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By Michael Swann
There is too much upside when fighting Manny Pacquiao to haggle over price and details. Even if you’re a Juan Manuel Marquez or David Diaz defending your title, you know when you sign the contract that it’s wise to defer to Pacquiao’s international celebrity and box office appeal. Because even on the short end, your split will still exceed what you can make by fighting anyone else.
Marquez told the Philippine press that he was willing to fight Pacquiao any time, anywhere, and at any price. Clearly motivated by the thought of revenge, he said that he was willing to make any concession to make a third fight happen.
But Manny had another idea. He decided that having been a titlist at 112, 122, and now 130lbs., he wanted a fourth title on his résumé and has set his sights on the talented lightweight division and WBC champion David Diaz, who he fights on June 28 in Las Vegas.
Most experts consider Diaz the weak link in the lightweight titleholders’ chain. The hard-hitting Nate Campbell convincingly defeated Juan Diaz to win three of the belts a week prior to Manny’s victory over Marquez, and the next week linear champion Joel Casamayor stopped young lion Michael Katsidis, surprising those who thought he was past his prime.
David Diaz has been the beneficiary of some good fortune to represent the WBC as its lightweight champ. He won the WBC interim title in August 2006 by scoring a come-from-behind TKO over José Armando Santa Cruz. And then, in the beginning of 2007, Diaz was designated champion in a convoluted set of circumstances that prompted the WBC to strip Casamayor after he refused to sign to fight Diaz.
Mexican icon Erik Morales, after losing four of his last five and three straight, was eager to end his career on a high note and took a PPV fight with Diaz to challenge for his lightweight title.
Despite a game effort, flooring Diaz in round one and building an early lead, Morales ran out of gas, faded down the stretch, and Diaz retained his crown with a unanimous decision.
Diaz next appeared on the March 15 PPV Pacquiao-Marquez card and won a 10-round majority decision over Ramon Montano in a non-title affair.
Still, David was optimistic about his chances against the superstar, saying, “This fight means a lot to me, a fight where Paquiao is at the top of the boxing scene. This is a once in a lifetime chance to test myself against the very best in the sport. Personally I feel so good about this fight. We are going to shock a lot of people.”
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, who promotes both fighters, has been very supportive of David.
“David Diaz as an amateur defeated Zab Judah twice in important tournaments,” said Arum, “and professionally Diaz dug in very deep to defeat three-time world champion Erik Morales. These are big names. I expect both Pacquiao, who is idolized in the Philippines, and Diaz, who has a lot of heart and pride, to give it their all on June 28th.”
To the Philippine people, Pacquiao is more than simply an athlete; he is a symbol of his country’s independence after a long history of occupation.
Manny began his career as a strawweight. Can he bring his punch with him up to lightweight? In a third fight with Marquez we know exactly what to expect. But against Diaz—while Pacquiao should be favored, just on the basis of his speed—we still don’t know what will happen if the naturally bigger Diaz is able to take Pac-Man’s best shot.
Manny put it this way: “I like challenges and now I am going up in weight to 135 pounds to take on the WBC champion, David Diaz. I told my promoter that I wanted my next fight to be at lightweight and now we are all set. I am the challenger and I will have to fight hard to win the lightweight title.”
There is already some scuttlebutt making the rounds that if Manny is victorious against Diaz, he’ll seek out 140lb. champ Ricky Hatton next, although there is also speculation that he will grant Marquez a third fight. In any event, it appears that Pacquiao, at age 29, fully intends to challenge himself until he calls it quits.
As for David Diaz, the Chicago native is a good, solid fighter who has flown under the radar just enough to make it seem that he might be a soft touch for the likes of Pacquiao.
David has already upset one legend, and on June 28 he will try to upset another. At 31, his 12-year career record stands at 34-1-1 (17), his lone loss coming by TKO8 to Kendall Holt in 2005.