By Ron Borges, The Sweet Science
A few weeks before Saturday night’s fight with Joshua Clottey, WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao serenaded him on the Jimmy Kimmel late-night TV show, although nobody but Clottey and maybe his new trainer, Lenny DeJesus, realized it at the time.
Pacquiao sang, “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You’’ that night and Saturday Clottey proved how sadly true those words could be when he refused to fight for 12 slumber-inducing rounds in front of the third largest live boxing crowd in the United States in 30 years. The 50,994 people who paid $50 to park at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX and a whole lot more to get inside (unless they were in a $35 standing room only spots that were so far above the ring the occupants watched the entire fight on the 60-yard long TV screen above the field) came to see a fight. What they got instead was Dancing With A Star.
The star was Pacquiao. His dance partner was the reluctant Clottey, who for most of the night kept his fists pinned against his ears and his long elbows draped down by his sides to protect his ribcage. Perhaps since he was fighting in an NFL stadium Clottey thought a prevent defense was acceptable. In boxing it is not.
Willie Pep was a defensive mastermind who allegedly once won a round without throwing a punch. Perhaps so but we doubt it. Either way, no one wins a world championship without throwing a punch, which seemed to be Clottey’s ill-conceived hope. It is the same way he fought against Carlos Baldomir, Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto in his other losses. Although he was more aggressive in those fights he was never able to push himself when it counted. Against Pacquiao, he couldn’t push himself at all, losing every round on the scorecard of judge Duane Ford and deservedly so, while dropping 11 of 12 in the opinion of the other two more kindly but less fact-based judges.
Clottey was outpunched better than 3-to-1 by the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world in part because of Pacquiao’s superior speed and mobility but the truth of the matter is Clottey stopped punching whenever his last day of sparring was. He had no intention of coming to Cowboys Stadium for anything more than what it turned out to be – the biggest and safest payday of his life.
By the end of the affair, Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KO) had out thrown him 1,231 punches to 399, had battered his ribcage all night long and countered the few right hands Clottey landed by the same wide 3-to-1 margin.
It was not unexpected that Pacquiao would dominate Clottey, who was not half as dangerous as promoter Bob Arum made him out to be. What was unexpected by some was that Clottey would concede the fight before it had begun, going back to the non-aggression pact he’s agreed to in every one of his big fights and, frankly, in more than a few of his lesser ones as well.
“He went back to his old style,’’ said a disgusted De Jesus, a Bronx locksmith by trade who could not find the key to unlock Clottey’s aggressive side. “He needed to throw punches to create openings. I think he felt Manny’s power and didn’t want to take a chance.’’
De Jesus had never trained Clottey before, taking over after Godwin Kotey could not get a visa to leave Ghana in time to prepare Clottey. De Jesus may now regret that decision because it proved to be one of the most frustrating nights of his 30-odd years around boxing. Round after round he appealed to Clottey to open up. He begged him to take a chance. He did not misinform him as the fight wore on, telling him from the midway point of it that he was losing.
Every time he did, Clottey asked for a drink of water.
De Jesus might as well have been talking to the stool Clottey was sitting on because he would get as much of a rise out of it as he did out of Clottey. In the end, frankly, it was a shameful performance. Clottey was never in trouble because he took great pains to be certain he wouldn’t be, refusing to try anything as dangerous as throwing a punch. Oh, occasionally he landed a surprise right hand and did manage to head butt Pacquiao inadvertently several times. But he didn’t do anything to create even a hint that a fight might break out, even as Pacquiao peppered him more and more with body shots and a busy right jab that didn’t always land because of the way Clottey had his hands around his head but served as a constant reminder to the African former titlist that if he did venture out of his cocoon there was somebody waiting for him with a flyswatter.
“Come on!’’ DeJesus hollered at him in the corner at one point. “You gotta take a chance. We’re in a fight. What are you waiting for? You gotta take a chance.’’
Actually, he didn’t and so he didn’t. Instead he waltzed around with the best fighter in the world for 36 minutes and then left the ring conceding he hadn’t won the fight. It was an affirmation of Pacquiao’s dominance that was unnecessary.
“Most people can’t really adjust to Manny’s speed,’’ said his trainer, Freddie Roach. “They can see it and they say, ‘Oh, he looks fast’ but you really don’t know how fast he is until you get in there with him. I thought he won every round. Clottey’s got good defense but good defense is not enough to win a fight.
“Manny pitched a shutout against a middleweight but that middleweight should have used his &^%$#$% power! Let’s face it I’m frustrated that Clottey didn’t try to win the fight.’’
Probably so was Pacquiao but he kept his emotions in check. He was steadfast and intelligent, raining punches in to try and break down Clottey’s defense without getting foolhardy and making a mistake. Even if he’d made one it’s difficult to know if Clottey would have noticed, his hands so often stuck to his ears as if affixed with super glue.
It was proof once again that in boxing, as in life, you can’t often change who you are. An athlete of some prominence once said with fractured syntax, “A leopard don’t change his stripes.’’ Joshua Clottey (35-4, 21 KO) is such an animal.
As for Pacquiao, he is king of the jungle still, having gone 19-1-2 with 15 knockouts since joining forces with Roach, a four-time Trainer of the Year who is as skilled at his end of the sport as Pacquiao is at his. While there is talk of his next opponent everyone knows there is only one man for Pacquiao to fight and that’s Floyd Mayweather, Jr. or, if Pacquiao gets lucky, Shane Mosley if Mosley can upset the undefeated Mayweather on May 1.
Until that bit of business is taken care of everything else for Manny Pacquiao will be like Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium – a place holding waste of time.
Source: thesweetscience.com
Monday, 15 March 2010
Clottey Bags $3M After Falling To Pacquiao -- Daily Guide Ghana
By Mohammed Muniru Kassim, Daily Guide Ghana
Pride of the Philippines, Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao, on Saturday added Joshua Clottey to his long list of victims when he beat the Ghanaian in a World Boxing Organisation (WBO) welterweight title fight at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA.
In spite of the loss, Clottey walked away with $3 million as against Pacquiao’s $12 million.
The Ghanaian put up a spirited performance against the world’s number one pound-for-pound fighter, but in the end lost via a unanimous decision, as the three judges scored the bout 120-108, 118-109 and 119-109, all in favour of the world champion.
Many bookmakers, including Pacquiao’s renowned trainer, Frederick Roach, had predicted a 4-round knockout for the Filipino whose predatory instincts had seen him batter the likes of Oscar ‘Golden Boy’ De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, sending them into premature retirement.
In Saturday’s fight however, he met a warrior in Clottey, and but for the fact that the latter was too economical with his punches, the champion would have been humiliated in front of the 51,000 fans that had gathered in the Dallas Cowboys Stadium to see him destroy the Ghanaian.
Expectedly, Pacquiao started strongly, landing a couple of good right hands, though these could not penetrate the solid defence of the Ghanaian.
Round two was even, as Clottey traded punches with Pacquiao to the delight of the few but vociferous Ghanaians in the stadium who saw the Filipino rattled by the African’s punching power.
Buoyed by this, Clottey began to open up in Round 3, taking more risks; but it was the Filipino who ended the round with explosive shots to the body of the Ghanaian.
Apart from Round 7 which Clottey appeared to have won, the more aggressive Pacquiao overwhelmingly dominated all the other rounds.
In a post-match interview, Pacquiao noted that after the first round, he revised his notes because “he (Clottey) is strong. He is very tough.
“He (Clottey) took so many punches; and yet did not wince. He is the greatest welterweight I have ever fought,” the champion stressed.
On whether he would still like to fight the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jnr, he said, “I want the fight because the fans want to see it.”
He added that for the time being, he is going back to the Philippines to continue his political campaign for a parliamentary seat.
Clottey, on the other hand had this to say after the bout: “I wanted to take my time and catch him unawares.”
He contended that though Pacquiao was fast, he didn’t have power in his punches. “So I was not hurt in the fight.”
He apologized to Ghanaians for the loss, adding, he will bounce back and make his compatriots more proud the next time.
Source: dailyguideghana.com
Pride of the Philippines, Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao, on Saturday added Joshua Clottey to his long list of victims when he beat the Ghanaian in a World Boxing Organisation (WBO) welterweight title fight at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA.
In spite of the loss, Clottey walked away with $3 million as against Pacquiao’s $12 million.
The Ghanaian put up a spirited performance against the world’s number one pound-for-pound fighter, but in the end lost via a unanimous decision, as the three judges scored the bout 120-108, 118-109 and 119-109, all in favour of the world champion.
Many bookmakers, including Pacquiao’s renowned trainer, Frederick Roach, had predicted a 4-round knockout for the Filipino whose predatory instincts had seen him batter the likes of Oscar ‘Golden Boy’ De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, sending them into premature retirement.
In Saturday’s fight however, he met a warrior in Clottey, and but for the fact that the latter was too economical with his punches, the champion would have been humiliated in front of the 51,000 fans that had gathered in the Dallas Cowboys Stadium to see him destroy the Ghanaian.
Expectedly, Pacquiao started strongly, landing a couple of good right hands, though these could not penetrate the solid defence of the Ghanaian.
Round two was even, as Clottey traded punches with Pacquiao to the delight of the few but vociferous Ghanaians in the stadium who saw the Filipino rattled by the African’s punching power.
Buoyed by this, Clottey began to open up in Round 3, taking more risks; but it was the Filipino who ended the round with explosive shots to the body of the Ghanaian.
Apart from Round 7 which Clottey appeared to have won, the more aggressive Pacquiao overwhelmingly dominated all the other rounds.
In a post-match interview, Pacquiao noted that after the first round, he revised his notes because “he (Clottey) is strong. He is very tough.
“He (Clottey) took so many punches; and yet did not wince. He is the greatest welterweight I have ever fought,” the champion stressed.
On whether he would still like to fight the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jnr, he said, “I want the fight because the fans want to see it.”
He added that for the time being, he is going back to the Philippines to continue his political campaign for a parliamentary seat.
Clottey, on the other hand had this to say after the bout: “I wanted to take my time and catch him unawares.”
He contended that though Pacquiao was fast, he didn’t have power in his punches. “So I was not hurt in the fight.”
He apologized to Ghanaians for the loss, adding, he will bounce back and make his compatriots more proud the next time.
Source: dailyguideghana.com
Manny Pacquiao back on the 'Money' trail after win over Joshua Clottey -- The Guardian
By Kevin Mitchell, Guardian.co.uk
Manny Pacquiao marches on. He threw 1,231 quality punches at Joshua Clottey in Dallas on Saturday night, and the 246 that landed heavily were enough to persuade the subdued Ghanaian that survival was his only option.
Now for Floyd Mayweather Jr. We hope.
Technically, the 56th win of the Pacman's career was among his best. Freddie Roach reckoned the only way for his fighter to beat a big natural welterweight was to break him down, so Pacquiao worked the body to take all the fight out of Clottey before halfway. But there wasn't much oncoming traffic for Manny to negotiate, and that was disappointing. Clottey let himself down, covering up rather than competing. Why?
He looked content just to be given the gig – as he did, after good starts, in fights against other Bob Arum stars, Antonio Margarito (losing 116-112, 116-112, 118-109) and Miguel Cotto (116-111, 115-112, 114-113). It was as if he could have given more but didn't. Margarito went on to fight Cotto and Cotto went on to fight Pacquiao. Then Clottey gets his big day against Manny. Everybody's happy.
Maybe he was weight-drained on Saturday night but Clottey, in the end, turned out to be the perfect s/o – selected opponent – and that seriously short-changed 50,000 Texans who paid to watch what turned out to be a high-class workout for the favourite.
That said, a fight between the WBO welterweight champion and Mayweather is still the biggest draw in the business – providing "Money" beats Shane Mosley in Las Vegas on 1 May.
There are three big "ifs" here. Will Pacquaio fight on after he goes to the polls in the Philippines this month? Will Mayweather beat Mosley? If Mayweather does win, will he run against Pacquaio, trying to fiddle it on the back foot, or will he give us the great fight that boxing needs?
I think the answer to the first two is, 'yes'. I'm not so sure about the last one. It could be that the best fight out there is Pacquiao-Mosley – and that makes May Day in Las Vegas one hell of a fight in prospect.
Whither the Hitman?
I don't know if Ricky Hatton was watching Pacquiao's fight somewhere in a bar in Tenerife on Saturday night but, if he was, it will surely have hit him like a left hook from Manila that he should abandon plans to fight again.
The gulf between himself and the little big man who knocked him cold in Las Vegas 10 months ago is now wider than Ricky's trousers. I am convinced the Hatton we saw last May cannot live with the very best anymore. I doubt he even wants to.
If he finally announces his retirement this week, it will be a clumsy exit from a business he has graced with distinction for more than a decade. For days, even his father Ray and brother Matthew didn't know what his drinking pals did, the ones who were on to the papers and Sky with their scuttlebutt. That's no way for a former world champion to handle the most important decision of his career.
By confiding in the back-slappers, most of whom have never thrown or received a gloved punch in the ring but know a good deal about pints and pies, Ricky forgot for awhile the rest of his many thousands of fans.
His drinking pals have always told Ricky whatever he wanted to hear. And, because he listened to them, he told me and other boxing writers several times over the years we didn't know what we were talking about, that he could eat and drink as he pleased and get back into shape whenever he wanted to. For years he got away with it because, unless we forget, he was a pretty terrific fighter with an engine that could run a small town.
But a lot of good judges – trainers and fellow fighters – have been worried about Ricky's welfare even before Mayweather stopped him in 2007. His chin was holding up, just, but his body was drained by a lifestyle designed to make him look more like his mate Bernard Manning than the exciting fighter he was on his best nights.
Those nights are long gone.
When he announced in December he was carrying on, my heart sank. When he turned up in Melbourne in January to cheer for Andy Murray at the Australian Open he looked bloated and I felt, weirdly, a bit happier for him because it was obvious he was not serious about fighting on.
His friends at Sky, on information fed to them by his mates in the bars, say he is holding a press conference this week to talk about his future. That is normally information he and his promotional team would release, so the confusion lingers.
Hatton the fighter has let nobody down but himself by his extra-curricular excesses. Even in defeat, he went out swinging. We should savour the good nights.
There are only two choices for fighters getting beaten up at the end of their careers: come back or walk away. For his sake, I hope Ricky tells us this week it is the latter.
Wanna bet?
Apparently, Paulie Malignaggi doesn't like me writing him off against Amir Khan. Can't blame him. Proud man.
I have urged readers to rush to their nearest bookmaker to grab the 9-1 that has been available about Amir knocking Paulie out at Madison Square Garden on 15 May.
So, when he came to London last week, he was disappointed I wasn't at his press conference. So was I. The Magic Man is always a treat to listen to.
I'll say it again, though: Malignaggi is a great character, eminently quotable, a quick-handed, flashy stylist who's good to watch and terrific for boxing. But he can't punch his way out of a quiche. As long as his butt points south, he cannot beat Khan. Speed without power is just speed.
If you're out there, comrade, get in touch. I've got a monkey that needs feeding. At 9-1.
Source: guardian.co.uk
Manny Pacquiao marches on. He threw 1,231 quality punches at Joshua Clottey in Dallas on Saturday night, and the 246 that landed heavily were enough to persuade the subdued Ghanaian that survival was his only option.
Now for Floyd Mayweather Jr. We hope.
Technically, the 56th win of the Pacman's career was among his best. Freddie Roach reckoned the only way for his fighter to beat a big natural welterweight was to break him down, so Pacquiao worked the body to take all the fight out of Clottey before halfway. But there wasn't much oncoming traffic for Manny to negotiate, and that was disappointing. Clottey let himself down, covering up rather than competing. Why?
He looked content just to be given the gig – as he did, after good starts, in fights against other Bob Arum stars, Antonio Margarito (losing 116-112, 116-112, 118-109) and Miguel Cotto (116-111, 115-112, 114-113). It was as if he could have given more but didn't. Margarito went on to fight Cotto and Cotto went on to fight Pacquiao. Then Clottey gets his big day against Manny. Everybody's happy.
Maybe he was weight-drained on Saturday night but Clottey, in the end, turned out to be the perfect s/o – selected opponent – and that seriously short-changed 50,000 Texans who paid to watch what turned out to be a high-class workout for the favourite.
That said, a fight between the WBO welterweight champion and Mayweather is still the biggest draw in the business – providing "Money" beats Shane Mosley in Las Vegas on 1 May.
There are three big "ifs" here. Will Pacquaio fight on after he goes to the polls in the Philippines this month? Will Mayweather beat Mosley? If Mayweather does win, will he run against Pacquaio, trying to fiddle it on the back foot, or will he give us the great fight that boxing needs?
I think the answer to the first two is, 'yes'. I'm not so sure about the last one. It could be that the best fight out there is Pacquiao-Mosley – and that makes May Day in Las Vegas one hell of a fight in prospect.
Whither the Hitman?
I don't know if Ricky Hatton was watching Pacquiao's fight somewhere in a bar in Tenerife on Saturday night but, if he was, it will surely have hit him like a left hook from Manila that he should abandon plans to fight again.
The gulf between himself and the little big man who knocked him cold in Las Vegas 10 months ago is now wider than Ricky's trousers. I am convinced the Hatton we saw last May cannot live with the very best anymore. I doubt he even wants to.
If he finally announces his retirement this week, it will be a clumsy exit from a business he has graced with distinction for more than a decade. For days, even his father Ray and brother Matthew didn't know what his drinking pals did, the ones who were on to the papers and Sky with their scuttlebutt. That's no way for a former world champion to handle the most important decision of his career.
By confiding in the back-slappers, most of whom have never thrown or received a gloved punch in the ring but know a good deal about pints and pies, Ricky forgot for awhile the rest of his many thousands of fans.
His drinking pals have always told Ricky whatever he wanted to hear. And, because he listened to them, he told me and other boxing writers several times over the years we didn't know what we were talking about, that he could eat and drink as he pleased and get back into shape whenever he wanted to. For years he got away with it because, unless we forget, he was a pretty terrific fighter with an engine that could run a small town.
