Pacquiao, clottey final presser

3/10/10, Arlington,Texas -- Surrounded by the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, seven-time world champion and "Fighter of the Decade" Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao (L) and challenger Joshua Clottey(R) pose during the final press conference Wednesday for their upcoming World Welterweight championship on Saturday, March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on HBO Pay-Per-View. -- Photo Credit: Chris Farina - Top Rank.

Source: Philboxing.com

Dallas Cowboys great Michael Irvin: Mayweather afraid to tackle Pacquiao

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—Mark pro football superstar turned broadcaster Michael Irvin down as a guy who thinks Floyd Mayweather should be arrested...

Arrested on suspicion of ducking Manny Pacquiao, that is.

I will concede that the Cowboys former wide reciever is basically part of the promotion for the Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight here, given the fact that he appeared at Tuesday's Open Workout for the Pinoy Idol along with team and stadium owner Jerry Jones.

But, at the end of the day, Irvin is a boxing nut who greatly admires the men he refers to as “warriors who fight alone and without teammates.”

And Irvin was sadly disappointed just like the great masses of boxing aficionados who were disappointed when Mayweather-Pacman fight negotiations blew up over Mayweather's insistence on random blood testing”

First, Irvin spoke about how excited he was for the Dallas-Ft. Worth area to be hosting this big bout in the Cowboys $1.2 billion playpen.

“This is really amazing for us,” Irvin said. “You would think a fight like this would go to Los Angeles, to New York or to Las Vegas but we got it now. Manny Pacquiao is becoming on a level like a Michael Jordan or a Tiger Woods and he's fighting in our stadium.

“I am glad Jerry got the opportunity and brought it here.”

Former Cowboys superstar Michael Irvin tells Examiner.com that new stadium wil turn into Manny Pacquiao's House on Saturday night (AP Photo)

Then he discussed why he respects prizefighters at all levels.

“I really marvel at these guys, I really do. In football, when I get tired, I get a timeout because I;ve got teammates who can go in the game. These guys don't get timeouts or halftime breaks/ I marvel because all they do is stand there, in that ring, and it's hit or be hit all the time.”

Irvin asked me and “Lord Jeff” Powell, veteran scribe for the huge Daily Mail in the UK, if we could guess what athlete might be the only one he ever asked for an autograph. Then he answered his own question.

“It was Julio Cesar Chavez, when I met that guy, I said, 'That's it, that's him, this guy is a monster.' I had so much respect for him as a real warrior. I am a huge boxing fan, always have been. I am amazed at guys like Julio, who are all fight and never give in, and now we got a second monster here in Pacquiao.”

Michael Irvin showed good fotwoork on "Dancing With The Stars" with partner Anna Demidova, she's the one in red

As I said, Irvin believes Mayweather used blood testing as a way to avoid or defer a Pacman bout.

“I mean, come on with that blood testing thing. You're supposed to want to fight the other guy when people are saying you guys are the two best out there. You don't run away from such a challenge, you're supposed to run to it. Looks to me like Mayweather is doing the ducking here.”

Further, Irvin thinks when Pacman dazzles a crowd of about 45,000 people in the stadium and across the world's TV screens, his area will have zero chance of landing Pacman-Money May even if it is put together.

“No, Mayweather won't want to come on over here, not after the way it will go down Saturday night. Then he will be thinking and saying that our new stadium, hey that's Manny House now. Mayweather will be saying he won't fight in Manny's House.”

Many former jocks have to master the broadcast business. But you can see from these brief remarks that Irvin is a natural talker, a pull no punches guy. It's no wonder he comes across as fairly smooth behind the microphone.

Irvin heard plenty of loud cheers when he played in the old Cowboys stadium and he said Pacman will be treated like the home team here.

Author: Michael Marley

Source: examiner.com

Can Joshua Clottey Find a Way to Beat Manny Pacquiao?

