‘I want that fight’

DALLAS - His latest victory over Joshua Clottey now in the books, Manny Pacquiao admits he still wants a crack at Floyd Mayweather Jr. but will put off his decision until after May 10.

“I want that fight. The world wants that fight. But it’s up to him,” Pacquiao said.

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For now, the 31-year-old superstar faces a much tougher fight in the political ring.

“I am going to take a one-week rest and go back to the Philippines and start campaigning for my political career,” Pacquiao said after beating Clottey by a unanimous 12-round decision at Cowboys Stadium. “I want to help the people, especially in my place.”

Asked when he will fight again, Pacquiao said, “I don’t know. I am going to decide that after the elections.”

Pacquiao was so confident of beating Clottey that he scheduled a post-fight party across the street at the Texas Rangers ballpark, where he planned to sing and entertain hundreds of guests.

Wearing dark glasses to hide the swelling around his eyes from absorbing hundreds of punches over 12 rounds, Pacquiao told reporters at a post-fight news conference he planned to open the show with his own version of the Mexican folk song La Bamba.

Pacquiao’s win over Clottey, combined with a Mayweather defeat of Shane Mosley on May 1, will set the stage for negotiations to resume for a Pacquiao-Mayweather bout.

A Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is one of the most anticipated ever and could be the biggest payday in boxing history, with conservative estimates of $35 million for each fighter.

Talks for the fight fell through when Mayweather insisted on Olympic-style drug testing, which Pacquiao refused.

Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum said Mayweather should leave the question of drug testing up to the state commission where the fight is being held.

“Drug testing is not for a fighter to use in negotiating,” Arum said. “We believe Mayweather raised that issue to duck fighting Manny Pacquiao and if we are wrong then let him sign a regular contract.”

In his latest victory, Pacquiao dominated a strangely passive Clottey from the opening bell to retain his WBO welterweight title.

With 50,994 fans, the biggest fight crowd in the United States in 17 years, cheering him on at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao made sure the result was never in doubt.

One ringside judge gave Pacquiao every round, while the two others gave him all but one. The Associated Press gave every round to the Filipino.

Command

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 Clottey, who kept his gloves up high in front of his face, rarely risking a flurry. The Ghanaian’s strategy got him to the final bell, 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.”

The fight this night was more of an event than a real competition, bringing in the biggest crowd in the US for a fight since Julio Cesar Chavez fought Pernell Whitaker at the Alamodome in 1993. It paid off handsomely for Pacquiao, though, who earned at least $12 million.

Promoters not only sold out the 45,000 seats available for the bout, but added thousands more standing room passes for fans who could get a glimpse of the action and see every drop of sweat on the huge overhead screens.

“It’s one of the most incredible stories not just in boxing but anywhere,” promoter Bob Arum said. “Fourteen years ago, he was sleeping in a cardboard shack in the Philippines and tonight he puts 51,000 people in this palace in Dallas.”

Easy

The tone of the bout 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 past three fights and, though Clottey was clearly the bigger fighter, he rarely sought to use his reach advantage.

“Everything’s working now,” trainer Freddie Roach told Pacquiao after the third round. “It’s easy.”

Pacquiao threw three times as many punches as Clottey, an average of 100 a round, and landed as many power shots as Clottey threw.

Final punch stats showed Pacquiao landing 246 of 1,231 punches to 108 of 399 for Clottey.

Clottey had gotten the fight off a good performance in his last bout against Miguel Cotto, but he was clearly more concerned with surviving the all-out assault that Pacquiao is noted for than winning the fight.

“He had a good defense,” Roach said of Clottey, “but defense isn’t enough to win a fight.”

Power

Special live coverage of the 12-round fight between Pacquiao and Clottey was broadcast without a hitch after Philippine energy officials vowed to prevent power shortages interrupting the event.

In an interview with DZBB radio station after the fight, Pacquiao said: “I owe this to all my fellow Filipinos, most of all to my family.”

As in previous Pacquiao fights, the streets in major towns and cities were empty as millions of fans were glued to television sets and radios to follow the fight live. Live showings of the fight were shown in theatres and sports bars while some officials arranged to have widescreen showings in local gymnasiums.

The champion’s mother, Dionisia Pacquiao, said she would prefer that her son retired from boxing.

“I tell my son, ‘Please stop. What happens if something goes wrong with your body?’ I prayed to God that nothing would happen to him,” she said in an interview with DZBB. She brushed aside talk about a big-money match with Mayweather, saying: “Why should we try to chase after the biggest prize? We have enough. God has given him enough blessings already.”

Heart

Told about his mother’s comments, Pacquiao said: “We will talk about that after I get home.”

President Arroyo, in a statement released by Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo, said the nation again rejoices with and congratulates Pacquiao for yet another victory.

“We take heart in Manny’s proven formula of unselfish patriotism and unyielding perseverance. Sa pagkakaisa at pagsisikap, nagwaging muli si Manny para sa bayan. Ito rin ang ating landas tungo sa tagumpay ng sambayanan (With unity and hard work, Manny has won again for the country. This is the path we must all take for our nation’s triumph),” Arroyo said. (AP/AFP)