But a lot of good judges – trainers and fellow fighters – have been worried about Ricky's welfare even before Mayweather stopped him in 2007. His chin was holding up, just, but his body was drained by a lifestyle designed to make him look more like his mate Bernard Manning than the exciting fighter he was on his best nights.
Those nights are long gone.
When he announced in December he was carrying on, my heart sank. When he turned up in Melbourne in January to cheer for Andy Murray at the Australian Open he looked bloated and I felt, weirdly, a bit happier for him because it was obvious he was not serious about fighting on.
His friends at Sky, on information fed to them by his mates in the bars, say he is holding a press conference this week to talk about his future. That is normally information he and his promotional team would release, so the confusion lingers.
Hatton the fighter has let nobody down but himself by his extra-curricular excesses. Even in defeat, he went out swinging. We should savour the good nights.
There are only two choices for fighters getting beaten up at the end of their careers: come back or walk away. For his sake, I hope Ricky tells us this week it is the latter.
Wanna bet?
Apparently, Paulie Malignaggi doesn't like me writing him off against Amir Khan. Can't blame him. Proud man.
I have urged readers to rush to their nearest bookmaker to grab the 9-1 that has been available about Amir knocking Paulie out at Madison Square Garden on 15 May.
So, when he came to London last week, he was disappointed I wasn't at his press conference. So was I. The Magic Man is always a treat to listen to.
I'll say it again, though: Malignaggi is a great character, eminently quotable, a quick-handed, flashy stylist who's good to watch and terrific for boxing. But he can't punch his way out of a quiche. As long as his butt points south, he cannot beat Khan. Speed without power is just speed.
If you're out there, comrade, get in touch. I've got a monkey that needs feeding. At 9-1.
Source: guardian.co.uk
Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight was a dud, but crowd of 50,994 was another triumph for Cowboys Stadium -- Dallas Morning News
By BARRY HORN, The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON – Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey was a lousy fight gift wrapped in magnificent packaging.
First the lousy: That's what happens when one boxer, Pacquiao, comes to fight and the other, Clottey, shows up to cash a paycheck while extending a career-long streak of never being knocked down or out. Sparring sessions often provide more drama.
Now the magnificent: Cowboys Stadium proved it can host a major fight with the same panache it has international soccer, NFL games and the NBA all-star game.
That the crowd of 50,994 gathered for a prize fight and had to settle for a booby prize and did not boo Clottey's plodding posing in round after round is a tribute to the stadium's wonderment. Once again, the giant video board was mesmerizing and the presentation around the ring was electric. It was a spectacle. Still, Cowboys cheerleaders singing the national anthem should not show better moves in the ring than one of the featured fighters.
The three ringside judges weren't fooled by the glitzy spectacle. Two generously scored one of the 12 rounds for Clottey, while the third didn't give him a round, scoring Saturday night's WBO welterweight title bout a shutout for Pacquiao.
"Joshua had the power to knock him out, but was reluctant to punch," said Clottey's trainer, Lenny DeJesus. "We clearly got beat. I don't think we won a round."
Still, promoter Bob Arum was all smiles as he toured ringside after the fight. He had no problem with Clottey's performance, which could earn him $2.5 million for perhaps his last major fight.
"There was no way Clottey was going to beat this guy, even if he took off his gloves and fought him bare-fisted," said Arum, who never shared that opinion before the fight.
Keep in mind that Clottey, a native of Ghana whose record dropped to 35-4, was the bigger, stronger fighter. But he never tried to drop the hammer against Pacquiao, a buzz saw who was too quick and too smart. Pacquiao, son of the Philippines, is considered the best boxer in the world. He will earn somewhere between $17 million and $20 million for pounding Clottey en route to improving his record to 51-3-2.
"Manny fought a good fight," his trainer, Freddie Roach, said. "He pitched a shutout against a middleweight. But that middleweight should've used his [expletive] power."
Not surprisingly, Arum had more praise for Cowboys Stadium than the fight.
"I would consider this the primary location in boxing," he cooed. "We will be able to come back here again and again for more fights."
Pacquiao against undefeated Floyd Mayweather is boxing's next mega-fight. But first Mayweather has a May 1 date with Shane Mosley. Should Mosley defeat Mayweather, he would make a fitting opponent for Pacquiao.
If Jerry Jones could land Pacquiao against one of those fighters, it could be a first for Cowboys Stadium: A real fight.
Judges' cards
Judge Result
D. Ford Pacquiao, 120-108
L. Martinez Pacquiao, 119-109
N. Vasquez Pacquiao, 119-109
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
WBO welterweight title:Manny Pacquiao, 145, Philippines, outpointed Joshua Clottey, 147, Ghana, 12
WBC lightweight title:Humberto Soto, 134, Mexico, outpointed David Diaz, 134, Chicago, 12
Roberto Marroquin, 122, Dallas, knocked out Samuel Sanchez, Dallas, 2
Eden Sonsona, 119, Philippines, knocked out Maurcio Pastrana, 119, Colombia, 8
Joe Morales, 126, San Antonio, no decision with Michael Farenas, 127, Philippines, 2
Salvador Sanchez, 125, Mexico, stopped Jaime Villa, 127, Midland, 6
Rodrigo Garcia, 149, Santa Ana, Calif., stopped Calvin Pitts, 149, Grand Prairie, 2
Isaac Hidalgo, Tucson, Ariz., majority draw with Arturo Trevino, Fort Worth, 4
Alfonso Gomez, 145, Mexico, stopped Jose Luis Castillo, 144, Mexicali, Calif., 6
Punch stats
Pacquiao Category Clottey
1,231 Punches thrown 399
246 Connected 108
20% Percent 27%
549 Jabs thrown 162
14 Connected 26
3% Percent 16%
682 Power thrown 237
232 Connected 82
34% Percent 35%
Source: Compubox
bhorn@dallasnews.com
Source: dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey was a lousy fight gift wrapped in magnificent packaging.
First the lousy: That's what happens when one boxer, Pacquiao, comes to fight and the other, Clottey, shows up to cash a paycheck while extending a career-long streak of never being knocked down or out. Sparring sessions often provide more drama.
Now the magnificent: Cowboys Stadium proved it can host a major fight with the same panache it has international soccer, NFL games and the NBA all-star game.
That the crowd of 50,994 gathered for a prize fight and had to settle for a booby prize and did not boo Clottey's plodding posing in round after round is a tribute to the stadium's wonderment. Once again, the giant video board was mesmerizing and the presentation around the ring was electric. It was a spectacle. Still, Cowboys cheerleaders singing the national anthem should not show better moves in the ring than one of the featured fighters.
The three ringside judges weren't fooled by the glitzy spectacle. Two generously scored one of the 12 rounds for Clottey, while the third didn't give him a round, scoring Saturday night's WBO welterweight title bout a shutout for Pacquiao.
"Joshua had the power to knock him out, but was reluctant to punch," said Clottey's trainer, Lenny DeJesus. "We clearly got beat. I don't think we won a round."
Still, promoter Bob Arum was all smiles as he toured ringside after the fight. He had no problem with Clottey's performance, which could earn him $2.5 million for perhaps his last major fight.
"There was no way Clottey was going to beat this guy, even if he took off his gloves and fought him bare-fisted," said Arum, who never shared that opinion before the fight.
Keep in mind that Clottey, a native of Ghana whose record dropped to 35-4, was the bigger, stronger fighter. But he never tried to drop the hammer against Pacquiao, a buzz saw who was too quick and too smart. Pacquiao, son of the Philippines, is considered the best boxer in the world. He will earn somewhere between $17 million and $20 million for pounding Clottey en route to improving his record to 51-3-2.
"Manny fought a good fight," his trainer, Freddie Roach, said. "He pitched a shutout against a middleweight. But that middleweight should've used his [expletive] power."
Not surprisingly, Arum had more praise for Cowboys Stadium than the fight.
"I would consider this the primary location in boxing," he cooed. "We will be able to come back here again and again for more fights."
Pacquiao against undefeated Floyd Mayweather is boxing's next mega-fight. But first Mayweather has a May 1 date with Shane Mosley. Should Mosley defeat Mayweather, he would make a fitting opponent for Pacquiao.
If Jerry Jones could land Pacquiao against one of those fighters, it could be a first for Cowboys Stadium: A real fight.
Judges' cards
Judge Result
D. Ford Pacquiao, 120-108
L. Martinez Pacquiao, 119-109
N. Vasquez Pacquiao, 119-109
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
WBO welterweight title:Manny Pacquiao, 145, Philippines, outpointed Joshua Clottey, 147, Ghana, 12
WBC lightweight title:Humberto Soto, 134, Mexico, outpointed David Diaz, 134, Chicago, 12
Roberto Marroquin, 122, Dallas, knocked out Samuel Sanchez, Dallas, 2
Eden Sonsona, 119, Philippines, knocked out Maurcio Pastrana, 119, Colombia, 8
Joe Morales, 126, San Antonio, no decision with Michael Farenas, 127, Philippines, 2
Salvador Sanchez, 125, Mexico, stopped Jaime Villa, 127, Midland, 6
Rodrigo Garcia, 149, Santa Ana, Calif., stopped Calvin Pitts, 149, Grand Prairie, 2
Isaac Hidalgo, Tucson, Ariz., majority draw with Arturo Trevino, Fort Worth, 4
Alfonso Gomez, 145, Mexico, stopped Jose Luis Castillo, 144, Mexicali, Calif., 6
Punch stats
Pacquiao Category Clottey
1,231 Punches thrown 399
246 Connected 108
20% Percent 27%
549 Jabs thrown 162
14 Connected 26
3% Percent 16%
682 Power thrown 237
232 Connected 82
34% Percent 35%
Source: Compubox
bhorn@dallasnews.com
Source: dallasnews.com
Manny, Joshua and the rays come down from Jerrytron -- 15Rounds
By Bart Barry, 15Rounds.com
GRAPEVINE, Tex. – To look across the atrium of the Gaylord Texan resort on a Sunday morning – Alamo replica here, River Walk replica there – is to wonder: How did this place get built between Dallas and Fort Worth and not Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand? It would work well on the Strip; borrow a roller coaster from Arlington’s Six Flags and name the compound Texas Texas.
Bright as the atrium is with late-winter sunshine filtered through its domed ceiling, the natural light is but a solar imitation of what shone down from the roof of Cowboys Stadium Saturday night. To sit underneath “Jerrytron” is to bathe in artificial light so gentle and brilliant you start to wonder, Why can’t we do something like this with the sun?
A gentler question, itself, than what ringsiders asked as Saturday became Sunday: Why can’t we do something with Joshua?
No, Mr. Clottey did not acquit himself gloriously in his largest challenge before the largest crowd to see a prizefight in America since 1993. Mr. Pacquiao did. Of course.
The main event of “The Event” saw the fighting pride of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao, unanimously decision Ghana’s Joshua Clottey by scores of 120-108, 119-109 and 119-109. The minority card in that trio is the one that had it right. The match was for a welterweight title, but only one man seemed to care.
Here’s the pep talk someone needed to give Joshua Clottey in his dressing room before the fight: “Josh, they call you ‘a good loser’. You make fun fights with guys expected to beat you, and you lose. You’re not going to win by decision tonight. So help me God, Josh, if you let this fight go 12 rounds, you damn well better not go to another post-fight press conference and say you were robbed. If you don’t stop this little guy by the end of the sixth, I’ll knock the microphone right out of your hand before I let you whine to the press again!”
Actually, that speech should have been given on the first day of training camp and followed by breakfast recitals each morning for the next six weeks. Clearly it wasn’t. Or it was, and Clottey’s impervious to speeches as he is to opponents’ punches.
Rather than a resentful b-sider ready to use every ounce of his likely 20-pound advantage on Pacquiao, we got a Ghanaian gentleman fully committed to winning the perfect way or no way.
At least he committed to something.
Clottey committed to a few uppercuts in the 10th round too, to be fair, but by then his discouragement had won the race with Pacquiao’s fatigue – a race on whose outcome the fight pivoted.
For the first time since he began making superfights, on Saturday Manny Pacquiao fought scared. Not cautious, like he began with Oscar De La Hoya or Miguel Cotto; not patient, like he began with Ricky Hatton. Scared. Muscle memory ensured Pacquiao’s combinations were tight and well-schooled. But quite often in the fight’s opening half, Pacquiao threw his hands because it was the one way to keep Clottey from punching him. And Pacquiao wanted no part of being punched by Clottey.
But everything had to be just right before Clottey would even attempt the feat. It was reminiscent of the way novelist Philip Roth once described the opening forays of a poet who discovered the craft late: He set off with all the confidence of a person who’s never succeeded at anything.
That’s not counterintuitive as it looks. It’s an apt way to depict someone who cruises through life attributing all past failures to carelessness: Once I decide to mean it, the world will be jarred by my genius.
That man needs things to be unconditionally perfect before he begins. Clottey fought like a guy who had 36 or so rounds to find the perfect platform for landing his perfect combination on Pacquiao. He was in absolutely no hurry. He was never in trouble; he knew in the first round that Pacquiao – for all his unorthodox angles and speed – didn’t hit anything like a natural 147-pounder does, certainly nothing like Antonio Margarito, a supernatural welter, did.
Pacquiao, though, had Clottey figured out quicker still. Not enough credit is given to Pacquiao’s ring IQ. But he’s been in 56 prizefights, guys, so maybe now’s a good time. Pacquiao noticed in round 1 that so long as his hands were in motion, Clottey’s were still. For the next 35 minutes, then, Pacquiao simply moved his hands every time Clottey found confidence enough to throw more than a meek, range-finding, right-hand lead. Clottey’s only meaningful punches all night came when Pacquiao imitated his shell defense.
Then Pacquiao would sample Clottey’s power, decide he wanted no part of it and start his body back in motion. And Clottey would follow along, expertly cut off the ring, then show Pacquiao’s onrushing knuckles the full brunt of his forearms. An unofficial count had Pacquiao striking Clottey’s gloves, forearms, ribs and face 1,300 times. Pacquiao didn’t have enough power to shake Clottey – nobody does – but he had power enough to keep Clottey from throwing back. That’s getting the job done.
So what’s next for the best fighter in the world, perhaps the only entertainer in history that could interest 51,000 people in a fight with Joshua Clottey? Probably not Floyd Mayweather. Their emissaries now speak different languages: My guy’s ticket sales against your guy’s pay-per-view buys. Probably Antonio Margarito, whose apology-free rehabilitation tour made him ubiquitous last weekend: Lobby, weigh-in, elevator, ringside, restaurant.
Promoter Top Rank’s masterful matchmakers will watch closely when Margarito next fights with unloaded gloves. You’ll know he’s more shot than you think if he and Pacquiao plan a two-step for September.
That’s how they dance in Texas. And after Cowboys Stadium was “The Event” last week, there are now reasons galore to make a second step in Arlington.
Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter.com/bartbarry
Source: 15rounds.com
GRAPEVINE, Tex. – To look across the atrium of the Gaylord Texan resort on a Sunday morning – Alamo replica here, River Walk replica there – is to wonder: How did this place get built between Dallas and Fort Worth and not Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand? It would work well on the Strip; borrow a roller coaster from Arlington’s Six Flags and name the compound Texas Texas.
Bright as the atrium is with late-winter sunshine filtered through its domed ceiling, the natural light is but a solar imitation of what shone down from the roof of Cowboys Stadium Saturday night. To sit underneath “Jerrytron” is to bathe in artificial light so gentle and brilliant you start to wonder, Why can’t we do something like this with the sun?
A gentler question, itself, than what ringsiders asked as Saturday became Sunday: Why can’t we do something with Joshua?
No, Mr. Clottey did not acquit himself gloriously in his largest challenge before the largest crowd to see a prizefight in America since 1993. Mr. Pacquiao did. Of course.
The main event of “The Event” saw the fighting pride of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao, unanimously decision Ghana’s Joshua Clottey by scores of 120-108, 119-109 and 119-109. The minority card in that trio is the one that had it right. The match was for a welterweight title, but only one man seemed to care.
Here’s the pep talk someone needed to give Joshua Clottey in his dressing room before the fight: “Josh, they call you ‘a good loser’. You make fun fights with guys expected to beat you, and you lose. You’re not going to win by decision tonight. So help me God, Josh, if you let this fight go 12 rounds, you damn well better not go to another post-fight press conference and say you were robbed. If you don’t stop this little guy by the end of the sixth, I’ll knock the microphone right out of your hand before I let you whine to the press again!”
Actually, that speech should have been given on the first day of training camp and followed by breakfast recitals each morning for the next six weeks. Clearly it wasn’t. Or it was, and Clottey’s impervious to speeches as he is to opponents’ punches.
Rather than a resentful b-sider ready to use every ounce of his likely 20-pound advantage on Pacquiao, we got a Ghanaian gentleman fully committed to winning the perfect way or no way.
At least he committed to something.
Clottey committed to a few uppercuts in the 10th round too, to be fair, but by then his discouragement had won the race with Pacquiao’s fatigue – a race on whose outcome the fight pivoted.
For the first time since he began making superfights, on Saturday Manny Pacquiao fought scared. Not cautious, like he began with Oscar De La Hoya or Miguel Cotto; not patient, like he began with Ricky Hatton. Scared. Muscle memory ensured Pacquiao’s combinations were tight and well-schooled. But quite often in the fight’s opening half, Pacquiao threw his hands because it was the one way to keep Clottey from punching him. And Pacquiao wanted no part of being punched by Clottey.
But everything had to be just right before Clottey would even attempt the feat. It was reminiscent of the way novelist Philip Roth once described the opening forays of a poet who discovered the craft late: He set off with all the confidence of a person who’s never succeeded at anything.
That’s not counterintuitive as it looks. It’s an apt way to depict someone who cruises through life attributing all past failures to carelessness: Once I decide to mean it, the world will be jarred by my genius.
That man needs things to be unconditionally perfect before he begins. Clottey fought like a guy who had 36 or so rounds to find the perfect platform for landing his perfect combination on Pacquiao. He was in absolutely no hurry. He was never in trouble; he knew in the first round that Pacquiao – for all his unorthodox angles and speed – didn’t hit anything like a natural 147-pounder does, certainly nothing like Antonio Margarito, a supernatural welter, did.
