Pacquaio Will Face a naturally bigger fighter

HE WILL FACE a naturally bigger fighter again and, this time, Manny Pacquiao will be plunging into his latest challenge without the benefit of a catch weight. And despite the testy challenge expected from last-minute replacement Joshua Clottey, Pacquiao has started out a 3-1 favorite for the March 13 bout in one of the biggest venues that has ever hosted a boxing match. Pacquiao squares off with Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after the collapse of talks to hold boxing’s so-called “Fight of the Century” pitting Pacquiao and undefeated American superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. due to a disagreement on drug-testing protocols. Examiner.com reported that betting lines will open with Pacquiao the prohibitive favorite. Bettors need to wager $300 to win $100 on Pacquiao. Clottey will start at plus-270, meaning a $100 bet on the ex-world champion will earn $270. Trainer Freddie Roach remains confident of a victory for Pacquiao, who captured the WBO welterweight crown via a 12-round TKO of Miguel Cotto at a 145 lb catch weight. “Manny’s comfortable at [147 lb],” Roach declared in a report posted by Fighthype.com. “When Manny’s eating the day of the weigh-in... he’s happy and that’s when he performs at his best.” “He’ll come into the fight 144 to 145 and he’ll go into the ring at 148 or 149 at most,” added the trainer. “And that’s his best fighting weight.” Roach had earlier predicted that Pacquiao will become the first fighter to knock Clottey out, although Top Rank chief Bob Arum warned that Clottey will be a tough challenge. “Well, Clottey is a dangerous opponent. Miguel Cotto was a dangerous opponent. If they’re not dangerous opponents, who the hell wants to lay out hard-earned money to buy the pay-per-view?” Arum told Examiner.com.

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Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey Match

The proposed Pacquiao-Clottey boxing match will most likely take place at the new Cowboys Stadium in Texas on March 13, the same day set for the botched Pacquiao-Mayweather match in Las Vegas Nevada. The upcoming boxing match between Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao and former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey of Ghana will most likely take place at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. According to Pacquio's adviser, Michael Koncz, the Pacquiao-Clottey match will still happen on March 13, the same date set for the botched Pacquiao-Mayweather match. Koncz said Pacquiao will leave January 17 to begin his training in the US for the March 13 fight with Clottey. The popular Filipino boxer will train at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach.

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Pacquiao, Mayweather camps mum after mediation hearing on megafight

Representatives for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. wrapped up a lengthy mediation session Tuesday night with no word on any progress on the drug-testing issues endangering the boxers' prospective March 13 bout. Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum and Mayweather's promotional team all said they had been told to make no public comments after their meeting in Santa Monica. The mediation finished nearly nine hours after it began in front of Daniel Weinstein, a retired federal judge. Arum's Top Rank and Mayweather's representatives at Golden Boy Promotions agreed to the mediation in an effort to resolve their dispute over the methods and frequency of drug testing for the bout, which will be held at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas if a compromise is reached. Although both fighters have agreed to extensive urine testing, Mayweather has demanded random blood testing as well. Pacquiao has balked at unlimited blood testing, instead proposing two blood tests before the fight and another immediately afterward. Pacquiao also complicated the negotiations by filing a lawsuit last week alleging Mayweather and most of his camp's key players defamed him by falsely accusing him of using performance-enhancing drugs.

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