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Pacquiao will fight Clottey in Dallas on March 13

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Dreams of a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. super fight in March officially ended today when Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told The Times he’d signed a site deal at Dallas Cowboys Stadium to stage a Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey welterweight fight there March 13.

Arum attended Saturday night’s Cowboys-Eagles wild-card playoff game in Jones’ private suite, a gathering that placed the liberal promoter in the same box as former President George W. Bush and conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh.

‘They both love Pacquiao, and [Bush] said he’ll come to the fight if his schedule allows,’ Arum said.

Arum said Pacquiao will earn a minimum $10 million for the Clottey bout, with seating capacity being placed at 50,000.

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‘This stadium has blown me away,’ Arum told the Associated Press. ‘It is the most magnificent facility I’ve ever seen. Too bad you didn’t get Mayweather, but what difference does it make?’ Arum said Bush told him. ‘Everybody just wants see Pacquiao anyway.’

Mayweather and Pacquiao failed to strike a deal because of their dispute over blood testing for performance-enhancing drugs. Pacquiao, who has sued Mayweather for alleged defamation because of public statements made implying the Filipino star has used those drugs, won’t accept a blood test closer than 24 days before the fight. Mayweather wants the fighters to be subject to blood tests up to 14 days before the fight. A Pacquiao advisor said the fighter himself has rejected the 14-day proposal.

Clottey lost a decision last year to Miguel Cotto, who later lost to Pacquiao by 12th-round TKO in November.

‘This place [Cowboys Stadium] is absolutely sensational; the boxing fans will love it,’ Arum said. ‘I can’t even properly describe it without sounding crazy.’

We’ll have more details later on latimes.com. -- Lance Pugmire

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