Manny Pacquiao wins over Oscar de la Hoya! This will be soon, so be better watch out. If Pacquiao despite of the mismatch manage to win against the bigger Oscar de la Hoya we can say now Manny Pacquiao is the ultimate pound for pound champion. Either of the two fighter has the ability to knock out their opponents. It is just a matter of timing and execution. The fighter who has the right training and proper strategy might win the this Dream Match of the year.
Video of Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya Fight : Trailer
Juan Manuel Marquez knockout "El Cepillo" Casamayor at 2:55 minutes in the 11th scheduled by 12 round at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Juan "Dinamita" Manuel Marquez is now the Ring Magazine lightweight champion with 49 wins 4 losses and 36 wins by knockout while Casamayor down with 36 wins 4 losses. Casamayor of Guantanamo, Cuba, was suffered a cut in the right eyebrow that causes him out of focus.
Juan Manuel Marquez scores a 31 percent throw punch about 160 out 516 while Casamayor still show his fighting power with 22 percent punch 122 over 552.
Juan "Dinamita" Manuel Marquez says he is now the best Lightweight and he wants Manny Pacquiao to be his next opponent.
Freddie Roach is taking it further. He said that after the Diaz annihilation, he was convinced Pacquiao could go up against Oscar de la Hoya. And beat him.
“That performance against Diaz is what set me to make that decision," Roach said. “I’ve been working on his right hand for some time now and sometimes it’s there a little bit. Against Juan Manuel Marquez, it wasn’t there because he’s a guy who’s hard to land a right hand on. But the thing is, Manny has so much confidence now after beating Diaz, he knows he can do a lot more using both hands," Roach added.
“Manny’s become a better fighter after the Diaz fight."
Roach was said to have given Pacquiao an “A-plus" for his win over Diaz, a rating he’s never given his fighter before. But the ultimate compliment could be his recent projection that Pacquiao could stand up to de la Hoya, a sure Hall-of-Famer, and knock him out.
That is, if the Pacquiao the world saw won over Diaz is the same Pac-man who will trade mitts with the Golden Boy.
“I’ve always had confidence in Pacquiao’s right hand," Roach said. “Sometimes he doesn’t have that confidence. But now, the way he dominated Diaz, using that right and setting everything up including his left hand, he’s become the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world."
“And you know Oscar, he loves all these challenges and I know this is going to be a big motivation for him," Roach added.
The new World Boxing Council lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao is set to defend his title on November 8.
In an interview, Pacquiao said the schedule for his next fight is already set but his next opponent remains unknown.
"Wala pa (kalaban) pero yung date November 8 (There is no specific opponent yet but it would be on November 8)," Pacquiao said.
He said his next fights would depend on the schedule which would be given by his promoter, Top Rank president Bob Arum. He added the decision to go up to the heavier weight division also depends on Arum.
"Depende sa makakalaban kung 140 pounds o 135 pounds (kung aakyat ng weight division). Depende sa (decision) ni Arum. Pwede kung matuloy yung kay Hatton (It will depend on the opponent if I will go to 140 pounds or stay at 135 pounds. It will all depend on Arum. But I can go up if the fight with Hatton will materialize)," Pacquiao said.
Hatton is the International Boxing Organization (IBO) light welterweight champion.
The Filipino southpaw boxing champion said he aims to continue improving on his right hand. I still need to improve my right hand. I will develop my right hand so I can use it more in my fights," Pacquiao said.
At present, Pacquiao is mending his bandaged right hand which was hurt during the fight against David Diaz. It is still swollen but it has no other injuries," Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao stole the WBC lightweight belt from Mexican-American champion Diaz via a ninth-round knockout. With the victory, Pacquiao became the first Asian boxer to win world titles in four weight classes. Pacquiao is also the holder of the WBC super featherweight title. Pacquiao and his team are tentatively set to return to the Philippines on July 4.
Eyeing On The Next Oponent - Who Is Richard Hatton Richard "Ricky" Hatton - an English boxer, born October 6, 1978, in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. He is one of the most popular British fighter of all time . He is more commonly known as Ricky The Hitman Hatton.
