Clottey finally has had enough of mismanaged career
by Scott Christ on Feb 20, 2009 2:29 PM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
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IBF welterweight titlist Joshua Clottey has finally had enough waiting around and being ignored, and he's going the trash talking route in hopes of getting himself a major fight. He's currently waiting in a mandatory defense against Isaac Hlatswayo, which has no date or venue and doesn't appear to be near the top of Top Rank's list.
BoxingScene's Ryan Songalia got the following quotes out of Clottey, and much more:
- "The problem is they don't want to fight me. Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, they are all cowards. They need to stop being p***ies and fight me."
- "In 2005, they offered me the fight but [Mosley] didn't want to fight me because he said I'm a monster. He is afraid of me because he knows I would beat his old ass up."
- Regarding his current manager, Vinny Scolpino: "I have a bad manager who listens to the promoter and doesn't listen to me."
I fully recommend reading the whole article, because that's just a taste of how mad Clottey is these days.
Clottey is fuming, and he should be. He beat Zab Judah when Zab couldn't continue because of "a headbutt" last August, which everyone on earth knows was a punch, and he's been waiting around for a fight ever since. That fight was in August. Judah has been back in the ring on PPV since then (lousy fight or not, Judah got a payday), and Zab's name is always floating in talks for fights.
Clottey's fight only gets mentioned when fans bring him up. He could have fought Kermit Cintron, but Cintron made the business decision to fight Sergio Martinez for more money. I can't blame Cintron for that and nobody should accuse Cintron of "ducking" Clottey, either. He took a fight of similar stature and made more money.
It does wander into my mind -- and this is total speculation -- that Arum will go, "Alright, kid, you want a fight? How about a rematch with Margarito in Mexico?"
Clottey-Hlatswayo is a tough sell because neither of them has any fanbase in America. It has to be an undercard fight on some major Top Rank show, because Clottey deserves that spot and it might help more people notice his existence. He's a hell of a good fighter. The way his career has been handled since his title win over Judah is an outright travesty. His manager and Top Rank should both feel ashamed.
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Yeah even I’ve forgotten to mention him in my recent welterweight convos. It’ll be tough for clottey, a super tough fighter, and I have to admit after watching a few rounds of the judah fight, i was so thoroughly bored it reminded me of rjj-bhop fight all over again (not as bad but you know what i mean). Clottey just covering up and throwing shots here and there. I don’t deny his skill, just maybe not marketable and plus up until now, he has not talked trash (part of the reason mayweather got so big, DLH + trash talk. I feel mayweather is actualy a real good guy who uses trash talk to promote b/c he ’s never like that after a fight, only pre-fight pressers).
Also what’s the fate of Luiz Collazo? I became a big fan of him after the berto fight. Pc!
Collazo is willing and able to fight anyone. He wants a Berto rematch but probably won’t get it right away. I’d rather see Luis fight Cotto in June than Cintron against Cotto, because Luis might actually make a go of it. Cintron would crumble about six rounds in.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by Scott Christ on Feb 20, 2009 5:31 PM EST up reply actions
Mosley vs Clottey
Thay would be a great matchup, but Mosley doesn’t wan’t to risk it so he will probably fight Berto.
also, has collazo improved since the mosley fight? for some reason my version only has the first half of the fight, but mosley clearly beat him in all areas. Could he give mosley a run for his money these days? will he ever be able to pick up and maybe beat some zab judahs’ and semi-bums before stepping up and holding some belts? I really like his style and his kind of worker man’s style of fighting. No flash, but real substance. Berto has not won me over as a fan yet, Darchinyan just won me over.
Collazo is a much better fighter than he showed against Shane because he hurt his hand early in that fight. Sugar probably beats Collazo 96 times out of 100, but I think Collazo gives him a good fight almost every time out. The Collazo you saw against Berto was the real Collazo, a guy that can handle himself and give people trouble. He’s not gifted athletically really (he’s a good athlete, but Berto and Mosley are exceptional athletes) but he’s pretty smart and knows his limitations and what he’s good at.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by Scott Christ on Feb 20, 2009 6:15 PM EST up reply actions
It does wander into my mind — and this is total speculation — that Arum will go, “Alright, kid, you want a fight? How about a rematch with Margarito in Mexico?”
I like it. As I said before, this would be a big name fight for Clottey. Margarito is all over the news…Clottey beats him and gets a lot of press…it makes sense
-Brian
I hate it
Margarito doesn’t deserve to fight, let alone someone as good as Clottey.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by Scott Christ on Feb 20, 2009 7:15 PM EST up reply actions
Man...
The part where Clottey claims he might even walk away from the sport if things don’t get better really worries me. He might just be bluffing in order to alarm some people, but if he actually means that and carries through with it it would be one hell of a shame.
he'd be an idiot to leave boxing for soccer
I don’t care how good you are at any sport, you don’t start playing professionally at 32.
"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler
by Scott Christ on Feb 20, 2009 7:29 PM EST up reply actions
i just remember him working margarito over until clottey clearly hurt one of his hands and lost the fight slowly by decision after giving up the later rounds.
Gatti.
Dekkers.
Pele.
Tadahiro Nomura.
Hidehiko Yoshida.
Aoki.
Kang.
Vanderlei.
by theworldsoldestsport on Mar 4, 2009 10:58 AM EST reply actions
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