One division in boxing is giving us the marquee fights that we as fans deserve. Boxing fans were treated like the poor guy at a gentlemen's club in seeing our wildest dreams dashed in the wake of the proposed Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather superfight falling apart due to needles and ego. Even in disappointment, the glut of talent at welterweight has afforded us fans another glimpse of Manny and Floyd, saving face for both men and giving them the opportunity to hold our interest. In the aftermath of the steroid-testing debacle, we wound up with two really good fights staged just six weeks apart. March 13 brings us Pacquiao in against legit Top 5 contender Joshua Clottey, while Mayweather endures his toughest challenge in years when he faces Shane Mosley on May 1.

These are two nice consolation fights, but it's akin to winning the Miss Congeniality award in a beauty pageant; something to momentarily bolster your spirits before the bitter disappointment of losing takes hold again. On the surface, the plan is for Pacquiao and Mayweather – regarded industry-wide as the two best fighters in the world, pound-for-pound – to find a way to win the tough challenges that await them, thus creating much more anticipation for an eventual showdown.  It's a flawed plan that has exhausted the patience of many fans and finds the interest in it waning. However, one participant in particular is hell-bent on serving as the nightmare to everyone's dream matchup.

Affectionately known as "The Grand Master" these days, although I preferred "The Hitter", Joshua Clottey (35-3, 20KO) has a chance to assume control of the welterweight puppet strings – or at the very least, cut the cord and leave the pending show in ruins. But such an effort would require a permanent change in career direction.

As an underexposed and well traveled fighter, Clottey has developed a reputation as the most dangerous bridesmaid in the sport today. At roughly 5'8", built out of granite with a teak-tough chin and weighing in as a middleweight on fight night, he is an imposing figure to stare at across the ring.  His resume boasts some of the best names in and around his division. The biggest name that the sport has to offer will be added this Saturday, but Clottey seeks a lot more than just another notable entry.  Moral victories are no longer accepted, as his only goal on March 13 is to leave Cowboys Stadium with a career-defining victory. His is a career filled with more ups and downs than a person on meth, and is long overdue for a breakthrough performance.

In his three biggest fights, Clottey has experienced his three debilitating disappointments.  His first real test was in November 1999 against then fringe contender Carlos Baldomir.  Controlling Baldomir throughout and leading on all three scorecards, a Clottey body shot found Baldomir's family jewels instead of his ribs in the 11th round, which effectively ended the fight. The DQ verdict cost the Ghanaian a surefire win, as well as a hell of a lot of time; seven years would pass by before receiving the opportunity to shine again on a relevant level.

Clottey was given a second chance at a first impression when he was matched with top welterweight contender Antonio Margarito in December 2006 in a bout that aired live on Showtime. Margarito was on a tear and actively campaigning for a fight with Mayweather, while Clottey was merely looking to put himself on the map. Dominating Margarito early on, a faulty left hand took Clottey out of his game somewhere around the fifth round. The mulleted Mexican kept trucking as Joshua sputtered out of control over the final eight rounds, left wondering what could've been.  Ever the proud warrior, Clottey contends to this day that he should've won the bout, but nevertheless, he managed to come back strong with a three-fight win streak against the likes of Diego Corrales, Shamone Alvarez, and Zab Judah.

It was slow to mature, but a career defining fight came from his modest success. Though fighting in his adopted backyard of New York, Clottey found himself in hostile territory when he faced Miguel Cotto. The bout took place at the famed Madison Square Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day parade, which partially explains why Clottey was a man without a country that evening.  After twelve grueling rounds, it was Cotto who was declared victorious, albeit in an unpopular decision. Even among those who agree with the final outcome, the consensus opinion was that Clottey found a way to give away the fight down the stretch more so than Cotto found a way to win. That's like saying France deserved to get into the World Cup instead of Ireland because human error is just a part of the sport.  It's true that Clottey should've done more to close better, but it's a microcosm of his career.  His stock rises in defeat, but it's still a loss at the end of the day.

Even including his three losses, it can be argued that Joshua Clottey has been the master of every foe he has faced. The apologists view the letdowns as instances of a bad judgment call by a referee, a bad hand, or poor scoring which cost him his glory. A more skeptical viewer can claim poor focus in the heat of battle, a lack of heart, and a lack of killer instinct as the difference between perhaps serving as the undefeated world welterweight champion and where his career actually sits at today.  Whatever your viewpoint, there's no disputing that "The Grand Master" is in position to control the division and ruin everything.

There is no bigger fight in the sport than Pacquiao/Mayweather and should Manny get by Joshua and Floyd by Shane, talks will once again resume. How far they will go is another story altogether, but that it will once again serve as the center of discussion is a sign of hope.  Of course, Mosley is in a tremendous position to spoil the party as well, but a Pacquiao-Mosley showdown – especially on the heels of Shane being the first to hang a loss on Mayweather's ledger – is a highly intriguing and marketable affair.  A Clottey win, however, goes a long way in upsetting the apple cart, since he doesn't have the fanbase, the sponsors or the style that warrants demand for either to materialize. Ratings and revenue would take a hit if Clottey would upset Pacquiao.

It's feasible to one day envision him atop the welterweight division, but at what cost? He has all the talent to become a world champion and has already proven to be a nightmare for anyone who dares to share ring space with him. It doesn't always translate to the face people want to see at the top of the heap, though there's no questioning he will have earned that right, along with the respect to soon follow.  The cost, however, would come at the expense of Top Rank, Golden Boy and HBO, who all stand to lose millions should an upset occur on March 13.

Such an outcome doesn't fit the overall scheme of things, but none of that is Joshua Clottey's problem. The hard lesson he's been forced to learn is what you know only takes you so far; who you know – and more importantly in this climate, who knows you – will have to carry you the rest of the way. Joshua Clottey is tired of being the puppet; he's primed to take control of the welterweight division.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: FightHype would like to welcome the talents of Troy Ondrizek to the team.]