PACQUIAO WANTS TO CREATE HISTORY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 20 Jun 2008
Filipino national treasure Manny Pacquiao wants to create boxing history by succeeding in his quest to win a fourth world title when he battles World Boxing Council lightweight champion David Diaz at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on June 28.
In a media conference call Pacquiao said ?it?s very important to me and my country to put my name into boxing history.?
Pacquiao dispelled concerns that he may have lost some of his vaunted punching power and remarkable speed by moving up to lightweight (135 lbs) from super featherweight where he is champion after winning the title via a split decision from Juan Manuel Marquez last March 15. He said ?I believe I am stronger than him (Diaz) at 135 pounds ? even as he indicated he had maintained his speed and in fact increased his strength.
Pacquiao is regarded as one of the most exciting fighters in the world today and was only recently elevated to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings by the ?Bible of Boxing? Ring Magazine after Floyd Mayweather Jr officially informed Ring that he was retiring.
But Diaz who sent Mexican legend Erik ?El Terrible? Morales into retirement after Pacquiao had hammered him into submission in a ten-round demolition in their rematch and a three round annihilation in the third fight of a brutal trilogy, isn?t fazed saying ?I want this fight more than he does.?
In a Top Rank TV special Diaz who, like Pacquiao is managed by astute promoter Bob Arum said ?This is a guy who has been going in different weight classes beating up on people and now he?s trying to do that at 135 and I think he?s going to run into a little bit of problems.?
Well-known boxing writer Doug Fischer says that style-wise the fight is a crowd-pleaser noting that Diaz, an American with a Mexican heritage and a former US Olympian, is a ?pressure fighter and someone who likes to hunt his opponent down in the ring while Manny Pacquiao is a dynamic explosive fighter. He?s got all the natural talent in the world. He?s got the speed, he?s got the power.?
Arum said Diaz is known for non-stop activity and ?throws punches to the body, to the head and tends to wear down his opponent. He has a rock-solid chin and an unlimited reservoir of energy while Manny Pacquiao we all know. He?s been a devastating puncher at the lower weight divisions and throws a million punches.?
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