Pacquiao vs Clottey Promotion 2

Filipino Sports Examiner | Dennis "dSource" Guillermo



In my opinion, Jushua Clottey should've beaten Miguel Cotto in his last fight- except that he didn't.

Not that he wasn't capable of doing so, it was more of his inability to muster enough heart and will for him to steal the victory in the 'money' rounds.

If he didn't then, he has to now. For his next opponent has plenty of both.

Manny Pacquiao is not considered the best fighter in the planet for laying down and fading when it matters most. It's actually quite the opposite.

In his last loss against Erik Morales way back in 2005, Pacquiao's best round of the fight was the 12th and final round when Morales obliged him by going toe-to-toe.

As it is with the greats- they don't crack under pressure. On March 13, Joshua Clottey will have an opportunity of a lifetime to find out whether he truly has what it takes.

So how did Joshua Clottey get the opportunity to fight the world's best if he practically "choked" in his last fight according to my previous statements?

Quite honestly by chance- plus the fact that he is an absolute monster.

When Floyd Mayweather Jr. made it impossible for a fight with Manny Pacquiao to happen, and when Pacquiao didn't want to hurdle another weight class by going up to 154 to fight Yuri Foreman, Clottey's tough reputation and favorable inclination with Top Rank allowed him to get the call.

Clottey's 2 real losses have come at the once-proven dirty hands of Antonio Margarito and that razor-thin split decision loss to Cotto. Clottey has never been knocked out in his career before, and with his huge frame and superior defense, it's hard to fathom seeing the rugged Ghanaian going down against a much smaller man in Pacquiao.

That will be the challenge for both him and Pacquiao though. Pacquiao has defied odds and logic and retired more boxing legends in the past decade than any other fighter. Clottey on the other hand aims to create a legend of his own by slaying the legend-killer.

By beating Pacquiao, Clottey can exorcise his demons and redeem himself for the times he fell short. On his part, he has vowed to 'shock the world' and go for a knockout. I hope Pacquiao is listening, because unlike the brittle hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr., Clottey's fists can definitely back up his 'talking'.


Source: Examiner.com

Joshua Clottey's Greatest Hits

Pacquiao Clottey FaceOff

Pacquiao vs Cotto Highlights

Manny Pacquiao, fighting fit and ready to fight

Head trainer Roach had to ease back on his fighters training, anxious his man would peak too early before the March 13 bout at the cowboy’s stadium, Arlington, Texas. When asked how Manny felt about fighting at the venue Roach said his fighter is honoured to be fighting in such a venue, he’s thrilled and it’s given him the extra incentive in his training in his quest to please a packed crowd.

Freddy Roach suggested Pacquiao, 50-3-2, (38) will enter the ring around 149 – 149 ½ pounds on the night of the fight, his opponent Joshua Clotty, 35-3-0. (28), is expected to weigh at least 160 pounds come the night of the fight. When asked if he was concerned with the size difference, roach said “Many is a true welterweight now and will not be fighting below the 147 limit again, if Clottey comes in at 160 pounds that does not concern me, it will only slow him down and make our job a whole lot easier.

Manny Pacquaio is said to be in tremendous condition, he reportedly started training at 149 pounds, only two pounds above the contractual weight of 147 pounds.


Sparring
Those who have witnessed the pound for pound king in sparring have been giving glowing reports; some suggest he looks ready to fight tomorrow. The Pac-Man allegedly beat up journeyman Bryan Brooks in four rounds, and almost knocked out Mike Dallas, 11-0, when the 23 year old light welterweight accidently landed a blow south of the border. Roach drafted in a new addition to the Pacquiao sparring sessions, Abdullai Amidu, a welterweight from Ghana who is undefeated with a record of 18-0, (17).

Joshua Clottey
Meanwhile on the east coast Joshua Clottey is preparing himself for the biggest opportunity of his career, one he plans on grabbing with both hands. Without the massive entourage Clottey goes about his business in Florida. “I’m not only bigger I am stronger, I have a game-plane and a motivation to beat Manny Pacquiao” said Clottey “God has given me this opportunity and I will seize that opportunity on the night of March 13. Personally I know he’s worried about me, how big and strong I am; he knows I will present him with a lot of problems, I have worked hard my whole life for this opportunity”


Aftermath
The contractual details are unclear regarding a re-match clause should Pacquiao loose this fight. I’m guessing a fight of this magnitude would have such a clause, not that there would be a need for one. If the Ghanaian Clottey were to win I feel he would happily oblige, another massive pay day and a desire to prove the first win was no upset would be enough to lure both back into the ring. I see only two routes for Pacquiao should he be the victor, the first would be a fight against the winner of Floyd Maywaether vs. Shane Mosley, pencilled in for May 1st, at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada. The other option would be to boost his historic record by winning yet another title in an eight division, light middleweight.

Source: theboxinghistorian.com

Manny's just like everyone else

By GAVIN GLICKSMAN

JOSHUA CLOTTEY reckons it should not go down as an upset if he beats Manny Pacquiao.

Clottey, 32, is the clear underdog heading into his clash with the pound-for-pound king on March 13.

But the Ghanaian is confident he can defy the odds at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

Clottey said: "Pacquiao is a human being, like everyone else. He's just a really good fighter who is currently No1.

"If I win this fight, I will never feel like I beat the best fighter in the world.

"I will feel like I had a fight with the best fighter out there right now — and I won.

"I'll say, 'It's not an upset, just a win'."

Source: thesun.co.uk

PACQUIAO VS. CLOTTEY FIGHT BREAKDOWN

By Danny Howard | February 23, 2010

To the lot of us, this is the fight that nobody wanted. Many are still focused on the past and future of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather. Although nobody seems to realize that two of the best Welterweights in the world will be fighting for a title, or the fact that boxing's pound-for-pound best might be in for a rough night, everyone will still watch a watered down substitute for what could have been. That said, will Pacquiao's historic career claim Joshua Clottey as its next entrant in the "W" column? Or will Clottey, a former Welterweight champion himself, rise to the biggest occasion of his career and shock the world?

Let's go to the board:

Manny Pacquiao **WBO Champion**

* Age: 31
* Height: 5'6 ½"
* Reach: 67"
* Record: 50-3-2 (38 KO)

Joshua Clottey

* Age: 32
* Height: 5'7"
* Reach: 70"
* Record: 35-3 (20 KO)

From their statistics, both fighters are very well matched and neither will have any glaring physical advantage over the other. This fight will basically be Clottey's counterpunching vs. Pacquiao's speed. You'll see a lot of Clottey coming forward, throwing straight punches, while Pacquiao will be strafing him with shots at all angles.

While neither fighter is a heavy hitter, Clottey probably throws the harder punches and will have to rely on landing good body shots early to slow down the champion. One thing Clottey does best is force his way through with his high guard and lets his hands go when he decides to. Clottey has a good jab, something Pacquiao has had trouble with in the past. He shouldn't press for power punches like he did against Zab Judah, but he shouldn't be too afraid to let his hands go either.

The biggest problem for Clottey is that while he may start off strong and land some good shots, he spends a good amount of time being inactive with his high guard, hoping to time a big counter shot. After Pacquiao dropped Cotto in their November fight, Cotto abandoned his gameplan and tried to land one shot at a time. As a result, he was pummeled by the seemingly endless punches from Pacquiao. Being a strong chinned and defensively sound fighter, Clottey is unlikely to be hurt by Pacquiao's shots, but he might be loading up too long and the rounds will pile up against him.

Pacquiao will be looking to attack Clottey from all angles and will try to force him off balance. It will not be in Pacquiao's best interests to take a straight shot from Clottey or stay on the inside for too long during the early goings. The best option for Pacquiao will be to take advantage of Clottey's high guard and hit him high and low. Clottey is a bulky fighter and although Pacquiao's shots won't get through for serious damage, it will tire Clottey and may force him to drop his hands.

