Clottey says it's not about the money

MANILA, Philippines - Josh Clottey will earn more than a million dollars for his fight against Manny Pacquiao.

That’s probably bigger than his lifetime savings but still the 33-year-old hero from Ghana insists that it’s not about the money.

He said fighting Pacquiao, being hailed as greatest boxer of this era, is all about pride for himself, his family, his country.

Clottey will challenge the Filipino pound-for-pound champion for the WBO welterweight crown on March 13 at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and before the local press in Ghana he said he has what it takes to win it all.

And come home a millionaire.

“Manny Pacquiao is not a Superman. He is just a human being like me and I promise to dethrone him,” Clottey said in a press conference at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra.

Clottey, according to previous reports, is guaranteed a million bucks for this fight, and should earn a little more through his shares in the pay-per-view, merchandise and ticket sales.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, will earn 10 times more. After all, he’s the sport’s biggest draw today, and can easily earn $12 million regardless of whom he fights and where he fights.

Clottey has fought 39 fights as a pro and losing only thrice. He’s best remembered for his victories over the late Diego Corrales and Zab Judah, and his close, controversial losses to Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto.

He will have his hands full against Pacquiao, the punching machine who has knocked out all his last four opponents, from David Diaz to Oscar Dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Cotto, who won a bloody split decision over Clottey last June.

Clottey is in Ghana begging US embassy officials to grant visas to his trainers so they could join him when he trains in the US in the last 40 days heading to the fight. He said he was disappointed by his trainers not be being able to join him.

Since they will be working in the US, his trainers, led by Godwin Dzanie Kotey, are being required to secure working visas. The problem, however, is that it takes two months to get one, and by that time, the fight should be over.

In New York, a couple of weeks ago, Clottey also spoke to the press, and said he almost can’t wait to get the fight done because he considers it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight someone as big as Pacquiao.

“When I was traveling to America for the first time, this is what I said to myself at the Ghana airport. I said, ‘You know, I want to travel to America today, and I want to be among those top guys.’ Deep down, I know that I’m one of the top fighters in the world. And I told my daughter that I’m going to be a champion in 2010,” he said.

“You can’t get any bigger in this business than to fight Manny Pacquiao right now. But now, Joshua’s got to take advantage of this opportunity, and to turn it into his favor. And Joshua Clottey has got every skill in the world to do that.”

All the money, he believes, will come after he beats Pacquiao.