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By Ed C. Tolentino, Contributor
World Boxing Council lightweight champion
“Dangerous” David Diaz hired a mixed martial arts trainer to
prepare him for his title defense against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday
(Sunday in Manila) at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las
Vegas.
The Chicago Sun Times reported that Mike Garcia,
the trainer of former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight
champion Andrei Arlovski, has been working the mitts feverishly with
Diaz. Jim Strickland remains the chief trainer, but Garcia has been
helping devise the ideal strategy against Pacquiao.
Garcia, 40, boxed during his heyday. He won four
Chicago Golden Gloves titles and went undefeated in 26 professional
fights before calling it quits due to chronic hand injuries.
He is currently the co-owner of Jabb Gym in
Chicago.
Diaz, who is making his second defense of the
lightweight plum, reveals that he used to train alongside Garcia
when the latter was still a boxer. Diaz credits Garcia for teaching
him how to “throw an uppercut faster and with more leverage.”
In August 2006, Diaz won the lightweight title
by flattening Jose Santa Cruz with a smashing left uppercut in the
10th round.
Diaz, 34-1-1 with 17 knockouts, has earned a
reputation as a one-dimensional slugger. For the Pacquiao fight,
Strickland and Garcia are trying to teach the champion how to employ
a little movement and properly handle PacMan’s whirlwind offensive
assaults.
“Mike teaches me how to move, block, push a
guy’s hand a certain way to get more leverage,” Diaz said. “He
teaches catching and throwing, not catching and trying to step
around or move away.
“He teaches little tricks he sees along the
way.”
Garcia claims Diaz will show up in the best
shape of his career against Pacquiao and go for a conclusive win.
“Everybody, keep your eyes on David.
You’re going to see something special that night,” vowed Garcia.
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