Pacquiao, though, had Clottey figured out quicker still. Not enough credit is given to Pacquiao’s ring IQ. But he’s been in 56 prizefights, guys, so maybe now’s a good time. Pacquiao noticed in round 1 that so long as his hands were in motion, Clottey’s were still. For the next 35 minutes, then, Pacquiao simply moved his hands every time Clottey found confidence enough to throw more than a meek, range-finding, right-hand lead. Clottey’s only meaningful punches all night came when Pacquiao imitated his shell defense.
Then Pacquiao would sample Clottey’s power, decide he wanted no part of it and start his body back in motion. And Clottey would follow along, expertly cut off the ring, then show Pacquiao’s onrushing knuckles the full brunt of his forearms. An unofficial count had Pacquiao striking Clottey’s gloves, forearms, ribs and face 1,300 times. Pacquiao didn’t have enough power to shake Clottey – nobody does – but he had power enough to keep Clottey from throwing back. That’s getting the job done.
So what’s next for the best fighter in the world, perhaps the only entertainer in history that could interest 51,000 people in a fight with Joshua Clottey? Probably not Floyd Mayweather. Their emissaries now speak different languages: My guy’s ticket sales against your guy’s pay-per-view buys. Probably Antonio Margarito, whose apology-free rehabilitation tour made him ubiquitous last weekend: Lobby, weigh-in, elevator, ringside, restaurant.
Promoter Top Rank’s masterful matchmakers will watch closely when Margarito next fights with unloaded gloves. You’ll know he’s more shot than you think if he and Pacquiao plan a two-step for September.
That’s how they dance in Texas. And after Cowboys Stadium was “The Event” last week, there are now reasons galore to make a second step in Arlington.
Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter.com/bartbarry
Source: 15rounds.com
Manny Pacquiao's lopsided win fuels talk about Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- Los Angeles Times
By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Arlington, Texas
What Manny Pacquiao most effectively accomplished in his one-sided punching-bag treatment of Joshua Clottey is that he has kept the intrigue of a future showdown with unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. as topic No. 1 in the boxing world.
There remain troubling signals fired by important people around that possible mega-event, however, that cast uncertainties about whether the bout will happen.
Mayweather isn't taking questions about Pacquiao, making that clear at a recent Los Angeles news conference in which his people even veered him from Filipino reporters. Questions about why Mayweather's call to exceed Nevada State Athletic Commission drug-testing standards needed to be intensified for this fight went mostly unanswered beyond Mayweather's dubious stance that he is the face of the sport and that boxing needs to be cleaned up.
Valid point, suspect timing.
Saturday, Pacquiao out-punched Clottey by better than a 3-1 advantage and won every round but one on two judges' scorecards to defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title in front of 50,994 at Cowboys Stadium.
His promoter, Bob Arum, then turned to what's next for his boxer and told reporters he was still kicking himself for agreeing to make an alternate, Olympic-style drug-testing plan part of negotiations with Mayweather.
A compromise — even through mediation — was never reached, and the super-fight planned for Saturday was scrapped.
"The only way a fight can be made with Mayweather is if he signs the contract, terms are already agreed upon, and lets extraneous issues be handled by the boxing commission who has the authority to handle those issues," Arum said. "Stupid Bob Arum made like [former British prime minister] Neville Chamberlain did with Hitler and negotiated something I never should have."
Pacquiao made it clear in the ring and at the post-fight news conference that, ‘I want to fight Floyd Mayweather. The people want to see that fight. It's up to him. For me, there's no problem, but I don't think he's ready to fight me."
Asked what compromise could help resolve the stalemate, Pacquiao told HBO that if Pomona's Shane Mosley upsets Mayweather (40-0) on May 1 in Las Vegas, then it would remove Mayweather from his perch as one of the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
"And then I'll fight Mosley," Pacquiao.
It's not that easy, of course. Mayweather negotiated a rematch clause that would force Mosley to fight him again if he's victorious.
Pacquiao's cut-to-the-chase trainer Freddie Roach added, "Floyd, let the commission do its job and get in the ring and fight us."
To which Mayweather promoter Richard Schaefer said, "There we go again. All this is disrespectful to Sugar Shane Mosley, who has an incredible fight with Mayweather coming up.
‘The best course of action is to stop talking about Mayweather. [Team Pacquiao] says it wants the fight, but then they say there's this, then and that for it to happen. Maybe there'll be a time a fight with Mayweather … and Pacquiao will be discussed, but that time is not now."
Roach said he's confident of a victory in a would-be match, of course, and Clottey said he'd like stablemate Pacquiao over Mayweather too.
"I'm very strong, but this guy [Pacquiao] is so very, very fast," Clottey said. "Manny Pacquiao will give anyone he fights a lot of problems, a lot."
The possibility of landing Mayweather is viewed as so remote within some at Arum's Top Rank promotional company, though, they say the 2010 plan for Pacquiao goes like this:
Let him get through the process of running for a congressional seat in the Philippines (elections are May 20), inspect the Mayweather-Mosley outcome, and see whether Mayweather's team initiates any contact or shows an interest in softening its drug-testing demands.
Another wild card in this process could be the involvement of HBO, which stands to benefit in a lucrative way if network powers can play a role in resolving the conflict.
For now, Pacquiao is said to have three options for a fight in November: a third match against Juan Manuel Marquez (they had a 2003 draw and 2008 narrow decision won by Pacquiao), Tijuana's former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito or the unbeaten lightweight champion from Mexico, Edwin Valero.
"It's up to my promoter," Pacquiao said.
Arum said he was "blown away by the presentation" of Jerry Jones' mammoth stadium, and wouldn't hesitate to bring Pacquiao back in November.
"Boxing should never be the same again after [Saturday] night, we took this sport to a new level," Arum said.
Margarito will return May 8 from his license revocation caused by nearly boxing last year with hand wraps containing plaster. Arum said he'd like Margarito to then headline a June card at Cowboys Stadium that will be heavy on Latino fighters.
Mayweather?
"You think Floyd wants to fight Manny after all that happened in this last negotiation?" Top Rank's veteran matchmaker Bruce Trampler said. "The past is prologue. We just tried to make that match, and what happened? Insurmountable complications. Manny can't fight Mayweather because Mayweather won't fight. The fight was there."
There are attempts being made by those around Pacquiao to help finesse Mayweather's path to a date.
"I don't think Floyd's scared," Roach said. "I think maybe he just needed more time after his [21-month-long] layoff and just having one fight since. He's taking on a tough fight now. We'll see how he does."
Top Rank President Todd duBoef said "the disconnect" revolves around the principle Mayweather says he's applying to his drug-testing call: what's best for the sport.
"The sport is the most important thing," duBoef said. "Fighters aren't promoters, because promoters work to maximize the product to the audience for the future, not just one fight. Let us, who want to help the brand, do that. There's an incredible opportunity here if we just take a step back and think about what's best for the brand. The framework of the [Mayweather-Pacquiao] deal is done. Let's get it done. What else is there to discuss?"
lance.pugmire@latimes.com
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
Source: latimes.com
Reporting from Arlington, Texas
What Manny Pacquiao most effectively accomplished in his one-sided punching-bag treatment of Joshua Clottey is that he has kept the intrigue of a future showdown with unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. as topic No. 1 in the boxing world.
There remain troubling signals fired by important people around that possible mega-event, however, that cast uncertainties about whether the bout will happen.
Mayweather isn't taking questions about Pacquiao, making that clear at a recent Los Angeles news conference in which his people even veered him from Filipino reporters. Questions about why Mayweather's call to exceed Nevada State Athletic Commission drug-testing standards needed to be intensified for this fight went mostly unanswered beyond Mayweather's dubious stance that he is the face of the sport and that boxing needs to be cleaned up.
Valid point, suspect timing.
Saturday, Pacquiao out-punched Clottey by better than a 3-1 advantage and won every round but one on two judges' scorecards to defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title in front of 50,994 at Cowboys Stadium.
His promoter, Bob Arum, then turned to what's next for his boxer and told reporters he was still kicking himself for agreeing to make an alternate, Olympic-style drug-testing plan part of negotiations with Mayweather.
A compromise — even through mediation — was never reached, and the super-fight planned for Saturday was scrapped.
"The only way a fight can be made with Mayweather is if he signs the contract, terms are already agreed upon, and lets extraneous issues be handled by the boxing commission who has the authority to handle those issues," Arum said. "Stupid Bob Arum made like [former British prime minister] Neville Chamberlain did with Hitler and negotiated something I never should have."
Pacquiao made it clear in the ring and at the post-fight news conference that, ‘I want to fight Floyd Mayweather. The people want to see that fight. It's up to him. For me, there's no problem, but I don't think he's ready to fight me."
Asked what compromise could help resolve the stalemate, Pacquiao told HBO that if Pomona's Shane Mosley upsets Mayweather (40-0) on May 1 in Las Vegas, then it would remove Mayweather from his perch as one of the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
"And then I'll fight Mosley," Pacquiao.
It's not that easy, of course. Mayweather negotiated a rematch clause that would force Mosley to fight him again if he's victorious.
Pacquiao's cut-to-the-chase trainer Freddie Roach added, "Floyd, let the commission do its job and get in the ring and fight us."
To which Mayweather promoter Richard Schaefer said, "There we go again. All this is disrespectful to Sugar Shane Mosley, who has an incredible fight with Mayweather coming up.
‘The best course of action is to stop talking about Mayweather. [Team Pacquiao] says it wants the fight, but then they say there's this, then and that for it to happen. Maybe there'll be a time a fight with Mayweather … and Pacquiao will be discussed, but that time is not now."
Roach said he's confident of a victory in a would-be match, of course, and Clottey said he'd like stablemate Pacquiao over Mayweather too.
"I'm very strong, but this guy [Pacquiao] is so very, very fast," Clottey said. "Manny Pacquiao will give anyone he fights a lot of problems, a lot."
The possibility of landing Mayweather is viewed as so remote within some at Arum's Top Rank promotional company, though, they say the 2010 plan for Pacquiao goes like this:
Let him get through the process of running for a congressional seat in the Philippines (elections are May 20), inspect the Mayweather-Mosley outcome, and see whether Mayweather's team initiates any contact or shows an interest in softening its drug-testing demands.
Another wild card in this process could be the involvement of HBO, which stands to benefit in a lucrative way if network powers can play a role in resolving the conflict.
For now, Pacquiao is said to have three options for a fight in November: a third match against Juan Manuel Marquez (they had a 2003 draw and 2008 narrow decision won by Pacquiao), Tijuana's former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito or the unbeaten lightweight champion from Mexico, Edwin Valero.
"It's up to my promoter," Pacquiao said.
Arum said he was "blown away by the presentation" of Jerry Jones' mammoth stadium, and wouldn't hesitate to bring Pacquiao back in November.
"Boxing should never be the same again after [Saturday] night, we took this sport to a new level," Arum said.
Margarito will return May 8 from his license revocation caused by nearly boxing last year with hand wraps containing plaster. Arum said he'd like Margarito to then headline a June card at Cowboys Stadium that will be heavy on Latino fighters.
Mayweather?
"You think Floyd wants to fight Manny after all that happened in this last negotiation?" Top Rank's veteran matchmaker Bruce Trampler said. "The past is prologue. We just tried to make that match, and what happened? Insurmountable complications. Manny can't fight Mayweather because Mayweather won't fight. The fight was there."
There are attempts being made by those around Pacquiao to help finesse Mayweather's path to a date.
"I don't think Floyd's scared," Roach said. "I think maybe he just needed more time after his [21-month-long] layoff and just having one fight since. He's taking on a tough fight now. We'll see how he does."
Top Rank President Todd duBoef said "the disconnect" revolves around the principle Mayweather says he's applying to his drug-testing call: what's best for the sport.
"The sport is the most important thing," duBoef said. "Fighters aren't promoters, because promoters work to maximize the product to the audience for the future, not just one fight. Let us, who want to help the brand, do that. There's an incredible opportunity here if we just take a step back and think about what's best for the brand. The framework of the [Mayweather-Pacquiao] deal is done. Let's get it done. What else is there to discuss?"
lance.pugmire@latimes.com
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
Source: latimes.com
Pacquiao delivered all but KO -- San Antonio Express
By John Whisler, San Antonio Express
ARLINGTON — Manny Pacquiao delivered punch after punch, hundreds in all. He fired BBs. He brought out the big guns.
He threw everything he had at Joshua Clottey. But it became clear nothing the Filipino superstar did was going to bring the challenger out of his shell.
That will be one of the enduring images of Pacquiao's lopsided win Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium: Clottey, standing totem-pole straight, gloves held tight to his face in a leather shield, reluctant to engage.
The champ, eager to impress, firing at will at a willing target but unwilling foe.
“I felt I was in control after the first round,” Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) said. “But it was not an easy fight.”
His face was evidence of that. When Clottey did throw, he did some damage: Pacquiao showed up at the postfight news conference wearing dark sunglasses in an effort to hide bruised and swollen eyes.
His ego may have taken the biggest beating.
The would-be Congressman from the Philippines won by landslide on the scorecards — two judges gave Clottey the third round; other than that, Pacquiao pitched a shutout — but he couldn't close the show.
“He fought a very defensive fight,” Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said of Clottey. “When a guy does that, it's very hard to knock him out.”
In other words, Clottey (35-4, 21 KOs) was just trying to survive, hoping to avoid becoming another statistic for Pacquiao while at the same time keeping his own streak intact of never having been knocked out.
The problem, Clottey said, was Pacquiao's speed.
“It was difficult for me to handle that,” Clottey said. “I did what I could do.”
The punch stats were telling. Pacquiao threw a whopping 1,231 punches, but landed at just a 20 percent rate (246). Clottey threw just 399 punches, landing 108.
Pacquiao reportedly will earn $12 million plus a share of the pay-per-view; Clottey $1.25 million-plus.
Pacquiao was supposed to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., but negotiations stalled because of a dispute over blood-testing.
“I want that fight, the world wants that fight, but it's up to him,” Pacquiao said. “I'm happy to have the support of the fans.”
The biggest winner Saturday may have been the venue. The first boxing event at Cowboys Stadium drew 50,994 fans, the largest boxing crowd in the United States in 17 years and third-largest ever.
No. 1 was Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks II on Sept. 15, 1978 at the New Orleans Superdome (63,350).
No. 2 was Julio Cesar Chavez-Pernell Whitaker on Sept. 10, 1993 at the Alamodome (52,730).
Source: mysanantonio.com
ARLINGTON — Manny Pacquiao delivered punch after punch, hundreds in all. He fired BBs. He brought out the big guns.
He threw everything he had at Joshua Clottey. But it became clear nothing the Filipino superstar did was going to bring the challenger out of his shell.
That will be one of the enduring images of Pacquiao's lopsided win Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium: Clottey, standing totem-pole straight, gloves held tight to his face in a leather shield, reluctant to engage.
The champ, eager to impress, firing at will at a willing target but unwilling foe.
“I felt I was in control after the first round,” Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) said. “But it was not an easy fight.”
His face was evidence of that. When Clottey did throw, he did some damage: Pacquiao showed up at the postfight news conference wearing dark sunglasses in an effort to hide bruised and swollen eyes.
His ego may have taken the biggest beating.
The would-be Congressman from the Philippines won by landslide on the scorecards — two judges gave Clottey the third round; other than that, Pacquiao pitched a shutout — but he couldn't close the show.
“He fought a very defensive fight,” Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said of Clottey. “When a guy does that, it's very hard to knock him out.”
In other words, Clottey (35-4, 21 KOs) was just trying to survive, hoping to avoid becoming another statistic for Pacquiao while at the same time keeping his own streak intact of never having been knocked out.
The problem, Clottey said, was Pacquiao's speed.
“It was difficult for me to handle that,” Clottey said. “I did what I could do.”
The punch stats were telling. Pacquiao threw a whopping 1,231 punches, but landed at just a 20 percent rate (246). Clottey threw just 399 punches, landing 108.
Pacquiao reportedly will earn $12 million plus a share of the pay-per-view; Clottey $1.25 million-plus.
Pacquiao was supposed to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., but negotiations stalled because of a dispute over blood-testing.
“I want that fight, the world wants that fight, but it's up to him,” Pacquiao said. “I'm happy to have the support of the fans.”
The biggest winner Saturday may have been the venue. The first boxing event at Cowboys Stadium drew 50,994 fans, the largest boxing crowd in the United States in 17 years and third-largest ever.
No. 1 was Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks II on Sept. 15, 1978 at the New Orleans Superdome (63,350).
No. 2 was Julio Cesar Chavez-Pernell Whitaker on Sept. 10, 1993 at the Alamodome (52,730).
Source: mysanantonio.com
Pacquiao marches on as boxing’s true superstar -- NBC Sports
By TIM DAHLBERG, Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Texas - The fight was long over and most of the biggest crowd to see a fight in the U.S. in 17 years had found their way out of massive Cowboys Stadium. Manny Pacquiao was in the shower, where one member of his entourage surely was in charge of selecting his shampoo while another had the task of making sure the towels were just right.
Pacquiao had easily disposed of a timid Joshua Clottey, and now he had a concert to perform. He finally emerged in an argyle sweater that would have looked better on the golf course and sunglasses more suited for the beach, with the entourage swelling about him, each jockeying for position in case he could be the lucky one chosen to fluff Pacman's rice for him.
There was only a few minutes to talk about Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his run for congress in the Philippines in May. The postfight party awaited, and once more the star was ready to perform.
"The first song I'm going to sing is `La Bamba,"' Pacquiao said.
It's a good time to be Manny Pacquiao, and Texas proved to be a good host to the hottest fighter around. Nearly 51,000 made their way into the edifice built by Jerry Jones to watch him fight Saturday night and few seemed to leave disappointed, even if Clottey's reluctance to mix it up deprived them of a spectacular fight.
The win was about as easy as they come, with Pacquiao capturing every round on one judge's scorecard and all but one on the other two. By the time they count all the pay-per-view receipts he'll probably head home at least $15 million richer, and he didn't have to put up with Mayweather's antics to make another huge payday.
