Pacquiao expects close fight vs Clottey

MANILA, Philippines – It will be tough and it will be close.

World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao said he expects his March 13 date with challenger Joshua Clottey to turn out just like the Ghanaian boxer's match against Miguel Cotto.

"Sa tingin ko pa nga, close ang labang iyon at puwede ring si Ginoong Clottey ang nanalo," Pacquiao said, referring to the June 2009 fight between Clottey and Cotto.

Cotto got a split-decision win, but many fans felt it could have been gone either way.

"Ganyan din ang dapat kong asahan sa laban namin sa Marso 13," he added.

Pacquiao said the size and ability of Clottey, who has won 35 fights against 3 losses, makes the Ghanaian fighter a very dangerous foe.

Pacquiao has 50 wins against 3 losses.

Clottey stands 5-feet-8 and is a full welterweight, while Pacquiao, the only boxer to win 7 world titles, is 5-feet-6.5 and last fought at a 145-pound catch weight.

"Naniniwala akong isa siyang mapanganib na kalaban," said Pacquiao, who has started training at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California.

Still in good condition

Pacquiao's physical conditioning expert, Alex Ariza, meanwhile, said Pacquiao is still in good shape two months after his 12th round TKO victory over Cotto last November.

"He is looking sharp already," Ariza said in a report by InsideSports.ph.

Trainer Freddie Roach agreed that the Filipino boxer is in "pretty good shape" at 148 lbs.

"We're gonna start sparring one day earlier than normal and get the rounds in," Roach said. "We'll have the game plan down by next week."

Not giving up on Pacman-Floyd

Meanwhile, boxing promoter Oscar de la Hoya said that despite the bitter feud with the Pacquiao camp, he hasn't given up on trying to convince Pacquiao to fight his client Floyd Mayweather.

"That fight has to happen," De la Hoya said Tuesday of the proposed bout, which fell apart earlier this month over a drug-testing procedure dispute. "It's too big not to happen. We just have to cross one hurdle."

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday to promote a non-title junior welterweight fight, de la Hoya said Mayweather and Pacquiao will fight sooner than people think.

Pacquiao, boxing's pound-for-pound king, was already scheduled to square off against Mayweather on March 13, but they couldn't agree on a 10-day gap in the timing of the pre-fight drug tests.

"The public will hopefully make him change his mind," de la Hoya said. "Why would you not want to earn 40 million dollars? Why would you not want to show the public that all this speculation is nonsense? Be the one to stand up and say it."

De la Hoya also said Mayweather and Shane Mosley are in talks for a possible bout on May 1 which will likely be in Las Vegas.

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go pacman!

Truevision 5, Sunday morning. I am looking forward to it.

Truevision 5, Sunday morning. I am looking forward to it.

same here, will be watching a couple of Super 14 games as well as the F1, so wont be doing much else

Truevision 5, Sunday morning. I am looking forward to it.

Will Truvision 5 be showing the fight live? That's great if they are, sure would beat watching over streaming video. But I thought that HBO had an exclusive for the fight and were showing on Pay Per View.

Truevision 5, Sunday morning. I am looking forward to it.

same here, will be watching a couple of Super 14 games as well as the F1, so wont be doing much else

i think just as well i stay inside, i heard small gathering was occuring this weekend

Truevision 5, Sunday morning. I am looking forward to it.

Will Truvision 5 be showing the fight live? That's great if they are, sure would beat watching over streaming video. But I thought that HBO had an exclusive for the fight and were showing on Pay Per View.

im sure as i saw the promo come up during an ad break in the weeken, i think you need the platinum package thou, or pay if not

my understanding, if you have gold or platinum you can see it, if not you can pay to see it. pac man for me

Truevision 5, Sunday morning. I am looking forward to it.

Will Truvision 5 be showing the fight live? That's great if they are, sure would beat watching over streaming video. But I thought that HBO had an exclusive for the fight and were showing on Pay Per View.

Most of the fights shown on Truevision 5 are Pay Per View out of the US. Like others have said, Gold and Platinum accounts get it for free, others have to pay some amount, probably not too much.

Anyone know a pub showing it?

Larry's Dive will be open and have it on.

Larry's comes through again, will be there. Just to confirm, do the undercard bouts start at 9am Sunday? Thanks

im over in phuket from new zealand on a holiday

does anyone know where i can watch the fight in phuket? and what time is it palying here?

According to online sources, the live broadcast starts at 6 pm Eastern Time. I can't seem to find any info on specific start times for the fight, but Larry's should be open around 7am on Sunday morning.

my guess would be a start time of 9.30 am

but best to be early just in case, i wouldnt want to miss it

I am betting Pacquiao to win this fight, he is so fast in the ring and Clottey is just so slow to make a move to beat Pacman.

Pacquiao wins ... lol...

i got irritated with the publicity over and over again... without ever saying the correct THAI time ...

what was clotteys paycheck?

whatever it was he must be one of the most expensive punchbags

bring on mayweather

Pacquiao's physical conditioning expert, Alex Ariza, meanwhile, said Pacquiao is still in good shape two months after his 12th round TKO victory over Cotto last November.