By Johnny M. Pecayo
Chairman & CEO, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, MANILA-U.S. TIMES
www.manilaustimes.blogspot.com/
MUST Photos by Chief Photographer Romeo M. Balboa
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – In front of 8,362 people, including referee Vic Drakulich and three judges – Gary Merritt, C. J. Ross and Paul Smith -- and millions of televiewers all over the world, Manny Pacquiao showed off June 28 his boxing prowess when he knocked out and dethroned WBC Lightweight champion David Diaz at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Resort Casino Events Center at 2:24 in Round 9, with commanding lead points from Round 1 through Round 9, halting the scheduled 12-round bout in impressive fashion dominating former Olympian Diaz from the opening bell.
Desirous of becoming the first Asian and Filipino to win four World Boxing Championship in different categories, Manny Pacquiao proved to one and all that he is the world’s best boxer having won four world titles at 112, 122, 130 and 135 pounds – convincingly defeating Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, and the very recent one, David Diaz of Chicago. Pacquiao is the first Filipino to win a lightweight belt. His great sense of nationalism, and his desire to help the typhoon victims he manifested in interviews prior to the June 28 fight, became his obsession.
Chairman & CEO, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, MANILA-U.S. TIMES
www.manilaustimes.blogspot.com/
MUST Photos by Chief Photographer Romeo M. Balboa
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – In front of 8,362 people, including referee Vic Drakulich and three judges – Gary Merritt, C. J. Ross and Paul Smith -- and millions of televiewers all over the world, Manny Pacquiao showed off June 28 his boxing prowess when he knocked out and dethroned WBC Lightweight champion David Diaz at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Resort Casino Events Center at 2:24 in Round 9, with commanding lead points from Round 1 through Round 9, halting the scheduled 12-round bout in impressive fashion dominating former Olympian Diaz from the opening bell.
Desirous of becoming the first Asian and Filipino to win four World Boxing Championship in different categories, Manny Pacquiao proved to one and all that he is the world’s best boxer having won four world titles at 112, 122, 130 and 135 pounds – convincingly defeating Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, and the very recent one, David Diaz of Chicago. Pacquiao is the first Filipino to win a lightweight belt. His great sense of nationalism, and his desire to help the typhoon victims he manifested in interviews prior to the June 28 fight, became his obsession.
With majority in the audience as Pacquiao’s supporters, everytime they would scream and cheer, chanting the deafening “Manny!” “Manny!” “Manny!” his punches became faster and stronger and, as Diaz tried to cover his face with his hands, Pacquiao’s left and right hand combinations of uppercut, jabs and more jabs would break through and hit the targetted area of Diaz’ face and body to the consternation of Diaz, but to the increasing chanting from the huge crowd, favoring Manny Pacquiao, the challenger.
Dubbed as “Lethal Combination” by the official promoters, it turned out to be a lethal destruction just as soon as the first bell rang until 2:24 of the 9th round when Pacquiao TKO’d Diaz with all his might, as Pacquiao gave his all with a crashing left hook to Diaz’ chin, sending him to lay flat on the canvas, face first.
Pacquiao Dominance
Manny Pacquiao of General Santos, Philippines (47-3-2, 35 knockouts) landed a total of 230 punches and 180 power shots versus 90 and 59, respectively, by Diaz of Chicago, Illinois (34-2-1), clearly showing Pacquiao’s dominance. Pacquiao had 490 power punches and 298 jabs thrown to Diaz’s 319 power punches and 144 jabs.
To a lot of people’s apprehension that Pacquiao’s speed might be affected by suddenly moving up to 135 pounds in less than three months after his fight with Marquez, he proved them wrong by showing them a clear answer in the first round. Moving fluidly and quickly, Pacquiao gave his opponent with a barrage of jabs while working the body and and effectively scoring with the uppercut. His superb hand speed was clearly dominating from start to finish.
Pacquiao Shows Kind-heartedness
By late in the fourth round, Diaz’s face was a bloody mask, and Pacquiao asked referee Vic Drakulich to stop the fight. After consulting with the physician, Drakulich allowed the onslaught to continue.
Diaz took a huge amount of punishment and showed courage as he somehow remained on his feet. But he ultimately reached his limit late in the ninth when Pacquiao dropped him with a right-left combination after landing four bombs seconds before.
“His speed was a big difference,” Diaz said. “He boxed me more than I expected him to. That’s what surprised me. I could see perfectly, but he was too fast. I could not match his speed,” Diaz said, adding, “but there is no excuses.”
Pacquiao consistently showed his kindness to his foe when Diaz fell on the canvas. He went to Diaz’s side immediately to literally carry him with both hands, until Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao’s super alalay pulled him to the corner, carried him with his strong arms to wave to the crowd while at the same time praying and thanking God for his fourth victory in four different WBC categories.
“I feel much stronger and powerful at 135 pounds. But I don’t mind moving to 140,” said Pacquiao during the press conference, held immediately after his highly convincing feat over Diaz. The press conference was presided over by Bob Arum, top honcho of Top Rank Promotions, who chided President George W. Bush for a reduced number of attendees – 8,362 compared to 9,100 three months ago at the same venue – due largely to spiraling cost of gasoline.
Pacquiao, indeed, is a man whose nature invokes real kindness when he told the members of the press that “I dedicate this victory to the victims of Typhoon Frank in the Philippines . The first thing I would do when I get home is to visit the families of the typhoon victims and give them some financial assistance.”