The upcoming fight between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey promises to be exciting. Why?

Because Manny Pacquiao is fighting.

The dynamic Filipino could be in the ring with a miniature version of John Ruiz (the most boring fighter in recent history) and it would still make for compelling viewing. Pacquiao’s relentless aggression, speed, power and movement are enough to crack most defensive fighter’s shells, and his ability to knock an opponent out with one punch guarantees an action packed bout.

And in his fight with Joshua Clottey we can probably expect even more.

The teak-tough Ghanaian is not afraid to mix it up and has good power, particularly with his left hand. Despite being somewhat defensively minded, Clottey can switch to outright aggression instantaneously, and has a very keen sense of territory in the ring. Clottey likes to intimidate his opponents physically, and his frame is abnormally dense for 147lbs. Clottey could easily compete at 154lbs and be just as effective, and he will be the biggest, strongest fighter Pacquiao has ever faced.

Stylistically speaking, Clottey has perhaps one of the better ones for facing the Pac Man. He has no problems with south paws (see his performance over Zab Judah), and loves to go toe to toe with aggressive fighters (see his bout with Antonio Margarito). Clottey throws very fast lead right hands that bother southpaws, and his left hook and left uppercut are feared weapons in the division. Clottey also jabs southpaws very well, a very difficult thing to do, particularly against elite level fighters.

Pacquiao has ironed out most of his technical flaws and presents a very difficult challenge for any fighter in the sport. His jab and right hook are now just as potent as his lethal left, and his lateral movement has improved almost beyond recognition. Pacquiao doesn’t just move in and out like he used to, he side steps, pivots and turns as well as any of the greats. But Pacquiao is often a victim of his own extraordinary fighting heart and tends to go toe to toe when he doesn’t have to, and can sometimes get caught while unloading his power shots. Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto both caught Pacquiao with well timed hooks and uppercuts while Pacquiao steamed in with his trademark aggression.

If Clottey can keep Pacquiao on the end of his jab and fire out consistent lead right hands, he may be able to control the action for good parts of the bout. Clottey may also find success if he bulls Pacquiao to the ropes and unleashes his uppercuts and hooks. He must be careful to stop him from ducking and swiveling out (a trick Pacquiao has learned extremely well over the years), but Clottey’s wide frame and unusual physical strength will give him a better chance than most.

It is hard to see Clottey effectively catching Pacquiao between punches because the African fighter tends to cover up while his opponents are punching and wait for his turn to start his own offense.

And this is why Clottey probably doesn’t have what it takes to dethrone the pound for pound king.

While Clottey may be able to control the pace for portions of the bout, Pacquiao’s incredible speed and movement will force Clottey into his shell. When he does that, Pacquiao will begin to step around and attack Clottey’s body to bring his hands down. Pacquiao’s unorthodox punches will begin to find their target, and Clottey will either have to blend offensive punching with his defense, or lose more rounds than he wins. Freddy Roach will insist that Pacquiao doesn’t stand infront of Clottey for too long, and by the time the Filipino is done punching, Clottey will be swiping at thin air.

Fighters who have mastered the art of counter punching have a chance of beating Pacquiao, and as it stands, only Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley operate at a high enough level to make it work (and maybe Juan Manuel Marquez at a much lower weight). Miguel Cotto fought on even terms for three rounds with the Pac Man due to his effective counter punching, but his chin wasn’t good enough to keep him competitive throughout. Clottey’s chin is world class, but his counter punching isn’t, and for those reasons he won’t be the pick this Saturday.

It is difficult to see Pacquiao scoring a knockout over Clottey, but it might start to look pretty bad for the Ghanaian in the later rounds as Pacquiao’s speed and rhythm take over.

My prediction: Pacquiao via unanimous decision.

Author: Ben Cohen

Source: trueslant.com

Joshua Clottey 5-1 Underdog Play Looks Big to Many

When the initial line opened up for "The Event" this coming Saturday, line-makers opened Manny Pacquiao as a 4-1 favorite over the highly overlooked Joshua Clottey.

