ARLINGTON – Manny Pacquiao was the puncher, Joshua Clottey the punching bag.

Pacquiao had little trouble landing punches at will on center stage in a packed Cowboys Stadium on Saturday night as Clottey appeared content to make it back to his stool round after round.

Pacquiao, considered the best fighter in the world at any weight, won an easy unanimous decision to retain his WBO welterweight crown. It was almost a shutout in the eyes of three ringside judges. Clottey won only one round on two of the three judges' scorecards. He won none, according to judge Duane Ford.

An announced crowd of 50,994 in the boxing debut of Cowboys Stadium watched Pacquiao's first defense of the 147-pound title he won in November from Miguel Cotto. A champion in seven weight divisions during his career, Pacquiao, the pride of the Philippines, improved his record to 51-3-2 with 32 knockouts. Clottey, who is from Ghana, dropped to 35-4.

"It was not an easy fight, it was hard," said Pacquiao, gracious in victory. "He is a good fighter. ... I felt his power; he was so strong, I could tell he was looking to land a big shot throughout the fight."

Said Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach: "I thought we won every round. He had good defense, but defense is not enough to win a fight."

Clottey said Pacquiao was simply "too fast" for him to have tried to trade punches.

"I have to tell you, this is the first time I have lost a fight," said Clottey, who believes he fought well enough to have won his previous losses.

Pacquaio threw far more punches – 1,231 to Clottey's 399 – and connected on 246, to the challenger's 108.

It was a historic night for boxing in Texas and the United States. It featured Pacquiao, the biggest star in the sport, fighting before an enthusiastic throng with Cowboys cheerleaders flitting in and out of view. To make sure no one could forget whose house it was, three Cowboys cheerleaders sang the national anthem.

As impressive as it was, the crowd wasn't close to the record for boxing paid attendance in Texas. The Pernell Whitaker-Julio Cesar Chavez WBC welterweight title bout in 1993 sported a paid attendance of 58,891 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Pacquiao came out the aggressor from the opening bell as Clottey contentedly took punches with his arms up protecting his face. Little changed as the fight continued.

A fight almost broke out in the third round as Pacquiao and Clottey began exchanging punches. But Clottey backed down as Pacquiao was relentless in going to Clottey's body in an attempt to get him to lower his arms.

Pacquiao continued as the aggressor, landing combinations at will, in the fourth round as Clottey appeared content to have last another three minutes.

Clottey finally backed Pacquiao into ropes early in the sixth round, but it was only momentary as it seemed to invigorate Pacquiao, who continued to dominate with jabs and combinations. Clottey began showing life in the 10th round, but it was too little, too late.

Despite being content to take punches, Clottey never appeared hurt. It was as if he was waiting for Pacquiao to tire of punching. Clottey might as well have been waiting for Godot.

Promoter Bob Arum estimated that Pacquiao would earn between $17 million and $20 million, Clottey $2.5 million.

And now it's either Mayweather or Mosley

funkpill said:

either fighter Manny will drop like a bad fuckin habit. Clottey went the distance but Manny was to fuckin fast for him