Manny will stop him before 12th – Roach

With a little less than a fortnight before Manny Pacquiao fights Joshua Clottey, the Filipino ring icon’s American chief trainer Freddie Roach declared his ward to be in great shape as to deal his Ghanaian challenger his first knockout defeat.

Roach assured during last weekend’s Pacquiao media call held at the Wild Card Gym in downtown Los Angeles that the world 147-pound champion and pound-for-pound king will be tapering off his preparations this week and be ready to drive to Dallas by Monday next week.

“Manny is in great shape. He is getting better all the time and he still wants to improve, “ the three-time ‘Trainer of the Year’ awardee of the American Boxing Writers Association told media men.
The ‘Pacman’ sparred for 12 rounds last Saturday following an 11-round session Friday against four different sparring partners.
“He is looking rally good and he’s got the game plan. He was so sharp, I almost wanted to five him a day off, but Manny won’t take a day off,” he said.

“We are getting better at making the moves. We have watched a lot of tape on Clottey. We know his characteristics, we know his mistakes and we know his habits,” Roach added. “I do feel that the way Manny is training for this fight, the game plan and how to beat Clottey is in place. “

“ I know Clottey is a big strong guy and a great fighter and we respect him and he’s a really tough guy but with Manny, I feel that he’s going to overwhelm him with his speed and combination and I do believe he will be the first person to stop him before the 12th round,” Pacquiao’s handler for the last 10 years predicted.
Pacquiao himself expressed confidence of successfully defending his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown, saying,” I am good. Training camp is good. Everything is great. I know Clottey is taller and bigger than me. I know I can’t underestimate him because he is a former world champion also.”
Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank, who was also in attendance at the media call, agreed, saying, “Manny Pacquiao is having a great training camp, as Freddie will tell you. There is excitement is Dallas. We have less than 8,000 tickets to go and I am fully confident we will have a sellout for the fight. It is very exciting for us and it should be a great, great show.”

When asked of his game plan, Roach said: I don’t want (Pacquiao) to be on the ropes as much as we were in the Cotto fight. Clottey is very effective on the ropes and will throw uppercuts from that position. We are working on not being there when he is trying to counter-punch. Clottey likes to lay on the ropes and counter when we are finished a combination, but we’re not going to be there – he’s not going to find us.”

“He is what he is. Let’s face it. He fights the same way in every tape I watch. Whether he fights southpaws or right-handers, he is predictable,” he continued. “Clottey’s best punch is the uppercut, but we will not fall into that pocket too often to let him use that shot. I have a lot of confidence in my fighter and the reason why is the way he has been sparring. We have big strong guys that fight a lot like Clottey.”

Roach assured the Filipino champ will definitely make 147 and “will go into the ring at 149, 150 max. I am not worried about his size. Size doesn’t win fights, skill does and it won’t be a problem.

Author: Eddie Alinea

Source: philboxing.com

Headline: Can Pacquiao wipeout Clottey?

In Pacquiao’s last fight, Pacquiao was tested by one of the hardest punchers in the sport in Miguel Cotto. I recall Pacquiao getting buzzed for a second or two in a wild exchange against Cotto in the very early going of their great action packed fight. After the light buzz, Pacquiao then took Cotto’s best shots and took them with ease, Pacquiao later said that the Boriqua Bombers hard shots did indeed hurt, but Pacquiao pretended in his own mind that they really didn’t hurt. Come March 13, can Pacquiao pretend that Clottey’s fierce left hook tickles? I sure hope so, because come March 13 I will be picking Pacquiao to get the W over Clottey. I however do not see this fight as a wipeout as most observers out there are seeing this affair play out. I see this fight as a 8 rounds-4 or 7 rounds-5 kind of fight for Pacquiao. Many are picking Pacquiao based on 2 things, that is speed and power.

I will agree that Pacquiao does have the speed and power advantages over Clottey, but speed and power will not win this fight for Pacquiao. The things that will win this fight for Pacquiao will be heart and will. Will Pacquiao’s heart will The Pac-Man to keep firing off shots when he finds a steel iron chin Clottey resting on the ropes with his ear muffs on? How will Pacquiao react when he discovers that he can’t hurt Clottey as easily as he was able to hurt has past foes? Those are great questions to ask, but the bottom line is that Clottey just doesn’t throw enough shots to derail the Pacquiao Express. If I am Clottey, I would bring the fight to Pacquiao and constantly have Pacquiao backing up, Pacquiao is at his best when he is the one moving forward sitting on his punches and picking his spots. This is why I would push forward and place Pacquiao in a whole different place, take the rythym away from him. Can the Grand Master from Ghana do just that? I don’t think so. Pacquiao By UD.

