Atlas: Clottey is More Dangerous For Pacquiao Than Yuri

BoxingScene.com sat down with outspoken trainer Teddy Atlas on Saturday to get his thoughts on Manny Pacquiao's defense of the WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey on March 13. Atlas was surprised that Pacquiao passed on WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, but agreed to fight Clottey. Atlas feels Pacquiao is making a big mistake if he and his handlers believe Clottey is the easier fight.

"I think it's a mistake for them to go with Clottey instead of Foreman. I know [Pacquiao] is looking at the size [of Foreman] but sometime it's not about size. If Clottey would have kept the pressure on Cotto, I think he would have stopped him, but he let him off the hook," Atlas told BoxingScene.com.

"They are wrong when they assume this will be an easier fight because Foreman is one weight class up and Clottey is one weight class down. It's about the physicality of the fighter. Of course it also has do with the style of the fighter but in this case they are more concerned about size and they are wrong. Foreman is a slight built kid who is not a physical kid and doesn't fight a physical fight. He's bigger but doesn't use his size in a way that is dangerous, which is how Clottey uses his size one weight class below."

"Clottey is much more physical and much more dangerous in this fight than Foreman. They need to look at someone who is bigger and look at how he uses that size to impact the fight. Foreman wouldn't use his size like a junior middleweight who is fighting a smaller man. He uses boxing first and uses his legs. He's a junior middleweight who doesn't act like a junior middleweight. Clottey fights like a bigger man and mentally he thinks of himself as a bigger fighter and proves it in the way he fights at 147."

If Atlas was handling Pacquiao, he would have went with Foreman instead of Clottey. He doesn't rule out the possibility of an upset. Atlas tells BoxingScene that Clottey has enough strength and enough ability to time, and hurt, Pacquiao during exchanges.

"Clottey punches to the body well. He's a strong guy who knows how to fight. It's a much greater risk. Their way of thinking is way out of line. They are saying they don't want Foreman because he is bigger but I would be saying that I don't want Clottey because he is bigger. When you match up their dimensions and their physicality, Clottey is the bigger fighter. Clottey has more than enough experience with good fighters that he knows how to time you and that's a very important element to catch a guy like Pacquiao, who is faster. Clottey is capable of doing this," Atlas said.

When I first heard about Pacquiao fighting Clottey, I immediately gave Pacquiao the obvious advantages, which are speed and workrate. Atlas agreed with some of my points. While I think speed will be the biggest factor in the fight, Atlas views Clottey's workrate as the biggest disadvantage for the Ghanian fighter. But both of us agreed that Clottey, based on styles, will be a tougher opponent for Pacquiao than Miguel Cotto or Ricky Hatton or Oscar De La Hoya.

"It's not that he's not a fast guy. He's not that slow but they probably think he's not busy and maybe one-dimensional to a degree and maybe not the bravest guy in the world with the way he fought Cotto by fighting in spots. He's not consistent, but Clottey has the mental and physical makeup of a bigger fighter and he fights like a fighter who has those advantages and with his experience it makes him very dangerous opponent for Pacquiao," Atlas said.

"Clottey is better defensively than Cotto and covers up better. Its hard to catch him with as many cleaner shots in a row as you can Cotto. I don't think the fight will be anything similar to the Cotto fight. Cotto was easy to fight and Clottey is not that easy to deal with.

Source: http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=24587

Joshua Clottey Will Prove to be a Tough Opponent for Pacquiao

WBO world welterweight champion Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao will defend his crown versus former IBF welterweight titlist “The Hitter” Joshua Clottey on March 13 in a bout tentatively slated to occur at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

“We’re on the same page,” said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum regarding the negotiations he has had with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) was initially scheduled to fight “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) on the identical date.

Unfortunately, the two childish camps were ridiculously unable to agree to terms on a matchup that was expected to pay both prizefighters’ in excess of $30 million dollars.

So, after the Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown disintegrated, Arum quickly arranged a fight for his client versus Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs).

Pacquiao, 31, the first boxer to win seven world titles in seven different weight divisions, deserves his No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world ranking by Ring Magazine .

“Pac-Man” is tough, agile, quick and incredibly powerful for a man of his diminutive frame.

Pacquiao, a Filipino who is also the Ring Magazine and IBO light welterweight titlist, is arguably one of the greatest pugilists in the history of the sport.

“The Fighting Pride of the Philippines” will enter his encounter with Clottey as a decided favorite to emerge victorious.

