By CompuBox
How much faster was Manny Pacquiao than Joshua Clottey during his lopsided unanimous decision victory Saturday night? Just picture a speedboat against a cruise ship on the sea, a fighter jet against a two-prop puddle jumper in the air and Usain Bolt against every other human being on the land.
In other words, speed kills and “The Pac Man’s” velocity ate up the proud but outclassed Ghanaian over 12 carbon-copy rounds. Pacquiao’s overwhelming win over the man many called his biggest and strongest opponent to date puts on the onus on Floyd Mayweather Jr. to produce a similarly dominant showing against his most robust antagonist in years in Shane Mosley May 1. If he does that, then maybe – just maybe – the world will finally get the fight they want more than any other.
From first bell to last Pacquiao’s activity, variety and ferocity carried the day and stood in stark contrast to Clottey’s phlegmatic, plodding and almost passionless approach. It was almost as if Pacquiao was trying to throw a punch for each of the 50,994 people who crowded into Cowboys Stadium. While he didn’t achieve quite that level of activity, he did throw enough to satisfy those who occupied the first dozen rows.
The differences that were so painfully evident in the ring were also reflected in the final CompuBox statistics.
In all, Pacquiao threw 1,231 punches (102.5 per round, far above the divisional average of 58.5) to Clottey’s 399 (33.25 per round, way below the 50 trainer Lenny DeJesus wanted). The jab was a non-entity for both as Pacquiao landed just 14 of 549 (3 percent) to Clottey’s 26 of 162 (16 percent) while the power punches proved to be everything as Pacquiao went 232 of 682 (34 percent) to Clottey’s 82 of 237 (35 percent).
Clottey’s shell defense and Pacquiao’s deft movement and flexibility caused each to miss often. Pacquiao landed just 20 percent of his punches overall to Clottey’s 27 percent and, as was pointed out in the above paragraph, both fended off the other’s power shots with nearly equal effectiveness. Therefore, the difference was largely Pacquiao’s ability to generate prodigious offense as well as his willingness to expose himself to risk and to fire back immediately during those rare times when Clottey threatened to turn the tide.
The Filipino star set the tone from the start by out-throwing Clottey 79-35 in round one. Pacquiao’s 57 jabs that round topped his personal record of 50 in round two against Juan Manuel Marquez and by the 10th he had already surpassed his record for punches thrown in a fight (894 against Erik Morales in their first meeting).
The gaps in activity were almost breathtaking; on six occasions the difference in total output exceeded 70 punches (rounds four and eight through 12) and topped off at 92 in round 10 (120 to 28). Pacquiao exceeded the 100-punch mark seven times – including each of the last five rounds – and “The Pac Man’s” lowest output, 79 in round one, was 35 punches more than Clottey’s highest (44 in the 11th).
In the final five rounds, once Pacquiao’s impending victory became clear, the defending champ accelerated his attack instead of shifting into cruise control – the mark of a true legend. During that span Pacquiao out-landed Clottey 124-44 overall and 120-40 in power connects, averaging an eye-popping 110.8 punches per round to Clottey’s 34.8.
It wasn’t enough for Pacquiao to simply win, he wanted to do so in impressive fashion not only to further certify his pound-for-pound pedigree, but also to throw down the gauntlet to those who wish to challenge for that crown.
The PunchZone numbers provide further confirmation of just how much Pacquiao’s once impotent right hand has been transformed. Of Pacquiao’s 268 total connects, 104 struck the left side of Clottey’s anatomy (53 to the head, 51 to the body) – punches that were produced by Pacquiao’s right. Conversely, 85 connected with the right side of Clottey’s figure (28 to the head, 57 to the body). Sixty-eight blows hit Clottey’s chin (blows that could have been produced by either hand) and no low blows were registered. Imagine that – the least number of blows were the sole result of the left cross to the face, once the pre-eminent part of Pacquiao’s attack.
Clottey’s offense – such as it was – was almost perfectly balanced. Twenty-one punches each hit the left and right sides of Pacquiao’s face while 44 blows connected with the Filipino’s chin. Clottey’s right hand to the body produced 12 connects, his hooks registered nine connects and he logged one low blow.
Now that Pacquiao has advanced to the final round of this unofficial pound-for-pound round robin, boxing fans now look toward the opening day of May to see who will join him in the ring this fall to settle the issue once and for all.
