2010 has been a very slow year so far for the sport of boxing. All of that is about to change in the next few months. What better way to kick off a few solid months of fights with the boxer who is considered the best in the business.
Manny Pacquiao takes on Joshua Clottey in a battle at 147 pounds. It will be a huge event seeing it is the first ever fight inside the new spectacle that is Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
There isn't much debate about who is the heavy favorite going into this fight. Pacquiao has beaten everybody in his path and done so very convincingly. Clottey is a nice fighter but everyone knows he was the backup plan when the fight between Manny and Floyd Mayweather Jr. fell apart.
As a true boxing fan, it is very hard to get excited for this fight when everyone wants to see Pacquiao in there with "The Pretty Boy." Manny is a guy that is very well prepared so I don't see how he would underestimate Clottey or look past him. If he does for some reason, he still would be a favorite to win.
Manny Pacquiao is one of the most entertaining fighters to come along in quite awhile. He has a crowd pleasing style, is action packed, and has never ducked anyone. This is a guy who started his boxing career at 110 pounds and has won titles in almost every single weight class it seems like.
All that being said, there is still only one fight out there for him, and it isn't Joshua Clottey.
Joshua Clottey is a guy who thinks he has never been defeated. He comes in at 35-3 with those losses to three very tough guys in Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, and Carlos Baldomir. Once he gets to the top, he falters and can't get over that hump that is the elite level fighters. There is not many reasons to think he will get to the mountain top this time around either.
Clottey is more of a defensive fighter and has been known to take rounds off. He won't be able to rest when he steps in with Manny however. Pacquiao will bring his entire assault and that will start as soon as the bell rings for round 1. The only way I see Clottey staying in this fight if he lands a big shot early on that catches Manny Pacquiao off guard.
Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. were all but set to make about 40 million dollars each and that fight somehow fell apart. Now, Mayweather takes on a very solid veteran fighter in "Sugar" Shane Mosley and could raise the interest in the megafight. Pacquiao will do his part when he steps in with Clottey tonight. It'll be up to Mayweather to see how much more they can earn down the road if he can handle Mosley.
Once again, boxing fans aren't getting to see the fight that should happen. We have to settle for two decent fights when we should see the biggest fight since Mike Tyson was still relevant. Add in the fact that the undercard is pretty much garbage and you see why boxing is still an afterthought for many people.