DIAZ PICKS PACQUIAO TO BEAT VALERO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 02 Jul 2008
Former World Boxing Council lightweight champion David Diaz believes Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao, who took his title with a masterful ninth round knockout in Las Vegas last Saturday, will beat WBA super featherweight champion in a fight that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said will take place in November with the undefeated Venezuelan moving up to 135 pounds.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Diaz said although he hadn?t seen Valero fight ?my money is on Pacquiao.?
He belittled the undefeated Valero?s record of 24 knockouts in 24 wins posing the question ?who has he fought?? In stark contrast Diaz said Pacquiao has fought "the greatest of Mexican fighters and has fought a lot of skilled fighters.?
Diaz added ?Pacquiao has the pedigree and although I personally haven?t seen Valero fight my money is on Pacquiao.? He quickly clarified ?I?m not a big betting man. No, no. no. If I bet something it will be a case of beer. That?s as high as I go.?
Diaz praised Pacquiao as ?a smart fighter who did what he had to do and he?s a great champion.? In his view Pacquiao ?definitely fought his best fight against me and like I said before he would come to the fight very well prepared.?
Diaz revealed there were those who said Pacquiao wouldn?t be in top condition for the fight but he had responded, ?that?s nonsense. Manny Pacquiao has got history he wants to make and he?s going to train his butt off to achieve that and he did, and he did a great job to achieve that.?
Diaz added, ?my hat goes off to him and my respect for him has increased tremendously.?
The former champion and ex Olympian said he was not thinking of boxing at this time saying ?right now all I am thinking about is a nice, warm shower, nice blanket with my wife and spending time with my kids.? He said he had neglected his family for about a month while training for the Pacquiao fight ?so its time to make up and spend time with them.?
Advised by us to go and cheer for his favorite baseball team ? the Chicago Cubs ? Diaz said he?ll ?drink a couple of beers and watch the Cubs.?
Asked whether he plans on buying a new car Diaz said ?oh yeah, we have to? but jokingly added that with the skyrocketing gasoline prices ?I?m going to end up getting a bicycle.? He said he would ?wait around and see what happens because I don?t have to do nothing.?
Arum, in an interview with Dennis Principe on his ?Sports Chat? show over dzSR Sports Radio praised Diaz as ?one of the nicest young men that I?ve ever had to promote and he was tremendously gracious in defeat and he told me after the fight that he wants to rest for the remainder of the year. He took a tremendous beating at the hands of Manny and I will start planning for him sometime. There are a lot of lightweight champions and lightweights out there that David could do very well against. Manny was just too fast and had too much stamina and energy for David to cope with. There are other fighters out there who would not present that kind of problem.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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