Manny Pacquiao has already cemented his place in the annals of boxing history thanks to his ferocious fighting, his big name scalps and his string of world titles. On Saturday, the Filipino superstar will step into the ring with Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas to defend his WBO welterweight title and it is shaping up to be an exciting encounter.

Pacquiao, a seven-weight world champion, has won 50 of his 55 fights (38 KOs), with three losses and two draws. It has been five years since his last defeat at the hands of Erik ‘El terrible’ Morales – a points loss he avenged in the rematch by a 10th round technical knockout.

The 31-year-old has won world titles from flyweight to welterweight as he moves up the divisions taking the scalps of big-name fighters including Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton. In his last outing, Pac-Man stopped reigning WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto in the last round after a systematic destruction of the Puerto Rican.

While Pacquiao grabs the headlines for his devastating destruction of everyone who stands in his path – and for his political, acting and music ambitions – Joshua Clottey has been flying somewhat under the radar of the wider public. The Ghanaian has accumulated a record of 35-3 (20 KOs), but is coming off the back of a split decision loss against the same Cotto his opponent destroyed in November.

Clottey’s large frame and evident strength have been cited as his advantages against the smaller Pacquiao, but the same virtues were cited as the reason the Filipino would not be able to overcome Cotto. However, the 32-year-old challenger has never been knocked out in any of his three losses.

Cotto knocked down Clottey in the first round but the "Grand Master" fought till the end and only lost marginally to the then-champion. Antonio Margarito, who was banned from boxing last year when he was discovered with plaster in his gloves, also beat Clottey in 2006 but again it went to the judges scorecards.

Clottey’s ability to take a hit and get off the canvas, if needs be, will ensure Pacquiao has his work cut out for him and could see the fight going the distance. But trainer Freddie Roach has a different game plan for his charge.

Roach, who picked up Trainer of the Year last year for the third time, is full of confidence in the run-up to the Texas clash and predicted his charge would take Clottey out in the middle rounds. Roach conceded however that it may take the referee to step in and stop the fight, but he has no doubt the fight will not last the full 12 rounds. However, he has been wrong before.