Author: Albert Alvarez

Source: www.diamondboxing.com

ROACH TO BRING IN NEW SPARRING PARTNERS, IT'S BECOMING TOO EASY FOR MANNY

Trainer Freddie Roach plans to bring in some new sparring partners for pound-for-pound icon Manny Pacquiao this week as he steps up training for his showdown against Ghana’s tough Joshua Clottey at the $1.2 billion Dallas Cowboys Stadium on March 13.

Conditioning expert Alex Ariza told us that Roach wants “to get some fresh blood in there because to be honest it's been too easy for him (Pacquiao). ”

Pacquiao sparred twelve rounds last Saturday but dropped super featherweight David Rodela from the roster and instead went up against undefeated Abdullai Amidu (18-0, 17 KO’s) of Ghana, light welterweight Mike Dallas (11-0-1, 2 KO’s) and the experienced welterweight, veteran Steve Forbes (34-7, 10 KO’s.)

Ring Magazine’s Michael Rosenthal recently quoted Dallas as saying Pacquiao is “even stronger than he was before the (Oscar) De La Hoya fight. He’s a good counter-puncher. He’s strong, he’s fast and his legs are really something. His footwork is incredible. He moves like a cat. He’s real fast.”

Amidu told Rosenthal, Pacquiao is in good condition “punches hard, had a lot of speed and has good movement. He has everything. His punches come from different directions. They don’t come from where you expect to. You have to be ready for every eventuality.”

Asked why he thought Pacquiao was so successful, Amidu replied “he has a lot of respect for humanity. God blesses him a lot. He’s very disciplined, always in good condition.”

The Ghana fighter said he was very impressed with Pacquiao’s footwork pointing out that “if you have good footwork you can do a lot in boxing. You have to have good movement, to move from every angle. He can do that” adding that Pacquiao was the best he had worked with.

Ariza said Pacquiao was good, same as before when he had a stirring workout on Thursday which both Roach and Ariza agreed was Pacquiao’s best showing in sparring so far.

The conditioning guru who has worked with Roach since a few weeks before the David Diaz fight which Pacquiao won by a devastating 9th round knockout told us he’s “focusing more on his legs” which caused some concern in the training camp when Pacquiao complained of pain and tightness in the left leg which was similar to what he suffered during the fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

Ariza told us “as long as his leg is holding up and it's not bothering him I am pleased. Until he wins this fight let’s keep our fingers crossed.”

He revealed that Pacquiao “knows now” about the danger to his leg posed by playing too much basketball which Roach has long been against and has apparently stopped.

While he was in the Philippines prior to leaving for Los Angeles, Pacquiao played a lot of basketball which is his way of staying in physical shape before getting into the gym to prepare for a fight. Even in Los Angeles, Pacquiao did play in some pick-up games because he loves the sport so much.

Author: Ronnie Nathanielsz

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Inside the Ropes 03.01.10: Clottey's Quiet Confidence

With only two weeks to go before the biggest fight of his career, former welterweight titlist Joshua Clottey is simply taking it all in while confidently preparing for Manny Pacquiao.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank


Don't tell Clottey he's supposed to be worried

You'd think by the way he's going about his business, Joshua Clottey is preparing for any typical welterweight fight. He doesn't make a lot of noise; he more or less stays out of the public eye and confidently trains without even so much as watching his opponent's fight tapes.

On March 13, Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs) takes on boxing's best in Manny Pacquiao at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium for the WBO 147-pound title. Easily the biggest fight of his career, though he's tangled with big dogs like Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, Clottey has been busy at work at his training camp in Florida for another world title shot. It's an opportunity he received when the proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao fight fell apart; truly a blessing in disguise from the Ghanaian.

"I was so surprised that I had this opportunity to fight against Manny Pacquiao and when Bob Arum and Top Rank called me about this opportunity to fight Manny Pacquiao, I was so happy and I want to win this fight in a big way," said Clottey on a conference call last week.

That he's got a fight of this magnitude on his plate doesn't seem to faze him however as he's gone about training the same way he does for every fight – even avoiding those tapes.

