 Joshua ClotteyBoxingInsider.com Exclusive Biofile Published by Scoop Malinowski Last Updated on February 26th, 2008 |
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Status: IBF Welterweight champion won vacant title by defeating Zab Judah on August 2, 2008.
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 147
DOB: October 6, 1981 In: Ghana Nugua, Ghana
Boxing Inspirations: “My inspiration in boxing is to become a world champion. And this is the time for me to become the champion. So I’m going to the ring to become a champion.”
Boxing Heroes: “Ike Quartey. I followed his career. He was a great fighter. I sparred with him for three years in my life. So I learned a lot of things from him. Roy Jones. I love his speed and his energy. I like the way he trains.”
Early Boxing Memory: “I started when I was six. I remember fighting the local favourite back in Ghana. He beat me, but I got revenge over him [smiles].”
Favorite Movies: “Troy.”
Favorite Music: “African music. Ofo Ri. I love that music from a long time ago. I play it before all my fights and in training camps.”
Favorite Meal: “Kenkey we call it, it’s African food.”
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “Oatmeal.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Well I’m gonna say yogurt.”
First Job: “Is boxing, I started boxing when I was six. I never worked before in my life.”
Current Car: “I don’t have a car. I don’t drive over here (Bronx, N.Y.).”
Pre-Fight Feeling: “The only thing now in my mind is for me to go to the ring and finish the job. Earlier, I’ll get a lot of problems in my head, because you’re gonna fight. Any time I go in the ring I wanna come out with a win. Because if I win, Congratulations is what everybody is gonna call and say. Like, they’re gonna ask you so many questions.”
Pre-Fight Meal: “I like home-cooking. I have a special made soup.”
Leisure Time Activities: “Watch TV, play football or go on my computer and read my e-mails. People send me lots of things by e-mail.”
Last Book Read: “I can’t remember the title but it was an African book. I like to read articles about boxing on web sites mostly.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “Is when I won the world title an when signed with Bob Arum. I’m very happy that I left my old promoter and signed with Bob Arum. Because Bob Arum is the best. Top Rank is the best. They give me a good fight, three fights in a year. I used to cry for fights, because of my old promoter. But now that I’m with Top Rank I have to defend my title to make them happy.”
Most Painful Moment: “When I signed with my old promoter. He took a fight in Las Vegas, it was a good, good fight. He only give me $5,000. I fought for the NABF title. I get $5,000. A full house. In Las Vegas. It was very, very bad time when I signed with that promoter. But I’m okay now.”
Toughest Man Faced: “Richard Gutierrez. A lot of people think it’s Margarito, it’s not Margarito. Gutierrez, Richard Gutierrez. That was a very tough fight.”
Funny Boxing Memory: “Now that you remind me [smiles], I fought in my first professional fight in Ghana. I’m a very, very hard guy, everybody scared to fight me. So the promoter called and said, Joshua, I got a fight for you. The opponent is gonna fight at super middleweight. And I weighed at 140, light welter. And the guy weighs super middle. Because nobody want to fight with me, it’s my first professional fight. So I have to take the fight. So when I took the fight, Hhhuhhh, trust me, the first round I beat the hell out of that guy. So when I was beating that guy, his wife come to the side of the ring and said, Why are you beating my husband like that? And I was like totally like this (stunned look on his face). So in round two, I don’t know what happened, we both went to punch with the right and I went down. I don’t know what happened for three months. If I’m talking like I’m talking with you, I don’t even know what we were talking about. I don’t know you, you might be annoyed. Three months. From one punch. But I won that fight. I don’t even know what happened. I’m ready to go to the ring, my brother said, Oh, you already fought. You won. And I started crying. Because I don’t know what happened. From the second round to the sixth.”
Favorite Boxers T o Watch: “The boxer I like to watch now is Miguel Cotto. I admire him because he is willing to face any opponent. And the one that I want to fight – Shane Mosley.”
Favorite Fight: “Well, I may say Ike Quartey and Oscar De La Hoya. That was a good fight to me. It was very close, split decision. (Oscar) was the money machine, so they just do whatever they want to do with him.”
Favorite Vacation: “I love going to Ghana. Because Ghana is very nice, the people are very nice, they’re gonna talk to you nice. Nobody is gonna disrespect you. And I’m like somebody there. So I love going there.”
Embarrassing Boxing Memory: “My first promoter, I don’t want to mention his name but he gave me hell in boxing. I started thinking that I have to quit the sport and start working in America. Because opportunity like I’m working, thinking of the family, because he gave me hell. But I’m cool.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “People that they are very honest. People that they talk the truth. Because in this world you can’t get anybody that will talk the truth. Or who will be honest with you. It’s all about crook in this world. Because it’s the wicket world. Nobody is so far away from us. So we are trying opposite which is to make the world good. So anybody that you see that can talk nice, honest, obedient, that person is a very somebody.”
