Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey Square Off in Texas Tonight
After giving up on Floyd Mayweather, Jr for what could have been this year's biggest boxing event, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao faces Joshua Clottey of Ghana in a 12-round boxing fight tonight at the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas.
Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey of Ghana square off tonight at the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas with some 45,000 boxing fans coming from different places in the USA and from around the world watching inside the world's most expensive stadium.
Joshua Clottey of Ghana, a former IBF welterweight champion hopes to snatch Manny Pacquiao's WBO welterweight crown when they collide tonight in Texas (Sunday noon in Manila) in what appears to be the biggest crowd-drawing fight in years. Both boxers step into the weighing scale Friday in the presence of Pacquiao and Clottey's team with promoter Bob Arum and Cowboys Stadium owner Jerry Jones also in attendance.
Clottey registered at 147 in the scale while Pacquiao came in at a little over 145 lbs. Promoters have considered all 45,000 tickets sold, and by the time Pacquiao, the WBO welterweight champion, climbs into the ring at the center of the $1.2-billion stadium, millions more will be watching in Canada, Puerto Rico, Russia, Europe, Mexico, all of Asia and the rest of the United States.
“I’m not going to promise a knockout. But I will do my best to make the people happy. I don’t want to disappoint the fans,” said the 31-year-old who has baffled some ring experts and most of his opponents with his meteoric rise from a champion in the 112-lb division more than 10 years ago to the king of the 147-lb class.
“I think we will stop him. Yes. I don’t think we will knock him out with one punch. I think we will overwhelm him,” said Roach after the weigh-in.
Pacquiao, who is guaranteed to take home $12 million excluding shares in pay-per-view, gate receipts, and advertising revenues will step into the ring at 10:00 p.m Dallas time, noon time in Manila.
Lenny de Jesus, who was a member of Team Pacquiao, working as a cut man for the Filipino boxer during his previous fights, said he is going for a knockout.
“We will hit him right, knock him out and win the fight,” he said. “We don’t sell tickets that’s why we’re the underdogs. But we are tough underdogs.”
Informed of Team Clottey's knock out prediction, Pacquiao reacted: “That’s interesting. They are free to say whatever they want to say,” said Pacquiao
“Let’s just see what happens in the ring. That’s what they said when I fought Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto - that they are bigger. On my part, I just train hard and fight hard,” Pacquiao stressed.
“May the best man win,” added Pacquiao
(original article appeared @ Digital Journal )