The Event : Manny Pacquiao versus Joshua Clottey

Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), the 7 division world champion and the reigning WBO welterweight champion will defend his title from Ghanaian Joshua Clottey (35-3, 21 KOs), the former IBF Welterweight champion.

“The Event” put forward Clottey a shot at the Pound-for-Pound king Manny Pacquiao at the World Boxing Organization (WBO) World Welterweight Title at the Cowboys Stadium.

Manny Pacquaio is ready to fight as seen from his final work out at the wild Card Gym in Los Angeles last monday before taking flight to Dallas, Texas. Together with his entourage they boarded a plane chartered by the said boxer. Freddie Roach is confident with his boxer, Manny, that they can take their opponent down.

Joshua Clottey, on the other side is calm and cool as the day approaches the big fight. The Ghanaian-born boxer did not commented when Freddie Roach predicted the fight a knockout. However, Clottey stated “I have a sharp right hand, a sharp right hand.” He added “I can throw a sharp right from far, so that’s always dangerous”.

The Event is a fight of two premiered boxers: Manny with his strong left punch while Clottey can respond with his strong right hand. Both respected boxers are already ready to battle. Who will seize the WBO World Welterweight Title?

Pacquiao vs. Clottey fight is set on March 13, 2010 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Source : SevenSidedCube

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Pacquiao-Clottey : Undercards

Two promising Filipinos, featherweight Michael Farenas and bantamweight Eden Sonsona get a chance to prove their worthiness as future world title prospects when they see action on the undercard of “The Event” headlined by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and Ghana’s tough Joshua Clottey at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium on March 13.

The 25 year old Farenas, a protégé of former two division world champion Gerry Penalosa takes on 35 year old Joe Morales. Morales who has a record of 20-13 and 4 knockouts has dropped ten round decisions to such tough opponents as Rocky Juarez and Joan Guzman and lost by a 10th round TKO to fearsome Rogers Mtagwa. However, boxrec.com records show that Morales has lost six straight bouts although he won a ten round decision over Ildefonso Martinez last November 6.

The hard-hitting southpaw Farenas who has a record of 27-2-3 with 24 knockouts has had a career in which he has faced certified Thai patsies in-between taking on tough Mexican opponents including Walter Estrada (35-9, 24 KO’s) whom he knocked out in the very first round on May 9, 2009.

Farenas won the meaningless World Professional Boxing Federation title with a 9th round knockout over Korea’s Jae Bong Jang last October 3 and then scored a 1st round knockout over unknown Thai fighter Sathian Sokham on January 8, 2010.

Sonsona, a southpaw from General Santos City, hometown of Pacquiao and a fighter discovered by the late Rod Nazario, the former business manager of Pacquiao, will be making his second appearance on a Pacquiao card. Pacquiao had promised Nazario during a visit before the boxing man passed away to give Sonsona exposure and to help steer his career alongside his manager Rommel Nazario, the son of Rod.

The 21 year old Sonsona (20-5, 6 KO’s) faces former world champion Mauricio Pastrana of Colombia who even at 37 still has a lot of fight left in him, although he lost a unanimous twelve round decision to Leon Moore of Guyana in a clash for the vacant Continental Americans and North American Boxing Association titles last September 26.

Pastrana also dropped a unanimous eight round decision to undefeated Victor Fonseca (14-0, 8 KO’s) last July 11 but won by a 3rd round knockout over Victor Peralta of Colombia on June 19, 2009.

Sonsona impressed Pacquiao as well as Top Rank promoter Bob Arum when he scored a smashing 2nd round TKO over Eilon Kedem on the Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto undercard last November 14 before scoring a sensational one-punch knockout to win the vacant Philippine bantamweight title in a battle with Monico Laurente on December 12, 2009. Sonsona staggered Laurente before unleashing a wicked left that sent Laurente crashing to the canvas where he lay for some time before being escorted by doctors and handlers to his corner.

Sonsona who is being trained by Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez, the assistant trainer of Pacquiao at the Wild Card Gym has looked good and his manager Rommel Nazario has high hopes for the flashy southpaw who has developed his punching power as indicated in his last two fights.

Source : PhilBoxing

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Pacquiao's Arrival in Dallas

Despite the forecast of cold weather in the next two weeks, Dallas is going to be scorching hot with the arrival there of the stars of the March 13 show at Cowboys Stadium.

Expected to be there first is Ghanaian Joshua Clottey, who lands at Dallas-Fort Worth International from New York on a commercial flight this Sunday, a full day ahead of his Filipino foe Manny Pacquiao, who will be brought there by a private jet on March 9.

Top Rank, which is staging the event in partnership with Texas billionaire Jerry Jones, said Dallas is going to be buzzing with activity as soon as they get there with Clottey penciled for an open media workout at 1:30 p.m. on March 9.

Pacquiao will hold his own the following day at the same time.

