The whole country is expected to tune in on their TV and radio sets, flock to cinemas and public viewing centers as well as to their computers through the Internet to watch or listen to Manny Pacquiao slug it out with WBC lightweight king David Diaz Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
Pacquiao will try to win a fourth title — a fifth if you’ll count his "People’s Champion" belt — a feat no Asian has done before in different divisions.
For several hours on a usually laidback day, streets are expected to be deserted as local boxing fans temporarily set their Sunday chores aside to watch the fight. The crime rate is also expected to go down since even thieves and robbers take time off from their activities to see the bout.
A win by Pacquiao at the "Lethal Combination" fight card is also expected to boost his countrymen’s morale as the Philippines reels from the hundreds of casualties and extensive damage inflicted by typhoon Frank as well as the tragedy of the hundreds of victims of the ill-fated M/V Princess of the Stars.
The People’s Champion had earlier announced that he is offering this fight to the victims of the devastating typhoon.
Analysts see the bout having the makings of an "exciting fight."
"The old cliché that ‘styles make fights’ I think really applies here because we have two guys who likes to mix it up," said Nigel Collins, chief editor of the Ring Magazine.
"Boxing fans around the world, in addition to a rabid Philippines following, know this fighter, Manny Pacquiao, to be among the top handful of most exciting boxers today. Some think he’s also the best. I say he gets a chance to prove he’s the best Saturday night (actually fight day in the US)," said Tim Starks of MVN.com.
"The fight is certainly expected to be messy and bloody. That is what one should expect when two known sluggers who are too proud to back off meet in the center of the ring," said North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Piñol, a well-known boxing analyst in the Philippines.
Veteran boxing analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz said he believes Pacquiao would bring home the lightweight championship of the world title.
"He will win. I don’t see any way he can be beaten. He is too fast, he is too strong and he is too smart for David Diaz as a boxer," Nathanielsz said on ANC’s Dateline Philippines on Saturday.
‘Diaz needs a miracle’
Pacquiao’s coach, Freddie Roach, said that although Diaz is the reigning champ, he will need to pull off a miracle to score a win against his ward.
"For Diaz to win he’ll need a miracle," Roach said in an article published by The Philippine Star.
He added that Diaz’s planned strategy to "put pressure" on Pacquiao is not likely to work.
"Manny won’t break down. He won’t get tired in the later rounds. I don’t see that happening. Manny is in great shape. For Diaz to win he’ll need a miracle."
Even Top Rank head honcho Bob Arum, who handles the fight promotion, said that Pacquiao has an advantage over Diaz when it comes to boxing skills.
"Diaz may be good but Pacquiao is the more tactician," said Arum.
He added that Pacquiao not only has the advantage on speed, but he is also a power puncher.
Fight stats show that out of 46 wins, Pacquiao had 35 knockouts. Diaz had 17 out of 34 wins.
Diaz won’t back down
But what about the champion? Surely, he isn’t a title holder for nothing.
"[Diaz is] not the hardest puncher in the world but he is a difficult opponent for anybody," said Arum.
The Mexican-American’s style is similar to that of Jake "the Raging Bull" Lamotta, who had an iron chin and capable to withstand heavy punches. And just like the bull, he charges again and again and again.
"[He is] one of those over-achieving fighters who will stay into the bitter end," said the Top Rank chief.
Diaz’s trainer Mike Garcia said his ward has what it takes to engage Pacquiao in an "all out battle." He added that unlike what other observers say, he believes Diaz is the stronger fighter.
"Manny is quicker but I see David just gets stronger as the rounds go on. I’m confident," he said.
The champion himself said he never lost a fight to a southpaw. Diaz, just like Pacquiao is also a left handed fighter.
"I’ve won against southpaws and I’ve done pretty well against them," he said during the pre-fight conference.
"I will never give up. You hit me and I hit you. I’m still there. I have to go out there and perform," said Diaz. "This (duel with Pacquiao) is something that I worked so hard for. I never imagined this and now that I have it, I will not let it slip away."
A dozen rounds
While Pacquiao’s camp boasts that they can finish the fight in 9 out of 12 rounds, Diaz vows to put up a good fight in defending the title.
Nathanielsz said that he thinks the bout will go 12 rounds since Diaz is a "very strong, determined young man and has trained very hard. He is hard to knockout, hard to put away."
Diaz, he said, is a world champion and has beaten some of the best fighters in his weigh division.
"Pacquiao is up against a guy who is strong, very durable and is in great condition and will come at him for 12 rounds. He will not stop. That’s his style David Diaz. That’s why he will be a difficult opponent in that respect," he said.
However, Nathanielsz said that Diaz will not be able to beat Pacquiao that easily since the Filipino boxing champ has beaten "every Mexican legend in town."
