on the unbeaten Mayweather later in the year.
Source: edition.cnn.com
Pacquiao vs Clottey live STREAM new server 3
http://pacquiao-versus-clottey.blogspot.com/2010/03/pacquiao-vs-clottey-live-stream-new_13.htmlPacquiao vs Clottey live STREAM new server 3
Pacquiao vs. Clottey Weigh-In
Defending WBO Welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and his opponent, Ghanian Joshua Clottey weighed in on March 12, 2010 at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
Who is heavier? Who is lighter? Click on the video to find out.
source: yahoo ph
Manny Pacquiao's wife Jinky Top 10 Facts
But in an exclusive interview with Yahoo! Southeast Asia, some of that mystery is unraveled - Jinkee's in the mood to talk, willingly revealing her interests, dreams, and yes, even her thoughts on all those juicy rumors.
Clad in a bohemian-style but unfussy dress (worn with two huge diamond rings that surely won't go unnoticed), Jinkee faces the Yahoo! team beaming with charm and disclosing, fact by fact, a side of her that the public doesn't usually see.
Fact #1: She has a twin sister, Janet – whom Manny mistook as Jinkee during their courtship stage.
Fact #2: She's not a spoiler, despite the fact that the Pacquiaos could now afford almost anything.
"Ako ang nagdidisiplina sa mga bata kasi ako yung laging kasama nila. At depende sa gusto nilang bilhin. Ayoko silang sanayin sa hindi importante o hindi dapat bilihin (I'm the one who disciplines them, because I'm the one who is with them all the time. And it depends on what they want to buy – I don't let them get used to wanting things that are not important)," says Jinkee.
Fact #3: If Manny has boxing as a sport and a career, Jinkee is into badminton. And ironic as it may be, she has not digested what boxing is all about. All she cares about is Manny's safety.
Fact #4: Believe it or not, Jinkee says there are no boxing paraphernalia in any of the Pacquiao homes. This is to put off their two boys' interest in the dangerous sport.
"Kung ako, ayoko talaga mag-boxing sila. Hindi ko kakayanin. Si Manny ayaw niya rin (If it was up to me, I definitely wouldn't let them get into boxing. I won't be able to take it. Manny doesn't want it as well)," says Jinkee.
Fact #5: Any woman would love to be in Jinkee's shoes; she can buy anything she wants and she's married to the greatest boxer of the decade. But Jinkee never dreamt she'd end up in this position.
"I only wanted to become a successful businesswoman. O makatapos lang ako ng four-year course, and mag-work ako. Yun matulungan lang parents ko at kapatid ko, ‘yun lang (Or just get to finish a four-year course and get to work. Help out my parents and siblings. That's all)," reveals Jinkee.
Today, Jinkee owns a coffee shop, boutique, restaurant-bar, and buildings for lease, and busy expanding the "Team Pacquiao" business. She is thankful for all the blessings she has. "Hindi ko inaasahan yung magiging ganito (I never imagined it would be like this)."
Fact #6: Jinkee admits she's quite the shopaholic. She owns nine Hermes bags (each costs as least US$12,000) and designer items from Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci. Jewelry makes her weak, too. "Marami nang mamanahin sina Princess and Queenie (Princess and Queenie will inherit a lot.)"
Jinkee is now recognized as one of the most stylish Filipino women, gracing the covers of two high-end fashion magazines. "I don't have a stylist, siguro kapag may okasyon lang (only if there is an occasion). I just get my ideas from magazines."
Fact #7: She hates having bodyguards. Unfortunately, she has to live with having them around.
"Ayoko ng may nakabuntot sa akin (I don't like them on my tail). Pero [I have] no choice."
Fact #8: Jinkee is able to talk openly about Krista Ranillo, and says the name of Manny's rumored girlfriend openly, with a mixture of ease and irritation.
She claims she rarely reacts to gossip about her husband… unless there is evidence. When footage of a girl (who was, according to Jinkee, apparently Krista) inside Manny's car after his appearance in the Jimmy Kimel Show, she was almost in a rage.
"Baka kasi hindi pa siya nakakasakay sa ganung car (Maybe she hasn't been in that kind of car yet)," Jinkee adds in jest.
