Hear from experts and the fighters as they discuss ‘The Event’. Pacquiao vs Clottey takes place Saturday, March 13, live here on MANNYPACQUIAOPH.INFO for free.



Ghana has a storied boxing tradition including Joshua Clottey who has worked his way to the top. Pacquiao vs. Clottey takes place Saturday, March 13, live here on MANNYPACQUIAOPH.INFO for free.



Team Pacquiao discusses his fight against Miguel Cotto and his strengths. Pacquiao vs. Clottey takes place Saturday, March 13, live here on MANNYPACQUIAOPH.INFO for free.

Pacquiao vs Kimmel II: ‘Pre-fight tradition’

HBO offers to boxing fans the documentary entitled as "Road to Dallas: Pacquiao vs Clottey" which will premiere this coming March 6 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.


The said series will feature the fighter profiles, expert analysis and forecasts for the welterweight match.Replay for this special feature will also be available by request on HBO ON DEMAND 24/7 starting March 10 to April 12.


Schedule of airing of the said boxing special in HBO are the following:

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

All times are ET/PT.

EPISODE 1

Here’s a preview of the whole documentary series:

SOURCE: 8COUNTNEWS.COM

The pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao returns home to 8CountNews and shares his thoughts on his big upcoming fight against Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao pulls no punches in this exclusive interview, he goes right after Floyd Mayweather and questions why he would purposely discredit his good name. Pacquiao also breaks down his fight against Clottey, and touches on his political career as well. Check out what else the pound for pound king had to say ONLY on 8CountNews!

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO INTERVIEW BELOW

8CN - Manny thank you for joining us tonight.

MP - Hello 8CountNews.com how are you doing?

8CN - Doing good, OK let's talk about Joshua Clottey. What does Clottey bring into the ring that gets your attention?

MP - Joshua Clottey is a good fighter and a strong fighter, he can punch. I truly believe that we can bring a good fight, and create a lot of boxing in the ring.

8CN - Are you concerned by how strong Clottey's chin is? He is tough to hurt.

MP - Yes, that's what I am saying, Clottey is tough. He can punch, and he is very strong.

8CN - He is going to be bigger and you are going to be faster. Do you think that he will suffer the same fate as your other opponents? Do you think you will be too fast for him?

MP - My advantage is my speed, but I have to use that properly. I have to use my speed in the fight correctly.

8CN - I was talking to Evander Holyfield, and he said that he noticed that when you punch you use your legs. He said that you use your legs to get leverage on your punches. Do you agree with him?

MP - Yes, you know the power of my punches is from my legs. Evander Holyfield is my idol, I always watch his fights.

8CN - Evander supports you, he said that Mayweather should not have accused you of taking steroids. That must be important for you to hear someone like Evander say that.

MP - Yes, and I don't understand Floyd. Maybe he just doesn't want to fight me. Maybe he needs more time to make a decision to fight me.

8CN - Do you think that was part of Floyd's plan? Do you think he was looking for an out the whole time?

MP - That's right, I believe that.

8CN - Training camp for Clottey is a little bit shorter this time. Do you have any concerns with the camp being shorter?

MP - No, training is good. Right now I have pretty good movement. I am throwing good combinations, and I will be ready for the fight on March 13th.

8CN - I want to get back on the Floyd Mayweather situation. How disappointed are you for the fans and all of boxing that this fight will not happen?

MP - Well I am disappointed actually, I feel bad because if he doesn't want to fight, why get into a big alibi by ruining my name?

8CN - Your reputation could have taken a real hit because of that....

MP - Cutting in - I don't know what his story is. I don't know why he would accuse me like that.

8CN - Put it into your words how important it is for you to maintain your integrity and reputation to all of the boxing fans.

MP - The boxing fans and the Filipino boxing fans believe that Floyd is just making an alibi to cancel the fight, he's not ready to fight.

8CN - Do you think you will ultimately fight Floyd one day?

MP - I think he is scared to lose. I think he knows that if he fights me, he has a good chance to lose.

8CN - I think a lot of fans think that Manny

MP - (Laughs)

8CN - How many more fights do you think you have left in your career?

MP - It's hard to say right now but 3 to 4 more fights.

8CN - If you do win your seat in the election, will you still be involved in boxing?

MP - Maybe I will keep on fighting.

8CN - So you might still fight even if you win the election?

MP - Yes.

