Source: GMA News
-- If you'll ask Manny Pacquiao, Joshua Clottey should not be compared to his previous beaten foes.
Pacquiao made the statement after critics questioned his pay-per-view drawing ability based on his 12-round unanimous decision win over the Ghana-born Clottey. They pointed out that the figure was the lowest in the Filipinos’ last four outings.
The March 13 Pacquiao-Clottey bout, where the seven-time world division champion staked and defended his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title at the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, drew a modest 700,000 hits in PPV buys and earned $35.3 million as per the official release of HBO and Top Rank.
"Clottey is different from my previous opponents. He should not be compared to Oscar De La Hoya," said Pacquiao in Filipino. "We’re not dismayed with the figures. It’s still okay with us."
The 700,000 PPV buys is a far cry from the 1.25 million Pacquiao earned during his 12-round stoppage of Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto last November at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
The PPV buys generated by Pacquiao’s technical knockout win over Cotto is considered to be the biggest boxing earner in 2009.
The 1.25 million PPV buys from the Pacquiao-Cotto fight is the same number generated from his "Dream Match" with De La Hoya in 2008 and likewise made less with the 850,000 hits produced by the Filipino champion’s devastating second round knockout of Ricky Hatton last May.
Prior to his blockbuster showdowns with De La Hoya and Cotto, Pacquiao drew 400,000 in PPV buys in his 2008 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez.
With Pacquiao taking the action on a defensive-minded challenger like Clottey, the 31-year-old southpaw from General Santos City walked away with a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision in their March 13 duel at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
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Top Rank promoter Bob Arum himself was satisfied with the PPV figures, surpassing his expectations of a possible 650,000 buys.
"That is the worst it would have done," he said. "But the number that you can’t go any lower than is 650,000 for the fight."
Arum and HBO predicted that the PPV total is likely to increase once all figures are officially in.
The 12-round fight, however, drew a crowd of 51,000 at the sprawling Cowboys Stadium, easily the third largest in prizefighting history in the U.S.
Source: ABS-CBN News
-- A veteran sports journalist for US channel ESPN lauded Manny Pacquiao’s soaring pay-per-view (PPV) numbers during his fight with Joshua Clottey.
Dan Rafael, who has been covering boxing for ESPN, said the 700,000 PPV buys generated by the Pacquiao-Clottey fight has highlighted the Filipino’s capability to attract a huge following.
“Make no mistake about it: Pacquiao -- admittedly with an assist from an exotic venue, the absolutely incredible Cowboys Stadium, which was hosting a fight for the first time -- is the reason the fight sold so well,” Rafael said in his blog for ESPN.
Pacquiao clashed with Clottey last March 13, retaining his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title in the process.
Aside from defending the title, the congress-hopeful Pacquiao was also able to generate $35.3 million in revenues.
Rafael said that the PPV buys and the record crowd of 51,000 who watched the fight have shown that the fleet-footed Filipino from General Santos City has not only attracted “fight freaks” but casual fans as well.
The sports scribe also cited the Pacquiao-Clottey fight has managed to generate the numbers despite only 2 months of promotion, the absence of a “24/7” HBO series and the fact that both boxers were non-American.
“For those of you who have said (and lots of you have) that the 700,000 pay-per-view buys and $35.3 million he generated for his March 13 fight against Joshua Clottey was a disappointment: You are insane,” Rafael said.
Source: ABS-CBN News
-- The one-sided fight between 7-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and Ghanaian Joshua Clottey, which drew almost 51,000 people to the Cowboys Stadium in Texas, got a total of 700,000 pay-per-view (PPV) buys.
According to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, Mark Taffet of HBO PPV added that the “The Event” bout earned $35.3 million in domestic television revenue.
Taffet attributed the PPV success of “The Event” to the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter. “It is a testament to the popularity of Pacquiao and the vitality of the sport, and it gives us great encouragement as we look toward the May 1 Mayweather-Mosley pay-per-view fight.”
“Fights like this traditionally do not exceed 400,000 buys,” added the HBO PPV official.
Pacquiao, who successfully defended his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown against Clottey via unanimous decision last March 13, was assured of a $12-million purse.
The ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) reported that Pacquiao stands to get an additional $1 million to $4 million from the PPV earnings. That would bring his total earnings from the Clottey bout from $13 million to $16 million.
Below expectation
The number of the Pacquiao-Clottey bout PPV buys, however, failed to meet the expectation of Top Rank Promotions head Bob Arum who said that it could exceed 700,000.
