Manny Pacquiao wins WBC Lightweight Championship as the onlyAsian to win four titles in four different weight classes.
(AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
He's done it again. Yup, he beat David Diaz for the WBC Lightweight Championship. Yet another Mexican to put on his list of victims in the process. Adding more insult to injury, well literally, Pacman took Diaz's most prized possession via a KO in 9 rounds.
I didn't watch the fight on PPV but rather on local TV in a
via-satellite-super-delayed-so-full-off-commercials telecast. I didn't have enough dinero to watch it live at a movie theater near my place but it's still fine. It was still a good match in my book. As I've said before, I'm not an expert when it comes to boxing though I have some knowledge about the sport.
Time now for the run-down on how he won his new title.
Round 1
Obviously, it was the let-me-read-his-moves-while-he-reads-mine kind of thing in the first round. Both fighters trying to react on each of the punches they throw. As I was watching it, Manny was already trying to get aggressive in the middle of the round. Seemed like he was comfortable already being a lightweight. One proof of that is his speed. David Diaz may presumed that Manny Pacquiao will slowdown because of his added weight although Diaz bulkier than Pacquiao. Or so he thought. Diaz trying to get into an offensive groove, Pacquiao however, already had a head start. He was already getting busy his four punch combos on Diaz. In other words, Pacman won the first round.
Round 2
Diaz was now feeling it at the start of the round. He was now able to keep up with Pacman as he traded punches and combos with him for a while. Unfortunately for Diaz, there was no sign of letting up for Manny. He was still able to counter every punch Diaz threw and we was caught by a wonderful surprise from Pacquiao. He got acquainted with Manny's right hook followed by his 5 combo buddies and he sure had Diaz by "hello" so to speak. David Diaz was now feeling Pacquiao's hard blows.
Round 3
This was the round made the fight interesting in my opinion. David Diaz was now shaking of the cobwebs from the right-hook he got from Pacquiao in the second round. There some fire lit in his eyes a little bit. He gave Pacquiao some good jabs in the beginning of the round. Pacquiao answered with some jabs of his own and another right hook. I think Pacman was getting a hang of using his right more often. Diaz was able to counter but Manny was still working him. He gave him four punch combos more to Diaz's head. Pacman was just toying with him. Diaz got a cut on the bridge of his nose after receiving a hard right hook from Pacquiao. They got tangled up for a second buying Diaz some time but it didn't matter. I think Diaz was already beat in this round. He got a little bit of redemption when he landed a good hook to the body of Pacquiao but it wasn't enough to keep up the scorecard.
Round 4
David Diaz was already roughed up. At the start of the round, he was already feeling the effects of his cut in the bridge of his nose. Pacman was now even more aggressive. Manny obviously gonna take advantage of Diaz's situation. Manny started his attack with a jab on Diaz as he counters Pacquiao with some hooks to the body and head of Manny. Pacquiao answers with a hard left, thus stunning Diaz in the process. Then he gave another thunderous left to Diaz. That hard left gave Diaz a nasty cut in his right eye. The ref had to halt the match for a brief moment checking the cut. He was still good to go. The match continues. Diaz will soon feel the effects of his cut before the round ends. Pacquiao simply took advantage of the slightly weakened Diaz. He gave him some more blows but Diaz still trading blows with Pacman but he was on the receiving end of yet another hook by Manny.
Round 5
Manny Pacquiao was obviously smelling blood. I could tell Manny wants to put Diaz away in this round. Manny was still working on Diaz's right eye but he just wouldn't go away. A few punches from Pacquiao after that, there was now blood coming out of David's right eye. Diaz would still fight even with a really nasty gash and would soon take a toll on Diaz. Pacman gave him more combos but Diaz would answer back with a well-executed right on Pacquiao. He would receive a good ol' three punch combo from Pacquiao before the bell rang.