"That is right. I never watch tapes of people," admitted Clottey. "I don't like watching tapes but I know how he fights. When I get to the ring I know how he is going to be. "

Perhaps not the best way to prepare for a fighter like Pacquiao but nonetheless it's worked pretty well for him so far. In his last outing against Miguel Cotto, Clottey seemed to have things figured out as he made Cotto's life a living hell with a crab-like defense, strong punches upstairs and non-stop pressure. Well perhaps not non-stop, as he seemed to have a few lapses in workrate which may have ultimately given away the fight. He did get dropped early on in the fight but he more or less dominated when he was pressing the action. Those few times however when he felt compelled to sit back and coast, gave Cotto the opening he needed to not only stay in the fight but pull it out in the end. It's a mistake Clottey regrets and aims to avoid next time but reiterates that he's more focused on connecting with punches than throwing them in bunches.

"You know, I'm not a flyweight. I am not a bantamweight. I am a welterweight and welterweights only throw punches that connect. I can throw shots which connect and land and cause damage," Clottey stated.

As for the Pacquiao fight, Clottey has remained in the shadows as usual, only praising his opponent while adjusting to a camp without his own trainer. Due to issues acquiring a visa, his trainer was left behind in Ghana while Clottey's cutman, who is known to push the former welterweight titlist during training, has undertaken the grizzly task of trying to lead his charge over Manny. It's perhaps the demoralizing prospect of being without his trainer that has become the chink in his usually iron-cast armor. Admitting that he even wept when coming to terms with the situation, Clottey was willing to do what it takes to get him Stateside but alas it was not to be. Still, Clottey reinforces that he's more than capable to of holding his own against the pound for pound king.

"I am very much ready for Manny Pacquiao," says Clottey. "I keep telling people that I am going to fight and I know it's not easy. It's not going to be easy for me and it's not going to be easy for Manny Pacquiao because I am going to fight the guy who the people think is the best."

Though not many have been able to find any real openings to get to Pacquiao, since Juan Manuel Marquez came close in their rematch in 2008, Clottey feels that it's his defense that will create more opportunities than was the case against guys like Cotto, Hatton and De La Hoya.

"He won't see the openings with me. When I block the punches it will always make him think. You see, I have my game plan. I know what is going to happen in the ring. I always come to fight and I always see my openings. My game plan is to chase him, but i he is going to be there, fine."

Regardless of what happens in two weeks, one thing's for sure, Joshua Clottey will continue to keep to himself, work hard in the gym and let his fists do the talking.

"A victory would mean more than a lot to me. That's why I am so happy about this opportunity. And second, if I beat Manny Pacquiao I am going to be very much happy, because he is the best fighter out there. He is the man now and he's giving me a chance to fight him and if I beat him, I'm going to be on top of the world. It will be very important to the people in my country and that is very important in life."

We've already seen what one man can do for his country when he's on top of the world. Perhaps another fighter will get that same opportunity; but only time will tell.

Random Thoughts

- I was impressed with Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.'s performance against Marvin Sonsona for the vacant WBO junior featherweight title. After a great opening round by Sonsona, Vazquez quickly settled down and began to impose his will on the heavily hyped prospect. The victory puts him in position for bigger and better things over the next year or so while Sonsona will need to regroup. The loss will be tough but Sonsona can bounce back.

- Carlos Negron is also another fighter to keep your eye on. This kid can bang.

- Congrats to Jason Cintron, who was on 3 More Rounds this past week (despite the show's technical difficulties). The younger brother of Kermit Cintron truly wants to carve his own path and he's only improving.

- Rough night for Kendall Holt in Atlantic City. He simply had nothing coming into this fight and it showed by the fourth round. Could this be the end of the line?

- If there's one complaint from this weekend, it was hearing Col. Bob Sheridan's commentary from Puerto Rico ; it was absolutely ridiculous and annoying.. The Colonel truly needs to calm down as a random observer might of thought he was calling Tyson vs. Douglas from 1990. Take a chill pill Bob. I enjoyed the action but you took it to a whole other level.

- As you read this, the month of March has kicked off. That means plenty of great fights are coming up in the following weeks. Don't blink!

Till next time, see you at the fights!

Author: Ramon Aranda

Source: 411mania.com

Final bell for Manny Pacquiao?

Manny Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, delivered this knee-buckling assessment for boxing fans already distraught by the failed Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. negotiations.

"This could be our last fight," Roach said last week, as Pacquiao heads into the final days of training for his March 13 welterweight world title bout against Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas.

Roach's sobering speculation about boxing's biggest star is based on a chain of events that could occur.

Pacquiao, 31, is running for a congressional seat in his native Philippines. If elected in May, he'll represent a community of about 400,000 people in need of improved healthcare, education and employment that the boxer himself was deprived of while being raised in poverty.

"I can see the help people need because I've been in that place," Pacquiao said. "They're poor, suffering, and needing help from the government. I know what they feel."

His public-service duties will be tremendous, the boxer and his closest advisors know, and his election is more realistic than it was when he failed to win a national seat a few years ago.