There is very little Pacquiao can do wrong here besides backing himself up into a corner and giving Clottey opportunities to land. Pacquiao seems eager to force a fight to break out at times and that fighter instinct will have to take a backseat to allow his technical skills to carry the match. What works best for him is that Clottey is an awful finisher and cannot keep a fast pace for a whole round; this might work out better for Pacquiao than anything else.

In the end, Clottey is just like Pacquiao's last four opponents: a good fighter who is too flat-footed to give him chase and won't be able to adjust to his style. Clottey is still a more dangerous opponent than Miguel Cotto, who Clottey narrowly lost to last June, but he's stylistically perfect for Pacquiao because of his inactivity and tendency to fade in the later rounds. It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to say that Clottey may put a beating on Pacquiao in the process though to the latter's own victory.

A Pacquiao decision will likely be the outcome here with the possibility of a referee stoppage in the 11th round. I don't think Clottey can overcome Pacquiao's speed. With his bad habits of fighting slow and steady, it should work to the champion's advantage. Even if the fight is close, Clottey's style is too rough around the edges to give him the benefit of the doubt compared to the blazing style of his opponent. He'll have to win by KO or on cuts if he is to win at all.

Source: fighthype.com

WILL THE SUCCESS OF PHILIPPINE BOXING CONTINUE AFT...

February 21st, 2010 | by Oliver Suarez

The Philippines always had a fondness for boxing, the reason that it has always been a hotbed for talented young boxers. The emergence of Manny Pacquiao as a major star in boxing has only added more talent to its boxing stable by influencing many of the country’s younger generation to participate in the sport.

It can be argued that Philippines is as great a boxing nation as Mexico and Puerto Rico. Mexico and Puerto Rico are only more recognized because before Pacquiao, Filipinos were not given the same opportunities to display their skills at the world stage.
But now the country is slowly gaining respect as more opportunities become available to Filipino boxers because of Pacquiao’s popularity and the magnitude of the Filipino market.

The Philippines now currently has four major title holders with Filipino descent: Nonito Donaire, Donnie Nietes, Manny Pacquiao, and Rodel Mayol.

Still, it’s still questionable if the success of Philippine boxing can be sustained after Pacquiao. Would promoters and others continue to invest on Filipino boxers after Pacquiao?

It depends if the most influential figures in Philippine boxing has already set a stable foundation to ensure its continued success after the current pound for pound king retires. Did they properly take advantage of all the opportunities provided by Pacquiao’s success?

They certainly had enough time to develop a stable foundation since Pacquiao has been a star of the sport for quite sometime

The truth is they have not because their priorities may not have been in the right place and thus affected the potential success of many Filipino fighters.

The problem is most of the Filipino boxers are not being provided the best chance to win. Success is great but it can lead to greed and questionable decision making.

Ciso Morales is a great example of a fighter of this questionable decision making. Now some are questioning his heart and courage because of his devastating loss to Montiel. But the question that should be put out is if he was given the best chance to win. Morales is a young kid who has not fought any notable opponent, yet was pitted against a world class fighter in Fernando Montiel. Not only that, he had to go down in weight to face him.

If they are not given the best chance to win, then they are destined to only attain mediocre type of success. Those who are responsible for these boxers’ careers must evaluate their priorities. Do they care more about immediate success and make money in the short term or do they care about the long term success of their boxers?

A great example of how to properly prepare a fighter is Andre Ward. For the longest time, his handlers and he were criticized for not facing elite fighters or fighting for a title. It was because his handlers wanted him to be both physically and mentally prepared before he stepped up in competition. Now, he just beat a world class opponent in Kessler and is now considered one of the best young fighters in the game.

Developing young fighters who can contend is a major factor in ensuring the success of Philippine boxing. This doesn’t only include that they are physically and mentally ready, but ensuring that they are provided the right strategies for their fights and choosing the right opponents that can help them prepare for future fights against elite opponents. Constantly pitting them against journeyman fighters to hype up their record only does more harm than good in the long term.

Filipinos are just like any other sports fans, they want winners and if they are constantly provided mediocre products then sooner or later they will stop supporting it.

If that happens, then Philippine boxing might again be on the outside looking in after Pacquiao. Filipino fighters once again will find it difficult to get those opportunities to fight for world titles against notable opponents.

Another factor that must be answered is if many of the Filipino fans who support Pacquiao are truly boxing fans or just fans of the Filipino icon.

It is a question that is still need to be answered. How many Filipinos who are ‘supposedly’ boxing fans know about other boxers such as Eden Sonsona, Marvin Sonsona, Aj Banal etc? The fact is a great number of Filipinos I’ve come across with are not familiar with any of the names mentioned above and only know Pacquiao.

Will they continue to support and have the same passion for the sport even after Pacquiao in order to entice promoters to keep investing on Filipino fighters?

Nonito Donaire Jr. is a great champion who just keeps on winning and it’s a wonder why he has not gotten the support of more Filipino fans. People are quick to judge him for failing to fight notable opponents. Some of that may be due to some fighters’ hesitancy to fight a fighter of Donaire’s caliber, but it’s also because the financial incentives might not be enough for them to face ‘The Filipino Flash.’

Filipinos need to support Donaire to convince promoters that the Filipino market in boxing is not dependent on Pacquiao. In fact, it might be necessary and not an option because if other Filipino fighters are only achieving mediocre success, then the responsibility of keeping the fire burning for Philippine boxing will all fall on Donaire’s shoulders.

So will Philippine boxing continue its current success after Pacquiao retires? Only time will tell.

What do you think?

Source: boxing.fighthype.com

Assessing Steve Forbes as Pacquiao's sparring part...

Las Vegas Boxing Examiner | Chris Robinson

In a BoxingScene article by Ronnie Nathanielsz it was noted that one of Manny Pacquiao’s chief sparring partners is former Jr. Lightweight champion Steve Forbes. Forbes is helping Pacquiao prepare for his upcoming March 13th bout with Joshua Clottey at the Dallas Cowboys stadium and is somewhat surprising of a choice because his style doesn’t completely reflect the Accra, Ghana fighter. While Clottey is a physically imposing bruiser, Forbes is much more of a slick boxer.

What’s slightly ironic is that of all the fighters today who Forbes’ style resembles, it would be that of Floyd Mayweather Jr., who Pacquiao was in discussion to fight originally on the 13th. It’s interesting to wonder how the sparring sessions are unfolding, as Pacquiao’s precise combinations from his unorthodox attack are surely tested against Forbes, who is a pro’s pro.

Trying to get some more insight into Forbes I broke him down as a fighter from a few different perspectives below…

A quick look at Forbes

Forbes is just a few days away from his 33rd birthday and he has compiled a respectable 34-7 record with 10 knockouts during his thirteen plus year career. He fought nine of his first twelve fights in Nevada while going undefeated as Jr. Lightweight and Lightweight contender. Forbes’ first loss was a March 2000 majority decision to former featherweight champion Alejandro Gonzales.

Forbes would bounce back in 2000 with victories over solid fighters in Ernesto Zepeda and David Santos before landing a shot at the vacant IBF title against rugged John Brown in December of 2000. While in reality it seemed as though Brown was starting to come on in the fight, the contest would be stopped when it was revealed that the stout fighter had a ruptured eardrum, as the blood began to pour following a Forbes connection. Despite trailing on two cards, Forbes was awarded the TKO victory after Brown was seen unfit to continue. In the immediate rematch Forbes would leave little doubt, taking a clear decision over Brown.

