Following the collapse of his proposed March 13 super fight against Floyd Mayweather Jnr, pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao has now been lined up to face former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey on the same date.
Clottey, who has been on vacation in his native Ghana, was contacted with the news and will return to the US to finalise the deal.
Pacquiao was to have squared off with Mayweather Jr in a multi million dollar showdown at the MGM Grand. Many of the routine details including money, size gloves, venue, etc was agreed but the biggest fight of the century was finally scuppered when the two camps could not agree on how pre and post fight drug tests would be conducted.
The problems started when Mayweather insisted on random blood and urine testing as per Olympic style but Pacquiao’s camp refused insisting routine testing methods were more than adequate. Pacquiao has since issued lawsuits against Mayweather, his father Floyd Mayweather Sr and Golden Boy Promotions for defamation.
It was initially thought Pacquiao would face new WBA junior-middleweight champ Yuri Foreman but now Clottey,who like Pacquiao and Foreman is promoted by Top Rank, now looks to be facing ‘Pacman’ on March 13.
Speaking on his Facebook page about the breakdown of the Mayweather fight and Clottey Top Rank’s Bob Arum said: "Sorry Floyd...you had numerous chances to make the fight of the century happen. We are no longer waiting around for you!
"Top Rank is pleased to announce that Manny Pacquiao will defend his World Boxing Organisation welterweight championship title in a bout with Joshua Clottey, Saturday March 13, 2010! It’s on!"
January 8, 2009
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