The PPV breakdown for “The Event” is 40,000 buys from telco homes, 310,000 from satellite homes and 350,000 from cable homes.
ESPN.com noted that Pacquiao generated 6.25 million buys and $320 million in revenue in 12 pay-per-view fights. The bulk of the PPV buys came from his last 4 fights: Clottey, Miguel Cotto (1.2 million buys), Ricky Hatton (800,000 buys) and Oscar de la Hoya (1.25 million buys).
ANC added that Pacquiao reportedly earned $17 million against Cotto, $15 million against Hatton and $20 million against de la Hoya.
Pacquiao defeated Cotto via a 12th round technical knockout (TKO) last November, Hatton by a 2nd round knockout last May, and de la Hoya via an 8th round TKO in December 2008.
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Source: GMA News
-- Having personally encountered the dynamo that is Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya knows the Pacman’s skills too well that he expects him to run over Joshua Clottey of Ghana in Saturday’s (Sunday in Manila) title showdown at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
De La Hoya, who retired after getting pummeled for eight rounds by Pacquiao in their 2008 Dream Match, said Clottey’s defensive techniques would fit perfectly into the Filipino’s style.
"I think Manny Pacquiao will have an easy time with Joshua Clottey," De La Hoya said in an interview with Sky Sports.
Pacquiao’s vaunted speed, as he discovered first-hand, will again come in handy for the 31-year-old Filipino superstar, the “Golden Boy" enthused.
"Styles make fights, and his [Clottey's] defense is one where he blocks punches, then he has to bring his hands down to look at you and then throw punches. Manny is too fast to stay there in the pocket and receive punches.
“I believe he [Pacquiao] will hit him then move side-to-side. Clottey will look for him, but he's not going to be there. He is going to do the same thing for 12 rounds. It's probably going to be an easy fight for him," De La Hoya added.
Pacquiao will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against the Ghanaian Clottey, a replacement opponent following the crash of talks for a megabout between the Pacman and Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
De La Hoya, whose outfit, Golden Boy Promotions, represented Mayweather in the failed negotiations, expressed belief it would not have been easy fight for Pacquiao if Mayweather, not Clottey, is on the other side of the ring.
The boxing great said in a battle between two of today’s top pound-for-pound fighters, Mayweather would prevail over Pacquiao because of “styles."
"I believe Pacquiao would come in, try to get his punches in and be very aggressive. But that plays into Mayweather's hands. He's such a defensive, purist boxer. The best there ever has been. He waits for you to make mistakes and then capitalizes," he said.
Following the botched showdown with the Filipino pride, Mayweather has forged a duel with Shane Mosley on May 1.
Source: Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
-- Joshua Clottey is looking to bring home the biggest boxing victory to his home country of Ghana when he faces the world's best boxer Manny Pacquiao this weekend.
So confident is Clottey's coach Lenny de Jesus that the Ghanaian has the skill and power to put down the Pacman that he is willing to make a prediction. He said Clottey can win the fight in 6 rounds.
“I'm not hoping... I'm going for a knockout,” said De Jesus.
Asked his own opinion abut de Jesus' prediction, Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach had a simple reply: “Lenny’s not fighting.”
The Pacman was also cool about Team Clottey's prediction.
“He can knock me out in 6 rounds?” Pacquiao asked while smiling. “Interesting. Malaya silang magsabi ng ganun.”
Pacquiao still did a little over an hour of workout on Thursday, doing 7 rounds with Coach Freddie. The WBO welterweight champion was sharp and quick.
The Filipino champ weighed 151 pounds but coaches said he will have no problem making 147 pounds on Friday even without skipping any meals.
Planing in to Texas on Thursday was Pacquiao's victim in his last fight, Miguel Cotto. The Puerto Rican champ will be watching the Pacquiao-Clottey fight at ringside.
“Manny Pacquiao is an excellent boxer… he has a disadvantage to Clottey, too,” said the former welterweight champ.
Source: Abac Cordero, Philippine Star
-- He must have had a drink too many for him to say some nasty things about Manny Pacquiao.
“Manny’s going straight to the hospital after the fight,” Kwaku Gyamfi, a member of Team Clottey, told Pinoy scribes, who chanced upon him at the cozy Silver Bar of the Gaylord Texan Hotel Tuesday evening.
It was just a little past 8 p.m., and Gyamfi, the chief cook of Clottey, sounded like he was in there the whole day. He was seated at the bar, facing a couple glasses of what looked like vodka mix, and enjoying them.
