By Frank Warren
Manny Pacquiao underlined just what a special talent he is with a landslide points victory over Joshua Clottey at the weekend in Texas.
Pacquiao’s victory was no great surprise, but I was disappointed with Clottey who didn't do much more than show up.
Perhaps his negativity can be explained by Pacquiao's workrate who threw around 1,200 punches. That’s a phenomenal number of punches.
Clottey did catch Manny a few times, but the Filipino has confidence in his chin even though he’s fighting up at welterweight. His opponent’s best shots just bounced off him.
Pacquiao won his first title at flyweight 12 years ago, and is now beating the best at welterweight – little short of greatness.
And instead of getting slower with age and by going through the divisions, he’s getting quicker.
He could make millions more by bottling his DNA. The fight drew the third highest live gate in the USA in the last 50 years, an impressive statistic as the only American involved was promoter Bob Arum.
There was talk beforehand that the Clottey fight would be Pacquiao’s last.
Even though the 31-year-old is running for office in the Philippines later this year, I can’t see that happening.
There seems to be plenty left in the tank just yet.
And of course, there’s the small matter of a fight with Floyd Mayweather, providing the American defeats Shane Mosley.
A proposed meeting between the two fell apart earlier this year because of a row over drug testing.
But it’s simply worth too much money for it not to happen.
The public’s appetite has been well and truly whetted with the on/off nature of the fight, and they will be mad for it if it does go ahead.
There’s a good chance it will become the biggest fight of all time.
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My man Kell Brook became mandatory challenger to WBO welterweight champion Pacquiao last weekend.
It’s probably the least wanted spot in boxing, but Brook knows no fear and fancies the job.
It’s likely that Pacquiao will vacate the title, and Kell’s more than capable of winning the belt.
He needs more time before fighting Pacquiao or Mayweather, but I’d fancy him against anyone else at world level.
On that same card up in Liverpool, Tony Bellew won the Commonwealth light-heavyweight title in style, halting Atoli Moore in the first round.
British super-middleweight champion Paul Smith retained his title against Tony Dodson, despite some pretty horrific cuts. It was a gritty display from Smith, who showed plenty of character and heart. A European Title shot will hopefully be next up for him.
He owes a drink or two to Mick Williamson, his cutsman. I bumped into Mick about 25 years ago when he was working on a jellied eels stall and he was training to be a masseur.
I invited him to work with me and christened him Mick The Rub.
He learned his trade alongside the late great Ernie Fossey, who’d forgotten more about boxing than most people ever know.
Mick’s has more than earned his money over the years, and there are plenty of boxers who wouldn’t have won title fights without him.
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The IBF, WBC and WBO got together last week in bid to work together more.
The WBA weren’t in attendance, but said they would go along with whatever was decided.
I’ve argued for years that boxing needs a body that is in overall charge as it would help streamline the sport.
The four big sanctioning bodies could start by sorting out the heavyweight division – there are too many mandatory defences, and it’s preventing the big fights from happening.
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Quite a few years ago, I remember a young lad hanging around outside the Boxing Writers’ annual dinner collecting autographs.
He confidently told me that one day I would sign him.
His name was Kevin Mitchell, and not only did I sign him, but he’s now got the chance to become a superstar.
Mitchell will challenge for the WBO lightweight title at Upton Park – the home of his beloved West Ham – on May 15 against Michael Katsidis.
The east end has had some great boxers over the years, but none of them had the chance to fight for a world title at a football stadium on their own manor.
It’s going to be an historic and atmospheric occasion, and we’ve already had a great response.
There’ll be a more than a few Greeks in the crowd to support Katsidis whose parents come from the Med – but Mitchell says he’ll burst their bubble.