A makeshift gym will be built at the basement of the Gaylord Texan so the two fighters can train there instead of driving for 30 minutes to reach the nearest gym.

The press conference for Pacquiao and Clottey will be held at the Cowboys Stadium on March 10, while the undercard fighters will have their day the following day at the Gaylord Texan, the official residence of the promotion.

The official weighin – always on the eve of the fight – will also be staged at the Cowboys Stadium at 5 p.m.

Pacquiao and Clottey will answer the opening bell at 10 p.m. (12 noon in the Philippines of March 14) before an expected sellout crowd of 40,000 and a worldwide TV audience. The first fight will be at 5 p.m. after the gates to the stadium start to receive fight fans an hour earlier.

Clottey is in the final phase of his training in Florida and is going to make a side trip to New York to fulfill some promotional obligations like the hosting of a workout for the Big Apple press at Kingsway Gym on March 4 before heading to Dallas.

Pacquiao is also hosting his own workout at the Wild Card on March 3.

Source : Manila Bulletin

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Steroid Not An Issue in Pacquiao-Clottey Fight

Manny Pacquiao’s last fight fell apart over steroid testing.

For his next fight, it won’t even be an issue.

Pacquiao, whose negotiations for a projected $100-million megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. collapsed in January when he balked at Mayweather’s demands for random, Olympic-style blood testing, will not be tested at all before or after his March 13 welterweight title fight against Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

According to a spokeswoman for the Texas Combative Sports Program, the state agency that regulates boxing matches, Texas does not test boxers for steroids unless there is probable cause. "As of this date," the spokeswoman said, "the executive director, William Kuntz, finds he has no good cause to order it."

Kuntz was not available for comment, but Clottey, who lost a split decision to Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden in his last fight in June, said he would not request Pacquiao be tested before this fight.

"I don’t want to do that because I respect him so much," Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) said on a conference call on Thursday. "I don’t think Manny Pacquiao would do that. But if he does, then he’s cheating the sport."

Clottey’s opinion was echoed by his manager, Vinny Scolpino, who said, "We’ll comply by the commission’s rules. If they want to implement further testing, let ’em implement it and we’ll follow it. If Manny is a super-champion, we all hope he’s doing the right thing."

After Pacquiao’s convincing 12th-round TKO of Cotto in November, Mayweather’s camp accused Pacquiao, a former 106-pounder who now fights as a welterweight, of using steroids and demanded he submit to random blood-testing the week of the fight.

Pacquiao, who has never failed a postfight steroid test, refused and for now, what might have been the most lucrative prize fight of all time was put on hold while Pacquiao faces Clottey next month and Mayweather takes on Shane Mosley on May 1.

"Is (Pacquiao-Clottey) a consolation prize? Well, in a way," promoter Bob Arum said. "The fight everyone wanted to see didn’t happen for one reason or another, but who the hell knows? Maybe Joshua beats Manny and Mosley beats Mayweather and then we’re doing a Clottey-Mosley fight. So what? Life goes on. That’s what makes boxing interesting."

Arum said he expects a near-sellout for the fight in an 80,000-seat stadium that will be configured to seat 45,000. "If you believe, as I do, that boxing is a big-time sport, that it isn’t a niche sport or a dying sport, then putting your event in a stadium like this or Yankee Stadium or the new Meadowlands Stadium is a great way to prove it," he said. "It’ll be a great night of boxing. The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders will be all over the place, there’ll be fireworks, and a terrific main event."

And no steroid testing to spoil the fun.

Source : Boston Herald

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It's not an upset, just a win says Clottey

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source : thesun

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Road to Dallas : Pacquiao-Clottey HBO Special

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

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

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

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

Additional HBO replay dates:
Saturday, March 6 at 1:00 a.m.
Sunday, March 7 at 10:30 a.m.
Monday, March 8 at 2:00 p.m. & 12:05 a.m.
Tuesday, March 9 at 10:00 a.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.
Friday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. & 2:00 a.m.
Saturday, March 13 at 11:30 a.m.

Additional HBO2 replay dates:
Sunday, March 7 at 11:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 10 at 10:00 p.m.

All times are ET/PT.

Thanks to EastSideBoxing for sharing.

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Freddie Roach Prediction : KO win for Pacquiao

The more Freddie Roach watches Joshua Clottey on video, the more the celebrated trainer believes Manny Pacquiao is going to become the first fighter to knock the Ghanaian puncher out on March 13 in Dallas, Texas.

“To be honest, the more tape I watch of him, the more holes I find, the more mistakes he makes,” Roach told Michael Rosenthal of The Ring in its on-line edition Saturday.

“I am very confident for this fight… Size doesn’t win fights, talent wins fights. We can do a lot more than he can,” said Roach, downplaying Clottey’s obvious advantage in height and heft.

With three weeks before the scheduled 12-round welterweight title match, Roach has a picture of what Pacquiao would do to Clottey before an expected packed crowd at Cowboys Stadium.

