LOS ANGELES ? The rugged Mexico-born fighter who was paid $2,400 to spar with Manny Pacquiao for three weeks predicted WBC lightweight champion David Diaz won?t survive the distance with the Filipino icon in their 12-round bout at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on June 28.
But superlightweight contender Noel Rodriguez said Diaz won?t go down easily.
?Diaz has a granite chin and throws a lot of punches,? said the 22-year-old Rodriguez, who was invited by trainer Freddie Roach to fly from Texas to Hollywood to prepare Pacquiao for his lightweight invasion. ?He?s no pushover. But I think he can only take so much punishment. Manny will wear him out. Either the referee will stop it or he?ll quit in the late rounds.?
Rodriguez said he was offered the three-week contract by Roach through Texas promoter Bill Benton.
?Freddie must have heard about me,? said Rodriguez. ?I?m a southpaw like Diaz and my job in sparring with Pacquiao was to simulate his style. I?m actually more of a boxer than Diaz who?s a brawler. But I went in there to mix it up with Pacquiao.?
In all, Rodriguez said he sparred about 30 rounds with Pacquiao.
?I?ve never sparred with anyone quite like Pacquiao,? said Rodriguez. ?He?s not only quick but also very strong. His power is in the left hand. His left straight is his hardest punch. Luckily, I never got groggy when we sparred.?
Rodriguez said he has faced opponents in the welterweight division who hit harder. He pointed to Francisco Figueroa, whom he lost to on points last year, as the hardest puncher he?s ever fought.
Roach said he recruited Rodriguez because of his ability to take punishment.
?He?s fought at 147 and I brought him in so Manny can connect as hard as he can without holding back,? said Roach. ?Because he?s bigger than Manny, he can take a lot more hits than fighters in the lower weight divisions. Besides, he?s a southpaw like Diaz.?
Rodriguez said Diaz will find it difficult to hit Pacquiao.
?He?s like a ghost in the ring,? said Rodriguez. ?Freddie worked on his footwork in the gym and that?s what he?ll use to move away from Diaz who likes to come forward. It?s like now you see him, now you don?t. Pacquiao is also very smart. He?ll use his right hand to set up his left and I don?t think Diaz can get away from being tagged.?
Rodriguez is the sixth of 15 children. He was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and grew up in McKinney, Texas. An older brother Albert is also a pro fighter. Father Jose, 51, was his first coach and is now involved in the roofing business as a contractor.
Rodriguez flew to Hollywood with his father.
?I?m faster than Diaz and Pacquiao is 10 times faster than me which means he?s 20 times faster than Diaz,? said Rodriguez. ?In sparring with Pacquiao, my job was to try to keep up with him. We were six sparmates in all. Two of them were Speedy Gonzalez and Steve Quinones. There were days when Pacquiao would spar with four of us, three rounds each. It was like he never got tired.?
Rodriguez said he was paid a flat fee on a weekly basis regardless of how many rounds he sparred.
?I?ve worked with guys like Jesus Chavez, Juan Diaz and Rocky Juarez and there?s nobody out there I?ve fought better than Pacquiao,? said Rodriguez. ?I can?t see Pacquiao losing to Diaz.?
Rodriguez turned pro in 2004 and has compiled a 13-2 record, with five KOs. His first loss was inflicted by Joel Ortega three years ago but he has since beaten him twice.
?Golden Boy is looking at me and I?m hoping to sign a contract with them,? said Rodriguez. ?I?m young and I?m learning from the best. My experience in sparring with Pacquiao will go a long way in preparing me for the future. There?s a possibility I will be fighting in a big card in July.?
