Joshua Clottey: "Azumah Nelson needs to SHUT his yap, I don't need his opinion"

Clottey sounded really pissed at Azumah Nelson... ---------------- I Don't Need Azumah's Opinion - Joshua Clottey Date: 15-Mar-2010 The defeated former IBF welterweight champion, Joshua Clottey has taken a swipe at Ghanaian Boxing Legend, Azumah Nelson, for accusing his trainer for not doing enough to ensure his victory against Manny Pacquaio. The Technical Director of the Ghana Boxing Association, Azumah Nelson, in an interview with Citi FM, moments after Clottey’s loss said that the trainer of Joshua Clottey was to blame for the Former IBF Welterweight Champion’s defeat to Manny Pacquiao in their welterweight bout on Sunday March 14. According to Azumah, Clottey’s trainer, Lenny de Jesus, failed to send out clear cut instructions to Clottey on how to beat his opponent. However, in an interview with Peace FM on Monday March 15, Joshua Clottey chided the former world super featherweight King, saying his accusations were unfair. Joshua Clottey accused Azumah Nelson and former Welterweight champion Ike Quartey for failing to call him to encourage him prior to his fight against Manny Pacquaio. “Wouldn’t it have been nice for Azuma Nelson to call me and give me hope or advise me ahead of my fight? Even the ring announcers asked me whether any of them had called me to advise me or give me hope and I said no. None of them called me” Joshua Clottey further said that a call from Azumah Nelson could have inspired him to win his fight against Manny Pacquaio. He added that Azumah Nelson therefore had no right to make such comments after his defeat to Manny Pacquaio. “As a technical director of boxing for a country, you failed to call your boxer and advise him or wish him luck ahead of his fight, then after the fight you start making your comments…I don’t need his opinion” He apologized to Ghanaians for his defeat and assured Ghanaians that he would make amends in his next fight and bring back the title to his country. Meanwhile sources say Clottey earned around $3 million dollars for facing Pacquiao. It is his highest pay check in his career while Pacquiao stands to gain more than $12 million dollars. http://sports.peacefmonline.com/boxing/201003/40152.php

Comments (20)

"ASANTE, is that you?" No it is not. I know Asante well from Gleasons and then when he moved to Johns Gym. So i know Clottey very, or should I say extremly well. Clottey owes me money, not much but some. I helped him also a little. Clottey biggest problem is he never listens and think he knows everything..... What i dont understand is how someone can train so hard, be so disciplned in training and then when it is fight time, ends up doing nothing and not even trying... and then looks for excuses,, allways...

16y ago

jri9d0

Real talk, as much as Azumah is giving him flack for this I think too many people here are equally giving the man too much grief. Should have he thrown more? Sure. Could have he asserted himself in the fight and just lay it all on the line? Absolutely. But as I said in numerous threads, he just doesn’t have the instinctive grit to put it down when it counts. That said, leave the dude alone.

16y ago

rao007

Clottey is a big time looser! He complained about a sore finger with Margarita, a big opportunity lost and if he had HEART, he would have won.. He was a chicken against Cotto,, wanted to quit after Cotto threw him down and could have won if he fought but was scared of Cotto power. Clotty is a disgrace PERIOD. In the biggest fight of his life, he did not even take a chance to win. Then he is a cheap, real cheap man,, he got rid of his trainer Kwame Asante ONLY becuase he did not want to pay the 10% from such a big purse. This after 7 years of Asante sacraficing money, his house, picking him up every day and driving him and taking him home from the gym.. to training camps, buying him food.. then he gets a name and some money and dumps him.. SHAME ON YOU CLOTTEY a big shame and a disgrace to Ghana ASANTE, is that you?

16y ago

Jim_Jeffries

Sounds kinda mad for a guy that just made 3 million bucks, more than his entire career combined.

