AN understandably disappointed and frustrated Joshua Clottey – who had signed a contract to fight, and who had begun training to fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on December 6 – is still hoping the fight that fell apart due to Canelo’s ankle injury will go ahead.
Clottey says there is no way Canelo and his team can just leave him flat, as he explains here from his home in New York:
Q: I know you must be very upset at the December 6 fight being off. Have you any doubts about the legitimacy of Canelo’s ankle injury, and that he says he wants to let heal?
Joshua Clottey: “I really don’t understand the situation. I can’t say it’s [the injury] not legitimate, but he was fine when we met at the photo shoot for the fight. HBO came to my gym, to film a video, and then the next day I was told Canelo was not able to fight. I’m [still] expecting him to fight me, and I’m waiting for this fight. It has to happen because I signed the contract at the beginning of August. So I was tied up with the Canelo fight, which I wanted, but I couldn’t fight anyone else. I mean, come on, man! I waited for him and now he has to give me my shot. Maybe I would have fought someone else if I could, but I couldn’t because I was tied up with this fight. I really want this fight. ”
Q: I read what you said on your Twitter page…
J.C: (interrupting) “I want to clear this up, that is not me. I want to clear this up right now, it’s not me. I have a Twitter account but I don’t really know much about Twitter – I go on Facebook only. I have an impostor – I don’t know who it is. So whatever you read, I didn’t say those things. I know Canelo is a good fighter and I hope he gets better and fights me.”
Q: You had started training for the fight?
J.C: “Yeah, I had started training. I’ve been jogging and I’ve been in the gym. I’m in shape.”
Q: Are there any other fights out there for you in case the Canelo fight is off for good?
J.C: “I have no idea who else I could fight. He [Canelo] has to give me a shot!”
Q: There is a chance Canelo will sit out the remainder of the year and then fight Miguel Cotto next May. I know that is not what you want to happen, but you have fought Cotto. Who wins between Cotto and Canelo?
J.C: “I’m not sure who wins. I’ve fought Cotto and I know how strong he is. I’ve not fought Canelo so I don’t know how strong he is. But I can’t say Canelo beats Cotto. Cotto is a very good fighter. But if he [Canelo] runs from me it’s not right. I’ve fought the better fighters. He has fought some good fighters, but he hasn’t faced anyone like me. All I can do is wait and see, and I hope he gets better and then fights me. They can’t just leave me with nothing. It’s not fair if they go straight to the Cotto fight without giving me anything. If they give me some money or a fight option, that would make sense, but not just leave me like that! This type of thing does take some of the happiness out of the sport for me. I need three fights a year and I’m not getting that. They [Team Canelo] have not announced they are fighting anybody else yet, so I hope he gets better and then fights me.”
