Pacquiao & Clottey: Bang! Bang! BANG! |

Jim Lampley’s Boxing Commentary BANG BANG <<——— Click Here

UPDATE: Damn it, HBO! It seems that HBO has yanked the youtube video above, but I was able to at least salvage the audio. Click the link above ‘Jim Lampley’s Boxing Commentary BANG BANG’ to hear the audio. Again. Damn it, HBO!

Before I write another word, watch the video above. Jim Lampley is ridiculous. If this is considered acceptable boxing commentary for HBO, sign me up for a job! Bang!

Before the first bell rang in Cowboy Stadium, I was a bit torn with this fight. This fight had no clear villain, real/manufactured drama, or animosities. If Pacquiao had been set to cross gloves with Floyd Mayweather Jr., the villiain would have been apparent. In interviews, press conferences, and weigh in; Pacquiao and Clottey seemed to genuinely like and respect one another as individuals and athletes. I’ve grown to be a fan of Pacquiao ever since a friend of mine brought Pacman to my attention in 2005. Clottey and I both have roots in the west african nation of Ghana, so I knew that I had to also support my fellow countryman. In every other fight that Pacman has fought, I always rooted for him to pull out the win – which he always seemed to do with unnatural speed and ease. Yet, in this case, I chose no sides.

I will get straight to the point and say that this fight was a bit of a letdown. Even if Clottey were set to lose, I wish he would have put his arms down and abandoned that peekaboo, tortoiseshell defense. I do not know if Clottey had fears of being KO’d and embarrassed in the same fashion as Hatton, De La Hoya, and Cotto, but this is the big show. You have to take a risk. I will say that he had a better showing than Pacquiao’s last opponents by lasting the 12 rounds. Yet, as Cotto was admonished from backpedaling (read: running away) from Pacquiao in the later rounds of his fight, Clottey will be remembered as one that was too afraid and overwhelmed to drop his hands and truly brawl with the apparent P4P best boxer of our time.

This fight was Clottey’s best opportunity to show the world who he truly was and erase the remnants of his disputed defeat by Miguel Cotto. Clottey may never get such an opportunity again. My boxing friend has always told me that Clottey was one of the most underrated boxers of our time – continually avoided and passed up for major fights. He landed the gold mine with this fight after talks between Pacquiao and Mayweather’s camp reached an impasse.

During the fight, Clottey’s own trainer surprised me by practically begging the pugilist to put his hands down and take a chance or risk losing the fight! I have no idea what went through Clottey’s mind at the moment it time, but maybe he was already defeated before he entered the ring. I don’t know. I just know that this fight could have been something special for both sides rather than one side pulling and throwing all the punches (1200 give or take).

As a result of this disappointment of a fight, the voice of the boxing public demanding a fight between Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao and ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd Mayweather has risen past the heights of Cowboy stadium. Hopefully, the public will get what they demand before the end of the year.