By Merpu Roa, Don Tagala, and Joseph Pimentel
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NEW YORK, NY—Joshua Clottey, Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent, says he is ready to take away Pacquiao’s welterweight title on March 13th—and Manny’s Filipino fans are afraid that Clottey means it.

“I’m very, very, hundred percent for sure that I am the only one who can beat him!” Clottey said at a training session for the press at New York’s Kingsway Gym on Thursday.

Lenny de Jesus, Clottey’s trainer, believes Pacquiao is going to pass his prime. “Pacquiao has been at the top for five years, I think his time is coming. Clottey is ready to fight tomorrow!” de Jesus said.

Pacquiao fans in McAllen, Texas are not taking the fighter from Ghana lightly. Many believe Clottey can bring the scheduled 12-round boxing match to its later rounds.

“Mga ten. Bagsak yan si Clottey,” Boboy Yongson predicts.

“I think the fight is gonna go the distance. Pacquiao will win by a close decision,” said boxing promoter Anthony Cavasos.

Junior lightweight boxer Jorge Luis Teron, ranked 12th by the Word Boxing Association, says Clottey’s good defense will allow him to hold out: “It’s going to be real hard for Manny to knock him out. I think it might go to a decision.”

National American Boxing Federation reigning lightweight title holder Brandon Rios is confident for a Pacquiao victory before 12: “Clottey is a good fighter; he takes a lot of punches. I see a win later, maybe a knockout (for Pacquiao).”

Pacquiao assures his fans he has the answer to Clottey’s larger build—strong punches and skillful defense. “We’ve created a new technique,” Pacquiao said. “It’s going to be exciting, and a lot of action in the ring.” The Pacquiao-Clottey fight happens Saturday, March 13, at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and “Sugar” Shane Mosley faced off for the last of their three-city promotional tour for their May 1 fight. The two exchanged heated words, but no shoves as they did in their first press conference in New York.

Mayweather avoided the Philippine media because he said he was tired of questions about the failed negotiations for a fight with Pacquiao. Mayweather did address, however, the factor that doomed the Pacquiao matchup—his insistence that his opponents subject themselves to random blood tests. Mayweather said that he wants to “clean up” boxing as a sport.

While Mayweather stayed mum on the Pacquiao question, Mosley looked to the Filipino fighter as his next potential opponent, barring both fighters win their upcoming fights. “Right after I fight Mayweather for the second time, then I would definitely go into negotiations with Pacquiao,” Mosley said.

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