Clottey Faces Cotto Tonight

Joshua Clottey and Miguel Cotto

All roads lead to the Madison Square Gardens in New York tonight when Ghana's Joshua Clottey comes face-to-face with Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto in the long-awaited Welterweight clash of the year.

Clottey was stripped of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) title for non-activity thus preventing him from unifying his title with that of the Peurto Rican who would rather throw his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) title at stake.

Moses Foh Amoaning, Chairman of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) said it was not Clottey's fault that he did not get to defend his title and that after defeating Cotto, he would return to collect the title.

Clottey (35-2, 20 KOs), who defeated American Zab Judah to win the  IBF welterweight title previously held by Antonio Magarito, says he would rule his weight category for a long time.

“I want to follow in the footsteps of Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey who became greatest boxers in Ghana's history but I want to be disciplined like Azumah who defended his Super Featherweight crown for almost a decade”.

Cotto on his part said, “It does not matter what Joshua brings, I will be ready.

“I never wait for an easy fight, always I train hard for any rival, Joshua is not the exception. I always prepare myself for the best. I am doing everything I have to do to defeat Clottey.”

Cotto has been linked with massive fights against Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather but in the Ghanaian he faces a tough opponent.

By Charles Nixon Yeboah