Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey: The Prefight Breakdown
By Brett Mauren and Matt Yanofsky
This Saturday night, Manny Pacquiao will put his streak of brilliance on the line in one of the world’s most remarkable buildings. Four months ago the Dallas Cowboys’ brand new billion dollar stadium was poised to hold the long awaited showdown between Pacquiao and Mayweather, but it was not to be. While boxing fans from all four corners of the globe were dejected when the fight was scrapped, Joshua Clottey was gleaming from ear to ear. The Ghana native steps into an opportunity of a lifetime on one of the biggest stages imaginable, and presents Manny Pacquiao with what some say will be his most demanding physical challenge to date.
Manny Pacquiao
Record: 50-3-2 (38 KO’s)
Former Flyweight, Super Bantamweight, Featherweight, Junior Lightweight, Lightweight, Junior Welterweight and current WBO Welterweight champion. Currently recognized as the number one fighter in the world pound for pound.
Age: 31
Home: General Santos City, Philippines
Notable wins: Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera
Notable losses: Erik Morales
Joshua Clottey
Record: 35-3 (20 KO’s)
Former WBO Welterweight champion
Home: Bronx, NY via Accra, Ghana
Age: 32
Notable wins: Diego Corrales, Zab Judah
Notable losses: Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, Carlos Baldomir
Speed/Athletecism
Weighing the athleticism variable in a Pacquiao fight is almost a formality. There is only one man in boxing that can match the Pac Man’s athleticism and that’s Floyd Mayweather. Clottey is a strong, formidable opponent but as far as speed and athleticism will go this will be a mismatch. If Clottey is going to beat Manny Pacquiao it’s going to have to be by doing something other than trying to outwork the Pac Man. Pacquiao is in a different stratosphere and I see his athletic skill set as the gamebreaker in this fight.
Advantage: Pacquiao
Matt’s Take: Pacquiao has tremendous athleticism and in terms of putting combinations together, his hand speed is second to none. They are essentially his bread and butter. Clottey has decent athleticism and average speed at best, but doesn’t heavily rely on either to help him emerge victorious. Many of the shots he landed in his fight against Miguel Cotto were due to terrific timing, not quick hands.
Advantage: Pacquiao
Power
This one is a bit trickier. Do you look at knock out percentages or brute strength? One would imagine Clottey is the stronger man, but Pacquiao has knocked more welterweights lately than Clottey, who has recorded one stoppage since 2004. I’d lean with Pacquiao here as well. I firmly believe the brunt of Pacquiao’s power is in his killer instinct. It was hard to find a those instincts in the Joshua Clottey that fought Cotto, and that could be his downfall in this bout. Where Clottey slips up, Pacquiao will capitalize.
Advantage: Pacquiao
Matt’s Take: It’s no secret that Manny Pacquiao has true pound for pound punching power ala Thomas Hearns; just ask naturally bigger opponents in Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Oscar De La Hoya. In his two fights at welterweight (where he meets Clottey), Pacquiao has used fast, hard combinations to batter the aforementioned Cotto and De La Hoya, making him a heavy handed fighter even as an undersized 147 pounder.
Clottey’s power has always been underrated in my book. Clottey, easily the biggest active welterweight, has tremendous physical strength and the ability to throw noteworthy punches at any given time. He hurt former world champion Zab Judah and also made things quite uncomfortable for Cotto in their June 2009 match up. He possesses a unique punching style, which I have always been a fan of, which includes body-head combinations and double hooks up top. While the man known as “Hitter” can definitely do damage if he connects, Pac Man’s other alias is “The Destroyer” for a reason.
Advantage: Pacquiao
Defense/Chin
If Clottey has a shot at knocking off Pacquiao it lies in his defense. Clottey survived twelve rounds with Antonio Margarito, and I hate to go there, but who knows what was in Margarito’s gloves at that time. Clottey’s defensive success may be a testament to his refusal to take risks, but that flaw nudges him ahead of Pacquiao in this category.
Pacquiao hasn’t hit the canvas in years, but he has hit the canvas nonetheless. If I see one scenario that has Clottey winning this bout it’s a product of him using his strength and defense to control the pace of the bout. Clottey won’t make himself as presentable a target like Pacquiao’s most recent opponents and that may be the one thing that could propel him to a decision victory.
Advantage: Clottey
Matt’s Take: Pacquiao has had a good chin since day one. Although he was twice knocked out as a severely weight drained youngster, he has consistently shown the ability to take a punch. The best proof of his proficient chin is something he once was; a poor defensive fighter. The old, lighter Pacquiao had no problem trading punches with anybody at any time, but the 140-147 lb version boxes and moves a lot more effectively. Moving up in weight gave him the opportunity to build up his legs, thus he avoids punches far better than in years prior. On the contrary, he had trouble avoiding Cotto’s jab in their November super fight and against a strong fighter like Clottey that could be a problem.
Like many African fighters, Clottey has an effective high guard defense and a good beard. His defensive style is very effective and he rarely gets hit with flush shots. Basic or not, Clottey’s defensive abilities are frustrating for opponents. His chin isn’t an easy target to find, but even when he was hit, Clottey weathered the storm. The rugged Ghanaian has never been seriously hurt and his only trip to the canvas (against Cotto) was due to him being off balance.
Advantage: Clottey
Heart
Yet another category that is hard to pick against Manny in. On top of being arguably the fighter of the decade, Pac Man has taken part in several fight of the decade candidates. Surprisingly, I saw more heart from Manny in his first bout with Marquez than I have seen in a long time. After putting his man down three times in the first round only to have him claw back into the fight, Manny stayed with it despite giving up the draw.
Clottey will come into Cowboy’s stadium with a world of desire behind him, but heart is something that either you have or you don’t. I believe Joshua Clottey does to an extent, but anyone who lets a defeated Miguel Cotto survive, and throw enough punches to steal the bout from him will have trouble matching the heart, desire and killer instinct of Manny Pacquiao.
Advantage: Pacquiao
Matt’s Take: Pacquiao is as gutsy as they come. He’s a number of times and never had any issue adopting to take on a bigger fighter (see above). His willingness to exclusively mix it up when he fought the world’s best in lower weight classes simply can not be overlooked, even if he has changed his style a bit. Manny has also taken the heart of many of his opponents, such as De La Hoya, Hatton, Cotto and Barrera.
Manny may very well take exactly that from Clottey, since this is perhaps his biggest weakness. The late, great Arturo Gatti and even a more fragile fighter like Floyd Mayweather have fought multiple times with hand injuries and other distractions, proving when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Unfortunately this isn’t the case for former WBO Welterweight champion.
Clottey went into a shell after injuring his hand against Margarito in 06, squandering a good start en route to losing a decision. Against Cotto, he didn’t fare much better, electing to cover up on the ropes rather than throw back consistent combinations when the rugged Puerto Rican applied heavy pressure. Unless his questionable antics change, he is in for a rough night against an opponent who has snatched the heart out of some of boxing’s best.
Advantage: Clottey
Experience
Joshua Clottey will take part in a fight that draws the eyes of the sports world onto him, and it will be the first time that he has done so. Pacquiao meanwhile has been to this dance before. Pac Man has captured titles at a number of weight classes, stared down boxing legends, and had the morale of an entire country on his shoulders.
Clottey is by no means a wide eyed kid in over his head, the 32 year old has fought all over the world against different breeds of boxers, but it’s hard to find a resume` that measures up to Pacquiao’s. It’s been reported that ticket sales are around 45,000, a far bigger audience than either fighter is accustomed too. I don’t know that either man has a case of stage fright but on a scale this big I’d have to give the edge to Pacquiao.
Advantage: Pacquiao
Matt’s Take: When I say Pacquiao has fought everyone, I mean Pacquiao has fought everyone. Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera (twice each) and Erik Morales (three times) among others, there are very few noteworthy opponents he missed along the way. In addition, Pacquiao fought all of the aforementioned opponents on pay per view and has delivered masterpieces when the most eyes were on him.
