Jerry Glick reporting: WBO Welterweight challenger, Joshua “Grand Master” Clottey, 35-3 (20 KOs), who fights Champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, 50-3-2 (38 KOs), on March 13th at Cowboys Stadium in Texas on a Top Rank promoted event, showed the New York fight crowd what a top fighter does when he is confronted with the biggest fight of his career, he works hard to get into the best shape that he can.
Clottey, from Ghana, never looks like his last workout was more than a few hours ago. He said that he is now 153/154 and added, “I want to make 147 today.”
Clottey ran on the treadmill working up a huge sweat, so maybe he did make weight today. He definitely made a grand effort to do it.
He worked out in front of the media at Kingsway Gym on West 28th street in Manhattan. After the treadmill he used the pads with his trainer, followed by the speed bag, the double end bag, and the heavy bag as well.
“I’m in very good shape,” he said. “I’m training hard for this fight, and I’m ready.”
He looked as calm as he could be as he explained what he expects from the man most people call the pound for pound best in the world.
“I am expecting a very tough fight,” said the former IBF Welterweight boss. “It’s a very tough fight for the both of us. I expect to win.”
He admits that he was surprised when he got the call informing him of this opportunity, which he calls a gift from God.
“I’m a very big welterweight,” said Joshua Clottey. “So I didn’t expect to get a chance at Manny Pacquiao.”
He has no opinion about the crazy set of circumstances that surrounded the fight that fell through allowing him to get the chance at Pacman.
“I don’t have anything to talk about with drug tests,” said Clottey. “I’m not concerned about that at all.”
Last time out he lost a tough fight to Miguel Cotto before Cotto was stopped by Pacquiao. Clottey says he believes that he won that fight.
“I know I won that fight with Cotto,” he insisted. “But they didn’t give me the decision. That’s the past, I put that behind me.”
The Cotto fight is just another big fight that he didn’t win, according to his critics. They say that he doesn’t win the big ones.
“I won my fight with Diego Corrales,” said Clottey. “I won my fight with Zab Judah and he was a three time world champion. I won my fight with him. I won my fight with Cotto, but they robbed me.”
He a deeply respectful, religious ("I’m a Muslim"), almost humble man, and he won’t say that he will win by knockout. Just that he will win. “I have too much respect for Pacquiao. Before I go to the gym I pray. This fight is a miracle.”
Against Manny Pacquiao, some miracles are no more than Trojan Horses for defeat.
PUNCHLINES
Also on hand and looking very relaxed was John Duddy, 28-1 (18 KOs), who will face a tough Mexican by the name of Michael Medina, 23-1-2 (18 KOs), on the undercard of Pacquiao-Clottey. Medina is currently working on a five fight winning streak with four of those wins by KO.
With John was his long time trainer Harry Keitt who talked a little about Duddy’s preparation.
“We’re working on moving and flexibility,” said Keitt. “He’s going good. He’s working with a kid named Flores who is giving us some real good work. Almost a carbon copy of the kid he’s fighting. He’s doing great You’ll be proud of him.”
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