Manny Pacquiao became from a one dimension boxer into a tactician who could jab and move the ring very well. The transformation was witness by millions of people on his David Diaz fight. People came to love Manny with his brawler type no fear fighting stance but being in the limelight Manny needs to make a step higher to make his career long. The likes of Arturo Gatti whose career cut short because of his brawler style fight. The main thing is longetivity a career like Manny needs the transformation because of the wear and tear of boxing. Manny after dethroning Diaz will now face his former self in Edwin Valero this November. Valero a virtually unknown commodity by people but a well known fighter from the boxing community has carved an immaculate record of 24 wins all by knockouts with 19 of his fights lasting the first round only. He was bared to fight in the US after a motorcycle accident which doctors remove a clot on his head. But the state of Texas has given him a new lease of life after giving him the go signal and got his license back.
Promoter Bob Arum has set his eyes on Pacquiao-Valero showdown and although this fight could sell like hotcakes but Bob has put Manny again in the perils of his career.
Disadvantage
Edwin Valero went to fight on the light weight division chasing the mega fight against Manny. Valero doesn’t have a belt to offer Manny and with a 100 percent KO record Bob Arum is putting Manny’s career in danger. The risk is high and the reward is too low for Manny. Valero might be an untested fighter with no big names on his record but a puncher like him is always dangerous to fight. One punch can make a difference.
Advantage
Valero has already been rated on the pound per pound list and a win against Valero will put Manny’s legacy rock solid. Valero has never tasted the lightweight division and putting in the right perspective he is not Manny. He doesn’t have lateral movement and his defense is abysmal and the only direction he knows is to go forward. Manny was successful on his light weight debut because he stick to his game plan very well. Valero’s 24 knockouts are with unknown fighters he was never been tested by the big names on the superfeather weight division and to put him on the ring against Manny as a lightweight is like putting a mouse in a lion’s den. Manny prides himself with his speed and power and with Valero he is much like Diaz with a power punch. A win against a big puncher like Valero will be a litmus test for Manny and moving up in weight to challenge Ricky Hatton will be an easy transition.

Pacquiao-Valero fight might not be a good matchup although boxing fanatics like me salivates to this idea. Valero known as the Kimbo Slice in boxing got his wish on fighting Manny. We all remember how Barrera was all praises to Valero and Edwin went on calling Manny for a fight in the press conference. So Valero got what he wanted… A November date against Manny… be careful what you wish for because if you get it, it may not be what you want…

“He’s f*@ckng good… I know he is a good fighter but I never knew he was that good… He’s fast…. “Uttered by David Diaz after their one sided fight against Manny Pacquiao.
The fight was clearly dominated by Manny from start to finish giving Diaz problems with his speed and power. Everyone thought the fight will end on the early rounds but the stubborn and durable Diaz still moves forward in spite suffering cuts from his right eye. David was a sitting duck as Manny gave him a barrage of punches and tons of combinations and power shots. Manny never expected Diaz to last that long but in round 9 Manny caught Diaz with a quick left power shot that send Diaz to the canvass and David with all his frustrations never knew what hit him and Manny went on to become the first Asian to win four different titles in different weights and the first Filipino to win a light weight belt.
The fight was a clear indication of Manny as the new pound per pound king as he gave David Diaz what the new Manny is in store. He was jabbing very well and at times blocks Diaz’s punches. He was in control of the fight and stayed compose even if he was leading in all rounds. His brawler type attitude was not evident on the fight but what we saw was a complete fighter who sticks to his game plan and waited his time to tear Diaz out.
In round 8 Diaz went to his corner shaking his head saying Manny’s too fast. Pacquiao’s speed seems to be the factor of the fight as Diaz sometimes get caught with combinations and left flat footed. Coming from a 106 lb. fighter Manny went up 6 weight classes up. Questions of Manny taking up a heavier fighter is what surface among boxing scribes but his David Diaz fight proved that Manny can take a heavier fighter and can take over the light weight division.
So what’s next with Manny? A fight with Edwin Valero or a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez or with Nate Campbell the lucrative light weight division has a lot of options for Manny. Manny has conquered his 4th title and we witness the coronation of the new king… the light weight champion and the no.1 pound per pound king.