The fight that never was may still happen, perhaps in November, perhaps at Cowboys Stadium. Pacquiao made it clear he still wants it, and both his trainer and promoter seem to want it even more badly than the fighter himself.
"We will crush him," trainer Freddie Roach said.
It wasn't an idle boast, and it wasn't a way to hype the fight because it doesn't need hyping. Before it fell apart over Mayweather's insistence on blood testing, the bout was supposed to have taken place Saturday night and likely would have been the richest ever in boxing.
But Mayweather must first now get past a fight of his own, a May 1 bout against Shane Mosley that may be his toughest yet. And promoter Bob Arum made it clear that there will be no negotiations this time around about any sort of blood testing no matter how much Mayweather might try to raise the point.
"That was a stupid mistake I made by playing Neville Chamberlain and negotiating this issue," Arum said, drawing an analogy that only a boxing promoter could. "You don't negotiate. You don't appease. Chamberlain negotiated with Hitler on Munich and look what happened."
History lesson aside, there clearly isn't any need for Pacquiao's camp to bend on the issue. Any thought that Mayweather diminished his popularity when he insinuated Pacquiao must be juiced to have won titles from 112 to 147 pounds evaporated when they opened the doors at Cowboys Stadium and throngs of people poured in hours early for the party.
And a party was what it was, despite Clottey's attempt to preserve his boxing future by spending long stretches of time in the ring holding his gloves in a peek-a-boo style to avoid getting hit. Pacquiao did the best he could to force the issue, throwing punch after punch after punch — more than 1,200 in all — but if a fighter goes into the ring just to survive the odds are good he will do just that.
Someone who managed to get a microphone at the postfight press conference congratulated Clottey for making it through 12 rounds, and asked him what his secret for success was.
"Manny Pacquiao is beating everybody," Clottey said. "He's knocking them out. I have to do what I can and I think I did my best."
Arum didn't seem to mind that he had just paid someone $2 million to go into a shell. This was a party, after all, and the fight was secondary.
`What was he supposed to do?" Arum said. "If he played offense he'd get knocked out."
This was a freebie for Pacquiao, and one he had probably earned. It's hard to blame him for having an opponent just trying to stay upright, not after what he did to Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto in his previous three fights.
This, apparently, is what it has come to with Pacman. No longer just content to beat fighters he's now a 145 3/4 pounds of sheer intimidation, kind of a junior Mike Tyson who takes on his business with a smile instead of a scowl.
He's so good that a very good and veteran practicer of the sweet science decided that it was better to survive intact than go down in a blaze of glory. So good that there wouldn't be any question about his place on boxing's hierarchy if there wasn't this annoyance named Floyd Mayweather.
So good that the only worry in his camp is that he will actually win a seat in congress back home and not fight anymore.
"He's probably going to win the election," Arum said. "But that's all right because if their congress is anything like ours, they don't do anything anyway."
The glow of his latest win had even his tough guy trainer speaking fondly about the fighter he has helped transform a tough sport.
"I'm just happy to be a part of Manny Pacquiao's life," Roach said.
He's not alone. Just ask the guy lucky enough to be chosen to fluff his rice.
© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Source: nbcsports.msnbc.com
ARLINGTON, Texas - The fight was long over and most of the biggest crowd to see a fight in the U.S. in 17 years had found their way out of massive Cowboys Stadium. Manny Pacquiao was in the shower, where one member of his entourage surely was in charge of selecting his shampoo while another had the task of making sure the towels were just right.
Pacquiao had easily disposed of a timid Joshua Clottey, and now he had a concert to perform. He finally emerged in an argyle sweater that would have looked better on the golf course and sunglasses more suited for the beach, with the entourage swelling about him, each jockeying for position in case he could be the lucky one chosen to fluff Pacman's rice for him.
There was only a few minutes to talk about Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his run for congress in the Philippines in May. The postfight party awaited, and once more the star was ready to perform.
"The first song I'm going to sing is `La Bamba,"' Pacquiao said.
It's a good time to be Manny Pacquiao, and Texas proved to be a good host to the hottest fighter around. Nearly 51,000 made their way into the edifice built by Jerry Jones to watch him fight Saturday night and few seemed to leave disappointed, even if Clottey's reluctance to mix it up deprived them of a spectacular fight.
The win was about as easy as they come, with Pacquiao capturing every round on one judge's scorecard and all but one on the other two. By the time they count all the pay-per-view receipts he'll probably head home at least $15 million richer, and he didn't have to put up with Mayweather's antics to make another huge payday.
The fight that never was may still happen, perhaps in November, perhaps at Cowboys Stadium. Pacquiao made it clear he still wants it, and both his trainer and promoter seem to want it even more badly than the fighter himself.
"We will crush him," trainer Freddie Roach said.
It wasn't an idle boast, and it wasn't a way to hype the fight because it doesn't need hyping. Before it fell apart over Mayweather's insistence on blood testing, the bout was supposed to have taken place Saturday night and likely would have been the richest ever in boxing.
But Mayweather must first now get past a fight of his own, a May 1 bout against Shane Mosley that may be his toughest yet. And promoter Bob Arum made it clear that there will be no negotiations this time around about any sort of blood testing no matter how much Mayweather might try to raise the point.
"That was a stupid mistake I made by playing Neville Chamberlain and negotiating this issue," Arum said, drawing an analogy that only a boxing promoter could. "You don't negotiate. You don't appease. Chamberlain negotiated with Hitler on Munich and look what happened."
History lesson aside, there clearly isn't any need for Pacquiao's camp to bend on the issue. Any thought that Mayweather diminished his popularity when he insinuated Pacquiao must be juiced to have won titles from 112 to 147 pounds evaporated when they opened the doors at Cowboys Stadium and throngs of people poured in hours early for the party.
And a party was what it was, despite Clottey's attempt to preserve his boxing future by spending long stretches of time in the ring holding his gloves in a peek-a-boo style to avoid getting hit. Pacquiao did the best he could to force the issue, throwing punch after punch after punch — more than 1,200 in all — but if a fighter goes into the ring just to survive the odds are good he will do just that.
Someone who managed to get a microphone at the postfight press conference congratulated Clottey for making it through 12 rounds, and asked him what his secret for success was.
"Manny Pacquiao is beating everybody," Clottey said. "He's knocking them out. I have to do what I can and I think I did my best."
Arum didn't seem to mind that he had just paid someone $2 million to go into a shell. This was a party, after all, and the fight was secondary.
`What was he supposed to do?" Arum said. "If he played offense he'd get knocked out."
This was a freebie for Pacquiao, and one he had probably earned. It's hard to blame him for having an opponent just trying to stay upright, not after what he did to Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto in his previous three fights.
This, apparently, is what it has come to with Pacman. No longer just content to beat fighters he's now a 145 3/4 pounds of sheer intimidation, kind of a junior Mike Tyson who takes on his business with a smile instead of a scowl.
He's so good that a very good and veteran practicer of the sweet science decided that it was better to survive intact than go down in a blaze of glory. So good that there wouldn't be any question about his place on boxing's hierarchy if there wasn't this annoyance named Floyd Mayweather.
So good that the only worry in his camp is that he will actually win a seat in congress back home and not fight anymore.
"He's probably going to win the election," Arum said. "But that's all right because if their congress is anything like ours, they don't do anything anyway."
The glow of his latest win had even his tough guy trainer speaking fondly about the fighter he has helped transform a tough sport.
"I'm just happy to be a part of Manny Pacquiao's life," Roach said.
He's not alone. Just ask the guy lucky enough to be chosen to fluff his rice.
© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Source: nbcsports.msnbc.com
Manny Pacquiao beating Joshua Clottey step one to Mayweather-Pacquiao becoming reality -- Grand Rapids Press
By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press
Manny Pacquiao took care of business inside the ring, against the kind of defense they’d like to see more often in Cowboys Stadium, although business outside the ring clearly will remain an issue for the foreseeable future, particularly against the defensive negotiators representing Floyd Mayweather.
Next up, it’s Mayweather’s turn.
Pacquiao did his part to make sure the biggest potential fight in boxing still could go off later this year without a hitch, which is not to say without issues. Plenty of those remain, primarily -- but not exclusively -- related to Pacquiao’s squeamishness about having a tiny vial of blood drawn two weeks before a fight, and not much more than Joshua Clottey extracted from him during 12 rounds of semi-action Saturday night.
The Filipino took part in a huge event, with more than 50,000 people in suburban Dallas watching a show which usurped the fight.
Soon, perhaps Pacquiao and Mayweather will engage a fight as big as the show.
Mayweather will do precisely that in his May 1 showdown with Shane Mosley, which underscores a couple of things: One, his Plan B was much better than Pacquiao’s after their talks fell apart; two, he will enjoy a pay-per-view bonanza unlike anything Pacquiao-Clottey could have produced, which could alter negotiations dramatically if they return to the table later this spring.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are fighting the equivalent of a four-round undercard bout.
The first round, Pacquiao took care of by whitewashing Clottey in a distance fight that was dreadfully dull, although not because of Pacquiao, who threw an average of about 40 punches per minute in a futile effort to make an unwilling opponent fight.
The second round happens with this week’s release of the pay-per-view numbers.
The Mayweather-Mosley outcome -- the riskiest, by far, of the four segments -- followed by that fight’s pay-per-view sales, are the third and fourth rounds.
The problem remains not only blood testing -- Pacquiao made it clear after his victory that he wants Mayweather next and wants commission rules strictly abided, which is codespeak for not relenting on his anti-blood-testing stance -- but the negotiating divide that will occur if Mayweather wins.
Pacquiao-Clottey will be hard-pressed to hit seven figures in domestic pay-per-view sales. Something in the 750,000 range sounds realistic, though that’s strictly a guess. It would be a good number by most measures.
Yet Mayweather-Mosley could double that, or more, and if that happens and Mayweather wins, he already has said he won’t accept the same financial terms he agreed to in their original talks.
Pacquiao put himself in that position by racing to complete an alternate deal for March 13 when the Mayweather fight couldn’t be finalized for that date. Some of the timing had to do with his pursuit of a congressional seat in the Philippines, with the election in May, so he accepted Clottey -- a fighter known only in boxing circles, not general sports ones -- as his opponent, with the opportunity to appeal to a massive crowd in a football stadium.
The latter was achieved.
But Clottey spent virtually the whole fight in a defensive shell, punching just enough to produce some swelling and blood blisters around Pacquiao’s right eye, but not nearly enough to win. He seemed to come to Dallas to cash a paycheck and avoid a knockout. People shelling out $50 to watch from their living rooms could not have been pleased about seeing so many Ulysses S. Grants stuffed in a suitcase and headed for Ghana, and some of those buyers will make their displeasure known if forced to decide whether to pay for Pacquiao vs. Plan B anytime in the near future.
Truth is, there is no more Plan B for Pacquiao. Assuming Mayweather wins his upcoming fight, what else does Pacquiao do, if not fight him next?
More important, in a period when boxing pay-per-view performances have been on an upswing, largely because of these two men, what does the sport do?
E-mail David Mayo at dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
Manny Pacquiao took care of business inside the ring, against the kind of defense they’d like to see more often in Cowboys Stadium, although business outside the ring clearly will remain an issue for the foreseeable future, particularly against the defensive negotiators representing Floyd Mayweather.
Next up, it’s Mayweather’s turn.
Pacquiao did his part to make sure the biggest potential fight in boxing still could go off later this year without a hitch, which is not to say without issues. Plenty of those remain, primarily -- but not exclusively -- related to Pacquiao’s squeamishness about having a tiny vial of blood drawn two weeks before a fight, and not much more than Joshua Clottey extracted from him during 12 rounds of semi-action Saturday night.
The Filipino took part in a huge event, with more than 50,000 people in suburban Dallas watching a show which usurped the fight.
Soon, perhaps Pacquiao and Mayweather will engage a fight as big as the show.
Mayweather will do precisely that in his May 1 showdown with Shane Mosley, which underscores a couple of things: One, his Plan B was much better than Pacquiao’s after their talks fell apart; two, he will enjoy a pay-per-view bonanza unlike anything Pacquiao-Clottey could have produced, which could alter negotiations dramatically if they return to the table later this spring.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are fighting the equivalent of a four-round undercard bout.
The first round, Pacquiao took care of by whitewashing Clottey in a distance fight that was dreadfully dull, although not because of Pacquiao, who threw an average of about 40 punches per minute in a futile effort to make an unwilling opponent fight.
The second round happens with this week’s release of the pay-per-view numbers.
The Mayweather-Mosley outcome -- the riskiest, by far, of the four segments -- followed by that fight’s pay-per-view sales, are the third and fourth rounds.
The problem remains not only blood testing -- Pacquiao made it clear after his victory that he wants Mayweather next and wants commission rules strictly abided, which is codespeak for not relenting on his anti-blood-testing stance -- but the negotiating divide that will occur if Mayweather wins.
Pacquiao-Clottey will be hard-pressed to hit seven figures in domestic pay-per-view sales. Something in the 750,000 range sounds realistic, though that’s strictly a guess. It would be a good number by most measures.
Yet Mayweather-Mosley could double that, or more, and if that happens and Mayweather wins, he already has said he won’t accept the same financial terms he agreed to in their original talks.
Pacquiao put himself in that position by racing to complete an alternate deal for March 13 when the Mayweather fight couldn’t be finalized for that date. Some of the timing had to do with his pursuit of a congressional seat in the Philippines, with the election in May, so he accepted Clottey -- a fighter known only in boxing circles, not general sports ones -- as his opponent, with the opportunity to appeal to a massive crowd in a football stadium.
The latter was achieved.
But Clottey spent virtually the whole fight in a defensive shell, punching just enough to produce some swelling and blood blisters around Pacquiao’s right eye, but not nearly enough to win. He seemed to come to Dallas to cash a paycheck and avoid a knockout. People shelling out $50 to watch from their living rooms could not have been pleased about seeing so many Ulysses S. Grants stuffed in a suitcase and headed for Ghana, and some of those buyers will make their displeasure known if forced to decide whether to pay for Pacquiao vs. Plan B anytime in the near future.
Truth is, there is no more Plan B for Pacquiao. Assuming Mayweather wins his upcoming fight, what else does Pacquiao do, if not fight him next?
More important, in a period when boxing pay-per-view performances have been on an upswing, largely because of these two men, what does the sport do?
E-mail David Mayo at dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
Are Thai boxers being ignored? -- 8CountNews
By Kayla Lewis, 8CountNews
What country comes to mind when considering who produces the best boxers in Asia? Korea had their first world champion in Ki-Soo Kim and depending on your preference, also in In-Jin Chi. Fighting Harada came from the “Land of the Rising Sun” or Japan. Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos aren’t even ranked, while China has yet to have a world champion. The Philippines made Pancho Villa, Flash Elorde, Rex Navarette and of course, Manny Pacquiao. Indonesia has Chris John, who also deserves to be in the P4P rankings, but is continually under appreciated outside his homeland. Thailand’s fighters were Pone Kingpetch and in my opinion, one of the greatest in Khaosai Galaxy.
Khaosai Galaxy retired with a record of 49 wins, 1 loss with 43 knockouts. The power this man possessed at such a low weight division had many referring to him as the “Thai Tyson”. He was the WBA Super Flyweight Champion for seven years from 1984 to 1991. He ended up defending his title a total of 19 times throughout his career. Galaxy was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999 and is listed as #19 on The Ring’s 100 greatest punchers of all time. In 1988, his twin brother Kaokor Galaxy won the WBA Bantamweight title, making the two the first twin brothers to ever capture world titles.
At this moment, Thailand only has 2 world champions in Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym and Oleydong Sithsamerchai. If you take a look at the P4P rankings of boxers from Thailand, by looking at their records, you may wonder why there is only a couple. To someone fairly new to boxing, a boxer with a 66-1 record and 64 KO’s may seem like Superman. On the other hand, from what I have observed, these kinds of records tend to be more padded than legit. In case you haven’t noticed, Thai boxing is a bit corrupt and lacks in the professionalism department. The sport there is more of a gambler’s game than a boxer’s fighting chance to be something.
Fighters from outside the country often travel to Thailand, hoping for a win, just to end up losing. Thai promoters and managers tend to keep their fighters within the country, often inflating their records, so when the time comes for the fighters to start being noticed, they are. That is how they “win” their money, rather than earning it. Promoters will keep all their fighters, with talent or without, in a single group. This results in major sanctioning bodies to overlook fighters from Thailand when it comes to title shots simply because they must not have the time to decipher who has what and who doesn’t. A prime example of one of the many issues with Thailand is top ranked Thai featherweight Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo was set to fight Guty Espadas Jr. in Mexico as an eliminator bout, for the winner to challenge Elio Rojas for his WBC Featherweight title. Behind the scenes, something must have gone down because Rojas vs. Espadas was then formed with Piriyapinyo out of the picture and never heard from again.
Through the bad and the ugly, Thailand does have a good side. The Galaxy brothers are evidence to that. Also, the fact that early in his career, Manny Pacquiao lost his WBC Flyweight title to Thai boxer Medgeon Singsurat is something to be noted. The point is, why don’t we see more Thai boxers as world champions or getting opportunities in the US? You can’t tell me that through the entire smokescreen hovering over the Thai boxing scene, that there isn’t a single fighter that rises above the rest. Isn’t it called something like seek and you shall find?
Maybe we don’t see many successful Thai boxers because they fail to take the journey outside their country in an attempt to upgrade their careers while continuing to downgrade in Thailand. Or maybe it is an unknown fear that Michael Buffer and Jimmy Lennon Jr. have of mispronunciating a Thai boxer’s name before a fight. Whatever it is, something’s gotta give.
The question is, will the boxing world begin to take heed to the possibilities of Thailand having a great champion in its midst? Or will we continue to act as if boxing in this country doesn’t exist and is just a mere figment of our imagination?