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

Clottey: I’m gonna crush Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – Just like Manny Pacquiao, Joshua Clottey has been in Texas for the past 2 days.

On Tuesday, the mild-mannered Clottey accidentally met Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach. Despite belonging to opposing camps, the 2 men warmly greeted each other and even posed for pictures.

In an interview with ABS-CBN, Clottey said he is grateful to be given the chance to fight the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion.

“I'm a nice person, so you know good things happen to good people so if you're nice to people, God is always watching you. So I thank God that I will fight Manny Pacquiao,” he said.

However, he said no matter how he admires the Filipino boxer, it will be all business when they climb the ring.

“No matter how much I like him... this is a business, so whoever you meet in this business, you must crush him. I will meet Manny on the line and I'm going to fight him,” he said.

In his open workout in Texas, fewer fans came to see him box compared to Pacquiao.

He is considered an underdog compared to his more popular opponent but it didn’t bother him at all.

Clottey said he has what it takes to upset Pacquiao.

“I have everything to stop his speed. I will fight him because I'm very, very ready. I have myself, Joshua,” said the Ghanaian.

The challenger said Pacquiao would have to work very hard to beat him.

“It's not going to be easy , because I know how to adjust myself, and I'm in good shape, so its not going to be easy at all,” he said.

Author: Dyan Castillejo

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao vs. Clottey: Keys to Victory Part2

When Joshua Clottey fought the faster southpaw in the character of Zab Judah, although Clottey doesn't throw many punches as Zab Judah, Judah for the most part could only hit Clottey's elbows, forearms and gloves. Most of Zab's punches were blocked by the high-guard defensive style. Also notice how Zab Judah most of the time, was able to evade Clottey's punches when Joshua initiates the attack first. See how effective the high guard defense when Zab was lured to attack Clottey, and then Joshua would take advantage of the time when Zab was open for an attack, by surging forward with a straight right to the head and a lounging left hook to the body. Then again, Zab Judah is no Manny Pacquiao. Zab Judah is indeed fast, but Manny Pacquiao is faster and packs a lot of power.

Now let's look at Manny Pacquiao's style from this sample clip

The thing about Manny Pacquiao, is that he improves in every fight. He gets better and better. So, reviewing Pacquiao's video when he fought Erik Morales compared to the Pacman of present would be two very different Manny Pacquiao's fighting style. All this because of the brilliant work Coach Freddie Roach has done with Manny. Back then, Manny goes in and take some to give some more. But now, his defense has improved using his footwork, bobbing and weaving, as well as blocking in his defensive techniques. Back then he was just a left handed bomber. He would bomb his opponents with a right jab followed by a sledge-hammer left straight, which in most cases is good enough, as it knocks many opponents out of the fights. But now, Manny Pacquiao is a two fisted tornado, throwing punches from all directions coming from both left and right hands. As Miguel Cotto said "I couldn't see the punches, I couldn't defend myself". Mix those combinations punching with power and very fast feet, you got yourself a killer.

Manny Pacquiao's style is something that the public has never seen before. He was said to be the incarnation of the Tasmanian Devil inside the ring. Relentless aggression, plenty of punches and unwavering stamina.

Although Joshua Clottey is the bigger, stronger fighter of the two, but against a Manny Pacquiao, size and strength is not a factor. As Manny Pacquiao has dismantled many bigger opponents before. Speed kills size.

What Manny Pacquiao needs to do to win this fight is to be Manny Pacquiao at 100%.

