Manny Pacquiao wasn’t able to bring down the “Wall of Ghana” but did enough to weaken the foundations to the point where it will probably never be the same again. Don’t expect Joshua Clottey to go far in his boxing career even as he challenged anybody and everybody out there after losing a lopsided unanimous 12-round decision to the Filipino icon before 50,994 fans at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, last Saturday night.
Clottey, 32, took a heckuva punishment from Pacquiao and it wouldn’t be surprising if his ribs were fractured or his kidneys malfunctioned. Forget a CT-Scan on Clottey’s brain. There were hardly enough power blows that Pacquiao landed in the head because of Clottey’s stubborn, turtle-shell defense. The Ghanaian might want to consider an MRI to check for serious damage on his body.
Not a few ringsiders felt Puerto Rican referee Rafael Ramos should’ve been more assertive in prodding Clottey to put up a decent fight. Clottey’s trainer Lenny de Jesus did his best in trying to light up a fire under the fighter’s butt and once, in between rounds, bluffed that Ramos might stop the bout unless the challenger did more than play turtle. Clottey obviously ignored De Jesus’ goading. Ramos should’ve at least threatened Clottey in the face by issuing a stern warning that he’ll wave it off if the Ghanaian persisted in making a mockery of the duel.
But can anyone blame Clottey for hiding behind his arms? Pacquiao looked devastatingly strong from start to finish. He never waned, a testament to his excellent gym work and conditioning coach Alex Ariza’s brilliance. Pacquiao banged away at Clottey’s arms. In his corner, assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez screamed for the defending WBO welterweight champion to pummel Clottey’s exposed shoulders – the idea being to lower his guard.
If Clottey engaged a little bit more, Pacquiao would’ve found the openings to shoot his lethal combinations. Clottey knew it. That’s why his stonewall defense was uncompromising. The downside was Clottey sacrificed his offense to stay alive.
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Is Clottey a coward? Perhaps. But he didn’t let his ego betray his senses. Clottey accomplished what he set out to do – survive 12 rounds with Pacquiao on his feet. Let’s face it. The man can take a punch. He’s been down only once in his career – falling off-balance from a jab by Miguel Cotto in the first round of their battle last June. And nobody can question his survival instincts. Unfortunately, the fight did little to enhance Clottey’s marketability. Fans couldn’t care less about a fighter who doesn’t fight. Pacquiao became a global phenomenon because he’s an exciting warrior – he lets it all hang out in the ring, never mind the odds, never mind if he’s outsized, never mind if his opponent is as tough as nails. Clottey should learn from Pacquiao’s example.
Clottey picked up a $1.2 million purse for taking on Pacquiao as a replacement for Floyd Mayweather Jr. Did he earn it? I don’t think so. Clottey did his best impersonation of a human shield. Occasionally, he lashed out with nifty uppercuts that caught Pacquiao by surprise. Pacquiao got a bit complacent in some stretches and was tagged. But Clottey had no intention to light up the fireworks.
Before the fight, Clottey boasted he would block nine out of every 10 punches that Pacquiao would throw. “I will make Pacquiao think a lot in the ring because of my defense,” he said. “I believe in my defense. He’s going to throw a lot of punches. I’ll block nine out of 10.” Too bad Clottey had no strategy for offense.
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The other day, Clottey came out with a poor excuse to explain his lethargic performance. He claimed a bum stomach drained his energy for offense. Clottey should’ve kept his mouth shut. Now, fans are convinced he’s just a palooka out for a paycheck at their expense. It’ll be difficult to sell another Clottey fight for sure.
As for Pacquiao, he reestablished himself as a highly marketable event attraction – no matter who’s in the opposite corner of the ring. Despite Clottey’s reluctance to throw, Pacquiao went about his business to give the fans what they want, what they paid good money for. He battled, baited and provoked. Pacquiao was masterful in the squared circle and when it was all over, he dedicated the win to boxing fans all over the world.
The Filipino nation now realizes Pacquiao is not just a hero in his homeland. He’s a treasure to be shared with everyone – no matter the race, creed or gender – who is inspired by his remarkable climb from poverty to the top of the world.