“I expect him to stay on the ropes and rest a little bit. I have the perfect way to crack that defense. I believe he’ll be stopped for the first time in his life.”

Roach said it would take some time before Pacquiao gets the job done, stressing that the African is tough and dangerous.

Meanwhile, Top Rank publicist Lee Samuels revealed that Pacquiao is expected to arrive in Dallas on March 8, while Clottey is checking in the day before.

Source : Manila Bulletin

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Cole Out of Pacquiao-Clottey Fight

MANILA, Philippines - Laurence Cole, who called a slip a knockdown and a knockdown a slip when Manny Pacquiao fought Marco Antonio Barrera in San Antonio in 2003, will not be on the ring when the Filipino ring master takes on Joshua Clottey.

It was announced a few days ago that Cole, who normally gets the assignment during big fights in Texas, would officiate the coming bout, but yesterday it was reported that Rafael Ramos has been designated as the referee.

The Examiner’s Michael Marley described Ramos, who officiated the 2009 Fight of the Year between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz, as “a respected referee and allows for action if there’s going to be action.”

While there were concerns when Cole’s name came up as the referee for the Pacquiao-Clottey fight, there seemed to be no official protest coming from the Pacquiao camp or if there was any, such move was kept under wraps.

Cole was the third man on the ring during the first Pacquiao-Barrera showdown at the Alamodome almost seven years ago. And many believed that Cole leaned toward the Mexican assassin during the fight.

In the 2:32 mark of the first round, Pacquiao landed a lead left on Barrera’s face, and as the Pinoy icon moved to his side, the Mexican stepped on his right foot, forcing him to sway back and hit the floor.

Cole ruled it as a knockdown, and Pacquiao was just as surprised as ring analyst Larry Merchant who then said, “I’m not sure if Cole saw a punch and I’m not also sure if there was a punch” landed by Barrera.

Pacquiao knocked Barrera down in the third round, and with 10 seconds left in the sixth, he caught the Mexican with a good, short punch. Once again Barrera went down. But Cole was quick to rule it as a slip.

Again, Merchant said, “that sure looks more like a knockdown than in the first round.”

That won’t happen on March 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as Ramos, and not Cole, has been assigned to handle the fight where Pacquiao will put his WBO welterweight championship on the line.

It will be the first time since 2006 that a Pacquiao fight will not be officiated by Kenny Bayless, Tony Weeks or Vic Draculich who have alternated in the pound-for-pound champion’s last eight fights.

“The best news, of course, is this means that oft-derided Texas referee Laurence Cole won’t be the third man, which was feared by most the minute this fight was announced,” Marley wrote yesterday.


Source : Philstar.com

We'll update you once they announce the third man on the ring. Stay tuned.

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Size Does Not Matter

Being big, strong and durable do not make Joshua Clottey unbreakable.

This is the belief of trainer Freddie Roach, who tries to steer Manny Pacquiao to another victory on March 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Acknowledging that Clottey could pose problems with his physique, strength and his chin that is said to be made of anvil, Roach said the Ghanaian banger “makes too many fundamental mistakes,” lapses that Pacquiao is sure to take advantage of come fight night.

Speaking to fightnews.com, Roach is confident Pacquiao will become the “first” fighter to knock the African out in their 12-round welterweight match before an expected sellout crowd.

Clottey has fought 38 times and despite losing three times on points, the 32-year-old has never been stopped although he suffered a flash knockdown in the first round against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in June last year.

Pacquiao is in the thick of training at the Wild Card in Hollywood, California, and had logged his 32nd round of sparring Saturday afternoon, racking up four rounds each with Ray Beltran and Mike Dallas Jr.

“There’s not even a small problem as far as Manny’s preparation is concerned,” said the fighter’s Canadian adviser Mike Koncz Sunday after handing the two sparmates their weekly pay.

This early, Team Pacquiao is finalizing the travel arrangements for the trip to Texas.

“Manny said he would like to travel to Dallas after he spars for the last time on the Monday before the fight,” said Koncz.

“I told him that it would be much better if we travel on Sunday, which is his day-off, but he told me it’ll be Monday.”

Pacquiao will likely be billeted at the Gaylord Texan Hotel – the official hotel of the Dallas Cowboys – in the city of Grapevine.

Source : ManilaBulletin

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Tourists raid Pacquiao Stores

If there's anything you can't miss on a trip to General Santos City, it's a visit to boxer Manny Pacquiao's clothing and accessories stores.

This is according to Manila-based and foreign tourists who were seen browsing a Team Pacquiao store for signature jackets and t-shirts that double as tourist souveniers.

General Santos City, located in the southern part of the Philippines, became famous as Pacquiao's hometown more than its booming tuna fishing industry.

The city, located in South Cotabato, is home to many of the Pacquiao family's businesses, including coffee house franchises and boutiques by his wife, Jinkee Pacquiao.