He sounded too excited talking about the coming fight, talking about a Clottey win.
“Manny will be all cut up and bruised. It’s gonna be messy,” said Kwaku, motioning with his hands that Pacquiao will be cut all over his eyes, his nose and his mouth.
“He’s going to be hit by a brick.”
Pacquiao, almost an 8-1 favorite to beat Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium on Saturday, has lined up a few of his favorite songs for his after-fight party-concert at the Gold Club of the Texas Rangers ballpark.
It’s been a tradition for Pacquiao to host a gig for his fans after each fight.
Too bad, Kwaku said, the 31-year-old pound-for-pound champion from the Philippines won’t be able to join his fans.
“He won’t be able to perform after the fight. For the first time he won’t be able to perform,” said Kwaku.
Just outside the bar, Clottey’s chief trainer, Lenny de Jesus, stood, and spoke to the Manila reporters. He gave his thoughts on the fight.
“It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be interesting,” he said.
“And this is a dangerous fight for Manny. You can tell it because Freddie is not talking too much. If he knew this is going to be an easy fight, he would be talking a lot more. But he’s being careful with what he’s saying.”
The 64-year-old De Jesus, who worked as Pacquiao’s cutman in five fights with Emmanuel Lucero in 2003 to Erik Morales in 2005, has their gameplan ready, and that’s to “hit him (Pacquiao) right, knock him out and win the fight.”
He said Clottey logged in 90 rounds of sparring for this fight, much, much less than Pacquiao’s 142 total.
“It’s because Joshua sent all of them out of the ring after four rounds,” said De Jesus.
Source: Mico Halili, GMA News
-- We love Pacquiao today. We’ll surely go bananas for boxing on Sunday. But we will always be a basketball nation. One won’t find summer boxing meets in every corner. Starting this month, basketball tournaments will sprout in all forms: inter-barangay, inter-village, inter-color, inter-everything. The average Filipino will be hard-pressed to name five boxers who actively fight for a living. That same person will find it just as hard to name five able-bodied Filipino males who don’t dribble a basketball by choice.
Thanks to Pacquiao, boxing is in our heart. It’s a sizzling national love affair that’ll last until Pacman says he’s done. Thanks to an almost century-long obsession, however, basketball is in our blood. Some of us box. Most of us play hoops. This is why supporting Smart Gilas is more than just cheering for a good guy like Chris Tiu or rooting for a band of collegiate stars. It calls for a deep personal investment. It calls for optimism of the highest order. Yet our optimism for international basketball has been battered beyond recognition by broken promises, quadrennial heartbreak and habitual disillusionment.
Supporting Smart Gilas, then, demands faith. I don’t know if there will ever be a next Pacquiao. I do know there will be more Gilas-like teams in the future; teams who will either follow-up on Gilas’ historic feats or mandated to improve on yet more hardcourt heartbreak. There are generations who have no idea how it feels to support a winning national basketball team. The concept is alien to them. Those who witnessed better days, on the other hand, are hardened cynics by now. So one is either too naïve or too numb. And Gilas now asks both sides to believe in the unbelievable.
On Sunday, Pacquiao will make us love boxing even more and perhaps, for some, believe in basketball as a source of national pride even less. Maybe basketball is a myth. Maybe we already had our shot at world glory with King Caloy Loyzaga and the knights of his round-table. Maybe that was as good as it gets. But never in our wildest dreams did we expect one Manny Pacquiao to live out the stuff sporting fantasies are made of and take all of us along for the ride. Then again, Pacman will be the first to say that his crazy world now started with a speck of belief. Pacquiao’s world dominance, the kind even NBA All-Stars go giddy over, all began with a little dream.
Perhaps it’s better that Gilas works under Pacquiao’s gigantic shadow, away from the constant scrutiny of skeptics and the hyper-optimism of fanatics. Cynics declare a state-of-calamity after each sprained ankle. Fanatics declare national holidays after modest 2-game winning streaks. It seems counter-productive anyway to argue over every lay-up. Let Gilas quietly build its dream brick by brick. I hope Gilas takes over once Pacquiao calls it a day. It’s not a sure deal. It’s not even a gut feel. It really is a supreme act of basketball faith.
Source: Jose Katigbak, Philippine Star
-- Trainer Freddie Roach wants Manny Pacquiao at most to fight twice more and be out of the ring for good by early next year.
He told the Washington Post’s Michael Leahy in an interview that he wanted Pacquiao to end his storied career with health intact and not run the risk of ever suffering like he does from Parkinson’s disease.