Hatton a two-time IBF and IBO Light Welterweight Champion, having relinquished the IBF belt, only to step back down to the weight class and beat Juan Urango. He was the WBA Welterweight Champion, but relinquished this title on August 31, 2006. Hatton is also the former WBU, WBA Light Welterweight Champion and WBC, WBA, WBO Inter-Continental Light Welterweight Champion, and current Ring Magazine Light Welterweight Champion.
Biography Hatton was raised on the Hattersley council estate in Hyde, Greater Manchester and trained at the Sale West ABC on the Racecourse Estate. Both his grandfather and father played for Rochdale A.F.C. and Ricky had a trial for the youth team. But Hatton found a local boxing club in Hyde, which he still trains at and found he enjoyed the sport. Hatton's entrance music is the Manchester City club song "Blue Moon" as performed by the band "Supra." Aged 14, Hatton was taken by his uncles Ged and Paul to Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium to watch the second fight between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank. Hatton joined the family carpet business on leaving school, but after he cut four of his fingers with a Stanley knife, his father made him a salesman to prevent him from losing his fingers.
Boston Celtics players showed up and rejoiced over Manny Pacquiao's victory against Mexican-American pugilist David Diaz.
Manny Pacquiao, who was crowned as World Boxing Council’s lightweight champ, was elated by Celtics’ presence, especially by Kevin Garnett who is Pacman’s favorite.
The Celtics, who recently won the NBA finals, reportedly reserved 16 tickets to watch and support Pacquiao in his fight at the Mandalay Events Center.
Immediately after the bout, the cagers went to Pacquiao’s room to congratulate the boxer in getting his fourth world title. The Celtics, among them Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Sam Cassel posed with Pacquiao for a photo shoot.
“Alam mo, sabi ko, bago ako lumaban at natapos ‘yong NBA finals at Celtics and nag-champion, sana ma-imbita ko ang Celtics. Nagkataon na nandito sila sa Vegas, so inimbita ko (sila). Nagpasalamat naman ako na pina-unlakan nila ang imbitasyon ko," he said.
(Before I fought and after the Celtics won at the NBA finals, I was hoping that I could invite the Celtics. It so happened that they were in Las Vegas, so I invited them and they agreed to watch my fight)
Seeing his idols watch his bout was an overwhelming experience for Pacman. Sobra-sobrang saya at nanalo ako at pinanood ako ng mga idol ko (I was so happy my idols watched my fight).
Did Pacquiao ever think that one day he would be on top the world? He said he didn’t. But because he trusted God so much, “binigyan niya ako ng blessings" (he gave me blessings).
LAS VEGAS - The Philippines' Manny Pacquiao, who is now the World Boxing Council's lightweight champ, made his best performance, making his title bout with Mexican American David Diaz, not just a fight but an execution.
Even Pacquiao's trainers said, were awed by his speed, which did not change, but had in fact improved even after he put on some weight to qualify as a lightweight fighter. Speed has been Manny Pacquiao's specialty ever since he was a scrawny 106-pound teenage brawler. When he stepped in the ring weighing 135 pounds on Saturday night, even his trainer wondered whether Pacquiao would lose some of his splendid speed with all that extra bulk.
That theory evaporated with one look at David Diaz's lacerated, bloody face, even before it hit the canvas in the ninth round. Not only did Pacquiao keep his pace while winning the WBC lightweight title with a ninth-round knockout, he got stronger along the way.
What a frightening thought for the rest of the talented lightweight division.
"I feel much, much stronger and more powerful at 135," said Pacquiao, the first Asian boxer to win title belts at four weights. "This is where I plan to stay. I did real well. I was really surprised it wasn't stopped sooner."
After winning a recognized championship fight at his fifth weight - including a nontitle victory over 126-pound king Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003 -- Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) definitely has the credentials to qualify as boxing's mythical pound-for-pound champion.
His lightweight debut at the Mandalay Bay Events Center was every bit as action-packed as his long history of brawls at lower weights -- and like most of Pac-Man's victims, Diaz (34-2-1) just couldn't keep that ferocious pace.
Pacquiao was relentless with his right hook, apparently capitalizing on something seen by trainer Freddie Roach in Diaz's defense.
