PACQUIAO-CLOTTEY FOUR DAYS & COUNTING
March 9th, 2010 By Jarrad Woods
EXPERTS OVERLOOKING CLOTTEY HERE?
New York, NY- When it was initially announced that Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) was going to face Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) instead of Floyd Mayweather (40-0, 25 KO’s) on March 13th, I thought it made an interesting match up but believed (and still do) the pairing involves more risk than necessary for team Pacquiao.
PAC FACING MORE THAN HE ESTIMATES
Clottey is certainly one of the bigger and durable welterweights (147 lbs) and he is also the same guy that went blow for blow with in 2006 with Antonio Margarito. And while Clottey lost the fight, it was pretty close. In addition, an injury to Joshua’s right hand may have played a major role in the loss. Coupled with a solid defense, Clottey is tough and if he’s game won’t be easy to beat!
So in the end, Pac takes on a comparably difficult opponent (to Mayweather) with less appeal. For Pac, there is plenty of money as Clottey is getting the equivalent of “minimum wage” so said HBO’s Larry Merchant on “Ring Talk” this past Sunday.
PAULIE SAYS THAT PACMAN IS A CHEAT!
Many are picking Manny to beat Clottey based on activity alone. Then there’s trainer Freddie Roach’s assertions of a Pacquiao knockout, a spiel likely more spirited than reasonable. If you take the opinion of Paulie Malignaggi, who appeared on “Ring Talk” with Pedro Fernandez, there is no way Pac can be beat because he’s juicing (taking steroids)!
STEROIDS NOT ALWAYS WINNING FORMULA
But even if he is on steroids it won’t necessarily affect the outcome of the fight. Flash back to Fernando Vargas who was knocked out in the 11th round when he faced Oscar De La Hoya in 2002. Vargas was visibly ‘ripped’ with very little body fat in that fight and later tested positive for a banned substance. Although Oscar thought Vargas was possibly too strong for him early, he persevered and ended Vargas’ evening with a devastating left hook in round eleven.
IS CLOTTEY PROPER PREP FOR FLOYD?
The fact that Clottey closely mimics solid defensive fighters like a prime Winky Wright with a turtle shell like defense is a huge obstacle for Pac and should not be taken lightly. But if Pac can beat Clottey it will be the first time in a very long time (if ever) he has fought a solid boxer who uses defense just as much as offense to win fights. Floyd Mayweather is another guy who fits this mold and Clottey will serve as a litmus test, if Pacquiao chooses to take the steroid and EPO tests one-day and meet Floyd in the ring.
CLOTTEY NOT A “NO HOPER” HERE!
Although I find it hard to imagine Pacquiao losing, due to many obvious reasons, I do see this as a very winnable fight for Joshua Clottey. If he does what he failed to do against Cotto, and puts his foot on the gas in the late rounds, he has more than a punchers chance of pulling off the upset. And due to Freddie’s nonchalant attitude about knocking out Clottey, it may have become added motivation for the Ghanaian to do more than show up for a payday. I expect this fight to be a great one with plenty of drama and more then enough room for the upset.
Jarrad Woods
Clottey’s size and strength are going to be real problems for Pac.
But I think I can see what Freddie sees: Clottey isn’t a very mobile fighter (more of a plodder), he doesn’t transition offense/defense well (either he’s in his shell not punching,or he’s not in the shell and punching), he fights the same way all the time (i.e. he’s predictable), and he’s not necessarily consistently active throughout a fight. Tailor-made for Pac, actually, versus a fighter that can recognize what Pac’s doing, and time him/counterpunch with effectiveness (Marquez and Mayweather for sure)
If Clottey holds true to form what we could get is a Pac buzzsaw attack with just not enough action from Josh = equals pretty easy decision for Pac. Or a KO if Manny’s power really is that great and it wasn’t Oscar being completely weight-drained and Cotto being worse-for-wear.
If Clottey gets an aggressiveness injection and goes after Pac (I think Artur Abraham would be the example of an aggressive, pursuing shell fighter here) I can imagine things coming down to the line. But Clottey really doesn’t seem to have that seek and destroy mentality in him.
Jarrad, I couldn’t agree more!! Good analysis, Clottey should have stopped Cotto if he hadn’t decided to stop fighting in that bout. This could be a very interesting fight.
Clottey should not be overlooked at all. Though I think Manny wins, I don’t feel it would be any upset whatsoever should Clottey win. You can make a strong argument that Clottey should be undefeated and posesses a difficult style for any welter out there. If Clottey is more aggresive in this bout, Manny could be in serious trouble.
I thought Clottey beat Margaritto and Cotto.
All right fight is 4 days aways, that means Manny better cycle out all the Hgh, Ped’s and roids out of his system; oh wait a minute it’s just a freakin urin test. Manny don’t have to worry about anything
Raul, you are an idiot…Many boxers have tested for steroids…PEd’s such as EPO is another story, however even if Manny was taking EPO and they did the random blood testing their is a high possibility that even they might not detect it if as you say there’s a three day window…tired of all this hoopla about the testing. Nevada should implement better testing, however with the ability to cycle these drugs out of your systen within a relatively short period of time there is no guarantee that the drugs would be detected. bottom line is if Manny decided to agree to the testing and beat the tests there still would be doubters, especially if he ended up beating Mayweather. Steroids do not win fights!