One fight is coming Saturday, a defense of Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight title against a tough but little-known Ghanian Joshua Clottey.
The next fight as Roach sees it, would be one of the most ballyhooed, most profitable, most contentious fights in boxing history: Pacquiao against the gifted, flighty and undefeated Floyd Mayweather with whom negotiations for a bout have collapsed once before. The fight could bring each man $30 million, Leahy wrote.
“With everything else Manny has earned, that should be enough for him,” Roach said.
“I’ve told Manny I’d like him to retire as a fighter after that. I want him healthy, wealthy and happy. I don’t ever want him having to take all the medication I have to take. I might retire too. I’ve been doing this a long time,” he said.
Pacquiao despises Mayweather, says Roach, an unusual emotion from a fighter who has never before expressed contempt for a looming opponent. But then again no other opponent has suggested that Pacquiao might be using steroids.
Pacquiao responded by filing a defamation suit against Mayweather and his promoter, Golden Boy Productions.
“It’s an honor thing to Manny,” Leahy quoted Roach as saying.
“Manny says things to me like: ’I will knock him out; I’ll crush him. He’s never talked like that about another fighter.”
Weary over the ugliness of their last failed negotiations, Pacquiao just wants the fight to happen.
“Doesn’t matter if the posters say Pacquiao-Mayweather or Mayweather-Pacquiao, the fighter says to Roach.
“Mayweather can be first on the posters. He can act like the champion. I’ll go into the ring first, I’ll do whatever he wants… He can run from me just so he fights in these four corners.”
Roach himself retired as a fighter after 53 bouts without a buck. As a professional, he climbed to No. 8 in the world in the super bantamweight division.
Source: ABS-CBN News
-- Reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and his challenger Joshua Clottey faced off in the final press conference leading to the “The Event” fight card on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
Promotions for the event are almost coming to an end, with the final press conference held at the $1.2-billion (P55.2-billion) Cowboys Stadium on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
Pacquiao, who arrived early at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium together with his wife and his team, said he is excited to defend his title against the Ghanaian in front of more than 45,000 fans.
The Filipino champ insists he is not taking Clottey lightly. "Clottey is a good fighter," said Pacquiao, who has won 11 consecutive fights. "He is so strong and he is bigger and taller than me.
"I don't want to underestimate this opponent. I am going to do my best and give it a shot," he added.
Clottey, for his part, said he is ready for whatever strategy the pound-for-pound king has set on him.
“I never crack before so I want to see if he can do that. But no matter what happens, I will still respect him,” said Clottey, a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion.
Both fighters appeared calm in addressing the crowd. However, they assured their fans there will be fireworks once the opening bell rings.
Pacquiao is also grateful for the Ghanaian's respectful manner of addressing him. Just like the Filipino champ, Clottey's refused to trade trash talk.
“I like this match very much because there's no trash talk and we can be a good example to everyone,” said the Filipino boxing superstar.
Pacquiao's coach, Freddie Roach, remains confident that they can get the durable Clottey in the latter rounds.
"We can stop him in the late rounds," Roach said. "I didn't say a knockout but we can stop him with an accumulation of punches. He (Clottey) has never seen a guy like Manny Pacquiao before and I don't think he will be able to handle it."
Roach said this fight has its own unique characteristics because they are fighting in a gridiron stadium as opposed to the smaller casino venues in Las Vegas that they are accustomed too.
"This will be the biggest crowd we have fought in front of," Roach said. "We have a good game plan. Manny Pacquiao is at the top of his game right now.
Pacquiao to prevail
Some sports scribes present at the press conference, meanwhile, gave their fearless forecasts. Most of them believe the Filipino will win a very hard fight.
“Clottey will put up a fight,” Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports told ABS-CBN News.
Kieran Mulvaney of Reuters said: “I can see Clottey holding on... But Manny will prevail.”
Pacquiao has a record of 50-3-2 (with 38 knockouts) while Clottey has 35 wins (with 20 KOs) and 3 losses.
Both fighters have one more day of training before the weigh-in on Friday (Saturday in Manila).
Center of attraction
Aside from Pacquiao, the center of attraction in the Cowboys Stadium is its HD screen, the largest in the world.
The 180 ft. by 70 ft. screen costs $40 million (P1.8 billion)
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, “You'll be able to see Manny and Joshua 70 feet tall… It’s lowered to 50 feet.”
Tickets are priced at $50, $100, $200, $300, $500 and $700.
