Manny Pacquiao will join an elite group by becoming a four-weight world champion should be beat David Diaz live on Setanta Sports from 3am, but victory against a naturally bigger man who himself is an elite operator should not be taken as a given. Let us know your thoughts.
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Pacquiao would become only the ninth fighter to win titles at four different weights and considering this will have been across six weight divisions, his achievement is all the more extraordinary.
Diaz, is far less heralded than his namesake Juan, who many feel is still the best fighter at the weight and will take on Michael Katsidis on September 6, but he has the power to be respected by any fighter at this weight.
He proved this knocking down Kendall Holt, in a fight he would lose to the future light welterweight world title contender, and then stopped Jose Armando Santa Cruz when well behind on points.
His unconvincing narrow unanimous points decision victory over Erik Morales last year, after El Terrible had been stopped in consecutive bouts by Pacquiao is seen by many as a reason why the Phillipines fighter will beat another Mexican.
Pacquiao’s all-action style is one that would in all likelihood see him eventually exposed as he goes up in weight and although he showed signs in his last fight against Juan Manuel Marquez of converting to more of a boxer-puncher, the fact that many felt his fellow Mexican should have won the fight suggests it does not particularly suit him.
The fact remains that with Pacquiao being the cash cow, the man the people have come to see and paid to watch on pay-per-view, Diaz would have to completely dominate the fight to win or significantly hurt Pac Man.
As the bigger man he may do this, but I wouldn’t want to bet against Pacquiao getting a points verdict (possibly another controversial one) and setting up a mega-fight and potentially another world title at a fifth weight.
How do you see the fight going?
