Pacquiao camp says fight with Clottey set for March
TORONTO – WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao will put his title on the line against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey in March after talks for a bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. fizzled out this week, the Filipino's promoter said on Friday.
The planned fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr. broke down when negotiations between the two sides hit a snag over the American's demand for a rigorous dope testing procedure.
Pacquiao's new opponent beat Zab Judah of the United States for the IBF Welterweight title in August 2008 and lost a split decision to Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto last June.
"This is a better fight," Bob Arum of Top Rank, Pacquiao's promoter, told Reuters in a telephone interview. "(Clottey's) a real strong, aggressive and hard punching African from Ghana and he poses a real test for Manny."
Arum said a location for the fight would be decided on Monday.
News of the Pacquiao-Clottey bout pours cold water over talk that a match with Mayweather, which was expected to be one of boxing's biggest revenue-producing fights, could be salvaged in time for March.
Mayweather Jr. had issued a statement on Thursday that said he still wanted to fight Pacquiao, but Arum said any possible fight between the two sides would have to wait.
"There's always later in the year and there's next year, it's up to Mayweather. But if he starts this nonsense again with testing or anything then let him take a walk," said Arum.
"We are not going to get into a debate with him ever again on stuff that we know nothing about and that only regulators really can understand."
Mayweather's camp had called for random blood and urine sampling prior to and after the proposed fight with Pacquiao in March.
Pacquiao agreed to have blood taken for testing before the initial media conference and immediately after the fight but would not agree to have blood drawn within 30 days of the bout.
The commission that would have overseen the fight in Las Vegas only requires urine testing.
"We have commissions who regulate this sport, if (Mayweather Jr.) wants any special testing he should address it to the commission that will have jurisdiction over the fight," said Arum.
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Re Re Sweet!
Indeed a strong undercard, how about Gayweather vs. Mosley? or Badweather vs. Cotto???
RE: Sweet!
If they'll indeed do it at Cowboys Stadium, I agree that they'll need to put a strong undercard for the fans to buy into this fight especially after the recent mess. Since its Texas, adding latino fighters would really help fill up the seats just as long as they don't jack up the ticket prices. The Dallas and North Texas area has a pretty decent Filipino population too. A sell out crowd of 100,000? I doubt it and might be a bit of a reach but who knows.
Sweet!
I heard Paqcquiao-Clottey will probably be fought at Cowboys Stadium. If they can get 100,000 fans to pack that place even if he's fighting Clottey (no offense to him, he's a great and legit fighter but he's no superstar), that will just about truly confirm Manny's global stardom.
Top Rank would need to put a great, I mean really great undercard support or else the pay-per-view numbers for this fight will tank especially that everyone is disappointed with the Mayweather being off.