Source: Frank Lotierzo, The Sweet Science
-- Manny Pacquiao's head trainer Freddie Roach was recently quoted in a few Philippine papers saying he believes his fighter, Manny Pacquiao, can knock out Joshua Clottey in nine rounds when they meet at Dallas Cowboys Stadium Saturday. As most boxing fans know Roach is one of Pacquiao's biggest advocates. Roach also said on a recent conference call that Manny will knock out Floyd Mayweather if they ever fight. Okay, we all get it -- Roach believes that Pacquiao is a special fighter. And Roach seems to be basically a standup guy so we can all live with what he says about most fighters.
However, promoter Bob Arum is another story. Arum really could convince eskimos that not only do they need ice, he's also the only one who can deliver really cold ice. On the conference call with team Clottey last week, Arum said that no one fight or fighter is bigger than the sport of boxing. And it's absurd that the boxing commission should change their protocol as to how fighters should be tested for performance enhancing drugs the way Floyd Mayweather wanted Manny Pacquiao tested in order to make a fight between them. Can you imagine what Arum would be saying about Pacquiao if he represented Floyd Mayweather? Talk about default guilt.
During the call Arum also said Manny Pacquiao is the greatest fighter he's ever seen during his time in boxing. Even greater than Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler. Obviously it must have slipped Bob's mind that he promoted a couple of Roberto Duran's fights some years back. Meaning if we exclude heavyweights from the pound-for-pound equation, Arum promoted at least two fighters that I'd rank above Pacquiao, in Duran and Leonard. So it all depends on which side of the table in which Arum sits as to what his take is on a particular situation or topic. Then again he's a promoter and his job is to make the case which sheds the best light on his vested interest at a given time.
Having said that, it doesn't mean Arum can't get it right sometimes when he's talking about a fight involving two of his fighters. And he did last week when he said in Philstar.com, “I don’t know how you’ll knock Clottey out. This fight is going to be harder than the Cotto fight because Clottey is more durable than Cotto.”
That's not what Arum was saying after Miguel Cotto won a razor close decision over Clottey last June to set up the Pacquiao-Cotto bout, but that was then and this is now. Only Arum is right about this one. Clottey has never been in trouble or on the verge of being stopped in his career. Whereas Cotto was hurt and dropped by other fighters before he faced Pacquiao.
“Clottey is bigger and stronger but Manny is a much better boxer, a much better athlete. And if Manny loses, I would be sorry for Manny. But that’s boxing and a lot of things can happen. Clottey is a very good and a very dangerous welterweight,” said Arum.
After hearing Arum speak about Clottey, it's easy to glean that he does have some legitimate trepidation about this fight. As he should. Despite Pacquiao being the better boxer with faster hands and the fact that he possesses the more sophisticated and varied offense, Clottey's physicality is something that shouldn't be overlooked. And just because Pacquiao is known to rise to the occasion in a big spot and Clottey's reputation is the opposite, Arum is smart enough to know that Clottey just may reach down and draw on everything he has and put it all together in what is surely the signature bout of his career. Especially after Clottey has been reminded repeatedly of how he didn't press Cotto enough down the stretch and that's what cost him the fight.
In fact Arum has even laid the groundwork for a rematch if Pacquiao were to be upended by Clottey. “If Clottey is successful then I would go immediately to Clottey who is under promotion to us and ask him to do a rematch. He’s not obligated but I would ask him for a rematch,” said Arum.
It's always hard to tell what Arum's true thoughts are because he's one of the better salesmen to ever promote professional boxing. But this time he gets the benefit of the doubt in expressing his genuine concern for his prized possession, Manny Pacquiao, regarding his upcoming fight with Joshua Clottey. Remember, this will not be a possibly drained Cotto who had to make 145. Clottey is being afforded the luxury of weighing in at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, and very well may enter the ring above the middleweight limit of 160.
Clottey should provide Pacquiao with the toughest hurdle of his career, and that's an honest and legitimate take on the fight. Then again Arum may be talking up Clottey now because he's worried that Joshua isn't being seen as a genuine threat (and that will hurt in PPV buys.) Although promoting a rematch between the two guys would be lucrative for Arum, clearly it's a financial disaster for him if Clottey wins. There's nothing on the horizon that comes close to Pacquiao-Mayweather, and a Clottey win would wreck that. Having taken everything into consideration, I do believe Arum's concern and this fight isn't a gimmie for Pacquiao.
Source: ABS-CBN News
-- Manny Pacquiao and his trainer, Freddie Roach, believe that the 7-division world champion’s speed will compensate for his size when he goes up against the bigger Joshua Clottey of Ghana on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“My quickness will be the key, my speed,” Pacquiao told Reuters, adding that Clottey cannot be underestimated.
