Watch Pacman-Clottey Boxing Fight Replay

Pound for Pound King Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KO) successfully defended his WBO Welterweight Championship with a dominant twelve round decision victory over former IBF Welterweight Champion Joshua “Grandmaster” Clottey (35-4-0, 20 KO) of Accra, Ghana in front of a massive crowd of 50,994 at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The scores were 120-108, 119-109, and 119-109 all in favor of Pacquiao.

Pacquiao’s work rate proved too much for Clottey for twelve rounds. Pacquiao landed 246 of 1,231 punches compared to Clottey’s 108 of 399, according to CompuBox.

Pacquiao took advantage of Clottey’s defensive style by ripping the Ghanaian with hard shots to the body. His sustained attack and blazing hand speed against Clottey was his key to this victory.

Clottey was on the defensive for twelve rounds by just keeping his guard high. His best round of the fight was the 6th round wherein caught Pacquiao with good counters to head and body. However, he never really got it going after that and was backed up by Pacquiao all throughout the rest of the fight.

The win over Clottey could probably set-up a match with the winner of the May 1st bout between undefeated boxing star Floyd Mayweather, Jr and WBA Welterweight Champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley later this year.

Pacquiao vs. Clottey Final Press Conference Photos and Videos

by: eastsideboxing


DALLAS, TEXAS, March 10, 2010 – 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..

Can Joshua Clottey Find a Way to Beat Manny Pacquiao?

by: Ben Cohen
The Final Bell


The upcoming fight between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey promises to be exciting. Why?

Because Manny Pacquiao is fighting.

The dynamic Filipino could be in the ring with a miniature version of John Ruiz (the most boring fighter in recent history) and it would still make for compelling viewing. Pacquiao’s relentless aggression, speed, power and movement are enough to crack most defensive fighter’s shells, and his ability to knock an opponent out with one punch guarantees an action packed bout.

And in his fight with Joshua Clottey we can probably expect even more.

The teak-tough Ghanaian is not afraid to mix it up and has good power, particularly with his left hand. Despite being somewhat defensively minded, Clottey can switch to outright aggression instantaneously, and has a very keen sense of territory in the ring. Clottey likes to intimidate his opponents physically, and his frame is abnormally dense for 147lbs. Clottey could easily compete at 154lbs and be just as effective, and he will be the biggest, strongest fighter Pacquiao has ever faced.

Stylistically speaking, Clottey has perhaps one of the better ones for facing the Pac Man. He has no problems with south paws (see his performance over Zab Judah), and loves to go toe to toe with aggressive fighters (see his bout with Antonio Margarito). Clottey throws very fast lead right hands that bother southpaws, and his left hook and left uppercut are feared weapons in the division. Clottey also jabs southpaws very well, a very difficult thing to do, particularly against elite level fighters.

Pacquiao has ironed out most of his technical flaws and presents a very difficult challenge for any fighter in the sport. His jab and right hook are now just as potent as his lethal left, and his lateral movement has improved almost beyond recognition. Pacquiao doesn’t just move in and out like he used to, he side steps, pivots and turns as well as any of the greats. But Pacquiao is often a victim of his own extraordinary fighting heart and tends to go toe to toe when he doesn’t have to, and can sometimes get caught while unloading his power shots. Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto both caught Pacquiao with well timed hooks and uppercuts while Pacquiao steamed in with his trademark aggression.

If Clottey can keep Pacquiao on the end of his jab and fire out consistent lead right hands, he may be able to control the action for good parts of the bout. Clottey may also find success if he bulls Pacquiao to the ropes and unleashes his uppercuts and hooks. He must be careful to stop him from ducking and swiveling out (a trick Pacquiao has learned extremely well over the years), but Clottey’s wide frame and unusual physical strength will give him a better chance than most.

It is hard to see Clottey effectively catching Pacquiao between punches because the African fighter tends to cover up while his opponents are punching and wait for his turn to start his own offense.

And this is why Clottey probably doesn’t have what it takes to dethrone the pound for pound king.

While Clottey may be able to control the pace for portions of the bout, Pacquiao’s incredible speed and movement will force Clottey into his shell. When he does that, Pacquiao will begin to step around and attack Clottey’s body to bring his hands down. Pacquiao’s unorthodox punches will begin to find their target, and Clottey will either have to blend offensive punching with his defense, or lose more rounds than he wins. Freddy Roach will insist that Pacquiao doesn’t stand infront of Clottey for too long, and by the time the Filipino is done punching, Clottey will be swiping at thin air.

