FILIPINOS IN CHICAGO EAGER TO SEE PACQUIAO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 05 May 2008
The large and active Filipino community in Chicago is looking forward to seeing boxing icon Manny Pacquiao on his planned visit to the city for a joint press conference with WBC lightweight champion David Diaz on May 21.
Chicago is the birthplace of Diaz and is one of the key cities in the fighters road-show organized by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to drum up interest in the June 28 "Lethal Combination" showdown at the Mandalay ay Resort Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today learned that Diaz? publicist Bernie Bharmasel told the Philippine Weekly, a community newspaper in the Windy City ?we are inviting the large Filipino community in Chicago to the press conference and media day and welcome Manny Pacquiao.?
Bahrmasel said Diaz ?undergoes a rigorous but closed training? even as he refused to reveal how long and often the champion trains at the Jabb gym in Chicago ?s southwest side.
Former NBN TV news anchor/reporter Romy Sajer said Diaz?s handlers were ?so secretive on his training regimen? that when a handful of Filipino community photographers visited the gym they were only allowed to shoot ?choreographed fighting poses and warm-ups and handlers even refused a request to videotape or photograph how Diaz?s hands were being taped.?
Sajer reported that ?a bare-three-man entourage accompanied Diaz to the gym? even as the champion arrived some 45 minutes ahead of his 12 noon schedule. Diaz was just one of more than twenty aspiring fighters in the modern training facility in Chicago ?s Spanish-speaking Pilsen neighborhood when the Filipinos visited him.
The 31 year old Mexican-American, a four-time Chicago Golden Gloves winner and member of the 1996 US Olympic boxing team said he considers his June 28 title fight with Pacquiao ?the biggest fight of my life. Bigger than when I won the title. Even bigger than beating a legend in (Erik) Morales.?
After a sparring session by Diaz, the consensus among the Filipinos was that the 135 pound champion was ?serious and all business.?
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