Photo from Philboxing.com
Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao made history June 28 as he slugged it out on the square ring, outboxing then Lightweight Champion David Diaz and finally sending the Mexican-American fighter's face to the canvass late in the 9th round, to win the WBC Lightweight Championship of the World. Pacquiao is the first Filipino and Asian to capture the title, his fourth world title in four separate divisions, proving without question that he is the best pound-for-pound boxer of this age.Pacquiao showed he was at the top of his game at the lightweight division -- considered for years as the holy grail of Philippine boxing. Filipino greats fell at this level, even the legendary Gabriel "Flash" Elorde.
But "The Pacman" was lightning fast at 135 pounds. The slow-motion replay could barely track a blur of a left hook that was the knockout punch smashing into Diaz's chiselled jaws. His gloves went limp as his face hit the ring floor. And while Pacquiao went to a neutral corner, referee motioned for the ring physician as Diaz struggled to get on his back. Just before the cornermen jumped into the ring -- Diaz's in bewilderment, Pacquiao's in jubilation -- the gentleman warrior approached his fallen foe and tried to help him get up.
Manny Pacquiao's red right gloves flashed warning signs for the "Dangerous" David Diaz all through the first 8 rounds. But in the end, it was an unsuspecting left that leveled Diaz.
It was a convincing end. There were no scorecards to count, no controversial headbutts. Diaz took the fight to Pacquiao and stood up valiantly against the famed Filipino fighter. But this time the challenger proved too fast and too strong. Truly a lethal combination for the defending champ.
Get the blow-by-blow account at Yahoo! Sports.
And here's some great stories of the fight over at Pacquiao's own website.
Congratulations to the pinoy boxing hero Manny Pacquiao!
No comments:
Post a Comment