The best boxer in the world pound for pound faces a willing adversary who is taller, tough and seemingly stronger, but that hasn’t stopped SecondsOut’s team of fearless writers from making their confident picks for Saturday’s WBO welterweight boxing world title fight between superstar Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, televised in the USA on HBO Pay-Per-View.
“It’s not often these days that boxing can take center stage at a huge venue like Cowboys Stadium and generate legitimate media attention…this is a good showcase fight for the sport and its biggest superstar. There’s a chance there could be a bit of a letdown performance here from Pacquiao. The fact that he’s not fighting Floyd Mayweather and subsequent PED accusations must wear mentally on Pac-Man, at least somewhat. Clottey is a competent pro, but it’s hard to imagine the transplanted Ghanaian New Yorker pulling off what would be considered one of the biggest upsets of all time. Pacquiao W.TKO.10.”
- Gregory Juckett, Content Editor – New York, USA
“Manny Pacquiao is the star, but in Joshua Clottey he will find a taller and bigger opponent who brings experience and toughness into the ring. The Pac-Man’s foot and hand speed will be the key however and if he can withstand the early onslaught from Clottey, which will be significant, Pacquiao has the tools at hand to eventually wear the Ghanan down and win on points in an exciting battle. Pacquiao W.12.”
- Paul Upham, Content Editor – Sydney, Australia
“Manny Pacquiao has made a habit of beating bigger guys – to the point that fighting welterweights is really not an issue for him anymore. His speed and power are just too much for 99.9 percent of fighters out there and Clottey is no different. The Ghanaian is confident, strong and gifted and is not in Dallas to lose and, although he should have his moments early in the contest, his efforts will ultimately fall short. Pacquiao W.UD.12.”
- Michael Norby, Contributing Editor – New England, USA
“I am waiting for Mayweather to beat Pacquiao with his greater skills, or someone else to upset the Filipino giant killer, but it won’t be Joshua Clottey. He will stand in front of Pacquiao and attempt to trade because he is the bigger man. That will be a mistake. He does not punch fast enough and Pacquiao will get the job done by the fourth round. Pacquiao within 4. Pacquiao W.KO.4.”
- Jerry Glick – Contributing Editor – New York City, USA
“He may not possess the marquee name, but Clottey is a live outsider in this fight. He’s strong, methodical with a heavy jab and owns one of the best chins in boxing. Pacquiao may find the Ghanaian’s physical advantages more troubling than he expected, but his fast forward speed and ring smarts should see him squeak home on the scorecards. Pacquiao W.SD.12.”
- Mark Butcher, Founding Editor – London, UK
“What a difficult fight for Pacquiao! Specially from the psychological effects of the cancelled mega bout with Mayweather. The Philippine phenomenon, will face one of the strongest welterweights around and full of motivation. It will be a huge test for the mentality of the champion, how could he focused in training for this fight? With all he has accomplished, I believe he could have left the disappointment behind and on Saturday 13th, will display all his abilities as recently. The speed will be a factor, Pacquiao will take some lead with his accurate combinations, but the Ghanaian will press the action and will finish stronger. Tough, close fight with the champion keeping his status in a hard night of work. Pacquiao W.UD.12.”
- Juan Pablo Manfredi – Buenos Aires, Argentina
“Clottey’s a rock solid guy: good chin, defense, speed, stamina, power, experience, fundamentals, etc. But although rock solid and well rounded may get you far against most top shelf opponents, it isn’t going to get you over the hump against the pound for pound Filipino whirlwind. Clottey does however, possess a mean uppercut in both hands, and that may be his one effective weapon against Pacquiao’s blur of punches and lateral movement. If Clottey can time Pacquiao, we may get some thrills and competitive rounds. But if not, expect a game effort en route to becoming another line on Pacquiao’s Hall of Fame resume. Pacquiao W.12.”
