Opinion: Clottey deserves fair treatment from fans and countrymen

Two weeks after his fight with Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey of Ghana continues to get the ire of his fellow Ghanaians for his lackluster performance against pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquio.

Clottey for his part expressed his disappointment over the wrong reasons his fellow Ghanaians are reacting with regards to his poor showing during the fight. He clarified that the real reason why he was not up to his usual boxing stance was due to the fact that he had a battle with serious diarrhea before the fight.

According to him, apart from the "kanwe" or salt peter "infested" banku and okro stew which culminated in a serious diarrhea and general weakness before the bout, he did not have good day, a Ghana authority said.

This he said happens to all sports men and should not be singled out for criticism, said Clottey Sports personalities in Ghana led by Moises Foh-Anuaning, former chairman of Ghana Boxing Authority have issued classificatory statements regarding Clottey's unusually poor showing during his fight in Texas which drew more than 50,000 people across the USA to witness the event.

They said that Clottey's handlers particularly his Manager, Vinny Scolpino failed to provide Clottey with the right professional help including the services of a dietitian. Outside of Ghana, boxing fans continue to lash at Clottey for his unusually poor performance. They too seem to have misjudged the former IBF champion for not giving out his best in a championship fight beamed on live TV audience around the world.

Joshua Clottey is hurting, not only for the negative publicity he is getting, but for the unfair treatment he is being subjected to from boxing fans in his own country. Manny Pacquiao spoke highly of Joshua Clottey as a professional boxer. He said Clottey is not a trash talker like Floyd Mayweather Jr who is now a respondent to a court case he filed early this year in a Los Angeles county court for defamation.

For the wrong reasons, Clottey should not be subjected to a never-ending public ridicule that he is getting almost three weeks after his fight with Manny Pacquiao. For all the wrong reasons, Clottey deserves a fair treatment not only from his Ghanaian fans but from all boxing fans from around the world.

(original article appeared @ Digital Journal )