Pacquiao Wins Big in Dallas

March 15th, 2010 by Bradford Adkins Posted in People & Society, Proud to be Pinoy

Pacquiao Wins Big in Dallas

While Clottey ‘Dances’ the Night Away

The Law of Large Numbers worked and proved to be effective Coach Freddie Roach strategy last Saturday, March 13^th, 2010 as the Philippines’ Manny ‘PacMan’ Pacquiao won over Ghana’s Joshua Clottey through a 12-round unanimous decision from all 3 judges’ score cards, thereby successfully defending his WBO Welterweight Title.

A record ‘beyond-the-wildest-expectation-of-owner-Jerry-Jones’ crowd of 50,994 fight fans (a very little percentage of which were Filipinos) drove to the ($50 per vehicle parking fee) $1.2 Billion cost venue (it has a six-digit monthly utility bill) that resembles, from afar, a giant steely UFO from one of your favorite Star Trek franchise movies and personally witnessed the PacMan Cometh conquer Dallas.

It was the biggest crowd that ever gathered in boxing in 17 years, the 2^nd largest in Texas and the 3^rd largest in all of boxing history, according to Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s Top Rank promoter during his opening speech in the post-fight media conference.  And they all come not to see Clottey.

Fans’ cheers resonated inside the Dome and it was louder when ‘Are You Ready To Rumble?’ boxing announcer Michael Buffer (he reportedly earns $400 Million a year from his patented distinct style of hosting) introduced the Pride of the Philippines, Manny ‘PacMan’ Pacquiao who entered the venue Texas-style with pyros and to the tune of Survivor’s  ‘Eye of Tiger’, theme song of the very successful ‘Karate Kid’ boxing movie franchise, while the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders lined up.

Apart from the much-talked about venue, Pacquiao was the star of the night, who worked the room, a very big room and gave fans the entertainment values they paid for their tickets. Laughs were the loudest when in Round 7, Pacquiao gave a surprise double-punch to both Clottey’s left and right ears, in extreme frustration when Clottey won’t even open up his face to throw back a punch.

Successfully overturning what the pundits are saying a ‘lose-lose situation’ into a win-win and solidifying his higher stature now as one of the world’s biggest sports figures, Pacquiao dominated the main event by unleashing 1,231 punches at the heavily-guarded-by-both-fists Clottey, who according to one of his brothers, Nuru, (interviewed by this writer the day after the fight at their official residence, the also- huge Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, TX - both fighters stayed on the hotel’s separate 7^th Floor suites), was so afraid to getting knocked-out by Pacquiao the moment he opens up his solid protection wall of braced arms and fists.  It takes a ‘willing’ opponent to be knocked-out by Pacquiao and Clottey is visibly not, the whole night.

And here are the final punch statistics provided by CompuBox (Every Punch Counts):

PACQUIAO CLOTTEY

Total Punches Thrown                                1,231                        399

Total Punches Connect                                 246                        108

Percentage                                                   20%                          27%

Jabs Thrown                                                 549                        162

Jabs  Connect                                               14                           26

Percentage                                                      3%                        16%

Power Punches Thrown                                 682                        237

Power Punches Connect                                232                        82

Percentage                                                     34%                      35%

All 3 judges scored for Pacquiao - Duane Ford 108-120; Levi Martinez 109-119 and Nelson Vasquez 109-119.

Clottey won only one round - the 3^rd , on both Martinez and Vasquez’s score cards.

So what’s next with Pacquiao?  Floyd Mayweather Jr’s name, like a nightmare that won’t go away, is always being mentioned by the boxing world to be the only logical next opponent.  That is, if Mayweather wins his semi-final bout against Mosley in May 1^st this year. Pacquiao just won his. Big time.

What this fight night proved is clear - that Pacquiao can draw crowds, huge crowds, no matter where he fights, no matter who he fights.  And that is an amazing achievement coming from a fighter who used to live in cardboard boxes before.

This is another one of those Pacquiao legends the parents can tell their children.

Amen.