Historically Pacquiao effort excels despite Clottey performance -- The Examiner

By Matt Stolow, Examiner.com

DALLAS, TEXAS - Just short of two weeks since Manny Pacquiao rolled over Joshua Clottey in nearby Arlington, I'm able to put "The Event" into historical perspective.

If any new details were to come from the participants, I assume they would have by now, and I have watched a couple of replays, read all I could from many sources and listened to people I respect.

We know that Clottey made a few excuses, too petty to list here.

We know now that Clottey couldn't beat Pacquiao on that night or any night even with a baseball bat.

When Clottey physically turned away on his stool from trainer Lenny De Jesus in the corner between rounds on numerous occasions it taught me Clottey had no serious heart in his arsenal.

He has merely finessed his way through his career on natural ability. He cowered in the final rounds against Miguel Cotto last June. Cotto, in one moment, heard an eruption of applause from the 51,000 fans just for being there live on the giant screens louder than Clottey received for his efforts all night.

Still I have Clottey on the short list of the five best welterweights in the world.

I believe the moral to this column simply is that sometimes life isn't fair.

It's certainly true in boxing history that natural ability is all some have. They don't have courage and they surround themselves with those that do as they are told for the free ride.

I'm sorry that a terrific effort by Manny Pacquiao, who may only have a few fights left in his wonderful Hall of Fame and legendary career, was wasted by an opponent just happy to be there and get a check as if it were owed to him.

Clottey had enough world-class defensive skill to survive the pummeling he was taking and enough offense to periodically throw some probing punches to keep referee Rafael Ramos from warning him to get more agressive and pick up the pace - which would have been humiliating to all involved in front of such an excited, enthusiastic live audience and worldwide viewers.

I believe possible opponents as Edwin Valero and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. would fight Pacquiao toe to toe.

I don't know about Antonio Margarito.

Juan Manuel Marquez, approaching age 37, may be long in the tooth and past his best days.

The winner of Yuri Foreman vs. Miguel Cotto and an eighth world title/weight division (154 lbs.) might be a great fight for Pacquiao.

So I welcome the loss of Clottey as a serious player and hope first that Mayweather, Jr. steps up to the challenge of Pacquiao, followed by Valero and finally closing the show and career with a rematch against Cotto at 154 lbs.

Source: examiner.com