Pacquiao, Diaz pull for each other

CHICAGO, Illinois – Ever since boxing champion Manny Pacquiao stripped David Diaz of his World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown in 2008, the former champion never took the loss personally and formed a friendly relationship with the reigning pound-for-pound king. When Pacquiao came to Chicago to promote his fight with Oscar de la Hoya, Diaz was among those who welcomed the Filipino boxing icon at the Windy City. Pacquiao returned the favor by inviting Diaz during his 31st birthday celebration last year in his home in General Santos City. And when Pacquiao stakes his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown against Joshua Clottey on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the Dallas Cowboy Stadium, the pound-for-pound king will be rooting for Diaz when he faces Humbero “Zorrita" (Little Fox) Soto (50-7-2). Diaz (35-2-1) will be fighting in the Pacquiao-Clottey undercard against the reigning WBC super featherweight champion Soto, who knocked out Pacquiao’s younger brother, Bobby. The younger Pacquiao suffered a seventh-round knock out against Soto in the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Zab Judah match in 2007 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. "I feel good. I am prepared to go to war and get the victory," said David during a public media workout at the Jabb Boxing Gym in Chicago. "I will be in shape and will be alright. I don’t predict the outcome of my fight. But I will be prepared to go the distance for 12 rounds," added Diaz, who will dispute the vacant WBC lightweight title with Soto. If Diaz makes good his pledge to beat Soto, his efforts would make Pacquiao happy since it would avenge his brother’s KO loss in 2007. The 33-year-old Diaz is coming off a 10-round majority decision win over former WBC super featherweight and International Boxing Federation (IBF) lightweight world champion Jesus Chavez last September 26, 2009 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. Chavez is the same boxer who lost to Humberto Soto, 29, in a 10-round unanimous decision in Mexico last December. When asked if he will soon be back as a marquee fighter, Diaz said, “we will see what happens in this coming fight and get this belt first." Asked about the Pacquiao-Clottey match-up, Diaz said “this fight will be tough for Manny. Clottey has a tight defense. But Manny will win this out." Also featured in the undercard are two-time world champion Jose Luis "El Terrible" Castillo in a welterweight battle against contender Alfonso Gomez and Ireland’s John Duddy in a middleweight duel with Michael "Myckol" Medina. – GMANews.TV Editor’s note: Email the author at lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net.