LAS VEGAS ? Saying nationality is not an issue, rugged David Diaz, the Mexican-American banger being groomed to face Manny Pacquiao in June, believes the Filipino will be too much for Juan Manuel Marquez to handle this Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay.
“This is going to be a tough one to call. I don?t want to be here betting on this fight. I see how Manny Pacquiao looks and he looks strong and I think he is going to be the favorite to win,” said Diaz, the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight titlist, who faces Mexican Ramon Montano in a special attraction ten-rounder underneath the Pacquiao-Marquez slugfest.
“No, that doesn?t mean nothing as I could want him to win but I could be a realist and probably know that Pacquiao?s going to win,” said Diaz, when asked why he is not rooting for his paisano.
Although Diaz fought for the US Olympic team in the 1996 Games, he is a full-blooded Mexican and Top Rank chief Bob Arum has assured him of a shot at Pacquiao in the event he hurdles past Montano and Pacquiao beats Marquez.
“We are going to wait and see what happens and it?s going to be a tall order for Montano here and take care of this first and worry about what happens after the fight,” added Diaz, who holds a win-loss-draw record of 33-1-1 with 17 knockouts.
Diaz, who is also a lefty like Pacquiao, resides in Chicago.
Arum has eyed Diaz to battle Pacquiao sometime in late-June at the MGM Grand with his WBC 135lb belt on the line.
