This Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, world champion Manny Pacquiao of The Philippines will defend his World Boxing Organization Welterweight (147 lbs.) Title against Joshua Clottey of Accra, Ghana. Up to 50,000 people will witness the fight live (at the time this went to press nearly 40,000 tickets were sold) and millions more will watch it on pay-per-view all around the world.
Obviously the boxing world was hoping to see Pacquiao face Floyd Mayweather. Instead, they get Clottey who is a tough out for any fighter at this weight. Pacquiao, 50-3-2 (38 KO’s) is the only fighter to have won seven world titles in seven different weight divisions. He and his trainer Freddie Roach are certain to be voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York, this next time around. Clottey, 35-3 (21 KO’s), is also a former welterweight champion and naturally bigger than Pacquiao. Manny is a sizable favorite in this bout, though, and for good reason. A super-fast and concussive puncher, Manny has added a few new wrinkles to his game since coming up in weight. He has improved his right hand to the point where it is a formidable weapon. Perhaps even more impressive is his advanced vision of what happens in the ring. It has been enough to make him the best fighter in the sport.
The undercard has WBC super featherweight champion Humberto Soto who will fight former WBC lightweight champion David Diaz for the vacant WBC lightweight title. Also fighting are two fast rising prospects: Mexico’s Salvador Sanchez III faces 20- year-old Dallas native and 2008 Olympic trials finalist Roberto Marroquin, who has won all 12 of his professional fights, including 9 knockouts. (If you want to check him out for yourself, it’s rumored that he frequents the Maple Ave Boxing Gym in Dallas.) Top Rank, the country’s premiere promotions company for the sport of boxing, thinks very highly of the former U.S. national amateur champion. Marroquin is one of Top Rank’s hottest prospects and they believe they have the next Oscar de la Hoya.