The Pacman needs to keep his feet in motion going side to side, round and round, while searching for an opening to penetrate Clottey's high guard defense. And when Manny sees an opening, he needs to take the shots and disrupts Clottey's defense which will open Joshua for more combinations. To lower Clottey's defense, Manny needs to go to the mid-section, pound it hard and eventually the rest of the body would then fall. After the Cotto fight, Pacquiao proved that he can take a full-welterweight punch pretty well. Still, he needs to be careful and realize that he is the smaller man in this fight. Although most people under-rate Clottey's power, Joshua’s punches do packs some explosives and is evident with his record of 20 out of his 35 wins are by way of knockout. A flush shot at the right place and with perfect timing, from a bigger and stronger man can knock even a Manny Pacquiao out.

What Joshua Clottey needs do to win this fight, is to change his fighting style dramatically. He can't rely solely on in high-guard defense against Manny Pacquiao, as Pacquiao is too fast for him to block the rain of punches coming his way. He needs to improve his footwork by 400% and his stamina by another 200%. As Pacquiao rears to attack, Joshua needs to disrupt that attack by throwing stiff jabs, while move to the side, then follow them up with combination. He needs to be faster than Pacquiao to be able to do something like that. And he needs to keep throwing those combinations to keep Pacquiao at bay for the whole fight. If he can't do that, he'll be sitting duck against Manny.

But what if Manny's speed is neutralized by Clottey's defense? Manny Pacquiao may throw 15punch combinations in 2seconds but what if, and it’s a big IF, Joshua Clottey could block them all? What would Freddie Roach and Manny do? And how the heck could Clottey mount an offense if he'd be kept on the defensive by Pacquiao's relentless attacks?

All these questions can only be answered on March 13 in Las Vegas by Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey.

My prediction: I don't see Clottey changing his style in just one training camp, especially with a trainer he just acquired. If Joshua Clottey doesn't change his fighting style, even if he's as tough as granite, I don't see this fight lasting the full 12rounds. He could be standing but if Manny Pacquiao reconfigures his face, the referee would stop the fight by TKO.

Author: Allan Tolentino

Source: 8countnews.com

Video: Ron Perlman Talks Boxing at Pacquiao Camp

8CN talks to the star of the hit TV show, Sons Of Anarchy at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, CA.

After meeting Ron out on the Sunset Strip we invited him over to the Wild Card Gym to catch Manny Pacquiao as he trains for his upcoming title defense against Joshua Clottey.

Author: Ed Anderson

Source: 8countnews.com

Pacquiao, Hopkins/Haye, Mayweather/Mosley, Pavlik, and more

Hopkins/Haye: A Bout In The Makin', or Sadly Mistaken?

With both Bernard Hopkins and David Haye already scheduled to take part in separate showdowns, the word around camp is that a future battle between the two is closer to reality than many seem to know. Hopkins has recently stated that he'd be open for such a matchup, and while Haye hasn't been too vocal about it, truth is, I'd have a hard time seeing him object to this possible match. It's somewhat normal for fighters to 'look ahead' and take their eyes off the task at hand, but Roy Jones jr. (for Hopkins) and Johnny Ruiz (for Haye) don't plan to lay down, and as funny as it may seem, it's not an impossible theory to see them both walking away with what most pundits view as colossal upsets. Most boxing notables fall miserably short at predicting the outcome of certain matchups when they include fighters who haven't looked great lately against those that have, but reality tells us that these two potential upsets waiting to happen couldn't be any closer to reality than the bread on the meat of your sandwich! Right now, the talk is Hopkins/Haye, but by the end of April, many of those same pundits may very well realize why the month in question (April) is most memorable for the FOOLS it contains! Stay tuned.

Pacquiao Will Need More 'Seconds' To Make 'First'

It was revealed earlier this week that Filipino Manny Pacquiao's target weight for the Clottey fight will be a full and firm 147lbs. Something he has never done in his career for a weigh-in. Of course this has a lot to do with the fact that he'll be facing the first opponent in his career that he has allowed to tip the scale at the weight. It's unknown how the extra two pounds will respond during the showdown, but from all accounts, Pacquiao has yet to lose steam in his fight camp. Trainer Freddie Roach speaks regularly about the fact that Pacquiao is comfortable at the welterweight limit, but before that comfort zone was accomplished at catchweights and even then it required a few hefty meals. Now that the bar has been raised, looks like the Pac-Man will have to gobble up a few more 'seconds' to prepare himself for this career first.

