DIAZ PREDICTS TOUGH FIGHT FOR PACQUIAO AGAINST CLOTTEY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 07 Mar 2010
Former WBC lightweight champion David Diaz who was annihilated by reigning pound-for-pound superstar Manny Pacquiao in nine rounds predicts that Pacquiao’s fight against Joshua Clottey “is a tough fight, but a winnable fight for Manny.”
Diaz who faces Humberto Soto for the vacant WBC lightweight title told insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports “we’ll see how Manny can penetrate that good defense that Clottey has but I definitely think Manny will win.”
Clottey’s style of keeping both hands up and taking many of his opponents punches on the forearms or gloves created problems for Zab Judah, Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto and indications are he will use the same defensive tactics against Pacquiao and try to wear him down.
Diaz, who came back from the loss to Pacquiao on June 28, 2008 to win a majority decision over former WBC and IBF lightweight champion and WBC super featherweight champion Jesus Chavez last September 26 said he is “feeling good and f eels blessed to get another opportunity to fight for the world title. I am getting ready and hope everything will go right.”
He said the almost six months break since the Chavez fight wont affect him since he has been sparring a lot and while its not the same thing Diaz said “I think I’ll be okay.”
Diaz has been training under Mike Garcia and Jim Strickland in Chicago and said although Sotto “is a tough guy but I’ll work that body and try to get inside of him. He’s a real good technician in the way he uses his reach but if you get inside of that and work him I think we’ll be okay.”
Diaz recalled how well he was treated when he was Pacquiao’s guest along with Edwin Valero at Pacquiao’s lavish 30th birthday celebration in his hometown of General Santos City in December 2008. He said “they were all very nice and give them my best wishes.”
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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