"Ok ang store. [Ang dami ng] pagpipilian. Sinadya talaga namin pumunta dito. (The store is okay. There are lots of things to choose from. We really went out of our way to come here)," said tourist Aida Timbreza.

Team Pacquiao stores, located in both Robinson's Place Mall and the JMP building along Osmeña street in GenSan, are stocked with complete Pacquiao merchandise.

These include new slippers printed with Pacquiao's face, clothes for men and other accessories. Pacquiao, as a brand endorser for Nike, has signature t-shirts, shoes and jackets marked with a special seal.

'Money not an issue'

Dr. Wilma Heramil, who came from a neighboring municipality in South Cotabato called Polomolok, spent more than P5,000 on t-shirts and caps alone.

Heramil told ABS-CBN News that these apparel were specially requested by her relatives in San Diego, California.

"Ipadala ko doon. Gustong gusto nila. Suotin daw nila sa gagawing party. Reason ng gathering nila si Pacman. (I will send it there. They really want it. They will wear these for as party in Pacman's honor)," she said.

Heramil added that her relatives will be wearing these merchandise in time for Pacquiao's March 13 fight against Ghanian boxer Joshua Clottey.

The Team Pacquiao's store supervisor, Rex Aniero, says tourists often flock to the shop every time Pacquiao has an impending fight.

He said items that sell the most are signature items like boxing gloves and Victorinox wristwatches that each cost P30,000--the store's most expensive item.

Aniero said money is not an issue for die-hard Pacquiao fans who come into the store, most of whom are foreigners.

The Victorinox watches have reportedly sold out.

Expecting a new surge of clients in the days leading to the Pacquiao-Clottey match in Texas, Aniero said Team Pacquiao stores will carry special Pacquiao vs. Clottey t-shirts.

He's sure that, just like with other merchandise, these shirts will click with the Filipino boxing champion's fans.


Source : ABS-CBN News
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We really like the idea that aside from boxing Pacquiao is generating more income thru his business.

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Bob Arum Very Impressed with Manny

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum showed up at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles on Wednesday to watch his prized possession Manny Pacquiao train and said later he was “very impressed.”

The pound-for-pound icon went through his usual routine as well as nine rounds on the punch-mitts without a break.

Conditioning coach Alex Ariza told us that Pacquiao started his strength training and noted “he looked a lot stronger than he has been in the past and in some of the  exercises it was nice to see on my part that its like he’s not starting from the beginning.”

He said Pacquiao will begin sparring on Thursday (LA Time) but there was no word on who trainer Freddie Roach had picked to serve as sparring partners.

Ariza said Roach was “trying to put everything in order” which includes strict restrictions on who could remain inside while Pacquiao trains. He said the gym was virtually empty with only a few people from Team Pacquiao including Filipino trainer Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez present.

Ariza informed us that Gerry Penalosa who fights former two-division world champion Eric Morel on the “Pinoy Power III” card at the Las Vegas Hilton on February 13 which will be telecast in the Philippines by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN said Penalosa was “aggressive, active and comes forward and is nice to watch.”

However, Ariza was most impressed by Philippine bantamweight champion Eden Sonsona, the flashy southpaw. He said “he looks really good. He’s strong and I really like him.”

Source : Boxing Scene

Pacquiao is really good and focused in training..

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Pacquiao-Clottey : Miguel Cotto's Advise to Pacquiao

Puerto Rican fighter Miguel Cotto gave some words of advice to his former foe, pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, for his upcoming clash against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey.

“Manny will have to be very strict because Clottey has a lot of strength and has good defense,” Cotto told HBO as quoted by FightFan.com.

The Puerto Rican fought both Pacquiao and Clottey, the headliners of “The Event” which will be held at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on March 13.

Cotto relinquished his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title to Pacquiao last November when he lost via a 12th round technical knockout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Prior to his loss, Cotto edged Clottey by split decision at the Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York City last June.

“It will be a tough fight,” the Puerto Rican added. “I believe the guy who is the best prepared and in the best shape will win the fight.”

Pacquiao has already kicked off his training at the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

American trainer Freddie Roach told 8countnews.com that the seven-division champion is in a “pretty good shape” at the onset of his training camp.

Meanwhile, Cotto (34-2, with 27 knockouts) is slated to challenge World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight champion Yuri Foreman of Israel on June 12 at the Madison Square Garden.

It will be the first title defense for the undefeated Israeli who has a 28 wins (8 KOs) and 1 no contest.

Source : ABSCBN

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Pacquiao versus Margarito is Possible says Bob Arum

Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank told BoxingScene.com that he is considering hosting a Manny Pacquiao fight at the new Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ in the Summer. Arum mentioned Antonio Margarito as a possible opponent. Margarito is still under suspension for attempting to use loaded handwraps in his fight against Shane Mosley a year ago.

