Diaz ‘di natatakot kay Pacquiao

Kung ang lakas ang pag-uusapan, hindi uurungan ni Mexican-American word lightweight champion David Diaz si Filipino challenger Manny Pacquiao. 

“I will beat Manny at his own game - power for power,” prediksyon kahapon ng 31-anyos na si Diaz sa kanilang ikalawang pagtatagpo ng 29-anyos na si Pacquiao sa isang press conference sa Chicago.

Nakatakdang idepensa ni Diaz ang kanyang suot na World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown laban kay Pacquiao sa Hunyo 28 sa Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ayon kay Diaz, ito na ang pinakamabigat niyang laban matapos ang kanyang unang title defense kay dating three-division titlist Erik Morales noong Agosto.

“This will be my hardest battle- it has been three years since I have changed weight divisions and I will be doing it against the lightweight world champion,” ani Diaz. ”I am fighting for history- five world titles in five different weight classes-and I am fighting the people of the Philippines.”

Katulad ni Diaz, inaasahan rin ni Pacquiao, ang bagong WBC super featherweight king, na magiging hitik sa aksyon ang nasabing world lightweight championship.

“Diaz can punch... pero nakikita ko sa kaniya, mas mabilis ako siguro konti,” ani Pacquiao. “Of course, I believe na mas malakas pa ako kaysa sa kaniya.”

Dadalhin ni Diaz ang 34-1-1 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 14 KOs, samantalang ibinabandera naman ni Pacquiao ang 46-3-2 (34 KO’s) slate.

“Manny is a tremendous fighter with fast hands. What we’re training for is if he hits us with a three-punch combination, we’re going to hit him back with a four-punch combination. If he hits us hard, we’re going to hit him harder,” ani Jim Strickland, manager ni Diaz. (RCadayona)