Forbes suffered an October 2003 loss to Carlos Hernandez and seemed to dip under the radar a bit. A few years would go by without as much noise but Forbes would end up making his presence known on an even grander scale by being a key participant on the second season of The Contender. Along the way Forbes would defeat the likes of Freddy Curiel, Nick Acevado, and Cornelius Bundrage before losing in the finals to Grady Brewer. Forbes’ appearance on the show also showcased his abilities in a new weight class, as his days at 130 pounds were a thing of the past.

In 2007 the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas was the host of Forbes’ only two fights that year, as he lost a slightly controversial split decision to Demetrius Hopkins in March before turning the tables to win a split nod against Francisco Bojado seven months later. Forbes was in the public’s eye again in 2008 as he performed respectably but still lost decisions to both Oscar De La Hoya and Andre Berto.

Forbes is currently slated to face Harrison Cuello this March 6th at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. It’s unknown whether or not Forbes can still comfortably make 140 pounds, but either way he will surely have his eyes on the evening’s main event as Jr. Welterweight champions Devon Alexander and Juan Urango clash.

While Forbes may never have crossed the line towards being a star in the sport he has always been a capable fighter with great ring instincts, boxing ability, and a reliable defense. During his run on The Contender Forbes’ personality was also on display for the world to see and he has always come across completely down to earth and modest in his approach.

Mayweather’s view

One man who knows Forbes all too well is Las Vegas based trainer Jeff Mayweather, who trained the Oregon native on and off during key moments in his career. When Jeff was told the news that Forbes has been serving as Pacquiao’s sparring partner he was at first slightly surprised.

“I think Steve is an ideal sparring partner to help Manny get ready for Floyd,” Jeff states. "I really don’t know about Clottey though. It doesn’t seem that his style is at all similar to Clottey’s. Not sure how much he could help. I’m sure he is handling himself well. He may even be holding his own with him. Steve is a professional through and through.”

Mayweather also added that Forbes is a very solid fighter whose only glaring weakness has been a lack of power over the years. When looking back on Forbes’ 2008 campaign, Mayweather feels that his losses to De La Hoy and Berto weren’t about skill as much as they were about size.

“I thought he gave a very good account of himself against Oscar,” Mayweather claims. “He came out with a good game plan but I just think that Oscar was the bigger fighter. I also think that was the case with [Andre] Berto, Steve fought well but he was just the smaller guy in both of those fights.”

In giving his closing comments on his former charge, Mayweather seems to find it ironic that Forbes’ time as a champion was more overlooked than his recent years as a contender. While Forbes often came up short in some of his biggest contests Mayweather takes satisfaction in knowing that he was able to reap some financial rewards in recent times.

“I remember when he was a world champion at one time but he never was able to capitalize on it. That’s the whole point of being a world champion, you want to make some money after that. Luckily Steve was able to land those bigger fights later in his career. I’m very happy for Steve. He’s a good guy and we still keep in touch.”

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao Spars With Tough Fighters

Fighter of the decade and the world's best pound-for-pound boxer Manny Pacman Pacquiao has intensified his preparations for the March 13 fight against Joshua Clottey at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas, USA.

According to reports monitored by DAILY GUIDE SPORTS, the classic boxer is sparring with two tough fighters in order to be ready for the Ghanaian hard hitting pugilist.

The report indicates that Pacman is sparring with Steve Fobres who once fought Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and went the distance with him; and Raymund Beltran, a regular spar-mate.

Conditioning expert, Alex Ariza said, “Pacquiao showed amazing speed and power and was ready to go anytime.

“It was obvious that he was relaxed and happy and looking forward to the clash with Clottey (35-3, 21KOs)”, he noted.

He added that there is no welterweight in the world now who could beat Pacquiao and that includes Floyd Mayweathr Jnr and Shane Mosley.

Meanwhile, the city of Dallas is readying itself for the biggest boxing showpiece of the year.

By all indications, the Dallas area and its fans are ready to host another grand event and all-set to watch Pacquiao deliver another knockout show.

“I can't wait to see Pacquiao in action here in Dallas," exclaimed Ronald “Popeye" Jones, former 11-year veteran for the Mavericks turned Mavericks Player Development Coach.

“You see that burning fire in Pacquiao to win, to be successful. It's the same fire that Michael Jordan had." Tickets for the fight had already been sold, selling from US$50 to US$700.

Source: dailyguideghana.com

Clottey vs Cotto Highlights

Hurting leg forces Pacquiao to slow down

By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:51:00 02/24/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Even a fighting machine like Manny Pacquiao needs to slow down sometimes.

The Filipino icon woke up on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in Los Angeles feeling some pain on his left leg, according to a television news report Monday.

It did not deter Pacquiao, however, from proceeding with his training regimen at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

Of course, the slight slack in Pacquiao’s movements did not escape the attention of master trainer Freddie Roach, who prevented him from doing extra work, and conditioning expert Alex Arriza, who gave the favored leg a light, soothing massage right inside the ring.

Pacquiao’s ailment was attributed to overworked muscles due to roadwork and extensive preparations for his defense of the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on March 13.

Apart from a two-hour relentless workout at the gym, Pacquiao starts his day in Los Angeles by jogging and exercising. He still jogs even on Sundays before attending Mass.

It was business as usual for Pacquiao on Monday with bosom buddy Buboy Fernandez temporarily taking over the training chores from Roach, who had a bad cold and cough.

In another TV interview, Roach said Fernandez is a welcome presence since he knows the training patterns as well as the ring ways of Pacquiao.

For his part, Fernandez said there’s nothing to worry about Pacquiao’s condition as it (leg pain) is a normal occurrence at the height of his training for a fight.

Despite donning a body armor, Fernandez said his body still aches from the impact of Pacquiao’s “controlled” punches.

Source: sports.inquirer.net

Manny Pacquiao, fighting fit and ready to fight

Head trainer Roach had to ease back on his fighters training, anxious his man would peak too early before the March 13 bout at the cowboy’s stadium, Arlington, Texas. When asked how Manny felt about fighting at the venue Roach said his fighter is honoured to be fighting in such a venue, he’s thrilled and it’s given him the extra incentive in his training in his quest to please a packed crowd.

Freddy Roach suggested Pacquiao, 50-3-2, (38) will enter the ring around 149 – 149 ½ pounds on the night of the fight, his opponent Joshua Clotty, 35-3-0. (28), is expected to weigh at least 160 pounds come the night of the fight. When asked if he was concerned with the size difference, roach said “Many is a true welterweight now and will not be fighting below the 147 limit again, if Clottey comes in at 160 pounds that does not concern me, it will only slow him down and make our job a whole lot easier.

Manny Pacquaio is said to be in tremendous condition, he reportedly started training at 149 pounds, only two pounds above the contractual weight of 147 pounds.


Sparring
Those who have witnessed the pound for pound king in sparring have been giving glowing reports; some suggest he looks ready to fight tomorrow. The Pac-Man allegedly beat up journeyman Bryan Brooks in four rounds, and almost knocked out Mike Dallas, 11-0, when the 23 year old light welterweight accidently landed a blow south of the border. Roach drafted in a new addition to the Pacquiao sparring sessions, Abdullai Amidu, a welterweight from Ghana who is undefeated with a record of 18-0, (17).

Joshua Clottey
Meanwhile on the east coast Joshua Clottey is preparing himself for the biggest opportunity of his career, one he plans on grabbing with both hands. Without the massive entourage Clottey goes about his business in Florida. “I’m not only bigger I am stronger, I have a game-plane and a motivation to beat Manny Pacquiao” said Clottey “God has given me this opportunity and I will seize that opportunity on the night of March 13. Personally I know he’s worried about me, how big and strong I am; he knows I will present him with a lot of problems, I have worked hard my whole life for this opportunity”


Aftermath
The contractual details are unclear regarding a re-match clause should Pacquiao loose this fight. I’m guessing a fight of this magnitude would have such a clause, not that there would be a need for one. If the Ghanaian Clottey were to win I feel he would happily oblige, another massive pay day and a desire to prove the first win was no upset would be enough to lure both back into the ring. I see only two routes for Pacquiao should he be the victor, the first would be a fight against the winner of Floyd Maywaether vs. Shane Mosley, pencilled in for May 1st, at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada. The other option would be to boost his historic record by winning yet another title in an eight division, light middleweight.