"It was his speed," said Diaz, the game but overmatched champion. "It was all his speed. I could see the punches perfectly, but he was just too fast. He boxed me more than I thought he was going to box. I said to Freddie, 'It's the best I've ever seen him box.' Freddie said, 'Me too. That was our game plan.' "
Three months ago, Juan Manuel Marquez stretched Pacquiao to the limit before losing a split decision in the same ring in perhaps the year's best bout so far.
Pacquiao took much less punishment this time while winning every round on every judge's scorecard, but Diaz was remarkably tenacious in the face of nonstop attacks -- until Pacquiao sneaked home a left hand that dropped Diaz to the canvas.
Diaz, the likable but unlikely champion from Chicago, knew he faced long odds -- 4-to-1 at fight time -- in his second title defense. The former U.S. Olympian hung in despite severe cuts and weary legs that wobbled with each of Pacquiao's big punches.
"His punches are just too fast," Diaz told his corner after the sixth round.
Round 8 and 9 Full Vresion
Diaz's face was dripping blood by then, and both fighters' white trunks were shaded pink by the eighth, when Pacquiao battered Diaz relentlessly. After Pacquiao's decisive punch in the ninth, referee Vic Drakulich stopped the bout before even counting to 10. Pacquiao tugged on Diaz's arm in compassion before leaping onto the ropes in celebration.
Pacquiao threw 788 punches to Diaz's 463, also landing 10 percent more of his blows. Pacquiao jabbed well, with remarkable discipline for an instinctual brawler, but Diaz was hurt most by the 180 power shots that connected.
Pacquiao started fighting as a scrawny 16-year-old in the Philippines, but he grew into a dynamic competitor who won world titles at 112, 122 and 130 pounds. Few of those victories gave Roach more pleasure than this disciplined effort.
"That was beautiful," Roach said. "The game plan was not to stand and trade, because Diaz is too dangerous. The plan was to go in and out, outbox him, do what Manny does best. He did everything that we asked him to do."
Some think Pacquiao's next move could be to bulk up five more pounds for a wildly lucrative fight with England's most popular plugger, Ricky Hatton. Pacquiao seems more likely to stick around to fight other lightweights -- perhaps 130-pound champion Edwin Valero or Humberto Soto, who lost a curious disqualification Saturday in an undercard bout.
"I can fight in November," Pacquiao said. "Who I fight is the job of my promoter [Bob Arum]."
Pacquiao has made his career on a series of exciting brawls with the best Mexican fighters of the post-Julio Cesar Chavez era, going 5-1-1 against Barrera, Erik Morales and Marquez, who lost a supermodel-thin split decision to Pacquiao last March.
Meanwhile, Diaz has made a career out of defying meager expectations, starting with two surprising victories over Zab Judah for a spot on the 1996 U.S. Olympic team. After quitting the sport for nearly two years early in this decade, Diaz earned his title nearly two years ago in a stunning 10th-round knockout of Jose Armando Santa Cruz.
Mandalay Bay was filled largely with Filipino fans, including an overly optimistic man whose sign read, "Pac-Man, Marry Me!"
LAS VEGAS - The World Boxing Council lightweight champion made it from the Olympics to the pinnacle of prizefighting with a firm belief that his fate was in his own hands. He absorbed that philosophy from his parents while they raised nine kids, including baby David, as Mexican immigrants in Chicago.
David Diaz the underdog in this fight clearly isn't the star in Saturday's fight. Wearing shorts that made him look like any young Las Vegas vacationer, Diaz spent several moments at Wednesday's news conference patiently waiting as Manny Pacquiao signed gloves and posed for pictures before the fighters could do their own photo shoot.
Yet Diaz doesn't mind, since he obviously appreciates everything he's earned. He got choked up when he thanked his father, who overcame minimal education and tight financial circumstances to raise nine children in Chicago. "He's my first best friend," Diaz said. "He's the man I look up to. Doesn't read, doesn't write, and he still took care of nine kids. ... He loves boxing like I do. I asked him one time if I could go out and play (American) football, and he said, 'That's a sport for animals.'"
Diaz also is a mid-major sports celebrity in Chicago these days.
Yet even on the verge of an $800,000 (€513,000)-plus payday for taking on Pacquiao, Diaz still drives around Chicagoland in a 1991 car with no air conditioning — or at least he did, until he loaned it to his nephew.