8CN - OK, Manny I know you're busy so do you have any closing thoughts for the fans out there?

MP - OK Brad thank you, and to all of the fans I say thank you very much. I hope everyone watches my fight on March 13th in Dallas. Thank you Brad.



Special thanks to our friend Rob Peters

SOURCE: RINGTV.COM

1. Is Clottey a worthy opponent? Short answer: yes. Pacquiao is THE RING’s No. 1-rated welterweight; Clottey is No. 5. That’s a good matchup. The Ghanian is coming off a loss to Miguel Cotto, one of the most-respected fighters in the world, but some believe he did enough to win a close decision. Clottey has never been knocked out and has good defensive skills, which means he’ll probably survive at least until the late rounds. That said, it’s difficult to get excited about Clottey’s chances or the fighter himself. He’s merely a very good boxer with pretty good power, which won’t be enough to stave off a fierce, quick-handed marvel like Pacquiao. The Filipino is roughly a 4-1 favorite for a reason. And Pacquiao went from Floyd Mayweather Jr. to a relative unknown for his opponent. A drop off that enormous will limit the buzz surrounding the fight.

2. Can Pacquiao hurt Clottey? Pacquiao has faced two welterweights. One, Oscar De La Hoya, could barely fight back. The other, Cotto, doesn’t have the best chin in the world. Clottey is different. The reason he has never been knocked out is he can take a punch. He has proved that over and over again. Thus, there is a very real possibility that the Clottey will remain standing for the full 12 rounds. I don’t see that happening, though. I believe Pacquiao has legitimate welterweight power. Plus, Clottey has never seen this kind of hand speed or punches coming from so many unpredictable directions. The punches that hurt opponents most are the ones they don’t see coming. Pacquiao might not take Clottey out with one punch but an accumulation of them should do the job. If not? Doesn’t matter. Pacquiao will just outbox his inferior foe.

3. Are Pacquiao’s last four victories misleading because of the opposition? Pacquiao supporters will roll their eyes when they read this but it’s a legitimate question. Diaz is good but limited; De La Hoya had nothing left; Hatton was overrated and some will argue that Cotto never fully recovered from the beating he took from Margarito. So what does that say about Pacquiao? Not much. As his trainer, Freddie Roach, has pointed out, we thought these opponents were all pretty good going into their meetings with Pacquiao. It was afterward, for the most part, that we began to question to them. Clottey might actually be the most-difficult to criticize even after the fact because he has had a fine career and has shown no signs of decline. Still, some will find serious fault with him and anyone else Pacquiao fights short of Mayweather or Mosley. The bottom line is that he’s destroying whomever they put in front of him. Let’s enjoy it.

4. Has Pacquiao’s reputation taken a hit after the failed negotiations with Mayweather? I don’t think so. Most fans seemed to blame Mayweather for the impasse, insisting that he was out of line to make blood-testing demands outside normal protocol even though Pacquiao has never failed a drug test. I also don’t think many people believe he has taken performance-enhancing drugs. Most adhere to the innocent-until-proven-guilty philosophy, which is the only fair approach to take. Undoubtedly, a small percentage feel strongly that he should’ve taken the blood test two weeks before the fight if he had nothing to hide. And a smaller percentage, those convinced he couldn’t have such success at heavier weights without some help, will accuse Pacquiao of wrong doing. That’s a very small group, though. He is relatively unscathed.

5. Will Pacquiao suffer a letdown after his epic showdown with Mayweather fell through? Not a chance. Pacquiao is the most-focused, most-professional boxer I’ve ever seen in spite of myriad distractions. In part, that’s just how he is. He is so committed that he left his homeland and traveled halfway around the world seeking a good trainer simply because he wanted to tap into what he knew was vast potential. The fact he has the hopes and dreams of an entire nation on his shoulders also is an immensely powerful motivating factor. He knows too much is riding on every fight to let down. And even if he were to slip up, Roach would be there to give him a good kick in the behind. Pacquiao will be as ready as ever on March 13.

6. Could Pacquiao’s demanding schedule the past few years catch up to him? Pacquiao, 31, hasn’t had a particularly hard fight since the rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez in March of 2008. He cruised past David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, although the first few rounds against Cotto were brutal. However, Pacquiao, one of the hardest workers in the world, has been training diligently to perfect his craft for 15 years without a significant break. That includes countless sparring sessions in which he has absorbed considerable punishment. Also, no one has a more hectic and demanding personal schedule than the Filipino idol. It’s not farfetched to wonder whether all of the above will take a toll on him at some point.

