Pacquiao, Diaz verbal exchanges remain nonlethal as bout nears

QUEZON CITY, Philippines – The exchange of comments have remained far from lethal between the Lethal Combination of Manny Pacquiao and David Diaz, though only days remain before their bout on June 28 (June 29) in Las Vegas, Nevada. And Pacquiao appreciates the gentlemanly conduct of Diaz, whose World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight title he's going after. "He's not like other boxers, who would say anything though the fight isn't even over," Pacquiao told Lei Alviz in Filipino in a report aired on Tuesday over 24 Oras, GMA's early evening newscast. In all their public appearances in the US, each fighter stressed his determination to win the match, which takes place at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. And yet they have a wary respect for each other, which they repeated Tuesday in Santa Monica, California, where the boxers made a public appearance before Pacquiao, accompanied by wife Jinky, flew off to Las Vegas. "He' strong, he's big," Pacquiao said in Filipino. "We both believe in our strength." Diaz praised his challenger as a "strong, fast" fighter, and he doesn't mind being branded as the underdog in their match. "I've always been an underdog even in my amateur days," Diaz told GMA's Chino Trinidad, who was also at the event. "It doesn't bother me." - GMANews.TV