Fighters who have mastered the art of counter punching have a chance of beating Pacquiao, and as it stands, only Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley operate at a high enough level to make it work (and maybe Juan Manuel Marquez at a much lower weight). Miguel Cotto fought on even terms for three rounds with the Pac Man due to his effective counter punching, but his chin wasn’t good enough to keep him competitive throughout. Clottey’s chin is world class, but his counter punching isn’t, and for those reasons he won’t be the pick this Saturday.

It is difficult to see Pacquiao scoring a knockout over Clottey, but it might start to look pretty bad for the Ghanaian in the later rounds as Pacquiao’s speed and rhythm take over.

My prediction: Pacquiao via unanimous decision.

Pacquiao confident speed can trump Clottey's size

by: (Reuters)


Filipino ring king Manny Pacquiao said his lightning fast speed will be enough to nullify Joshua Clottey's size advantage when the two meet in Dallas on Saturday.

Sports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Clottey Too Strong?

By: Alex McMillan


Saturday night sees the next chapter unfold in what has become the gladiatorial career of Manny Pacquiao. Proudly and justifiably held as boxing’s poster boy, the sport seems in more need of his services right now than vice versa. Thankfully for the fight game and its needy, often disappointed fans Manny’s still here. Still accepting the bigger fights and the bigger challenges.

David Diaz was a stepping stone. I never for one moment doubted the Filipino’s ability to take what little he’d offer and come back with substantially more. That the American went 9 rounds is testament to his resolve. Manny couldn’t have hit him harder with a baseball bat.

Against Cotto there were doubts. It was clearly a fight in which Pacman would do well; Cotto likes to box but can’t seem to avoid fighting when in with a fighter. Manny’s feet would be quicker, it was generally accepted he hit harder, and Miguel had wilted before coming apart as the rounds wore on against the heavy-handed, anything but fleet-footed Antonio Margarito. This was the key consideration of the Cotto Paquiao matchup; how much had the Puerto Rican learned? However we may judge the David Diaz’s of this world, Cotto is an accomplished, genuinely world class performer. Though he’d been drawn into the odd crazy round or two (the Demarcus Corley fight springs instantly to mind) Cotto had shown his true colours in classy wins over the legendary Shane Mosley and once-possibly-future-legendary Zab Judah. At the time I thought Mosley was washed up. I still had hopes for Judah. It’s a funny sport to call at times..

Cotto had also impressed against the previously undefeated Urkal, Quintana and Torres. He was the real deal, no doubt. And Pacman blew him away. It was stunning. In July ’08 I was thrilled for Margarito. He was Rocky; he was everyone watching not ardently behind Miguel. For five or six minutes he walked through all the patience and pain of the previous 8 or 9 rounds and looked unstoppable. He was a boxing legend that night. He was boxing. Last November as the Puerto Rican clung on through the dying rounds and Manny just refused to stop taking him apart I could barely watch.

How quickly things change, and how difficult they are to call. Floyd Mayweather, though unquestionable legend himself, once again proved that he is definitely not boxing. He may be poster boy for half the sports and image rights agents who can clamour for his attention, but walking through 8 rounds of hurt to clutch all of our imaginations as he battles the odds in the dying rounds he is not. Would he fight Manny? Certainly. But the money, locations, gloves, ropes and anything else he could think of had to be his.

Mayweather’s loss. Our gain. Saturday night will be all about 2 great fighters fighting for greatness. For Clottey, it’s a deserved chance for recognition on the biggest of stages. For Pacman, it’s just more fun. More fans, more lightning combinations, more singing. And we’ll miss him when he’s gone.

To fully appreciate the legacy he’ll eventually leave it’s necessary to bear in mind he’s fighting thousands of miles from home. Though the U.S. is fairly unchallenged as boxing’s big time venue (hoards of supporters of the likes of Hatton and Calzaghe in recent years cementing the point) it’s possible to underestimate the challenge faced by a fighter making such a move. When red-hot Juan Manuel Marquez dropped a hotly disputed decision to Chris John in Jakarta 2004 most observers were quick to dismiss the loss, citing hometown decision making as the most likely issue, yet when the Rocky Juarez scored an unquestionably generous draw 5 years later in Texas most tried to justify the decision as John’s own shortcoming, slowing down in the latter rounds. While it’s never prudent to isolate individual fights as comparisons, the challenges faced in fighting halfway round the world are nothing short of substantial. Both in and out of the ring. Fortunately, Manny’s had nothing to complain about. He’s had high’s and lows, fought an incredible round first time out with Marquez then learned a great lesson through the conclusion of the fight. But these days Manny doesn’t do decisions. These days he doesn’t take the chance.