Pacquiao, recently selected fighter of the decade, has won 11 consecutive fights against the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez.

If he beats Clottey as expected, and if Mayweather defeats Shane Mosley on May 1, negotiations for a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout are likely to resume.

"I've talked to Manny about this. And if Mayweather doesn't come back to the table in a mood to negotiate, the public demand won't be there for any other fight," Roach said. "So if Manny wins the election and likes politics, this [Clottey fight] could be it. And I have no problem with that. I don't want Manny to be one of those guys who stays too long. It's better to go out on top.

"That's my goal for him, and I've told him, 'Don't do it like everyone else in the world.' "

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) has fought only six fewer bouts than Muhammad Ali, and has boxed the same number of rounds (305) that "Sugar" Ray Leonard had when he retired.

Roach also serves as a reminder of the perils of an overextended boxing career, as he battles the effects of pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome.

Before a recent workout at Roach's Wild Card gym in Hollywood, Pacquiao expressed enthusiasm to fight Mayweather but noted the uncertainty over his future.

"It's hard to say. Is this my last fight? We'll see," Pacquiao said. "One never knows. It's still so early to be talking about this, but I do like the thought of going out on top.

"We did a lot in boxing, achieved a lot -- more than what we set out to do."

Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, said he was "inclined to doubt" that his star fighter would walk away from the sport.

The reason?

"Money," Arum said, referring not only to the $12-million guaranteed payday Pacquiao will get for fighting Clottey, but similar purses he'd generate against other non-Mayweather foes. "That's a fortune in the Philippines," Arum said.

As Pacquiao prepares for Clottey, his workout regimen remains intense. His devotion to the sweet science is such that his sparring partner, Steve Forbes, describes Pacquiao as a human version of a "little Tasmanian devil."

Yet, Pacquiao's popularity gives him options to make a lucrative income outside the sport in acting, music and endorsements.

And the bitterness of the previous Pacquiao-Mayweather negotiations lingers. The fighters argued over Mayweather's insistence to adopt Olympic-style drug testing before the bout. Mayweather's implications led Pacquiao to sue Mayweather for defamation.

"In my opinion, [Mayweather] wasn't ready for the fight, he needed a reason to stop it," Pacquiao said. "People say to me all the time they want to see Pacquiao-Mayweather, Mayweather-Pacquiao, whatever you want to call it, and I'm a fighter," he adds, pounding over his heart with his right fist, "I'm concerned with giving the people what they want.

"Look, if I was bigger than him, I can understand him making this big deal. He's bigger than me. We have a boxing commission in Nevada. They were fine with what we were doing [regarding testing]. The fighter doesn't get to change the rules."

On his Twitter page, Mayweather responded to a follower by asking, "Ask [Pacquiao] why he wouldn't take a $25,000,000 blood test, because I honestly don't know."

Meanwhile, Mayweather's promoter, Richard Schaefer, cast a dire tone about future contract talks.

"I've never said I believe I'll be able to get this fight done the second time," Schaefer said. "Each side feels strongly about its position, and I don't see either side giving in. It could be one of those scenarios where you just move on. Some fights just don't happen. That's the way of life."

And if Pacquiao retires from boxing?

"People wondered, 'Who's going to carry the mantle?' after Oscar retired, and Manny Pacquiao popped up," Schaefer said. "There'll always be a next great star."

Author: Lance Pugmire

Source: latimes.com

Pacquiao Watch: The follies of would-be Mannys

We have seen prospects described as the second coming of Manny Pacquiao fall by the wayside since the Filipino boxing champion burst into the boxing limelight.

Promoters, managers and even the boxers themselves have been trying to cash in on Manny’s popularity by developing a new champion that would inherit his mantle as torch bearer of Philippine boxing.

Rey ‘Boom-Boom’ Bautista, AJ Banal, Z Gorres and, lately, Marvin Sansona have become fallen victims of the Pacquiao hype.

Except for Sansona, the three Filipino prospects are managed by ALA boxing promotion of Cebu.

Sadly all three displayed the same weaknesses. They lack stamina and their development was somewhat rushed. The trio, once the brighter prospects of Philippine boxing, have the tendency to fade in the homestretch – the championship rounds as they say. To jaded trainers, lack of stamina could sometimes be fatal.

Z Gorres is just one of the epitomes of a boxer with enough skills, but is wanting in experience and stamina.

In his last fight, Gorres was knocked out by a fatal combination of hard punches and exhaustion. His near fatal win (he won by decision but was rushed to the hospital and was in coma for several days) unfortunately led to his forced retirement from the sport.

