Pacquiao vs Clottey: Hollywood Couldn't Do It Better

Only in boxing is a story like this one possible.

Two men from the humblest of beginnings, one from the Philippines the other from Ghana, will meet in the state-of-the-art, $1.3 billion Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas with so much more on the line than either man could have possibly conceived of while growing up in their respective homelands.  For heaven’s sakes, The Philippines and Ghana are considered to be, dare I say, third world countries . 

For some reason, third world countries sounds so not politically correct, but I’m not sure of any other term to call them. 

The best Hollywood writers couldn’t have come up with the story of Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey.  They couldn’t have because no production company worth a damn would pay them for something so obviously cliché and over-the-top dramatized.   

Yet here we are, two days before Pacquiao, from The Philippines and the anointed people’s champion of the world takes on Clottey of Ghana, the late choice as a substitute for Floyd Mayweather Jr. in what was supposed to be the mega-fight showdown between the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the business.

In the script of the story of this fight, there could have been no other place as the scene of the contest than the new Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, what with its uber-modern trappings and world’s largest hi-definition television.  Where else would two boys from The Philippines and Ghana wage such a battle?

The theme for this preposterous idea of a Hollywood story would be something like this:  One boy defies all the odds and escapes the rice patty and becomes a world champion in seven different weight classes. 

Not only does this boy, now a man, win championships in seven different weight classes, he does so in a manner where each performance is more spectacular than the last.  He becomes world famous and runs for political offices and then promises to serenade the audience after his fight.

But he must have an opponent.  The mega-fight fell through. 

Fade out.  Fade in.

The second boy, now also a man and the co-star in this doomed script, who overcame ridiculous amounts of obstacles himself has boxed and scratched out a living, but has come nowhere near the success of the first boy.  He’s known as a tough fighter, but can’t catch a break and can’t get a big opportunity…until now.

Even the sappiest of us would have to admit, that if they were watching this story as a fictitious Hollywood movie and not a real back story to a prizefight, they would think it was corny and too far-fetched.

Only in boxing, I tell you.

Pacquiao vs. Clottey is the real version of the original Rocky movie, except Pacquiao is no longer Rocky, he’s Apollo Creed and now Clottey gets to play the role of Rocky.

Just think about it.  No one is giving Clottey much of a chance.  And why should they?  Pacquiao is a phenom who just seems to get better with each passing fight.  I personally have picked against Pacquiao in all three of his last three fights (yes, even against Ricky Hatton…and yes I still take a lot of crap for that) as have many others.  Yet each time he dominates.

Make no mistake about it, Clottey is the opponent in this fight.  He’s not supposed to win.  What’s more important is that after this fight he could become just that, an opponent.  There are those who say he can’t win the big one and that he lacks something to put him over the top.  He’s had opportunities against guys like Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto, but couldn’t capitalize. 

He’s the type of fighter that isn’t going to get too many chances either.  He’s tough enough to make anyone think twice about fighting him and is not a big money draw so no one has any incentive to fight him. 

He went from supposedly fighting Shane Mosley, until that fell through, to fighting Carlos Quintana, until that fell through, to fighting no one.  Clottey’s immediate future was in question and certainly his long-term prospects were in doubt.

Until he hit the lottery and the champ came calling.

Clottey now has the opportunity of a lifetime in front of him.  How many of us wait for an opportunity similar to this one everyday of our lives?  How many of us wait for a chance to shine and be recognized as the best at something? 

Logic and history dictates that Pacquiao should win handily.  He’s much faster and at this stage much more skilled.  Clottey fights in a straight line and can’t seem to blend his defense and offense.  His abilities seem to be tailor-made for Pacquiao.

The people want to see the champ put on a display worthy of his lofty legacy.  They want a show and they want to be serenaded afterwards.

The underdog Clottey has other plans, however.  He’s a hungry, determined and nearly desperate man.  Those men are the most dangerous men in the world. 

Only in boxing.