- Sean Waisglass – Canada
“This is a tough fight for Clottey to win, but it is not out of the realm of possibility. The challenge for Clottey is simply that it is a bad style match-up. He is facing a fighter whose hands are not only much faster than he is accustomed to dealing with, but one who is busier than he likes to fight and fights using feet. For Clottey to win, he needs to make his strengths be the determining factor of each and every round. Clottey has shown over the course of several fights with big name opposition that he has the talent, but he has yet to show that he can maintain his A level game throughout an entire fight, and he will need that to secure victory. There is also the chance that he just too big for Pacquiao, but it is more likely that Pacquiao’s assets will bother Clottey. The safe bet is Pacquiao in twelve. Pacquiao W.12.”
- John Lumpkin – Madison, Wisconsin, USA
“Joshua Clottey impressed me with how tough he hung in there with Miguel Cotto. However, Manny Pacquiao is just a bad style for him. I see Pac-Man’s speed being too much for Clottey and his punching power won’t be able to keep Manny honest. In the first round of the Cotto fight, Pacquiao seemed moved by the Puerto Rican’s power, but form the second on he just walked through everything and found his shots able to hurt a naturally bigger man. I think Pacquiao can become the first man to stop Clottey. Pacquiao W.TKO.9.”
- Derek Bonnett – Connecticut, USA
“This could be the toughest test Manny has faced in a long time. Clottey is a big, big welterweight and off the top of my head I don’t recall ever seeing him even remotely hurt. Clottey can take droves of punishment and has raw power behind that physical strength. Pacquiao will be smart to dart in and out with speed and combos like he did against Oscar De La Hoya. Though I won’t be shocked if Pacquiao will be in over his head with such a large, powerful welter and loses but my official pick is the Filipino by decision. I see Clottey winning most of the early rounds but since he tends to weaken late and Pacquiao doesn’t, Manny will rally in rounds ten thru twelve and eking out the verdict. Pacquiao W.12.”
- Mike Sloan – Las Vegas, USA
“This fight should prove to be a nice test for Pacquiao against a legitimate welterweight at the true weight limit. Hats off to Top Rank for making the fight and Pacquiao for taking the challenge. Clottey is a bit bigger and a bit stronger than Pacquiao. But, Pacquiao is faster and uses more angles. Pacquiao’s speed will nullify any of Clottey’s advantages. I am tempted to say that speed kills and Pacquiao will win impressively, but we all know how tough it is to hurt Clottey, given his durable high guard defense. I am sure there are those like Freddie Roach that believe Clottey leaves his body open with that high defense and Pacquiao should be able to exploit that opportunity and score a liver punch knockout victory. Don’t bet on it! Clottey’s body is strong and his weakness is not his durability, but the fact that he does not throw enough punches. Thus, a competitive contest on the scorecards is out of the question. Clottey would have to hurt Pacquiao to win. And, that is easier said than done. Clottey may win a couple of rounds (if he’s lucky) as Pacquiao tires of fighting twelve rounds on his toes. And, Pacquiao will fight all twelve rounds on his toes, because we know the Roach-Pacquiao game plan is not to go toe-to-toe with Clottey, but to stick-and-move. Nonetheless, Pacquiao is in tremendous shape (maybe Superman is a more fitting moniker than Pac-Man) and barring a ring injury during the fight don’t expect Pacquiao to drop more than a round or two. I have Pacquiao winning by unanimous decision. Pacquiao W.UD.12.”
- Albert Jimenez Howell – Las Vegas, USA
“Freddie Roach claims he watched a lot of film on Joshua Clottey when devising Manny Pacquiao’s game plan for The Event. All Freddie had to do is watch one film, Clottey – Judah. In that bout we see how Clottey reacted to a smaller, faster, south-paw. When Judah started off by firing combinations, Clottey hid behind his high guard, and waited until Judah was finished punching until he returned fire. It was not until Judah slowed down (shocker) that Clottey began to land his right hand. Pacquiao will not slow down. I see a competitive six rounds give way to Pacquiao domination. One fear is that when Clottey lands a meaningful blow it will be with his forehead. Therefore, I expect that we will have to go to the cards early. Pacquiao W.UD.12.”
