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Lee Samuels: The three-division world champion is here -Manny Pacquiao – he’s been training weeks at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. He looks tremendous; he’s in top condition. And he’s all set for Lethal Combination. Manny Pacquiao challenges WBC lightweight champion David Diaz – Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Saturday, June 28 live on HBO pay per view; one of the most exiting events we’ve had in a long, long time at Top Rank.
At this time I want to introduce my boss, the Hall of Fame promoter and CEO of Top Rank, Bob Arum.
Bob Arum: We’re getting down to the home stretch for this clash for the lightweight championship of the world. Manny Pacquiao has been one of the most prominent fighters in the last number of years. And this attempt to win the fourth title would indeed set history.
No fighter from Asia, let alone the Philippines, has ever won championships in four different weight divisions. And Manny if he wins this fight this will indeed be an historic feat.
You heard yesterday from David Diaz who’s equally determined to win the fight. Lethal Combination is a terrific name for the event. I’ll go into a little later to the tremendous supporting card that we’re going to be showing on HBO pay per view.
But it’s going to be a great night of boxing. Believe me this fight between Manny Pacquiao and David Diaz will be a candidate for fight of the year for the year 2008.
Lee Samuels: And Manny is here. Manny can you outline how’s training been going and what you expect from Diaz?
Manny Pacquiao: My training is very hard. I train hard to fight and I’m ready to fight so I’m very excited on the twenty-eighth. So it’s going to be a great fight because our styles are similar.
Lee Samuels: And before you start Manny how long have you been in the States training?
Manny Pacquiao: Almost two full months.
Q: Manny, when Bob and Lee made the introduction they said this would be you going for your fourth world title. I count you as 126 pound champion also having beaten Barrera who was then the recognized champion.
So my question for you is in going for yet another world title and the history that that implies what does that mean to you to be able to be a guy that would be recognized by many as having – if you win this fight – world championships in five different divisions?
Manny Pacquiao: It’s a very big honor to me and to my country to put my name in boxing history. It’s (really for the Filipino) so we’re very proud that – I’m very proud of that. I’m going to win this fight.
Q: Manny one other question for you. David Diaz has a reputation of being a guy that will fight till the end, stay in front and trade punches and that sort of thing. You are moving up in weight a little bit so many people believe that perhaps he may be a little bit stronger than you.
What is your take on your elevation in weight meaning that you started at 106 pounds, or something, in your professional debut. How are you going to handle that additional weight against a real sturdy lightweight?
Manny Pacquiao: I don’t think he’s stronger; I believe that I’m stronger than him. And, you know, moving up in weight it’s not easy. I have to maintain that speed and power – more power. And I do my best in training for the fight.
It’s not easy to move up but, for me 135 pounds is – I’m very comfortable at that weight. But, some people are saying that it’s hard for me to fight at 135 pounds. I believe I’m stronger in 135 pounds.
Q: On people’s lists, now that Floyd Mayweather has retired, you’re the number one guy now. Do you feel that you’re the number one pound for pound guy? And did you feel like you were before?
Manny Pacquiao: Well first I don’t want to compare my abilities to another boxer. My goal is to give a good fight in my every fight and to get in shape and to show the people that I’m a good boxer.
Q: One follow-up question. You were asked about the fact that you had started off at 106, 107 pounds and you now are fighting at 135. And obviously it’s a great thing to be fighting for four world championships.
But considering that you started out at the weight that you did, I’ve even heard talk that you may at some point go all the way up to 147. Thirty-five or 40 pounds on a light heavyweight going to heavyweight or cruiseweight going to heavyweight — it’s not that big a deal.
But someone who starts off at 107 it is. How much weight do you think you could continue to put on? Do you have any aspirations of going higher than lightweight?
Manny Pacquiao: I think I can fight at 140 pounds. And if I look back to my prior fights from 107 pounds to 135 pounds and then 140. I think that’s a blessing.
Q: We talked to David Diaz yesterday and some people mentioned the fact that he’s supposedly a little bit bigger than you. But David said that he didn’t really think that size was going to be a factor in this fight. He said that he got a good look at you when you guys met in Chicago and he thinks you walk around at a pretty high weight.
Could you tell us what you normally walk around at in between fights?
Manny Pacquiao: My weight when I’m not in training is 150 pounds
Q: As a follow up to that how do you feel at 135 so far? Is there anything different?
Manny Pacquiao: Well so far I’m very comfortable in my weight division right now – 135 pounds. And I feel stronger. But what I’m doing in training is to maintain my strength.
Q: You’re known in the ring as one of the most exciting fighters in the world. And maybe one of the most if not the most popular fighters in the world because of how you fight – it’s all action.
Yet you’re also one of the most soft spoken people outside of the ring. Can you talk about that? Are there two Manny Pacquiao’s – one inside the ring and outside the ring or how do you deal with those two sides of your personality?
Manny Pacquiao: Well my personality outside the ring is different then when I am in the ring. If I’m in the ring I’m like a warrior, fighting like there’s no tomorrow. But outside the ring I’m friendly man and a good guy. A nice guy. So it’s a big difference.
Q: How do you change over? Is there any difficulty for you at one point or another in changing over? Because both you and David Diaz in the build up to this fight it’s been very sportsmanlike, very gentlemanly, and yet everybody expects a great fight between the two of you.
Manny Pacquiao: Well I think that’s good – the right way for the people – to promote the fight. To (make it go wrong ) and do something bad. I think it’s not good to do something bad outside the ring. I think Diaz is a nice guy.
Q: Diaz talked earlier about how he’s going to come straight ahead and be aggressive. And yesterday he seemed to talk more about maybe boxing a little bit more. What do you expect from him?