All of them are products of ill-advised training regimen as well as inadequate physical conditioning. No boxer should be conditioned to fight for just 12 rounds. They should be trained as if they are going to fight at least 18 rounds.

In the case of Sansona, his not-so-shocking knockout loss was a case of a boxer who became cocky and who was led to believe he was the next Manny Pacquiao.

In December, his promoter Sammy Gello-ani arrived in General Santos City frantically looking for him. Gello-ani was supposed to bring Sansona to the US to train for his title fight against Wilfredo Vasquez Jnr as early as December.

For reasons only known to Sansona and his handlers, the young boxer from General Santos failed to meet with Gello-ani who left the day after I met him at one of the bars in General Santos.

Gello-ani, whom I approached because he was by his lonesome, was visibly disappointed by Sansona’s prima donna attitude.

Aspiring boxers who dream of becoming the next Manny Pacquiao should build their careers through discipline, hard work and careful planning.

Manny is a freak of nature. Nevertheless, he is a quintessential pro when it comes to honing his craft. Stories of his total concentration when in training are well documented. His physical conditioning and regimen is one of the best that there is in the business.

Boxers who want to follow his track should also emulate his discipline and determination.

Gerry Peñalosa is also one of the most disciplined boxers the Philippines had ever produced.

His longevity and durability combined with his superior technical skills made Gerry one of the best boxers in all of Asia and made him a feared opponent in his weight class around the globe.

Promoters and managers should realize that any diamonds in the rough in their stable must be nurtured, but not necessarily babied and given light assignments on their way to the championship.

I have seen protégées being fed with bums, trialhorses and to a large extent manipulated by fixing match ups to sweeten their records. This is a fatal mistake, if not a highway stick up in the highest order.

We know that boxing is the red light district of sports. But when there is one prospect worthy of challenging for a world title, they should be nurtured like gems – carefully polished and brought to the market when they are so.

No need to look for another Pacquiao – there will only be one Manny. New talents are what Philippine boxing needs and honest to goodness promoters and managers.

Author: Edwin Eapejo

Source: asiancorrespondent.com

This Time Clottey's Non-Response Was Troubling

This past Thursday there was a press call that featured Team Clottey along with promoter Bob Arum. Personally, I don't find fighter press outings and conferences to be all that informative. Sure, they can fill a writers' notebook with a lot of quotes. But having been around and associated with many world class fighters and champions, I know fighters are never going to disclose much about how they really feel and think about their upcoming fight and opponent. Obviously there are exceptions like Bernard Hopkins, James Toney, Floyd Mayweather and David Haye. However, they are the exception and certainly not the rule.


Most of today's fighters aren't going to shed anything that most observers haven't already figured out. Mangers, trainers and promoters are more than willing to talk - and that's because on fight night when the bell rings they step down and out of the ring. Whereas the fighters have to back up what they may have said during the run-up to a big fight or main event like Pacquiao-Clottey. Which is not the most comfortable position to be in if you're the fighter who lost.


During the conference call, Joshua Clottey was pressed as to what it is he sees about Pacquiao that makes him confident that he can beat him on March 13th. Others asked what it is that he had to improve on himself in order to become a better fighter. Clottey retorted by basically saying he's had a great training camp and is ready for the fight. The only thing Joshua said of substance was that by him being able to block a lot of Pacquiao's punches, Manny will in turn be a little more open for him to hit. Which of course is true. The problem is Pacquiao throws punches in bunches from a lot of unconventional angles. Meaning that if he's jammed with the first one or two he throws, three, four, five and six will be re-routed to the open areas. Which depending on how Clottey's chin holds up will either be his undoing or leave Pacquiao vulnerable to the presumably stronger Clottey.


The fact that fighters usually don't give up much to writers and commentators before the fight is just the way it is. Yet often you can tell that it's more the case of them holding something back and they are just keeping it to themselves so they don't show their hand before the fight. In fact Clottey admitted during the call that he didn't watch film of his opponents' fights. Then he said he's seen enough of Pacquiao to know how he fights. Okay, that's fair but here are the concerns I came away with.


One - Clottey is definitely troubled by not being able to be re-united with his first trainer, Ghanian Godwin Kotey, who was denied a US visa. Not only is that big for him emotionally, but it could turn out to be a disaster tactically. Secondly - Clottey gave me the impression that he really isn't sure what he wants to do or try to prevent Pacquiao from doing during the fight. And Manny Pacquiao is the wrong fighter to try and adjust to on the fly.