This fight will be decided by whom can oppose his will and style on the other fighter. If Pac decides to stand and trade with Clottey he will be in for a rude waking because Clottey is a big welterweight with heavy hands and solid power. If Pac can stay focus and move than he can get a win. Plus Clottey has a bad habit of reaching when he throws that left hook at times. Look for Pac to stand with him and fire. Manny Stewart pointed this out several times in Clottey’s fight with Cotto. If Clottey lets his hands go and impose his size and strength we could be in for a very interesting fight. I think people are underrating Clottey. He has shown that he has more skills than people give him credit: movement,boxing skills, fast hands, tight defense, a stiff jab, and solid chin.
This is a even fight to me.
Looking forward to Saturday Night.
I see Pacquiao winning again in consistent fashion. Record shows that Manny performed very well when fighting bigger opponents. His last four fights were against larger foes and all ended in massacre. This fight is gonna be no different. The same scenario is gonna unfold come March 13.
Basically, Clottey is not at the level of Pacquiao. Manny’s raging onslaught would be too much for Joshua to contain. In desperation, Clottey might resort to rough and dirty tactics which he employed in some of his previous fights. Nevertheless, I pick the Pacman to win by KO or TKO within 10 rounds.
Jarrad do you think if Malinaggi takes HGH he will start knocking junior welters?
I think both of these fighters have about equal skill level. The biggest deciding factor will be Pacquaio’s speed. He is lighting quick and strikes very fast when he decides to attack his opponents. Clottey can’t fight in nice mode with Manny or he will get destroyed.
I agree, this is definitely a winnable fight for Clottey. Every fighter, no matter how hard he punches, can move up a division too far and find himself across from an opponent who can take his best shots. It happened to Trinidad when he challenged Hopkins. Clottey is a big, durable and tough welterweight. If he plays it like Hopkins, staying out of trouble early, gradually imposing his size, he can win the fight.
pacman is too fast, too elusive, too unpredictable, great footwork, and has power all using too many angles for clottey to handle.
pacman will wear down clottey and eventually end it. what you can’t see will eventually knock you out.
clottey is a big guy but it doesnt matter. 5-8 lbs aint nothing for pacman. clottely has never fought a guy with the speed/power combo as pacman.
slipjab73, “I think both of these fighters have about equal skill level.”
clottey is a very good fighter…..pacman is becoming a legend. they are not in the same level of skill.
Pacquiao will flat out win whether it’s by decision or knockout. Here is why… 1.Clottey is a like Ben Tackie but a newer version of him. He moves in a straight line and takes a lot of punches but will always give a good fight in a losing effort.
2.Clottey is like Mamadou Thiam. If you don’t remember who he is, watch his fight againt Felix Tito Trinidad. Tito made his eye look like he had a golf ball stuck inside his eye and the fight was stopped even though he looked tougher and meaner than Tito. Fights aren’t won on who is tougher and who can take more punishment. They are won on boxing skill,smarts, fighting according to the situation, etc.
3.Clottey is like Ike Quartey, only less skilled. He’ll move in with a high guard and let himself get punched with no counterpunch in return.
Pacquiao wins 100 out of 100 times…
I wonder who bigger Idiot is KP or Manny, Pacroid refusing to take the test and forfeiting the biggest payday of his career. He is fighting Clottey who can potentially beat him. If roids don’t win fights KP, why take it and refuse the test?
I got a question! Why so many mexicans on the undercards of both pac and floyd? People say they are the biggest draws in the sport but the undercards have always had mexicans on the undercard for both. I would like to see both these guys fight with no mexicans on the undercards see how well they really do. I mean always have mexicans on the undercards. I dont see it when a mexican fights in the main event them rushing to add a filipino on the undercard why?
Kp of couse roids can win fights!!!! In a game of microinches, power, speed and eye hand corodination. What do u think can happen. For every Vargas dlh u have mosley vs dlh!!! Without roids and epo Shane would have lost those fights for a fact. I know there is more to sports than just the athletism but when u supercede ur potential then ur enhanced and it will help u win.
KP,
I guess that’s why they need to do “Random” testing then, right? That way, a fighter wouldn’t know when to cycle on or off. Please ponder that for a while.
DA SKERGE
[...] to get to the smaller fighter’s chin. Given his track record, I have to respectfully disagree with our own Jarrad Woods and say that Clottey really doesn’t stand a [...]
All ring talk no Ring action… HGH PED ABC ROID DVD no alphabet drug will make Paulie Pillow fist Malignaggi knock out anybody on junior welter..
I too give Clottey a slight chance to win, he has what his last 4 opponents don’t have, and that’s a a good right hand. However, he has to be able to land it, and he isn’t light on his feet. Pac and Co target another guy who who really has little chance of beating him, while avoiding younger, faster, and well rounded fighters. Roach is now deflecting opponents by asking what they have done to “deserve” a shot at Pac. What a joke.
DA SKERGE
I think Clottey has a shot here. I don’t agree with Roach on the HBO preview that they will stop Clottey. Anything is possible but I see it going the distance either way.
Ironhammer,
Right on. Roach said Pac will throw and move and not wait for Clottey to return. I think Pac will eventaully stay in front of Clottey, and wait to exchange with him. If Clottey can bait Pac to do that, then he’ll have a chance. He can’t try to exchange in the middle of Pac’s combos, not his style anyway.
SKERGE