ADD crafty Juan Diaz to the long list of possible Manny Pacquiao opponents.
The reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion took the cue and accepted the challenge of the Filipino brown bomber for a future megabuck fight on pay-per-view.
Diaz, the promising 22-year old king of the 135-lb division, is coming off a one-sided, ninth round technical knockout victory over Filipino Randy Suico last Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a fight Pacquiao said he could have easily won.
“I could beat Diaz by using lots of movements. Diaz is a perfect opponent for me,” said the 27-year-old Pacquaio.
Asked about a possible fight with one of boxing’s biggest attractions today, Diaz, a rugged Mexican now based in Houston, Texas, readily agreed to it.
“I think it would be great,” Diaz said in a chat transcript with BoxingTalk. “My manager told me that he wants to fight me now that I beat his countryman.”
“I think that would be a great opportunity for me if I would be able to do that.”
Pacquiao said he’s looking forward to fighting Diaz in the near future if only to avenge the heavy beating he inflicted on the 5-foot-8 Suico.
“Someday I will fight him (Diaz) and I will beat him so we can have some sort of a revenge,” said Pacquiao, who needs to go up one division higher to make the match with Diaz possible.
The southpaw from General Santos City is slated to face Mexican warrior Erik Morales for the third time on Nov. 18 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In the event he gets past the 30-year-old three-time world champion, Pacquiao is already being lined up for a rematch with Juan Marco Antonio Barrera by March of next year.