Manny Pacquiao: Well I know I expect that he’s coming and attack me and that’s what we’re preparing in our training.
Q: You’ve fought many big fights in Las Vegas. This is his first really big one there. Do you expect that to be a factor – how comfortable you are there?
Manny Pacquiao: I’m very comfortable fighting in Vegas and I like the place.
Q: Do you think that may help you and that might be a factor against him
Manny Pacquiao: I don’t know. He’s fighting in the (bout) also. I know what he’s feeling.
Q: There have been talks of you taking on Nate Campbell, Ricky Hatton, and Oscar De La Hoya after this upcoming bout. If there is controversial decision in this fight in your favor would you give David Diaz (a return match) with David?
Manny Pacquiao: Well that fight has not happened yet so I think that matter we will discuss or talk about that after the fight.
Q: Are you ever nervous in this fight? Why and why not?
Manny Pacquiao: I’m not nervous. It’s my job to fight in the ring. I’m not nervous. I’m excited.
Q: You had a cut in your last fight with Marquez – a big cut – two cuts. Did they good enough for this next bout with David Diaz?
Manny Pacquiao: Yeah, all healed. And there are no problems.
Q: I want to ask about moving up in weight. What are you able to now eat and how much more are you able to eat? And how much do you enjoy being able to eat more because you’ve moved up in weight class?
Manny Pacquiao: Well I’m enjoying it because I can eat more than when I fought at 130 pounds. So I still eat good.
Q: And what can you eat more of? I heard you like to load up on rice all the time. Is that correct?
Q: Before when you were trying to make weight can you explain how difficult it was? I mean coming up to the weigh-in, were there days where you could eat just about nothing or just some fruit? Tell me exactly how hard it was to make weight before and how much you had to keep yourself from eating
Manny Pacquiao: Well officially after the weigh in when I made 130 pounds I felt so tired in power, hungry, but this time I don’t – I feel comfortable and I can eat.
Q: Okay. Manny can you tell me – I believe that you sound excited for this fight because I think you believe that Diaz is going to come straight at you. And maybe he’s not as technical and he’s not going to be as cautious.
And are you specifically excited then because you’re going to be in more of a war? Everyone has been talking about this – I think Bob if you want to talk after about why you think this is going to be the fight of the year candidate. Is it because Diaz is going to come straight at you and you guys are going to be trading in the ring a lot?
Manny Pacquiao: It’s because my style and his style are similar so it’s going to be a good fight. A great fight.
Q: Manny, the last time I talked to Freddie Roach, which was in Berkeley during your public workout, I talked to him about you coming up in weight and how it’s affected your performance. And he mentioned that you were feeling a lot more comfortable obviously at the weight but that you guys would be giving up a little bit of speed.
And I know you just mentioned a little bit earlier that you’re trying to work on speed. How much of a big difference have you seen in yourself between fighting at 130 and 135 speed wise?
Manny Pacquiao: First the big difference I felt stronger. And I feel I have learned more techniques.
Q: Is there anything you see in David Diaz’s style – you said it’s very similar to yours. But is there anything in the way he fights that you feel would be a threat to you when you guys fight? I mean something that you’re concerned about or that you’re really trying to focus on?
Manny Pacquiao: Well Diaz can punch and he’s strong. And what I’m concerned is the head butt, yeah
Lee Samuels: Okay and that’ll be the final question. Go ahead (Dan).
Q: I wanted your opinion. There’s been a lot of talk – I know you have this fight coming up, a very important fight for you. But there’s been a lot of speculation that you would be perhaps a possible opponent for Oscar De La Hoya at the end of the year when he’s decided to end his career.
What do you make of that and is that something that intrigues you? Do you think it’s a joke or what was your take on that when you heard the possibility of a big Manny Pacquiao/Oscar De La Hoya fight?
Manny Pacquiao: No, I don’t know. I’m just a fighter. I’m just a fighter who fights in a ring.
Q: Did it surprise you to hear your name come up in that conversation? You’re obviously a superstar name and bring a lot of fans and money to any promotion.
What were your thoughts when you heard that?
Manny Pacquiao: Well it’s up to the promoter. That’s the promoter’s job.
Q: Was it something that may interest you?
Manny Pacquiao: Interest? I don’t know (where that comes from).
Bob Arum: You know, I mean the talk – there’s been talk about Manny and Oscar. This is not talk coming from the De La Hoya camp – at least not from FRichard Schaefer. He’s never ever mentioned that as a possible fight – Oscar fighting Manny.
So it’s a great thing to conjure and to talk about but it’s not very realistic as far as it happening.
Q: I do know Bob, at one point you did say, “I don’t even have to ask – Manny will take the fight.”
Bob Arum: Well but that’s different from saying that it’s being seriously…
Q: Oh no, I was just wondering what was Manny’s…
Bob Arum: Manny will take on the world. I’m negotiating – he’s too modest. I’ve been negotiating for Manny to fight Klitschko as his next opponent.
Q: I wouldn’t put it past you Bob. Thank you very much.
Bob Arum: Okay everybody thank you for listening. Don’t forget Monday at Santa Monica Pier we have the LA press conference; going to be sensational. The public is invited. It’s really going to be something to see.
And then the fight is moved to Las Vegas for the final preparations – the press conference on Wednesday. Thank you all for listening to the call. Thank you Manny and I’ll see you in the next couple of days.
Manny Pacquiao: Thank you to all the listeners and thank you for giving me this opportunity to (speak) in front of you and thank you to all the support. And don’t forget to watch the fight on June 28. It’s going to be a great fight. Thanks.
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Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Pacquiao vs. Diaz will take place Saturday, June 28 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