“He's a good fighter, and he's bigger than me, and I have to be very focused in the fight,” stated the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion.
Roach, for his part, noted that skill still rules over size.
“But I don't think size wins fights… I think skill does. He may be a little stronger than Manny on the inside, he might hit a little harder, but I think our speed will nullify that,” the American trainer said.
Pacquiao, who has a record of 50-3-2 (with 38 knockouts), will defend his belt against the Ghanaian who has 35 wins (with 30 KOs) and 3 losses.
The pound-for-pound king already arrived in Texas just days ahead of his title defense at the “The Event” fight card.
Curfew, leg problem
Pacquiao’s training camp for the Clottey fight was marred by a reported leg injury. The Filipino boxing sensation already assured that his leg is fine and ready for Saturday.
According to Michael Leahy's article on The Washington Post, Pacquiao felt the pain in his leg three weeks before the Clottey bout.
“Listen, son, we gotta take care of this leg problem now,” Roach was quoted by The Washington Post as saying.
Pacquiao, however, still wanted to jog despite the leg pain. Roach just allowed him to do so on grass or a soft track, not on the roads.
The four-time Trainer of the Year recipient also reminded Pacquiao about his curfew.
He was quoted as telling his ward: “You seem tired today. You are getting up late again. When people keep you up late, it affects your workouts… I'll enforce the curfew if I have to. If you have to come to my house, you'll sleep on my floor.”
“You're the boss,” the three-time Fighter of the Year and Fighter of the Decade replied.
Two more fights
Roach has always been vocal that he wants Pacquiao to fight one or two bouts and then retire while on top of his game.
He said that after Clottey, Pacquiao will most likely face his supposed March 13 opponent, Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
“Manny says things to me like: ‘I will knock him out; I will crush him.’ He's never talked like that about another fighter,” said Roach.
He went on to say that it does not matter if the posters say Pacquiao-Mayweather or Mayweather-Pacquiao.
“Mayweather can be first on the posters. He can act like the champion. I'll go into the ring first, I'll do whatever he wants. . . . He can run from me just so he fights in these four corners,” Pacquiao’s trainer added.
Negotiations for the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout fell apart after the fighters’ camps disagreed on the Olympic-style drug testing protocol.
Source: Abac Cordero, Philippine Star
-- It seems that Team Clottey knows exactly what to do.
“We’ll hit him right, knock him out, and win the fight,” said Joshua Clottey’s chief trainer for Saturday’s big fight, dubbed “The Event,” at the Cowboys Stadium which should fill close to 45,000 people on Saturday.
Lenny de Jesus, who worked as Pacquiao’s cutman in a couple of fights, including the Erik Morales fights, landed the job as Clottey’s chief trainer after the original ones failed to secure US visas and make it here.
De Jesus sounded so confident of a victory over Pacquiao for him to declare they’re going to knock Pacquiao out.
Pacquiao has won his last 11 fights, and in the process has become the first and only fighter in history to win seven world championships in seven different weight divisions.
He’s never been knocked out since he failed to make weight and took a body blow that led to a third-round loss to Medgoen Singsurat in Thailand on Sept. 17, 1999.
The last fighter to knock Pacquiao down was Serikzhan Yeshmagambetov in March 15, 2003 at the Luneta. He went down in the fourth round but knocked his opponent out in the next round.
Clottey thinks he’ll be the next to put Pacquiao out.
“Mannny Pacquiao is very fast. But the only thing is he hasn’t fought me before. I will prove him wrong,” said Clottey, quite bothered by Freddie Roach’s prediction that he’d be gone inside nine rounds.
He said he will prove a lot of people wrong by knocking out Pacquiao. And not the other way around.
“I have a good chin. We (African fighters) take a lot of punches, but I have a good chin! I never expect myself to get in the ring to get knocked out, I never expect that, no,” Clottey told fightnews.com.
Source: Nick Giongco, Manila Bulletin
-- Joined by an entourage that would put Muhammad Ali’s own gang to shame, Manny Pacquiao blew into this city late Monday night with the promise of a sensational showing against Ghana’s Joshua Clottey this weekend at Cowboys Stadium.
“I am going to put on a great show for the fight fans,” said Pacquiao as the chartered Boeing 737 touched down here from Los Angeles with his entire training team led by Freddie Roach and friends in tow.