Source: theboxinghistorian.com

Joshua Clottey: 'If I Beat Manny Pacquiao, It's No...

/21/2010 6:00 PM ET By Lem Satterfield

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), Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 knockouts) of the Bronx, N.Y., spoke to FanHouse recently from his sleeping quarters near his training facility at Fort Lauderdale's Contender Gym in Florida.

This is the first of four diaries for Clottey that will appear regularly on FanHouse as the 32-year-old Clottey enters the most lucrative and biggest fight of his career.

It's 8 p.m. on Thursday evening, Feb. 18. Joshua Clottey is sleeping. Or he was sleeping. Clottey was rustled into consciousness by the third of four calls from media specialist Ed Keenan, insisting that he had to do a telephone interview.

Speaking through a hoarse voice that struggles against his desire to return to slumber, Clottey says, "Okay, I have to do this, so let's go." Clottey knows by now what's coming, and he's growing more and more tired of hearing the same questions.

Questions such as those about Godwin Nii Dzanie Kotey, who was to work Clottey's corner for the first time were it not for visa problems that prevented him from coming to America. In place of Kotey is Lenny DeJesus, under whom Clottey's strategy has been worked out over the past three weeks at the Florida-based gym owned by former two-time world champion, John David Jackson.

"I went to Ghana to try get a visa for my trainer, and it didn't work out for Godwin Kotey. I think that was three weeks ago, and I've moved on. I'm training with Lenny DeJesus, we're training hard, and we're very happy," said Clottey.

"I can't tell you my strategy. I can't and will not tell you what I'm going to do to Manny Pacquiao," said Clottey. "But I'm coming to fight -- I will tell you that. This, I do know: Manny Pacquiao is not that different from anyone else that I've fought."

Pacquiao is, however, a southpaw who has gotten more-and-more powerful as his weight has risen, having gone 11-0, with eight knockouts since his last loss by unanimous decision to Erik Morales in March 2005 as a super featherweight (130 pounds).

Pacquiao has stopped his past four opponents, David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and, Miguel Cotto, respectively, while weighing 134, 142, 138, and, 144 pounds.

The most notable southpaw Clottey has fought was Zab Judah, against whom Clottey won a dominant, technical decision.That bout, in August 2008, earned the IBF title for Clottey.

Cotto was coming off of June's split-decision victory over Clottey when Pacquiao dethroned him in the 12th round.

"Manny Pacquiao is a human being, like everyone else. He's just a really good fighter who is out there now who is No. 1 now," said Clottey. "I don't know how he's coming to fight me, but I can tell you that I'm a different fighter altogether than anyone else that he's faced. I'm a really difficult fighter, you see."

Clottey enjoys the fact that, unlike Cotto and De La Hoya, he will be allowed to fight at the 147-pound weight limit rather than being contracted by Pacquiao to fight at catch weights of 145 pounds like Cotto and De La Hoya.

"It is good for me to be at 147. I'm a very big welterweight, so it's not really easy to make 147. I'm going to be big," said Clottey, beginning to warm up. "But I'm going in there and taking it like, 'I'm just going to go in there and do my thing and make people happy.'"

Clottey said that he did not do that with Cotto, against whom he failed to cut off the ring and to take advantage of a fighter who, at times, appeared to be dazed by the challenger's punching power.

"Cotto is a very tough fighter. He had been beating guys and knocking guys out before I fought him. There are people who think that I got robbed. That's because I'm a big welterweight who doesn't necessarily throw a lot of punches, but I throw good punches that are going to connect," said Clottey.

"I felt like I threw more punches that connected well than Cotto did. You don't have to throw a thousand punches that miss a lot. I don't miss punches. I throw punches that land," said Clottey. "I don't throw punches that get blocked. I don't respect that. I want to connect good. After the fight, Cotto's face showed who won and who lost. That's the way I'm coming to fight Manny Pacquiao."

But will those punches be appreciated against a Manny Pacquiao, whose activity level alone could earn a momentum and favor with the crowd and the judges -- perceived or otherwise?

"Pacquiao is coming from a smaller weight to welterweight, and he's going to have an advantage in speed already because he's a smaller guy. I can't throw a lot of punches like Pacquiao will do. But I will connect enough to make him slow down and wear down, and bring his speed down," said Clottey.

"I will also rely on my pressure. But I don't know what Pacquiao is coming to do, so I have to use my head. I don't know if he's planning to move around. But I'm not going to make him chase me. I will be right there," said Clottey. "I want to make this fight so exciting that the fans will have something to talk about. I don't run. I'll keep coming. I'll be there."

Clottey's three losses were to former world champions Carlos Baldomir, Antonio Margarito and Cotto. Clottey led against Baldomir when he was disqualified for head-butting, and was also in front against Margarito before having to fight the final eight rounds with injuries to both hands.

"I've never left the ring feeling like I lost. I feel like I'm undefeated. If I win this fight against Manny Pacquiao, I will never feel like I beat the best fighter in the world," said Clottey.

"I will feel like I had a fight with Manny Pacquiao, the best fighter out there, and I won," said Clottey. "So even if I beat Pacquaio, and people talk about it like it's a big upset, I'll say, 'It's not an upset, but a win.'"

Clottey has heard what Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, has said that the Filipino superstar has planned for him -- and that's a knockout, as in Pacquiao will be the first man to stop Clottey.

"That's okay by me. Because anything Freddie Roach has said, Pacquiao has done. I have respect for him for that. And if I get into the ring, and, the big guy that I am, Pacquiao beats me so bad that he knocks me out, then that says something about Pacquiao," said Clottey.

"But trust me: My training is going very well for this one. I work out in the morning, running from here to the beach. I run on the beach. I go to the gym. I spar," said Clottey, adding that one of his sparring partners has power, and another moves around and boxes.

"Today, I sparred 10 rounds with four-minute rounds and a 30-second rest in between. I'm not really even tired after I'm finished," said Clottey. "I'm in shape. I want to prove to the whole world that this a fight that I can win, and that they should be careful not to write me off."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Fit Pacman: Pacquiao passes pre-fight exams

Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao underwent the required pre-fight physical examinations over the weekend and was declared fit to duke it out with Joshua Clottey on March 13 in Texas.

Pacquiao trooped to the San Pedro Medical Center in San Pedro, California to have his reflexes and vital signs checked and according to sportscaster Chino Trinidad, easily passed the battery of tests that included a check on his blood pressure, eye-hand coordination and balance, as well as an eye exam.

The 31-year-old pride of the Philippines also went through blood tests over two weeks before his WBO welterweight title defense against the tough Clottey.

Pacquiao, according to Trinidad, was visibly shaken having his blood taken for tests against performance-enhancing substances.

“Mahirap kapag ikaw ay kinunan ng dugo, lalo na sa aming mga atleta. Ang kailangan namin ay lakas so pag kinunan ng dugo, manghihina ka. Makaka-recover ka lang mga three or four days pa (after)," the Pacman told Trinidad in his TV interview.

The blood testing issue was interestingly the main reason for the fallout of negotiations for his botched megafight with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Pacquiao had frowned upon Mayweather’s demands for random blood testing and instead pitched a procedure no more than 24 days before fight night.