"And if you look at them side by side in terms of their natural abilities Pacquiao is a far more exciting fighter than Diaz. Diaz is a plodder. He just come at you, he will lean on Pacquiao and try and hope for the best. I talked to him a few days ago and he told me my plan is to fight to go the distance. If the fight goes the distance that’s my best chance," said Nathanielsz.
The boxing analyst said Pacquiao has been training his footwork and also working on a variety of punches.
"He has been accentuating his footwork because he has to move in a different way. He is also working on a variety of punches–the hook, the uppercut because normally, Pacquiao’s most devastating weapon is the left straight. That’s the one that kills," he said adding, "But now he is working on the hook because he is fighting a different kind opponent. So he has had to make some changes in strategy and in fight plan in training."
GenSan confident of another Pacman win
In General Santos City, Pacman’s hometown, boxing fans everywhere in the city had an opinion on the possible outcome of the bout.
Some said the Filipino champ will have a hard time with the Mexican fighter, although Pacman will still prevail in the end.
"Pag hindi niya matumba sa seven hanggang eight [rounds], delikado ka kay Diaz," said Edwin Otero.
"Idol, kahit pa angat ang timbang may tiwala kami sa ‘yo na ikaw ang manalo," Arnel Suscano, another kababayan, said.
Pacquiao’s family, however, is confident that with God’s help their beloved kin will be victorious in his latest fight.
"Mahirap magkomento sa kapwa boksidor (sic) kung hanggang kailan niya matatapos ang laban, pero ako naniniwala na si Manny ang mananalo. Nasa tamang training at handang-handa siya," his younger brother Bobby, also a boxer, said.
Manny’s doting mother, meanwhile had this to say to his superstar son.
"Ang dami na niyang natanggap na blessing… dapat makuntento na," Dionesia Pacquiao said.
She also said she hopes this would be Manny’s last fight because he already reached the peak of his career.
Let’s see what happens
Among the things fight fans want to see is how Pacquiao’s ascent to lightweight affects his punching power.
"I don’t know what’s going to happen at an increased weight. The one thing that you notice over the years when great fighters move up in weight they don’t always carry their punch," Collins said.
Collins pointed out that the Filipino has not been knocking out as many opponents in the super featherweight division compared to his stint as a featherweight.
"Now I think part of that had to do with the quality of opponents," he conceded, "obviously fighters like Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera are top fighters and harder to knock out."
Collins said fans will know how the Filipino would manage the added weight after the fight.
"I think we’re gonna find out a lot about him," he said.
Pacquiao, however, assured that the added weight will not affect much of his performance.
"Moving up in weight is not a problem for me because I will maintain my speed and power," he said, adding that moving up a division would even save him more energy.
"I am doing well in training because I can eat more than when I was trying to make 130 pounds… Now that I can eat a bit more I feel I have more energy… A lot of people feel (the move up in weight) will be difficult, but I believe I will be stronger at 135 pounds," said the Filipino champion.
Pacquiao all set
In a phone patch from Las Vegas, ABS-CBN correspondent Dyan Castillejo meanwhile reported that the Filipino fighter is in great shape and all set for Saturday evening’s (Las Vegas, USA time) fight.
Castillejo said that majority of the crowd who attended the weigh-in hosted by Michael Buffer were Filipinos. A lot of Filipinos have arrived in Las Vegas from the Philippines and from other US states to support Pacquiao.
"Manny was very appreciative of the overwhelming support of his kababayans and Diaz, he was very cool even if Pacquiao got most of the cheers even from some Mexicans," Castillejo said.
It was Pacquiao who first went up to the scale and was reportedly half a pound below the limit at 134.5 lbs. while Diaz came at exactly at 135 lbs.
"The fighters got together for a very long time. They posed to the audience, showed off their physique which was the fruit of the very hard training," she said.
She added that even the Mandalay Bay Hotel is all set for the Mexican-Filipino match with souvenirs for the fight such as caps, jackets and even Philippine flags are up for sale in the lobby.
Both fighters’ names and posters are also found all over the hotel, she added.
Tickets for the 11,000-capacity arena are now close to 9,500 and are expected to increase on the last day.
Castillejo said that Pacquiao, who had gone from 130 to 135 lbs, had hinted that he may want to go up to 140 lbs next fight.
"His plan is to fight Ricky Hutton who is a 140 pound champion in November. That’s his plan. He and his handlers look ahead. Bob Arum looks ahead, what fight is best suited for Pacquiao next," Nathanielsz said.
However, Nathanielsz has this to say in the event Diaz wins.
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When Filipino ring idol and certified national treasure Manny Pacquiao brutalized a courageous David Diaz to win the World Boxing Council lightweight title with a spectacular ninth round knockout in Las Vegas on Saturday, he fulfilled his quest for world titles in four separate weight divisions and emerged not only as an extraordinary Filipino but an Asian phenomenon as well.
