Joshua Clottey 'respects' Manny Pacquiao

Joshua Clottey didn't ask for additional drug testing for his upcoming fight with Manny Pacquiao, believing Pacquiao is a "nice guy" and can be relied upon to be honest in his preparation for their March 13 bout at Cowboys Stadium.

Perhaps Clottey didn't ask for further drug testing because the Lone Star State has lax drug testing rules for boxers. The Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation won't be drug testing the boxers before and after their bout, a spokesman told the Daily News. Since the bout is for Pacquaio's WBO welterweight title, however, the WBO will require both fighters to undergo urine testing after the bout, promoter Bob Arum said.

Pacquiao's potential super fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. was torpedoed when Mayweather Jr. demanded Olympic-style drug testing and Pacquiao balked. The Clottey matchup was made after that.

Clottey's unusual reasoning for not asking for harsher drug testing came during a pre-fight conference call Thursday involving Clottey, Arum and Clottey's manager, Vinny Scolpino. "I respect him so much because he is a sportsman and I respect him, and he is nice and I feel comfortable around him," said Clottey, who resides in the Bronx but is originally from Ghana. "I don't think Manny did that thing. If he did, then he is cheating the sport, and I don't believe he is doing that."

Most state commissions have boxers submit to only urine tests before and after a fight. The Texas agency doesn't even do that. Its executive director, William Kuntz, can order a drug screen for boxers if there is "good cause." But Susan Stanford, a public information officer for the department, doesn't envision that happening for this fight, even though Pacquiao has come under increased scrutiny of late over the issue of performance-enhancing drugs. "At the present time, no drug testing will be required of the boxers," she told The News Thursday. "We don't see rumors as good cause. There is a medical examination before the fight, but that doesn't include drug testing."

Arum said he chose to stage the fight in Texas for the amenities, not the lack of drug testing. "I always assumed (that Texas) did drug testing, but I know for sure that the WBO insists on that," Arum said in a phone interview. "The reason the fight is in Texas is because it's in Cowboys Stadium, not because of the (lack of) drug testing."

Pacquiao turned pro at 106 pounds, rose through the ranks quickly and is now knocking out 147-pound fighters at an age (31) when boxers tend to slow down. Pacquiao, who has reportedly never failed a drug test, has been accused by the Mayweather camp and recently by former junior welterweight champ Paulie Malignaggi of doping.

Since Clottey didn't make drug testing an issue in the negotiations and because both fighters are promoted by Arum, the fight was made in little more than 24 hours.



Source: nydailynews.com