Pacquiao fight analysis on podcast

Last year, The Philippine STAR produced a one-hour, in-depth discussion on the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight for the WBO welterweight championship and made the recording available on the internet site philstar.com. The inaugural podcast was accessible through an audio MP3 player imbedded in the site and generated thousands of hits when it was launched a week before the bout.

For Pacquiao’s next fight against Joshua Clottey, podcast innovator Dino Maragay thought of inviting fans for direct face-to-face interaction during the studio recording.

I will once more anchor the podcast, breaking down each fighter’s strengths and weaknesses, analyzing how both intend to win and predicting the outcome - just like in the Pacquiao-Cotto podcast. Only this time, thanks to Dino, there will be an audience to interact with.

Because of limited space in the studio, Dino hatched the idea of a contest to choose winners who will be invited to join the podcast at the UST studios in España at 1 p.m. this Tuesday.

It’s easy to join the contest which is open to philstar.com registered members from 18 years old and up, currently residing in Metro Manila. Exceptions are The Star Group of Publications employees and their relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity and affinity.

To join, just answer the following trivia questions about Clottey: 1. What is Clottey’s moniker? 2. How much is Clottey’s guaranteed salary for the fight? 3. Clottey was originally slated to fight on Jan. 16 before the Pacquiao bout was offered. Who was his scheduled opponent for that cancelled fight? 4. Clottey once held a version of the welterweight title. Which sanctioning organization was it? 5. Clottey and Pacquiao have fought a common opponent. Who was this fighter?

Contestants must answer correctly the five questions. The answers may be found in stories and articles previously published in The Philippine STAR, accessible through philstar.com’s online archive.

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Entries should be emailed to [email protected]. Each entry must indicate contact details (address, landline/mobile phone numbers), a philstar.com username and a scanned copy of a valid ID. The philstar.com staff will randomly select a minimum of five and a maximum of 10 winning entries.

Philstar.com reserves the right to reject entries that do not meet the contest’s requirements (for example, lack of valid ID, incomplete or wrong answers, residents outside Metro Manila).

Dino said philstar.com can only confirm receipt of entries submitted via email. No follow-ups will be entertained via phone or email. Contestants are advised to monitor the Pacquiao-Clottey sidebar on philstar.com for the announcement of winners. Additionally, winners will be notified via email or text message or phone call.

Winners will be invited to join the audience for the actual podcast recording. Detailed instructions on how to reach the venue and what to expect during the podcast recording will be sent via email. On the actual event, winners will get the chance to ask questions and discuss issues related to the fight. The interactive segment will be included in the podcast recording with each winner acknowledged for participating.

Winners who cannot go to the studio will forfeit the prize and other perks which will instead be awarded to another contestant in the waiting list.

The deadline to submit entries is today. The podcast will be available on philstar.com starting March 8, a week before the fight.

Answers to most of the questions may be found in two articles published in The Philippine STAR – “Clottey a hard-headed foe” (Jan. 14) and “Clottey instinctively dirty” (Jan. 24).

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Pacquiao and Clottey will square off at the 147-pound welterweight limit which was also the limit when the Filipino icon took on Oscar de la Hoya in 2008. Unlike de la Hoya who had to drastically trim down to make the cutoff, Clottey is a natural welterweight. Whether the Ghanaian’s size will be a factor in neutralizing Pacquiao’s power is a question mark. Clottey may be fitter than De la Hoya in absorbing Pacquiao’s punches.

Because Clottey is instinctively dirty, he will be unpredictable in the ring. Pacquiao is a master in scientifically breaking down an opponent’s tendencies. How he will adjust to someone who resorts to dirty tricks is another question mark.

When Pacquiao faced the late Agapito Sanchez, one of the dirtiest fighters in the business, in 2001, it was a nightmare. The bout was halted in the sixth round and declared a split technical draw with judge Raul Caiz scoring it, 57-55, for Sanchez, judge Ric Bays, 58-54, for Pacquiao and judge Marshall Walker, 56-all. Two points were deducted from Sanchez’ scores by referee Marty Denkin for repeated infractions. If the points were not deducted, Pacquiao would’ve lost by a split technical decision. Pacquiao finished with two cuts inflicted by headbutts.

Clottey is in the same class as Sanchez. When the Ghanaian fought Miguel Cotto last year, the Puerto Rican suffered a deep gash over his left eye because of headbutting. The cut took 20 stitches to sew up.