After earning an unlikely berth on the 1996 US Olympic team with that same tenacity, Diaz determined his own fate when he quit boxing for two years — and again when he returned to the sport in 2002. Four years later, Diaz rallied from a heavy deficit for a knockout victory that eventually secured his title belt.
Diaz's life is stuffed with examples of why superstitions should be powerless over him. So why did Diaz want to sprint off the Santa Monica Pier on Monday at the sight of a goat in a Chicago Cubs baseball hat?
Well, because Diaz is also a lifelong Cubs fan who knows just enough about the Curse of the Billy Goat, the 63-year-old jinx that's supposedly keeping his long-suffering club from winning the Major League Baseball title, to be very afraid.
The promoters of his Saturday bout with WBC super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao for Diaz's lightweight title jokingly recruited the goat to provide color at the news conference, yet Diaz wasn't really laughing.
"Man, that billy goat scared me, dude," Diaz said with a laugh. "Can you imagine if the Cubs start messing up, and that gets around? I'm not having that on my ticket."
Diaz wants nothing more than an honest chance to do the improbable. Pacquiao is a heavy favorite in the Vegas sportsbooks for the Filipino's first fight at 61 kilos (135 pounds), and Diaz is widely expected to struggle against Pacquiao's formidable power.
But it's never been a good idea to count out Diaz — not since he beat favored prospect Zab Judah twice to take the light welterweight spot on the US team in the Atlanta Games. He then posted a stunning comeback win in 2006, falling behind on all three judges' scorecards before knocking out Jose Armando Santa Cruz — a victory that led to his coronation.
"He's had a tremendous career when he's been behind," said promoter Bob Arum, who re-signed Diaz after the fighter's two-year break. "No matter how hopeless it looks, he stays in there and never quits."
Diaz won't acknowledge thinking much about how his life would change if he beat Pacquiao. Jim Strickland, Diaz's longtime trainer and beloved adviser, has said he might finally retire if Diaz wins, though Diaz claims he wouldn't allow it.
And though he claims to have more superstitions than he could mention, Diaz knows the responsibility for beating Pacquiao rests solely on his unimposing shoulders — goat or no goat.
"I have to go out there and perform," Diaz said. "If I don't do it, I'm not going to win. I never thought I'd get the championship, but now that I have it, I don't want to let it go."
World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao and Mexican boxing champ David Diaz are now in Las Vegas in Nevada to prepare for their bout on June 28.
Pacquiao and Diaz were given a warm welcome at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino where the fight dubbed "Lethal Combination" would be held. The report said Pacquiao proceeded to an hour-long workout at the University of Nevada after meeting the media and giving interviews upon his arrival. In the midst of his preparation for the bout, Pacquiao expressed sympathies to the victims of typhoon Frank which hit the country over the weekend.
"Gagawa ako ng paraan, gagawin ko ang aking makakaya upang makatulong sa kanila (I will find ways, I will do everything to help them (victims))," Pacquiao said.
Diaz's World Boxing Council lightweight championship belt is on the line in the fight. Pacquiao will attempt to take Diaz’s championship belt on Saturday night.
Pacquiao (46-3-2, 34 KO’s), who has three championship belts under his name, the most recent being the WBC super featherweight title, decided to move up the 135-pound division to challenge Diaz (34-1-1, 17 KO’s).
For his part, Diaz said he would not let Pacquiao run with the WBC lightweight championship belt.
Expect a more energetic and powerful Manny Pacquiao to face David Diaz on June 28 (June 29 in the Philippines).
Pacquiao's decision to move up to the 135-pound lightweight division of the World Boxing Council (WBC) proved to be an boost to his diet, according to coach Freddie Roach.
"He's able to eat a little more so he's not starving himself as much, as was the case when we were looking to make 130 pounds," Roach said in an interview with fightfan.com. "And it's definitely translated to Manny having more energy and seems to be carrying more power on his shots."
But Roach is keeping close tabs on Pacquiao's weight.
I don't want to see him any heavier on fight night than ten pounds over the limit," Roach said. "I'll just be monitoring what he eats a little more closely. We've talked about it and we'll be drinking fluids and keeping a close eye on it."
