By Michael Marley

The old saying is to the victor go the spoils. I do not think anyone was thinking about rotten goat meat when they conjured up the phrase.

Which reminds me that canny promoter Bob Arum did miss one cute trick when it came to the smartest member of the David Diaz camp, Billy The Goat. Years ago, the National Lampoon had a cover photo of a cute puppy. The cover line was something “if you don’t buy this magazine, we will kill the dog.”

Talk about an attention grabber. But back to the WBC lightweight champion’s pet cabrito or, as we say in Tagalog, “kambing.”

Yes, the Mandalay Bay is not kid-ding. Yes, the hotel-casino granted the nagging Billy a Team Diaz credential.

But the question I am debating with our imbedded Team Pacquiao correspondent Hermie “Chiz” Rivera is what is the fate of the tin can eater if, as we all expect, Megamanny Pacquiao dethrones Billy’s bossman.

It seems as though once Pacman slaughers Diaz, Billy gets slaughtered. I’d hate to be the one who has to relate this tragic news to Billy’s nanny!

Surely, there will be budget cuts for Team Diaz. I don’t want to get anyone’s goat but I bet Billy will be let loose so to speak when that happens.

Rivera said he has already discussed Billy’s dim future with Manny.

“We will immediately grab Billy by that beard of his, right at ringside,” Rivera said. “Then the only question is whether Billy is boiled, broiled, baked or steamed. His next destination is the nearest fiery pot. He will not return to Chitown unless he is frozen or burning on a skewer.

“Goat meat and a San Miguel beer is a typical Pacman treat when he is not in training,” Rivera said. “We put goat into our calderata and marinate it for kilawen. I’ve told Manny, ‘We must slaughter the goat for our victory party, for our celebration after you KO or stop David.”

Rivera, who reports that Manny will exit the lightweight class and move up to 140 for a Ricky Hatton fight next, said Billy only has one supporter on Team Pacquiao.

“It’s your Boston boy, Coach Freddie Roach,” Rivera said. “Freddie is an animal lover and wants to send Billy to a petting zoo for the kiddies. Freddie is opposed to our eating Billy in any form.

“Freddie told me, ‘Hey, Hermie, the goat is a Chicago Cubs baseball fan. Hasn’t he suffered enough?”

By Hermie Rivera
(Photos by Levi Gutierrez)

June 28 is when the Philippines boxing phenom Manny Pacquiao authors a bid for a fourth title when he takes on David Diaz for the lightweight championship of the planet.

The Mandalay Bay resort/casino in Las Vegas is is where the Filipino idol accosts the Mexican-American champ in a slugfest purists are betting won't go the distance.

A match-up of game finishers ends early or stopped in the late rounds.

Now, Manny who's on leave as a junior lightweight is looking at a meeting with Manchester's pride Ricky Hatton which David covets having garnered the Atlanta Olympic silver plus past triumphs as a 140 pound pro.

The privilege of competing with the new 'pound for pound king' is where Diaz is looking at right now.

Unaccustomed to fighting in the 135 pound limit, the Pinoy hotshot is assuring doubting devotees that he is not straying out of his comfort zone.

Diaz' fixation in retaining his title belt is legend. Chicago's pride wants Pacquiao's scalp real bad.

What makes this fight appealing is the bonanza the winner acquires.

So much is at stake and both warriors want a furious start that could only translate into a violent battle in sustained velocity.

This happens when a crowd-pleasing puncher like Manny is matched with a proven belter in David.

"I'm ready in case he tries to pull a fast one in our Mandalay party. I can't let my fans down who are rooting for a smooth acquisition of David's crown" Pacquiao assured

A marked improvement in ticket sales and PPV orders have been noted by the promoters as the lightweight sluggers start easing-off in their rigorous grind.

Now what?

Somewhere in the boardrooms of the world's leading promoters are stacks of proposal for a year-ending 'biggie' featuring England's Ricky Hatton and the Philippines' Manny Pacquiao.

Keep tuned.

By Hermie Rivera
Photos by Noel Rivera

Berkeley, CA– Manny Pacquiao, coming off a hard-earned win over Juan Manuel Marquez clashes with a heavier David Diaz in a face-off that’s certain to generate absolute thrill among fight fans.

The lightweight scrap at Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Casino is Pacquiao’s ticket for a fourth world title—one he hankers due to the failure of his compatriots in garnering such masterstroke.

When the celebrated Carlos Ortiz ended the blue-ribbon reign of Joe Brown—no Filipino—to include the clever Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde succeeded in becoming a 135 pound ace.

Odds favor the Pinoy challenger over the Mex-Am titleholder. Not unlike the time Pacquiao succeeded in grabbing Marquez’s junior lightweight belt in a war that continues to torment followers of both camps claiming victory for their man.

No one is saying it loud but there are bettors who believe David Diaz can scratch out a win over the Philippines’ idol.

And why not if one is tempted to ask? David was only beaten once enroute to his lightweight throne. He foiled challenges with his unquestioned ability topped by a go-for-broke style of brash boxing.

Listening to David’s rants on how he’ll keep his crown, there just is’nt a way or so it seems for Manny to wiggle out from a trap Diaz is set to impose in their June 28th showdown.

Freddie Roach, Pacman’s coach warns David though that he is the one mired in a situation that entails difficulty—neutralizing Pacquiao’s lethal combination of speed and power..

Manny’s threat of a fast start that can end the brawl early is a reality that’s not easy for David to master.

Pacquiao repeated his intimidating plan even as Roach paraded him in a well-attended public workout at Berkeley’s Westwind School, showcasing Manny’s rythmic cadence with the mitts and the bags.

“David Diaz is in for a rough evening in this meeting of vaunted sluggers and my Manny will send him to dreamland only to awaken when gas prices goes down” adding “the end will come in the late rounds.” Roach concluded.

What started off as a pairing of hard-punching lefties is shaping up as one heck of a donnybrook involving worldbeaters with violent fistic traits.

And when Pacman’s roll of the dice finally shows crap for Diaz, England’s Ricky Hatton must gear up fast for a huge payday with arguably the planet’s hottest draw—Manny Pacquiao of General Santos, Cotabato.