Granted, Pacquiao can disrupt the best formulated fight plan in the world during the heat of battle with his hand speed and shocking power. But if Clottey is under the impression that he can sit back and try and wait on what Pacquiao does - and then try to adapt to that and/or take it away--that's a colossal miscalculation. If Clottey was a little more aggressive he could use Pacquiao's mindset of being a real fighter against him, but that's not who he is.


The fact that Clottey didn't project that he's of the mindset and belief that he's going to fight as the bigger and stronger fighter is not a good sign. If it hasn't been drummed into Clottey's head by now that the only way he can win this fight is by forcing himself physically on Pacquiao, and hopefully that will be enough to break down the smaller opponent, then he really doesn't have much of a chance to score the upset. Pacquiao is a better boxer with faster hands and is the more accurate and sharper puncher. There's no way Clottey can sit back and try waiting and reacting to what Pacquiao is trying to do. But that's the impression I was left with as to what his approach to the fight will be after hearing him talk about it for 50 plus minutes.

Author: Frank Lotierzo

Source: thesweetscience.com

Roach on Pacquiao's preparation

anny Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, will talk with FOXSports.com each week leading up to Pacquiao's March 13 welterweight title fight with Joshua Clottey.

This is the first in a four-part series.

FOXSports.com: How tough is it to get up for this fight when you were so close to the mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.?

Roach: There is no problem getting up for this fight. It's a good challenge. It's a little disappointing. I was looking for the challenge of getting ready for Mayweather's difficult style. But you know Clottey is a suitable opponent. He's a dangerous guy. And so we have been pretty set. And it wasn't a huge challenge getting up for him.

FOXSports.com: How furious are you guys about the steroid allegations thrown out by Team Mayweather and that you can't fight Floyd Jr. in the ring?

Roach: Pretty much the allegations are unproven and there's a lawsuit pending and I think he'll lose that lawsuit. You can't go around saying stuff like that without evidence. You know, I hope we can fight him someday to shut him up. If that ever happens, so be it.

FOXSports.com: How have the allegations affected Manny?

Roach: He's got a reputation, of course, and it's the first time I've seen Manny angry at another fighter. It's the first time I've ever seen him like that.

FOXSports.com: How tough is it to switch from preparing for Mayweather to preparing for Clottey, who's a totally different fighter?

Roach: Well, we've given a chance to Clottey, and we stand by that. It's really not that bad. He's in the same condition as us. We know how tough the guy is, and he fights a certain style.

FOXSports.com: How do you keep Manny focused despite the increasing number of distractions?

Roach: We fight our fight. We try our best, but we have distractions. We've been able to step it in our training. But we've been able to say that's it.

FOXSports.com: How do you feel about fighting in a building that's as palatial as Cowboys Stadium?

Roach: We're really excited to fight in Cowboys Stadium. It's a beautiful, beautiful place. Manny's said it's an honor to fight there. He loves it.

Source: foxnews.com

Pacquiao defines greatness

What makes a fighter great? In fact, what makes a person great? A great fighter takes on the best, and defeats them. A great person puts others before themselves. A great person gives back to his community, to his country. A great person saves lives, he touches lives, and he makes the world a better place. Manny Pacquiao is a great person. Yes we all know how great of a fighter he is, but more importantly is how great his character is.

When Floyd Mayweather Jr and friends decided to accuse Manny of taking steroids, this was a direct attack at the man's character. This is why Manny did not hesitate to hire a top gun attorney in order to save his good standing with his fans and to the people. It's still amazing that someone would stoop to a level as to where they would attack the character of a great person. What has Pacquiao ever done to deserve such treatment? One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible says, "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"

A great person stay humble. A person who is envious and or jealous of another persons success resorts to hate in order to feel better. When a man works hard to stand at the top of the mountain, there are always those who are jealous that want to knock him down. Manny Pacquiao has been standing at the top of the mountain for awhile now,and as expected, there are those ready and willing to try and knock him off.

A great person stays humble. Manny Pacquiao does not speak badly about people. He keeps things positive, and he always puts God first. Most of us down here in Mississippi are Christians. Prayer and our faith in God is very important to us. This is something that Mississippi and Manny Pacquiao have in common. Pacquiao's faith is extremely important to him. He does not take his success for granted, he stays humble, and he always gives back.

Manny Pacquiao defines greatness. He is a great fighter, he's a great person, and he is a great role model. Boxing should be proud to have him.

Author: Brad Cooney

Source: examiner.com

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: BOB ARUM

Top Rank bringing first fight to new Meadowlands!

GL: What's the latest with The Event, how's everything going? "It's going spectacular, tickets are flying out. There's a lot of excitement, a lot of celebrities are coming out, people from all over. We could fill up the place with all of the NFL owners coming to the fight, and coaches. It's really something very, very special."