Currently Pacquiao weighs 142 pounds and Roach expects that when the Filipino reaches his fighting weight, he will pick his speed.
"His speed is slightly off at the moment, but he's weighing 142 pounds as of today and as we get down to fight weight I expect he'll be right on point," Roach said. "When he gets right down to fighting weight his speed always picks up."
Roach also added that he would monitor Pacquiao's weight after the weigh-in so the Filipino would be in the best shape possible in the ring.
Pacquiao has also been training with southpaws to ensure that the current pound-for-pound champion can adjust to the style of Diaz who is also a southpaw.
Roach added that Pacquiao is sparring for 12 rounds which would be decreased as the fight nears.
CHICAGO, Illinois – Boxing writers have started wondering if home court crowd would be an advantage for Manny Pacquiao over David Diaz. Manny Pacquiao has won so many fights before so many Filipinos in Las Vegas.
"I am now very comfortable fighting in Las Vegas. I like the place," Pacquiao said. "I just don’t know if the place is factor against David Diaz."
The question was posed by Roman Modrowski of the Chicago Sun Times during a teleconference call with boxing writers last Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
A day before, Raoul Faez asked Manny Pacquiao if he would be ready for the "humongous Filipino crowd" at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
Faez noted that the place on fight night, June 28 (June 28 in the Philippines), would once again become "Manila Bay."
Diaz gamely conceded that Manny might have the majority of about 18,000 spectators at fight time behind him against his 100 supporters coming from Chicago.
But he's ready to face Pacquiao, invoking a popular Spanish expression, "Pocos pero locos." That means, "We may few but we're mad."
Filipino-American fans from Los Angeles and San Francisco in California, which is home to the largest Fil-Ame population in the US, usually drive to Las Vegas in record numbers to watch their boxing Filipino idol fight.
Aside from having "a home court advantage" in Las Vegas, Pacquiao also feels at ease in moving up to the 135-pound lightweight division.
"Although it is not easy to move up the division, so far, I am comfortable in the 135-pound division," he said. "I feel stronger. What I need in my training is to maintain speed."
The 29-year-old Filipino boxing sensation said he now enjoys eating, loading up on rice and vegetables for his 135-pound weight.
Asked how he assumes a split personality – by being soft-spoken outside the ring and by having a nasty demeanor inside – Pacquiao said: "In the ring, I am like a warrior and I fight as if there is no tomorrow. Outside the ring, I'm a friendly man. A good guy."
After two months of training in Los Angeles, Pacquiao is now ready to fight.
Has the deep cut in the eyebrow that he got in his last bout with Juan Manuel Marquez already healed?
"It already healed a month ago," Pacquiao said.
So what does he expect when he faces a fellow southpaw?
"Because my style and his style are similar, this coming fight should be a good fight," he said.
Diaz is staking his WBC lightweight championship belt on the line.
CHICAGO, Illinois - An emotional David Diaz told fans and journalists on Thursday (Friday in the Philippines) at his one and only public workout at the JABB Boxing Gym in this city's northwest side. "I am ready to go." David Diaz said.
David Diaz had to extend the short public workout because autograph seekers refused to leave until he had signed everyone's posters.
The workout capped two months of non-stop promotional appearances in key US cities by the World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champ.
The 32-year-old Chicago native will leave this weekend for California in what will be the final week leading to his dream fight with Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao, who will attempt to take Diaz’s WBC Lightweight championship belt away from him, next Saturday, June 28 (June 29 in the Philippines) at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pacquiao (46-3-2, 34 KO’s), the WBC super featherweight champ, has had to move up the 135-pound division to challenge Diaz (34-1-1, 17 KO’s).
Diaz pledged to frustrate Pacquiao’s quest for his fourth title in four different divisions, during a press conference on Wednesday (Tuesday in the Philippines).
"I‘m going to retain my title," Diaz said.
After Thursday's autograph-signing, manager Jim Strickland and co-trainer Mike Garcia started in earnest David’s workout in the gym. No more picture-taking was allowed.
Bernie Bahrmasel, Diaz’s publicity agent, had to beg photographers from further taking footages, saying the more than one-hour public workout should be more than enough.