7. How many people will attend the fight at the new Cowboys Stadium in Dallas? An estimated 20,000 tickets were sold the first day they were available. That’s probably a tribute to Pacquiao’s growing popularity in the U.S., a large number of boxing-friendly Latinos in the Dallas area, a strong sports culture in Texas and the novelty of the first boxing card there. The stadium reportedly will be configured for 45,000 seats. I doubt that many people will buy tickets but I won’t be surprised to see a large crowd. I suspect the atmosphere will be festive but those in attendance shouldn’t necessarily expect electricity. I attended the Wladimir Klitschko-Ruslan Chagaev fight at a packed 60,000-seat soccer stadium in Germany and the energy dwindled to nothing when it became clear that Klitschko was going to win easily. Then again, the 126,000-seat Estadio Azteca in Mexico City rocked throughout the Julio Cesar Chavez-Greg Haugen fight.

8. How many pay-per-view buys will the fight generate? Pacquiao-Mayweather, featuring the two biggest pay-per-view draws in the U.S., might’ve smashed records by generating a record 3 million-plus buys. Pacquiao-Clottey? I think 800,000-900,000 –- or just shy of the 1 million Pacquiao-Cotto drew -- is realistic. Clottey isn’t nearly the attraction Cotto is in part because he doesn’t have a Latino fan base in the U.S. However, the fascination with Pacquiao is still growing and the unusual venue -– Cowboys Stadium -– adds to the appeal of the event. Plus, Antonio Margarito’s return from suspension would give the show a significant bump if he receives a license in Texas.

9. What if Pacquiao wins? Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, has come up with a fascinating plan to have his star attraction fight Antonio Margarito this year if the disgraced Mexican fighter receives a license in Texas. That would be a very lucrative matchup. The fact Margarito would be returning from his suspension in California –- for illegal hand wraps -– and a large following among Mexicans and Mexican-Americans would make him a hot commodity and the fight much more attractive than Pacquiao-Clottey. Thus, we might be looking at 2011 for the Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown. That’s assuming neither of the star participants slips up in the meantime and can get past blood-testing issues in the end.

10. What if Clottey wins? A Clottey victory would turn the boxing world upside down. Suddenly, the sport’s most-popular figure would be exposed as human after all and lose the remarkable momentum that has experts comparing him to the greatest fighters of all time. The landscape would be far less interesting, to say the least. Pacquiao would remain an attraction –- particularly if he could beat Clottey in a rematch -– but he probably would never be quite the same. Pacquiao-Mayweather or Pacquiao-Mosley would still be big but, with a diminished Pacquiao, wouldn’t smash pay-per-view records. Clottey would set himself up for some healthy paydays but will never be a true star. This is fantasy, though: Clottey isn’t going to win.

Orthodox stance & Freddie’s birthday gift to Manny, gold boxing gloves.

SOURCE: ESPN.COM

NEW YORK -- Sure, most boxing fans really, really wanted to see pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather on March 13. While that fight isn't happening now because of their inability to agree on how to handle drug testing for the bout, the public seems to have accepted with open arms Pacquiao's replacement fight.

He's going to meet former welterweight titleholder Joshua Clottey on HBO PPV on March 13 in the first boxing event to be held at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, outside of Dallas.

In just the first three hours of public tickets sales (preceded by three days of limited pre-sales) on Saturday, more than 20,000 of the approximately 40,000 available were gobbled up. They ranged in price from $50 to $700.

"Ross Greenburg and I are very gratified that the public has responded like they have, and we are happy for our partner (Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told me on Saturday night at the Madison Square Garden Theater.

Arum and Greenburg, the president of HBO Sports, were sitting together shortly before the telecast of Top Rank's doubleheader, featuring featherweight title bouts pitting Steven Luevano and Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa and Rogers Mtagwa.

Arum said if the demand for the fight continues the capacity of the stadium, which is 100,000 or so for Cowboys games, can easily be increased.

"It's going to be quite a night," Arum said. "And Jerry isn't just a one-event guy. If he sees this as a success you can be sure he'll do more boxing in that great stadium."

