These odds were in line with the expectations of most that the Ghanaian would offer some solid resistance to the future hall-of-fame entrant but not necessarily anything stiffer than seen in recent fights.
Since the betting line opened up nearly two months ago in January, the line has moved gradually in favor of the "Pacman" which currently lists him as a -800 favorite. This means that either all of the money being wagered on this fight has been for Manny or that a tremendous amount of money has been bet on him in comparison to that of Clottey.
With this type of betting taking place, the rugged African prize-fighter has now made his way to the +500 region.
This means that he is a 5-1 betting underdog which has apparently caught the eye of the value seekers looking to maximize their betting leverage.
Boxing is one of the few sports in which the odds are largely based on the popularity of a fighter rather than the true level of competition within the ring.
Being that Joshua Clottey is not only considered by many to be the first legitimate welterweight test of Manny Pacquiao's career (meaning no catch-weight), but also the most rugged individual the "Pacman" has ever laced them up against points to the fact that these odds are probably a bit "off". When I refer to "off" I'm pointing to the fact that this fight would appear to be much more competitive on paper.
Usually an 8-1 spread signifies that the fight will lack any real competition and that the outcome is already a foregone conclusion.
While the line is completely correct in favoring Pacquiao, listing Clottey as a 5-1 underdog has raised the eyebrows of numerous fight fans I've spoken with thinking that it might not be a bad value bet simply based on the wideness of the line.
I'm expecting the value bettors to rear their heads leading up to the fight and by fight time Pacquiao will probably be listed as a 7-1 favorite with Clottey listed as a 4-1 underdog.
Author: John Chavez
Source: examiner.com
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