Source: 8countnews.com
What country comes to mind when considering who produces the best boxers in Asia? Korea had their first world champion in Ki-Soo Kim and depending on your preference, also in In-Jin Chi. Fighting Harada came from the “Land of the Rising Sun” or Japan. Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos aren’t even ranked, while China has yet to have a world champion. The Philippines made Pancho Villa, Flash Elorde, Rex Navarette and of course, Manny Pacquiao. Indonesia has Chris John, who also deserves to be in the P4P rankings, but is continually under appreciated outside his homeland. Thailand’s fighters were Pone Kingpetch and in my opinion, one of the greatest in Khaosai Galaxy.
Khaosai Galaxy retired with a record of 49 wins, 1 loss with 43 knockouts. The power this man possessed at such a low weight division had many referring to him as the “Thai Tyson”. He was the WBA Super Flyweight Champion for seven years from 1984 to 1991. He ended up defending his title a total of 19 times throughout his career. Galaxy was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999 and is listed as #19 on The Ring’s 100 greatest punchers of all time. In 1988, his twin brother Kaokor Galaxy won the WBA Bantamweight title, making the two the first twin brothers to ever capture world titles.
At this moment, Thailand only has 2 world champions in Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym and Oleydong Sithsamerchai. If you take a look at the P4P rankings of boxers from Thailand, by looking at their records, you may wonder why there is only a couple. To someone fairly new to boxing, a boxer with a 66-1 record and 64 KO’s may seem like Superman. On the other hand, from what I have observed, these kinds of records tend to be more padded than legit. In case you haven’t noticed, Thai boxing is a bit corrupt and lacks in the professionalism department. The sport there is more of a gambler’s game than a boxer’s fighting chance to be something.
Fighters from outside the country often travel to Thailand, hoping for a win, just to end up losing. Thai promoters and managers tend to keep their fighters within the country, often inflating their records, so when the time comes for the fighters to start being noticed, they are. That is how they “win” their money, rather than earning it. Promoters will keep all their fighters, with talent or without, in a single group. This results in major sanctioning bodies to overlook fighters from Thailand when it comes to title shots simply because they must not have the time to decipher who has what and who doesn’t. A prime example of one of the many issues with Thailand is top ranked Thai featherweight Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo was set to fight Guty Espadas Jr. in Mexico as an eliminator bout, for the winner to challenge Elio Rojas for his WBC Featherweight title. Behind the scenes, something must have gone down because Rojas vs. Espadas was then formed with Piriyapinyo out of the picture and never heard from again.
Through the bad and the ugly, Thailand does have a good side. The Galaxy brothers are evidence to that. Also, the fact that early in his career, Manny Pacquiao lost his WBC Flyweight title to Thai boxer Medgeon Singsurat is something to be noted. The point is, why don’t we see more Thai boxers as world champions or getting opportunities in the US? You can’t tell me that through the entire smokescreen hovering over the Thai boxing scene, that there isn’t a single fighter that rises above the rest. Isn’t it called something like seek and you shall find?
Maybe we don’t see many successful Thai boxers because they fail to take the journey outside their country in an attempt to upgrade their careers while continuing to downgrade in Thailand. Or maybe it is an unknown fear that Michael Buffer and Jimmy Lennon Jr. have of mispronunciating a Thai boxer’s name before a fight. Whatever it is, something’s gotta give.
The question is, will the boxing world begin to take heed to the possibilities of Thailand having a great champion in its midst? Or will we continue to act as if boxing in this country doesn’t exist and is just a mere figment of our imagination?
Source: 8countnews.com
The morning after: Boxing minds weigh in on Pacquiao’s performance and his future -- The Examiner
By Chris Robinson, Examiner.com
Last night at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Manny Pacquiao delivered a thoroughly convincing performance in decisioning Joshua Clottey over twelve lopsided rounds. With the win Pacquiao successfully defended his WBO Welterweight belt while moving his record to 51-3-2 with 38 knockouts as well as keeping the possibility of a huge showdown with Floyd Mayweather alive.
Pacquiao wasn’t able to dispatch Clottey in the emphatic fashion in which he did Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, or Miguel Cotto but he did just about everything that could be expected from his end. Pacquiao’s non-stop attack saw him land 246 out of 1231 punches while showing an improved attack to the body. Clottey never had an answer and seem resigned to the fact that his only victory would be a moral one in lasting the full twelve rounds.
As is the case with any big event in the sport, people in boxing circles were watching last night’s developments with a curious eye. Following Pacquiao’s win the talk revolved around his performance in the ring as well as what he is exact future holds. Tommy Rainone, a Welterweight prospect out of New York, knew what he was getting with a Pacquiao-Clottey fight well ahead of time.
“Pac fought just how I thought he would fight,” Rainone claims. “He threw over 1200 punches and stayed very busy. Freddie Roach is the best trainer in the business and they tried to implement a couple of statagies that no one had tried on Clottey. Pac managed to go hard to his body and was able to force him on his heels and back him up. This was definitely something they worked on in sparring but Clottey is still too big and durable to get rid of. What stood out to me is the variety of ways he tried to fight Clottey. He switched gears on him all night and put on a real workmanlike performance.”
Aaron Skinner, a correspondent for 8 Count News, feels that last night wasn’t about what Pacquiao did as much as what Clottey didn’t do. While being impressed with certain elements of Pacquiao’s attack the Key West native can’t shake the feeling that Clottey simply could have done more.
“It was a one-sided fight,” Skinner notes. “If Clottey would have let his hands go it would have been interesting. When he threw he was landing but when he wasn’t he was just eating punches. It could have been compelling. I was impressed that Pacquiao kept his speed at 147 pounds and he hasn’t had a work rate like that at any weight.”
411 Mania Correspondent Ryan Bates, based out of Las Vegas, used to work for Top Rank and has assisted on various Pacquiao events in the past. Bates has seen first how impressive the Filipino has been in the past yet was still taken back by last night's display.
"It was a good performance, a great one really," Bates says. "I wouldn't say it was his best performance, that was probably against Ricky Hatton. Against Hatton he left no doubt and there was nothing that could have changed the outcome of that fight. The only thing Clottey will be able to say after last night was that he was one of the few men to last the full twelve rounds with Pacquiao."
Boxing Scene columnist Ryan Songalia feels that while nobody will remember Pacquiao for having a sensational performance last night, it was obvious that he struck some type of fear into his African opponent. Elaborating further, Songalia reminisces of another champion from years’ past.
“One measure of a fighter's greatness is the amount of fear he instills in the competition,” Songalia points out. “Last night was no great fight but it added another note to the Pacquiao legend. It reminds me of when Marvin Hagler was a champion and he couldn’t get anybody to fight him. No matter how much money someone was going to make they simply didn’t want any part of him in the ring.”
Side El Harrak, an East London native and Welterweight prospect, recently relocated from Las Vegas to Texas and still has kept a close eye on the sport. Heading into last night’s contest Harrack was very high on Clottey yet came away with a completely different impression of him after his showing.
“It’s hard to judge Pacquiao’s performance,” Harrak feels. “Anyone can look good against a moving punching bag. I’m not a fan of many fighters but I was of Clottey. I though he was underrated and never got the credit he deserved. After the performance tonight I can’t defend the man anymore. Fighters today fight with no pride. I’d rather swallow my blood than swallow my pride.”
Taking things to a different level, Harrack continues to vent on his frustrations towards Clottey. When looking back on Clottey’s recent performances Harrack feels that there very well could be much more going on behind closed doors than people realize.
“Bob Arum knew what he was doing by putting Clottey in with Pacquiao,” Harrack states. “I don’t know if Clottey is being paid off or what. He controlled the first four rounds easily against Margarito and all of sudden backs off. Tony wins and goes on to a mega fight with Cotto. Clottey fights Cotto and has a dead man in front of him but lets him off the hook the last three rounds. Cotto then goes on to a mega fight with Pacquiao. Now Clottey fights Pacquiao and he didn’t do a damn thing and it looks like Manny will go on to face Mayweather. People in the suits that have never laced up a pair of gloves in their life are the downfall to this beautiful sport.”
It’s obvious that last night’s main event elicited different reactions from people watching as some are pointing to Pacquiao’s greatness while others are blaming Clottey’s lack of desire. When looking at what the champion’s future holds, the views also seem to differ. Rainone personally feels that last night showed how much draw Pacquiao has and that no matter whom he fights, people will be watching.
“Pac is a huge PPV and live gate draw,” Rainone claims. “There were 51,000 fans at the fight and they were not there to see Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao is going to do huge numbers regardless of who he fights and even bigger numbers against the big names in and around his weight class. There is the Mayweather-Mosley winner but even if that doesn’t come to fruition Pac has plenty of options like fights with Andre Berto, Timothy Bradley, which I would love to see, and the Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi winner.”
Darrell Jones, an undefeated Welterweight fighting out of Philadelphia, also feels that fights with Berto and Khan, and even a matchup with Cory Spinks, who he claims would give Pacquiao angles, would all be interesting affairs. Harrack seems to believe that if Pacquiao were to ever indeed fight Mayweather it would be the fight everyone would ‘want to see’ and that Floyd would emerge victorious because he is a beast, and a true fighter, as he claims.
In closing Skinner feels that no matter what happens Pacquiao should be able to find someone in or around his division to due battle with. Even if it isn’t the fight we all immediately want, there are willing combatants between 140 and 154 pounds.
“Everyone would love to see him fight Mayweather or Mosley but even after that he had a few decent fights. A third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez would be decent. He could also fight Bradley at 140 or even Alexander, who just beat Juan Urango. That would be a great fight. Another possibility might be going up to 154 to fight Yuri Foreman if he beats Miguel Cotto this summer.”
Source: examiner.com
Last night at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Manny Pacquiao delivered a thoroughly convincing performance in decisioning Joshua Clottey over twelve lopsided rounds. With the win Pacquiao successfully defended his WBO Welterweight belt while moving his record to 51-3-2 with 38 knockouts as well as keeping the possibility of a huge showdown with Floyd Mayweather alive.
Pacquiao wasn’t able to dispatch Clottey in the emphatic fashion in which he did Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, or Miguel Cotto but he did just about everything that could be expected from his end. Pacquiao’s non-stop attack saw him land 246 out of 1231 punches while showing an improved attack to the body. Clottey never had an answer and seem resigned to the fact that his only victory would be a moral one in lasting the full twelve rounds.
As is the case with any big event in the sport, people in boxing circles were watching last night’s developments with a curious eye. Following Pacquiao’s win the talk revolved around his performance in the ring as well as what he is exact future holds. Tommy Rainone, a Welterweight prospect out of New York, knew what he was getting with a Pacquiao-Clottey fight well ahead of time.
“Pac fought just how I thought he would fight,” Rainone claims. “He threw over 1200 punches and stayed very busy. Freddie Roach is the best trainer in the business and they tried to implement a couple of statagies that no one had tried on Clottey. Pac managed to go hard to his body and was able to force him on his heels and back him up. This was definitely something they worked on in sparring but Clottey is still too big and durable to get rid of. What stood out to me is the variety of ways he tried to fight Clottey. He switched gears on him all night and put on a real workmanlike performance.”
Aaron Skinner, a correspondent for 8 Count News, feels that last night wasn’t about what Pacquiao did as much as what Clottey didn’t do. While being impressed with certain elements of Pacquiao’s attack the Key West native can’t shake the feeling that Clottey simply could have done more.
“It was a one-sided fight,” Skinner notes. “If Clottey would have let his hands go it would have been interesting. When he threw he was landing but when he wasn’t he was just eating punches. It could have been compelling. I was impressed that Pacquiao kept his speed at 147 pounds and he hasn’t had a work rate like that at any weight.”
411 Mania Correspondent Ryan Bates, based out of Las Vegas, used to work for Top Rank and has assisted on various Pacquiao events in the past. Bates has seen first how impressive the Filipino has been in the past yet was still taken back by last night's display.
"It was a good performance, a great one really," Bates says. "I wouldn't say it was his best performance, that was probably against Ricky Hatton. Against Hatton he left no doubt and there was nothing that could have changed the outcome of that fight. The only thing Clottey will be able to say after last night was that he was one of the few men to last the full twelve rounds with Pacquiao."
Boxing Scene columnist Ryan Songalia feels that while nobody will remember Pacquiao for having a sensational performance last night, it was obvious that he struck some type of fear into his African opponent. Elaborating further, Songalia reminisces of another champion from years’ past.
“One measure of a fighter's greatness is the amount of fear he instills in the competition,” Songalia points out. “Last night was no great fight but it added another note to the Pacquiao legend. It reminds me of when Marvin Hagler was a champion and he couldn’t get anybody to fight him. No matter how much money someone was going to make they simply didn’t want any part of him in the ring.”
Side El Harrak, an East London native and Welterweight prospect, recently relocated from Las Vegas to Texas and still has kept a close eye on the sport. Heading into last night’s contest Harrack was very high on Clottey yet came away with a completely different impression of him after his showing.
“It’s hard to judge Pacquiao’s performance,” Harrak feels. “Anyone can look good against a moving punching bag. I’m not a fan of many fighters but I was of Clottey. I though he was underrated and never got the credit he deserved. After the performance tonight I can’t defend the man anymore. Fighters today fight with no pride. I’d rather swallow my blood than swallow my pride.”
Taking things to a different level, Harrack continues to vent on his frustrations towards Clottey. When looking back on Clottey’s recent performances Harrack feels that there very well could be much more going on behind closed doors than people realize.
“Bob Arum knew what he was doing by putting Clottey in with Pacquiao,” Harrack states. “I don’t know if Clottey is being paid off or what. He controlled the first four rounds easily against Margarito and all of sudden backs off. Tony wins and goes on to a mega fight with Cotto. Clottey fights Cotto and has a dead man in front of him but lets him off the hook the last three rounds. Cotto then goes on to a mega fight with Pacquiao. Now Clottey fights Pacquiao and he didn’t do a damn thing and it looks like Manny will go on to face Mayweather. People in the suits that have never laced up a pair of gloves in their life are the downfall to this beautiful sport.”
It’s obvious that last night’s main event elicited different reactions from people watching as some are pointing to Pacquiao’s greatness while others are blaming Clottey’s lack of desire. When looking at what the champion’s future holds, the views also seem to differ. Rainone personally feels that last night showed how much draw Pacquiao has and that no matter whom he fights, people will be watching.
“Pac is a huge PPV and live gate draw,” Rainone claims. “There were 51,000 fans at the fight and they were not there to see Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao is going to do huge numbers regardless of who he fights and even bigger numbers against the big names in and around his weight class. There is the Mayweather-Mosley winner but even if that doesn’t come to fruition Pac has plenty of options like fights with Andre Berto, Timothy Bradley, which I would love to see, and the Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi winner.”
Darrell Jones, an undefeated Welterweight fighting out of Philadelphia, also feels that fights with Berto and Khan, and even a matchup with Cory Spinks, who he claims would give Pacquiao angles, would all be interesting affairs. Harrack seems to believe that if Pacquiao were to ever indeed fight Mayweather it would be the fight everyone would ‘want to see’ and that Floyd would emerge victorious because he is a beast, and a true fighter, as he claims.
In closing Skinner feels that no matter what happens Pacquiao should be able to find someone in or around his division to due battle with. Even if it isn’t the fight we all immediately want, there are willing combatants between 140 and 154 pounds.
“Everyone would love to see him fight Mayweather or Mosley but even after that he had a few decent fights. A third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez would be decent. He could also fight Bradley at 140 or even Alexander, who just beat Juan Urango. That would be a great fight. Another possibility might be going up to 154 to fight Yuri Foreman if he beats Miguel Cotto this summer.”
Source: examiner.com
Pacquiao’s Focus Turns From Boxing to Politics -- New York Times
By GREG BISHOP, New York Times
ARLINGTON, Tex. — The future of Manny Pacquiao — in politics, in boxing, in acting, singing or whatever whim he pursues next — remains clouded. Even his proposed megafight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. stands on shaky footing, far from reality despite worldwide intrigue.
After successfully defending his welterweight championship on Saturday with a unanimous decision over Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao made clear that he would fight again. He left the when and the who unanswered, then departed the stadium to open another concert with “La Bamba.”
“After Saturday, I will focus on just politics,” Pacquiao had said earlier in the week, during a rare quiet moment alone inside the Cowboys’ sports palace. “It’s like a boxing match. You have to train hard and prepare for battle.”
Soon, Pacquiao, 31, will return to the Philippines and begin his second political campaign, this time for a congressional seat and the right to represent about 400,000 people. He insisted that surveys showed him ahead, but even members of his entourage pronounced his chances as no better than 50-50. More likely, Pacquiao will be a long shot.
The campaigning begins in earnest March 26 for the May election. Pacquiao’s platform centers on what he lacked while growing up in poverty: health care, education, employment. Not exactly the typical agenda of a man who makes his living disfiguring the faces of opponents.
“I want to help the people,” is his stock answer regarding his political ambitions.
Pacquiao’s previous political campaign, in 2007, was thrown together in a month. He alluded to advisers’ stealing the campaign money he doled out. He fought the prevalence of old-money politics and the perception that political victory would mean the end of his boxing career, perhaps his nation’s greatest source of pride.
This time, Pacquiao started planning two years before the election. He built a better team. Everything about this campaign, Pacquiao said, is different from the first. He hopes the result will be different, too.
All week, his promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank Boxing, tried to dispel the notion that politics would interfere with Pacquiao’s boxing career. Arum did this by telling versions of the same joke.
He noted how crime stops in the Philippines during Pacquiao’s fights, if only for a few hours, how the gangsters and the government call a truce, how dozens of politicians travel with Pacquiao to each bout, fighting to stand next to him in the ring.
“He would do the same amount of work as our U.S. congressmen,” Arum kept repeating. “Next to nothing. So he’d have plenty of time to train and prepare for fights.”
But politics presents only one hurdle. In his career, Pacquiao has fought 56 times, or five fewer bouts than Muhammad Ali. In those fights, Pacquiao has boxed 317 rounds, and he need look no further than his own corner, where his trainer, Freddie Roach, has Parkinson’s disease, to see the effects of repeated pounding.
Last week, Roach floated the idea that Pacquiao could retire after Saturday. Pressed for clarification, Roach said that with the way Pacquiao trains, he could box for three more years, up to six times.