Also Saturday night, junior middleweight titlist Yuri Foreman and former welterweight titlist Miguel Cotto were in the house. Arum, who promotes both, was talking with both sides trying to finalize a June 12 fight between them, which he is planning for in the Madison Square Garden main arena.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Guys wearing jeans and cowboy hats ran through dry ice and past the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, sparklers firing from the tips of the flagpoles they carried.

Michael Buffer gave his signature introduction, the music blared, the highlights rolled and, finally — walking through the same tunnel the Cowboys use to enter and exit their home turf — out came boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

No, this wasn't a test run for Pacquiao's March 13 welterweight fight against Joshua Clottey in the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium.

This was merely the news conference kicking off the hype for a bout being billed as "The Event."

"This is going to be the Super Bowl of boxing," said Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer.

Not really. That would've been the hoped-for matchup between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., which was scuttled after Mayweather outlined a drug testing plan Pacquiao wouldn't accept.

Had that fight come together, it would have been in Las Vegas. So as far as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is concerned, things worked out just fine.

"It did," Jones said, smiling. "This gave us an opening. We were very aggressive. We were pretty quick to make a deal."

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum was smitten by the stadium during negotiations for a possible Pacquaio-Mayweather fight. Arum returned for a Cowboys playoff game, sitting near former President George W. Bush in Jones' box.

Arum has promoted fights at the Astrodome and at Yankee Stadium. He predicts Cowboys Stadium "will have a big role in boxing for years to come."

"I have never, ever seen anything like it," Arum said. "There is nothing in the world like this place. It just blows you away."

The stadium is hosting the NBA All-Star Game next month and will host the Super Bowl next year. A Final Four is on the way, as is a Notre Dame football game. It's also in the running as a World Cup soccer site, should that event come to the United States.

Still, for all that it has going for it, the building is right off an interstate highway in a suburb midway between Dallas and Fort Worth. There's a nearby amusement park and some strip centers, none of which will ever be confused with the Las Vegas Strip.

But money talks and Jones believes he can make it financially worthwhile for fighters. His goal is to host up to four or five fights a year, "once we establish that we are the place to fight and have the kind of stature that we want to have." He used Madison Square Garden as a comparison.

For this fight, the Cowboys are planning to sell around 40,000 seats, offering tickets on all but the highest decks.

There's no decision yet on whether they will have the standing-room only tickets that have been so popular for other events since the stadium opened last summer. Considering the HBO pay-per-view will cost $49.95, it would be a heck of a deal to pay that much to watch on the stadium's enormous video boards, while also being in the building.

Jones vowed that fight night will be even splashier than the news conference.

"We're going to make this one of the most interesting fights to view that there's ever been," he said. "It'll have everything to do with the flexibility of this board right above the ring. We're going to have some fun with it."

The fight itself should be pretty good, too.

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) is widely considered the best fighter, pound-for-pound, in the world. In November, he beat Miguel Cotto, who beat Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) last summer. However, that fight was a split decision that many felt should've gone to Clottey, a native of Ghana who lives in New York.

The boxers praised each other during Tuesday's event. They also were gushing over the facility and the glitzy news conference.

"I like the introduction," Pacquiao said. "I'm surprised. I feel like I'm a ... football player!"

Soon enough, he looked like one.

Jones presented Pacquiao with a No. 3 jersey featuring his name on the back. Clottey received a No. 13 jersey.

The significance? It's shorthand for the date of the bout: 3-13.

Jones already has gotten ticket requests from former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells. Jones and Barry Switzer have gone to fights together, so he'll probably ask for a seat, too.

Parcells, though, is the biggest fight fan of the bunch. In fact, Jones once looked into investing in Pacquiao's career.

"Bill really encouraged me to meet with the guy who had Pacquiao," Jones said. "I had him come in and sit down and talk about backing Pacquiao. You could see his potential at that time."

FROM PHILSTAR.COM

MANILA, Philippines - Late nights, sleepless nights, are over for Manny Pacquiao.

Because once he lands in Los Angeles, Pacquiao should be eating, breathing and thinking of Josh Clottey until the night they climb the ring and fight at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 13.

For the next seven weeks, there’s nothing else to do but train.

The last few days, Pacquiao had been out partying and engaging himself in his favorite pastime, playing billiards at this special place in Malate, sometimes for as long as the sun rises.

Someone close to Pacquiao said it’s just his way of having “good, clean fun.”

