The Philippine Online Chronicles

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Even if he has won world championships in eight different divisions, current World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title holder Manny Pacquiao said that he will exercise due caution when he squares off against Joshua Clottey at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas on March 13.

"Joshua Clottey is taller and bigger than me," Pacquiao told reporters during a conference call on Friday. "He is a former [International Boxing Federation (IBF)] champion. I cannot underestimate him."

Contending with a bigger fighter in the ring is nothing new to Pacquiao, who is widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. His trainer, Freddie Roach, is convinced that Pacquiao will win the day, even as he acknowledged that Clottey is a strong opponent. "Manny is getting better all the time. I have a lot of confidence in my fighter. He's sparring with guys who fight quite a bit like Clottey," Roach said. "I think we will overwhelm him and I think the fight will end before 12 rounds are over," he added.

In an interview with Hardcore Sports Radio in January, Clottey played down his size advantage, as he realized that anything could happen. "All I can say is I will prepare really well," he said. He told the Associated Press last week that he was going to do his best. "This is the test and I am going for the WBO title. I'm going all out. I have my game plan and I always come to fight."

Although there has been significant interest in the match, it isn't one for which there was strong public demand. Pacquiao was originally supposed to fight Floyd Mayweather, Jr., but plans for the proposed blockbuster fell through after disagreements on drug testing protocols. Mayweather and his relatives have accused Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs, either directly or by innuendo, and wanted Olympic-style testing undertaken. The Filipino champion balked at taking a blood test within 14 days of a fight, and has filed a lawsuit against Mayweather, the American's father Floyd Sr., his uncle Roger, and Golden Boy Promotions for defamation.

Boxing promoter Bob Arum believes that Mayweather never wanted to fight Pacquiao in the first place. He said that it was easy to see Mayweather just wanted to "get into Manny's head" so that Pacquiao would not be in top form. A fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao would be a no-contest, he added, as Pacquiao would "wipe the ring" with Mayweather.