FORMER IBF welterweight ruler Joshua Clottey lost a hard, competitive 10-round decision against warrior Gabriel Rosado this past Saturday (December 19). Losing via scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94 in a bout that was contested at a catch-weight of 158-pounds, Clottey lost for the first time since his disappointing fight with Manny Pacquiao in 2010.
Now 39-5(22) the 38-year-old from Accra, who has never been stopped in his twenty year pro career, says he will go back down to the more comfortable 154-pound weight class, where he says he “will fight anybody.”
Here Clottey speaks with Boxing News on the loss to Rosado:
Q: It was a good fight and a hard fight. What went wrong for you?
Joshua Clottey: “The weight was too big for me. I had to force myself to put pounds on, on the day of the weigh-in. I am a 154-pound fighter but my promoter always seems to want to put me on other people’s [promoter’s] shows. The [Rosado] fight was his [my promoter’s] idea.”
Q: Who do you want to fight at 154?
J.C: “I will fight anybody there.”
Q: You look like you have a number of good fights left in you…
J.C: “Why would you say that?”
Q: Because you are always in shape, have never been stopped and are tough with a great chin.
J.C: “Okay, thanks. I just want to know what you are thinking.”
Q: Rosado has called out Canelo Alvarez, has he any chance if that fight comes off?
J.C: “Of course, this is the boxing game and anything can happen. But I’m not sure what weight they will fight at. And Rosado is not a puncher. Let me ask you this, were the people happy with my performance [against Rosado]?”
Q: Yes, the fans enjoyed it and it was a close fight all the way to the final round.
J.C: “Okay, thanks.”