As of this writing, over 622 people, out of 800 passengers of MV Princess of the Stars have been confirmed dead after the passenger ferry capsized Saturday in turbulent seas off Sibuyan Island, 300 kilometers south of Manila.
In the press conference, Bob Arum expressed his disappointment about the decision made by the Nevada Boxing Commission over Humberto Soto-Francisco Lorenzo bout, which declared Lorenzo as the new interim WBC Superfeatherweight Champion, which was prompted by the blows to the back of the head delivered by Soto while Lorenzo was already down.
To a lot of people’s apprehension that Pacquiao’s speed might be affected by suddenly moving up to 135 pounds in less than three months after his fight with Marquez, he proved them wrong by showing them a clear answer in the first round. Moving fluidly and quickly, Pacquiao gave his opponent with a barrage of jabs while working the body and and effectively scoring with the uppercut. His superb hand speed was clearly dominating from start to finish.
Pacquiao Shows Kind-heartedness
By late in the fourth round, Diaz’s face was a bloody mask, and Pacquiao asked referee Vic Drakulich to stop the fight. After consulting with the physician, Drakulich allowed the onslaught to continue.
Diaz took a huge amount of punishment and showed courage as he somehow remained on his feet. But he ultimately reached his limit late in the ninth when Pacquiao dropped him with a right-left combination after landing four bombs seconds before.
“His speed was a big difference,” Diaz said. “He boxed me more than I expected him to. That’s what surprised me. I could see perfectly, but he was too fast. I could not match his speed,” Diaz said, adding, “but there is no excuses.”
Pacquiao consistently showed his kindness to his foe when Diaz fell on the canvas. He went to Diaz’s side immediately to literally carry him with both hands, until Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao’s super alalay pulled him to the corner, carried him with his strong arms to wave to the crowd while at the same time praying and thanking God for his fourth victory in four different WBC categories.
“I feel much stronger and powerful at 135 pounds. But I don’t mind moving to 140,” said Pacquiao during the press conference, held immediately after his highly convincing feat over Diaz. The press conference was presided over by Bob Arum, top honcho of Top Rank Promotions, who chided President George W. Bush for a reduced number of attendees – 8,362 compared to 9,100 three months ago at the same venue – due largely to spiraling cost of gasoline.
Pacquiao, indeed, is a man whose nature invokes real kindness when he told the members of the press that “I dedicate this victory to the victims of Typhoon Frank in the Philippines . The first thing I would do when I get home is to visit the families of the typhoon victims and give them some financial assistance.”
As of this writing, over 622 people, out of 800 passengers of MV Princess of the Stars have been confirmed dead after the passenger ferry capsized Saturday in turbulent seas off Sibuyan Island, 300 kilometers south of Manila.
In the press conference, Bob Arum expressed his disappointment about the decision made by the Nevada Boxing Commission over Humberto Soto-Francisco Lorenzo bout, which declared Lorenzo as the new interim WBC Superfeatherweight Champion, which was prompted by the blows to the back of the head delivered by Soto while Lorenzo was already down.
The World Boxing Council, however, which is the sanctioning body of the Soto-Lorenzo, had ruled that it won’t recognize that Lorenzo won the fight, objecting to the Nevada Commission’s decision and proceeded to declare their match as NO CONTEST. Arum demanded an immediate rematch, with the date to be determined later.
Arum commended and expressed interest in the style of Dennis Laurente (29-3-4, 14 KOs) of Palompon, Southern Leyte, Philippines, who won by TKO in 3rd round over Steve Quinones (29-13-1, 9 KOs) of Palm springs , California .
In the WBO Featherweight championship, Steven Luevano of La Puente , California (36-1, 15 KOs) retined his title, after he and challenger Mario Santiago of Ponce , Puerto Rico (19-1, 14 KOs ) battled to a 12-round draw. Judge Harry Davis had Luevano ahead 117-11, and Duane Ford had Santiago winning, 115-113. Dave Moretti scored it 114-114.
Santiago appeared to have Luevano in trouble several times, particularly in the fifth and 10th rounds, but Luevano stayed on his feet.
In the Heavyweight Division, Monte Barrett of Queens, New York (34-6, 20 KOs) delivered a stunning performance when he knocked out Tony Fields of Las Vegas , Nevada (40-2, 36 KOs ) in less than one minute of the 1st round.
“Pacquiao is my favorite boxer,” says Barrett during the press conference.
David Diaz showed up at the press conference and, with winning personality, he expressed his appreciation for the support of his fans. He likewise thanked Bob Arum who paid him $ 850,000 for the fight.
When Pacquiao showed up, he looked as if he did not come from the fight. There was no bruise at all, and he looked fresh. The new legendary pound-for-pound hero expressed no preference as to who he would fight next. “I am just a fighter. It is up to Bob Arum, my promoter, to choose an opponent to match with me,” said Pacquiao.
The young night was capped with a by-invitation only Knock Out Party at the Mix in Las Vegas Restaurant on the 64th floor of The Hotel at Mandalay Bay . Without one’s name on the list, he won’t be allowed entry. When Pacquiao came with a coterie of press people, photographers and cameramen, he was like a movie superstar, shaking hands with everyone along the way, using his left hand, as his right hand was bandaged due to swelling. “Parating na
po si Gov,” (The Governor is coming), says Pacquiao, referring to former Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, who was very visible in the arena and at the press conference.
MANNY PACQUIAO carries his youngest fan, one-year-old Matthew Sylvestre Idhaw-Villegas, son of Third and Celine Villegas. Matthew is a grand nephew of Paul and Tess Emata.
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