Whether it is an asset to how dangerous of an opponent he is or the fact his inability to capitalize under the bright lights, Clottey is lacking in experience compared to Pacquiao. His most notable opponents were Cotto, Margarito, Judah, the late, great Diego Corrales and Carlos Baldomir. Outside of those five, three of whom have beaten him, Clottey’s fought mostly gate keeper type opponents.
Advantage: Pacquiao
The Verdict:
I have a shot for shot screenplay of this bout playing out in my head. It’s of an aggressive Manny Pacquiao overwhelming Joshua Clottey with a high volume of punches. Clottey is game, but careful. He knows that taking a risk of any kind will land him into deep trouble so he finishes the fight by kicking it into safety mode. Pacquiao doesn’t walk through Clottey the way he did Hatton and Cotto, but walks away with an impressive decision.
Verdict: Pacquiao UD
Matt’s Take: Clottey is regularly criticized for not throwing enough punches. His loss to Cotto serves perfect example of why he is a fighter that can do far more on the offensive end, but for one reason or another, chooses not to. Rather than going to take the title from the champion by making sure his hands were consistently busy, Clottey had too many Punchless spurts and cost himself the fight; as he did against Margarito.
Pacquiao throws terrific combinations and moves well enough to avoid return shots from his much slower opponent on Saturday night. The Filipino icon’s busy hands and Clottey’s inability to get going on a steady basis will spell trouble for the latter. Clottey’s natural size advantage, good chin and defense will likely help him make it to the final bell, albeit as a loser in the majority of the rounds.
Verdict: Pacquiao UD
MANNY PACQUIAO MEDIA WORKOUT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Gaylord Texan Hotel Convention Center
Today! Tuesday, March 9 - 1:30 P.M. CT
ARLINGTON, TEXAS (March 9, 2010) – Congressional candidate, Fighter of the Decade and boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound attraction MANNY PACQUIAO will host a workout, open to the public and the media, Today! Tuesday, March 9, beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT, at the Gaylord Texan Hotel. Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, defends his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against former world welterweight champion and current No. 1 contender Joshua Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs) of Accra, Ghana, Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium .
PACQUIAO MEDIA WORKOUT
Gaylord Texan Hotel
Longhorn Exhibit Hall E, Convention Center – Level 1
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with the Tecate and MP Promotions, THE EVENT: PACQUIAO vs. CLOTTEY will take place This Saturday! March 13, in Cowboys Stadium, which has already sold over 35,000 tickets. The $1.2 billion stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Pacquiao, boxing’s only seven-division world champion, will be defending the World Boxing Organization welterweight title against Clottey. THE EVENT will be produced and distributed Live on HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Remaining Tickets to Pacquiao vs. Clottey, priced at $700, $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50, can be purchased in-person at the Cowboys Stadium box office in Arlington, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.
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HBO Sports® will present “Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey,” a thirty-minute special analyzing the upcoming welterweight title showdown. The special will air on HBO throughout Fight Week.
Boxing’s Finest Sound Off on Pacquiao vs Clottey
Bt Brett Mauren
On the cusp of boxing’s super-season the world’s focus remains on Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. While we await their hopeful showdown both men have tall tasks in front of them this spring. Mayweather will face Shane Mosley on May 1, a bout that will be touched off on in the coming weeks, while Pacquiao dukes it out with the upset minded Joshua Clottey. I have compiled the thoughts of a number of boxers, and am lucky enough to be able to put together an amazing list of predictions. I consulted fighters from lightweight to heavyweight, male and female, amateur prospect to world champion, from America to Australia to see how they see this event playing out. Some were elaborative, while some kept it short and sweet. See how their predictions match up with mine and your own, and tune in March 13 to see who’s vision plays out.
I think Pac will overwhelm Clottey with a lot of activity, I look for a late stoppage or unanimous decision. I also see very game and tough Clottey throughout. – Steve Forbes, former super featherweight world champion
Manny is too fast and elusive for Clottey. Clottey is Strong, stronger than Cotto but he doesn’t throw enough punches. Pacquiao’s speed will be too much. –Bobby Gunn, cruiserweight world title challenger
Pac is too fast and too strong for Clottey, too awkward to be honest. I love Josh but he had Cotto and let him get away, if he doesn’t have the killer instinct with Pac he is done. It will be a great fight but I give Pac the edge. –Ishe Smith, junior middleweight contender
I pick Manny by decision because Clottey fights safe enough not to be ko’ed but too safe to win the fight.- Jeff Mayweather, world class trainer, former lightweight contender
This is a much more difficult fight for manny than people think. It will be a hard fought bout with pac winning on points. –Billy Dib, undefeated featherweight contender
I like Clottey by a twelve round decision. He’d have to be able to take the punishment then work. –A.K. Laleye Contender Season 4 participant
It will go the distance and it will go to Pac-Man. – Jason Litzau, NABF super featherweight champion
I like Clottey’s relentless pressure. I think Pac-Man’s fire is going to ignite Clottey, it will be a close fight but Clottey comes out with the decision. –Hasim Rahman Jr. world class amateur fighter.
I’m Going with Pacquiao by U.D. 
– Mia St. John former female lightweight world champion
A dangerous fight for Pac-Man because of Clottey’s size and strength but I think the speed will be too much for Clottey to overcome. I’m going with Pac Man and I will be VERY impressed if he wins by stoppage. – Caleb Truax, WBF International super middleweight champion.
Mmmm, I don’t know, this is a pick ‘em – Nate Campbell, former undisputed lightweight champion
My only thoughts are do I get to fight the winner? – Emanuel Augustus, former IBA champion
This is a tough one. Clottey is such a physical terror for any welterweight to handle and he boasts an iron jaw. Still, I think Pacquaio will get by him. Not because of speed, power, or combination punching, but because he’s got too much riding on a potential showdown with Mayweather/Mosley. Great fighters find a way to win and I think Pacquaio will do just that. –Ryan Coyne, cruiserweight prospect, Contender Season 4 participant.
I said it prior to the Cotto fight, and it proved obsolete but I’ll say it before this one too, Clottey has to knock Pacquiao out. If you think Mayweather-Pacquiao isn’t still in HBO’s fold this fall you’d have to be punch drunk. For Clottey to derail this event he’s going to have to stop Pacquiao which I don’t see happening. I thought Oscar, and Cotto would both be too big for Pac-Man but I’m not making that mistake again, Pacquiao at his best is not too small for anyone. It will come down to aggression and Pacquiao will win that war every time, I’ll take Manny via wide UD. – Brett Mauren, 15rounds, Phantom Punch Productions
Final Tally
Pacquiao : Mauren, Forbes, Gunn, Smith, Mayweather, Dib, Litzau, St. John, Truax, Coyne
Clottey: Laleye, Rahman Jr.
Neutral: Campbell, Augustus
With as many different viewpoints as we have just seen, someone’s call is bound to play out, and we will find out which one on March 13. Please support these exciting fighters as their careers unfold and stay tuned for the Mayweather-Mosley prediction piece in the coming weeks.
MANNY PACQUIAO’S ENCORE ON ABC’S “JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE” GARNERS RAVE REVIEWS!
HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (March 6, 2010) — Congressional candidate, Fighter of the Decade and boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound fighter and box office attraction MANNY “PacMan” PACQUIAO took time from training for his upcoming defense of his WBO welterweight title against former world champion and current No. 1 contender Joshua Clottey to make another boffo appearance on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this week. Last November, prior to his challenge of WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao made his U.S. network TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Below, please find the clips from his appearance. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll be totally enthralled.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! – Interview Part I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFWJOwNycjg Jimmy Kimmel Live! – Interview Part II http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZoqU6r98es&feature=related Jimmy Kimmel Live! – Manny Singing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbCskgWxVNI
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with the Dallas Cowboys, Tecate and MP Promotions, THE EVENT: PACQUIAO vs. CLOTTEY will take place Next Saturday! March 13, in Cowboys Stadium, The $1.2 billion stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), boxing’s only seven-division world champion, of General Santos City, Philippines, will be defending the World Boxing Organization welterweight title against Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs), of Accra, Ghana. THE EVENT will be produced and distributed Live on HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
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HBO Sports® will present “Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey,” a thirty-minute special analyzing the upcoming welterweight title showdown. The special will premiere on HBO Tonight! Saturday, March 6 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT immediately following the live presentation of HBO Boxing After Dark®.
Political game is the wrong ring for Pacquiao to prove he is special
By Norm Frauenheim
It’s hard to know when Manny Pacquiao got interested in politics. Maybe, it happened at about the time he added a right to his left. It’s also hard to understand why. But Pacquiao is serious, even after he lost by a reported 37,000-to-38,000 votes in his last and only run in 2007 for an anonymous seat in the Filipino Congress.
Maybe, Pacquiao just hates to lose. Ask Eric Morales, who discovered just how much he detests defeat after Morales’ initial victory was followed by two devastating losses to the motivated Filipino. Three years ago, Pacquiao’s political ambitions looked like a lark. Between fights, politics was like shooting hoops and singing. It was something to do. But by now, we know he’ll never be in the NBA or play Carnegie Hall.
But Congress is beginning to look about as good as a victory over Joshua Clottey on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in the Dallas metroplex.
Thirteen days after Pacquiao is expected to sack Clottey like a linebacker in a blitz of a poorly-defended quarterback, he will be back on the campaign trail. He is running in a different district, Sarangani instead of General Santos City. There is different opponent. By all accounts, there also will a different result.
This time, Pacquiao is expected to prevail against Roy Chiongbian. I’m tempted to send Chiongbian a campaign contribution, although he apparently doesn’t need one. Chiongbian is reported to be a billionaire, which makes him even richer than Pacquiao, who has become a multi-millionaire in a string of rich fights, including a 2008 upset of Oscar De La Hoya.
Let’s just say that I’m a member of the Filipino party that reportedly cheered when Pacquiao lost in 2007 to incumbent Darlene Antonino-Custodio.
Memo to would-be Congressman Pacquiao: The Philippines need another politician about as much as Imelda Marcos needed another pair of shoes. A Congressional seat will always be there. A chance at enduring stardom as a fighter will not.
Yet, the quixotic seriousness of Pacquiao’s political pursuit is unmistakable, both in a conference call and in subsequent media reports. If a congressional seat forces him out of the ring and eliminates any renewed possibility of a showdown with Floyd Mayweather, Jr, Pacquiao seemed to say:
So be it.
“I don’t need to fight him,’’ Pacquiao said in a conference call when asked about negotiations that failed when Mayweather demanded Olympic-style blood testing. “What I believe is Floyd Mayweather is not ready at this time to fight with me. That’s why he makes the reasons to cancel the fight. I feel bad and disappointment because he is accusing me of using drugs or whatever and trying to ruin my name in boxing. People know I have been successful through God and hard work.
““I don’t really need Floyd Mayweather because what I have achieved in boxing is good enough for me and people know that by comparing my achievements in boxing to his achievements.’’
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach are skeptical that the Filipino whirlwind will leave one ring and enter another. But neither rules it out either.
In the gym, Roach said he has witnessed some ferocious flashes of anger at Mayweather. The frustration is rare for Pacquiao, who walks into the ring with a shy, somewhat enigmatic smile on a face that always seems to say he doesn’t dislike anybody. But Mayweather altered that with demands that imply Pacquiao abuses performance-enhancers.
“Sometimes, when Manny is shadowboxing, he will show me how Mayweather fights and how he will take care of the problem,’’ Roach said. “ I’ve never seen Manny do that before. He was trying to ruin our reputation with those allegations, so we do want to fight him and we do want to knock him out.’’
But, yeah, Roach says, the Clottey fight could be his last if Mayweather continues to make the drug-testing demands without an approved process from a state Commission, or if Shane Mosley upsets Mayweather on May 1, or if a victory at the ballot box takes Pacquiao out of the gym and into office for good.
If, if and if.
The biggest one could be what Pacquiao might have been. Arum, Roach and much of the media have been saying that Pacquiao is poised to become something special, meaning he is about to occupy the same orbit as Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali. But as an active Congressman and a retired fighter, anything special would be speculative. Pacquiao is good. Make that great. He will be in the Hall of Fame. But he is still a fight with Mayweather, or maybe a Mosley, from being special
Then, there is the potential for cynicism. If Pacquiao leaves boxing for politics, I can already hear the Mayweathers — Floyd Jr., Floyd Sr. and Roger. All together now:
“See, I told you so.”
Pacquiao has undergone and passed every required drug test. If a Commission tells him there are new rules, I believe he will agree to a more rigorous process. Fair or not, it is the only way he can definitively answer a question that the Mayweather chorus raised. There are a variety of interpretations as to the motivation for the Mayweather demand. Maybe, he was trying to bully Pacquiao by trying to dictate terms. Maybe, Mayweather was trying to get out of the fight. Maybe, it was gamesmanship.
But there’s only way to answer and it’s not from a seat in the Filipino Congress.
WHAT PROBLEM?
Vic Darchinyan (33-2-1, 27 KOs) is sick of hearing about a rematch of his loss to Nonito Donaire. Still, he was asked about it repeatedly this week before the defense of super-flyweight titles on Showtime Saturday against Mexican Rodrigo Guerrero (13-1-1, 9 KOs) at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Darchinyan, knocked out by a Donaire three years ago, has dismissed the rematch possibility by saying he is moving up in weight.
Funny, but that’s the same thing Donaire said last month before his third-round stoppage of Manuel Vargas in Las Vegas. Then, Donaire said it was “now or never,” because he was moving up to bantam and featherweight.
On the scale, Darchinyan and Donaire are heading in the same direction, which should also include a rematch.
NOTES, QUOTES FROM THE SUPER SIX
· Arthur Abraham almost made it sound as if Jamaican sprinter Usian Bolt was a sparring partner in training for Andre Dirrell at Detroit in a Super Six Classic bout on March 27, which was rescheduled from March 6 because of a back injury suffered by Dirrell. “I have sparring partners who run,’’ Abraham said from Germany during a conference call Thursday.
· Dirrell is out of the tournament if he loses because of a controversial loss by split decision to Carl Froch in his last bout. “I call it a do-or-die situation,’’ said Dirrell, who believes he was robbed on the scorecards against Froch. He also said Froch engaged in “dirty tactics” that took him out of his fight plan.
· Promoter Gary Shaw predicts that Dirrell will be the first to beat Abraham, an Armenian who speaks German and hopes to become an American star. Shaw said that Abraham, the tournament’s leader in points with three, is more comfortable at middleweight, 160 pounds. That, Shaw said, is one reason he beat Jermain Taylor, also more comfortable at 160. At 168 pounds, Dirrell has an advantage, he said. “The bigger and faster man always wins,’’ Shaw said. “In this fight — although I have a world of respect for Arthur Abraham for his record, his style, his abilities and his demeanor — I believe Andre Dirrell will win and possibly stop Abraham.’’
MANNY PACQUIAO CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT
with Promoter Bob Arum and Trainer Freddie Roach
Friday, February 26, 2010
BOB ARUM: Manny Pacquiao is having a great training camp, as Freddie will tell you. There is excitement is Dallas. We have less than 8,000 tickets to go and I am fully confident we will have a sellout for the fight. It is very exciting for us and it should be a great, great show.