Round 6
I could sense Manny's frustration at the beginning of this round. He wanted to put Diaz down the canvass already late in the 5th round but Diaz was already fighting with pride. That was the only thing that's keeping Diaz in the fight. David Diaz's resiliency is something to be taken notice. That was crystal clear for Pacquiao while simply dominating Diaz. He seemed a little relaxed though but the sight of Diaz's gash was just not a good sight to see. Half of his face was scarlet red already. Diaz was still able to throw good punches though. They got tangled up in the middle of the ring. Diaz throw a little cheap shot behind Manny's head. The ref gave Diaz a warning for that little cheap deep but he didn't care. Manny just answered him with a nice left in Diaz's head. They would still trade blows. Manny was just too quick for him. Diaz was virtually turned into a human punching bag. He gave a hard to Diaz before the end of the round.
Round 7
Diaz was totally in bad shape. He was still fighting with blood on his face. Damn, he just wouldn't go away that easy. There was a lot of frustration for both fighters though in this round. It got kind of out of hand for a bit. Mr. referee gave both of them warnings for that foul play, so to speak. The match continues anyway. Diaz was just fighting with heart alone. He was already having a hard time with Pacquiao's quickness and was too aggressive.
Round 8
This was the round that Diaz was already losing his footwork. It was clear that he was totally beat up by Pacquiao but was still standing tall. Talk about resiliency. There were already blood stains in his trunks. Diaz was just throwing punches on Pacquiao hoping it lands on him. The punches were landing on Diaz instead courtesy of Pacquiao. It was gonna be over soon for Diaz.
Round 9
I could almost feel sorry for Diaz. His face was really messed up. His face almost covered with blood already. Pacquiao was still toying with Diaz for 2 minutes just waiting for the right time to go for the kill. Diaz game was off, obviously. He was trying to avoid Manny's offensive onslaught but it was all for nothing. He was still able to throw some punches on Pacquiao but he easily blocked them. Pacquiao gave a hard left on Diaz. I thought that punch was gonna be it for him. When his head sort of snapped back after that left, that didn't look like pretty sight. With just 37 ticks left in 9th round, it was finally lights out for Diaz. Pacman's right straight or hook (I can't remember, it happened too fast) that did it. The same right hand that made Diaz fall smack face first in the canvass. The ref didn't bother counting, Manny Pacquiao wins the match via KO. Pacman is now the new WBC Lightweight Champion and made history as the first Asian to win 4 titles in 4 different weight divisions! Manny even checked Diaz if was ok. He obviously seeing stars still it took Diaz a while to finally come to and get up. What a match!
I only got two words to describe Pacquiao's fight against Diaz, TOTAL DOMINATION!
No! Scratch that, Pacman OWNED Diaz!!!
Pacquiao's Trainer/Coach Freddie Roach was right all along. He knew Manny can knock out Diaz. Nobody can not doubt what he has done to mold Pacman to what he is today. He simply has great confidence with his prized fighter.
The Pacquiao OWNAGE on Diaz.(AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
He completely dominated David Diaz from the very beginning to the end. For Pacman, move to a new weight class, no problem. He proved his critics yet again. Another victory for the Philippines. It just makes me so proud of being pinoy even more.
If the match was so damn good to watch, the locker room celebration was even better. Manny is so damn lucky the 2008 NBA Champs Boston Celtics watched Pacquiao's fight and celebrated with him. It just made me drool with envy. Seeing Pacman having his picture taken with KG and the rest of the Celtics makes wanna wish I was Manny. That was just dope. That made his victory even sweeter. Who'da thunk it? I think every pinoy would want to become Manny right now because of that sheer prestige and popularity.
Manny Pacquiao winning the Lightweight Championship and making history proved to the whole world that Filipinos can dominate a sport. He made every Filipino proud. What's next for Pacquiao? Celebrating his victory here in the Philippines, of course! Well besides that, he wants to fight at 140 lbs.
But there's talk that he would be retiring soon.
I think he can still fight, well at least, before he hits 30. If that is the case, he should fight in really good matches before he does hang up his boots. I sure hope the next few fights would be memorable.
With that said, Manny Pacquiao vs. Oscar Dela Hoya anyone?
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