Manny Pacquiao arrives in LA, confident of beating Diaz

May 14, 2008

By Romina Austria : Manny Pacquiao arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday, two days behind schedule but still confident that he has enough training time to beat World Boxing Council lightweight champion David Diaz.Diaz and Pacquiao, both southpaws, will square off at the Mandalay Bay and Casino in Las Vegas on June 28.

They will appear before a news conference this Wednesday at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites in Los Angeles.

The Filipino superstar delayed his departure for trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card gym to witness the formal appointment of former Navy head Gen. Alexander Yano on Monday as the new military chief.

It was Yano who promoted Pacquiao to his current reserve officer rank of master sergeant after the fighter’s win over Marco Antonio Barrera in Oct. 2007.

According to the website www.philboxing.com, Roach expects a tough fight but is not worried that Pacquiao will have only seven weeks to train.

He said that when Pacquiao got into a serious training mode, he always gave a 101-percent effort.

“I know he will be ready come June 28,” Roach said.

Pacquiao recently told the news agency Agence France-Presse: “This is my drive for five world titles in five different weight classes and I will not be denied. I am fighting for history, for destiny and for the people of the Philippines.”

Pacquiao has won titles at flyweight, super-bantamweight, featherweight and in March added super-featherweight to that list with his split-decision win over Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez.

The 29-year-old Pacquiao (46-3-2, 34 knockouts) will reportedly get a guaranteed purse higher than the $7.5 million (about P307 million) he received when he beat Marquez.

It will be Diaz’s (34-1-1, 17 knockouts) second defense of his title after a unanimous decision win over Mexican star Erik Morales last August.

Also last March, Pacquiao was on the same team with Yano and five other military generals in an exhibition basketball match against the Philippine Basketball Association Legends as part of the Philippine Army’s 111th anniversary.

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