FREDDIE ROACH: Manny Pacquiao is in great shape. We boxed 11 rounds yesterday with four different sparring partners. He is looking really good and he’s got the game plan in place. We were so sharp yesterday I almost wanted to give him a day off but Manny won’t take a day off.
We’ll spar 12 rounds on Saturday. That will be our peak day and we will taper off from there and we are heading to Dallas after training on Monday the 8th.
Manny is getting better all the time and he still wants to improve. We are getting better at making the moves. We have watched a lot of tape on Clottey. We know his characteristics, we know his mistakes and we know his habits. I do feel that the way Manny Pacquiao is training for this fight, the game plan and how to beat Clottey is in place. I know Clottey is a big strong guy and a great fighter and we respect him and he’s a real tough guy but with many Pacquiao I feel that he’s going to overwhelm him with his speed and his combinations and I do believe he will be the first person to stop him before the 12th round.
MANNY PACQUIAO: I am good; I’m just finishing jogging and sit-ups. Training camp is good and yesterday we sparred 11 rounds then I hit the bag a couple of rounds. Everything is great. I know Clottey is taller and bigger than me. I know I can’t underestimate him because his is a former world champion also.
Fallout from Mayweather negotiations – anger?
FREDDIE ROACH: We are not happy with his [Floyd Mayweather Jr.] remarks. Manny wants to fight him in the future because of the remarks he made. Sometimes when Manny is shadowboxing, he will show me how Mayweather fights and how he will take care of the problem. I’ve never seen many do that before. He was trying to ruin our reputation with those allegations but we do want to fight him and we do want to knock him out.
BOB ARUM: We will knock him out in court also. That lawsuit continues on and justice will prevail.
What would you like to do better in this fight than the last?
FREDDIE ROACH: Don’t want to be on the ropes as much as we were in the Cotto fight. Clottey is very effective on the ropes and will throw uppercuts from that position. We are working on not being there when he is trying to counter-punch. Clottey likes to lay on the ropes and counter when we are finished a combination, but we’re not going to be there – he’s not going to find us.
How much has Freddie Roach meant to your success and improvement?
MANNY PACQUIAO: Freddie Roach is very important to me in how he started with me when I began in the States. I think because our chemistry and we are very coordinated during our training. Freddie Roach is a very good trainer.
What has Bob Arum meant to your career?
MANNY PACQUIAO: Bob has helped me a lot especially promoting the last four or five fights. Because of him my career has been very good. He helped me a lot and has been very important. Bob officially negotiates my fights and chooses opponents and finds good opponents. I trust him and he’s a fine promoter.
FREDDIE ROACH: Bob has a lot of history and has a lot experience of course. He knows how to make a fight. He knows how to build a fight up. He knows how to do his job and he has a great staff. He has great matchmakers that will put the right styles together. That’s why this fight is going to be so great and compelling because of the styles. This is going to be a fight of the year type fight for sure.
Would you consider him the greatest promoter in the history of boxing?
FREDDIE ROACH: Yes I would. His longevity of course from Ali to Manny Pacquiao and all those champions in between…the Hagler’s… and he is still going strong. He has surrounded himself with good young helpers.
Why would you not take the opportunity to clear your name and fight?
MANNY PACQUIAO: I don’t want to talk about or think about blood testing. I want to focus on the Clottey fight. I did take a blood test when I fought Erik Morales. I didn’t think I would fight Mayweather because people know Mayweather was not ready to fight me.
BOB ARUM: It causes chaos and it is wrong for one fighter to try to impose rules and regulations on the sport on another fighter. It is as silly as Alex Rodriguez striking out 4 times but a Red Sox pitcher saying I’m not going to face him again unless he takes a blood test. We cannot have that. We have commissions to do that. You make a request and if the commission feels that there is some validity the commission will then order whatever tests and the fighter, in order to fight in that state has to follow what the commission dictates. It’s not for a fighter to do this. In other words, two fighters can agree to fight without gloves or with 6-ounce gloves, but the commission would not allow it because it goes against the rules of the commission. This fight with Mayweather was supposed to be in Nevada and what he should have done is to go to the Nevada commission and requested it. But not to try to bully a fighter that comes from a different country into undergoing tests. Why? Because Mayweather said so? Because he was jealous of the man’s accomplishments? That is preposterous.
MANNY PACQUIAO: It has never been in boxing before that a fighter changed the rules. It is the fighter’s job to fight in the ring and is the promoter’s job and the commission’s job to make the rules for the fight.
BOB ARUM: The Nevada commission has in place, random testing and urinalysis, and they did it while the fighters were negotiating. No one is arguing against random testing. No one is arguing about urinalysis because it is not invasive. That’s already in place. The question is about blood testing and it’s not for you or me or anybody else to decide how important it is other than the applicable state where the fight is being held. Do I feel that random testing is valid? Yes, of course. Nevada has random urinalysis.
Are you surprised there has been no mention of drug testing between Mayweather and Mosley?
BOB ARUM: You don’t have to be geniuses to know what they were trying to do. They were trying to get into his {Pacquiao’s] head. Get him completely discombobulated so he would be easy pickings for Mayweather and if they couldn’t and he said no because of the bullying, Mayweather would get his wish and not have to fight Manny. Mayweather against Manny is a no-contest. Manny would wipe the ring with Floyd Mayweather.
Manny, are you expecting support of the Latinos in Dallas?
MANNY PACQUIAO: I am expecting a lot of Mexican fans to be at the fight.
Has it been difficult to create a buzz around this fight to the general public?
BOB ARUM: To be frank, we had to overcome disappointment. People were looking forward to a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight. That is clear. Manny has a huge fan base. He has crossed over. Our job is to present Joshua Clottey as he is. A bigger guy. A stronger guy. A guy who has never been off his feet. A real test for Manny Pacquiao. That is what will sell this fight. You can’t say there are two household names fighting on March 13th, Clottey is a well-respected welterweight. He lost a very close decision to Miguel Cotto in his last fight. He won the title by stopping Zab Judah. He is a formidable opponent but I think that the public gets it. The pay-per-view at $49.95 is going to do extremely well and we are very pleased with the ticket sales at Cowboys Stadium.
Would you agree that Manny has become a cross-over star?
BOB ARUM: 100% correct. That was our goal when we started with Manny was to break him out from the Filipino base that he had. We were able to pick up millions of Hispanic fans and we have broken him in to the general conscience of the people around the world. He is truly a crossover star. How many fighters of our time go on Jimmy Kimmel Live and go on Good Morning America and have a big article coming out in Time magazine? I think that is saying something.
What do you know of Leonard De Jesus?
FREDDIE ROACH: Lenny DeJesus used to work as a cut man for Manny Pacquiao. He knows us pretty well but we have changed a lot since then. He thinks he’s going to face the old Manny Pacquiao but that’s not going to be the case. I respect him and he’s a good boxing guy. Am I a better trainer? I don’t know but I have the better fighter. We have the perfect game plan and I don’t care who trains Joshua Clottey for this fight, he can’t beat us.
He is what he is. Let’s face it. He fights the same way in every tape I watch. Whether he fights southpaws or right-handers, he is predictable. He’s good at what he does but he does the same thing over and over again and he is very predictable. He’s going to try to change for this fight but once he gets in he will revert back to it. We are 100% ready for his style. His is resilient. The beginning of the fight is going to be very hard because he is a very good opponent and he likes to fight. We will break him down and I am confident the fight will not go 12 rounds.
What is the last fight of this magnitude [Pacquiao-Mayweather] that didn’t come off?
BOB ARUM: I remember Bowe and Lewis not coming off when everyone thought it was going to come off. Tyson and Foreman was being negotiated and that never came. Tyson and Holyfield didn’t come off until a number of years later. These things happen but it doesn’t happen all that often. No fighter on my watch is going to get bullied by another fighter. That other fighter, Mayweather, was totally out of line in making the demands he was making to the fighter. Any of those demands should have been directed to the Nevada Athletic Commission. You cannot have independent agencies taking all kinds of testing. It creates chaos. If the Nevada commission has testing, you have to subject yourself to the test. You can’t have baseball players calling out other baseball players to take tests.
