Pacquiao Stops Diaz at 9th

At two minutes and 24 seconds of the 9th round, Manny Pacquiao sent David Diaz flat, face down to the canvass. Referee Vic Drakulich didn’t bother to count but ended the fight dethroning Diaz of his World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown. The fight also made Pacquiao the first Asian and Filipino to rule the 135 pound division in boxing. He holds now four world boxing crowns.

The fight was held on June 28 in Mandalay Bay Event Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, June 29 in the Philippines. Mandalay Bay was filled up with boxing fans, most of whom were Filipinos.

Pacquiao threw 788 punches against Diaz’s 463. Pacquiao’s 788 punches, 490 of which were power punches landing 180 of it. On the other hand, Diaz gave 319 punches but only 59 landed.

Pacquiao’s victory over Diaz strengthened his claim as the best boxer of the world pound to pound. Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) has developed himself as a dominant fighter in every division where he fought. He has 13 long years history of brawls at lower weights, was too powerful for David Diaz (34–2–1) to match.

Diaz tried but, could not match the speed and strength of Pacquiao. Oddsmakers in Las Vegas made it 5–1 for Pacquiao which the result of the fight proved them right.

One day before the match, WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz, an American–Mexican felt unfazed. Even if Pacquiao is a heavy hitter, Diaz believed he can beat Pacquiao. Diaz promised to fight toe–to–toe with Pacquiao. Diaz vowed to hold his championship belt.

However, in the fight day, Pacquiao, from the first bell, dictated the tempo of the fight. He peppered Diaz with jabs. Pacquiao, alternately dug into Diaz’s body and face and opened a cut on Diaz’s right eyelids with blood dripping from the cut. In about the middle of the fight, Diaz’s face was a bloody mess. A mouse developed over his left eye. Later, the flurry of punches from Pacquiao resulted to a cut on the nose bridge. Diaz was staggered of Pacquiao’s left–right combinations making Diaz ruled to the roof. The fight ended with the right and left to the jaw that sent Diaz to the canvass, face down at two minutes, 24 seconds of the 9th round.

After the fight, Diaz acknowledged Pacquiao is a clean fighter, who has the speed and rapid punching. Diaz, 32 yielded his WBC Lightweight crown to Pacquiao, the Philippines’ ring icon. /MP