"Yung kay Krista… pinaka-worst [rumor]. Although ine-expect ko naman mangyari, kasi medyo nagkatampuhan ng ilang buwan – kaya may biglang sumingit (I expected something would happen, because Manny and I had a tiff for a few months – and it's probably why she managed to get between us)".
If she happened to chance upon Krista, what would Jinkee do? She can muster a "Hi!" but "ayoko ma-stress! (I don't want to get stressed!)."
She laughs heartily. Anyway, Manny said sorry.
"Sa dami ng dumaang intriga, may mga times na you're giving up. Pero hindi pwede, hindi dapat. It's not worth it na i-give up ang isang tao para sa ibang babaeng ganun (There is just so much intrigue, and there are times where you feel like giving up. But we can't allow it, and we shouldn't allow it. Giving up because of women like her is not worth it)" says Jinkee, who has been married to Manny for over ten years.
Fact #9: If anything good came out of the Krista-Manny hullabaloo, it would be Jinkee getting closer to her mother-in-law, Dionisia Pacquiao.
"Siya kakampi ko, nagbigay siya ng advice. Kasi dati hindi kami magkasundo kasi nagalit siya sa akin nung maaga nag-asawa si Manny (She took my side, and she gives me advice. We didn't get along so well in the past, because she was mad at me for getting married to Manny so quickly)" says Jinkee.
Fact #10: Jinkee keeps up with two Blackberries, yes she's on Facebook (and fond of it) and gets to relax despite a busy schedule thanks to her iPod Nano. "It has songs from Craig David, Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez and syempre songs ni Manny (of course, songs by Manny)."
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
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 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
Clottey Latest Training Video
A native of Ghana who is preparing for a March 13 challenge for the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) crown held by seven-division champion, Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), of the Philippines, Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 knockouts), of The Bronx, N.Y., has been speaking with FanHouse from his training quarters facility at Fort Lauderdale's Contender Gym in Fla.
The bout against Pacqauiao is the biggest in the career for the 32-year-old Clottey (pictured above, with trainer Lenny DeJesus), whose only losses were to former world champions, Carlos Baldomir, Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto.
Clottey never has been knocked out, and is known for his steller defense and punching accuracy.
Under new trainer, Lenny DeJesus, Clottey claims to be in the best shape of his life heading into the bout with Pacquiao.
"I have more confidence this time around because I'm taking this fight like if I win, I have bigger things ahead. I have so much respect for Manny, so that gives me more confidence because I respect the guy," said Clottey recently, telling FanHouse that he weighed 154 this past Thursday.
"I respect the guy because, if he has the chance, he can stop me," said Clottey. "So I respect him because of that, and because of that, I'm more confident."
Photos such as this one (at right), by Top Rank Promotions, Chris Farina, detail the muscular upper torsoe of Clottey. But you can also check out the live video links of his training that are viewable by clicking below.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Pacquiao-Clottey tiff headed for sellout
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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'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
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
Pacquiao scores a joyful knockout
By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:38:00 03/02/2010
THE RIGHT STRAIGHT, thrown sharply like a spear, was not (yet) super but is definitely above average.
It’s however the scythe-like left hook, swift and power-packed, which should help greatly Julian Santos Chua in his goal to fight for the Philippines in the 2012 London Olympics.
Santos Chua, 18, was at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym over the weekend.
The kid has been described by the sweet-punching fight chronicler Michael Marley as a Golden Gloves champion from the Midwest.
Of course, despite his credentials, Julian could’ve not made it to Wild Card alone.
* * *
Credit goes to Hammering Hermie Rivera, said Marley.
For the record, the punches described in the first two sentences of this column were courtesy of YouTube.
But more than those inborn gifts, the sharp-eyed Marvelous Marley appeared convinced it was Julian’s dream meeting with Manny Pacquiao last Saturday which would prove the biggest influence and inspiration in the young fighter’s dream to box in London 2012.
“My goodness, even though he (Pacquiao) was busy and tired, he was so gracious,” said Santos Chua’s mother, Ronnet, a physician.
Pacquiao, as Marley would put it, was a joy of a knockout.
* * *
Julian was tearful and overjoyed by the honor of meeting Manny, the mother who was herself overwhelmed, explained.
Maybe it was the first time the lady doctor had seen her usually stoic kid get bowled over.
