Took a pass on the Pacquiao-Diaz HBO PPV – then, hearing from most precincts wrapping Pacquiao with pound for pound honors following the lopsided stanza nine destruction of Diaz, I quickly circled the week after taped replay on the calendar.
In no more than three stanzas, the Pacquiao upgrades came through loud and clear- gone was the shot from a cannon offense at the opening bell – this new age 29 multi-title champion entered on a glittering rap sheet of 51 past kept appointments with 35 coming via the knockout route.
Hard to believe trainer Freddie Roach could convert a successful veteran from a prior in the trenches specialist to boxer/puncher in style – it helped Pacquiao to stay the course in tossing a shutout round after round without once abandoning the game plan.
The hands proved too quick for a game but out of his league defending champion Dave Diaz – try as he did, the incoming was simply too accurate, varied, and effective for the Chicago brawler to make this one a contest.
The coup de grace came at 2:24 mark of round nine – a Pacquiao missed jab quickly followed by power straight left hand on the button – Diaz falls face first to the canvas.
Rest of the story:
Manny Pacquiao – newly crowned WBC Lightweight champion – flip a coin: WBA-IBF-WBO Nate Campbell unifier makes good sense. Other lightweights of interest past champion Juan Diaz, Ring Magazine Joel Casamayor, Joan Guzman more than qualified.
Re: The P4P silliness strictly opinions – the new look should help earn valid ?special? recognition. Crowd pleaser extraordinaire fits my description for the present time. Kudos to both fighter and trainer.
Referee Drakulich: I ask where?s the common sense today in referee decision making department. Dracula here, beckons the commission medic mid round to scan a Diaz cut over the eye – medicine man quickly gives a thumbs up – later another visit and another green light. Pray tell, if only the referee can make the stoppage decision, and in this one it was clear Diaz had no chance of turning things around, why not simply call it no-mas. Waiting for Diaz to fall face first after being blanked and punished over 8 and change stanzas is ludicrous.
