SULAIMAN WONDERS WHETHER PACQUIAO WILL BE THE SAME AT LIGHTWEIGHT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 06 Jun 2008
World Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman wonders, like some other fight fans, whether Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao will be the same fighter after moving up to lightweight to fight champion David Diaz at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on June 28.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today from his home in Mexico City, Sulaiman said ?the key problem here os will Pacquiao be the same in the lightweight division? That?s the question because sometimes boxers when they move up (in weight) lose some power.?
Pacquiao, the reigning WBC super featherweight champion is moving up from 130 to 135 pounds to fight Diaz in the hope of becoming the first Asian to win four world titles.
Sulaiman said the problem is compounded by the fact that Diaz is a very active fighter, ?always throwing punches.? However, he said ?Pacquiao is Pacquiao. A great fighter. If he is at his best, he can take Diaz.?
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach had earlier expressed confidence that Pacquiao will take his punching power with him and may even hit harder as a lightweight which is a view shared by boxing analyst and a member of the original Team Pacquiao, Ramon ?Moy? Lainez.
The WBC president refused to belittle Diaz, the Mexican-American who made the US Olympic team by beating highly-favored Zan Judah twice in the Olympic trials stating that Diaz is ?very durable and seldom goes down.? Diaz was dropped by Erik ?El Terrible? Morales in the first round but recovered to win a tough battle and retain his title.
Sulaiman described Diaz as being ?tenacious and determined fighter who throws a lot of punches.? He cautioned Pacquiao that ?it won?t be an easy fight and will be very competitive.?
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