GL: You were originally hoping to put Margarito on the undercard, that's not happening. Can you give us some thoughts on why that's not happening, and your opinion on his prolonged suspension?

The Bobfather: "Texas had the right to grant Margarito a liscense, they wanted to have a hearing. That was going to take too long, we had to get the card settled, so instead Margarito's going through the process of what he has to do to get his liscense. We're going to have him fight on May 8th, in Ocho Calientes. Part of a big festival in Mexico, and it will be shown in the United States on PPV."

GL: If Antonio Margarito wasn't with Top Rank, would you be lobbying for his lifetime banishment from boxing? Based on what transpired before the Mosley fight.

The Bobfather: "Absolutely not, because the finding of the California Comission was that he knew nothing of what was happening. The inspector said the same thing. They revoked his liscense for a year because they said he was the captain of the ship. He was responsible for what the trainer was doing, and we abided by that, and now we'll reapply for a liscense in California or some other state. Meanwhile, he's going to go back in action, and he is going to be fighting in Mexico on May 8th?"

GL: If things get resolved with California before May 8th, will he be in action in the States before May 8th? Or are those plans already solid gold?

The Bobfather: "Solid gold, he's headlining a big night in Mexico. You have to understand this festival in Mexico is an annual thing. It attracts over a million people from all over Mexico and Latin America. We put a fight on in the bullring in conjunction with the festival a few years ago and did 24,000 people, and we plan to do that again on May 8th as part of the festival."

GL: I read a story that there was a potential bar mitzvah being an obstacle in bringing the Cotto-Foreman fight to Yankee Stadium, now the AP reports that it's been resolved. How were you guys able to make that go away, and free up the stadium for Cotto-Foreman?

The Bobfather: "The bar mitzvah family had reserved the stadium and at least two lounges, and they wanted the screen. The Yankees talked to the family and worked it out, both the big fight and the bar mitzvah are going to occur on the same night. I think we're going to havek 50,000 people celebrating this kid's bar mitzvah, which is a lot more than those who celebrated mine."

GL: When can we expect a formal announcement of Cotto-Foreman?

The Bobfather: "I am going to coming to New York on Monday evening, and I'm going to be meeting with the Yankees at Yankee Stadium with the COO of the Yankees. We hope to finanlize a deal at that time."

GL: Pavlik and Martinez?

The Bobfather: That's already set for Atlantic City on April 17th. Rather than rush a press conference, with everything going on, we're going to have a press conference as part of a brunch on March 13th, in Dallas, with both fighters there to formally announce the fight. The tickets go on sale for the Convention Hall, in Atlantic City on Monday."

GL: I think you guys have the best matchmakers in the business, but I think Martinez could be a stylistic nightmare for Pavlik. Why make this fight?

The Bobfather: "It's a competitive fight, Kelly wanted to fight a competitive fight. We were willing to fight either Williams or Martinez. With Williams, we had a deal in place, it was terminated because Kelly was injured. Then they turned it around and said they wanted a 50/50 deal, which to me seemed to say they didn't want the fight. After all, Kelly is not only the middleweight champion, but also the attraction. Paul Williams can't sell 1000 seats anywhere in the country. He's a good fighter, I'd be willing to do the deal that we had in place before. His people felt otherwise."

GL: Will there be a rematch clause for Pavlik, if Martinez is victorious?

The Bobfather: "Yes."

GL: Other than that, does Top Rank have any futures on Martinez, or no?

The Bobfather: "No, no futures, except as we have said, if Martinez beats Kelly, there's an immediate rematch clause."

GL: Was part of your thinking to make the Martinez fight, other than you telling me it's always easier to make a fight that doesn't involve Al Haymon than one that does involve Al Haymon, to try to box them out as it relates to Williams?

The Bobfather: "We don't do box outs, we're not playing basketball. We do the best fight available for our fighter, the fight that can make everyone the most money, the most attractive fight. I really, really don't do these things on the basis of boxing out anybody. Once you start doing that, then you cease to be a good business person."

GL: Is Winky Wright about to become Top Rank's newest aquisition?

The Bobfather: "Yeah, well we're going to do a series of fights for Winky, and I hope to have Winky fighting in Yankee Stadium on June 5th."

GL: That would be big. Obviously the idea behind getting Winky would be that him and Pavlik would be sharing a ring in the future. Correct?

The Bobfather: "That is absolutely correct."

GL: What else?