Do you think the Mayweather fight will eventually get made?
BOB ARUM: Only if the Mayweather side agrees, they can have any testing they want, but those issues have to be brought before the commission where the fight is taking place. No fighter is going to be able to dictate anything like that to a fighter of mine without going to the commission and petitioning them to adopt those rules.
Manny, do you believe Mayweather does not want to fight you?
MANNY PACQUIAO: What I believe is Floyd Mayweather is not ready at this time to fight with me. That’s why he makes the reasons to cancel the fight. I feel bad and disappointment because he is accusing me of using drugs or whatever and trying to ruin my name in boxing. People know I have been successful through God and hard work.
Maybe he is afraid of me or maybe is not ready for this fight. I am disappointed at what he is accusing me of. I really feel bad but I have no anger toward him. This is boxing. That’s his style. We cannot change that because we are different.
What about your election?
MANNY PACQUIAO: In the election I am leading and the start of campaigning is March 26 so it will not be until after my fight. After the fight I will go back to the Philippines and start campaigning. It is going to be busy. I want to pass some bills that will be good for the livelihood of the people there and education for the children.
What do you mean by Mayweather’s style?
MANNY PACQUIAO: Some fighters like me we can be the greatest fighters without fast words and trash talk. His style is talking a lot of trash and it is not a good example for everybody.
If your career ends without fighting Mayweather, will you be disappointed?
MANNY PACQUIAO: I don’t really need Floyd Mayweather because what I have achieved in boxing is good enough for me and people know that by comparing my achievements in boxing to his achievements.
Will you take full advantage of the weight limit?
FREDDIE ROACH: He [Pacquiao] will weigh in at 147 and he will go into the ring at 149, 150 max. I am not worried about his size. Size doesn’t win fights, skill does and it won’t be a problem.
I have read reports this could be your last fight?
MANNY PACQUIAO: This is my last fight before the election. I am not saying I’m going to retire. It is hard to say right now when I’m going to retire but this is my last fight before the election and I’m very excited about it.
BOB ARUM: As far as I am concerned, he is the best fighter I have ever seen some people may or may not agree. If he decides to retire after the Clottey fight and I would hope that he wins the election and I would give him a big party to commemorate his career in the US. If he continues to fight and then retires later I would still give him a big party. To me he is the best fighter I have ever seen. You have to understand, I’m an old guy but I’ve never seen Marciano or Robinson fight in person and I can’t tell very much from watching the film. But that includes fighter like Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler.
Is there a status report on the lawsuit?
BOB ARUM: That lawsuit will establish beyond any doubt that these innuendos and assertions made by that whole group of defendants, Mayweather, Shaefer, De La Hoya, the other two Mayweather’s, have absolutely no basis in fact and are pulled out of thin air and are really fueled only by jealousy. It is absolutely outrageous what these people have said. That will be affirmed in the court of law. They have not answered the complaint. They have to answer he complaint by the end of March.
Can you tell us why you would retire after fighting Clottey?
MANNY PACQUIAO: I am not saying retire. It is hard to say right now when I would retire. I am still fighting and we’ll see.
BOB ARUM: He is not saying he would retire after the Clottey fight, quite the contrary. Obviously one of these days he is going to retire. After the election he may retire or he may fight. He is leaving the options open.
Do you think Manny is the best?
FREDDIE ROACH: I do think Manny is the best fighter I have ever trained because from where we started to where we are now he is the most improved. His discipline and dedication is unbelievable.
How is your health?
FREDDIE ROACH: I just went to the Cleveland Clinic and I got a full check-up. The guy told me I am the healthiest Parkinson’s patient he has ever seen. I am on the right medications. I am on mild medications because of my strength from fighting and he said don’t worry; I am going to live a long time. So I’m going to be around for a while.
BOB ARUM: On Friday we are celebrating Freddie’s 50th birthday.
FREDDIE ROACH: Thanks for reminding me Bob.
Would you be content if Manny never fought Floyd?
BOB ARUM: I would absolutely be content.
FREDDIE ROACH: I would like to shut him up of course. Obviously he is just going to have to go by the rules. It is like saying we want to fight five-minute rounds. Commissions do that, not fighters. If you let him have his way it’s like giving away the first two rounds – it’s crazy. I do want Manny to fight him and I know Manny would knock him out and then the whole world will be happy.
MANNY PACQUIAO: Yes, I’m OK. I don’t need to fight him.
What type of boxer can beat you?
MANNY PACQUIAO: When I get old.
What about the young fighters in the world today?
MANNY PACQUIAO: I always watch them and I like to see them train and give them advice. Those young fighters in Puerto Rico are good fighters.
How do you feel about Miguel Cotto?
BOB ARUM: I think Miguel has had a great career and he’s a fighter that has never been afraid to get in the ring with anyone. He gave Manny Pacquiao, the greatest fighter of our era and in my opinion the greatest fighter I have ever seen, he gave him hell for the first six rounds. He fought his heart out. He’s a wonderful fighter. In June he will fight for another world title against Yuri Foreman in New York. He’s had a great career and he’s been a big star. More importantly, he has matured as a person. He is a great person right now. He has a lot of businesses. I am very proud of Miguel.
Is there anything that Clottey brings to the table you are anxious about?
FREDDIE ROACH: He is a very strong guy and he’s a strong puncher. His best punch is the uppercut but we will not fall into that pocket too often to let him use that shot. I do have a lot of confidence in my fighter and the reason why is the way he has been sparring. We have big strong guys that fight a lot like Clottey. Manny has been handling them with ease in sparring. We had our best day of sparring yesterday – 11 great rounds and Manny pitched a shutout. We use four sparring partners yesterday and Manny is on top of his game and he’s got the game plan down and he’s very sharp right now. I’m happy where he’s at. I think we will overwhelm him and the fight will end before 12.
BOB ARUM: March 13 is unique. People all over the world and on pay-per-view in the United States will have the opportunity to see the best fighter of our era fight a top welterweight bigger and stronger and I am looking forward to Manny Pacquiao’s performance because every single one of these performances will become part of history and we’ll see you in Dallas.
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Promoted by Top Rank, in association with the Dallas Cowboys, Tecate and MP Promotions, THE EVENT: PACQUIAO vs. CLOTTEY will take place Saturday, March 13, in Cowboys Stadium, where over 30,000 tickets have already been sold. The $1.2 billion stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), boxing’s only seven-division world champion, of General Santos City, Philippines, will be defending the World Boxing Organization welterweight title against Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs), of Accra, Ghana. THE EVENT will be produced and distributed Live on HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
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HBO Sports® will present “Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey,” a thirty-minute special analyzing the upcoming welterweight title showdown that will mark the first-ever pro boxing event at the landmark $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex. The special will premiere on HBO This Saturday! March 6 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT immediately following the live presentation of HBO Boxing After Dark®.
JOSHUA CLOTTEY CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT WITHPROMOTER BOB ARUM & MANAGER VINNY SCOLPINO
BOB ARUM: We are a little over two weeks away and we are very excited about the full house we are going to have at Cowboys Stadium with Manny Pacquiao, who is the most exciting fighter in the world today and we couldn’t find a more competitive opponent that Joshua Clottey. Clottey has a heart like a lion and he is a terrifically balanced fighter who comes and gives it everything. We think that whoever wins this fight, at the end of the night, they will be saying that this is the best fight that Manny has ever, ever been in. This is the toughest fighter that Manny Pacquiao, the Fighter of the Decade, has been in the ring with. There are many experts saying they wouldn’t be surprised if Joshua Clottey won this fight.