Another source said the 31-year-old pound-for-pound champion, who can easily make $15 million per fight, came home the other day to his Hyatt Hotel suite richer by P3 million ($63,000) through money games.

Pacquiao was scheduled to board a Philippine Airlines flight last night along with his Canadian adviser Mike Koncz, his brother Bobby, his lawyer Jeng Gacal, and trainers Nonoy Neri and Roger Fernandez.

A press conference is up in Dallas on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), and then another one in New York the day after. Pacquiao reports for his first day of training under Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in LA on Thursday.

Saturday evening, Koncz faced the media at the Hyatt Hotel, gladly announcing the negative results of a drug test which Pacquiao took last Dec. 30, and talked about the coming fight, which is said isn’t going to be easy.

“I don’t think any fight is easy,” he said, not against Clottey, a 32-year-old former world champion from Ghana, who is as big or as popular as Pacquiao’s latest victims, including Oscar dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.

“Clottey is hungrier. And he knows that if he beats Manny he becomes a superstar,” said Koncz of the muscular opponent who, for the first time in his 15-year career, will be paid more than $1 million for a single fight.

Clottey has never been knocked out, and in his 39 fights has only lost thrice. They were questionable losses to Carlos Baldomir (disqualification in 1999), Antonio Margarito (2006) and Cotto (2009).

“Clottey is differednt from Cotto or even (Floyd) Mayweather. He’s stocky and muscular. I really think this is going to be a difficult fight. What Clottey has that Cotto didn’t have was a tight defense.

“And the volume of punches that he throws is just great. It’s not going to be a walk in the park. His hands are always up protecting his head and he comes after you with a lot of punches,” said Koncz.

Pacquiao was at ringside when Cotto and Clottey figured in a bloody 12-round duel last June.

“And Cotto hit him with everything he had and he kept on coming. Clottey is a real opponent and there will be no excuses after the fight which is going to be at 147 pounds – no catchweight.” said Koncz.

By Sean McDaniel: If the ESPN poll is any guide in which the respondents were asked if they would watch the Pacquiao-Clottey bout shown at the Dallas Cowboy stadium, there could be a general disinterest in the upcoming March 13th bout between WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey at the Dallas Cowboy stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Of 37,000 respondents that have taken part in the poll, 76% of them have voted that they won’t be watching the Pacquiao-Clottey fight. Of course, this is a boxing site that hardcore fans go to more than casual ones.

However, it’s not a good sign when you have that many people showing little interest in wanting to see the replacement fight for the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout. Boxing fans were hoping to see the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight on March 13th, but the fight fell apart after Pacquiao and Mayweather couldn’t agree on the blood testing for the fight.

Top Rank, who will be promoting the Pacquiao-Clottey fight, still hasn’t started their promotion of the fight yet. There isn’t much time to promote the fight, but with a strong surge, it’s possible they could drum up interest in the fight with the casualfans if they can make Clottey look good somehow.

They could have to focus on showing bits and parts of his career, and stay away from his disappointing losses to Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. The problem here is that Clottey isn’t well known amongboxing fans, aside from the hardcore fans. He’s not a real flashy fighter either, so it’s going to take some selling to get people to want to fork over big money to watch this on pay-per-view.

As of now, there’s no word which cable network will be showing the fight. HBO would be a big help in selling the Pacquiao-Clottey fight if they can put together one of their 24/7 series for the fight. It’s a little different in this case from their usual 24/7 series, which typically has two big stars facing each other. In this case, it would be one big star –Pacquiao – against an opponent that boxing fans would have scant knowledge of.

That could be good or bad. If HBO or Top Rank can make Clottey look like a monster, instead of a defensive fighter who recently was beaten by Miguel Cotto, it could drumming up interest amongfans. It would be a huge disappointment if the Pacquiao-Clottey fight fails to make 900,000 pay-per view buys.

Personally, I’m a big fan of Pacquiao, but even I have a hard time stomaching this fight. Clottey wasn’t the kind of opponent that I was expecting as a replacement for Mayweather, and depending on how much the fight goes for on pay-per-view, I might not watch it. If it’s $49.95 or more, I’ll save mymoney on other things. I’d like to see it, but just because I want to see Pacquiao fight.

I don’t see the fight as a competitive match, which is why I’m not all that excited about it. I’m sure that Top Rank and/or HBO will do a good job of convincing the casualfans that this will be a competitive fight. However, since I know boxing well, and see this as a mismatch, the PPV price will have to be reasonable for me to want to throw down my money on this.