He’s stronger, faster and more resolved than the electrifying but somewhat erratic pugilist who burst onto the scene with a breathtaking derailment of a then peak Barerra in 2003. So far he’s lost nothing of his speed and his power seems to increase naturally with his weight. So why should Clottey succeed where Cotto was found so wanting?

It’s an old cliché, but styles make fights. Records do not throw punches. If they did the Ghanaian would have came unstuck against the too-fast Judah. He didn’t. He’d have been out of depth against the world class Cotto. He certainly wasn’t. The Margarito loss raises eyebrows on the Clottey record, but that was nearly 4 years ago now. And Tony can fight, unquestionably. What seems to be of greatest interest here is the comparisons that can be drawn – though shouldn’t be – between Clottey’s fight with Cotto and Pacquiao’s. Wouldn’t life be great if it was as easy to assess an upcoming fight as that? Pacman’ll walk through him, right?

For Joshua Clottey, this is the culmination of a life spent building to this moment. It’s a payday but I don’t think that’s really the point. He’s a tough man, a hard fighter. He wants a piece of what Manny’s been getting. Loath though I am to bet against the Filipino, I think he’ll get it. I anticipate the same electric atmosphere, free foot movement and creative combinations from Manny, but I also see the Ghanaian getting on top of him at times and fighting the kind of fight Ricky Hatton hoped to conjure. In doing so I believe Clottey will present a stronger challenge than Manny’s been faced with so far. I see this as an exceptionally close call and I don’t see a stoppage. Saturday night might just raise a few more of those eyebrows picking future fights based on records.

Either way, Manny wins. Were he to lose and bow out only the sport and its fans would suffer. If he wins, if he scales more phenomenal heights and simply marches through everything Clottey offers? Then what? Perhaps well see ‘Money’ Mayweather travel halfway across the globe for modern day thriller in Manilla? Whatever happens come Saturday, however hard this game is to predict, I think we’re all safe betting Floyd just won’t take the chance.

Clottey Working His Butt Off For 'A Miracle'

Source: boxing.fanhouse


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 third 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, one that will be aired live on HBO pay per view.

ad things just kept happening to one of boxing's good guys.

The initial thing was Joshua Clottey's first major fight against future world champion, Carlos Baldomir, in November of 10 years ago, when he was disqualified for head-butting in the 11th-round of a matchup he needed only to stay on his feet to win.

Clottey, to this day, believes he was the victim of foul play against Baldomir, but he never thought that it would be the story of his career.

"That was a very, very, big frustration for me. We were dealing with two promoters. Frank Maloney, he was the one who had the money. The other promoter, Panos Eliadis, loved us African guys. Too much for Maloney's tastes, in seemed like.

So Maloney was jealous because we always surprised him by winning. He didn't like that," said Clottey, who is 32.

"The day of the fight, I went to the bathroom, and I saw Maloney, and Baldomir's managers and trainers talking. Then and there, I thought to myself, 'Something bad's going to happen,'" said Clottey. "I think they did something to the referee, because he was all over me. You know, everything that I'd do, he warned me too much. It was painful to me."

Next up was his December, 2006 loss to Antonio Margarito, during which he led early before his two, injured hands betrayed him over the course of a unanimous decision loss and his bid to win the vacant WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title.

"I had planned out a good gameplan for Margarito, and it was working so perfectly. You could see the surprise in the place and in his face when I was winning, because nobody knew me. They didn't know me as a big fish. They were like,

'Wow,' where is this guy from?" recalled Clottey.

"But the first hand, my left, one, just went out on me. The knuckle in my left hand was experiencing a sharp pain," said Clottey. "And then I started to throw the right hand, and I was really trying to throw, but the pain was just too much in that one also."

Clottey rebounded, however, earning the IBF crown over southpaw, former world champion, Zab Judah via ninth-round technical decision stoppage in August of 2008.

