Diaz fight plan: Mirror Pacquiao style

SANTA MONICA—If David Diaz is to be believed, the relentless barrage with which Manny Pacquiao normally overwhelms foes to submission is exactly what the Filipino will have a taste of during their World Boxing Council lightweight duel on June 28 (June 29, Sunday in Manila).

“Pressure,” Diaz said, reiterating a game plan based on the belief that Pacquiao normally takes pauses after unloading punches with his blinding hand speed. “(I plan to) just go out there and apply more pressure.”

The 32-year-old Diaz believes that those Pacquiao pauses will give him the chance to let the Filipino champion have a taste of his own medicine, citing the fact that he feels he is in better shape than the reigning WBC super featherweight king.

Diaz, in fact, has lost count of the rounds of sparring he completed against four partners in Chicago’s JABB Gym.

“Maybe a thousand,” Diaz said in jest. “But I did 6, 10, 12 rounds at least three times a week.”
Meanwhile, promoter Bob Arum has joined the list of people who believe the “Pacman” is going to be stronger as a lightweight than as a super featherweight.

Arum cited as an example Miguel Cotto, who became a more effective fighter after bulking up to 147 and joining the welterweight ranks.

Arum, chief of Top Rank which is putting together the “Lethal Combination” card, said Pacquiao has been struggling to make the 130 lb in his past two fights.

And the weight struggles, Arum believes, may have been the reason why both fights—although victories—failed to produce a knockout.

“He depletes himself” trying to make the weight, Arum said.

Arum, though, believes Diaz stands a chance as long as he sticks to his game plan. Diaz is a 4-1 underdog in the fight. (Roy Luarca; INQ.net)

Cautious Pacquiao will try to KO Diaz

HOLLYWOOD—There’s no guarantee of a knockout.

The most Manny Pacquiao can assure his fans is he’ll go for it when he tangles with defending champion David Diaz for the World Boxing Council lightweight crown on June 28 in Las Vegas.
“All boxers want to win by knockout, and both of us will try to do that. But it’s hard to tell what will happen,” Pacquiao told Manila-based sportswriters in Filipino at his unit at the gated Palazzo apartments here.

“I will try to win by KO to give the fans their money’s worth.”
Pacquiao promised plenty of action, though, in the bout dubbed “Lethal Combination” at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

His hair newly cut and his moustache trimmed, Pacquiao said he’s not worried in his first outing in the 135-pound division.

“I have big sparmates and I’m heavier than that (135) when I fight,” he said.
After weighing in at 129 lb, Pacquiao ballooned to 145 when he wrested the WBC super featherweight crown from Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15.

Though he’s not thinking of losing, Pacquiao said he won’t make any excuses in the event of such an upset.

Oddsmakers have installed the Filipino superstar a 4-1 favorite to beat Diaz and become the only Asian to win four world titles in different divisions.

The 29-year-old Pacquiao also held the WBC flyweight title in 1998 and the International Boxing Federation super bantam belt in 2001.

Pacquiao also dismissed the notion that Diaz will be an easy conquest based on the way he beat Ramon Montano, a sparmate of Pacquiao, by decision in the undercard of Pacquiao-Marquez II.
“I’m sure he’ll be in better shape this time,” said Pacquiao. “He just didn’t take Montano seriously. But I’ll be ready for him. Fighting is my business and I want to be in the best shape each time I fight.”

With his weight in check at 139 and feeling fine, Pacquiao—given the go-signal by chief trainer Freddie Roach to take a break—opted to jog around the La Brea park before hearing mass at the Christ the King church.

After eating lunch, Pacquiao rested for three hours and then whiled the time away playing a friendly card game and darts.

Feeling hungry at around 6 p.m., he finished a sandwich before hobnobbing with visitors.
It will be a busy Monday for Pacquiao. After winding up his training at the Wild Card Gym with four rounds of sparring, he proceeds to Santa Monica pier for a joint press luncheon conference with Diaz.

From there, Team Pacquiao will take the four-hour drive to Las Vegas, arriving just before sunset in the city of lights.