But they will move forward with caution, aware of the toll already taken.
Team Pacquiao bubbled with excitement after the Clottey fight. The bout drew nearly 51,000 people to the stadium, despite Clottey’s lack of name recognition. Roach and Arum said they envisioned holding more fights here, perhaps pitting Pacquiao in a rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez.
“But the disappointment of the public is what we’re concerned with,” Roach said. “We want to give the public what they want.”
With seven titles won in seven weight classes, Pacquiao is running out of history to make, fighters to dominate and points to prove. In his last two fights, he easily dispatched two top welterweight contenders: Miguel Cotto and Clottey.
Roach worries about the public backlash against another fight involving anyone other than Mayweather. He worries that Pacquiao and Mayweather will fight when “they’re like 50 years old,” long after interest and their skills wane — like the past-their-prime pugilists Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins, Roach said, shrugging his shoulders and rolling his eyes.
Negotiations with Mayweather will not resume until after he fights Shane Mosley on May 1 in Las Vegas. Even then, neither side appears ready to budge. Mayweather’s camp continues to insist on blood testing for performance-enhancing drugs. Pacquiao’s camp continues with its defamation lawsuit over the implication that Pacquiao is a doper.
“Manny, the accusations, why can’t they just say he’s a good fighter?” Roach said. “These guys, they’re ruining their own sport. They should think before they speak. But they seem incapable of that.”
Of course, the reverse also applies. Pacquiao could simply agree to Mayweather’s demands for drug testing and end the rumors and innuendo. But the fighters appear past that point. Roach said the usually low-key Pacquiao “despises” Mayweather, that Pacquiao makes fun of Mayweather, imitating him during sparring.
Money has a way of resolving disputes like these, particularly in boxing. But not always. The real possibility remains that Pacquiao and Mayweather will leave about $70 million (a conservative estimate) on the table, a bad move for boxing all the way around.
“I don’t need Floyd Mayweather,” Pacquiao said. “What I have achieved in boxing is good enough for me. People know that by comparing my achievements to his achievements.”
Still, as Pacquiao turns his attention back to politics, the Mayweather negotiations will hover over the rest of his boxing career. The same is true for Mayweather, even as he prepares to fight Mosley.
For this matter cannot be settled in civil court, nor the court of public opinion. It must be settled, whether Pacquiao wins his seat in the Philippine Congress or not, inside the ring.
Source: nytimes.com
After successfully defending his welterweight championship on Saturday with a unanimous decision over Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao made clear that he would fight again. He left the when and the who unanswered, then departed the stadium to open another concert with “La Bamba.”
“After Saturday, I will focus on just politics,” Pacquiao had said earlier in the week, during a rare quiet moment alone inside the Cowboys’ sports palace. “It’s like a boxing match. You have to train hard and prepare for battle.”
Soon, Pacquiao, 31, will return to the Philippines and begin his second political campaign, this time for a congressional seat and the right to represent about 400,000 people. He insisted that surveys showed him ahead, but even members of his entourage pronounced his chances as no better than 50-50. More likely, Pacquiao will be a long shot.
The campaigning begins in earnest March 26 for the May election. Pacquiao’s platform centers on what he lacked while growing up in poverty: health care, education, employment. Not exactly the typical agenda of a man who makes his living disfiguring the faces of opponents.
“I want to help the people,” is his stock answer regarding his political ambitions.
Pacquiao’s previous political campaign, in 2007, was thrown together in a month. He alluded to advisers’ stealing the campaign money he doled out. He fought the prevalence of old-money politics and the perception that political victory would mean the end of his boxing career, perhaps his nation’s greatest source of pride.
This time, Pacquiao started planning two years before the election. He built a better team. Everything about this campaign, Pacquiao said, is different from the first. He hopes the result will be different, too.
All week, his promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank Boxing, tried to dispel the notion that politics would interfere with Pacquiao’s boxing career. Arum did this by telling versions of the same joke.
He noted how crime stops in the Philippines during Pacquiao’s fights, if only for a few hours, how the gangsters and the government call a truce, how dozens of politicians travel with Pacquiao to each bout, fighting to stand next to him in the ring.
“He would do the same amount of work as our U.S. congressmen,” Arum kept repeating. “Next to nothing. So he’d have plenty of time to train and prepare for fights.”
But politics presents only one hurdle. In his career, Pacquiao has fought 56 times, or five fewer bouts than Muhammad Ali. In those fights, Pacquiao has boxed 317 rounds, and he need look no further than his own corner, where his trainer, Freddie Roach, has Parkinson’s disease, to see the effects of repeated pounding.
Last week, Roach floated the idea that Pacquiao could retire after Saturday. Pressed for clarification, Roach said that with the way Pacquiao trains, he could box for three more years, up to six times.
But they will move forward with caution, aware of the toll already taken.
Team Pacquiao bubbled with excitement after the Clottey fight. The bout drew nearly 51,000 people to the stadium, despite Clottey’s lack of name recognition. Roach and Arum said they envisioned holding more fights here, perhaps pitting Pacquiao in a rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez.
“But the disappointment of the public is what we’re concerned with,” Roach said. “We want to give the public what they want.”
With seven titles won in seven weight classes, Pacquiao is running out of history to make, fighters to dominate and points to prove. In his last two fights, he easily dispatched two top welterweight contenders: Miguel Cotto and Clottey.
Roach worries about the public backlash against another fight involving anyone other than Mayweather. He worries that Pacquiao and Mayweather will fight when “they’re like 50 years old,” long after interest and their skills wane — like the past-their-prime pugilists Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins, Roach said, shrugging his shoulders and rolling his eyes.
Negotiations with Mayweather will not resume until after he fights Shane Mosley on May 1 in Las Vegas. Even then, neither side appears ready to budge. Mayweather’s camp continues to insist on blood testing for performance-enhancing drugs. Pacquiao’s camp continues with its defamation lawsuit over the implication that Pacquiao is a doper.
“Manny, the accusations, why can’t they just say he’s a good fighter?” Roach said. “These guys, they’re ruining their own sport. They should think before they speak. But they seem incapable of that.”
Of course, the reverse also applies. Pacquiao could simply agree to Mayweather’s demands for drug testing and end the rumors and innuendo. But the fighters appear past that point. Roach said the usually low-key Pacquiao “despises” Mayweather, that Pacquiao makes fun of Mayweather, imitating him during sparring.
Money has a way of resolving disputes like these, particularly in boxing. But not always. The real possibility remains that Pacquiao and Mayweather will leave about $70 million (a conservative estimate) on the table, a bad move for boxing all the way around.
“I don’t need Floyd Mayweather,” Pacquiao said. “What I have achieved in boxing is good enough for me. People know that by comparing my achievements to his achievements.”
Still, as Pacquiao turns his attention back to politics, the Mayweather negotiations will hover over the rest of his boxing career. The same is true for Mayweather, even as he prepares to fight Mosley.
For this matter cannot be settled in civil court, nor the court of public opinion. It must be settled, whether Pacquiao wins his seat in the Philippine Congress or not, inside the ring.
Source: nytimes.com
Freddie Roach: Pacquiao beats up Floyd Mayweather, I'll thump Uncle Roger -- The Examiner
By Michael Marley, Examiner.com
ARLINGTON, TEXAS—While Manny Pacquiao let loose his battle cry for either Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Sugar Shane Mosley, Coach Freddie Roach was also in a most pugnacious mood after their one-sided and often monotonous victory over reluctant Joshua Clottey.
Pacman left no doubt that is ready, willing and more than able to accommodate either the creaking Mosley or the slick Money May as his next opponent. The Manny Pacquiao Barbershop—We Cut Heads—will be open for business after Pacman finishes his Congressional campaign in Sarangani Province on May 10, nine days after Mayweather and Mosley handle their personal business in Las Vegas.
Now Roach, still fuming at derogatory remarks made by Mayweather uncle, trainer and former world champion Roger about his boxing tutor, the Hall Of Fame trainer Eddie Futch, suggests that he may put a beating on the “Black Mamba.”
Roach had Futch widow, Eva, as his personal guest Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium. The lovely lady from Sweden has limited vision, it seems, and had a guide dog with her at the event attended by 51,000 lively fans in Jerry Jones glittering football playpen. Eva had been in Europe dealing with the recent death of a parent.
“Roger Mayweather is a no class gashole,” Roach told some intimates Saturday. “Roger talks like a scumbag and it burns me that he keeps making slimeball comments about Coach Futch, who is no longer around to defend himself.
“I think I will let Manny kick his nephew's ass and then I will beat up this bum, Roger. Roger has no class but then again none of the Mayweathers has any class.”
You know class, it rhymes with showing your a--, I mean showing your mule, your donkey, whatever.
Does anyone think a Mayweather-Pacquiao promotion won't be reminiscent of the Hatfields versus the McCoys?
(1).jpg)
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
ARLINGTON, TEXAS—While Manny Pacquiao let loose his battle cry for either Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Sugar Shane Mosley, Coach Freddie Roach was also in a most pugnacious mood after their one-sided and often monotonous victory over reluctant Joshua Clottey.
Pacman left no doubt that is ready, willing and more than able to accommodate either the creaking Mosley or the slick Money May as his next opponent. The Manny Pacquiao Barbershop—We Cut Heads—will be open for business after Pacman finishes his Congressional campaign in Sarangani Province on May 10, nine days after Mayweather and Mosley handle their personal business in Las Vegas.
Now Roach, still fuming at derogatory remarks made by Mayweather uncle, trainer and former world champion Roger about his boxing tutor, the Hall Of Fame trainer Eddie Futch, suggests that he may put a beating on the “Black Mamba.”
Roach had Futch widow, Eva, as his personal guest Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium. The lovely lady from Sweden has limited vision, it seems, and had a guide dog with her at the event attended by 51,000 lively fans in Jerry Jones glittering football playpen. Eva had been in Europe dealing with the recent death of a parent.
“Roger Mayweather is a no class gashole,” Roach told some intimates Saturday. “Roger talks like a scumbag and it burns me that he keeps making slimeball comments about Coach Futch, who is no longer around to defend himself.
“I think I will let Manny kick his nephew's ass and then I will beat up this bum, Roger. Roger has no class but then again none of the Mayweathers has any class.”
You know class, it rhymes with showing your a--, I mean showing your mule, your donkey, whatever.
Does anyone think a Mayweather-Pacquiao promotion won't be reminiscent of the Hatfields versus the McCoys?
(1).jpg)
Female boxer Melissa "Guard Your Grill" says Roger Mayweather put a chokehold on her, criminal case is pending in Las Vegas but won't interfere with Uncle Roger training L'il Floyd for May 1 Mosley bout
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
Pacquiao dominates Clottey -- New Zealand Herald
New Zealand Herald
ARLINGTON, Texas - Manny Pacquiao dominated a strangely passive Joshua Clottey from the opening bell to retain his WBO welterweight title yesterday.
With 50,994 fans - the biggest fight crowd in the US in 17 years - cheering him on at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao made sure the result was never in doubt.
One ringside judge gave Pacquiao every round, while the two others gave him all but one. The Associated Press gave every round to the Filipino.
It wasn't as flashy as his knockout of Ricky Hatton or as savage as the beating he gave Oscar De La Hoya, but there was no doubt Pacquiao was in command the entire way against Clottey, who kept his gloves up high in front of his face, rarely risking a flurry. The Ghanaian's strategy got him to the final bell, but he was never competitive in the biggest fight of his career.
"He's a very tough opponent," Pacquiao said. "He was looking for a big shot."
Pacquiao was supposed to have been fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. instead of Clottey, but the megafight between two claimants on the title of world's best pound-for-pound fighter fell apart over a dispute over blood testing.
"I want that fight, the world wants that fight, but it's up to him," Pacquiao said.
That time won't come soon. Mayweather is fighting Shane Mosley on May 1, and the earliest the two could get together would be in the fall and only if Mayweather backs off his demands for blood testing.
The fight this night was more of an event than a real competition, bringing in the biggest crowd in the US for a fight since Julio Cesar Chavez fought Pernell Whitaker at the Alamodome in 1993. It paid off handsomely for Pacquiao, though, who earned at least US$12 million.
Promoters not only sold out the 45,000 seats available for the bout, but added thousands more standing room passes for fans who could get a glimpse of the action and see every drop of sweat on the huge overhead screens.
"It's one of the most incredible stories not just in boxing but anywhere," promoter Bob Arum said. "Fourteen years ago he was sleeping in a cardboard shack in the Philippines and tonight he puts 51,000 people in this palace in Dallas."
The tone of the bout was set early, with Pacquiao advancing against his taller opponent and throwing punches with both hands from all angles. It was the same style that gave him spectacular wins in his past three fights and, though Clottey was clearly the bigger fighter, he rarely sought to use his reach advantage.
"Everything's working now," trainer Freddie Roach told Pacquiao after the third round. "It's easy."
Clottey's corner was urging him late in the fight to take some risks, but even in the final round when he needed a knockout to win, the Ghanaian only sparingly dropped his guard.
"You gotta take a chance," Clottey's trainer, Lenny DeJesus, implored him after the sixth round. "You're in a fight and you gotta start taking chances."
Clottey didn't, though, and his prize was that he was the first opponent in Pacquiao's past six fights to go the distance. The only suspense when it came time to announce the decision was whether the three ringside judges would give Clottey any of the rounds.
"He has speed, I lost the fight," Clottey said. "He's fast, that's why I was taking my time."
Pacquiao threw three times as many punches as Clottey, an average of 100 a round, and landed as many power shots as Clottey threw. Final punch stats showed Pacquiao landing 246 of 1,231 punches to 108 of 399 for Clottey.
Clottey had gotten the fight off a good performance in his last bout against Miguel Cotto, but he was clearly more concerned with surviving the all out assault that Pacquiao is noted for than winning the fight.
"Joshua Clottey had the power to knock him out but was reluctant to punch," DeJesus said. "We clearly got beat. I don't think he won a round."
Roach agreed, saying he saw nothing in Clottey to win.
"He had a good defence, but defence isn't enough to win a fight," Roach said.
- AP
Source: nzherald.co.nz
ARLINGTON, Texas - Manny Pacquiao dominated a strangely passive Joshua Clottey from the opening bell to retain his WBO welterweight title yesterday.
With 50,994 fans - the biggest fight crowd in the US in 17 years - cheering him on at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao made sure the result was never in doubt.
One ringside judge gave Pacquiao every round, while the two others gave him all but one. The Associated Press gave every round to the Filipino.
It wasn't as flashy as his knockout of Ricky Hatton or as savage as the beating he gave Oscar De La Hoya, but there was no doubt Pacquiao was in command the entire way against Clottey, who kept his gloves up high in front of his face, rarely risking a flurry. The Ghanaian's strategy got him to the final bell, but he was never competitive in the biggest fight of his career.
"He's a very tough opponent," Pacquiao said. "He was looking for a big shot."
Pacquiao was supposed to have been fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. instead of Clottey, but the megafight between two claimants on the title of world's best pound-for-pound fighter fell apart over a dispute over blood testing.
"I want that fight, the world wants that fight, but it's up to him," Pacquiao said.
That time won't come soon. Mayweather is fighting Shane Mosley on May 1, and the earliest the two could get together would be in the fall and only if Mayweather backs off his demands for blood testing.
The fight this night was more of an event than a real competition, bringing in the biggest crowd in the US for a fight since Julio Cesar Chavez fought Pernell Whitaker at the Alamodome in 1993. It paid off handsomely for Pacquiao, though, who earned at least US$12 million.
Promoters not only sold out the 45,000 seats available for the bout, but added thousands more standing room passes for fans who could get a glimpse of the action and see every drop of sweat on the huge overhead screens.
"It's one of the most incredible stories not just in boxing but anywhere," promoter Bob Arum said. "Fourteen years ago he was sleeping in a cardboard shack in the Philippines and tonight he puts 51,000 people in this palace in Dallas."
The tone of the bout was set early, with Pacquiao advancing against his taller opponent and throwing punches with both hands from all angles. It was the same style that gave him spectacular wins in his past three fights and, though Clottey was clearly the bigger fighter, he rarely sought to use his reach advantage.
"Everything's working now," trainer Freddie Roach told Pacquiao after the third round. "It's easy."
Clottey's corner was urging him late in the fight to take some risks, but even in the final round when he needed a knockout to win, the Ghanaian only sparingly dropped his guard.
"You gotta take a chance," Clottey's trainer, Lenny DeJesus, implored him after the sixth round. "You're in a fight and you gotta start taking chances."
Clottey didn't, though, and his prize was that he was the first opponent in Pacquiao's past six fights to go the distance. The only suspense when it came time to announce the decision was whether the three ringside judges would give Clottey any of the rounds.
"He has speed, I lost the fight," Clottey said. "He's fast, that's why I was taking my time."
Pacquiao threw three times as many punches as Clottey, an average of 100 a round, and landed as many power shots as Clottey threw. Final punch stats showed Pacquiao landing 246 of 1,231 punches to 108 of 399 for Clottey.
Clottey had gotten the fight off a good performance in his last bout against Miguel Cotto, but he was clearly more concerned with surviving the all out assault that Pacquiao is noted for than winning the fight.
"Joshua Clottey had the power to knock him out but was reluctant to punch," DeJesus said. "We clearly got beat. I don't think he won a round."
Roach agreed, saying he saw nothing in Clottey to win.
"He had a good defence, but defence isn't enough to win a fight," Roach said.
- AP
Source: nzherald.co.nz
Departing Dallas, with thoughts of water attractions and a splashy title bout -- Las Vegas Sun
By John Katsilometes, Las Vegas Sun
Each night you could hear the droning, this guttural whirr, followed by a light splashing of water. The sound of some sort of mechanical gearing or electronic trigger engaging, then a pause, then, “sploosh.”
It is the water attraction at the Gaylord Texan, which is in Dallas if you’re not from here and in Grapevine if you are. Texas. In a locale famous for presenting itself as larger than life, than all outdoors, even, this fountain is not. As I watched this manmade geyser spring skyward (or, roof-ward, as the hotel is covered in a glass-and-steel ceiling), I thought of how tourists to Las Vegas halt traffic on the Strip to gaze at the Bellagio water attraction.
