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Manny Pacquiao needs a pain reliever and I’m not referring to the
product he endorses.
The razor-close split-decision victory over
Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez last March 16, a result that could have
gone either way, marked PacMan’s third consecutive fight (counting
the eighth round knockout victory over Jorge Solis in April 2007 and
the 12-round decision over Marco Antonio Barrera in October 2007)
wherein he looked pedestrian. While there are silent whispers in the
boxing neighborhood that Pacquiao may be losing his touch, I am not
inclined to readily believe them. Styles make fights and Pacquiao
has struggled lately because he has not stumbled on an adversary
whose style can bring out the best in him.
The lanky Solis displayed an unorthodox style
and Pacquiao needed extra rounds to figure him out. Pacquiao came in
overconfident against Barrera as he was expected to cannibalize the
Mexican alive in their rematch. That Barrera fought to survive and
not to win compounded matters for Pacquiao.
Marquez, on the other hand, presented a boxing
style (re: nonpareil counterpunching) that made him a tough nut to
crack for Pacquiao. Truth to tell, Marquez’s style of fighting is
designed to make PacMan look bad. The Mexican can fight the Filipino
every other day and he would always remain in a counterpunching
mode. Marquez’s refusal to roll the dice and go for the jugular
arguably cost him the decision against Pacquiao.
Pacquiao is at his best when paired with a
fellow slugger. When the match is reduced into a phone booth
slugfest, the Filipino becomes a walking nuclear warhead. While
Freddie Roach should be acknowledged for teaching Pacquiao how to
box a little, the fact remains that Pacquiao is at his most lethal
when placed in a punching landscape.
This is where World Boxing Council (WBC)
lightweight champion “Dangerous” David Diaz comes in.
Chicago-native Diaz is the pain reliever fight
doctors have in mind for Pacquiao. Diaz is as slow as a statue,
feather-fisted (he did not score a knockout until his seventh pro
bout, and even when he began scoring kayos the opposition was
marginal at best) and a face-first brawler.
Diaz owns a record of 34-1 with 17 knockouts.
Many believe he actually incurred his second loss last August, when
he barely defeated Erik Morales on points. In his only officially
recorded loss, Diaz was knocked out in eight rounds by Kendal Holt
in February 2005. Diaz’s wide-open attack cost him dearly against
the straight-punching Holt.
Oh, didn’t I mention that Pacquiao’s best
punch just happens to be the lightning-fast left straight?
Diaz is currently recognized as the WBC
lightweight champion. He actually did not win the title; it was
handed to him on a silver platter. Cuban Joel Casamayor captured the
WBC’s 135-pound diadem in October 2006 by beating Diego Corrales.
The WBC stripped Casamayor of the title because of the latter’s
prolonged inactivity and decided to hand the crown to Diaz. To this
day, Casamayor insists he is the legitimate WBC champion.
The legitimacy of Diaz’s claim to the WBC
tiara aside, the former US Olympian is being penciled to meet
Pacquiao on June 28. Diaz, who turns 33 on June 7, stands to earn
the biggest paycheck of his career.
If Diaz has any advantage against Pacquiao, it
is the champ’s familiarity with the 135-pound division. Pacquiao
will be making his maiden appearance in the weight class and will
also be required to wear bigger gloves.
Make no mistake though, Pacquiao is still the
overwhelming favorite to prevail.
PacMan is apparently itching to meet Diaz as
scheduled. Promoter Bob Arum had earlier dropped hints that the
fight might be delayed as the cut Pacquiao sustained against Marquez
may require additional time to heal.
It would serve Pacquiao well if he can secure
the fight with Diaz as soon as possible. A devastating victory by
Pacquiao over Diaz would not only give the Filipino a fourth boxing
title, it would also help squelch the wave of criticisms he has been
receiving for his recent performances.
Heck, considering further our ephemeral memory,
nobody might even remember the struggle with Marquez after Pacquiao
is through with Diaz.
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For comments, the writer can be reached at
atty_eduardo@ yahoo.com
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