Ghanaian boxer Joshua Clottey looks to shock the boxing world on March 13

 Chris Farina/Top Rank 

After winning the vacant IBF welterweight title against Zab Judah in August 2008; Joshua Clottey, (35-3, 20 KOs) was unable to find a suitable opponent to defend his title against.  The Ghanaian became so frustrated with boxing, he seriously considered retiring and pursuing a career in soccer. 

Clottey finally received the break he was looking for in June 2009 when he signed to face Puerto Rican star Miquel Cotto on the eve of the Puerto Rican day parade in the storied Madison Square Garden in New York City for Cotto’s WBO crown. 

With a mandatory due, the IBF stripped him of his title once he signed to face Cotto; for Clottey the rewards of defeating Cotto far outweighed the benefits keeping the IBF title.

Clottey gave a good showing in the fight, damaging Cotto with a barrage of punches over the middle rounds but dropped a controversial split decision to Cotto who was battered by Clottey's March 13 opponent Manny Pacquiao(50-3-2, 38 KOs) in a 12^th round knockout in November.

Clottey lost controversial but adamantly expressed his feeling that he deserved another big fight.  

He looked set to get that opportunity against rejuvenated WBC champion Shane Mosley at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

HBO scrapped the fight which was due to take place on December 26 due to fear that the fight would not do well during the Christmas season.

HBO moved Clottey to the undercard of the Kelly Pavlik vs. Paul Williams middleweight title fight, to face welterweight contender Carlos Quitana on December 5.

Clottey was again left disappointed and without a dance partner after the card was canceled because Pavlik was unable to fight due to a staph infection in his hand.

Paul Williams offered Clottey 750,000 to fight short-notice December 5 at junior middleweight; in a decision that many questioned Clottey declined the fight stating that he wished to remain at welterweight and would not have a proper training camp due to his trainer going back to Ghana after the Quintana cancelation.

After all the cancellations Clottey was eager to get back in the ring, Top Rank decided to place him on their new boxing series on Fox Sports against unknown Michel Rosales.

Clottey withdrew from that fight stating that he is an HBO level fighter and did not wish to fight on the card; again he looked set for a long wait on the shelf, until opportunity knocked.

The world eagerly anticipated seeing the battle between the top two fighters in the sports, Manny Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather; a fight that was projected to gross approximately 80 million dollars.

The much publicized negotiations fell apart after Golden Boy and Top Rank were unable to come to terms with drug testing protocol, both fighters subsequently went their separate ways.

Pacquiao quickly came to terms to face Top Rank stable mate Clottey for Pacquiao’s WBO title March 13(HBO PPV) at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX in front of an expected 45,000 fans.

After nearly two years of frustrations and disappointments Clottey will receive the first seven-figure payday of his career and once again has an opportunity at superstardom; defeating the consensus number one pound for pound fighter in the world will do wonders for his careers.

After dissapointing in the past, this time Ghanaians will hope he makes the most of his chance.