Clottey was then informed that he would get a break against WBO king, Miguel Cotto, but the IBF would force him to give up the belt if he took the challenge rather than facing an organization mandatory.

With Cotto being his largest, career pay day, and a shot at seemingly endless possibilities in victory, Clottey bit the bullet and bagged the IBF crown.

Then, Clottey lost June's disputed, split-decision to Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs), against whom he suffered a flash knockdown from a first-round left hook.

"After the fight with Cotto, I was shocked, and I was so, so, so sad. Because I felt like what they did to me was something," said Clottey. "I thought that I won the fight, and that they just took the fight away from me. I was really tired of these things happening to me in championship fights."

But it only got worse after the fight, when Clottey split with trainer, Kwame Assante, over money.

"On Sunday or Monday, I was having a discussion with the trainer [Assante,] and he just came out and started talking and telling me things [about paying him] that I don't even know anything about," said Clottey. "It's great in that he's the trainer, and that he's going to make so much money. But now, it's not going to go to him, because of his selfishness. Now, he's gone."

Adding to the problems, however, was the fact that two successive opportunities -- one against WBA welterweight super champion, Shane Mosley, and another opposite former titlist, Carlos Quintana -- fell through.

"You know, about that, there was yet another very big frustration. But I kept thinking to myself, 'One thing about life is that good things always come to good people,'" said Clottey.

"All of those fights that we talked about where they said I lost, and the fights that fell through, I figured that it had to end sometime. You never know what is going to happen," said Clottey.

"When they called off the fights, I just kept on training, and was continuing to think about the next option," said Clottey. "I'm patient, I'm very respectful to everybody, I'm very nice to everybody. I push myself. So, you know, I thought, 'Good things happen to good people."

This time, Clottey was right.

For in early January, things began to look up for a dejected Clottey, who received an offer from Top Rank Promotions' CEO, Bob Arum, to face seven-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, for anotther chance to earn the WBO crown.

More than that, the 31-year-old Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) represented the largest career payday for Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs), who arrived from his Ghana in New York in mid-January and informed FanHouse that he had signed the contract for the fight an hour earlier.

Nicknamed, "The Grand Master," Clottey's purse will surpass $1 million for the first time, with an upside to the pay-per-view.

But there still would be hurdles for Clottey, who was in need of a new trainer.

Clottey thought that for sure that he had had the perfect one in Godwin Nii Dzanie Kotey, a legendary father figure to his fighters who had worked with Clottey's countryman and former welterweight star, Ike Quartey.

But Clottey would receive yet another blow when Kotey was denied a work Visa to the U.S.

"That was very disappointing," said Clottey, who wept openly about the decision, "because I have my trainer in Ghana, and he doesn't get a Visa to come, that was unexpected."

Manager, Vinnie Scolpino, suggested Lenny DeJesus, who had worked as Clottey's cut man and an assistant to Assante during Clottey's loss to Cotto.

They had known of each other from John's Gym in the Bronx, where Clottey has trained, and DeJesus, worked with other fighters.

"That's why I chose Lenny. The training is going fine, because it's easy with me to connect with anybody. Lenny, he's a nice person. He talks to me. Lenny talks to me about boxing. Whenever your manager or your trainer feels for you, it's good. It's not like they just want money," said Clottey.

"Lenny's the guy who in it for me. So I love it that he's there for me, because I can go into the ring and fight. I'm okay with him, I'm nice with him," said Clottey.

"Lenny can tell me things like, 'Go into the ring, go to his body.' If I go to the body, and it doesn't work, I have to change my whole plan in the ring," said Clottey. "So sometimes, the trainers talk, and they work good the way they're talking, they become heroes."

Clottey said that he and DeJesus are on the same page.

"Everything is fine with me and Lenny," said Clottey. "We're nice, we're cool. I'm so happy with him."

And since he first received the call from Top Rank offering the bout with Pacquiao, Clottey has been looking for, and, finding positive signs.

The first one, said Clottey, is the fact that Pacquiao did not request a catchweight of 145 pounds, something that is a big help since Clottey has fought several times at weights higher than 147.

"They never talked about me moving to a catchweight. We're fighting at the welterwelterweight limit, so it's like, a miracle," said Clottey, who can concentrate more on technique than simply wearing himself down cutting weight.

