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DIAZ: I WILL BE FIGHTING A SLOWER PACQUIAO By Alex P. Vidal PhilBoxing.com Mon, 24 Mar 2008  CHICAGO ? Ready and excited to win. This was how World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion David Diaz described his reported upcoming duel with WBC superfeatherweight champion Manny Pacquiao on June 28 in Las Vegas. ?It is now my time and I am ready and excited to win this big fight,? declared the 31-year-old conqueror of Erik ?El Terible? Morales who has been picked by Top Rank big boss Bob Arum to tangle next versus Pacquiao, who is fresh from toppling Juan Manuel Marquez in a championship fight at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas last March 15. Diaz, a native of this city, is with his family a week after scoring a mediocre 10-round majority decision win over Pacquiao?s sparring partner Ramon Montano of Mexico in the main aperitif of the Marquez-Pacquiao encounter. After being assured of a megabuck collision with Pacquiao immediately after silencing Montano, Diaz went back here and enjoyed his vacation before going back to the gym first week of April for his Spartan-like training in a bid to add Pacquiao to his list of victims as lightweight kingpin. Diaz has been assured by his publicist Bernie Bharmasel that ?he is the number one priority? in the June 28 megabuck rumble although the camp of Marquez is insisting to face Pacquiao for the third time. Arum told reporters during the press conference immediately after the ?Unfinished Business? card in Las Vegas that everything but the signing of contract is ready for the Pacquiao-Diaz showdown in the lightweight division. Diaz, who was with Arum during the press conference, acknowledged the ?good news? and blocked the proposed Marquez-Pacquiao trilogy saying ?it is now my time? and that ?they (Marquez and Pacquiao) have already fought twice.? Diaz declared: "I know I have to pick up my game a little more, and I know what I am capable of doing. If I can do what I am capable of doing, I know I can beat Manny Pacquiao." Diaz (34-1-1, 17 KOs), said if the boxing community and Pacquiao think he is just a raw slugger and an easy prey for Pacquiao?s brand of fight, they?re all mistaken. Diaz added: "I think his camp think it?s going to be an easier fight, and I welcome that. Train hard, please train hard, because I am going to be there all 12 rounds.? Diaz accumulated almost 200 amateur fights and was a three-time US National Golden Gloves champion and a member of the 1996 US Olympic team before turning professional after reaching the second round of the Atlanta Games. Meanwhile, Team Pacquiao left Los Angeles Saturday night and is expected to arrive to a hero?s welcome in Manila Monday morning (March 25). The decision to postpone the homecoming from the original plan of March 18 came after Pacquiao suffered an ugly cut in the right eye during his 12-round rumble with Marquez. Texas-based Dr. Allan Recto had to proceed to Los Angeles last March 21 to remove the stitches before Pacquiao?s March 22 trip in Manila. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Alex P. Vidal.  |
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