For the Clottey fight, Pacquiao believed he has more than enough time to “recover" his strength.

“OK naman yan (blood tests) 24 days before the fight. Makaka-recover pa tayo," he said.

Pacquiao and his team are extremely confident against Clottey, whom trainer Freddie Roach said will fall for the first time in his career.

“Well, the more I watch Clottey, the more mistakes I find in him and I’m very confident Manny is going to knock him out and be the first person to knock him out," Roach said in an interview with the show “On the Ropes" posted on The Mushroom Magazine.

"I know he (Clottey) has a good chin. He’s a tough guy and he’s a nice guy, but just studying the tapes of him, he won’t last 12 rounds with Manny Pacquiao in my opinion," he added.

Pacquiao, whom Roach said is doing great in training, will continue to hold camp at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles until March 8, the day they head to Dallas for fight week.

The Pacman, according to Fight News, is scheduled to hold an open workout on March 10 at the basement of the Gaylord Texan Hotel in Grapevine, Texas and join Clottey for a press conference at the Dallas Stadium on the same day. - GMANews.TV

Source: GMAnews.tv

I'm not Josh-ing; 7 reasons why Clottey shocks Pac...

Boxing Examiner | Michael Marley

Seven Reasons Why Joshua Clottey Shocks Manny Pacquiao on March 13:

1.Low expectations favor Clottey. Coming in as the “B” side, it's not his face on the cover of Time magazine and he's not being trailed by a CBS “60 Minutes” TV crew. His chore is simplified, train and then fight with ZERO distractions. We always say and think distractions never distract Pacman but can it always be so?


2.Clottey may be physically stronger than Megamanny. If he bull Pacman around a bit, make the fight rough and tumble, his strength could wear on Manny. Look at Clottey's body and you might think his birth weight in Ghana was 147 pounds.


3.Fighting for his nation. Mental self talk can convince a fighter he can win against great odds. We just marked the 20th anniversary of James “Buster” Douglas talking himself into the belief that he could upset Leviathan Mike Tyson in Tokyo. He went out and did just that. Maybe Clottey can do the same. He's vowed to take a victory for Ghana, you know.

4.Using Miguel Cotto as a measuring stick, is Pacman that much better than Clottey? Had he not taken his pedal off the mettle in the closing rounds, Josh would've taken a decision victory over the brawny Puerto Rican battler.

5.Bad day at the office factor. I saw Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and other ATGs have off nights. Sure, Pacman has been phenomenal but is it is possible if not probable that one of these nights he won't be at his best. If he is even slightly off kilter, Clottey could take advantage.

6.Mayweather Mania. Similar in scope to #5 in that I wonder if all the blather about and from Floyd Kill Joy Mayweather could be a distraction for Manny. Mayweather will be at owboys Stadium without physically being there.

7.Pilot error. This flight, I mean this fight, has been carefully scripted by Top Rank. Bossman Bob Arum “cleared” the match with trusted matchmaker (Hall Of Fame bound) and my onetime New York roommate, Bruce “Southland” Trampler. But even this Teddy Brenner protege has stubbed his toe from time to time. If he does it this time, it may require amputation of the foot.

Source: Examiner.com

Hurting leg forces Pacquiao to slow down

By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:51:00 02/24/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Even a fighting machine like Manny Pacquiao needs to slow down sometimes.

The Filipino icon woke up on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in Los Angeles feeling some pain on his left leg, according to a television news report Monday.

It did not deter Pacquiao, however, from proceeding with his training regimen at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

Of course, the slight slack in Pacquiao’s movements did not escape the attention of master trainer Freddie Roach, who prevented him from doing extra work, and conditioning expert Alex Arriza, who gave the favored leg a light, soothing massage right inside the ring.

Pacquiao’s ailment was attributed to overworked muscles due to roadwork and extensive preparations for his defense of the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on March 13.

Apart from a two-hour relentless workout at the gym, Pacquiao starts his day in Los Angeles by jogging and exercising. He still jogs even on Sundays before attending Mass.

It was business as usual for Pacquiao on Monday with bosom buddy Buboy Fernandez temporarily taking over the training chores from Roach, who had a bad cold and cough.

In another TV interview, Roach said Fernandez is a welcome presence since he knows the training patterns as well as the ring ways of Pacquiao.

For his part, Fernandez said there’s nothing to worry about Pacquiao’s condition as it (leg pain) is a normal occurrence at the height of his training for a fight.

Despite donning a body armor, Fernandez said his body still aches from the impact of Pacquiao’s “controlled” punches.

Source: sports.inquirer.net

Clottey's Problems

Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Posted By Avi "Shoefly" Korine 12:30 PM

I keep finding it strange that if you had proposed a Pacquiao-Clottey fight two years ago people would have thought you were a lunatic. They would have thought that Clottey would crush and batter the smaller Pacquiao. Part of me thinks that we're all in for a big surprise.

But then I think about Pacquaio's recent performances, and I think about Clottey and that doubt goes away. We know what Pacquiao can do, but the news out of Clottey's camp reaffirms my feelings about him; he's a guy who isn't meant to win. For some reason things just don't seem to work out for Joshua Clottey.

In this fight we've all heard that Clottey is without his preferred trainer, who remains in Ghana dealing with visa issues. Today on Boxingscene it is reported that he is working with Pacquiao's former cutman Lenny De Jesus.

I don't know enough about De Jesus to judge his fitness to train Clottey, but I do know that there needs to be a level of trust between a trainer and a fighter. I can't imagine that is easy to create just weeks prior to the biggest fight of your career.

Equally concerning is an article in the Las Vegas Boxing Examiner. We learn that Clottey's chief sparring partner is Damian Frias. Frias reports that things are going well in camp, but notably say, "From what I can see I am his only real sparring partner. Other guys might come once a week. "

I saw Frias fight on Showbox last year where he lost a clear decision to Freddy Hernandez. He's a decent fighter, but it does seem a little concerning that Frias, Boxrec's 250th ranked welterweight, is Clottey's only major sparring mate. Manny Pacquiao, working at the Wildcard Gym, has an inexhaustible supply of good fighters to work with.

Does this mean Clottey can't win? Absolutely not. It does make one wonder if Clottey will be at his absolute best, if he will have given himself every advantage possible, as Pacquiao has. We know Pacquiao won't wilt in the last few rounds, he trains for it and lives for it. Will Clottey be ready? Will he be willing to do everything it takes? For a guy like Clottey - whose career has been a series of moments where he came up just short - it sounds like it could be part of a familiar pattern.

Source: sportingnews.com

Road To Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey Online Stream...

Instead of Pacquiao vs. Clottey 24/7 like on previous Pacquiao fights. Now HBO Sports will present “Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey,” a thirty-minute special analyzing the upcoming welterweight title showdown between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and challenger Joshua Clottey that will mark the first-ever pro boxing event at the landmark $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex. The intriguing fight will take place on Saturday, March 13 and be televised on HBO Pay-Per-View.

The “Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey” special, which will feature fighter profiles, expert analysis and forecasts for the matchup, will premiere on HBO on Saturday, March 6 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT immediately following the live presentation of HBO Boxing After Dark.

Making his first ring appearance of 2010, Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) looks to continue the enormous momentum he built up in 2009 when he scored convincing KO wins over Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. Considered the sport’s pound-for-pound king, Pacquiao is boxing’s first seven division champ. A native of Ghana, Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs) is a formidable opponent who is determined to spring the first huge upset of 2010.

The special will also be available to HBO ON DEMAND subscribers 24 hours a day, beginning Wednesday, March 10 through Monday, April 12.

