FightHype's staff predictions are in for this weekend's intriguing showdown as pound-for-pound and WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao defends his title against former champion Joshua Clottey. Who will win? Who will lose? Is anyone even giving Clottey a shot? Get the answers to these questions and more in FightHype's staff predictions. Plus, find out what the real experts think as fighters and trainers in both boxing and mixed martial arts, including EVANDER HOLYFIELD, PAULIE MALIGNAGGI, KING MO, JUAN DIAZ, ZAB JUDAH and more, give their take on who they think will win.
PACQUIAO VS. CLOTTEY
Ben "The Hype" Thompson - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
It's been a long time coming, but now EVERYONE is finally on board THE Pacquiao Express. I don't think anyone is willing to take Clottey in this one, which gives you an idea of how competitive people believe this fight will be. That being said, I do think he'll be a lot tougher to put away than Cotto, Hatton and De La Hoya. As good as THE Pacquiao is, he can't stop everyone, can he? CAN HE? Regardless, even if he can't, there's no way he's losing this one as Clottey is an expert at doing just enough NOT to win. THE Pacquiao by relatively wide unanimous decision.
Percy "Talent" Crawford - Pacquiao TKO10
Too much speed, movement and activity. I wouldn't be surprised if Clottey didn't answer the bell after the 9th.
Al "Monster" Mermini - Pacquiao KO6
Danny Howard - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
Pacquiao will continue his reign at the top of the sport with a dominant decision victory.
Tim Harrison - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
Nick Sanchez - Pacquiao TKO9
Pacquiao will continue showing his dominance with a 9th round stoppage. Clottey will have his moments, but too few and far between.
Josh Jordon - Pacquiao TKO11
I think this is a very tough fight for Manny, but his workrate will eventually overwhelm Clottey.
Troy Ondrizek - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
Unlike Cotto, Clottey can fight going backwards and doesn't use momentum as his only fuel for throwing punches. He's the biggest, strongest guy Pacquiao will ever fight and has a chin that's hard to (so far impossible) crack. Problem is, Clottey just doesn't throw enough punches. Sure he can catch Manny coming in, but Joshua isn't a counter-puncher. He covers up and then throws when the onslaught is over. Manny outworks Clottey and looks impressive doing so via a unanimous decision. We'll see Clottey again, but not at this level.
Evander Holyfield - Pacquiao
I believe this is going to be a great match. Both fighters are durable, but Pacquiao throws more punches than Clottey.
Paulie Malignaggi - Pacquiao
In a normal world, Josh Josh should eat up Manny Pacquiao, however, in our bullshit business with bullshit drug testing, I have to say Pac wins this fight.
King Mo - Pacquiao by Decision
I hope I'm wrong.
Juan Diaz - Pacquiao
I tell you what, I'm definitely not betting against Pac.
Ron Frazier - Pacquiao by Decision
Pacquiao outhustles and outworks Clottey, who spends too much tim not throwing punches or changing angles. He is a big, strong dude though.
Daniel Cormier - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
His workrate will be too high. Clottey is a good fighter, but his style is tailor made for Pacquiao because he's not busy enough.
Steve "mbase" Coleman - Clottey
I think Clottey will rough Manny up, but he's going to have to stop him just to get a decision. This is Clottey's last chance and I only have three words for him: jab, body, body.
Jonathan Ramirez - Pacquiao TKO10
Very good, tough fight that's action-packed early on. Clottey will have tight defense early, but he will be willing to trade. Pacquiao, however, will wear down the very game Clottey with power shots.
Joe DeMaria - Pacquiao TKO11
The more I think about it, and the more I envision Clottey trying to bring the fight to Pacquiao from the get go, the more I am starting to see a stoppage. No, not a brutal, laid-out, sort of stoppageĀ
more of an accumulation on the ropes type of stoppage as the ref jumps in. Would a decision surprise me? Of course not, but the official call here is Pacquiao TKO 11 in a very good fight that only gets the public more excited about what could be if Mayweather does his job on May 1st.
Pierre Bonny - Pacquiao TKO9
Clottey will not be able to overcome Pacquiao's speed and lateral movement. It will be a good back-and-forth battle while it lasts, but in the end, I see Pacquiao winning by a knockout somewhere around the 8th or 9th round.
Andre Zurbrug - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
Even if the fight was close, they're in Texas, so you already know those scorecards have been filled out by the judges. The only way Clottey wins is if he gets a knockout and that just ain't happening. Worst case scenario, the fight goes the distance and Pacquiao gets the nod on all three scorecards.
Jonathan Luther - Pacquiao TKO9
Pacman isn't losing this fight!
Felix Strunk - Pacquiao TKO5
The magnitude of The Event will be just too much for Clottey to handle. Manny's hand speed will overwhelm him early and I suspect the ref will jump in and stop the fight when he sees Clottey covering up too much and not throwing back.
Zab Judah - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
Sabrina Montez - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
This fight will be very competitive and physical early. Clottey will look to impose himself on Pacquiao and I believe Manny will at first have trouble with his aggression. As the fight goes on and reaches the mid rounds, I think Pacquiao will take control of the contest. I believe Pacquiao will be more dominant as the late rounds progress and win a clear decision in a good fight.
Simon Ruvalcaba - Draw
Maybe Clottey has the performance of his life and Manny is a little less than his best, but would the judges really go against Pacman with a future match with Mayweather at stake?
Sandy Liptrot - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
Charles "Sweetchuck" Presnell - Pacquaio by Decision
Look at how much a not-so-prime Zab Judah hit Clottey and you will see why he was hand-picked for this fight. Clottey is a good welterweight and will be an interesting challenge, but he is just not busy enough and is thrown off by speed. Plus, Pacman's being a southpaw works to his advantage as well. Good fight with Pacman winning due to landing more clean, effective punches.
Suge Green - Pacquiao TKO
Pacquiao will do what no other fighter has done before: make short work of the very durable Joshua Clottey. He will then ascend to the right hand of the Father, ever interceding for his devoted Pactards. They will anxiously await his second coming, but no man knows the day or hour of his return. Pacquiao by supernatural ascension.
Paddy Cronan - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
Jack Plato - Pacquio by Unanimous Decision
Fair or foul, Pacquaio is not losing this fight. That would kill the Mayweather fight from ever happening. Economics and politics will somehow prevent Clottey from winning.
John Bell - Pacquiao TKO
I've always maintained that Joshua Clottey is a tough fight for ANYONE at welterweight. That said, he's been in there with some of the best and in pretty much every recent fight I can remember, save for the Judah fight, I've noticed spots in fights where his opponents seemed to have brought the "quit" out in him. I noticed it versus both Margarito AND Cotto. I feel his physical make-up could potentially give Pacquiao fits, much like the way Erik Morales did at one time, however, I see it even more probable that Pacquiao grinds Clottey down, eventually retiring him on his stool in the championship rounds.
SKULLSPLITTER The CEO - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
Pacquiao by SU...as in Set Up.
Brad Cooper - Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision
So far, there has been no reason to pick against Pacquiao. The logic holds again. Clottey simply isn't busy enough and will not counter well enough to earn the decision.
Elvis Grant Phillips - Pacquiao
Clottey is tough as nails. One BIG problem though...he does not have Pacquiao's balls or desire to win. You gotta go with Pacquiao for that reason.