INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?Manny Pacquiao rarely criticizes a fellow fighter, but on Wednesday at the Madison Square Garden in New York the Filipino superstar accused unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather Jr. of ducking him for fear of losing.

Though the press conference was primarily held to drum up interest in his March 13 showdown with Ghanaian Joshua Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Pacquiao couldn?t dodge questions about his botched super fight with Mayweather.

Pacquiao said Mayweather was entirely to blame for the cancellation of the fight which eventually led to Clottey getting a crack at his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown.

?I understand Mayweather is making alibis to cancel the fight,? said Pacquiao. ?I?m not the one making alibis to cancel the fight. The main thing is he doesn?t want to fight.?

Unable to hide his irritation over allegations from the Mayweather camp that he uses performance-enhancing drugs, Pacquiao took a potshot at Floyd Jr.

?I think Mayweather is scared to lose, you know? He?s scared to lose,? said Pacquiao, referring to Mayweather?s 40-0 record.

Pacquiao said he?d rather forget Mayweather and focus on Clottey, who is taller by two inches and holds a 3-inch reach advantage.

Clottey is also expected to enter the ring at least 12 pounds heavier than Pacquiao, who fought at 149 lb when he dethroned Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto last November.

As usual, Pacquiao refused to downplay Clottey?s chances.

?He?s tough. He can take a punch. He can stand and fight toe-to-toe. I don?t want to underestimate Clottey,? said Pacquiao.

Clottey said his edge in weight means nothing.

?Forget about the weight. Forget about how big I am,? said Clottey. ?If he?s in front of me, then he?s too small in front of me; you can?t even see him.?

The key, according to Clottey, will be his defense and the fact that he knows how to handle a southpaw like Pacquiao.

?One thing I know about me is that I know how to handle a southpaw,? said Clottey. ?I?ve never lost to a southpaw in my life.? With reports from AP, Examiner.com