Pacquiao wins via Unanimous decision over Clottey, retains Welterweight title

PINOY pride boxer and the best pound-for-pound fighter in
the world Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao made Filipinos proud once again
for winning his fight against Joshua Clottey for Welterweight title.



With the biggest fight crowd in the U.S.
in 17 years cheering him on at Cowboys
Stadium, Pacquiao dominated a strangely passive Joshua Clottey from the opening
bell Sunday morning (Manila time) to retain his
welterweight title and cement his status
as the best pound-for-pound fighter in
the world.



The fight wasn't close, and it was never
in doubt. It was so one-sided that those
in the cheap seats among the crowd of
50,994 could tell without even looking
at the giant video screens over the ring
that Pacquiao was in total command.

One ringside judge gave Pacquiao every
round, while the two others gave him all
but one. The Associated Press scored it
a shutout for the Filipino sensation.



It wasn't as flashy as his knockout of
Ricky Hatton or as savage as the beating
he gave Oscar De La Hoya, but there was
no doubt Pacquiao was in command the
entire way against a fighter who kept
his gloves up high in front of his face
and chose to engage him only in spurts.
Clottey's strategy worked to keep him
upright, but he was never competitive in
the biggest fight of his career.

"He's a very tough opponent," Pacquiao
said. "He was looking for a big shot."

Pacquiao was supposed to have been
fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. instead of
Clottey, but the megafight fell apart
over a dispute over blood testing. He
took out any frustrations over losing
the biggest fight of his career by
beating up Clottey on the biggest stage
of his career.

"I want that fight, the world wants that
fight, but it's up to him," Pacquiao
said.

The tone of the fight was set early,
with Pacquiao advancing against his
taller opponent and throwing punches
with both hands from all angles. It was
the same style that gave him spectacular wins in his last three fights and,
though Clottey was clearly the bigger
fighter, he fought back only sparingly.

Clottey seemed content to hold his hands
in a peek-a-boo style through much of
the early rounds, trying to pick off
Pacquiao's punches and perhaps rally
late. But he gave away round after
round, despite landing some clean punches on the rare occasions when he
would throw a combination.

"Everything's working now," trainer
Freddie Roach told Pacquiao after the
third round. "It's easy."