Former welterweight champ Joshua Clottey is right in the mix of the sizzling hot welterweight division and could face Sugar Shane Mosley next. Clottey, who was on near even terms in battles with Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto, has accepted to face Mosley next and is awaiting agreement from Mosley and HBO.

Clottey discusses his current state of mind, breaks down the Pacquiao-Cotto showdown and more in this Q&A…

BoxingInsider: How do you feel about landing the Mosley fight?

Joshua Clottey: “I feel good. Good. So happy about it. Because there’s no one I can fight that good. Mosley is the #1 at welterweight now. Beating him should make me the #1 at welterweight. So I want to take that from Shane Mosley.”

BoxingInsider: It could be a very difficult fight for you, to face the test of Mosley’s speed and skills.

Joshua Clottey: “I never fought him so I don’t know. I never in my life – I saw Mosley fight Cotto. He’ll never give me trouble. The only person that gave me trouble was Gutierrez.”

BoxingInsider: What about Pacquiao vs. Cotto, how do you see this fight playing out?

Joshua Clottey: “When it comes to knockouts I’m going to give it to Cotto. When it comes to decision I’m gonna give it to Pacquiao. But the problem is Pacquiao is too small. He’s gonna be very, very quick. And Cotto doesn’t have the good defenses. It’s a big problem. In our fight, every punch I threw at Cotto goes to him. Everything hits him. And Pacquiao’s gonna throw a lot of punches. Pacquiao is the kind of guy, when you throw, he throws back at you. If you watch his fight with Marquez – I don’t know how Cotto is gonna land that. Cotto is a little bit slow. So, to be honest with you, I can’t say who’s gonna win. Cotto is the biggest. Cotto knows how to handle southpaws. So it’s going to be an interesting fight. I love this fight. I love to see the way of this fight. how it’s gonna happen.”

BoxingInsider: In your experience in the ring with Cotto was there anything about him that surprised you?

Joshua Clottey: “The only thing I can say is that he’s rough. He roughed me. I always know how to rough opponents. But especially with how he was a nice guy at the press conferences and events, so I did not see anything rough about him. But he showed me by the fight in the ring he is a rough guy. Elbows, he hit my back here (points to upper back), he hit my head. But in the fight he never surprised me with nothing.”

BoxingInsider: Even at his advanced age Mosley still has so many weapons. What are your concerns about Mosley?

Joshua Clottey: “I will handle Shane Mosley. I watch so much the way he fights. He’s very versatile. But the way I’m coming into this fight, I’m coming with everything. Because I want the belt back. I won’t lose to anybody.”

BoxingInsider: You have proven you are right there with the best. A lot of people thought you won the Cotto fight.

Joshua Clottey: “Thank you very much.”

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