However, Clottey, 33, is a legitimate prizefighter and he should ultimately prove to be a very difficult opponent for Pacquiao in the ring.

Last June, Clottey was defeated by Miguel Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs) in a controversial split-decision at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Granted, Cotto was badly hindered by a cut that he received when Clottey accidentally head-butted him in the third round.

Nevertheless, Clottey validated himself as a true performer against Cotto and there is no reason to believe that he won’t be a handful for Pacquiao in three months time.

Subsequent to his battle with Clottey, Cotto fought Pacquiao last November at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Cotto scrapped valiantly and displayed true grit before he suffered a TKO loss to Pacquiao in the 12th round.

Pacquiao will trump Clottey and extend his consecutive winning streak to 12.

Still, “Pac Man” will be struck by “The Hitter” and this fight should be more intriguing than most analysts predict that it will be.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/322512-joshua-clottey-will-prove-to-be-a-tough-opponent-for-pacquiao

Pacquiao, Clottey reach deal to fight March 13 at Cowboys Stadium

WASHINGTON -- As representatives from Golden Boy Promotions work feverishly to keep aFloyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiaomegafight alive, Pacquiao has reached an agreement in principle to defend his WBO welterweight title against former title holderJoshua Clotteyon March 13, Top Rank promoterBob Arumtold SI.com.

The fight between Pacquiao and Clottey will likely take place at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

Arum and Top Rank have been embroiled in contentious negotiations with Mayweather and representatives from Golden Boy Promotions, which is representing Mayweather. At issue is drug testing: Mayweather is insisting on random blood testing before the fight while Pacquiao will submit to unlimited urine testing -- all that is required by the Nevada commission -- but only agree to blood testing 30 days before the fight.

Earlier this week, the two sides agreed to mediation by retired federal judgeDaniel Weinstein. During the mediation, Pacquiao agreed to blood testing up to 24 days before the fight. Mayweather refused and, according to Golden Boy CEORichard Schaefer, countered with a 14-day testing window.

Schaefer told SI.com on Friday that he believed Pacquiao was never told of the 14 day offer. He referred to an Internet report where Pacquiao and his representatives denied that Mayweather had offered to reduce the testing window to 14 days before the fight. Schaefer said he had text messages between Golden Boy's Chief Marketing OfficerBruce Binkowand Top Rank PresidentTodd DuBoefduring this week's mediation discussing the 14-day window.

Arum, however, says Pacquiao has known about the 14 days since Jan. 1 and said he had an email exchange between DuBoef and Pacquiao's advisor,Michael Koncz, that prove that Pacquiao had received the offer and rejected it.

"That offer was rejected a long time ago," said Arum. "It was off the table. They are just trying to get under Manny's skin. It serves no purpose than to aggravate Manny Pacquiao."

Arum scoffed at the notion that the fight could be saved, indicating that neither he nor anyone in his company had been in contact with anyone from Mayweather's camp. " If they are negotiating, they are negotiating with themselves," said Arum. "We aren't talking to them."

Schaefer said Arum approached him on Thursday to discuss the possibility of making a third fight between Pacquiao andJuan Manuel Marquez. But the discussions went nowhere because besides insisting on a 50-50 split, Marquez also asked for the same level of drug testing as Mayweather. Schaefer also said that while he had not spoken toShane Mosleyabout a future fight with Pacquiao, it was likely that Mosley would also require blood testing before any fight with Pacquiao.

Arum said he would no longer consider any form of testing beyond what the state commission requires for any future fight with Pacquiao -- including Mayweather.

"This is beyond stupid," said Arum. "That was my biggest mistake, allowing any of this to happen. I should have said no. We're not revisiting [blood testing]. We're not negotiating with these punks anymore. If Mayweather wants to fight Pacquiao down the road, he will have to go by the testing the state commission asks for. If not, life goes on."

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/mma/boxing/01/08/pacquiao.clottey/

Pacquiao-Clottey Bout for W.B.O. Title

Manny Pacquiao will put his W.B.O. welterweight title on the line against the Ghanaian Joshua Clottey in March after talks for a bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. fizzled, Pacquiao’s promoter said. The fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather broke down when negotiations between the sides hit a snag over Mayweather’s demand for a rigorous dope-testing procedure. Clottey beat Zab Judah for the I.B.F. welterweight title in August 2008 and lost a split decision to Miguel Cotto last June.


Source: http://www.nytimes.com

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