CEBU CITY ? Manny Pacquiao is not looking past David Diaz, who the Filipino southpaw describes as ?not too fast but remains a very dangerous opponent.?
Pacquiao said Tuesday that while he has agreed in principle to go after Diaz?s World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown on June 28 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, he has yet to sign his name above the dotted line.
“My lawyer (Franklin Gacal) is now in the States (meeting with Top Rank) and I am just waiting for his call,” said Pacquiao after gracing a well-attended boxing card that he and close buddy Wakee Salud put up for free at the Lapu-Lapu City Auditorium.
Still, Pacquiao believes he cannot afford to take Diaz for granted.
“Diaz has power in his hands and you just don?t take somebody like him lightly because you might end up crying in the end,” said Pacquiao before boarding a plane bound for General Santos City with his wife Jinkee.
Pacquiao is expected to fly to Los Angeles on May 8 or 9 and show up shortly at Freddie Roach?s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood to start his serious training.
Even Salud is convinced that Pacquiao needs to spend more time with Roach in the US.
“Diaz is a fighter who has nothing to lose but everything to gain,” Salud said.
“I will personally ask Manny to train at Wild Card because we cannot afford to take risk at this point in time.” Pacquiao will be back this weekend to play the role of chieftain Lapu-Lapu during the festivities meant for the Battle of Mactan celebrations and Buboy Fernandez, who lends a hand in training, bared that “Manny plans to train for one week in Cebu.”
Meanwhile, world-rated lightweight Randy Suico flattened Thailand?s Sornom Jockeygym with an overhand right to the jaw in the third round, while Richard Olisa of the Jaro Boxing Gym dethroned Eden Sonsona of Wild Card-Paranaque for the Philippine super-fly title on a split decision after 12 rounds.
Games and Amusements Board boxing division head Dr. Nasser Cruz had to examine Jockeygym in his hotel room at the Waterfront-Mactan on Tuesday morning after the fighter?s manager, Narong Hengtrakul, requested that he be checked by a doctor.
Cruz said that Jockeygym may have fractured his jaw.