You want a water show? That's a water show.
Comparisons between Sin City and Big D, trite nicknames out-of-towners use for these cities, abounded this week in Dallas. As Las Vegas sat ringside, the first professional championship fight was held at Cowboys Stadium. The fight was far less remarkable than the facility itself, as Manny Pacquiao threw something like 10,000 punches at the human cocoon that was challenger Joshua Clottey in a WBO welterweight title bout. Big deal. Any other result, even a Pacquiao knockout, would have been unexpected. Clottey came in determined to be upright at the final bell, and he was. Pacquiao pitched a shutout – a couple of judges gave him one round, but this result was like watching another vaunted lefty, Sandy Koufax, unspool a four-hitter.
But the stadium. Stunning. I keep saying it, keep writing it, but if Las Vegas wants to know what it’s up against when competing for title bouts (or any other major events, such as maybe the National Finals Rodeo), consider that the first fight crowd at the enclosed Death Star drew an announced crowd of 50,944.
Third-largest crowd ever to see a fight in the United States. Not bad for a show that, to apply Vegas parlance, was akin to the opening of previews.
And yet, the event did not seem that terribly enormous, either, as the Dandy Don big screen hanging 55 feet above the ring made the 110,000-capacity facility seem more like a big rec room than a stadium. The most fun seemed to be in the “Party Zone,” what Cowboys owner and Cowboys Stadium chief financier Jerry Jones coyly refers to what is commonly called “standing-room only.”
A few thousand tickets, at $35 apiece, went onsale on Friday. You could not get a clean view of the ring from the Party Zone, but it hardly mattered. You could see the Dandy Don. The Ghanan fans of Clottey took over one end of the Zone, chanting and bounding in an amoebic mob that joyfully engulfed many non-Ghanans in the Party Zone. One was Dallas resident Nicole Sterns, proprietor of a women’s accessories store, who said, “My first thought when I walked in here was, ‘This is an amusement park!’ ”
An amusement park, for adults. Sound familiar?
Certainly, the mystique of Vegas is untarnished no matter what events are drawn to Dallas – such figures as former Cowboy Michael Irvin and a young fight fan from Houston named Johnny Najara, agree on that. If Las Vegas continues to push itself as a topnotch resort destination where you need not drive or be bussed 30 minutes to the featured event, where more than 25,000 hotel rooms, a half-dozen major resorts and around-the-clock entertainment sit within a tight radius of the MGM Grand, we have no problem going toe-to-toe with Greater Dallas.
On the way out of the post-fight news conference this morning (it was well past midnight), I approached the stage where Jones was just wrapping up his night’s work. As he signed autographs I reached up to shake his hand and asked, “When are we going to see you in Vegas?” I had earlier remarked to Jones that he reminded me a lot of some of the gun-slinging pioneers who helped found Las Vegas.
“Soon enough, soon enough, I hope,” he said. “I love Las Vegas.” Then he smiled, looking like a man confident his hand beats your hand, every time.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.
Source: lasvegassun.com
It is the water attraction at the Gaylord Texan, which is in Dallas if you’re not from here and in Grapevine if you are. Texas. In a locale famous for presenting itself as larger than life, than all outdoors, even, this fountain is not. As I watched this manmade geyser spring skyward (or, roof-ward, as the hotel is covered in a glass-and-steel ceiling), I thought of how tourists to Las Vegas halt traffic on the Strip to gaze at the Bellagio water attraction.
You want a water show? That's a water show.
Comparisons between Sin City and Big D, trite nicknames out-of-towners use for these cities, abounded this week in Dallas. As Las Vegas sat ringside, the first professional championship fight was held at Cowboys Stadium. The fight was far less remarkable than the facility itself, as Manny Pacquiao threw something like 10,000 punches at the human cocoon that was challenger Joshua Clottey in a WBO welterweight title bout. Big deal. Any other result, even a Pacquiao knockout, would have been unexpected. Clottey came in determined to be upright at the final bell, and he was. Pacquiao pitched a shutout – a couple of judges gave him one round, but this result was like watching another vaunted lefty, Sandy Koufax, unspool a four-hitter.
But the stadium. Stunning. I keep saying it, keep writing it, but if Las Vegas wants to know what it’s up against when competing for title bouts (or any other major events, such as maybe the National Finals Rodeo), consider that the first fight crowd at the enclosed Death Star drew an announced crowd of 50,944.
Third-largest crowd ever to see a fight in the United States. Not bad for a show that, to apply Vegas parlance, was akin to the opening of previews.
And yet, the event did not seem that terribly enormous, either, as the Dandy Don big screen hanging 55 feet above the ring made the 110,000-capacity facility seem more like a big rec room than a stadium. The most fun seemed to be in the “Party Zone,” what Cowboys owner and Cowboys Stadium chief financier Jerry Jones coyly refers to what is commonly called “standing-room only.”
A few thousand tickets, at $35 apiece, went onsale on Friday. You could not get a clean view of the ring from the Party Zone, but it hardly mattered. You could see the Dandy Don. The Ghanan fans of Clottey took over one end of the Zone, chanting and bounding in an amoebic mob that joyfully engulfed many non-Ghanans in the Party Zone. One was Dallas resident Nicole Sterns, proprietor of a women’s accessories store, who said, “My first thought when I walked in here was, ‘This is an amusement park!’ ”
An amusement park, for adults. Sound familiar?
Certainly, the mystique of Vegas is untarnished no matter what events are drawn to Dallas – such figures as former Cowboy Michael Irvin and a young fight fan from Houston named Johnny Najara, agree on that. If Las Vegas continues to push itself as a topnotch resort destination where you need not drive or be bussed 30 minutes to the featured event, where more than 25,000 hotel rooms, a half-dozen major resorts and around-the-clock entertainment sit within a tight radius of the MGM Grand, we have no problem going toe-to-toe with Greater Dallas.
On the way out of the post-fight news conference this morning (it was well past midnight), I approached the stage where Jones was just wrapping up his night’s work. As he signed autographs I reached up to shake his hand and asked, “When are we going to see you in Vegas?” I had earlier remarked to Jones that he reminded me a lot of some of the gun-slinging pioneers who helped found Las Vegas.
“Soon enough, soon enough, I hope,” he said. “I love Las Vegas.” Then he smiled, looking like a man confident his hand beats your hand, every time.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.
Source: lasvegassun.com
Pacquiao vs. Clottey: thoughts the day after the fight -- The Examiner
By Paula Duffy, Examiner.com
Manny Paquiao almost pitched a perfect shutout except that two judges gave Joshua Clottey what the ring announcer called a "courtesy round".
It might have been one of the finest moments in the ring for the Filipino fighter. He won 34 out of 36 rounds on the scorecards of the three judges on Saturday night.
He never stopped presuming that his opponent would awake from what appeared to be a self-induced coma.
Pacquiao racked up points while throwing more than twice the ring average for punches by a welterweight and didn't suffer from fatigue or the emotional frustration level that HBO's Emanuel Steward kept telling us about.
Manny just fought as if he had an opponent who was interested in engaging with him or who had looked at film and formed a strategy that was unique to this particular contest.
He kept executing his own plan, formulated with his zen master, trainer Freddie Roach and must have wondered when Joshua Clottey would take the bait thrown at him by his own trainer, Lenny DeJesus.
As the fight wore on, DeJesus insisted his fighter take chances, even going so far as to tell him that he hadn't won a single round as the fight neared its conclusion.
The shaking of Clottey's head as he refused his corner's entreaties to fight and uncover his face said everything the audience needed to know. No, it said, I am not going to expose myself to him and allow him to beat me to a pulp.
Max Kellerman of HBO piped up periodically to tell his colleagues that they shouldn't have been surprised at Clottey's tactics or lack thereof. "Who did you expect?" asked Kellerman, "This is Clottey."
It wasn't until the eighth round of the scheduled 12 that it was clear to all, including Manny Pacquiao that the other man in the ring had given up.
That's when the already famous cries of "Bang, bang, bang" came out of the mouth of ring announcer Jim Lampley who punctuated a Pacquiao barrage that went unanswered by Clottey.
If Clottey had been fearful of the furious fists of Pacquio up to that point there was no reason for him to then allow the beating to begin after all hope was gone for him to win a decision.
DeJesus had been smug about his supposed insider knowledge of the Pacman, learned as he tells the story, from attending to Manny as a cut man in his corner. What he couldn't have expected was a fighter that seized up like a car engine that finally dies after too much mileage.
But Manny Pacquiao knows the value of every pay-per-view dollar. He knew we wanted a fight, a show and an entertaining evening. He gave it to us despite the unwillingness of his opponent to play nice.
The ring announcers took pains to say that for his troubles he took more punches and hard ones to the face than he had in his previous three or four fights combined. And he looked like it.
No one was wrong about the power of Clottey's punches. He could do damage but forfeited that potential to escape total annhilation.
He now becomes a joke rather than the mere disappointment he had been seen as after his inability to put away Miguel Cotto. Nonetheless, he'll be given the chance to fight again when he explains that anyone but Pacquiao will see the "real" Joshua Clottey.
Anyone want to bet on the purse for his next fight? Minuscule in comparison to Saturday night in Dallas, in front of the third largest boxing audience in history.
Now Clottey can return to Ghana and see his 11 year old daughter who he says he likes to keep away from his boxing profession. We all now know why.
Source: examiner.com
Manny Paquiao almost pitched a perfect shutout except that two judges gave Joshua Clottey what the ring announcer called a "courtesy round".
It might have been one of the finest moments in the ring for the Filipino fighter. He won 34 out of 36 rounds on the scorecards of the three judges on Saturday night.
He never stopped presuming that his opponent would awake from what appeared to be a self-induced coma.
Pacquiao racked up points while throwing more than twice the ring average for punches by a welterweight and didn't suffer from fatigue or the emotional frustration level that HBO's Emanuel Steward kept telling us about.
Manny just fought as if he had an opponent who was interested in engaging with him or who had looked at film and formed a strategy that was unique to this particular contest.
He kept executing his own plan, formulated with his zen master, trainer Freddie Roach and must have wondered when Joshua Clottey would take the bait thrown at him by his own trainer, Lenny DeJesus.
As the fight wore on, DeJesus insisted his fighter take chances, even going so far as to tell him that he hadn't won a single round as the fight neared its conclusion.
The shaking of Clottey's head as he refused his corner's entreaties to fight and uncover his face said everything the audience needed to know. No, it said, I am not going to expose myself to him and allow him to beat me to a pulp.
Max Kellerman of HBO piped up periodically to tell his colleagues that they shouldn't have been surprised at Clottey's tactics or lack thereof. "Who did you expect?" asked Kellerman, "This is Clottey."
It wasn't until the eighth round of the scheduled 12 that it was clear to all, including Manny Pacquiao that the other man in the ring had given up.
That's when the already famous cries of "Bang, bang, bang" came out of the mouth of ring announcer Jim Lampley who punctuated a Pacquiao barrage that went unanswered by Clottey.
If Clottey had been fearful of the furious fists of Pacquio up to that point there was no reason for him to then allow the beating to begin after all hope was gone for him to win a decision.
DeJesus had been smug about his supposed insider knowledge of the Pacman, learned as he tells the story, from attending to Manny as a cut man in his corner. What he couldn't have expected was a fighter that seized up like a car engine that finally dies after too much mileage.
But Manny Pacquiao knows the value of every pay-per-view dollar. He knew we wanted a fight, a show and an entertaining evening. He gave it to us despite the unwillingness of his opponent to play nice.
The ring announcers took pains to say that for his troubles he took more punches and hard ones to the face than he had in his previous three or four fights combined. And he looked like it.
No one was wrong about the power of Clottey's punches. He could do damage but forfeited that potential to escape total annhilation.
He now becomes a joke rather than the mere disappointment he had been seen as after his inability to put away Miguel Cotto. Nonetheless, he'll be given the chance to fight again when he explains that anyone but Pacquiao will see the "real" Joshua Clottey.
Anyone want to bet on the purse for his next fight? Minuscule in comparison to Saturday night in Dallas, in front of the third largest boxing audience in history.
Now Clottey can return to Ghana and see his 11 year old daughter who he says he likes to keep away from his boxing profession. We all now know why.
Source: examiner.com
Landslide: Manny Pacquiao crushes Floyd Mayweather -- The Examiner
By Michael Marley, Examiner.com
ARLINGTON, TEXAS—Election Day in Sarangani Province doesn't arrive until May 10 with the campaigning kicking off on March 26.
Me, if I can only qualify somehow with Comelec standards and regulations, I will be casting my Filipino presidential ballot for rags to riches business mogul Manny Villar. In fact, I've been wearing my orange colored “Tropang Villar” wristband now for two weeks already.
Vote, the White Gorilla's endorsed ticket all the way....let's send Villar to Malacanang and send Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao to a Congressional seat...and don't forget Pacman lawyer Franklin “Jeng” Gacal for Congress from General Santos City...I wonder what Pacquiao opponent Roy Chiongbian will do when Manny claps his head with the Three Stooges Double Punch Earmuffs technique which was on display here in Texas...
I am also voting for....
L'il Floyd Mayweather to confess now to the world that he cannot beat Pacquiao in the ring, at the box office or in terms of worldwide commercial success. Yes, he's fun devil we know, yes his superb skills are exquisite if boring but the vast majority of all fans prefer to see persistent punching and raw guts on display as opposed to, let's say, those continuous shoulder rolls. You Mayweather fans please let me know when he draws 20,000, let alone 50,000 plus, to a big stadium or ballpark. I won't hold my breath...
Pacquiao, now truly, a “Fighter for the Ages” in the superstar clouds alongside such other always value for money greats as Julio Cesar Chavez and Roberto Duran. He may only be a master sergeant in terms of his military rank back home but Manny is the world's best ring general, the best of his generation, and better than Floyd Mayweather because he puts on a much better show with better artillery...
For amiable and effusive Cowboys Stadium landlord Jerry Jones who told me on Saturday night, after 51,000 turned out in his football playpen to watch the Magic of Manny and the Shrinking Violet performance of gunshy Joshua Cklottey, that he is hungry now to bring Mayweather-Pacquiao to this sprawling Metroplex of Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington. Jones is able to communicate with the moody Mayweather through Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Jones is a persistent guy who refuses to take no for an answer. Jones said he thinks Floyd versus Manny could top his recent NBA All Star Game attendance here and that crowd figure was 108,000...
For the real disgust of the Clottey camp for his play it safe, cover up defense and refusal to try to score the huge upset. That Girl Scouts, I'm happy to be here Wednesday prefight presser did, as I wrote in a scathing manner with a Madam Auring air of authority, foreshadow the pacifistic performance, After the bout, Pac went off to his concert to sing “La Bamba.” Clottey should have gone to sing “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” or “It Takes Two To Tango.” He got paid $1.2 million here in place of a $35,000 effort against some nonentity. Trainer Lenny DeJesus was frank enough to admit his man won ZERO rounds although I awared him round three as did two of three judges...
For Pinoy crooner Arnel Pineda, for rendering the Filipino national anthem, in a brilliant way. This cat put his heart and soul into his heart and soul...
For the fight plan of Coach Freddie Roach in its simple strategy, knowing Clottey would employ his using my gloves as my protective headgear defense. Roach had Megamanny banging away repeatedly at Clottey's stomach. It was the kind of Mike “Bodysnatcher” McCallum or Chavez body pounding which the victim doesn't really feel the excruciating pain of until a day or two after the punishment is dished out...Clottey's peformance may have been the biggest "Cover Up" since Tricky Dick Nixon and the Watergate scandal...
For the funny guy who shouted out “Viagra” when someone asked Clottey “how he stayed erect” at the postfight press conference. OK, I will confess, the wisenheimer was me...
For big fight away from our Mothership, from the slot machines and 21 tables of Las Vegas. Boxing goes back to its homebase for Mosley-Mayweather on May 1 but it's refreshing to come to a receptive area such as Dallas or to Yankee Stadium on June 5 for the Yuri Foreman-Miguel Cotto title bout...
For Pacquiao's pride tempered by humility and for he embraces and is, in return, embraced by fans of all races, creeds and colors. Many high athletes push the public away but Megamanny pulls them towards himself...
For Clottey not running for any office as I don't think he could be elected as Dogcatcher in Ghana today. He could, like some politicans in the past, promise “a chicken in every pot” but the chicken would have his face. Most fighters come for victory, Clottey is content with survival...
See you all in Saragani where I will be landing soon. Prepare the balut and the beer...let's toast the world's best fighter and pray that he never turns into just another “trapo.”...
Finally, I hear Mayweather frequents a popular sushi joint in hometown Vegas. He always orders the same dish...
You got it, the shoulder rolls...
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
ARLINGTON, TEXAS—Election Day in Sarangani Province doesn't arrive until May 10 with the campaigning kicking off on March 26.
Me, if I can only qualify somehow with Comelec standards and regulations, I will be casting my Filipino presidential ballot for rags to riches business mogul Manny Villar. In fact, I've been wearing my orange colored “Tropang Villar” wristband now for two weeks already.
Vote, the White Gorilla's endorsed ticket all the way....let's send Villar to Malacanang and send Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao to a Congressional seat...and don't forget Pacman lawyer Franklin “Jeng” Gacal for Congress from General Santos City...I wonder what Pacquiao opponent Roy Chiongbian will do when Manny claps his head with the Three Stooges Double Punch Earmuffs technique which was on display here in Texas...
I am also voting for....
L'il Floyd Mayweather to confess now to the world that he cannot beat Pacquiao in the ring, at the box office or in terms of worldwide commercial success. Yes, he's fun devil we know, yes his superb skills are exquisite if boring but the vast majority of all fans prefer to see persistent punching and raw guts on display as opposed to, let's say, those continuous shoulder rolls. You Mayweather fans please let me know when he draws 20,000, let alone 50,000 plus, to a big stadium or ballpark. I won't hold my breath...