“Santos Chua has a double-sided dream of becoming the first Filipino to win an Olympic gold medal then go on to a pro career,” Marley reported.
Now, if that dream Olympic gold suddenly appears within reach for the Philippines, it’s all because of Pacquiao and his super trainer, Freddie Roach.
“Roach is set to attend to the young boxer and will start training him at the Wild Card gym on June 1, just right after Julian gets his high school diploma,” Marley confirmed.
* * *
What a thrill, indeed.
Of course, it’s a bit bothersome that Marley, despite his keenness, failed to mention Hermie Rivera’s whereabouts during that unforgettable encounter at the Nat’s Thai Restaurant around Wild Card.
Truth is there’ve been efforts from amateur boxing people in Manila to reopen communication lines with Hermie.
He could’ve been stalled by the happy turn of events over the weekend at Wild Card?
* * *
Anyway, wherever Mr. Rivera may be, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines is hereby offering to give Julian Santos Chua an all-expense tryout in Manila.
“He can bring his mother, if he cares to,” ABAP executive director Ed Picson told the Inquirer Monday.
Yes, Hermie Rivera has done everything so things could be in place for Santos Chua at Wild Card.
Everything is also in place for Hermie’s proposed tryout for Julian in Manila.
All Hammering Hermie has got to do is pick up the phone or answer his e-mail.
Or has Rivera also been floored by the menacing brownouts that have started to spread all over our luckless, dwarf-plagued Philippine Islands?
Source: sports.inquirer.net
ROACH TO BRING IN NEW SPARRING PARTNERS, IT'S BECOMING TOO EASY FOR MANNY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 01 Mar 2010
Trainer Freddie Roach plans to bring in some new sparring partners for pound-for-pound icon Manny Pacquiao this week as he steps up training for his showdown against Ghana’s tough Joshua Clottey at the $1.2 billion Dallas Cowboys Stadium on March 13.
Conditioning expert Alex Ariza told us that Roach wants “to get some fresh blood in there because to be honest it's been too easy for him (Pacquiao). ”
Pacquiao sparred twelve rounds last Saturday but dropped super featherweight David Rodela from the roster and instead went up against undefeated Abdullai Amidu (18-0, 17 KO’s) of Ghana, light welterweight Mike Dallas (11-0-1, 2 KO’s) and the experienced welterweight, veteran Steve Forbes (34-7, 10 KO’s.)
Ring Magazine’s Michael Rosenthal recently quoted Dallas as saying Pacquiao is “even stronger than he was before the (Oscar) De La Hoya fight. He’s a good counter-puncher. He’s strong, he’s fast and his legs are really something. His footwork is incredible. He moves like a cat. He’s real fast.”
Amidu told Rosenthal, Pacquiao is in good condition “punches hard, had a lot of speed and has good movement. He has everything. His punches come from different directions. They don’t come from where you expect to. You have to be ready for every eventuality.”
Asked why he thought Pacquiao was so successful, Amidu replied “he has a lot of respect for humanity. God blesses him a lot. He’s very disciplined, always in good condition.”
The Ghana fighter said he was very impressed with Pacquiao’s footwork pointing out that “if you have good footwork you can do a lot in boxing. You have to have good movement, to move from every angle. He can do that” adding that Pacquiao was the best he had worked with.
Ariza said Pacquiao was good, same as before when he had a stirring workout on Thursday which both Roach and Ariza agreed was Pacquiao’s best showing in sparring so far.
The conditioning guru who has worked with Roach since a few weeks before the David Diaz fight which Pacquiao won by a devastating 9th round knockout told us he’s “focusing more on his legs” which caused some concern in the training camp when Pacquiao complained of pain and tightness in the left leg which was similar to what he suffered during the fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.
Ariza told us “as long as his leg is holding up and it's not bothering him I am pleased. Until he wins this fight let’s keep our fingers crossed.”
He revealed that Pacquiao “knows now” about the danger to his leg posed by playing too much basketball which Roach has long been against and has apparently stopped.
While he was in the Philippines prior to leaving for Los Angeles, Pacquiao played a lot of basketball which is his way of staying in physical shape before getting into the gym to prepare for a fight. Even in Los Angeles, Pacquiao did play in some pick-up games because he loves the sport so much.
Source: PhilBoxing.com
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