Arum believes Margarito will be reinstated later this week at a California State Athletic Commission hearing.

Speaking at a Madison Square Garden press conference to announce the WBO welterweight title clash between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey, Arum marveled at the Filipino turnout for the initial press conference the day before at Cowboys Stadium, the site of the Pacquiao-Clottey fight on March 13.

He approximates that "1,000" Filipinos were on hand at the kick-off press event on Tuesday. "There are Filipinos are all over the country, not just the West Coast."

Arum says New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch is "a very close friend" and is "jokingly pissed that we're in Cowboys Stadium."

"There's no stadium like Cowboys Stadium but they say the new stadium in the Meadowlands is absolutely tremendous so we'd love to do it there," said Arum.

A Summer fight would be feasible as long as no complications arise from Pacquiao's upcoming political campaign. Pacquiao is running for congressman of Sarangani, a Filipino province in his native Mindinao. The election is scheduled for May.

Don't hold your breath for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight however, Arum cautions. He says he isn't very optimistic the fight can be made due to differences between the two parties.

"Mayweather is a bully. That was my message today, you don't bully a Filipino."

Pacquiao says he believes the fight will happen one day and blames Mayweather for the fallout of their proposed matchup.

"Maybe Mayweather don't really want the fight because he had too many reasons to cancel the fight. He makes his own rules that are not in the Nevada Athletic Commission. I think he thinks he's smarter than anybody.

"I think he thought that he's the champion. He has to stay humble and give back to the people that support him. He's too concerned with his record and losing."

Although Pacquiao rejected the 5'11" WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman recently, Arum doesn't believe the size difference with the equally-tall Margarito will be too dramatic given the former welterweight champion's posture.

"He doesn't feel that Margarito presents the same problems as Foreman. Margarito is a tall guy but he crunches over so he's not really that tall. Yuri fights tall."

Boxrec.com has Margarito scheduled for a fight against journeyman Carson Jones on the Pacquiao-Clottey undercard. Calls to Jones' representative Bobby Dobbs were not immediately returned.

New York and New Jersey - particularly Queens and Jersey City - host some of the biggest Filipino communities in the United States. Approximately 60,000 Filipino-Americans take residence in New York City alone.

Meadowlands Stadium is scheduled to open this April and will be the home field for the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets. It has a maximum seating of 82,500, second only in size to the Washington Redskins' FedEx Field.

Source : BoxingScene.com

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Pacquiao is Beatable Says Clottey

The last 10 fighters who climbed the ring against Manny Pacquiao wound up on the losing end, including big guys Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto who suffered humiliating TKO losses.

But no, sir, this does not necessarily mean Pacquiao is invincible, if you ask his next rival, Joshua Clottey of Ghana. Not if you're good at defending yourself.

“Well, see he (Pacquiao) is beatable," Clottey said in an interview with BoxingScene.com.“He has beaten all those guys out there so you would think he is unbeatable. But …those guys aren’t the best defensive fighters."
Joshua Clottey flexes his muscles upon his arrival in Texas for the press conference of his bout with Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao on March 13. Top Rank photo

Clottey will be vying for the Filipino pound-for-pound king’s World Boxing Organization welterweight title on March 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

The two fighters attended a Super Bowl-style press conference at the $1.2 billion venue Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) to formally announce the fight card billed “The Event."

The Ghanaian had previously attempted to win the same belt in June 2009, but yielded a close split decision to then champion Cotto. The Boricuan bomber later surrendered the strap to the Pacman.

The 32-year-old Clottey, however, expressed belief he won’t suffer the same fate as Cotto and other Pacquiao victims.

“It’s going to be a different story when he and I fight versus what happened to those other guys because I have my defense there. The only thing I need to work on is punching him after he punches and placing my shots," he said.

Clottey, though, admitted that Pacquiao’s reputable punching power would be a concern.

“I am not thinking that Pacquiao can’t hurt me. In boxing…a punch in the right place can send a guy down. I respect Pacquiao in the ring and I will be careful," he said.

The Clottey bout replaced the hoped-for superfight between Pacquiao and another boxing superstar, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., which fell apart due to disagreement over dope testing procedures.

Source : GMANews.tv

Will a defense fighter like Joshua Clottey will match the super speed of Manny Pacquiao?

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Roach Talks About Clottey-Pacquiao

DALLAS — Aboard the private plane that brought Manny Pacquiao and select members of his team here Monday night, it was the fighter’s celebrated trainer Freddie Roach who provided the juiciest quotes.

Roach told The Bulletin that while he is not underestimating Joshua Clottey, who Pacquiao faces on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in the neighboring city of Arlington, the Ghanaian will find it hard to cope with the energy level that the Filipino brings to the ring.

“Clottey is passive,” said Roach, raising his two arms to mimic Clottey’s moves in an actual fight.