As the passengers began to emerge from the plane to a waiting bus that brought them to the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, somebody from Top Rank Inc. was stunned with the number of people that were making their way out of the chartered plane.
All in all there were 141 passengers on board the plane, most of them Pacquiao’s friends from Southern California and elsewhere in the US as well as those who traveled all the way from the Philippines, including the media.
“This (flight arrangement) is much better because we all get to travel together,” said a beaming Pacquiao, pleased with the atmosphere of revelry that prevailed during the close to three-hour journey.
During Ali’s heyday, there were about 30 or so individuals who joined him in his travels to the Philippines and elsewhere.
Not counting another batch arriving here in the coming days, it is expected that the return flight this Sunday to Los Angeles would be full. The plane can accommodate 170.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is going to flex his muscles before the media at 1:30 p.m. at the basement of the Gaylord Texan on Tuesday after Clottey held his own workout Monday as Pacquiao was busy preparing for the trip here.
“Joshua really looked big and strong,” said publicist Ed Keenan, who was on hand during the workout that Top Rank PR chief Lee Samuels said “had a very good turnout."”
Earlier in Los Angeles, Pacquiao closed out his sparring session with a four-rounder against Ray Beltran.
Roach almost had to beg for Pacquiao to take off the gloves so he could dress up for the flight to Texas.
Source: GMA News
-- Convinced Manny Pacquiao is in the best shape of his fighting career, Freddie Roach is departing from his earlier prediction of a ninth-round knockout against Joshua Clottey in their title fight this Sunday (Manila time).
Yes, the 12-round bout won’t still go the distance.
But instead of later rounds, the knockout may come much earlier.
“He’s (Clottey) a tough guy, but he’s not gonna last 6-7 rounds. He’s going to be overwhelmed with the punches," Roach said at the end of their second to the last training day at the Wildcard gym before departing for Arlington Texas, site of the match dubbed “The Event."
Boxing’s current best trainer was impressed with the way the ring icon from the Philippines sparred for six rounds Saturday that he declared "it’s the best I’ve ever seen Manny Pacquiao."
“Manny looked very, very sharp today. I’ve never seen him sharper."
The 50-year-old disciple of the late great trainer Eddie Futch stressed they intend to have a fast start the moment the first bell rings.
“We’re gonna throw him off in the first four rounds. He has never been attacked like this before," Roach said.
Pacquiao did exactly that in sparring, swarming on both David Rodela and Abdullay Amidu, who traded bombs with the Pacman for three rounds each.
So focused was the pound-for-pound king that he once again bloodied the nose of Rodela, who looked to be on the verge of getting knocked down.
“I thought he’s gonna knock down David out for a minute, but David hang in there," Roach said.
Pacquiao is set to spar four more rounds with old reliable Rey Beltran on Monday morning, bringing to a total of 142 the rounds the boxing icon did in seven weeks of training camp.
Later in the afternoon, a chartered flight will bring Pacquiao and his entourage, numbering to about 150, to Dallas, Texas, around 1,251 miles from Los Angeles following a three-hour flight.
Earlier, Pacquiao jogged for about an hour at the Pan Pacific Park, unmindful of the cloudy and cool weather that has been the norm in L.A. the past few days.
Shortly after running, Dr. Allan Recto checked Pacquiao’s pulse rate and was amazed that it was at the range of just 52 beats per minute.
“He’s really in top condition," said Recto, the Texas-based doctor involved not only with Pacquiao, but with other world boxing bodies as well.
Recto explained that well-conditioned athletes usually have a lower beat per minute than the regular rate of 60.
“And considering that he’s fresh off a strenuous exercise, dapat talaga mataas ang pulse rate niya," said Recto.
In contrast, Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza, according to Recto, has a pulse rate of 140 beat per minute shortly after joining Pacquiao in his early morning routine.
Source: ABS-CBN News
-- Lenny de Jesus, Joshua Clottey’s new trainer, claims he didn’t need to watch Manny Pacquiao’s fight tapes in designing their strategy versus the Filipino champion.
De Jesus said in a report by FightHype.com he has already seen everything Pacquiao is capable of doing.
“I already have Manny in my mind, how he fights,” he said in a quote taken from HBO’s documentary Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs Clottey.
De Jesus, a Puerto Rican who has worked as Pacquiao’s cutman for 6 fights, claims the 7-division champion has been using the same ring tactics in the past 5 years.
“Freddie Roach, maybe, put a little knowledge and stuff like that, a little techniques, but he's the same guy that I saw 5 years ago,” said De Jesus.