The Bobfather: "Everything else is going well. We are looking to fill in the dates for the three most exciting fighters in boxing, Juan Manuel Lopez, Yuri Gamboa, and Edwin Valero. The Valero fight, when it takes place, will be against Lamont Peterson. Juan Manuel is going to fight Barnabe Conception in the Phillipines, and Yuri Gamboa is going to fight Caballero. The point is you've got to make fights. In other words, people say Caballero is a really good fight. He is, and that's why we're doing the fight. I really have tremendous confidence in the fighters that fight for Top Rank, but you have to make good fights."

GL: Peterson could be wrong for Valero too.

The Bobfather: "Absolutely correct. If Valero can't handle a good boxer, then Peterson will lick him, but that's what people want to see."

GL: You've been in this game for years, and it's made you an animal. There's rules to this shit, so you wrote you a manual.

The Bobfather: "The manual is not to put your guy into the lowest possible risk fight. Sometimes you do that, when the guy is coming off of a loss, when you have to build his confidence back, but just because you can get away with a non-competitve fight doesn't mean that you do it."

GL: Closing thoughts.

The Bobfather: "I think we're really very active. This has been a great year for Top Rank, we have everybody in action. We have a tremendous event with Pacquiao-Clottey in Cowboy Stadium in March. In April, Pavlik-Martinez in Atlantic City, in May we have Antonio Margarito in title fight in Ochos Calientes, in Mexico. It's part of the biggest festival of the year in Mexico. In June, I'll be priviliged to do the first fight in the New Yankee Stadium, and that's fitting because Top Rank did the last fight, Ali-Norton, in 1976 in the old Yankee Stadium. Another arena we're looking at, hopefully next year, probably the spring, I want to do the first fight at the stadium in the Meadowlands, that the Giants and the Jets have just built. By the way, both Steve Tish and Woody Johnson of the Jets will be in Cowboy Stadium for the Pacquiao-Clottey fight."

Author: G. Leon

Source: boxingtalk.com

Manny's just like everyone else

JOSHUA CLOTTEY reckons it should not go down as an upset if he beats Manny Pacquiao.

Clottey, 32, is the clear underdog heading into his clash with the pound-for-pound king on March 13.

But the Ghanaian is confident he can defy the odds at the Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

Clottey said: "Pacquiao is a human being, like everyone else. He's just a really good fighter who is currently No1.

"If I win this fight, I will never feel like I beat the best fighter in the world.

"I will feel like I had a fight with the best fighter out there right now — and I won.

"I'll say, 'It's not an upset, just a win'."

Author: GAVIN GLICKSMAN

Source: thesun.co.uk

I'm not Josh-ing; 7 reasons why Clottey shocks Pacquiao

Seven Reasons Why Joshua Clottey Shocks Manny Pacquiao on March 13:

1.Low expectations favor Clottey. Coming in as the “B” side, it's not his face on the cover of Time magazine and he's not being trailed by a CBS “60 Minutes” TV crew. His chore is simplified, train and then fight with ZERO distractions. We always say and think distractions never distract Pacman but can it always be so?

2.Clottey may be physically stronger than Megamanny. If he bull Pacman around a bit, make the fight rough and tumble, his strength could wear on Manny. Look at Clottey's body and you might think his birth weight in Ghana was 147 pounds.

3.Fighting for his nation. Mental self talk can convince a fighter he can win against great odds. We just marked the 20th anniversary of James “Buster” Douglas talking himself into the belief that he could upset Leviathan Mike Tyson in Tokyo. He went out and did just that. Maybe Clottey can do the same. He's vowed to take a victory for Ghana, you know.

4.Using Miguel Cotto as a measuring stick, is Pacman that much better than Clottey? Had he not taken his pedal off the mettle in the closing rounds, Josh would've taken a decision victory over the brawny Puerto Rican battler.

5.Bad day at the office factor. I saw Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and other ATGs have off nights. Sure, Pacman has been phenomenal but is it is possible if not probable that one of these nights he won't be at his best. If he is even slightly off kilter, Clottey could take advantage.

6.Mayweather Mania. Similar in scope to #5 in that I wonder if all the blather about and from Floyd Kill Joy Mayweather could be a distraction for Manny. Mayweather will be at owboys Stadium without physically being there.

7.Pilot error. This flight, I mean this fight, has been carefully scripted by Top Rank. Bossman Bob Arum “cleared” the match with trusted matchmaker (Hall Of Fame bound) and my onetime New York roommate, Bruce “Southland” Trampler. But even this Teddy Brenner protege has stubbed his toe from time to time. If he does it this time, it may require amputation of the foot.

Author: Michael Marley

Source: examiner.com