DOWNLOAD the 800×600 size at http://www.flyupload.com/?fid=3513768

Darrell Arthur was expected to be one of the top prospects in the draft and people and scouts are quite surprise to see him on the green room alone and trying to compose himself while waiting for his name to be called.
The no.1 pick goes to Derrick Rose and Miami without hesitation drafted Michael Beasley as the second overall pick. OJ Mayo followed and the talented casts of rookies are drafted one by one except for Arthur that was left unnoticed.
The 6’9” forward from Kansas Jayhawks believed to be one of the most talented players in the draft is a good all around forward with a tremendous size and athleticism. He could shoot the ball very well on mid-range and has very good lateral quickness, a good shot blocker and an explosive vertical leap and with his 230 lbs body he is ripe for the NBA’s physical game. Arthur’s Kidney problem made NBA teams doubtful in drafting him in spite of his talent drafting him would be too risky and costly for teams especially those on the rebuilding process. Although he is already medically cleared to play but the teams needed insurance and choose the safe way by drafting other talented players in the draft pool.
Darrell who wears the no.0 reminds me of Gilbert Arenas who wears that number because of a highschool coach who told him he would play 0 minutes in college. Gilbert was a second round, 31st overall draft pick in 2001 NBA draft. He really went down on the draft because Gilbert was an undersize guard and lacks handling skills of a point guard. But that did not stop Gilbert from being an All-star and a franchise player in the NBA. Darrell Arthur had to look up after Arenas, Carlos Boozer and Ben Wallace they didn’t even make it to the 1st round but they became successful because they played with their hearts and pure determination.
Commissioner David Stern announced the 27th pick on the draft and the relieved Darrell hug his mom and the crowd was all applause for the young Forward. Darrell knows this is not the time to shine and reserved his frustrations on the hard court. Arthur with his talent has still a long way to go for redemption. The draftees and non draftees should learn a lesson from a rear view mirror…” So close yet so far”

Its less than a week before Manny Pacquiao clash with the WBC lightweight champion David Diaz and the hype and the excitement is already building up so fast. Manny Pacquiao will be attempting a fourth weight title in four different divisions a feat that no Asian has done. So what’s the implication of Pacquiao moving up in weight?
106 lbs.
Manny started at a tender age of 16 and fought for the 106 lb. division, come this Saturday he will be 6 weight classes up and almost 30 pounds heavier. David Diaz is the natural bigger fighter campaigning in the light welterweight division before deciding to go down on the lightweight and become a champion. Manny struggled to maintain his weight on a lot of occasions he was knocked down by 3k Battery while dehydrating himself to cut off the excessive weight and without food for 3 days and with just a small amount of water to sustain his body. A drained Pacquiao tasted the canvass and decided to campaign in the 126 lb division wherein he clobbered IBF champion Lehlohonolo Ledwaba. He then challenges Marco Antonio Barrera and the rest is history. Pacquiao might be moving in weight but the fact that he is gradually doing the process he still sustained his power and speed. But the big difference is can he take a punch from the bigger boys on the lightweight division. Eric Morales made it to the 135lb division and got a split decision loss against Diaz if Morales can take fairly well… I can’t see why Manny can’t.
David Diaz
Diaz remains to be the underdog and love it that way. Everybody always counted him out and his determination made him to what he is now… a champion. He won’t be a champion for nothing and a fight with Manny will broaden up his horizon. This is David’s time to be in the limelight and he knows pretty well how to carry a fight being an underdog. He knows how to get the job done ask Armando Sta.Cruz how a lopsided fight turned out to be a brawl and ended up getting Armando knock down on the 10th round.
My Prediction
Pacquiao and Diaz know what’s in stake this Saturday. A win for either of them will turn tides. Pacquiao will be bringing his speed and power and David will pack his resilience and determination to battle against Pacquiao. This fight will not last long. David will be carrying his heart for the fight while Pacquiao is carrying a country and his future.
Both fighters deserve to be the victor but there can only be one winner… I love Diaz but with Manny not draining himself for the fight I expect a blitzkrieg Manny doing volumes of punches. Diaz maybe an underrated underdog that exceeds expectations one punch can make a difference but this time he stays an underdog.
Manny by 6