Pacquiao: One and Done?

Freddie Roach recently stated that this could very well be the last time that we see the tandem prepare for battle, as a failure to land Mayweather next would be the end, under the grounds that "there would be nothing else left to prove in the sport". Banned substances and all of the other questions aside, this tandem has given the sport some of its best moments in this recent era, and without them, it would leave certain fighters without a true gauge - as it relates to greatness. Fighters such as Mayweather, Valero, and maybe even Mosley. For now, the task at hand is Clottey, and overlooking this test could bring this possibility closer for reasons that remain totally unexpected. (Could be last fight - according to Freddie Roach)

Pacquiao Gives Blood....19 Days Before The Fight....Hmmm

Filipino Manny Pacquiao took part in the same physical examination and check up that every other fighter has to be part of prior to a showdown. The examination itself wasn't anything special, but the time frame in which it happened was....very! In Mayweather negotiations, Pacquiao stated that "couldn't do blood work within a certain time frame of the fight because it makes him weakened. He set a cut-off of 30 days until news surfaced that he did his blood work approximately 24 days prior to the Hatton showdown. The agreement of 24 days was the ultimatum....take-it-or-leave-it style. Well, on February 22nd, Pacquiao took part in this same procedure. That was 19 days before the fight, and 5 days outside of the 14day proposition that Mayweather requested. What was even more intriguing was that the VERY NEXT DAY he was said to have dismantled sparring partners with ease, making many wonder what happened to the weakened state that was said to have made him miss up to 3 days in an effort to recuperate in the past? I maintain that Pacquiao is innocent until proven guilty, but knowing that the first athlete in the history of sports recently popped on a randomized blood test for HGH's (a rugby player across the pond), one truly can't help but wonder why none of the options he agreed to allowed testing that would come without advance notice. I love the guy, but this is one issue he and I just won't ever agree on!

Pavlik/Martinez: Good Fight, Bad Decision (For Pavlik)

Looks like everything is solidified for the highly anticipated Sergio Martinez/Kelly Pavlik showdown. Ever since the Hopkins fight, many have felt that the 'Ghost' has been....well.....ghost....for lack of better terms. In and out of the ring, the actions surrounding Team Pavlik have been a bit skeptical and really make you wonder what's really going on. The matchup appears to be a good one on paper, but as we learn in this sport so often....paper burns! It would be nice to see the old Pavlik return, but considering the talent, determination and stamina of this gritty southpaw, this 'good' fight may have been a 'bad' decision. Stay tuned.

Bradley/Valero: A Battle of Two 'Grumpy Old Men'

A few days ago, promoters Bob Arum and Gary Shaw were said to be going back and forth negotiating a potential showdown between Valero and the greatly improved Timothy Bradley. Apparently, that dialogue was more one way than mutual, because it appears that Arum decided to go in another direction before Shaw ever received what he felt was a true response. The two sides have gone back and forth in the media about what "really happened", and somewhere between the two sides I'm sure is the truth. Trouble is, this is a fight that would be great for the sport, and rather than us getting to see the two stallions get busy, instead we have two old men fighting for the spotlight. I know this is an era of older competing athletes, but I'm afraid this drama takes the cake. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and the fight will be made.

Mayweather/Mosley: Let The Games Begin

Goldenboy Promotions have officially set the wheels in motion - as it relates to the promotion of what could be the companies biggest fight of the year. A multi-city promotional tour is set to kick off with stops in Washington D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles. Missing from this promotional tour is the overseas stop that Mayweather and Marquez made in England, but the reason for this probably has more to do with the fact that this fight needs very little introduction. Generally, Mosley is somewhat reserved, but this time around his mouth seems to be in working order and it'll be quite interesting to see how Mayweather responds standing across from a contemporary that seems just as live as he is for once. I'd step out on a limb and say that there's no fear factor between the two men, but with the promotion about to kick off and the fight shortly after, there's no better time than the present to let the 'games' officially begin!