By Eric Thomas: As reported by ESPN writer Dan Rafael, the Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey bout could possibly have former World Boxing Association welterweight champion Antonio Margarito fighting in the co-main event.

If this turns out to be the case, it would be the first bout for Margarito in over a year since his 9th round stoppage loss to Shane Mosley in January 2009.

Rafael states that Margarito, who had his license revoked in California for having an illegal substance in his hand wraps before his fight with Mosley, could get licensed by the Texas Athletic Commission for the fight, and wouldn’t need for the California Athletic Commission to renew his license. Margarito’s opponent would be Carson Jones, who recently stopped knockout artist Tyrone Brunson.

Other fights on the undercard, former World Boxing Council lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo (60-9-1, 52 KO’s) vs. fringe welterweight contender Alfonso Gomez (21-4-2, 10 KO’s). This fight has mismatch written all over it. Although Castillo was once one of the best lightweights in the world five years ago, he’s gone downhill since then as he’s moved up in weight to the welterweight division where he seems too small.

The 5’8” Castillo has lost two out of his last seven fights, with his five wins coming against 2nd tier opponents. It would seem likely that Gomez, a good brawling type fighter, will be too much for Castillo and end up dominating him.

Gomez has looked good in some of his fights, beating Jesus Soto Karass recently by a 6 round technical decision in November, and beating Carson Jones, Arturo Gatti, Jesse Feliciano and Ben Tackie. However, Gomez has been beaten when he steps it up a class, getting stopped by Miguel Cotto in 2008 and losing to Peter Manfredo Jr.

Also on the card will be unbeaten super bantamweight prospect Roberto Marroquin (11-0, 8 KO’s)

By Jason Kim: Freddie Roach, the trainer for World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, says in an article at Fight Hype that “Our [Pacquiao] goal is to knock him [Clottey out.” Its understandable why Roach would want his fighter Pacquiao to try and knock Clottey out, because the longer that he sticks around in the fight the more damage he can inflict upon Pacquiao. The good news is that Clottey is starting to show his age 32 – soon to be 33 in March – and doesn’t have much of a right hand anymore.

Basically, Clottey has a nice left hook, and that’s about it, unlike Floyd Mayweather Jr., who can punch well with both hands equally. Roach thinks that Pacquiao can take advantage of Clottey’s tendency to cover up and defend. However, Roach thinks that Pacquiao will have to “get a little physical” with Clottey. That might not work well if Pacquiao sticks around to admire his work, because Clottey’s left hook is a good weapon early in the fight when he’s using it a lot doubling and tripling up with it.

Pacquiao hasn’t fought anyone with a weapon like that before, and he could get hurt if he walks into one of Clottey’s hard hooks. Clottey has never been knocked out before, and he’s been in with some big punchers like Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. It might not be the best idea for the 5’6” Pacquiao to try and slug it out with Clottey, even if Roach thinks he can take him out. Pacquiao might end up wasting his time and making a fight that would otherwise be one-sided a lot closer than it should be.

Roach says “we have to box this guy [Clottey], in and out, side to side motion, really, and really be tactical, because he’s a very strong and big puncher.” So in other words,Pacquiao will pretty much fight like he always does. I figure that Pacquiao will stick with what has worked for him all along and will use his in and out fighting style to try and score on the 5’8” Clottey.

Joshua isn’t that much taller than Pacquiao, but his frame is a lot bigger and he’s a legitimate welterweight. Pacquiao can’t stay in close with Clottey for any length of time without taking the risk of getting hit with Clottey’s hard hooks. Pacquiao hasn’t been hit all that much in his last three fights against Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, but you can figure that he’s going to get hit a lot more in this fight because of Clottey’s speed, power and great chin. He won’t fold early or be on the run like some ofPacquiao’s opponents.

Roach notices that Clottey covers up a lot in his fights. However, Clottey generally starts putting more focus on his defense late in his fights, usually by the 8th or 9th rounds, when he starts to fade. He’s very hard to hit when he’s covering up like that, and I don’t know thatPacquiao will be able to score to the head with Clottey’s gloves glued to his head. Pacquiao should forget about a knockout, and just be satisfied with getting the win.

