Oscar on Pacquiao-Clottey: Easy fight for Pacman

Having personally encountered the dynamo that is Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya knows the Pacman’s skills too well that he expects him to run over Joshua Clottey of Ghana in Saturday’s (Sunday in Manila) title showdown at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. De La Hoya, who retired after getting pummeled for eight rounds by Pacquiao in their 2008 Dream Match, said Clottey’s defensive techniques would fit perfectly into the Filipino’s style.

"I think Manny Pacquiao will have an easy time with Joshua Clottey," De La Hoya said in an interview with Sky Sports. Pacquiao’s vaunted speed, as he discovered first-hand, will again come in handy for the 31-year-old Filipino superstar, the “Golden Boy" enthused. "Styles make fights, and his [Clottey's] defense is one where he blocks punches, then he has to bring his hands down to look at you and then throw punches. Manny is too fast to stay there in the pocket and receive punches. “I believe he [Pacquiao] will hit him then move side-to-side. Clottey will look for him, but he's not going to be there. He is going to do the same thing for 12 rounds. It's probably going to be an easy fight for him," De La Hoya added. Pacquiao will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against the Ghanaian Clottey, a replacement opponent following the crash of talks for a megabout between the Pacman and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. De La Hoya, whose outfit, Golden Boy Promotions, represented Mayweather in the failed negotiations, expressed belief it would not have been easy fight for Pacquiao if Mayweather, not Clottey, is on the other side of the ring. The boxing great said in a battle between two of today’s top pound-for-pound fighters, Mayweather would prevail over Pacquiao because of “styles." "I believe Pacquiao would come in, try to get his punches in and be very aggressive. But that plays into Mayweather's hands. He's such a defensive, purist boxer. The best there ever has been. He waits for you to make mistakes and then capitalizes," he said. Following the botched showdown with the Filipino pride, Mayweather has forged a duel with Shane Mosley on May 1. - GMANews.TV