Evander Holy-Phil: A Yes/No Scenario

Heavyweight contender Evander Holyfield has recently been in the news for his unfortunate, yet highly publicized marital issues. After a recent heated issue led to the courts, Holyfield and his wife decided to reconcile and try to get counseling....from a very popular source. Enter Dr. Phil. A man whose accomplishments would lead most to believe that he could lead them back to greener pastures. At first it was nice and bubbly, then the only thing to bubble was the tempers of Mr. and Mrs. Holyfield who agreed in the end that this household matter would be better handled by those within the house. Not too keen on the advice given or the way things unfolded, the couple has agreed to let go and let God, meaning that the Holyfields will say yes to being HOLY, and no to Dr. PHIL.

AUthor: Vivek Wallace

Source: 8countnews.com

Pacfans can still attend 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' free

Boxing's number pound-for-pound box office attraction, fighter of the decade, fighter of the year for 2009, and Philippine congressional candidate, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, will make his second appearance on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The Filipino prize fighter will appear on the popular late-night talk show this Wednesday, March 3rd at 12:05am EST.

Fans can still acquire free tickets to the taped showing.

Fans are cautioned to request only the number of tickets they will actually use or risk not being allowed entrance into future 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' shows.

The taping is held in Los Angeles, California and the arrival time is 5:30pm.

The show originates from Disney's El Capitan Entertainment Center, located on Hollywood Boulevard in the heart of LA's star studded Walk of Fame.

Other questions may be directed at: (866) JIMMY-TIX (Tuesday through Friday from 1pm-4pm).

About 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' >

Emmy-winner Jimmy Kimmel serves as host and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC Television Network's distinctive late-night talk show. The show features a diverse lineup of guests, including celebrities, athletes, comedians, politicians and human interest subjects.

Along with a light-hearted and recognizable cast of characters, a hip house band and comedy bits in Kimmel's inimitable style, the show additionally offers one of the funniest, freshest monologues on television today, drawing from all forms of topical media.

In its fifth season, Jimmy Kimmel Live is enjoying a ratings boost and has featured such high profile

regular guests as George Clooney, Britney Spears, Jennifer Garner, Robin Williams, Shaquille O'Neal, Clay Aiken, Eva Longoria, Eminem, Diane Sawyer, Lindsay Lohan, Hillary Duff, Jessica Alba, Simon Cowell, Janet Reno, Kiefer Sutherland, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Kelly Ripa, Jack Black, Teri Hatcher, Sir Ian McKellen and Mariah Carey; plus musical guests Coldplay, 50 Cent, Foo Fighters, Blink 182, Destiny's Child, Jane's Addiction, Toby Keith, Gwen Stefani, Audioslave, Nelly, Motley Crue, Green Day, Barry Manilow, Franz Ferdinand, Lionel Richie, The Wiggles and Alanis Morissette since its premiere on Super Bowl Sunday, January 26, 2003.

Manny Pacquiao defends his WBO welterweight title against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on March 13th at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Author: Marv Dumon

Source: examiner.com

Clottey's $1.2 million question: Is he mentally prepared for Pacquiao?

There is concern within the Joshua Clottey fight camp as to the mental outlook of the March 13 Manny Pacquiao WBO welterweight title challenger.

You might call it the $1.2 million question as I've learned that the African boxer will earn $900,000 while his manager, Vinny Scolpino, gets the remainder.

But don't hit the panic button. It's par for the course, this wonderment about the Ghanaian's brain waves.

Gjin Gjini owns and operates Clottey's home training base in the South Bronx, John's Gym.