Because of this, he said, Team Clottey already has a fight strategy allegedly tailored to defeat the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champ.
“I got the key to beating Manny Pacquiao, I don't need to watch any tapes,” he told FightHype.com.
Pacquiao and Clottey will collide inside the ring on March 13 (March 14 in Manila) at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
Source: Abac Cordero, Philippine Star
-- The fight odds suggest that the only way Manny Pacquiao would lose to Joshua Clottey on March 13 is if he climbs the ring blind-folded.
As the Filipino superstar prepared to leave for Texas, the fight odds flying out of Las Vegas placed Pacquiao at minus 800 and Clottey, the pride of Ghana, at plus 550.
It means that Pacquiao fans need to bet $800 just to win a hundred bucks. If you’re for Clottey, you put $100 and if he wins you get $550 in return.
The odds for a Pacquiao fight have never been as lopsided as this one, not when he fought Jorge Solis or Marco Antonio Barrera the second time, Ricky Hatton or Miguel Cotto.
The last time Pacquiao came in as an underdog was against Oscar dela Hoya. He won that fight, and the way things are, he’d probably remain favorite until the day he retires.
Dr. Allan Recto, now a certified ring physician and one of Pacquiao’s close friends, called in from Vegas Sunday evening to say how the odds have skyrocketed in favor of Pacquiao.
Trainer Freddie Roach said the fight should be over inside nine rounds but he’d be “happier” if it ends in the first. The odds on the fight not lasting the distance is plus 140; going the distance at minus 180.
Pacquiao winning by decision is at plus 130 and him pulling off a stoppage is at minus-150. If Clottey wins on points, every $100 bet pays $600, and if via a knockout your $100 gives you $400.
Pacquiao skipped his morning run Sunday, the only day he stays out of the gym, and heard Mass with some team members and friends. By noontime he was at his $4,800-a-month La Palazzo aparment where he stayed the whole day.
Pacquiao will spar four more rounds Monday and will be at the gym earlier than usual, at 10 a.m., because at 3 p.m. he and his entourage of more than a hundred people should board the chartered plane to Arlington, which is three hours away.
Source: ABS-CBN News
-- With or without the alleged injury, 7-division champ Manny Pacquiao said he is all set for his world title defense against Joshua Clottey, adding that he has a "new technique" against the Ghanaian.
Pacquiao said all he is waiting for is the fight date itself which is on March 13 (March 14 in Manila).
"Right now 100% conditioned na tayo, ready na tayo sa fight. Maintain na lang sa kondisyon," said the Filipino champ, who will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown.
He also said the alleged injury he earlier experienced will not affect his performance against the bigger Clottey.
"Wala namang injury, sore lang ang muscle," he said.
The power-puncher from General Santos City also claimed that he has the answer to Clottey’s larger build—strong punches and skillful defense.
“We’ve created a new technique,” said Pacquiao. “It’s going to be exciting, and a lot of action in the ring.”
The Pacquiao-Clottey fight, dubbed as “The Event” will take place at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Clottey, for his part, said he is ready to take away Pacquiao’s welterweight title—and Manny’s Filipino fans are afraid that the Ghanaian meant it.
“I’m very, very, hundred percent for sure that I am the only one who can beat him!” Clottey said at a training session for the press at New York’s Kingsway Gym on Thursday.
Lenny de Jesus, Clottey’s trainer, believes Pacquiao is going to pass his prime.
“Pacquiao has been at the top for five years, I think his time is coming. Clottey is ready to fight tomorrow,” De Jesus claimed.
Fight seen to go until late rounds
Pacquiao fans in McAllen, Texas are not taking the fighter from Ghana lightly. Many believe Clottey can bring the scheduled 12-round boxing match to its later rounds.
“Mga ten. Bagsak yan si Clottey,” said Boboy Yongson, one of Pacquiao’s fans.
“I think the fight is gonna go the distance. Pacquiao will win by a close decision,” said boxing promoter Anthony Cavasos.
Foreign boxers also shared their own prediction regarding the outcome of the fight.
Junior lightweight boxer Jorge Luis Teron of the US, ranked 12th by the Word Boxing Association (WBA), said Clottey’s good defense will allow him to hold out: “It’s going to be real hard for Manny to knock him out. I think it might go to a decision.”
National American Boxing Federation reigning lightweight title holder Brandon Rios, also of the US, is confident for a Pacquiao victory before Round 12: “Clottey is a good fighter; he takes a lot of punches. I see a win later, maybe a knockout (for Pacquiao)."