The Lakers are trying to climb up from their recent defeat against the Celtics although they are still the team to beat in the NBA but the game 6 disaster was a sign that needs to be taken seriously. They need some changes on their young team and with Andrew Bynum getting back in the rotation they need to reevaluate their roster. Bynum will be on the Center position and Gasol slides down to the Power forward which leaves Odom in the small forward position which could very well clogged up the post position with fisher and Bryant manning the frontcourt. The Lakers will be looking for a trade to solidify their roster and be a championship contender next season. Lamar Odom is a good versatile power forward who creates mismatches but his inconsistency proved to be his Achilles heel he was passive when the Lakers needed his offense in the finals and maybe this time the Lakers are shopping for trade candidates for Lamar aside from getting the best trade the Lakers could clear their salary cap and could sign some veteran players to booster their lineup.
Shawn Marion- I think the Lakers should get a Shawn Marion who could shoot and defend the 1-4 position. Marion is a proven and tested versatile player he could open up lots of options for Kobe and Gasol. But if the Lakers sign Marion they would have to clear their salary cap and could give up one or two players for the trade.
Ron Artest – Dennis Rodman was the bad boy of the 90’s but Phil Jackson has his way of controlling Dennis. Although Ron is far better than Rodman he still is considered as the present emotional defensive player and the bad boy of the present. He gave Jordan a rib injury in their pre-season game and could very well defend with the likes of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Artest is what the Lakers needs now to stabilize their defense and a trade with Lamar is a good trade. Sacramento needs a versatile player like Odom who could very well provide the athleticism and could replace the gap with Miller and Abdur Rahim injured. Phil Jackson needs a Ron Artest who could shoot the perimeter and a very good defender.
Rasheed Wallace- Sheed had a good run in Detroit but the disgruntled Piston’s management wanted a change and Sheed is part of that change. If traded to the Lakers the Lakers would be a powerhouse team. Rasheed can shift from 5 to 3 and can very well defend Garnett or other tall athletic centers and Power forwards. But this is unlikely to happen since Detroit needs a player who could compliment and fill in the void left by Rasheed and Lamar’s inconsistency would be a disadvantage to the Piston’s.
Elton Brand- A small size power forward who has a mid range jumper and a good post defender Elton is a consistent doublex2 player but the Lakers need a wing man who could shoot and defend although Elton is a good catch but his yet to be tested with his recent injury last season.
Luol Deng- Deng is a good defender with long wingspan he could provide the shooting and the added muscle for the Lakers but with Odom the Lakers should bargain more with Sefelosha adding in the mix.
Shane Battier – He solved the Kobe riddle and Bowen and Pierce followed through. Shane is a defensive player who could shoot very well. Shane could guard the 3 position very well and could very well fill the depleting 3 position of the Lakers.
Andrei Kirilenko- AK47 is also a good trade in but like Lamar inconsistency makes Andrei sub par to greatness. Though the Lakers might be interested on AK47 but I think he’s better off at Utah.

We might see a rejuvenated Lakers next season and Lamar Odom’s future still on hold. Odom is a tested player who could create lots and lots of mismatch the Lakers will have to look for a deserving trade for him but as far as im concerned I think whatever happens its for the best of Lamar. It’s his ability that made him a good player its his inconsistency that bared him to be great.

The crowded lightweight division is now the haven for big bucks and bigger names. Before there was the Diazes with Juan, Julio and David reigning in the light weight. But with Nate Campbell winning against Juan and Casamayor’s dominance against Katsidis the lightweight division became a division for 30 plus year old fighters. A migration from 130 to 135 followed and the once fading division once again became the new heavy weight division for the bigger fighters… it became the limelight of professional boxing of today.