Diaz said he psyched himself up by "thinking positive and looking forward that we’re going to come out with a victory and that we’re going to be faster and stronger than our opponent. And our mentality is always the same – going forward and never giving up."
For Diaz fighting Pacquiao would be like living a dream.
"one of the most dangerous guys in boxing, if not the number one, pound-for-pound fighter, and it’s great," Diaz said. "I want this challenge, so it’s coming out to be pretty good."
Because he wanted this fight to go the distance, Diaz said he wanted to be in great condition.
Trainer Jim Strickland believes Diaz can "outwork" Pacquiao, though the Filipino champ is aggressive and in top condition.
At noon on Monday, June 23 (June 24 in the Philippines), Diaz will join Pacquiao at a press conference in Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, California, according to Top Rank and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.
He said that would kick off "what should be an extremely, extremely exciting week, leading up to the fight."
On Wednesday, June 25 (June 26 in the Philippines), the two boxers will hold the last press conference in Las Vegas.
Amir Khan wants to fight the winner of next week's world title clash between Manny Pacquiao and David Diaz if he disposes of Michael Gomez on Saturday.
Khan, 21, defends his Commonwealth lightweight title in Birmingham on Saturday against Gomez, a former British super-featherweight champion.
Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao, one of the world's best pound-for-pound fighters, is challenging for David Diaz's WBC belt.
"Diaz and Pacquiao are great fighters, but I could beat them both," said Khan.
"I'm fighting in front of a 10,000 sell-out on Saturday night so I think I'm one of the main men in the division.
"I've got a high rating with the WBO no.2 and WBC no.4 and I feel I'm ready for a world title shot", Amir Khan said.
"And by the end of the year I'm not just going to be one of the main men, I'm going to be number one, everybody's going to be after me.
Manny Pacquiao, who has been mentioned as a possible opponent for Ricky Hatton, is a legend in his home country and has wins over Mexican greats Marco Antonio Barrera [twice], Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez on his record.
Nate Campbell, holder of the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, is also a target for Khan and promoter Frank Warren has already held talks with the American.
"I'd love to fight Campbell," said Khan, who is undefeated in 17 fights as a professional.
"But I can't get too far ahead of myself and I have to do a job on Gomez first on Saturday night."
Saturday's fight promises to be an explosive affair, and Khan's temporary trainer Dean Powell has warned his man not to get involved in a brawl with Gomez, who has predicted a "tear-up".
Powell said: "Gomez is going to bring a special kind of intensity to the fight. We all know how Michael Gomez likes to fight and we are fully prepared for what he's going to bring.
"Amir certainly doesn't need to get involved in World War Three with Gomez. But Gomez is going to have a big shock if he thinks he can shove Amir around the way he shoved Alex Arthur around."
The fight will be Khan's first working with Powell following the former Olympic silver medalist's split with Oliver Harrison last month.
It is also his last on terrestrial channel ITV and his current contract with Warren also comes to an end after Saturday night.
David Diaz WBC Lightweight Champion W 34 (17 ko's) | L 1 | D 1 | Total 36 Sex: Male Nationality: United States Alias: --- Birth Name: David Diaz Hometown: Chicago, Illinois, United States Birthplace: Chicago, IL, USA Rated at: Lightweight World Rank: 7 / 1280 Date of Birth: 1976-06-07 Age: 31 Reach: 69" Stance: Southpaw Height: 5'6"
Manny Pacquiao WBC Featherweight Champion W 46 (35 ko's) | L 3 | D 2 | Total :51 Sex: Male Nationality: Filipino Alias: PacMan Birth Name: Emmanuel D. Pacquiao Hometown: General Santos City, Philippines Birthplace: Bukidnon, Philippines Rated at: Super Featherweight World Rank: 1 / 1032 Date of Birth: 1978-12-17 Age: 29 Reach: 67" Stance: Southpaw Height: 5'6"½
About David Diaz
It's been a year since David Diaz defended his World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight title – beating Mexican Erik Morales via unanimous decision on August 4. In contrast, his challenger Manny Pacquiao has the momentum of a very recent victory, in which he snatched the WBC super featherweight title from Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez.
Can Diaz stop Pacquiao? Or will he be just another rung in the weight ladder for Pacquiao to step on?