Clottey and his team were planning to return there this weekend but snowy weather around New York may delay those plans.

Clottey has been training in Fort Lauderdale.

Gjini, a former fighter orginally from Albania, said you never know what Clottey's mental state will be on fight night. It's not just that he's fighting the widely acclaimed pound for pound king of all boxing.

Clottey could have outpointed Miguel Cotto last June at Madison Square Garden but he went into a mental fog and stopped being aggressive in the final rounds. Clottey lost a split decision to the rugged Puerto Rican.

Gjin Gijini, owner of John's Gym in South Bronx where Joshua Clottey trains (Bronx Times, Your Nabe.com, Daniel Weissman Photo)

"You can't really know what's in Joshua's mind," Gjini told me on Thursday. "He's different in that way than guys like Pacquiao, like Cotto and Mosley. Joshua always come to fight and he will do so against Manny. He's not like Mayweather who just comes to run and do his moneymaking business.

"Physically, Joshua is always good. But you don't know what he will be like mentally. I don't know, either, and I will be with him and the team in Dallas."

Beyond the psychic wild card, Gijini envisions an enthralling scrap in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

"The fans will get their money's worth from this one. These two will give the fans what they're paying for, I think, as they should for a purse. People pay to see real fights, not to see one guy running around like a track meet."

Author: Michael Marley

Source: examiner.com

A Look At Pacquiao's Partners

Good sparring partners are a crucial element for fight preparation, and all reports coming out of the Wild Card Gym indicate that Manny Pacquiao is getting in some excellent work. I always find it interesting to look at the sparring partners elite fighters choose because it can sometimes give clues into things they are working on for their next fight, and provide a heads up on prospects the top trainers think are worth watching. In his preparation for Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao sparred with Shawn Porter, who has lately been drawing attention with appearances on Showtime and ESPN's Friday Night Fights.

So let's take a look at Manny Pacquiao's sparring partners as he prepares for Joshua Clottey:

Raymundo Beltran:
Age: 28
Record 23-4 (15 KOs)
Weight: Fights between 130-135 lbs

Ray Beltran has been sparring with Manny for years and they are clearly quite comfortable with one another. While Beltran is much smaller than Clottey he has quick hands and provides Manny with good work. In his last fight, on January 9, which you can watch above, he shows that he has quite a bit of power. The KO is frightening and the ref should never be allowed in the ring again, but you can see that Beltran is good at putting his punches together.

In an interview with The Ring, Beltran talks about how he has seen Manny progress through the years, saying, "I remember when he fought Barrera the first time. He was more aggressive, aggressive, aggressive... Now, he's become a better boxer. He has better technique. He uses his brain more. He's much smarter now. You can see it in the way he fights. He and Freddie see weaknesses in opponents and they work on it."

Beltran is still only 28, so he may be able to make a move and challenge for a title in the future. It might be a long road back, however. Though he won in style last month, it was his first fight in nearly two years after suffering a shocking one-punch KO loss to Ameth Diaz in his previous fight.

Abdullai Amidu:
Age: 27
Record: 18-0 (17KOs)
Weight: 147 lbs

Amidu's record is obviously impressive, but a look at his boxrec page is cause for a little caution. Out of Amidu's 18 opponents we see a group of fighters with a combined total of 15 wins! An incredible nine of them were making their professional debut. This isn't to say that Amidu isn't a worthy sparring partner. It simply means we don't really know much about him. He has only fought in Ghana thus far, his native land. I'm certain Freddie Roach picked him partly for that very reason, as Ghanaian fighters tend to have similar styles. From Azumah Nelson to Ike Quartey and Joshua Clottey, they often fight with high guards and aggressive, powerful jabs.

