THERE was no knockout this time, but Manny Pacquiao got the job done just the same after dominating Joshua Clottey in their WBO welterweight showdown Saturday (Sunday in Manila) before some 50,994 screaming fans at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The 31-year-old Pacquiao displayed blazing hand speed and launched bombs that hit their target on the way to a 12-round unanimous win in his first defense of the title before the biggest fight crowd in the US in 17 years.
It was actually a no-contest in favor of Pacquiao as Clottey contended himself of defending throughout the fight and rarely engage the Filipino in a toe-to-toe exchange.
When it was all over, one judge gave Pacquiao every round, while the other two gave him all but one in their scorecards.
Pacquiao, who won the WBO welterweight crown after beating Miguel Cotto via a 12th-round TKO late last year, tried his best to open and break the defense of Clottey with a series of body shots but failed.
"He's a very tough opponent," Pacquiao said. "He was looking for a big shot."
Davao City Councilor Peter T. Laviña said he was happy with the result but credited Clottey for his tough defense.
"Manny won but many were disappointed that he failed to open and break Clottey's defense which I described as the Great Wall of Ghana," Laviña said.
The victory raised Pacquiao's record to 51-3-2 with 38 KOs, while the loss dropped Clottey's card to 35-4 with 20 stoppages.
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. "I'm ready to fight any time."
Mayweather will be fighting Shane Mosley this May in Las Vegas where a victory will set himself up for a possible showdown with Pacquiao. (With a report from AP)