Source: pacquiaovsclotteyfreelivestream.info

Jerry Jones Press Con Interview

Pacquaio Clottey Dallas Press

Pacquiao Clottey Press Complete

Pacquiao vs Clottey Promotion 1

Pacquiao vs Clottey Highlights

Pacquiao Start Training

Manny Pacquiao's Greatest Hits

Joshua Clottey vs Jose Luis Cruz

Joshua Clottey - Small Reel

Manny's just like everyone else

By GAVIN GLICKSMAN

JOSHUA CLOTTEY reckons it should not go down as an upset if he beats Manny Pacquiao.

Clottey, 32, is the clear underdog heading into his clash with the pound-for-pound king on March 13.

But the Ghanaian is confident he can defy the odds at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

Clottey said: "Pacquiao is a human being, like everyone else. He's just a really good fighter who is currently No1.

"If I win this fight, I will never feel like I beat the best fighter in the world.

"I will feel like I had a fight with the best fighter out there right now — and I won.

"I'll say, 'It's not an upset, just a win'."

Source: thesun.co.uk

Pacquiao Spars With Tough Fighters

Fighter of the decade and the world's best pound-for-pound boxer Manny Pacman Pacquiao has intensified his preparations for the March 13 fight against Joshua Clottey at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas, USA.

According to reports monitored by DAILY GUIDE SPORTS, the classic boxer is sparring with two tough fighters in order to be ready for the Ghanaian hard hitting pugilist.

The report indicates that Pacman is sparring with Steve Fobres who once fought Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and went the distance with him; and Raymund Beltran, a regular spar-mate.

Conditioning expert, Alex Ariza said, “Pacquiao showed amazing speed and power and was ready to go anytime.

“It was obvious that he was relaxed and happy and looking forward to the clash with Clottey (35-3, 21KOs)”, he noted.

He added that there is no welterweight in the world now who could beat Pacquiao and that includes Floyd Mayweathr Jnr and Shane Mosley.

Meanwhile, the city of Dallas is readying itself for the biggest boxing showpiece of the year.

By all indications, the Dallas area and its fans are ready to host another grand event and all-set to watch Pacquiao deliver another knockout show.

“I can't wait to see Pacquiao in action here in Dallas," exclaimed Ronald “Popeye" Jones, former 11-year veteran for the Mavericks turned Mavericks Player Development Coach.

“You see that burning fire in Pacquiao to win, to be successful. It's the same fire that Michael Jordan had." Tickets for the fight had already been sold, selling from US$50 to US$700.

Source: dailyguideghana.com

PACQUIAO VS. CLOTTEY FIGHT BREAKDOWN

By Danny Howard | February 23, 2010

To the lot of us, this is the fight that nobody wanted. Many are still focused on the past and future of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather. Although nobody seems to realize that two of the best Welterweights in the world will be fighting for a title, or the fact that boxing's pound-for-pound best might be in for a rough night, everyone will still watch a watered down substitute for what could have been. That said, will Pacquiao's historic career claim Joshua Clottey as its next entrant in the "W" column? Or will Clottey, a former Welterweight champion himself, rise to the biggest occasion of his career and shock the world?

Let's go to the board:

Manny Pacquiao **WBO Champion**

* Age: 31
* Height: 5'6 ½"
* Reach: 67"
* Record: 50-3-2 (38 KO)

Joshua Clottey

* Age: 32
* Height: 5'7"
* Reach: 70"
* Record: 35-3 (20 KO)

From their statistics, both fighters are very well matched and neither will have any glaring physical advantage over the other. This fight will basically be Clottey's counterpunching vs. Pacquiao's speed. You'll see a lot of Clottey coming forward, throwing straight punches, while Pacquiao will be strafing him with shots at all angles.

While neither fighter is a heavy hitter, Clottey probably throws the harder punches and will have to rely on landing good body shots early to slow down the champion. One thing Clottey does best is force his way through with his high guard and lets his hands go when he decides to. Clottey has a good jab, something Pacquiao has had trouble with in the past. He shouldn't press for power punches like he did against Zab Judah, but he shouldn't be too afraid to let his hands go either.

The biggest problem for Clottey is that while he may start off strong and land some good shots, he spends a good amount of time being inactive with his high guard, hoping to time a big counter shot. After Pacquiao dropped Cotto in their November fight, Cotto abandoned his gameplan and tried to land one shot at a time. As a result, he was pummeled by the seemingly endless punches from Pacquiao. Being a strong chinned and defensively sound fighter, Clottey is unlikely to be hurt by Pacquiao's shots, but he might be loading up too long and the rounds will pile up against him.

Pacquiao will be looking to attack Clottey from all angles and will try to force him off balance. It will not be in Pacquiao's best interests to take a straight shot from Clottey or stay on the inside for too long during the early goings. The best option for Pacquiao will be to take advantage of Clottey's high guard and hit him high and low. Clottey is a bulky fighter and although Pacquiao's shots won't get through for serious damage, it will tire Clottey and may force him to drop his hands.

There is very little Pacquiao can do wrong here besides backing himself up into a corner and giving Clottey opportunities to land. Pacquiao seems eager to force a fight to break out at times and that fighter instinct will have to take a backseat to allow his technical skills to carry the match. What works best for him is that Clottey is an awful finisher and cannot keep a fast pace for a whole round; this might work out better for Pacquiao than anything else.

In the end, Clottey is just like Pacquiao's last four opponents: a good fighter who is too flat-footed to give him chase and won't be able to adjust to his style. Clottey is still a more dangerous opponent than Miguel Cotto, who Clottey narrowly lost to last June, but he's stylistically perfect for Pacquiao because of his inactivity and tendency to fade in the later rounds. It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to say that Clottey may put a beating on Pacquiao in the process though to the latter's own victory.

A Pacquiao decision will likely be the outcome here with the possibility of a referee stoppage in the 11th round. I don't think Clottey can overcome Pacquiao's speed. With his bad habits of fighting slow and steady, it should work to the champion's advantage. Even if the fight is close, Clottey's style is too rough around the edges to give him the benefit of the doubt compared to the blazing style of his opponent. He'll have to win by KO or on cuts if he is to win at all.

Source: fighthype.com

Clottey's Problems

Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Posted By Avi "Shoefly" Korine 12:30 PM

I keep finding it strange that if you had proposed a Pacquiao-Clottey fight two years ago people would have thought you were a lunatic. They would have thought that Clottey would crush and batter the smaller Pacquiao. Part of me thinks that we're all in for a big surprise.

But then I think about Pacquaio's recent performances, and I think about Clottey and that doubt goes away. We know what Pacquiao can do, but the news out of Clottey's camp reaffirms my feelings about him; he's a guy who isn't meant to win. For some reason things just don't seem to work out for Joshua Clottey.

In this fight we've all heard that Clottey is without his preferred trainer, who remains in Ghana dealing with visa issues. Today on Boxingscene it is reported that he is working with Pacquiao's former cutman Lenny De Jesus.

I don't know enough about De Jesus to judge his fitness to train Clottey, but I do know that there needs to be a level of trust between a trainer and a fighter. I can't imagine that is easy to create just weeks prior to the biggest fight of your career.

Equally concerning is an article in the Las Vegas Boxing Examiner. We learn that Clottey's chief sparring partner is Damian Frias. Frias reports that things are going well in camp, but notably say, "From what I can see I am his only real sparring partner. Other guys might come once a week. "

I saw Frias fight on Showbox last year where he lost a clear decision to Freddy Hernandez. He's a decent fighter, but it does seem a little concerning that Frias, Boxrec's 250th ranked welterweight, is Clottey's only major sparring mate. Manny Pacquiao, working at the Wildcard Gym, has an inexhaustible supply of good fighters to work with.

