Former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey (38-4, 22 KOs) is very disappointed over the withdrawal of Saul “Canelo” Avalrez (44-1-1, 31 KOs) from their scheduled December 6 fight. GBP president Oscar De La Hoya announced the cancellation of the fight due to the Mexican boxing superstar’s ankle injury. Alvarez is considering sitting it out until May 2015, and go straight to fighting Miguel Cotto instead.
Clottey is not buying the Canelo camp’s excuse for pulling out of their match, and is now growing suspicions over the supposed injury. The Ghanaian was hoping that the fight against Alvarez would put him back in the limelight. Joshua feels he lost popularity after his terrible performance against Manny Pacquiao in May 2010.
“I wanted to fight with Canelo and let people know that I’m still in the game, that’s why I’m so happy about the Canelo fight, because I wanted to prove like I proved in Australia tht I’m still in the game. I wanted to prove the same thing in America. I don’t believe Canelo is injured,” Clottey said.
In my expert but humble opinion, Clottey is telling the truth. I didn’t believe for a second when Oscar De La Hoya announced Canelo’s injury. Who pulls out of a big fight because of muscle strain?! It’s a disgraceful plain ducking in disguise. I believe that Canelo’s team realized that Clottey is simply too dangerous. In other words, it’s a “high-risk, low-reward” fight.