VINNY SCALPINO: Joshua has been training very hard and his team around has been reporting wonderful things. So we are ready to rumble.
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: I would like everybody to know that I have been training very hard and that the owner of the Cowboys and Bob Arum will be very happy and I want to make everyone happy, that’s what I am doing now. I am training to do my best and to bring my best to the ring.
Can you talk about your confidence level going into this fight?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: Like I always said, Manny’s a good fighter, he’s the best now. This is my 40th fight in the professional ranks and it is the most special and I’m taking it a special way. I think this is the third time going for the WBO title and my fourth world title overall. I have had a fight with Cotto and now Manny Pacquiao. I was so surprised that I had this opportunity to fight against Manny Pacquiao and when Bob Arum and Top Rank called me about this opportunity to fight Manny Pacquiao, I was so happy and I want to win this fight in a big way.
I think you are right. He does throw a lot of punches. He throws a lot of punches to people when he sees the openings. He won’t see the openings with me. When I block the punches it will always make him think. You see, I have my game plan. I know what is going to happen in the ring. I always come to fight and I always see my openings. My game plan is to chase him, but if he is going to be there, fine.
Do you think you need to throw more punches to win the fight? Against Cotto it seemed as if you needed to throw more…
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: I think you are right. You know, I’m not a flyweight. I am not a bantamweight. I am a welterweight and welterweights only throw punches that connect. I can throw shots which connect and land and cause damage. Not throw a lot of punches that he is deflecting and blocking. If you look at the last fight, I won the last round. He threw punches and I blocked them and I threw punches and they connected. I will throw punches that cause damage.
My training is going to show when I get in the ring, but with Manny Pacquiao you don’t have to miss with him. When he is throwing you have to let him do it. Like you said, they come from many angles. I have my plan.
Manny has made tremendous improvement as he has moved up in weight, which has caused suspicion. Do you have any reason to believe he is doing anything illegal and why aren’t you requiring to take additional tests?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: I don’t want him to do that because I respect him too much. He is a very nice guy to be honest with you and I feel comfortable around him. He is nice and respects everybody and I know where he is from. I don’t think Manny Pacquiao is doing that thing. If he is doing that thing, he is killing the sport. Between he and God, it is going to some day be a problem. I wouldn’t make him do that steroid thing because I believe in him. I know he throws a pot of punches. I respect him for that so I couldn’t ask him to do that.
What would a victory mean to you?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: A victory would mean very, very more than a lot to me. That’s why I am so happy about this opportunity. And second, if I beat Manny Pacquiao I am going to be very much happy, because he is the best fighter out there. He is the man now and he’s giving me a chance to fight him and if I beat him, I’m going to be on top of the world. It will be very important to the people in my country and that is very important in life.
What was it like growing up?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: When I was a young boy growing up I saw the boys in the area and I
said I wanted to fight them. I fought one and then I wanted to fight again like a revenge. I beat him and I became a boxer. My life was not easy for me at all. I had to go all over the world to become champion. I came to America after fighting in England where things were very wrong. Then I came here and things were moving along with Top Rank and Bob Arum and I have to give thanks to them.
These are both your fighters and it must be difficult for you…how do you see this fight playing out?
BOB ARUM: Of course I have and the more I play it over in my head I realize how competitive this fight is going to be. Nobody, with any real certainty, can predict this fight. Everybody knows how Manny Pacquiao fights. Everybody knows the angles that he throws punches from. Everybody knows that Joshua Clottey is a tremendous defensive fighter and can put a real hurting on an opponent. Everybody knows that Clottey is the bigger man and Manny is the smaller man. People talk about how much Manny has gone up in weight, but he really hasn’t gone up much. He couldn’t make 130 so he fought at 135 pounds. He was 138 when he fought Ricky Hatton. If he gets on the scale now at the weigh-in weighing 142 or 143 that’s because he ate breakfast and lunch on the day of the weigh-in, so if he had to he could still make 135 pounds. The idea that suddenly Manny Pacquiao has become a big man is just not true. Joshua has the size and he is a natural welterweight…Manny Pacquiao isn’t and that makes intrigue in the fight. Even Joshua would admit that Manny is the favorite in the fight because he has such a great resume but I can go either way.
What do you think Manny’s weak spots are?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: No matter what people are going to talk about him, he is the best now. When he beats guys, like in the Cotto fight, he beats guys that don’t have a good defense. I have a defense. I will never say anything bad about the guy because he is the best now. When I walk in the ring with Manny Pacquiao and I lost, I will tell everybody I lost the fight. But I keep telling people I didn’t lose the Cotto fight because I don’t feel that I did. When I walk into the ring, I do what I want to do to win the fight, to do my best.
When I walk into the ring I will know what I need to do to win the fight.
What areas do you need to improve to become great?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: I trained a lot for this fight. I trained really hard for this fight. I trained when I was in Africa. I run to the beach from my house here and I do everything I can. That is good for me because I am going to be fighting the best guy out there and if I don’t prepare correctly and he is hitting me with the punches he throws, he is going to hurt me so I am protecting myself at the gym. So when I get to the ring I will be fine. I promise everybody a good fight, that’s what I’m telling you.
How surprised were you when this fight came about?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: I wasn’t really thinking about this fight at all. But I know I can fight anybody and I know I can beat any boxer. It looked like somebody didn’t want to fight. All the guys were talking about Pacquiao vs. Mayweather and it looks like he didn’t want to do it and it’s good for me. If they didn’t do it, I get in. I feel like it was a blessing from God.
Bob, can you talk about the venue?
BOB ARUM: As you will see on March 13, there is no stadium or arena in the world like Cowboys Stadium. It is an architectural marvel – just the paintings alone. But that is not what makes an exciting event. What makes the event super exciting is that screen that goes from one 20 yard line to the other and is super high definition. The screen will be 30 feet above the ring. Every replay and every punch in the fight will be seen in really high definition. Indeed, as pretty as the Cowboy Cheerleaders are, wait until you see them on that big screen, it is something really special. Until you see it and until you’re there, it is very difficult to describe the experience. I know that they just had the NBA All Star Game and the players were on the bench waiting to get in as the game was going on and many of them were watching the game on the screen rather than right in front of them on the floor.
When I saw the Cowboys-Eagles game sitting in Jerry Jones’ box, I found myself half the time watching the game on the screen than watching the field just because just because the picture is so incredible. I think that’s what helps make it. It has lounges, the Patrón Lounge, the concession stands. Yankee Stadium has a lot of that but it is really an experience to be in the huge arena and watch an event.
What about Margarito, was it a disappointment he not being on the card?
BOB ARUM: We are disappointed. The Texas Commission said they would have to hold a hearing and if they did we realized we wouldn’t get a result until it was too late. So instead we did the Humberto Soto/David Diaz lightweight championship in its place.
Did steroid testing come up in the negotiations for this fight?
BOB ARUM: My view is that is not a topic for negotiation. That is something for the commission to decide. If a boxer would like more stringent testing than is applicable in that state, he should go before the commission, present his case and let the commission decide. It is not for a bunch of amateurs to start talking about and start making demands – that is what’s called chaos. That’s what you have to do and that’s what you have commissions for. You go before the commission and you tell them I want such-and-such done and you let the commissioners decide – that’s what they are getting paid for – to handle those kind of questions.
VINNY SCOLPINO: I couldn’t agree with Bob more. If the commission wants to implement other drug testing rules, let them implement them. We abide by the rules that are set for us then we move forward. Manny is a super champion and we all hope he is doing the right thing. If the commission finds it in their drug testing – they find it. We were going to abide by the rules set by the state. W are professionals in the sport, Joshua is a professional and if that commission in that state says to do this, we do it.
Is 40,00 people still a target?
BOB ARUM: We didn’t set the stadium up for 40,000, we set it up for 45,000 and we are on our way to selling out.
