Joshua Clottey: “I have a very big surprise for Margarito!”
 By Benny Henderson Jr - A.K.A "Big Dog" (Nov 24, 2006) Photo © Teddy Blackburn
With all the discussion on the welterweight division and some desired match-ups amongst the division’s elite many names are mentioned – Mayweather, De La Hoya, Cotto, Margarito, to name a few – but one who has been slightly overlooked a bit by the fight world, and come Saturday, December 2nd on Showtime Championship Boxing 9:00 PM ET/PT the name Joshua Clottey 29-1 (18) will be introduced as the number five contender when he challenges Antonio Margarito 33-4 (24) for the champion’s WBO welterweight strap, and the twenty-nine year old contender believes he will be known after that night and the new champion.
For eleven years as a professional the Ghana born boxer has had success in the ring with out the highly glamorized name that follows a few fighters along their journey, but come fight night ‘The Hitter’ has the chance to leave obscurity to become world champ and be known. In his time as a pro Clottey has beaten all in his pathway except for one; leading on all scorecards Clottey was disqualified in the twelfth round in 1999 against Carlos Baldomir. Since that low point in his career Clottey has gone 10-0 (5) and one no contest and has earned himself the NABC, WBC Continental Americas the IBF Intercontinental and African welterweight titles, and December 2nd he plans on getting the WBO world title strap as
well as the respect.
Clottey took the time out of his training to speak on his upcoming fight as well as the welterweight division, enjoy.
Benny Henderson Jr.: First off I would like to say thanks for taking the out to speak to the Doghouse, can you give the readers your thoughts on your upcoming match-up against Antonio Margarito?
Joshua Clottey: I am ready to fight, I am going there to win the belt, that is what I am thinking about.
BH: You know I have been reading some quotes for the upcoming fight, and most of the champs quotes have been directed towards wanting to fight Mayweather, Baldomir and De La Hoya. In a sense I got the feeling you are being overlooked, do you feel the same and does that play into your favor?
JC: I know he is saying that, he thinking about big fights, what is he thinking? I think he has a very wrong impression here, thinking about them guys and not me. I have a very big surprise for him.
BH: Most of the fans and media that are excited about this fight see a brawl brewing in this fight, so what type of fight are you expecting in this match-up, and what style do you feel you should adapt to, to secure a win?
JC: I am a boxer and I always try to do the best in the ring. So if you come to the ring and bring your style, I am used to every style. If he tries to fight me then I will fight him, if he tries to run I will chase him. He is thinking different thinking, I think I know more boxing than him; I’m a much better boxer than him. So if he says some things like he is not thinking about me I don’t understand him and I don’t care about that. It is not the mouth that is going to fight me it is his fist, his hands are going to fight. I am going to fight him.
BH: When looking at your opponent Antonio Margarito, what do you see as his greatest strengths that will pose a threat in this bout and what weaknesses do you feel that you can capitalize on?
JC: All I know about him is that he is not going to stand, that is what I am thinking, he is going to go all over the ring because if he stands with me I know where I am going to go, definitely his body, he don’t got a good body. So I don’t think that he is going to stand with me, you can’t go to the jab all the time you have to go to the body, so I know about that.
BH: If you could send out a message to the 147-pound division and its major players, what would it be?
JC: I am a different guy among them, I am very tall guy and very dangerous guy to fight, and I have been a professional for along time. I have been a professional since ’95 so I know much about everything in boxing, I got a heart, I know how to do what I do. If they think about me it is good, but if they don’t think about me they will think about me when the time comes.
BH: It has been reported that Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya will square off in the near future, who do you like in that fight?
JC: To me De la Hoya is Oscar De la Hoya, he is a very good boxer, we all know. Now Mayweather got his time now, I do not know where they are going to fight, I don’t know which way they are going to fight so I don’t think Floyd can stop Oscar but he is quick.
BH: If you could say anything to your opponent what would you say?
JC: He is good fighter, he is a champion, which I can never take out of him, but come December 2nd he is not going to be a champion no more. Boxing is boxing and I am not coming to joke with him, I am different than him, he should be prepared for me to fight.
BH: Anything in closing?
JC: I thank everybody and I am going to show my talents to everybody.
I would like to thank Vincent Scolpino for setting up this interview and a special thanks goes out as well to Joshua Clottey for his time and thoughts.
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