WORLD lightweight champion David Diaz is willing to get a lesser purse than Manny Pacquiao for his planned confrontation with the Filipino icon to push through.
Diaz, in an interview with DZSR?s ?Sports Chat? radio program on Wednesday, said he is agreeable to receiving a measly $900,000 despite he being the defending champion for the 12-round duel with Pacquiao, whose present asking is no less than $6 million.
The Mexican-American fighter also announced that for the fight to realize, only Pacquiao?s signature above the dotted line is needed as what is expected a mega-encounter is almost done.
He added that he has already accepted all the terms in the purported contract, including its June 28 tentative date and Las Vegas as the place.
?On my part it is. I?m just waiting for Manny to sign the contract,? Diaz assured.
Pacquiao?s lawyer Jeng Gacal told media men the other day that he hopes to travel to the US and check on the contract before April 15.
?If the fight is consummated Manny will fly to the US immediately,? said Gacal.
The 31-year-old Diaz (34-1-1, 17 KO?s) will stake his World Boxing Council lightweight crown which he already successfully defended once against Mexican icon Erik Morales. He won the interim crown by stopping highly-favored Jose Armando Sta. Cruz via a 10th round stoppage August of 2006 then cemented his claim to the regular title by scoring that win over Morales.
?I?ve been basically running and doing some shadow boxing and push-ups but there?s nothing heavy like hitting the bag. I just stay in the gym talking with the guys and loosening up,? said Diaz.
A southpaw like Pacquiao, Diaz know the importance of this bout as a win against the Filipino superstar will almost certainly give him the respect he?s been longing for.
?I understand that he is the big draw every time he goes to Las Vegas, people come and see him,? said Diaz ?I know I am not that much of a draw. I understand the sport and I understand the business end of it.?
As to the experts? prediction that Pacquiao would most-likely knock him out, Diaz said he will just do his stuff inside the ring.
?Everybody has his own opinion but from my standpoint I also have two hands and I know how to throw them as well because I?ve been in this sport for a long time,? said Diaz ?I give myself a very good chance. Others are saying I?m tailor-made for Manny Pacquiao but I believe too that he is tailor-made for.me. Nobody will go home disappointed watching this fight.?
Pacquiao won the WBC superfeatherweight belt via a razor-thin split verdict over another Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in their second fight last month in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their first fight four years earlier ended in a split draw.
Marquez flew into town last weekend to watch the ?Invasion? boxing card top where Filipino world bantamweight champion Gerry Pe?alosa defended his crown against Thai Ratanachai Sor Vorapin via 8th round TKO held at the Araneta Coliseum.