“Manny fights every second of every round and Clottey doesn’t do that. He just raises his arms,” he said.

Still, Roach believes “it is still going to be a hard fight because Clottey is big and strong.”

Roach is so wary of the remaining time available that he wants Pacquiao to begin sparring by Tuesday or Thursday of next week.

Pacquiao, who slept most of the way during the three-hour trip from Las Vegas, is due for his first day or training on Thursday at the conclusion of the press tour that actually kicks off with a press conference on Tuesday afternoon at the Cowboys Stadium.

Top Rank chief Bob Arum swears the presentation on Tuesday will be unforgettable, noting that Texas billionaire Jerry Jones, worked hard in making sure the event will be something that is out of the ordinary.

Arum actually joined Pacquiao on the journey here, having sent a plane to pick up Pacquiao in Los Angeles before being fetched himself at Henderson Executive Airport just outside of Las Vegas.

Aboard the 13-seater jet, the travel time from Los Angeles to Henderson was a mere 35 minutes, while it took a little over two hours for the Henderson-Dallas leg to be completed.

Also on board were Arum’s stepson and Top Rank president Todd BuBoef and Carl Morreti, another Top Rank bigshot, as well as Pacquiao’s advisers Mike Koncz and Jeng Gacal, ring announcer Michael Buffer and this writer.

Pacquiao and Clottey as well as the Top Rank crew are billeted at the ultra-expensive Four Seasons Resort and Club.

From here, Pacquiao will proceed to New York for another gig at Madison Square Garden.

Source : Manila Bulletin

Do you believe in Roach?

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Manny Pacquiao is Clean and Ready to Fly

Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao tested negative of illegal drugs according to the Nevada Sports Athletic Commission and will proceed with his flight to Los Angeles Sunday.

That Pacquiao has tested negative for performance-enhancing drugs, including steroids, was relayed to ABS-CBN News by Keith Kizer of the NSAC on Saturday.

American Floyd Mayweather Jr., who was supposed to be Pacquiao’s opponent on March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, also tested negative for drugs.

After talks for the Pacquiao-Mayweather duel fell through due to Mayweather’s insistence for random drug testing, Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank picked Ghanaian Joshua Clottey to be his next foe on the same date, but to be held at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, instead.

After Pacquiao’s arrival in the United States, the pound-for-pound king will be flown by private jet provided by Arum to Dallas Texas for the kickoff press conference of the Pacquiao-Clottey bout on Tuesday. It will be followed by another press conference at the Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, after which he will be whisked back to the airport and return to Los Angeles.

Pacquiao will open training camp at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood on Thursday, giving him just seven weeks to shape up for the Clottey bout set at 147 pounds.

Accompanying Pacquiao in his trip today are lawyer Jing Gacal, trainer Nonoy Neri and adviser Mike Koncz. Buboy Fernandez, another Pacquiao trainer, is already in Los Angeles, waiting for the arrival of the only boxer to win seven world titles in as many weight divisions.

The 31-year-old Pacquiao trained for eight weeks when he wrested Miguel Cotto’s World Boxing Organization welterweight crown via a 12th round stoppage and when he snared Ricky Hatton’s International Boxing Organization light welterweight title via a second-round knockout.

Meanwhile, the IBO decided to strip Pacquiao of the 140-title on Friday, noting that the Filipino is already campaigning in the 147-lb division.

After spending two months in Ghana, the 33-year-old Clottey is back in the United States and is already doing light training in the Bronx in New York, where he is now based.

Source : Inquirer.net

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3-1 Odds for Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao will be plunging into his latest challenge without the benefit of a catch weight. He will face a naturally bigger fighter again.

And despite the testy challenge expected from last-minute replacement Joshua Clottey, Pacquiao has started out a 3-1 favorite for the March 13 bout in one of the biggest venues that has ever hosted a boxing match.

Pacquiao squares off with Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after the collapse of talks to hold boxing’s so-called “Fight of the Century” pitting Pacquiao and undefeated American superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. due to a disagreement on drug-testing protocols.

Examiner.com reported that betting lines will open with Pacquiao the prohibitive favorite. Bettors need to wager $300 to win $100 on Pacquiao. Clottey will start at plus-270, meaning a $100 bet on the ex-world champion will earn $270.

Trainer Freddie Roach remains confident of a victory for Pacquiao, who captured the WBO welterweight crown via a 12-round TKO of Miguel Cotto at a 145 lb catch weight.

“Manny’s comfortable at [147 lb],” Roach declared in a report posted by Fighthype.com. “When Manny’s eating the day of the weigh-in... he’s happy and that’s when he performs at his best.”

“He’ll come into the fight 144 to 145 and he’ll go into the ring at 148 or 149 at most,” added the trainer. “And that’s his best fighting weight.”

Roach had earlier predicted that Pacquiao will become the first fighter to knock Clottey out, although Top Rank chief Bob Arum warned that Clottey will be a tough challenge.

