Joshua Clottey assures Ghanaians victory

Joshua Clottey has vowed to beat Manny Pacquiao on Saturday to give his nation a boxing world champion once again. Clottey, one of the many former world boxing champions Ghana has produced over the years, says the current situation where the nation cannot boast of a single world champion is no good.

And righting that wrong is just what the 32 year old hard-hitting fighter says he will do in Dallas on Saturday night when he fights for the WBO Welterweight title against the seven-division champion Pacquiao. “Victory in this fight means so much to me, my family and the nation and I will not disappoint. I am going for the win and I know I am prepared for the fight,” Clottey told this writer from his training base in the USA.

Over 40,000 boxing fans including top Hollywood movie and music stars as well top businessmen and politicians have confirmed their attendance at Saturday’s big title showdown at the Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium in Arlington, Texas. A huge underdog against the highly rated Pacman, Clottey known to his fans as the Hitter and Grandmaster says it should not be regarded as an upset should he defeat Pacquiao on March 13.

Clottey has also received massive support from Ghanaians with loads of well-wish mesasges flooding the camp of the boxer ahead of tomorrow’s tough battle against Pacquiao. "Joshua, you have the ability to do it again, the courage to withstand the rough and tough tide, the will to elevate yourself and make mother Ghana proud. Yes, you can, with our whole population behind you in prayer and with the Almighty God all around you,” said one of the messages from Kojo Bonsu, new Chairman of Ghana’s National Sports Council.

Despite the setback of not getting his preferred trainer Godwin Dzanie Kotey to travel with him to the USA for the fight, Clottey says everything is fine and that he has prepared well for the assault on the title he has twice in the past failed to annex when he challenged against first Antonio Magarito and then Miguel Cotto last year.

The Ghanaian boxer believes it will be third time lucky on Saturday at the Cowboys Stadium and is calling on his countrymen to remain supportive with their prayers because he is bringing the WBO welterweight title home. “This fight means a lot to me and I want to assure Ghanaians that I am ready for Manny Pacquiao and I will win for the Ghana,” Clottey pledged.