Pacquiao, now truly, a “Fighter for the Ages” in the superstar clouds alongside such other always value for money greats as Julio Cesar Chavez and Roberto Duran. He may only be a master sergeant in terms of his military rank back home but Manny is the world's best ring general, the best of his generation, and better than Floyd Mayweather because he puts on a much better show with better artillery...
For amiable and effusive Cowboys Stadium landlord Jerry Jones who told me on Saturday night, after 51,000 turned out in his football playpen to watch the Magic of Manny and the Shrinking Violet performance of gunshy Joshua Cklottey, that he is hungry now to bring Mayweather-Pacquiao to this sprawling Metroplex of Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington. Jones is able to communicate with the moody Mayweather through Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Jones is a persistent guy who refuses to take no for an answer. Jones said he thinks Floyd versus Manny could top his recent NBA All Star Game attendance here and that crowd figure was 108,000...
For the real disgust of the Clottey camp for his play it safe, cover up defense and refusal to try to score the huge upset. That Girl Scouts, I'm happy to be here Wednesday prefight presser did, as I wrote in a scathing manner with a Madam Auring air of authority, foreshadow the pacifistic performance, After the bout, Pac went off to his concert to sing “La Bamba.” Clottey should have gone to sing “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” or “It Takes Two To Tango.” He got paid $1.2 million here in place of a $35,000 effort against some nonentity. Trainer Lenny DeJesus was frank enough to admit his man won ZERO rounds although I awared him round three as did two of three judges...
For Pinoy crooner Arnel Pineda, for rendering the Filipino national anthem, in a brilliant way. This cat put his heart and soul into his heart and soul...
For the fight plan of Coach Freddie Roach in its simple strategy, knowing Clottey would employ his using my gloves as my protective headgear defense. Roach had Megamanny banging away repeatedly at Clottey's stomach. It was the kind of Mike “Bodysnatcher” McCallum or Chavez body pounding which the victim doesn't really feel the excruciating pain of until a day or two after the punishment is dished out...Clottey's peformance may have been the biggest "Cover Up" since Tricky Dick Nixon and the Watergate scandal...
For the funny guy who shouted out “Viagra” when someone asked Clottey “how he stayed erect” at the postfight press conference. OK, I will confess, the wisenheimer was me...
For big fight away from our Mothership, from the slot machines and 21 tables of Las Vegas. Boxing goes back to its homebase for Mosley-Mayweather on May 1 but it's refreshing to come to a receptive area such as Dallas or to Yankee Stadium on June 5 for the Yuri Foreman-Miguel Cotto title bout...
For Pacquiao's pride tempered by humility and for he embraces and is, in return, embraced by fans of all races, creeds and colors. Many high athletes push the public away but Megamanny pulls them towards himself...
For Clottey not running for any office as I don't think he could be elected as Dogcatcher in Ghana today. He could, like some politicans in the past, promise “a chicken in every pot” but the chicken would have his face. Most fighters come for victory, Clottey is content with survival...
See you all in Saragani where I will be landing soon. Prepare the balut and the beer...let's toast the world's best fighter and pray that he never turns into just another “trapo.”...
Finally, I hear Mayweather frequents a popular sushi joint in hometown Vegas. He always orders the same dish...
You got it, the shoulder rolls...
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Here Clottey have some earmuffs says Pacman with Three Stooges patented Double Punch move (J. Jacobson/Getty Images Photo)
Source: examiner.com
Insider secrets on Pacquiao's brilliant game plan -- The Examiner
By Ed Anderson, Examiner.com
If Manny Pacquiao is running for a political seat in the Philippines he should be gunning for secretary of defense and appoint Freddie Roach, Buboy Fernandez and Alex Ariza to head up his army.
I was on the fence about flying to Dallas for this one but opted to stay in Boston and join some friends at 21 Nickels bar and Grill in Watertown, MA. I am happy I did.
We all know the outcome of the shutout in Cowboy stadium last night. Instead of boring you with the details of this lopsided decision. I will shed some insight on the brilliance and preparation that went in to making this Pacquiao victory look easy.
Joshua Clottey had a few things working against him. While his ring entrance oozed confidence you have to assume that 50,000 screaming Pacquiao fans will put a few butterflies in the knees of even the most seasoned ex-champions.
My 8countnews.com colleague Peter Czymbor predicted a first round knockdown delivered by Clottey with a late round stoppage in Pacquiao’s favor . Czymbor’s predictions are usually spot on but not this time.
Clottey maintained a very conservative defense and took absolutely no chances. I believed he was simply feeling Pacquiao out and would open up by the fourth round. Each round was like a recurring bad dream for boxing fans. Clottey covered up most of the round and attempted to wake up every now and then without delivering much if any damage on Pacquiao. Even ringside commentator Jim Lampley felt it necessary to try and make the fight more interesting by screaming, BANG, BANG, BANG as Pacquiao sliced Clottey with a series of body punches. Lampley’s plea to cause excitement wasn’t convincing to anyone. The only one who would make this a real fight was team Clottey. It took me a few rounds to understand what was really going on here and I believe half the battle was lost in his corner.
While Clotteys regular coach was stuck in Ghana due to visa issues, he brought in ex- Pacquiao cut-man Lenny DeJesus. In a post fight interview DeJesus acted confident by boasting that he knew how to beat Pacquiao and how the champion has not changed his style in the past five years.
Flashing back to the three days I spent watching Pacquiao train for this fight it all started to make sense.
While I was snapping photos of Manny’s sparring sessions I was getting a little aggravated at the fact that all the pictures I was capturing was of him getting hit. Pacquiao seemed to be laying back, holding his guard high and allowing jabs to pepper his face every now and then. My initial thought was that he was not training as hard for this fight, especially when he would cup his mitts around the head of his sparring partner, playing with him. In retrospect it seemed as if Pacquiao was climbing into the skin of Clottey and role playing his style to better understand the mind of his opponent.
If that was the case then it worked brilliantly. You may have even noticed Pacquiao being warned for using two hands to play with Clotteys head just like he was doing in training. It’s wasn’t dirty. Pacquiao was simply bored with his opponent.
To make matters worse, DeJesus really didn’t have an answer for his fighter. In one round he simply said to Clottey “ You have to do something” . There was no solid advice as how to get in on Pacquiao, nothing.
While Clottey may have blown his chance at super stardom , I give him credit for going the distance. No fault to Manny, this fight was mearly a giant sparring match for him. Bring on Mayweather!
Special thanks to Sean Gavin , 21 Nickles crew and Boston Boxing Club’s Ed LaVache for their hospitality
Source: examiner.com
If Manny Pacquiao is running for a political seat in the Philippines he should be gunning for secretary of defense and appoint Freddie Roach, Buboy Fernandez and Alex Ariza to head up his army.
I was on the fence about flying to Dallas for this one but opted to stay in Boston and join some friends at 21 Nickels bar and Grill in Watertown, MA. I am happy I did.
We all know the outcome of the shutout in Cowboy stadium last night. Instead of boring you with the details of this lopsided decision. I will shed some insight on the brilliance and preparation that went in to making this Pacquiao victory look easy.
Joshua Clottey had a few things working against him. While his ring entrance oozed confidence you have to assume that 50,000 screaming Pacquiao fans will put a few butterflies in the knees of even the most seasoned ex-champions.
My 8countnews.com colleague Peter Czymbor predicted a first round knockdown delivered by Clottey with a late round stoppage in Pacquiao’s favor . Czymbor’s predictions are usually spot on but not this time.
Clottey maintained a very conservative defense and took absolutely no chances. I believed he was simply feeling Pacquiao out and would open up by the fourth round. Each round was like a recurring bad dream for boxing fans. Clottey covered up most of the round and attempted to wake up every now and then without delivering much if any damage on Pacquiao. Even ringside commentator Jim Lampley felt it necessary to try and make the fight more interesting by screaming, BANG, BANG, BANG as Pacquiao sliced Clottey with a series of body punches. Lampley’s plea to cause excitement wasn’t convincing to anyone. The only one who would make this a real fight was team Clottey. It took me a few rounds to understand what was really going on here and I believe half the battle was lost in his corner.
While Clotteys regular coach was stuck in Ghana due to visa issues, he brought in ex- Pacquiao cut-man Lenny DeJesus. In a post fight interview DeJesus acted confident by boasting that he knew how to beat Pacquiao and how the champion has not changed his style in the past five years.
Flashing back to the three days I spent watching Pacquiao train for this fight it all started to make sense.
While I was snapping photos of Manny’s sparring sessions I was getting a little aggravated at the fact that all the pictures I was capturing was of him getting hit. Pacquiao seemed to be laying back, holding his guard high and allowing jabs to pepper his face every now and then. My initial thought was that he was not training as hard for this fight, especially when he would cup his mitts around the head of his sparring partner, playing with him. In retrospect it seemed as if Pacquiao was climbing into the skin of Clottey and role playing his style to better understand the mind of his opponent.
If that was the case then it worked brilliantly. You may have even noticed Pacquiao being warned for using two hands to play with Clotteys head just like he was doing in training. It’s wasn’t dirty. Pacquiao was simply bored with his opponent.
To make matters worse, DeJesus really didn’t have an answer for his fighter. In one round he simply said to Clottey “ You have to do something” . There was no solid advice as how to get in on Pacquiao, nothing.
While Clottey may have blown his chance at super stardom , I give him credit for going the distance. No fault to Manny, this fight was mearly a giant sparring match for him. Bring on Mayweather!
Special thanks to Sean Gavin , 21 Nickles crew and Boston Boxing Club’s Ed LaVache for their hospitality
Source: examiner.com
Manny Pacquiao raises the bar: The Pacman to test reluctant Floyd Mayweather Jr after crushing Joshua Clottey -- Daily Mail
By Jeff Powell, Daily Mail
As if 12 round of world championship boxing were not enough for one night's work, Manny Pacquaio bounced out to another stadium across the road to give a late night concert for thousands of his fans.
The first song of his 90 minute session was a rousing rendition of La Bamba.
This little chap is possessed of more energy than it takes to power up the space station of an arena in which he retained his world welterweight title against a challenger who dwarfed him in the ring.
The sound and light show was dazzling but no star shone bigger or brighter in the Texas sky this Saturday night the most brilliant boxer on planet Earth.
The high-tec wizardry which surged across the largest HD screens in the world created a spectacle in its own right but nothing could equal the velocity of Pacquaio.
The Pacman was a blur, a meteor hurtling through the vastness of the Dallas Cowboys Stadum as he continued his journey from the slums of the Philippines to a place in the galaxy of sporting greatness.
There is no word yet as to how Floyd Mayweather Jr viewed his arch-rival's performance but if the idea was to lure back into negotiations the American who kicked up the stink about drugs testing which forced the cancellation of their mega-fight, it may have done exactly the opposite.
The perceived wisdom has been that Mayweather's size and defensive skills would make him impregnable against any smaller fighter, no matter how gifted. That theory was thrown into question here as Pacquaio won almost every round against Joshua Clottey, an iron-man of a former champion who weighed two divisions heavier than himself by the time they entered the ring and who boxed behind a defensive wall of arms and gloves.
Promoter Bob Arum accuses Mayweather of manufacturing the blood-testing scandal to avoid fighting his Pacman. If so, Floyd Jr may be more reluctant now to come back to the party in November.
If that fight were to take place here it would become not only the first $200 million promotion but would more than double Saturday's crowd of 50,994, which of itself raised the bar for boxing attendances in the future.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would relish the opportunity - saying 'such an event would be very good for boxing' - even though Clottey's unwillingness to co-operate in a thriller left Pacquaio to put on a virtual one-man show.
As the Ghanian who came to America via east London played peek-a-boo Pacquaio piled up the points by throwing a phenomenal 1,231 punches, most of them in clusters at light speed, many of them to the body.
He kept firing, even though that left him exposed to Clottey's occasional counters.
Sporadic, Clottey's responses may have been but when he did connect he did so with sufficient force to prove that Pacquaio is equipped with another of the components of ring greatness. In common with Muhammad Ali, he has a granite jaw.
Clottey excused his negative tactics by saying: 'He is so fast. Maybe too fast even for Mayweather. My only chance was to land the big counter punch.'
Then, in reference to three previous defeats on his long record, he admitted: 'This is the only fight I fight I think I really lost.'
By a considerable distance, as it happens. One judge awarded Pacquaio a 12-round shut-out. The other two, like most of us at ringside, gave Clottey just the third round in a 119-109 thrashing.
The third biggest gate of modern times in US boxing would have preferred a stoppage but Pacquaio's master-coach Freddie Roach said: 'When a guy this big and strong is simply trying to survive it is very difficult to knock him out. I still give me my man an A-star for his performance.'
Few present would disagree. They were treated to a an eye-popping extravaganza which even included three Cowboy cheerleaders singing the US national anthem, and very well, too.
Yet for the most part the special effects were tailored to complement the boxing. That came by way of round-by-round repetition. Pacquaio went to work with a lightning will, getting caught from time to time by Clottey's heavy but infrequent punches.
At the service of Mass which always precedes his fights, the devoutly Catholic Pacqauio had not only his shorts, boots and robe blessed by the priest but also the cup which protects his groin. A not unwise precaution since Clottey was warned for hitting him low in round eight.
At the end, Roach, Arum and Pacquaio goaded Mayweather. The trainer said: 'Come on Floyd, stop talking and start fighting.' The promoter said: 'We believe he is using the drugs testing controversy to duck Manny. If we're wrong, let him sign a regular contract.' The boxer said: 'I have no problem fighting Mayweather but I don't think he's ready in his mind to me at the moment. Maybe some time.'
It had better be some time soon if Pacquaio wins a seat in the Philippine congress in the May 10 election there. And the politics of helping the poor is not his only distraction. He is now acting in movies, as well as taking the singing career so seriously that a voice coach - as well as his Jack Russell terrier who is his running partner every morning - is in his personal entourage.
For his next act - on his way home for the election campaign - he will star in another concert, in Honolulu next Sunday.
There ain't no stopping him now.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
The first song of his 90 minute session was a rousing rendition of La Bamba.
This little chap is possessed of more energy than it takes to power up the space station of an arena in which he retained his world welterweight title against a challenger who dwarfed him in the ring.
The sound and light show was dazzling but no star shone bigger or brighter in the Texas sky this Saturday night the most brilliant boxer on planet Earth.
The high-tec wizardry which surged across the largest HD screens in the world created a spectacle in its own right but nothing could equal the velocity of Pacquaio.
The Pacman was a blur, a meteor hurtling through the vastness of the Dallas Cowboys Stadum as he continued his journey from the slums of the Philippines to a place in the galaxy of sporting greatness.
There is no word yet as to how Floyd Mayweather Jr viewed his arch-rival's performance but if the idea was to lure back into negotiations the American who kicked up the stink about drugs testing which forced the cancellation of their mega-fight, it may have done exactly the opposite.
The perceived wisdom has been that Mayweather's size and defensive skills would make him impregnable against any smaller fighter, no matter how gifted. That theory was thrown into question here as Pacquaio won almost every round against Joshua Clottey, an iron-man of a former champion who weighed two divisions heavier than himself by the time they entered the ring and who boxed behind a defensive wall of arms and gloves.
Promoter Bob Arum accuses Mayweather of manufacturing the blood-testing scandal to avoid fighting his Pacman. If so, Floyd Jr may be more reluctant now to come back to the party in November.
If that fight were to take place here it would become not only the first $200 million promotion but would more than double Saturday's crowd of 50,994, which of itself raised the bar for boxing attendances in the future.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would relish the opportunity - saying 'such an event would be very good for boxing' - even though Clottey's unwillingness to co-operate in a thriller left Pacquaio to put on a virtual one-man show.
As the Ghanian who came to America via east London played peek-a-boo Pacquaio piled up the points by throwing a phenomenal 1,231 punches, most of them in clusters at light speed, many of them to the body.
He kept firing, even though that left him exposed to Clottey's occasional counters.
Sporadic, Clottey's responses may have been but when he did connect he did so with sufficient force to prove that Pacquaio is equipped with another of the components of ring greatness. In common with Muhammad Ali, he has a granite jaw.
Clottey excused his negative tactics by saying: 'He is so fast. Maybe too fast even for Mayweather. My only chance was to land the big counter punch.'
Then, in reference to three previous defeats on his long record, he admitted: 'This is the only fight I fight I think I really lost.'
By a considerable distance, as it happens. One judge awarded Pacquaio a 12-round shut-out. The other two, like most of us at ringside, gave Clottey just the third round in a 119-109 thrashing.
The third biggest gate of modern times in US boxing would have preferred a stoppage but Pacquaio's master-coach Freddie Roach said: 'When a guy this big and strong is simply trying to survive it is very difficult to knock him out. I still give me my man an A-star for his performance.'
Few present would disagree. They were treated to a an eye-popping extravaganza which even included three Cowboy cheerleaders singing the US national anthem, and very well, too.
Yet for the most part the special effects were tailored to complement the boxing. That came by way of round-by-round repetition. Pacquaio went to work with a lightning will, getting caught from time to time by Clottey's heavy but infrequent punches.
At the service of Mass which always precedes his fights, the devoutly Catholic Pacqauio had not only his shorts, boots and robe blessed by the priest but also the cup which protects his groin. A not unwise precaution since Clottey was warned for hitting him low in round eight.
At the end, Roach, Arum and Pacquaio goaded Mayweather. The trainer said: 'Come on Floyd, stop talking and start fighting.' The promoter said: 'We believe he is using the drugs testing controversy to duck Manny. If we're wrong, let him sign a regular contract.' The boxer said: 'I have no problem fighting Mayweather but I don't think he's ready in his mind to me at the moment. Maybe some time.'
It had better be some time soon if Pacquaio wins a seat in the Philippine congress in the May 10 election there. And the politics of helping the poor is not his only distraction. He is now acting in movies, as well as taking the singing career so seriously that a voice coach - as well as his Jack Russell terrier who is his running partner every morning - is in his personal entourage.
For his next act - on his way home for the election campaign - he will star in another concert, in Honolulu next Sunday.
There ain't no stopping him now.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
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