ARLINGTON, Texas— There was no knockout, only a dominant performance by Manny Pacquiao against Joshua Clottey Saturday night (Sunday in Manila).

The Filipino ring icon outgunned and outhustled the gunshy Ghanaian to retain his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown via an overwhelmingly unanimous decision at the packed Cowboys Stadium here Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Throwing punches in bunches, Pacquiao controlled the fight throughout as he peppered Clottey’s ripped body with shots that could have toppled a brick wall.

But Clottey showed why he’s never been knocked out by surviving the onslaught and covering well, occasionally finding the attacking Pacquiao open.

There was little doubt as to the outcome, however, as all three judges gave Pacquiao a runaway victory. Duane Ford of Nevada saw a sweep, 120-108, while New Mexico’s Levi Martinez and Puerto Rico’s Nelson Vasquez both scored it 119-109, giving Clottey the third round. (The Inquirer scored it 120-108).

Pacquiao threw an incredible 1,231 punches as against Clottey’s 399. True to his word, however, Clottey turned out to be more accurate with 108 connections or 27 percent. Pacquiao landed 246 for a 20 percent conversion rate.

During weigh-in, Pacquiao hit 145 ¾ pounds while Clottey was at 147. At fight time, Pacquiao should be at least 150, giving away at least 10 pounds to Clottey who normally climbs the ring at 160.

Though he failed to knock out Clottey, pound-for-pound king Pacquiao said he was satisfied with the result.

“Clottey is a very tough opponent and a good counterpuncher,” said Pacquiao, whose string of knockouts ended at four. “I [was] not in a hurry because he’s looking for a big shot.”

Clottey never found any as Pacquiao, now 51-3-2 with 38 knockouts, executed the game plan he and chief trainer Freddie Roach hatched out in their training camp back at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

Right after the opening bell, Pacquiao worked on Clottey’s body with the Ghanaian trying to retaliate with straights. Pacquiao intensified the bombardment in the second, but Clottey kept himself inside a shell—content with just putting both arms in front of him to keep homself out of harm’s way.

The third turned out to be Clottey’s best round as he jolted Pacquiao twice with 1-2 combinations. Still, it wasn’t enough to counteract Pacquiao’s repeated inside thrusts that often found their mark.

Pacquiao resumed his assault in the fourth, where he lightly hit Clottey’s ears with closed gloves simultaneously, and in the fifth, as Clottey continued staying on the defensive mode.

From there, it seemed that Clottey’s only mission was to finish the round upright, similar to the strategy employed by Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera in his second fight against Pacquiao.

Clottey unleashed a low blow in the eighth round that drew boos from the predominantly Filipino crowd of 50,944, the third largest audience to watch an indoor fight in modern boxing history. Before the round ended, Clottey even sneaked in a punch on the clinch.

Clottey was able to land some solid blows in the ninth up to the 12th rounds, but in retaliation, Pacquiao connected with a flurry, switching from the body to the head.

When the end came, Pacquiao and Clottey, embraced each other in the middle of the ring, which was dwarfed by the gigantic high definition television measuring 72 feet tall and 160 feet wide hanging 30 feet above.

The loss dropped Clottey’s record to 53-4 with 21 knockouts, but he succeeded in avoiding the fate that befell David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto—all of whom were savagely knocked out by the Pacman.

After the verdict was announced, Pacquiao was asked about the bungled negotiations for him to fight former world No. 1 Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pacquiao, the only boxer to win titles in seven weight classes, said that he would be willing to fight Mayweather anytime, but it seemed the unbeaten American, who’s slated to do battle with countryman Shane Mosley on May 1, was still not ready to face him yet.

After besting Clottey, Pacquiao said it’s Mayweather’s turn to get past Mosley, otherwise Mosley may end up as his next opponent. Pacquiao intends to make his plans for his next fight after the elections. He is vying for a congressional seat representing Saranggani Province.

Filipino bantamweight champion Eden Sonsona knocked out Colombian Maurcio Pastrana with 1 minute and 33 seconds left in the eighth and final round of the untelevised opening bout.

The 21-year-old Sonsona caught Pastrana with a wicked left to the chin to post his third straight abbreviated victory and climb to 21-5, including seven knockouts, four coming in his last six fights.

Featherweight prospect Michael Farenas, on the other hand, settled for a No Decision due to a accidental head butt against Texan Joe Morales in the second bout. Farenas (26-2-3 with 23 KOs), took the first round and was ahead when he and Morales banged heads. With Morales’ deep cut in the right eyelid profusely bleeding, the ring physician stopped the bout.

In the chief support, Mexican Humberto Soto defeated Chicago’s David Diaz by unanimous decision in their showdown for the World Boxing Council lightweight crown.

Soto knocked down Diaz, who lost the WBC lightweight title in a KO defeat to Pacquiao, in the first round and then again in the closing 12th round to raise his record to 51-7-2 with 32 knockouts.

Mexican Alfonso Gomez kept his WBC Continental Americas welterweight title when countryman Jose Luis Castillo quit after the fifth round and then announced his retirement from boxing.

The 36-year-old Castillo, who sparred with Pacquiao in his training in Baguio City, for the bout with Cotto, said he was getting hit too much and that his body was no longer responding as it used to.

Before the fight started, Pacquiao was prayed over by priest Michael Beof , surrounded by wife Jinkee, relatives and team members.

Pacquiao is guaranteed to receive $12 million, apart from his share from pay-per-view revenues and gate receipts. Clottey earned his biggest paycheck of $1.5 million.

Pacquiao was accompanied to the ring by trainer Freddie Roach, assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez, conditioning expert Alex Ariza, flag-bearer Cris Aquino, trainer Nonoy Neri, confidante Wakee Salud, former world champion Gerry Penalosa, lawyer Jeng Gacal and several others.

Upon entering the stadium that could seat 80,000, the ever-smiling Pacquiao, walking to the tune of Eye of the Tiger, headed to his corner and prayed for 30 seconds.