Manny Pacquiao- The culprit of all the migration from 130 to 135 everybody wants a piece of Money I mean Manny. But moving up in weight might be good or bad for Manny and with a June 28 fight with WBC champion David Diaz is on the way the dice is now rolling for his next opponent if and if he finishes Diaz which would be one of Manny’s toughest fight.

Juan Manuel Marquez – I won’t blame Juanma moving up in weight and challenge Pacquiao again after a heart breaking split decision loss.. At 34 Juanma wants to retire with his legacy intact and what better way to do it by challenging Pacquiao in a trilogy… He spells trouble to Pacquiao but with no belts to offer Juanma just had to wait for his turn. A fight with Joel Casamayor for the WBO title could bring him back to Pacquiao if Pacquiao surpass Diaz and Juanma wins Casamayor’s belt.

Joan Guzman- The looks of a little Tyson but Joan Guzman offers a lot better on the table… a good slick boxer who has such power in both hands a good counter puncher and uses the ring very well. The vaunted power of Guzman is suspect in the light weight division his power wasn’t that good while moving from 126 to 130 the question would be can Joan take a heavy puncher with the likes of Katsidis or Diaz that remains to be seen. A fight with Nate Campbell is on the way if Joan outshines Nate then our questions have already been answered.

Edwin Valero- the Kimbo Slice of boxing… Edwin’s power got him to the top but with no resistance and quality fights Edwin still has a big question mark on his sleeves. A walking KO artist Edwin still has to meet a good quality fighter and what better way to start the light weight division with Michael Katsidis. A brawler and a slugger which will be the ultimate explosion in boxing…

Adding in the mix- Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz, David Diaz, Nate Campbell, Amir Khan are the mainstays in the lightweight division if any of the above guys would like to challenge their wares on the lightweight they should consider these guys as a barometer if they could very well take the punches in the heavier division then they will survive… We all live in a dog eats dog world… the strong survives… If not they could always go back to the division they have once occupied.

Early in the second quarter Kevin Garnett drove to the basket hard and Lamar Odom contested the layup with one hand on the air Odom gave a hard foul and Garnett made the basket. And much like the series the Lakers are clinching and holding for dear life. The riddle was so unfathomable and the Lakers slowly breaking down and never went back.

Paul Pierce knew how important this game is for Boston he has been in the limelight since the start of his 10 year career. He is the superstar who was underrated and unheralded. He is regarded as the complete package that could shoot, dunk and defend the basketball but no one labeled his greatness. Pierce made an exclamation point in this series and his new found glory solidify his greatness.

The Lakers intensity died down as soon as Garnett made the basket and Rajan Rondo the struggling guard made crucial steals and Boston never look back as they build their lead to 30 and ballooned to 39 at the end of the game. The Celtics won their 17th championship in June 17 with John Havlicek who wore a no.17 jersey watching the game talk about superstition. I have been a Laker fan and I was sure that the Lakers could pull this one out but I was wrong Lakers could be the no.1 offensive team in the league but they have to be contested by the no.1 defensive team in the league and defense wins games. Boston crowded Kobe they made the hassle plays they dive for loose balls they never quit and Boston clearly deserves the championship.
The Lakers never got back after their game 4 break down. The Dallas Mavericks never was the same after they loose to the Miami Heat in the finals after their 20 point lead evaporated. The Lakers have to bounce back this time and Kobe’s dream of winning an MVP, NBA championship and an Olympic gold will have to be put aside first and concentrate on defense and with Bynum on the recovery he could clearly solve the puzzle in the middle they will have to overcome adversities and will have to put their heads up going into the next season.
The series once again made history with Allen hitting 7 trifecta in the game tied with the most 3’s in the NBA finals and the all time biggest blowout finals game in the history of the NBA. The Celtics once again proved their dominance in the NBA. Paul Pierce let the truth be heard… His greatness comes from his teammates… Paul Pierce believes and Boston after a 22 year drought once again celebrates…they have come and they conquered.