Mike Dallas:
Age: 23
Record: 11-0-1 (2 KOs)
Weight: 140 lbs

Dallas is just starting his career and its obvious that Freddie Roach sees some potential in the young fighter if he has chosen to make him a key part of Manny's preparation. Dallas is the same height as Clottey and sports a similarly imposing physique. Speaking to The Ring, Dallas says of Pacquiao, "he's strong, even stronger than he was before the De La Hoya fight. He's a good counterpuncher. 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."

Dallas could be a prospect worth watching.

* * *

These, are Pacquiao's main sparring partners, but the Wild Card Gym has become a destination for many of the sport's top fighters and Pacquiao works with them all. Recent reports had him working with Steve Forbes, for example.

Joshua Clottey, meanwhile, appears to be sparring mainly with Damian Frias. All indications are that Clottey will be in terrific shape, but it's hard not to think Pacquiao's varied and accomplished sparring partners will be a big advantage on March 13.

Author: Avi "Shoefly" Korine

Source: sportingnews.com

Floyd Mayweather can feel his abilities slipping

Floyd Mayweather is feeling his age catch up with him slowly but surely. At some point every fighter realizes that they are slowing down, and that they can't do some of the same things they used to be able to.

Fortunately for Mayweather even at less than his best he's still a lot better than most, and will look to prove that once again when he takes on the comparatively ancient Shane Mosley on May 1st.

Speaking to his friend and longtime go to man in the media, Floyd sat down with David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press today, and touched on all the usual subjects. How he doesn't get the recognition he deserves, how he is more intelligent than all of his opponents and so on ad nauseam.

(Incidentally, if the only way to stand a chance against Floyd is to be more intelligent than him, then perhaps he should take on one of the Klitschko brothers, who each hold a Ph.D. and can speak four languages)

More interestingly than the usual spiel though, Mayweather and his team acknowledge seeing signs that he is slowing down as he gets older. Could this have been why he took on Marquez in his first fight back, measuring just what he had left for another run?

Ron Burgess, Pittsburgh PA: "Do you think Floyd knowing he's slowing down is why he didn't want to fight Pacquiao?"

It could well have been one of the reasons, as well as wanting to be more in control of the terms of the fight. It could still happen after his fight with Mosley though, and Floyd will only be older and slower then, so we'll have to wait and see. If the fight does happen then obviously he isn't slowing quickly enough to affect his performance. If the fight doesn't go ahead for a fresh set of problems, then this seems a lot more likely.

Jesse Elliot, Pittsburgh PA: "Do you think Mayweather has declined and if so why is he still winning?"

Well if Floyd himself is admitting it, then it's probably true. He isn't a lot noticeably slower than he ever was, but once the decline starts it keeps going. Mayweather's style of moving and pot-shotting needs him to be fast, and his speed will be the first thing to go. That being said he has never taken a lot of punishment in his career, so as long as he increases his work rate, he might still be able to win at a high level even if he gets hit more often.

Pol Canonce Barugo, Leyte Philippines: "Mayweather was placed in a very compromising situation where he was really dent on this random blood tests by going to the commission level prodding the boxing community that he really want to clean the sport but his prime motive was really on going for the edge with Manny coz he knows that the guy could stained his zero loss record. He was put in the most difficult position when the Haiti Earthquake caused the Mosley-Berto fight cancelled. He was very hesitant in the post fight interview about fighting Mosley but was forced nevertheless to fight Mosley coz he will be really 100% exposed as cherrypicking opponents.Now you can run all you want inside the ring once you face Mosley come May 1 hehehe. You will be shaken by Mosley's strong and power punch combos!"

There is a good chance this will happen so long as Mosley has the right game plan and doesn't think he can just turn up and win without careful planning. I've been reading interviews where Mosley says he intends to out-box Floyd which he frankly isn't capable of. He needs to cut down the ring and use all the same tricks Oscar De La Hoya used in his close fight with Floyd. If he can do that, then Shane's power and strength will come into play and Mayweather will find himself outgunned against someone he can't shake off.

Author: Scott Heritage

Source: examiner.com