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MANILA–Manny Pacquiao conducted a boxing clinic in front of almost 51,000 fans as he clinched his 12th straight victory on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) with a unanimous decision over Joshua Clottey in their WBO welterweight title fight at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) controlled the fight from the start, throwing mostly body shots because Clottey locked his arms in front of his face. Pacquiao never slowed throwing punches and Clottey (35-4) never got very aggressive. Neither fighter went down.
The three judges — Levi Martinez, Nelson Vazquez and Duane Ford — all scored in favor of the seven-time world division champion as Pacquiao defended for the first time his WBO welterweight title, which he won over Miguel Cotto.
Two judges scored the fight 119-109, the other 120-108.
With 50,994 fans — the biggest fight crowd in the US in 17 years — cheering him on at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao made sure the result was never in doubt.
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." |
