Pacquiao to start training next week for Clottey
January 10th, 2010
By Jason Kim: WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is reportedly going to start training next week for his fight against former International Boxing Federation welterweight champion Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao was supposed to be facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. on March 13th, but that fight was unable to be saved because of the random blood tests that Mayweather wanted for the fight. Mayweather and his management still have hopes to save the Pacquiao fight.
Before that, there was talk of Pacquiao fighting World Boxing Association junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, another Top Rank fighter. Clottey was chosen instead. It might work out to be an easier fight for Pacquiao, because Clottey is a come forward type of fighter in the Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto mold, and best of all, he’s a Top Rank fighter, so this is a plus in putting the fight together. It also gives Top Rank a chance to showcase Clottey in front of a large audience. Even if Clottey gets dominated, it will still get his name out there for other fights in the future. Foreman, 5’11”, would have likely been a problem for Pacquiao because of his height and constant movement.
Clottey has beaten some good fighters during his career, defeating Zab Judah, Richard Gutierrez and Diego Corrales. Those are easily Clottey’s biggest wins of his career. The fight against Corrales was the last fight of Diego’s career, as he died shortly after that from an automobile accident. However, when Clottey has stepped it up against top level opposition like Cotto, Antonio Margarito and Carlos Baldomir, he’s been beaten. Clottey is currently ranked number #1 in the WBA and WBO.
If I was to rank Clottey against the other top welterweights in the division, I’d put him at number #8 behind Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Carlos Quintana, Shane Mosley, Andre Berto, Antonio Margarito and Cotto. Clottey is a good fighter, but he has for some reason struggled when taking on tough opponents like Margarito and Cotto.
The fight could take place at the Dallas Cowboy stadium in Arlington, Texas. Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum is meeting with the Cowboy owner Jerry Jones to see if he can work out a deal to have the Pacquiao-Clottey bout take place in the large stadium. The stadium has a seating capacity of over 100,000, but it’s hard to imagine that it will be able to sell out for this fight.
Clottey is a good replacement opponent for Mayweather, but he’s not a huge star as of yet in boxing. It might be hard to promote the fight with Clottey’s last bout being a loss to Cotto. If Clottey had wiped out all of his previous opponents, then I could see this fight being a huge event. But it looks like Clottey will be just another one of Pacquiao’s victims. Pacquiao is a huge star, but it will likely take a big opposing name to sell out a huge stadium like the Cowboy stadium.
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Pacman in round 8 T.K.O
THE PACQUIO-CLOTTEY FIGHT IS NOT BAD, CLOTTEY IS ONE TOUGH FIGHTER,although he lost to Cotto,it showed that he can fight. Mayweather vs Malignaggi? Hahhha..Lol…it will be a joke. Floyd has to fight an opponent that has at least a chance of beating him, not Paulie. Floyd should fight Bradley or Cintron this march, no one else. I don’t think we should put Paul Williams on the list, because we all know Mayweather doesn’t want to fight him. I hope Mayweather vs. Bradley. At least Bradley will give Floyd a good fight for the fans to see, otherwise boxing fans will only be watching the Pacquio-Clottey fight.
The Pacman vs Mayweather $upermega fight being derailed, blame it to Mayweather’s (and his team & management) careless big mouth!Manny Pacquiao, even though he has moved on from “rugs to riches and fame”. After every fight he thanks “all the people who love boxing”. When asked, who he wants as his next opponent he declares that job belongs to his promoter and his part is to train hard and fight in the ring. While he knows he is the superstar, he doesnt act or behave like Mr Know All. The Pacman Machinery is composed of many “gears, nuts & bolts”. The complexities of modern day boxing, and most sports for that matter, demands the functioning of a well oiled management. Each member of the team must do their job only but, in harmony with the job of the others, and not interfere or cross-over by throwing spanners on the works. He has not been heard to be bragging, broadbasting that he is rich, intelligent or worth $200Million. He hasnt hypocritically declared that he will retire from boxing , will not allow boxing to retire him. To say it would be an INSULT to the fans & the sport, ungrateful & hurts those who pays $millions to their bank account and disrespect to the thousands upon thousands of people, networks, organizations, regulating bodies, media groups and so forth around the world. I personally support the Pacman’s stand that he leaves the talking & negotiations to his Promoter and management team. For the information of Mr.Money Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao has survived and risen from a state of poverty and starvation to world boxing icon, hero and idol. More money or wealth building is no longer his primary goal or interest. He is still kind hearted, charitable and very giving to his poor people. Boxing, to him is the sport that made him the respectable person he is now. His other success interests in business, movie, music and others, he owes it to boxing. Contrast that to you Mr. Mayweather & Co. In future if, you so desire to engage in the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, my advise to you is: Leave the Promoters & managements of both teams do the TALKING. JUST BLOODY SHUT UP.!
It is amazing how everyone makes these hypothetical claims about what pac would or would not do. We have NO IDEA if he would drop the drug testing issue if Floyd was the one not agreeing to it!!!
What we DO KNOW is that Manny wanted 10 Mil per pound over..Floyd agreed, Manny wanted 8 ounce gloves..Floyd agreed (Brittle hands and all).
Someone tell me what exactly did Pac concede to???? Don’t give me any BS about him being the champion so he dictactes everything because he was NOT the title holder going into the fight with Cotto YET Pac got the catchweight he wanted!
i think pacman floyd fight is too soon. they need to take a vacation and relax for at least (6) mos. both of them are scared to loose their title.
well said KAM 100 percent
The e-mails will show up as soon as they re-cover all the files from PBF computer……………..
this is manny pacroid,
True if Mayweather was refusing blood tests many would say he was ducking, because that’s what he’s known for. Pacquiao has never ducked or had troubles setting up a fight. However, as time progressed if Pacquiao pressed drug testing with Mayweather and the fight would not go through I’m pretty sure the Pacman would drop the testing altogether. If he didn’t the blame would be solely on him, and like Floyd or not I’m sure most would agree.
yea the stadium might be too big ,the right fighter was picked ,floyd cant pick mosley as he say, as mosley and berta both cant fight in march, so floyd have to look elsewhere ,like back to ricky brother .ha loser.
his big mouth cost him 60 million,and he broke, use duck tape next time floyd.
All credit to pacman, Clottey is not an easy opponent hes big strong and quick and could upset the plan. Mayweather should be ashamed of himself, mannys taking tough fights where as he is looking at 2nd class fighters like MATTHEW HATTON.
Easy early ko for Pacquiao, Clottey’s style will really suit Pacquiao.
the pac man floyd fight will eventualy happen, it was far too soon organized you see, there was always going to be 1 or 2 fights to get out of the way first