"But you can't just be there and pray to God, 'Oh, God, I want money to buy food and eat,' and God will come from heaven and give you money," said Clottey. "No, have got to continue to work your a** off and go to work. So I know that I'm going to go there and that I'm going to be in a fight."

In Pacquiao, Clottey is facing a man who simply seems to have forgotten how to lose, and whose focus is unflappable.

He is running for congress, has made a movie, been the focus of features in major, crossover magazines, and even delivered food to his native Filipinos during a typhoon -- a move that briefly interrupted his training only days prior, but, nevertheless, did not affect his performance in his 12th-round knockout of that dethroned Puerto Rico's Cotto as WBO champ.

Pacquiao has been named Fighter Of The Year for the past three, and was recently honored as The Fighter Of The Decade, owing largely to an 11-0 record that includes eight knockouts since a March, 2005 loss to Erik Morales at super featherweight (130 pounds).

Pacquiao is in his 22nd, consecutive bout under Freddie Roach, who has been named a Four-Time Trainer Of The Year, and under whom Pacquiao is is 18-1-2, with 15 knockouts since June of 2001.

But for Clottey, there are just too many things that are positive for the Grand Master not to believe that this is not part of the grand, master plan.

"I never expected for me to be fighting on pay per view this early, and I never expected to be fighting with Manny Pacquiao this early, and I never expected to be fighting in March this early in the year," said Clottey.

"And you know one thing, I don't like any thing being around me when I'm training. That's the only thing I think about is the training. Nothing makes me happier now than thinking about the training and the fight, and believe me, I've trained so, so, so, so hard," said Clottey.

"When I'm in the gym, that's the time I fight more. My mind has always told me that "Everything is going to be fine,' and it might not work out the way that I want it to," said Clottey. "But I never expected to be in such a huge fight like this, which is the biggest pay day of the year. It's like a miracle, like something is being worked out. It's like a miracle, something is coming, and I'm so happy."

Clottey defeats Pacquiao: With heavy odds against, is reality in favor?

By: Vivek Wallace


On the morning of March 14th when headlines print across the world of boxing and beyond, what will they read?

Listening to most boxing circles, it appears to be a foregone conclusion that the phenomenal Manny Pacquiao will find yet another way to steal the show, but in a sport where anything is possible on any given night, will it really be that simple?

One of the major topics surrounding Manny Pacquiao to date is the issue of performance enhancing substances, yet it's a subplot found within that topic that probably deserves far more attention. For those of us that have followed the sport closely, it's common knowledge that Pacquiao has been a very gifted and talented fighter since well back in his early days, so there's very little reason to question him - as it relates to natural athleticism. But, beyond that, as we peak in that same rear view mirror and analyze a history containing countless wars and bloody battles, a body on the brink of a breakdown can shed light on yet another potential reason as to why this conversation is key..

When you look at the landscape of fighters currently in the sport that have amassed better than 50 fights by the age of 30, suddenly, the portrait becomes very intriguing. Barrera, Morales, and Marquez are three names in particular that fall within this echelon, and without question, we've all seen a great change in their ability to perform at peak levels, as the body became far more paramount than the head which was cruel enough to actually lead them to believe such a feat was possible. In Pacquiao, despite the many wars and the aging body, we continue to see him champion on, seeking new challenges as if his internal clock is permanently broken. For the third fight camp in a row, news has surfaced about injury which reminds us that no matter how super-human he appears, beneath the miraculous exterior, there's a heart that beats like every other man who walks the planet.

Clottey recently reminded us that "Pacquiao is no different than any other man", but for those that chose not to listen, the physical impairments which have suddenly become a mainstay in Pacquiao's pre-fight camps have a voice that can't go unheard.

An arm injury.....a leg injury....now another leg injury....with a ton of questions to follow. And when you follow that trail, the final destination takes an athlete to a place that most would rather not be. Former Major League Baseball slugger Mark McGwire recently went on record to state that his use of performance enhancing substances wasn't to help him hit the ball or perform better, but rather to aid him in recovery from a growing list of injuries. In the case of Pacquiao, there's no such smoking gun and considering that he's innocent until proven guilty, a greater logic says there never will be, but the mere questions surrounding him, paralleled with the frequent injuries truly bring to life a reality that tells us the end is very near.