There are a lot of Hispanics in Dallas. We are selling a lot of tickets to Hispanics. On the principal undercard bouts we have Hispanics. We have Jose Luis Castillo fighting Alfonso Gomez, John Duddy, who is Irish, fighting Michael Medina, a Mexican from Monterey, middleweight, and David Diaz against Humberto Soto for the WBC lightweight title. On the non-televised portion of the card, it is loaded with Hispanics like Roberto Marroquin of Dallas – the Hispanics and Mexicans will be well-represented. Manny Pacquiao has fought many Mexicans and when I was down in Mexico identified Manny as a Filipino/Mexican and the Mexicans in California feel that Manny is one of them.
When did you feel it was a reality to be having a fight at Cowboys Stadium?
BOB ARUM: Well, you remember back when we were involved in the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, Jerry had called me at home. I knew Jerry, he had come to a couple of fights and he said, ‘Bob, we want the fight in Cowboys Stadium.’ We set up a meeting and Mayweather’s guy, Richard Schaefer, canceled the meeting the day before and it was kind of embarrassing for us. I knew in my mind that Cowboys Stadium would be a great venue for this fight. When the Mayweather fight fell out and the fight was made with Joshua Clottey, the first call I made was to Jerry Jones. I told him I want to come out and make a deal with Cowboys Stadium. He invited me out and it was in conjunction with the Cowboys-Eagles game. I was there that night and the next day, Jerry, Todd [duBoef] and myself and Jerry’s staff and Steve Jones had a meeting and we made a deal.
Could you get more than 45,000?
BOB ARUM: That’s up to Jerry. Right now everyone would have a tremendous view of the fight. We could expand but right now we are on target to sell the 45,000 tickets and we’d be very happy doing that. I know yesterday we sold 350 tickets and we are on course to do that again today. By the time the fighters get into town, we would have sold well over 40,000 tickets. We would then have 3,000 or 4,000 tickets to go and it would be up to Jerry to expand.
Are you worried about the training situation?
VINNY SCOLPINO: I think Lenny [DeJesus] brings a lot of experience, probably over 40 years and he was with Pacquiao during many of his fights. Lenny has always been more than just a cut-man, he also trains a lot of fighters. He brings a wealth of experience, he knows the business, he knows what to do in the ring whether he’s a cut man or whether he’s a trainer. So we are comfortable. Joshua is comfortable with him and we are ready to rumble. We feel comfortable coming out of that rind with a victory with what we are doing. Josh was training in Ghana with another trainer and we tried to get that trainer in but we weren’t sitting on the sidelines hoping and praying that that trainer would get in. We had plans. If the trainer joined us from Ghana we would love it. Right now we are comfortable with what we have and Josh is a true professional. Josh is so excited to get in that ring with Manny. We are ready to rumble. When that bell rings, everything changes. Right now they are respectful of each other and are true professionals, but when that bell rings, those hats come off. Fists are going to fly.
Are you disappointed your trainer could not get to the States, there were reports you brodke down and wept, is that true?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: It is true. We have been together for a very long time. If he could get his visa, I would fly him here. They are not going to give him his visa and I can’t wait for him because I have to get ready to fight and my life is on the line. When I get in the ring my trainer will give me motivation. I had him in Ghana for weeks and that matters. In other fights, my cut man, Lenny, was pushing me a lot so I thought I would use him as my trainer.
Are you ready for Manny Pacquiao and how do you plan on beating Manny Pacquiao?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: I am very much ready for Manny Pacquiao. I keep telling people that I am going to fight and I know it’s not easy. It’s not going to be easy for me and it’s not going to be easy for Manny Pacquiao because I am going to fight the guy who the people think is the best.
I have never watched his tapes. I never sit down and watch him and I never sit down and talk about him. The only thing I think about is me and what I have to do when I come into the ring. I have been training very hard for myself to get to the ring and do my best. When I get to the ring, the fight will start and that’s what I’ll do.
Will your size make a difference in the fight like it did in the Cotto fight?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: I am not talking about whether I am bigger or stronger than Manny Pacquiao. I don’t want to talk like that because little guys beat the big guys out there. I am not thinking about that. The writers make the story so good. I know I’m big and I’m strong but I’m not thinking about that. I just train to get in the ring to do my best. I just know what kind of a fighter he is. I just have to be me. That is most important to me.
I have known Lenny and he is a very good man. He was my cut man with Cotto. So my trainer could not get a visa and I picked him to be my trainer for this fight. Miguel Diaz used to be my cut man but he will be with Manny Pacquiao for this fight.
Do you feel Pacquiao-Mayweather could be made in the future?
BOB ARUM: Life goes on, that what these boys fight for. If Joshua beats Manny, who knows? If Mosley beats Mayweather then we do a Mosley-Clottey fight. That’s what makes boxing interesting. If I did a walkover fight, for example, Pacquiao and Malignaggi, which was at one point bandied about, people would say I was just keeping Pacquiao busy and they would have been right. But there is danger in Manny losing this fight. Clottey is a very dangerous fight. There is also the chance that Mosley goes back to the fountain of youth, which he got for the Margarito fight and if he gets in the ring with Mayweather could very well beat Mayweather – the Mosley that fought Margarito. If these were walk-over fights, nobody would give a damn. The fight that everyone wanted to see didn’t happen for one reason or another and I’m not here on this call to cast blame on the other side, but on March 13 we have a really good fight, a competitive fight, a fight that could go either way and a fight that will be Manny Pacquiao’s toughest fight.
Did you say you haven’t watched tape of Manny’s fights?
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: That is right. I never watch tapes of people. I don’t like watching tapes but I know how he fights. When I get to the ring I know how he is going to be.
Negotiations to get to this fight?
BOB ARUM: In all the fights that I’ve done, this whole series of fights, the Hatton fight, the De La Hoya fight, the Cotto fight…it was never any kind of serious problems in the negotiations. There were a couple of problems that went back and forth and the Mayweather negotiations threw me for a loop because they became so acrimonious and so in a lot of ways nonsensical, that it led me to believe rightly or wrongly that the Mayweather side never wanted to do the fight. Now the negotiations for the Clottey fight took about 24 hours. They contacted Clottey in Africa and I spoke to Vinny and Pat English the lawyer and we put it together quite promptly. But that has been that way with every fight, that we can put it together without much back and forth. Whether it was the presence of Al Haymon because we had problems with the Williams fight with Kelly Pavlik, I don’t really know. I just know that the Mayweather negotiations were extremely difficult and extremely acrimonious and kept the fight from happening.
If we believe, and I certainly believe that boxing is a big-time sport, boxing is on a crest and boxing isn’t a niche sport or a dying sport, but it’s a big-time sport and putting it in big stadiums like Cowboy Stadium, like Yankees Stadium, like the new stadium in the Meadowlands, proves that point. Because when you put your product in venues like that, what you’re saying to the world that boxing is a big-time sport and can hold its own past any other sport. We know what’s happening in Mexico…boxing is getting higher ratings than soccer and certainly any other sport going on regularly on terrestrial TV on a Saturday night. We know it from Germany where arenas are constantly sold out and the ratings are through the roof, we know if from England and the Philippines and Japan. We don’t know it yet from the United States but I’m telling you, it’s like the sleeping giant that is there. Boxing in the U.S. will takes its place the same way that it is doing it in the rest of the world like a big-time sport. Putting these events in these stadiums will prove that and demonstrate that.
JOSHUA CLOTTEY: I would like to thank the media and all the questions that they ask me and the answers that I put through. I want to thank God and Bob Arum and the Top Rank crew. I am very happy that this fight is coming up on the 13th of March and I’m going to do the best that I can.
