Last week, I stated the case for Joshua Clottey against Manny Pacquiao. This week, I’ll tell you why Clottey’s case will not be heard by any judge ringside in two weeks. Sure, Clottey can fight, but he ain’t never seen anything like the Pac Man.
1. Locale. Even. Pacquiao will definitely have the huge Cowboys Stadium crowd behind him because he’s the main attraction of this event. However, in Cowboys Stadium, only Tony Romo and his teammates can really call this place home.
2. Hand Speed. Advantage Pacquiao. This is perhaps the biggest advantage that Pacquiao will have in the fight. It’s often his biggest advantage in most fights. When I stated earlier that Clottey “ain’t never seen anything like the Pac Man,” hand speed is what I was referring to.
3. Ring Generalship. Advantage Pacquiao. Under the watchful eye of his excellent trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao has improved leaps and bounds since his lighter (weight) days. He can fight at various speeds, fighting off the back foot or off the front foot. Clottey on the other hand is, at best, methodical, and at worst, plodding.
4. Competition. Advantage Pacquiao. Clottey’s resume of Carlos Baldomir (loss), Diego Corrales (win), Miguel Cotto (loss), Zab Judah (win) and Antonio Margarito (loss) is nothing to sneeze at. But Pacquiao’s victim list of Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Erik Morales (twice) and Juan Manuel Marquez is the stuff legends are made of.
5. Power. Advantage Pacquiao. The biggest thing that has astounded me about Pacquiao is the fact that his power has been maintained as he’s moved up in weight. That will be put to the ultimate test against Clottey, who has never really been seriously been hurt in the ring. We know that Pacquiao hits harder but what happens when he sees that he can’t hurt Clottey?
6. Conditioning. Advantage Pacquiao. Both men are always in tip-top shape. However, Clottey has shown a tendency to punch less down the home stretch of his biggest fights. Whether it be mental or physical, he gets fatigued somewhere.
7. Chin. Advantage Clottey. Not only does Clottey have a cast-iron chin but his “ear-muff” defense makes it hard to reach. If Clottey is seriously hurt by Pacquiao, I’d honestly be pretty surprised. I’m hyped to see how this sub-plot unfolds come fight night.
8. Footwork. Advantage Pacquiao. Clottey fights big. By that, I mean that he fights very deliberate behind a heavy, albeit under-utilized jab, and strong overhand right. Pacquiao bounces in and out, throwing powerful combinations from weird angles and positions. What stays solid is his foundation.
9. Size/Strength. Advantage Clottey. When looking at Clottey’s chiseled frame, you wonder if he’s the one folks should be asking to undergo a battery of additional blood tests for performance-enhancing drugs. I’m kidding. However, Pacquiao better take the naturally bigger and stronger Clottey very seriously in two weeks.
10. Defense. Advantage Clottey. Defense wins championships, and Clottey has the edge in this all-important area. However, it can be a gift and a curse. As we have seen a few times before, Clottey often spends so much time in his shell that a turtle would be jealous. Not hitting and not being hit will not bring the title back to Ghana. You got that?
According to the Boxing Fight Predictor, all signs point towards a Manny Pacquiao rout of Joshua Clottey. I believe that Pacquiao will win but will be forced to go the distance against the always-tough Ghanaian. Clottey will have a few moments, but he simply does not punch enough to pull off the upset.
Manny Pacquiao should coast to a unanimous decision victory on March 13. Tell me what you think.
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