Does this mean Clottey can't win? Absolutely not. It does make one wonder if Clottey will be at his absolute best, if he will have given himself every advantage possible, as Pacquiao has. We know Pacquiao won't wilt in the last few rounds, he trains for it and lives for it. Will Clottey be ready? Will he be willing to do everything it takes? For a guy like Clottey - whose career has been a series of moments where he came up just short - it sounds like it could be part of a familiar pattern.

Source: sportingnews.com

Road To Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey Online Stream

Instead of Pacquiao vs. Clottey 24/7 like on previous Pacquiao fights. Now HBO Sports will present “Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey,” a thirty-minute special analyzing the upcoming welterweight title showdown between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and challenger Joshua Clottey that will mark the first-ever pro boxing event at the landmark $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex. The intriguing fight will take place on Saturday, March 13 and be televised on HBO Pay-Per-View.

The “Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey” special, which will feature fighter profiles, expert analysis and forecasts for the matchup, will premiere on HBO on Saturday, March 6 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT immediately following the live presentation of HBO Boxing After Dark.

Making his first ring appearance of 2010, Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) looks to continue the enormous momentum he built up in 2009 when he scored convincing KO wins over Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. Considered the sport’s pound-for-pound king, Pacquiao is boxing’s first seven division champ. A native of Ghana, Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs) is a formidable opponent who is determined to spring the first huge upset of 2010.

The special will also be available to HBO ON DEMAND subscribers 24 hours a day, beginning Wednesday, March 10 through Monday, April 12.

Source: pacquiaovsclotteyfreelivestream.info

Column: Pacman don’t need no ’roids, he’s got dyna...

By Mark Lee
Northwest Asian Weekly

he Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight has now been called off. Pacquiao has also filed a defamation lawsuit against Mayweather, his father Floyd Sr., his uncle Roger, and Golden Boy Promotions for allegedly accusing him of using performance-enhancing drugs.

The controversy started after Pacquiao knocked out British boxer Ricky Hatton in the second round last year. Hatton was trained by Floyd Mayweather Sr. Before the Hatton fight, several British papers reported that Floyd Sr. was going to get fired by Hatton’s camp for problems that included showing up late for training.

After Hatton was knocked out, Floyd did not try to support his fighter. Instead, he signed autographs, and during the post-fight conference, he blamed Hatton by claiming that he did not follow his instructions about keeping his hands up. He also stated that Hatton should retire.

At some point, after the Hatton fight, Floyd Sr. also claimed that Pacquiao had to be on steroids given how hard he hit Hatton.

Fast forward a few months and a fight is scheduled with Floyd Sr.’s son. The steroid issue was raised again, and after lengthy negotiations, the fight was eventually called off. The Mayweather camp wanted blood tests by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which conducts tests anytime a fight is signed to the fight date. However, the Pacquiao camp refused to provide these samples. They were only willing to allow blood to be taken from Pacquiao at least 30 days before the fight date, as well as immediately after the conclusion of the bout. Freddie Roach, on the other hand, commented that he would allow a blood sample to be taken from Pacquiao at least one week before the fight.

None of the news reports I have seen ever mentioned any solid evidence of steroid use such as witnesses who claimed they supplied steroids to Pacquiao. Floyd Sr. started the whole controversy by insulting Pacquiao and insisting that he had to be on steroids. He has a pattern of obnoxious behavior. For example, before the Hatton fight, he called Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie “the joke” Roach. Pacquiao should not have had to go out of his way to accommodate Mayweather, and it is understandable that he eventually decided to not bother doing business with someone who is disrespectful.

Pacquiao’s physique does not appear to show signs associated with steroid use such as upper body acne. He did bulk up from fighting at 106 pounds when he was 16 to his current 147-pound fighting weight at age 31.

However, people ofen fill out as they get older. Pacquiao’s strength coach, the usually reserved Alex Ariza, felt compelled to defend his fighter to the press and detailed the boxer’s 7,000-calorie diet, approved supplemental intake, and natural physique.

His power comes from the combination of a number of factors. Basically, power is a product of mass times speed. The faster you punch, the harder you hit. But you also need to coordinate your motions so that you get the maximum weight behind the punch.

Pacquiao has a lot of leg strength, which he uses to drive his upper body in transmitting power into his fists.

He has developed the ability to hit from a variety of angles, and he has excellent footwork, which puts him into a position where he can blast through his opponents guard.

There are many factors that give the “Pacman” his winning edge, and steroid use is highly unlikely.

Pacquiao does not like to get his blood drawn shortly before a fight because of his belief that it weakens him.

Some news reports made it sound like taking blood is just a pin prick. I called up a local lab testing service and was told a minimum sample takes at least 3 milliliters. The sample size can vary depending on how the blood test is conducted. In some cases, the blood sample can fill up the whole collection vial and be as much as 8 milliliters. This is quite a bit more than just a drop.

Pacquiao is now scheduled to fight Joshua Clottey, who is from Ghana. Unlike Mayweather, who is more of a tactical defensive boxer, Clottey has a reputation as an aggressive fighter. He also comes across as polite and leaves out the tiresome trash talk you hear from a lot of fighters. At 5’9”, he has a substantial size advantage over Pacquiao. But as we know, that didn’t stop Pacquiao from annihilating Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto.

The fight is scheduled for March 13, and it should an exciting one! ♦

Source: nwasianweekly.com

Joshua Clottey's Greatest Hits

Pacquiao Clottey Press Complete

ARIZA: WE CAN’T ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 21 Feb 2010

“Fighter of the Decade” and the world’s pound-for-pound hero Manny Pacquiao is doing so well in training for “The Event” against Ghana’s tough Joshua Clottey at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium on March 13, that conditioning expert Alex Ariza says “we can’t ask for anything more.”

Ariza told us that Pacquiao sparred nine rounds on Saturday with Steve Forbes who once fought Oscar De La Hoya and went the distance with him and also Raymund Beltran, a regular sparmate of “The Pacman.”

Ariza said Pacquiao showed “amazing speed and power and is ready to go anytime.”

He said it was obvious that Pacquiao was relaxed and happy and looking forward to the clash with Clottey.

After Pacquiao’s workout at the Wild Card Gym of trainer Freddie Roach, Ariza told us Pacquiao was “feeling good and Freddie was obviously happy and had a smile on his face and when they are happy, I am happy.”

Ariza believes there is no welterweight in the world today who could take on Pacquiao and beat him and that includes Floyd Mayweather Jr and Shane Mosley who are scheduled to face-off against each other in May.

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Pacquiao vs Clottey Highlights

End of the road for Pacquiao's boxing career?

Mississippi Fight Sports Examiner | Brad Cooney

This is what some people are reporting. Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to fight big Joshua Clottey on March 13th, in Dallas, Texas. After that is just a guess. It's still hard to imagine that both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr would opt out of 30 to 40 million bucks to fight one another. Time will tell if that fight ever gets done.

So will the Clottey fight be Pacquiao's last? Don't bet on it. This writer recently posed that question directly to Manny last month. Pacquiao while training at Wild Card Gym, in Hollywood, took a few minutes to respond to the retirement question, "It's hard to say right now. Maybe three of four more fights." According to that response his retirement is not tomorrow, yet not too far down the road either.

It's not crazy to think that Manny may continue on with his boxing career even if he is elected to congress. Pacquiao spoke about the possibility of fighting if he wins the congressional seat, "Maybe I will keep fighting."

Pacquiao fans in Mississippi do not want him to retire. The fans that I spoke with all hope to see him fight at least 5 more years. I took another little tour around Jackson, MS and stopped at a few of the city's best sports bars. Pacquiao's fans spoke about his eventual retirement and the overwhelming consensus was clear, they don't want him to. Jansen Groves, a big Pacquiao fan spoke about it, " I don't even like thinking about the day when Manny goes. He has done so much for the sport, and more importantly for his country. There will be a big void in boxing once Manny retires."