16y ago

Rippedlean

3 Time Big Looser Clottey is a big time looser! He complained about a sore finger with Margarita, a big opportunity lost and if he had HEART, he would have won.. He was a chicken against Cotto,, wanted to quit after Cotto threw him down and could have won if he fought but was scared of Cotto power. Clotty is a disgrace PERIOD. In the biggest fight of his life, he did not even take a chance to win. Then he is a cheap, real cheap man,, he got rid of his trainer Kwame Asante ONLY becuase he did not want to pay the 10% from such a big purse. This after 7 years of Asante sacraficing money, his house, picking him up every day and driving him and taking him home from the gym.. to training camps, buying him food.. then he gets a name and some money and dumps him.. SHAME ON YOU CLOTTEY a big shame and a disgrace to Ghana

16y ago

Thread_Stealer

Joshua Clottey further said that a call from Azumah Nelson could have inspired him to win his fight against Manny Pacquaio. How much inspiration do you need for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

16y ago

tank17211

It is definitely the fighters fault why he lost but the trainer should give intelligent instructions. Clottey trainer kept saying take a chance, throw more punches. I never once heard something like when you cover up come right back and with a jab then go 2 the body. No game plan, no strategy.

16y ago

norrin

If you are considered a top 10 WW, why would you need to have someone call to encourage you. You are a grown azz man, you should already know what you have to do regardless of who calls or who doesn't call. In regard, to his trainer - I think it would be equivalent to me in his corner telling him to let his hands go - I think if you are a trainer at that level, you have to give your fighter specific instructions, especially if your fighter is behind or if your game plan is falling apart. I hate to say it but Clottey looked as if he were trying not to lose. I have respect for him getting into the ring but I am disappointed in him for just being "happy" to get a big payday.

16y ago

Toda_Caine

Damn poor clottey. I know. Clottey will not be able to bounce back from all the bullshit he's getting for this. People are upset and disappointed because they know he has the talent/skills to have preformed better and didn't.

16y ago

illmatickid

Nelson, Quratye and Clottey dont deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence. Clottey is a disgrace. this shat right here :boxing:

16y ago

IMDAZED

As disappointed as I am in Clottey's effort against MP, I'm still 100% in agreement with him here. Maybe Josh should tell the media how he stiffed his old trainer out of cash, placed the blame on him for the Cotto loss and then had the nerve the nerve to post a "Should I fire my Trainer" status on Facebook before unceremoniously canning him. Maybe Clottey ought to remember that this trainer of his was a long-time friend of Azumah's and also his chief sparring partner for many years. Why not talk about that, Josh?

16y ago

Scott9945

As disappointed as I am in Clottey's effort against MP, I'm still 100% in agreement with him here. Especially since Nelson holds an official position for his country and didn't even fukking call before the fight.

16y ago

revs1227

nothin 2 do with his trainer he was yelling @ him 2throw and he was shaking his head no clotteyu was legit scared

16y ago

Boxeo_Boricua

I totally agree with Josh Clottey that Nelson and Quartey have no right to comment after they didnt even call him 2 wish him luck. Other the hand, I agree that Clottey's trainer did fail miserably to give him detailed instructions in between rounds. How is it his trainer's fault that he wouldn't engage? He kept telling him to take a chance, to start throwing punches... Cotto's corner didn't tell him shit but at least he fought and tried and gave his all.

16y ago

MIC

Well sheesh, they could of at least called and wished him luck.

16y ago

mathed

Clottey does have a good point. If you could have offered water to put out a fire when it was small and failed to do so, what right does one have to complain to others regarding how big the fire got? If they were that concerned, they could/should have called.

16y ago

johncods

Damn poor clottey.

16y ago

jasbar

How could lenny give technical advise to Clottey when clottey is ignoring lenny's simple instruction to take risk and let go the hands?

16y ago

Michael_Hall

If Azummah truly didn't call Clottey then he should shut the hell up. Why didn't Azummah offer to train Clottey instead of giving criticism?

16y ago

BURNER

Nelson, Quratye and Clottey dont deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence. Clottey is a disgrace.