Sunday, June 29, 2008 Manny eyes boxing history By Charles Raymond Maxey
MOVING up in weight and carrying the entire nation on his broad shoulders, Manny Pacquiao climbs the ring this morning with a shot at boxing history.
Pacquiao, the punching machine from General Santos City, will face World Boxing Champion (WBC) lightweight champion David Diaz of Mexico where a victory will make the Filipino boxing sensation become the first Asian fighter to win four titles in different weight classes.
The 29-year-old Pacquiao is actually gunning for a fifth crown counting his victory over Marco Antonio Barrera in their featherweight showdown back in 2003, but didn't bag a title that time after the Mexican was stripped of his championship belt by the WBC prior to the fight.
The 12-round championship bout is scheduled at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, site of Pacquiao's many big victories in the past.
But, none could be bigger than a win over Diaz for this will carve Pacquiao's name into the history books and establish himself as the greatest Filipino fighter.
The legendary Gabriel "Flash" Elorde was a great fighter in his prime having brought honor to the Philippines with his big fighting heart and vigor, but he failed to win the lightweight title in his two attempts.
Pacquiao has all the chance to succeed where Elorde failed and his speed and power are the needed ingredients to pull this one off against the Olympian Diaz.
But, venturing into an unchartered territory, Pacquiao could be in for a big danger against a natural lightweight whose also hungry for fame and recognition.
Pacquiao first campaigned at 107 pounds and moved up to 135 to face Diaz. He decided to invade the lightweight ranks after taking on the best 130-pounders Erik Morales, Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez and beating them one after the other.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's famed American trainer, had declared that his ward will bring his speed and power even up to 140 pounds and that the Filipino will be most comfortable now fighting in the lightweight ranks.
But, the big question is, can Pacquiao withstand punches from a lightweight, or in this instance, Diaz?
Early in his career, Pacquiao's chin was suspect. He got knocked out by Rustico Torrecampo and was even floored by a jab when he fought Nedal Hussein in front of his countrymen several years back.
Pacquiao, however, had become durable through the years. In his last seven wins, he didn't hit the deck in any of them despite facing big hitters Barrera, Morales and Marquez.
Morales failed to knock Pacquiao down the first time they met and in a bout won by Morales. Pacquiao did go down against Barrera in the first round of their 2003 showdown, but it was more of a slip, although the referee ruled a knockdown.
Offense-wise, Pacquiao had improved a lot. Aside from his vaunted straight left, he now has a devastating right hook and fire punches in bunches, which make the Filipino exciting to watch and the boxing experts to easily install him as the heavy favorite in this fight.