- Jason Pribila – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
“As tough and durable as Joshua Clottey is he just doesn’t let his hands go enough. He can be a tremendously frustrating fighter to watch. And that will be the deciding factor in the fight. Pacquiao’s work rate will overwhelm Clottey. Manny will use angles, volume punching and a wicked body attack to reduce Joshua to his defensive shell. There might be a few tense moments early but Pacquiao will break Clottey down in much the same fashion he did Miguel Cotto. He’ll stop Clottey around the 8th or 9th round. Pacquiao W.TKO.9.”
- Matthew Hurley – Boston, USA
“This is the fight we have been fed (stuffed with) through media, web, TV, newspapers; you name it, for a long, long, long, very long time. It’s almost not interesting anymore. We all know the facts about it; we don’t really hesitate who the favourite is. That should be 100 percent clear by now. It seems like there can only be one winner here, Manny Pacquiao. Joshua Clottey is the massive underdog, although he is the naturally slightly heavier boxer. Do I argue with the media’s opinion? No, not really, I think Pac-Man finds a way to figure out Joshua Clottey during the course of the fight and gets through that tight guard of his. I believe the Philippine superstar will get his body punches going from round one and then take it from there. Eventually Clottey’s guard will come down and Manny will catch him with something solid. It might take some time but it will happen for sure. I see it ending in the ninth round in Manny’s favour. Pacquiao W.TKO.9.”
- Teddy Stenmark – Sweden
“Pac-Man is the man, fast, powerful and ready to rumble. Clottey just doesn’t have the attacking arsenal to keep Pacquiao off and his defense will aid him but you don’t win fights by defending, you have to throw punches. Pacquiao W.UD.12.”
- Lwazi Ndzobongo – South Africa
“Clottey is a tough fighter with a good chin and defense but who lays back too much when pressured. Pacquiao will overwhelm him with speed and punch volume and dominate the fight. Pacquiao by wide decision. Pacquiao W.12.”
- Harry Rosenbluth – Los Angeles, California, USA
“This is one of those fights that Clottey could catch Pacquiao and his team over confident. Clottey is big and has a great chin, the problem is he needs to let his hands go more in order to have a chance against Pac-Man. I see Pacquiao being the quicker and more active with that being the difference. Can Clottey win? Yes, but he will need to pressure Pacquiao who doesn’t like fight backwards, if can do that consistently he has a chance, but I see Pacquiao winning a unanimous decision and hopefully set up a fight with Mosley-Mayweather winner. Pacquiao W.12.”
- Andy Rivera – New Mexico, USA
“I have struggled with this for a while now. I really think Clottey can upset Pacquiao. I think he’s much bigger and stronger and has a very good defense. Having said all this, Pacquiao is the man right now and I think I would be foolish to pick against him at this point because of his speed and power so I think Pacquiao will win a split points decision in a very decent fight. Pacquiao W.SD.12.”
- Ray Kilgore – Minneapolis, MN, USA
“Clottey, who often does not throw enough punches, enters this fight without his long-time trainer and has promoted his cut man. If the Cotto fight shows us anything, it is that he needs good tactical advice when the going gets touch, something that Freddie Roach will be providing the always energetic Pacquiao with. Pacquiao W.12.”
- Amilcar Barnett – Belize, Central America
“The Event has been pretty hyped up and well publicized. Pacquiao has emerged as the new face of boxing over the last couple of years. His dismantling of De La Hoya, Hatton, and Cotto took some by surprise at how easily he ran through them. I truly feel Clottey is his toughest opponent to date: a true welterweight, who looks more like a middleweight. Aside from a split-decision loss to Cotto (a fight many observers felt he won) and a decision loss to Margarito (a fight he made it through with both hands injured), Clottey has had little to no trouble emerging as one of the division’s best. The Judah and Alvarez fights gave him some very good recognition. I think Clottey may be able to go toe to toe with Pacquiao early on but as the fight progresses, the combination punching of Pacquiao will be too much for Clottey. It wouldn’t shock me if Clottey went the distance, but I feel the referee will stop the fight in the late rounds as Clottey will get hit with a lot of unanswered punches. Pacquiao W.TKO.11.”
- Derek Gionta – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