“Well, Clottey is a dangerous opponent. Miguel Cotto was a dangerous opponent. If they’re not dangerous opponents, who the hell wants to lay out hard-earned money to buy the pay-per-view?” Arum told Examiner.com.

Source : Inquirer.net

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Pacquiao-Clottey Fight : Presscon Set on January 19

MANILA, Philippines -- The contract is already signed for the pay-per-view fight of Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey, according to Top Rank Promotions.

The March 13 bout, which is called “The Event,” will be airing live worldwide.

The official kick-off for “The Event” Pacquiao vs Clottey will be a press conference on January 19 at the Dallas Stadium.

Lee Samuels of Top Rank said that it will be an epic press conference.

Two levels of the stage were made just for the kickoff. A total of 50 Cowboys cheerleaders will be present to dance for the audience. A special fireworks display is also expected to happen.

Veteran host Michael Buffer will be hosting while Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will be the speaker for the event.

Pacquiao will be flying to New York on a private jet for the second press conference that will take place at the Madison Square Garden on January 20. After that, Pacquiao will head straight to train in Los Angeles, California.

Top Rank added that Pacquiao needs to work and train hard for the bout since Clottey is a fighter who has never been knocked out in any of his matches. Clottey and Pacquiao are both from Top Rank.

Pacquiao’s erstwhile opponent, Floyd Maywether, Jr., is said to be fighting on the same day as the Clottey clash. Rumors say that Mayweather will be fighting Paulie Malignaggi.

No confirmation has been made yet by anyone from Mayweather or Golden Boy Promotions.

If the Mayweather bout does take place in Las Vegas, boxing fans will be divided watching two of the world’s boxing greats. Pay-per-view would know who will be getting more buys.

Leaving on Sunday
Pacquiao will leave on Sunday for the US to attend the official kick off of his fight with Clottey.

According to a report by Philboxing.com will leave together with Michael Koncz, trainer Nonoy Neri, lawyer Jing Gacal and assistant cook Haplas Fernandez.

Before leaving the Filipino boxer will celebrate the birthday of his wife Jinkee at the Paradise Island Beach and Park in Samal Island.

Assistant Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez is now already at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles with chief trainer Freddie Roach.

Pacquiao is expected to make 7 weeks of training at the Wild Card Gym.

Source : abscbn news

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Pacquiao-Clottey Fight : A big mistake says Atlas

BoxingScene.com sat down with outspoken trainer Teddy Atlas on Saturday to get his thoughts on Manny Pacquiao's defense of the WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey on March 13. Atlas was surprised that Pacquiao passed on WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, but agreed to fight Clottey. Atlas feels Pacquiao is making a big mistake if he and his handlers believe Clottey is the easier fight.

"I think it's a mistake for them to go with Clottey instead of Foreman. I know [Pacquiao] is looking at the size [of Foreman] but sometime it's not about size. If Clottey would have kept the pressure on Cotto, I think he would have stopped him, but he let him off the hook," Atlas told BoxingScene.com.

"They are wrong when they assume this will be an easier fight because Foreman is one weight class up and Clottey is one weight class down. It's about the physicality of the fighter. Of course it also has do with the style of the fighter but in this case they are more concerned about size and they are wrong. Foreman is a slight built kid who is not  a physical kid and doesn't fight a physical fight. He's bigger but doesn't use his size in a way that is dangerous, which is how Clottey uses his size one weight class below."

"Clottey is much more physical and much more dangerous in this fight than Foreman. They need to look at someone who is bigger and look at how he uses that size to impact the fight. Foreman wouldn't use his size like a junior middleweight who is fighting a smaller man. He uses boxing first and uses his legs. He's a junior middleweight who doesn't act like a junior middleweight. Clottey fights like a bigger man and mentally he thinks of himself as a bigger fighter and proves it in the way he fights at 147."

If Atlas was handling Pacquiao, he would have went with Foreman instead of Clottey. He doesn't rule out the possibility of an upset. Atlas tells BoxingScene that Clottey has enough strength and enough ability to time, and hurt, Pacquiao during exchanges.

"Clottey punches to the body well. He's a strong guy who knows how to fight. It's a much greater risk. Their way of thinking is way out of line. They are saying they don't want Foreman because he is bigger but I would be saying that I don't want Clottey because he is bigger. When you match up their dimensions and their physicality, Clottey is the bigger fighter. Clottey has more than enough experience with good fighters that he knows how to time you and that's a very important element to catch a guy like Pacquiao, who is faster. Clottey is capable of doing this," Atlas said.

When I first heard about Pacquiao fighting Clottey, I immediately gave Pacquiao the obvious advantages, which are speed and workrate. Atlas agreed with some of my points. While I think speed will be the biggest factor in the fight, Atlas views Clottey's workrate as the biggest disadvantage for the Ghanian fighter. But both of us agreed that Clottey, based on styles, will be a tougher opponent for Pacquiao than Miguel Cotto or Ricky Hatton or Oscar De La Hoya.