The Lakers-Boston series is shifted to the TD Arena where the Boston hosts the visiting Lakers. Boston Leads the series 3-2 and could very well end the championship run and hopes of leveling the competition by the Lakers this Tuesday.
The then rivalry between Boston and the Lakers has been going on since the start of the NBA and with 31 combined championships out of the 62 seasons in the NBA the Celtics and the Lakers are regarded as the league’s greatest rivalry of all time.
Boston
The Boston franchise holds 16 NBA championships the most titles in NBA franchise history. They held 8 consecutive championships making them the streaky champions in any American sports history. Coach Red Auerbach shared with Phil Jackson grab 9 NBA championships the most in any coach in the NBA. Boston’s dominance started with Bob Cousy and Bill Russell building a dynasty. Larry Bird, Kevin Mchale and Robert Parish were the team of the 80’s and the Bird-Magic match up were regarded as the greatest show in the NBA. The Boston’s re-energize roster came from a dismal season last year winning only 24 games the second worst record in the NBA and winning 66 games this year making them the most dramatic turnaround team in the NBA today.
Lakers
The Lakers franchise has the most NBA finals appearance in the league they also had the longest winning steak in US professional sports with 33 straight wins anchored by Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain who scored the highest points in the NBA in one game with 100 points it was followed by fellow Laker Kobe Bryant against Toronto wherein he scored an unbelievable 80 points. The Los Angeles team is known for their showtime Lakers with Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul Jabar. They
Have revolutionized basketball and when we talk about the 80’s what goes in our minds is the Boston-Lakers rivalry or the Bird-Magic matchup.

The Celtics and the Lakers have renewed the rivalry that has been going on for years. The powerful Garnet-Pierce-Allen combination will battle against the Kobe-Gasol-Odom Lakers. The finals series have already made a mark in history courtesy of Boston erasing a 24 point deficit on game 4 against the Lakers. The series would be ending soon and maybe the Lakers could mark a history of their own by winning the series where no team had done after a 1-3 standing. The Celtics and the Lakers have met 11 finals appearance in the NBA and regardless of the outcome I think no.12 is on the making.

The Lakers once again started a 19 point lead early in the first quarter and just when everything was in sync the game 4 ghost came to haunt them and the Lakers went on choking again.
The Lakers once again fall into a pit with Paul Pierce slashing and doing his way with little resistance. The Lakers went on 0-15 with Kevin Garnet on the bench and reserve Tony Allen and Pierce doing the damage. Phil Jackson has to let his starters control the damage and their rest cut short. With just only a 3 point lead in the Half the Lakers are slowly losing their chance of redemption and a glimmer of an early exit is starting to crawl over.
The pick and roll play by Boston with Pierce orchestrating the offense leaves the Lakers flat footed and sometimes clueless as Pierce and his teammates had moments of uncontested layups. Boston went back to their reliable small lineup with Posey on the no.4 position but the Lakers countered it with High-lo plays from Gasol to Odom which was very effective in a small Boston lineup.
The Lakers has turn up their offense and was lucky enough to pull through despite of their poor defense. The Lakers Bigmen should have close up on Pierce whenever he is doubled team or they should have drew offensive charges on the center and not going for a block.
With only 37.4 seconds left Kobe made a clean swipe against Pierce and got the easy two. But Eddie House got open and shoots the trifecta that got the lead within 3 points.
They almost got the steal and the run made by Boston was cut short and the Lakers live to survive game 5 and extend their series to Boston.
The Lakers got the win and a little redemption on game 4 although their defense was dismal but they were doing the small things that proved to be big in closing games. A bigger adjustment should be done on game 6 and the Lakers should be playing exceptional defense especially on Boston’s own turf. It’s hard to win games on the road and it’s even a bigger mountain to climb for the Lakers but they will have to do it one game at a time one giant step.