It appears as if Manny's plan is to fight 3 to 4 more fights. Perhaps after Clottey he looks at Mayweather Jr again. If Shane Mosley defeats Floyd, perhaps Manny gives him the payday of a lifetime. Another fan friendly fight would be Manny Pacquiao vs Edwin Valero. There are still a few very interesting matches that can be made for Manny Pacquiao. Will he retire after Clottey? I wouldn't bet on that.

Source: Examiner.com

Rankings: Floyd’s mouth roars

By Kevin Iole

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. continue to hold the top two spots in the Yahoo! Sports boxing rankings. And it continues to seem as if they’ll never meet each other.

The two men agreed on virtually every aspect of a bout, including a date, a site, a name (Mayweather-Pacquiao in the U.S., Pacquiao-Mayweather internationally) and, most importantly, money.

Mayweather even agreed to a Pacquiao demand of a $10 million per pound penalty for any weight over 147 pounds. But they couldn’t agree on random, Olympic-style drug testing and the bout fell apart.

Mayweather gave a revealing interview with his hometown newspaper, The Grand Rapids Press, in which he suggested that he’ll no longer agree to a 50-50 money split.

Instead of meeting each other, as sports fans were demanding, Mayweather is fighting Shane Mosley on May 1 in Las Vegas, while Pacquiao faces Joshua Clottey on March 13 in Arlington, Texas.

Both fights are on pay-per-view, but the Mayweather-Mosley fight is expected to far outdo it in sales. The Pacquiao-Clottey fight, which is at Cowboys Stadium, will draw perhaps as many as three times as many fans, though the Mayweather-Mosley gate will be larger due to substantially higher ticket prices.

But if Mayweather-Mosley, which has stronger name value between both fighters, does better on pay-per-view than Pacquiao-Clottey, the likelihood of a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight ever occurring diminishes greatly. The sides had quickly agreed on terms before, with each man guaranteed $25 million plus a share of the pay-per-view proceeds.

Mayweather, though, will be watching the numbers intently. And if Mayweather and Pacquiao each win, agreeing to financial terms won’t be as easy as it was the first time. “Instead of 20 or 25 (million dollars), he may have to drop to 15, or 17,” Mayweather told Mayo. “And you know me, they may have to throw that extra five or 10 on mine, and we can rock and roll. Take it or leave it.”

And Mayweather also told Mayo that he won’t compromise any longer on the drug testing issue. He agreed to halt testing 14 days out from the fight as they were attempting to reach a deal, but Pacquiao wanted 24 days.

Now, Mayweather says, there will be no cutoff or there will be no fight. “I gave him a chance, up to 14 days out,” Mayweather said. “But my new terms are all the way up to the fight. They can come get us whenever, all the way up to the fight, random drug test. That’s what it is.”

And so it seems that the question of deciding who is best between Pacquiao and Mayweather will be decided by words and polls, and not by punches in the ring. With that, let’s take a look at this month’s rankings:

1. Manny Pacquiao
Points: 279 (27 of 28 first-place votes)
Record: 50-3-2 (38 KOs)
Title: WBO welterweight champion
Last outing:: TKO12 over Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14

Previous ranking:: 1
Up next: vs. Joshua Clottey on March 13 in Arlington, Texas
Analysis:Fans still eager for bout with Mayweather

2. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Points: 252 (1 of 28 first-place votes)
Record: 40-0 (25 KOs)
Title: None
Last outing:: W12 over No. 6 Juan Manuel Marquez on Sept. 19
Previous ranking:: 2
Up next: May 1 fight vs. No. 4 Shane Mosley in Las Vegas
Analysis: The game’s best defensive fighter

3. Paul Williams

Points: 186
Record: 38-1 (27 KOs)
Title: WBO junior middleweight champion
Last outing:: W12 over Sergio Martinez on Dec. 5
Previous ranking:: 4
Up next: Nothing scheduled
Analysis:Can be a factor at 147, 154 and 160

4. Shane Mosley

Points: 184
Record: 46-5 (39 KOs)
Title: WBA welterweight champion
Last outing:: TKO9 over Antonio Margarito on Jan. 24, 2009
Previous ranking:: 3
Up next: May 1 vs. No. 2 Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas
Analysis: Will fight on 17-month layoff.

5. Bernard Hopkins

Points: 127
Record: 50-5-1 (32 KOs)
Title: None
Last outing:: W12 over Enrique Ornelas on Dec. 2
Previous ranking:: 5
Up next: vs. Roy Jones Jr. on April 3 in Las Vegas
Analysis:Fight with Jones to settle old score.

6. Juan Manuel Marquez

Points: 115
Record: 50-5-1 (37 KOs)
Title: WBA, WBO lightweight champion
Last outing:: L12 to No. 2 Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Sept. 19
Previous ranking:: 6
Up next: Nothing scheduled
Analysis: Inexplicably declined super lightweight title bout with Amir Khan.

7. Chad Dawson

Points: 89
Record: 28-0 (17 KOs)
Title: Interim WBC light heavyweight champion
Last outing:: W12 over Glen Johnson on Nov. 7
Previous ranking:: 8
Up next: Nothing scheduled
Analysis: Hasn’t faced fighter younger than 39 in more than two years

8. Arthur Abraham

Points: 81
Record: 31-0 (25 KOs)
Title: None
Last outing:: TKO12 Jermain Taylor on Oct. 17
Previous ranking:: 7
Up next: March 6 vs. Andre Dirrell in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Analysis: Co-favorite in Super Six tournament.

9. Wladimir Klitschko
Points: 45
Record: 53-3 (47 KOs)
Title: IBF, WBO heavyweight champion
Last outing:: TKO9 over Ruslan Chagaev on June 20
Previous ranking:: 9
Up next: March 20 vs. Eddie Chambers in Dusseldorf, Germany
Analysis: Extremely gifted big man

10. Juan Manuel Lopez

Points: 26
Record: 28-0 (25 KOs)
Title: WBO featherweight champion
Last outing:: TKO7 over Steven Luevano on Jan. 23
Previous ranking:: 10
Up next: Nothing scheduled
Analysis: Eyeing showdown with Yuriorkis Gamboa for featherweight supremacy.

Others receiving votes: Ivan Calderon, 30; Timothy Bradley, 24; Miguel Cotto, 18; Vitali Klitschko, 15; Israel Vazquez, 12; Nonito Donaire, 10; Sergio Martinez, 10; Celestino Caballero, 9; Yuriorkis Gamboa, 9; Chris John, 7; Hozumi Hasegawa, 3; Andre Ward, 1.

Voting panel: Raul Alzaga, Primera Hora; Ron Borges, Boston Herald; Steve Cofield, Yahoo! Sports; Dave Cokin, ESPN Radio 1100, Las Vegas; Andrew Eisele, About.com; Scott Fyfe, Sunday Post, Scotland; Thomas Gerbasi, Boxingscene.com; Lee Groves, MaxBoxing.com; Thomas Hauser, Seconds Out.com; Keith Idec, Herald News, New Jersey; Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports; Michael Katz, Gaming Today; Scott Mallon, Asian Boxing News; Rich Marotta, Fox Sports Net; David Mayo, Grand Rapids Press; Franklin McNeil, Newark Star Ledger; Gunnar Meinhardt, Die Welt; Robert Morales, Los Angeles Daily News; Marty Mulcahey, MaxBoxing.com; Kieran Mulvaney, Reuters; Brett Okamoto, Las Vegas Sun; Santos Perez, Miami Herald; Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports; Michael Rosenthal, Ring; Tim Smith, New York Daily News; T.K. Stewart, Boxingscene.com; Paul Upham, Seconds Out.com; John Whisler, San Antonio Express News.

Source: sports.yahoo.com