Exactly how that final script in the career of Manny Pacquiao will be written is beyond any of us, but my money says it won't be from political pressure back at home or a failed drug test abroad. Many seem to lean in the direction of those two theories, but when you look at the physical wear and tear he carries after countless battles and consider the fact that - by his admission - he isn't using those same quick recovery substances that McGwire spoke of, the reality of this matter is truly in favor of his career ending at the hand of a totally unexpected defeat. One which will undoubtedly contain a source with the ability to initiate, explore, and further exploit the same wear and tear we now speak of.

Enter Joshua Clottey. The first bona fide welterweight to face Pacquiao who not only will tip the scales at 147lbs, but subsequently weigh-in unofficially on the night of the fight somewhere in the neighborhood of 170lbs. As if that isn't enough to tip the scales, (no pun intended), Clottey comes equipped with a granite chin and a defense known to pick off more enemy fire than a stealth bomber. The finishing touch in this long list of obstacles for Pacquiao to overcome is the quiet confidence of Clottey. One that speaks loudly, even when his words choose not to.

May not seem like enough attributes to slow the legendary Manny Pacquiao, but as another legendary figure once stated, (famed NBA head coach Pat Riley), "time waits for no man"!

Despite the heavy odds against Clottey, the physical wear and tear along with a unique challenge may very well place reality in his favor. According to trainer Freddie Roach, "this may be the last fight" we see the tandem take part in. As of right now, that sentence contains a particular meaning. Come the night of March 13th, the end analysis could send us all in search of understanding for what could be an unexpected revision, as few other options would exist after a brutal battle, particularly one that ends with a loss for the talented-but-quickly-tiring Filipino.

Clottey defeats Pacquiao........heavy odds remain against it.....but a look at the big picture places this potential reality greatly in favor.

Stay tuned.

Pacquiao vs Clottey in Dallas

by: ARLINGTON

The stars will fight, big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas! Jerry Jones and Bob Arum, owner of the Dallas Cowboys and chairman of Top Rank, respectively, announced today that Cowboys Stadium would be the site of the MANNY PACQUIAO vs. JOSHUA CLOTTEY World Welterweight Championship fight taking place on Saturday, March 13 and broadcast Live on Pay-Per-View. Formal news conferences at Cowboys Stadium and in New York next week will provide details on tickets and the pay-per-view broadcast. Pacquiao vs. Clottey will be promoted by Top Rank, in association with the Dallas Cowboys and MP Promotions. Pacquiao and Clottey boast a combine record of 85-6-2 (59 KOs) -- a winning percentage of 91% and a victory by knockout ratio of nearly 70%.

“I have wanted to bring a major boxing event to North Texas for many years, so why not bring in the biggest and the best?” asked Jones. “Manny Pacquiao is boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound attraction and the world champion. Manny defending his title against Joshua Clottey is not just a great fight, it’s a great event, and one we can showcase to the fullest in Cowboys Stadium. We’re going to promote this like it was the Super Bowl..”

Cowboys Stadium will be configured for 40,000 fans for the event.

“Jerry Jones knows exactly how big and important this event is which is why it was so easy to put this deal together,” said Arum. “As a lifelong Giants fan I had to receive special dispensation from Steve Tisch, the Giants’ Chairman and Executive Vice President, to bring this event to Cowboys Stadium and he blessed the deal. If Jerry could sell me on Cowboys Stadium and the North Texas market, you know he is going to have no problems selling out Cowboys Stadium on March 13. We are ready to roll up our sleeves and promote Manny’s debut as World Welterweight Champion. Manny Pacquiao is the lone star of boxing. There isn’t a more appropriate place in the world for him to fight!”

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, will be defending the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title he earned in his last fight, produced by a 12th round knockout of three-time world champion Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao’s victory made him the first man to win seven titles in as many different weight divisions, with his last three world championships coming by way of knockout. The consensus Fighter of the Year for the third time in the past four years, Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Lopez and Cotto. His knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton made him the 2009 pay-per-view king, exceeding two million buys combined.

Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs), a native of Accra, Ghana, now fighting out of Bronx, NY, captured the International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight title in 2008 by trouncing three-time world champion Zab Judah. His career has been a highlight reel of thrills featuring victories over two-division world champion Diego Corrales and undfeated contender Richard Gutierrez and a close decision losse to world champion Antonio Margarito. In his last fight Clottey lost a controversial split decision to defending WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden. Clottey is currently world-rated No. 1 by the WBO and No. 4 by the World Boxing Association (WBA).