SAN FRANCISCO ? David Diaz, the bull-strong Mexican-American being lined up to collide with Manny Pacquiao on June 28 in Las Vegas, is vacationing with his family in his native Chicago and will immediately report for training once the fight is confirmed by Top Rank.
Bernie Bharmasel, who does the publicity work for Diaz, told the Bulletin on Thursday that the 31-year-old southpaw “is currently waiting to hear that the June 28 date is finalized for his fight with the Mexicutioner.”
“He (Diaz) will start camp accordingly as soon as the fight is finalized,” said Bharmasel. “At the present time, he is in Chicago spending time with his family.”
Diaz caught the fancy of Top Rank chief Bob Arum over the weekend in Las Vegas after he hammered out a clear-cut 10-round decision over Ramon Montano of Mexico underneath Pacquiao?s split verdict victory over Juan Manuel Marquez.
Although contracts have yet to be signed, Arum has mentioned publicly that Diaz will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown against Pacquiao at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
After learning about Arum?s plan, Diaz vowed to train harder since he eager to beat the 29-year-old Pacquiao.
“No, not that way I fought that night,” Diaz told. “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 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.
“Definitely, I think that?s what he thinks,” said Diaz when pressed to comment about thoughts that Pacquiao will devour him easily.
“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,” added Diaz, who holds a 34-1-1 win-loss-draw card with 17 knockouts.
Diaz racked up 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.
Arum said Pacquiao will have to sacrifice just like what he did when he trained for Juan Manuel Marquez to topple Diaz.
“I think it?s a tough fight, Diaz is not the most skilled guy, certainly you know you can hit him over the head with a sledgehammer, and you can?t budge him. He never stops trying,” Arum also told the same website.
“I think it?s going to be a very entertaining and tough fight. Manny is a lot quicker but I don?t see him being able to knock David out. It will be an exciting fight for the full 12 rounds,” said the New York-born Hall of Fame promoter.
Pacquiao holds the WBC super-feather crown, the first three-division titlist from Asia, and will shoot for an even harder feat when he tries to take Diaz?s 130-lb title.
Pacquiao suffered a nasty cut underneath his right eyebrow when he unseated Marquez and was told by the plastic surgeon that the cut needs at least six to eight weeks to heal.
