Source: GMANEWS
Manny Pacquiao conducted a boxing clinic in front of almost 51,000 fans as he clinched his 12th straight victory on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) with a unanimous decision over Joshua Clottey in their WBO welterweight title fight at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) controlled the fight from the start, throwing mostly body shots because Clottey locked his arms in front of his face. Pacquiao never slowed throwing punches and Clottey (35-4) never got very aggressive. Neither fighter went down.
The three judges — Levi Martinez, Nelson Vazquez and Duane Ford — all scored in favor of the seven-time world division champion as Pacquiao defended for the first time his WBO welterweight title, which he won over Miguel Cotto.
Two judges scored the fight 119-109, the other 120-108. The Associated Press gave every round to the Filipino.
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.
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 to the title of the 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.
The tone of the fight 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.
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.
"Everything's working now," trainer Freddie Roach told Pacquiao after the third round. "It's easy."
Next up for Pacquiao is an election for Congress in his native Philippines. He's also hoping for a megafight against Floyd Mayweather Jr., presuming Mayweather beats Shane Mosley on May 1.
Clottey lost his second straight fight.
Congratulations
Malacañang congratulated Pacquiao. In an interview on dzBB radio, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar said Pacquiao had united Filipinos anew as the country ventures into a new chapter in its history.
"Manny proved that the strength and determination of Filipinos is a cut above the rest. On behalf of our jubilant nation, we thank you Manny for uniting the country as it steps into a new chapter in our history," Olivar said in Filipino. — GMANews.TV with a report from AP
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