Sunday, June 29, 2008
Former United States Olympian boxer David Díaz surrendered his title as World Boxing Council Lightweight champion to Filipino, Emmanuel “The Pacman” Pacquiao in the ninth round.
Two minutes, twenty four seconds into the ninth round, Pacquiao knocked down Diaz to become the first Asian in boxing history to win four different titles.
Prior to winning the WBC Lightweight title, Pacquiao who hails from General Santos City in the Philippines was WBC super featherweight and flyweight champs and also holds the IBF super bantamweight crown, simultaneously holding the title of the super featherweight for Ring Magazine.
Way before the prized fight happened at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, Pacquiao’s chances of trumping Diaz was high, out classing Diaz.
Pacquiao was aggressive at the very beginning showing off how his right hand has improved.
Pulling a lefty on Diaz on Round 4, bruising and later causing the Mexican-American’s nose bridge to bleed. During Round 6, referee Vic Drakulich paused the fight to have Diaz’s bleeding nose checked.
Diaz was heard saying in his corner that, his (Pacquiao) punches were “too fast.”
Seeing that Diaz was not letting up, Pacquiao delivered punishing blows in succeeding rounds and a one-two punch hurled Diaz down to the canvass, ending the match in favor of a victorious Filipino.
The Filipino boxer’s record now stands at 47-3-2 with thirty six victories was won as a knockout while Diaz now has his second career-loss in his 34 win record.
Pundits added a new title to Pacquiao, after grabbing titles from four Mexican fighters, he is now being called, “The Mexi-cutioner.”