Fittingly, Diaz would test Pacquiao's mettle in the same arena where they earned their victories on the very same day – the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, where last March 15 (March 16 in the Philippines) Pacquiao beat Marquez, and where Diaz, in a 10-round nontitle undercard, beat Ramon Montano.
On June 28 (June 29 in the Philippines), Diaz will bank on the strengths listed in his official website www.diazboxing.com: "Diaz is a lefthander with an aggressive style and good skills. At his best, he keeps a busy pace, pressures his opponents and wears them down. David is tough and durable, possessing above average physical strength. He is always in good condition and has good stamina."
Diaz is also a natural lightweight, which may be a slight advantage over Pacquiao, who's fighting at 135 lbs. for the very first time.
The only thing more certain is that it's going to be a thrilling bout, as both fighters have a never-quit attitude, which they had shown against a common opponent that they had – Mexican Erik Morales.
About Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacman Pacquiao, born in Bukidnon but raised in General Santos City, was named 2006 Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Manny Pacquiao has come a long way since starting his professional boxing career in 1995 at 106 pounds at the age of 16. His early fights usually took place in small venues and were shown on Vintage Sports' Blow by Blow evening boxing show.
His first professional fight was a four-round bout against Edmund Ignacio on January 22, 1995, which Manny Pacquiao won via decision, thus becoming an instant star of the program.
In just a few years, Manny Pacquiao went on to become a three-division champ – featherweight, bantamweight, and flyweight. Hes rated no. 1 by the WBC, no. 3 by the IBF, and no. 1 by the WBO.
In Mexico, Manny Pacquiao is known as "Republica Enemy No.1" and "verdugo de mexicanos" because he has beaten up some of the best Mexican fighters since 2003 - Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar Larios, Emanuel Lucero, and Hector Velazquez.
After beating Barrera in 2003, he managed to get a drawn match against Juan Manuel Marquez in 2004. Many Pacman Pacquiao fans considered the decision questionable because Manny Pacquiao sent Marquez to the canvas three times in the first round.
He got the same honor from The Ring magazine for his two spectacular knockout victories of Mexican icon and three-division champion Erik Morales and his round unanimous 12-round decision over former world champion and current No. 1 contender Oscar Larios.
Manny Pacquiao has fought six other boxers since he last faced Juan Manuel Marquez in 2004, losing only one, against Erik Morales in March 2005. But he had his revenge in January 2006,defeating El Terrible twice in their trilogy of matches.
Just last October 2007, he got another milestone victory in his career, beating challenger Marco Antonio Barrera, whom Marquez had earlier stripped of the World Boxing Council super featherweight title.
Now will Manny Pacquiao be able to snatch the belt from Marquez?
Many of his fans feel that he could. After all, when Manny Pacquiao last faced Marquez, in 2004, he managed to send the Mexican three times down the canvas – and all in the very first round. Never mind that the judges made a controversial decision to declare the match a draw.
In recent interviews, Manny Pacquiao himself repeatedly affirmed his confidence in his sharper skills, especially now that he has been under the most intensive training in his entire career.
But as always, he was careful not to be overconfident, saying: "Mahirap ng magsalita ng tapos."
It was lesson that Manny Pacquiao learned recently, not in the boxing ring but in the political arena, in the 2007 national elections.
Manny Pacquiao gained some pounds but packs a more powerful punch now to challenge lightweight champ David Diaz. But for the same reason, his lost some speed. This is the assessment made by Manny Pacquiao (World Boxing Council super featherweight champ) mentor Freddie Roach.
"I think it's probably a lot better at this weight, but the speed is a little bit... a slight difference in that," Roach said. "But when he gets to fighting weight of 135, I think his speed will come back."
Last Saturday, Pacquiao weighed in at 142 lbs., or 7 lbs. over the lightweight limit. The Filipino champ, who did 10 sparring rounds on Wednesday (Tuesday in Los Angeles, where he's training), hopes to shed and be in top shape in a few days.
Pacquiao will fight the Mexican-American Diaz, who lives in Chicago, on June 28 (June 29 in the Philippines) at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
It will be the first time that Pacquiao will tangle with a leftie like him, which is why he's slightly altered his training.
