Manny Pacquiao W UD12 Joshua Clottey
Manny Pacquiao dominated an ultra cautious and completely outgunned Joshua Clottey over twelve rounds just moments ago at Arlington Texas’s famed “Cowboys Stadium” live on HBO PPV. The bout was viewed live in front of 51, 000 Fight Fans which is the third largest American boxing audience in the last fifty years. It was yet another welterweight fight where a naturally larger and stronger opponent could simply not afford to fight boxing’s best fighter. Pacquiao started the opening round out very technically and Clottey largely covered up. Pacquiao went to the body early while Clottey appeared set on felling Pacquiao out. In the early rounds Pacquiao peppered Clottey with punches, and while the vast majority were blocked by Clottey’s guard it put the African fighter on the extreme defensive. Clottey landed several single good punches early, but they were few and far between. Pacquiao really stepped on the gas in Rounds 4 and 5 and upped his punch output. This seemingly put Clottey in to a shell as he became more and more intent just to cover up.
Pacquiao was on the verge of landing one hundred punches per round in the first half of the fight. While many of them were partially blocked by a cautious Clottey, the Filipino charge did a tremendous job of stepping around Clotty and banging his right hook to his opponent’s side. It developed into a cat and mouse game down the stretch and while Clottey continued to keep his wits about him Pacquiao had free reign to unload a multitude of unanswered punches.
Freddie Roach was instrumental to Pacquiao’s dominance in the fight with very astute directions to turn to land his punches as well as to movie when done throwing to avoid Clottey’s window to return fire. Round after round Pacquiao continued to let his hands go and Clottey did nothing but cover up.
If there was any confusion as to why Clottey was reluctant to engage one minute in to Round 10 Clottey opened up and was busted with a big counter right hook. The very same round Clottey’s trainer went on air with HBO and proclaimed Clottey was not opening up because he was clearly feeling Pacquiao’s power.
In the championship rounds Clottey did manage to land a few flush uppercuts that snapped Pacquiao’s head up, but the pound-for-pound kind took them in stride and came back with a blazing sequence of power punches. It was a microcosm of the entire bout.
After twelve one sided rounds Pacquiao was ahead 119-109 (x2) and 120-108 in a literal shutout. Pacquiao landed over 1200 punches in the fight which was never in doubt. The bout closed with hall of fame trainer Emanuel Steward proclaiming his dream fight would be to see Pacquiao matched against the legendary Aaron Pryor.
Max Kellerman was quick to point out most people’s dream fight is to see the ‘Pacman’ in with boxer extraordinaire Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a bout that still has the potential to take place should Mayweather defeat Shane Mosley on May 1.
“He was a very difficult opponent,” Pacquiao said post fight. “I felt his power early on but I was not in a hurry. He was looking for a big punch and I had to fight smart.”
“Pacquiao has speed,” a bewildered Clottey. “This is the first fight I’ve lost. I know I lost this fight. I know he was waiting for me to open up so he could time me and he was just too fast.”
“I want that fight (Mayweather),” Pacquiao added. “It’s the fight the people want and I want to fight him… but it’s up to him if he fights me. Floyd should beat Mosley but if he doesn’t maybe Mosley and I will fight.”
“Mayweather is the fight everyone wants to see. Manny wants it and I want it. Floyd let the boxing commissions do their job and get in the ring and fight us!”
