"Clottey is very dangerous for Paquiao because of his size and style," stated Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward as he shared his thoughts on this weekend's welterweight clash between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey. Steward, who's currently helping WBO & IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko prepare for his own March 20th bout against Eddie Chambers, took time out of training camp to voice his opinion via his official Twitter page.
Manny Pacquiao is currently the heavy favorite with the sportsbooks to win a lopsided affair against Clottey. Although Stewards recent comments may entice a few eager gamblers to run out to their local bookie and place a bet on the heavy underdog, it should be noted that Steward also made similar comments about Miguel Cotto shortly before Pacquiao dropped him twice early in the fight before stopping him in the 12th round.
"This is not going to be a cakewalk for Manny. Cotto throws a lot of jabs that are targeted to disrupt rhythm and timing...Cotto is going to push Manny backward. He is going to punish Manny with pressure, weight, size, and punching power," Steward would tell John Martinez of IronBoxing.com prior to one of Pacquiao's most impressive victories. So much for that prediction!
Is it just me or do you get the feeling that Emanuel Steward simply doesn't like Manny Pacquiao? It's either that or the Hall of Fame trainer just doesn't recognize greatness when he sees it. Either way, on March 13th, Manny Pacquiao will have yet another opportunity to turn skeptics, like Steward, into believers.