"It's not that he's not a fast guy. He's not that slow but they probably think he's not busy and maybe one-dimensional to a degree and maybe not the bravest guy in the world with the way he fought Cotto by fighting in spots. He's not consistent, but Clottey has the mental and physical makeup of a bigger fighter and he fights like a fighter who has those advantages and with his experience it makes him very dangerous opponent for Pacquiao," Atlas said.

"Clottey is better defensively than Cotto and covers up better. Its hard to catch him with as many cleaner shots in a row as you can Cotto. I don't think the fight will be anything similar to the Cotto fight. Cotto was easy to fight and Clottey is not that easy to deal with."

SOURCE : BoxingScene

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Yeah. We sincerely agree that Clottey is a tough opponent for Manny Pacquiao but I'm sure Roach and the rest of the Pacquiao Team will be doing anything they can to defend the WBO Welterweight Title.

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Pacquiao will Defend his WBO Welterweight Belt at Dallas Cowboy's Stadium

Seven-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, has agreed in principle to defend his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) belt against Joshua Clottey of Accra Ghana, on March 13 at The Dallas Cowboys' Stadium on Mar, his adviser, Michael Koncz said on Saturday morning.

Pacquiao's Top Rank Promoter, CEO Bob Arum, and Top Rank president, Todd duBoef, Arum's stepson, are flying to Arlington, Texas, on Saturday morning where they expect "to close the deal," after watching the Dallas Cowboys- Philadelphia Eagles NFL playoff game "in the box of" Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, Arum told FanHouse on Friday.

"Clottey's manager [Vinny Scolpino] and his lawyer have signed off, and it's the same with Manny," said Arum, of Clottey, who is expected to fly back and arrive on Monday or Tuesday to his residence in the Bronx from Ghana.

Pacquiao-Clottey will take place instead of what was to be a historically lucrative megabout between 31-year-old Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) and 32-year-old, five-time king, Floyd Mayweather (40-0,25 KOs), that was scheduled for March 13 at Las Vegas' MGM Grand before the negotiations failed over a drug-testing controversy.

"We're 98 percent done negotiating for Manny to fight Joshua Clottey, but there are a couple of issues we're working out on the contract before Manny Pacquiao is ready to sign it," said Koncz, reached in the Philippines, where he is with the fighter.

"When we did Miguel Cotto, we negotiated Cotto in one day, so yes, it's going to be done quickly," said Koncz, referring to Pacquiao's 12th-round TKO of the then-WBO titlist on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"It's just a matter of Manny answering one or two questions," said Koncz. "For all intense and purposes, it's a done deal."

In addition to Clottey, Koncz said that Pacquiao reviewed video of WBA and WBO lightweight (135 pounds) titlist Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs), New York's junior welterweight (140 pounds) star, Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, five KOs), and, WBA junior middleweight king Yuri Foreman (28-0, eight KOs) of New York before settling on Clottey.

"To be honest with you, yesterday, the last time that we spoke, I even suggested to Manny that we even fight Humberto Soto, using the angle of revenge since Soto had knocked out Manny's brother," said Koncz, referring to the WBC super featherweight (130 pounds) champ, soto's June, 2007, seventh-round stoppage of Bobby Pacquiao.

"But Manny was fine with Clottey. He was at ringside and saw Clottey fight in person against Cotto when we were in New York," said Koncz, of Clottey's 12-round, split-decision loss to Cotto in June.

"Quite frankly, Manny and I thought that Cotto had won that fight, and not Cotto," said Koncz. "But we were looking for something in which the styles would make an entertaining fight, and I think that their two styles will make for an entertaining fight."

The three losses for Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) were all to former world champions.

Clottey lead on all three cards in November of 1999, when he was mysteriously disqualified for a low blow -- during a time when the fighters were at a distance -- on the way to an 11th-round, disqualification Carlos Baldomir.

Clottey was ahead after four rounds of his December, 2006 loss over 12 rounds to Antonio Margarito before injuring both hands.

An interesting thing to watch for is whether any of those "couple of issues" Pacquiao and Koncz are "working out on the contract" call for Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) -- known to be a big welterweight who has been troubled, at times, with making weight -- to come in at a catchweight rather than the regular, standard, 147-pound required limit for the weight class.

Mayweather and Pacquiao had agreed to face each other at 147 pounds even, while Oscar De La Hoya and Cotto each fought Pacquiao after having weighed in at 145 pounds. De La Hoya said that dropping the pounds drained him. Cotto's weight was contracted to be 145.

Pacquiao, who stopped De La Hoya in eight rounds, weighed, 142, and, 144, respectively, against De La Hoya and Cotto.

Clottey has weighed more than 147 pounds for bouts 11 times during his career, twice, at 154.

SOURCE

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