BOB ARUM: I am really looking forward to March 13 and this great event in Cowboys Stadium. The telecast is $49.95. I have explained the undercard and it will be a great night of boxing. Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders all over the place, fireworks. It will be a real event and that’s why we have named it THE EVENT. More importantly this will be the best fight you have seen. This will be the toughest for many Pacquiao. You’ve heard today how determined Joshua Clottey is and you’re going to see fireworks in the ring and that’s what boxing is all about. Thanks for being on this call and we’ll see you on March 13th.
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Video from Clottey’s training camp taken on Thursday.
Clottey Pre-Dawn Beach Run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaF2siDEW-M
Clottey Pounds the Mitts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3qdT2txavI
Clottey hits the bags
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToOqtukTZWs
Stretching and sit ups…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrdTAXioeBg
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with the Dallas Cowboys, Tecate and MP Promotions, THE EVENT: PACQUIAO vs. CLOTTEY will take place Saturday, March 13, in Cowboys Stadium, where over 30,000 tickets have already been sold. The $1.2 billion stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), boxing’s only seven-division world champion, of General Santos City, Philippines, will be defending the World Boxing Organization welterweight title against Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs), of Accra, Ghana. THE EVENT will be produced and distributed Live on HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
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HBO Sports® will present “Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey,” a thirty-minute special analyzing the upcoming welterweight title showdown that will mark the first-ever pro boxing event at the landmark $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex. The special will premiere on HBO Saturday, March 6 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT immediately following the live presentation of HBO Boxing After Dark®.
He’s not Mayweather, but Joshua Clottey might be good enough
By Norm Frauenheim
MANNY PACQUIAO RETURNS FOR ENCORE APPEARANCE ON ABC’S “JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE” This Wednesday! March 3 at 12:05 A.M. ET/PT
Audience Tickets Still Available!
HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (February 25, 2010) — Boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound box office attraction, Fighter of the Decade and Congressional candidate, MANNY “PacMan” PACQUIAO, will make an encore appearance on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, This Wednesday! March 3 (12:05 a.m. ET/PT.) Pacquiao made his U.S. network television debut, on Jimmy Kimmel Live, last November, on the eve of his challenge of world welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, earning rave reviews for his good humor and singing performance. This time Pacquiao will take time from training for his upcoming defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against former world welterweight champion and current No. 1 contender Joshua Clottey.
Audience Tickets to Manny’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live are still available! They can be reserved by clicking this link: http://www.1iota.com/events,4660,Jimmy-Kimmel-Live-Studio-Audience-.html#rectix
Below, please find the clips from Manny’s previous appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll be totally enthralled.
Jimmy Kimmel Live – Opening Skit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcn3WhxmvIA&feature=related Jimmy Kimmel Live – Interview Part I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk6fZiXpYoQ&NR=1 Jimmy Kimmel Live – Interview Part II http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pazO4B3pGso&NR=1 Jimmy Kimmel Live – Manny Singing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVG_LdDSzOU&feature=related
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with the Dallas Cowboys, Tecate and MP Promotions, THE EVENT: PACQUIAO vs. CLOTTEY will take place Saturday, March 13, in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where over 30,000 tickets have already been sold. The $1.2 billion stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), boxing’s only seven-division world champion, of General Santos City, Philippines, will be defending the WBO welterweight title against Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs), of Accra, Ghana. THE EVENT will be produced and distributed Live on HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
*******************************************
HBO Sports® will present “Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs. Clottey,” a thirty-minute special analyzing the upcoming welterweight title showdown that will mark the first-ever pro boxing event at the landmark $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex. The special will premiere on HBO Saturday, March 6 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT immediately following the live presentation of HBO Boxing After Dark®.
FANS INVITED TO CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY WITH MANNY “PACMAN” PACQUIAO
PACMAN TO BE PRESENTED WITH COMMENDATION
FROM U.S. SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN
This Sunday! February 14 at 1 P.M. PT
Embassy Suites Hotel Los Angeles-Glendale
LOS ANGELES (February 11, 2010) – Seven-division world champion, Congressional candidate and boxing’s No. 1 pound for pound fighter and box office attraction MANNY “PacMan” PACQUIAO will be hosting a Valentine’s Fans Day This Sunday! February 14, beginning at 1 p.m., at the Embassy Suites Hotel Los Angeles-Glendale (800 North Central Avenue, Glendale, Calif. 91203.)
“Over 1,000 fans are expected to attend one of Manny’s final major public appearances in Los Angeles before he heads to Dallas to defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title against former world champion and current No. 1 contender Joshua Clottey,” said Ami Almerol of Silver Shadow Promotions, who is organizing the Pacquiao Valentine’s Fan Day. “In addition to Manny addressing his fans, he will be presented with a plaque of commendation from The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, California’s senior U.S. Senator. The event will also feature the sale of official Pacquiao vs. Clottey merchandise and Pacquiao memorabilia.”
Admission is $20. Tickets can be purchased at the door, beginning at Noon, on the day of the event.
Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), of General Santos City, Philippines, the consensus 2009 Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s Fighter of the Decade, is deep in training with Freddie Roach for his world title defense. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with the Dallas Cowboys and Tecate, THE EVENT: Pacquiao vs. Clottey, will take Saturday, March 13 and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® from Jerry Jones’ $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium where over 30,000 tickets have already been sold.
Remaining Tickets to THE EVENT: Pacquiao vs. Clottey, priced at $700, $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50, can be purchased in-person at the Cowboys Stadium box office in Arlington, or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.
THE EVENT: Pacquiao vs. Clottey pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Pacquiao vs. Clottey fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com or www.toprank.com .
ESPN News- Manny Pacquiao, Joshua Clottey practice civility at news conference March 10, 2010Manny Pacquiao, Joshua Clottey practice civility at news conference. […]Calvin Watkins
- Manny Pacquiao plans to entertain at post-fight party March 10, 2010Manny Pacquiao has big plans for Saturday night -- after his fight against Joshua Clottey. […]Associated Press
- Muhammad Ali visits San Francisco Giants' clubhouse March 9, 2010Muhammad Ali showed up in the San Francisco Giants' clubhouse as part of a campaign for his charity. […]Associated Press
- Judge dismisses felony coercion charge in battery case against Roger Mayweather March 9, 2010A court clerk says a judge dismissed a felony coercion charge against boxing trainer Roger Mayweather, who faces trial June 1 on allegations that he beat and choked a female boxer at a Las Vegas apartment he owned. […]Associated Press
- Floyd Mayweather Jr. associate faces charges in Vegas shooting March 9, 2010Police say an associate of boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been arrested on attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon charges in an August shooting outside a Las Vegas skating rink. […]Associated Press
- Promoter Bob Arum expects sellout for Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight at Cowboys Stadium March 9, 2010Promoter Bob Arum said he expects a sellout for the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight at Cowboys Stadium. […]Calvin Watkins
- Britain's Amir Khan to defend WBA light welterweight title against American Paulie Malignaggi March 9, 2010Amir Khan of Britain will defend his WBA light-welterweight title against American challenger Paulie Malignaggi on May 15 at New York's Madison Square Garden. […]Associated Press
- Devon Alexander stops Juan Urango to unify WBC, IBF light welterweight titles March 9, 2010Devon Alexander knocked out Juan Urango with a right uppercut at 1:12 of the seventh round to unify the WBC and IBF light welterweight titles on Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena. […]Associated Press
- Vitali Klitschko to fight Albert Sosnowski in WBC heavyweight title defense March 9, 2010Vitali Klitschko will defend his WBC heavyweight title against Polish-born fighter Albert Sosnowski on May 29. […]Dan Rafael
- Victor Darchinyan wins decision, retains WBA, WBC super flyweight titles March 6, 2010Australian Victor Darchinyan scored an unanimous decision against Rodrigo Guerrero of Mexico City to retain his WBC and WBA super flyweight titles Saturday night at The Show inside the Agua Caliente Casino. […]Associated Press
- Manny Pacquiao, Joshua Clottey practice civility at news conference March 10, 2010
