Outboxed, outclassed

Source: Daily Inquirer
After Clottey, Pacquiao fans want Mayweather next
ARLINGTON, TEXAS—Before one of the largest indoor crowds in modern US ring history, Manny Pacquiao Sunday dominated a strangely gun-shy Joshua Clottey, outpunching him from bell to bell, to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title.
The ease with which Pacquiao outclassed Clottey over 12 rounds—at times, the Filipino looked as if he were simply working up a sweat in a sparring session—left many fans and experts hankering for a once-in-a-lifetime fight between him and the undefeated American Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“We are ready to fight him (Mayweather) any time,” The New York Times quoted Pacquiao as saying. “I don’t think he’s ready to fight.”

“I want that fight, the world wants that fight, but it’s up to him,” Pacquiao said after the one-sided match on Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila).

With 50,944 fans—the biggest fight crowd in the United States in 17 years—cheering him on at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao made sure the result was never in doubt.

Pacquiao exuded confidence. The New York Times said that two hours before stepping into the ring, the man who had captured a record seven world titles in seven weight divisions watched NBA basketball on television.

Body shots throughout

Throwing punches in bunches, Pacquiao controlled the fight throughout as he raked Clottey’s body with shots that could have toppled a brick wall.

But Clottey showed why he’s never been knocked out by surviving the onslaught and covering well, occasionally finding the attacking Pacquiao open for a punch or two.

All three judges gave Pacquiao a runaway victory. Duane Ford of Nevada saw a sweep, 120-108, while New Mexico’s Levi Martinez and Puerto Rico’s Nelson Vasquez both scored it 119-109, giving Clottey only one round, the third.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer scored it, 120-108, giving every round to Pacquiao, as did the Associated Press.

1,231 punches

Pacquiao’s punishing assault was reflected on the CompuBox: He 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.

“He pitched a shutout and won every round,” said the Filipino superstar’s American trainer, Freddie Roach.

Though he failed to knock out Clottey, Pacquiao said he was satisfied with the result.

“Clottey is a very tough opponent and a good counterpuncher,” said Pacquiao, whose string of knockouts ended at four. “I (was) not in a hurry because he was looking for a big shot.”

Clottey never found any as Pacquiao, now 51-3-2 with 38 knockouts, executed the game plan that he and Roach hatched in their training camp back at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

Clottey’s only mission

Right after the opening bell, Pacquiao worked on Clottey’s body with the Ghanaian trying to retaliate with straights. Pacquiao intensified the bombardment in the second, but Clottey kept himself in a shell—content with just putting both arms in front of him to keep out of harm’s way.

The third turned out to be Clottey’s best round as he jolted Pacquiao twice with 1-2 combinations. Still, it wasn’t enough to thwart Pacquiao’s inside thrusts that often found their mark.

Pacquiao resumed his assault in the fourth, lightly hitting Clottey’s ears with closed gloves, and in the fifth, as the Ghanaian stayed on the defensive mode.

From then on, it seemed that Clottey’s only mission was to finish the round upright, similar to the strategy employed by Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera in his second fight with Pacquiao.

Low blow

Clottey unleashed a low blow in the eighth round that drew boos from the predominantly Filipino crowd of 50,944, the third largest crowd to watch an indoor fight in modern boxing history.

Before the round ended, Clottey even sneaked in a punch on the clinch.

Clottey was able to land some solid blows from the ninth to the 12th rounds, but Pacquiao countered with flurries, switching from the body to the head.

When the end came, the two fighters embraced each other in the middle of the ring, which was dwarfed by a gigantic, high definition television measuring 72 feet tall and 160 feet wide and hanging 30 feet above.

The loss dropped Clottey’s record to 53-4 (with 21 knockouts). But he succeeded in avoiding the fate that befell David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto—all of whom were savagely knocked out by Pacquiao.

Pacquiao, who was recently named Fighter of the Decade, ran his win streak to 12 straight fights.

Survival mode

Pacquiao called Clottey “a very good defensive fighter.”

“I was looking for a strategy to beat that defense, like body shots, uppercuts. It worked,” the champion said, adding: “Some of his punches hurt.”

“He (Clottey) fought a defensive fight,” Roach said. “When you fight for the world title, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I thought he would have thrown more punches. He was in survival mode and when the guy is trying to survive it is hard to knock him out.”

After the verdict was announced, Pacquiao was asked about the bungled negotiations with Mayweather Jr., the former world No. 1. He said it seemed the American, who’s slated to fight Shane Mosley on May 1, wasn’t ready to face him yet.

Pacquiao said it was now Mayweather’s turn to get past Mosley, otherwise Mosley may end up as his next opponent. He said he would decide on his fight plans after the May elections. He is vying for a congressional seat in Sarangani province.

Before the fight started, Pacquiao was prayed over by priest Michael Beof. He was surrounded by wife Jinkee, relatives and team members.

$12-M guarantee

Pacquiao is guaranteed to receive $12 million, apart from his share from pay-per-view revenues and gate receipts. Clottey earned his biggest paycheck of $1.5 million.

Pacquiao was accompanied to the ring by Roach, assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez, conditioning expert Alex Ariza, flag-bearer Cris Aquino, trainer Nonoy Neri, confidante Wakee Salud, former world champion Gerry Peñalosa, and lawyer Jeng Gacal.

Upon entering the $1.2-billion stadium—home of American football’s Dallas Cowboys—Pacquiao walked to the tune of Eye of the Tiger, headed to his corner and prayed for 30 seconds.

The tone of the bout was set early, with Pacquiao advancing against his taller opponent and throwing punches with both hands from all angles.

“Everything’s working now,” 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.”

Incredible story

DeJesus later said his fighter “had the power to knock him (Pacquiao) out but was reluctant to punch. We clearly got beat. I don’t think he won a round.”

This was the first defense of his WBO title for Pacquiao who was the heavy favorite despite giving away a 10-pound weight advantage to Clottey.

The fight was more of an event than a real competition, bringing in the biggest crowd in the United States for a fight since Julio Cesar Chavez fought Pernell Whitaker at the Alamodome in 1993.

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,” said promoter Bob Arum. “Fourteen years ago, he (Pacquiao) was sleeping in a cardboard shack in the Philippines and tonight, he puts 51,000 people in this palace in Dallas.”

Clottey didn’t feel the fight as one-sided as the judges saw it.

“I won a couple of rounds,” the Ghanaian said. “I don’t think I lost all the rounds.”

At the weigh-in, Pacquiao hit 145 pounds and Clottey, 147. At fight time itself, Pacquiao probably weighed at least 150, still giving away at least 10 pounds to Clottey, who normally climbs the ring at 160. With reports from AP, AFP and Reuters