By Chris Williams: To read what Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is saying about the March 13th fight between Joshua Clottey vs. Manny Pacquiao fight at the Dallas Cowboy stadium, you would think that Arum found the cure for cancer or something. In an article by Dan Rafael of ESPN, Arum said “This is going to be one of the biggest events in the history of boxing. This is the most incredible stadium setting I have ever seen. It is absolutely unbelievable. This is going to be much, much more than just aboxing match. A lot of things that happen are ordained by God.” Oh brother.

Pacquiao is going to fight another Top Rank fighter, one that was beaten only last year by recent Pacquiao victim Miguel Cotto and we’re supposed to get excited about this fight? I don’t mind watching a mismatch every now and then, but I’m not going to label it as gold. The way I see it, thisPacquiao-Clottey fight is a poor replacement for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight and I’m a huge fan of Pacquiao.

I’m no fan of watching Pacquiao pitted against an opponent like Clottey who was recently beaten by Cotto. It’s nice that Arum was able to line up the Dallas Cowboy stadium for the Pacquiao-Clottey fight, but that doesn’t mean anything to me. That’s something that would only make people who stand to benefit from it happy.

I don’t get anything by the fight taking place in a stadium or a barn. As long as they fight, that’s all I care about. I’m pretty sureboxing fans see it like me. So what if they can squeeze in 20,000 to 30,000 extra fans for the fight. How is that important to me? If they were talking about lowering the price of thePacquiao-Clottey fight to $25, then I’m good with that.

I’m not excited about paying $49.95 to see Pacquiao fight Clottey. If Clottey was beating everyone in sight, then yeah, I’d pay big money to see the fight, but he’s not.

Arum says “When people see this event and how it will be presented, nothing in the past will ever compare to it.” What is he talking about? We’re still talking aboutPacquiao vs. Clottey, right?

What on earth can Arum do to make the fight anything more than what it is, a mismatch in my view. He can hire clowns, jugglers and a live band, but that doesn’t interest me. It’s just going to be more people sitting in seats in theDallas Cowboy stadium, and that benefit me. So why should I get any more excited about this fight than I would watching any other mismatch?

I frankly don’t care a fig if Pacquiao was fighting Mayweather in the Dallas Cowboy stadium. Why should that mean anything more to me than it would be if they were fighting in a small arena? As long as they’re fighting, that’s all that matters.Boxing fans don’t get anything out of watching a fight that’s being held in a large stadium. It just means more noise and more money for the promoters, the fighters and their training team. I’m not promoter, trainer or fighter, so why should I be excited about the fight taking place in a huge stadium? If they cut the price of the pay-per-view because of this, then we’re talking. Somehow, I doubt they’ll lower the price of this fight on PPV.

By Dave Lahr: According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, the bout between World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and challenger Joshua Clottey will be taking place at the Dallas Cowboy stadium, in Arlington, Texas. Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboy football team and Dallas Cowboy stadium, was very eager to land the Pacquiao-Clottey fight for his large stadium in Texas. Jones reportedly offered up $25 million site fee for the bout.

As such, the Pacquiao vs. Clottey bout will move ahead to March 13th. Floyd Mayweather was supposed to be Pacquiao’s opponent, but he made the mistake of asking for random blood tests to take place before he would fight Pacquiao. Although Manny was willing to take three of the tests, Mayweather wanted them to take place within the last 30 days before the fight. Pacquiao agreed on taking the last test at 24 days, but Mayweather wanted 14 days.

The Dallas Cowboy stadium would have been perfect for the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight, but it’s unclear whether they will be able sell it out or even come close to selling it out with the Pacquiao-Clottey match up. The stadium seats 100,000. Arum, however, thinks it’s going to be a huge event, even though Clottey isn’t a big star.

“This is going to be one of the biggest events in the history of boxing,” Arum says. It also might be a disappointment. Pacquiao has done well recently with big pay per view bouts, but he’s been blessed by a big name star opposing him. Clottey, good but flawed fighter, isn’t well known to casual boxing fans of the sport. He’s not an Oscar De La Hoya or Floyd Mayweather.

This fight will be a good test to see how popular Pacquiao is. If he can sell out the Dallas Cowboy stadium against Clottey, there would be no reason for Pacquiao to waste time fighting a big named star like Mayweather in the future, even if Mayweather is agreeable to fighting Pacquiao without blood tests for PEDs. Pacquiao could then pick and choose and fight anyone in the top 10, and still do well.