CHICAGO, IL (April 30, 2008) World Boxing Council Lightweight Champion DAVID DIAZ will be honored This Sunday! May 4, as the co-Grand Marshal in Chicago’s Cinco De Mayo Parade, the highlight of the city’s 25th Annual Cinco De Mayo Festival and Parade Celebration..
“I’m thrilled to be given this honor as part of the celebration of our Mexican culture. It’s great to participate in the Cinco De Mayo festivities with my family and all of the Mexican families,” said Diaz.
The parade route kicks off at Noon at the corner of Cermak Road and Damen Ave., west to Marshall Boulevard and then south on Marshall Blvd. ending at California Ave. Each year thousands line the parade route to watch the multitude of floats and cars in the parade.
For more information on the parade and festival please visit Chicago’s Cinco De Mayo Festival and Parade website at www.el5demayo.org.
Diaz is currently training in Chicago as he prepares to defend his world title against boxing superstar and four-division world champion Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, June 28th at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
About his training, Diaz stated, “Everything is going very well and on June 28, I’ll be 100% ready to defend my title.”
Dubbed “Republica Enemy No. 1,” Pacquiao (46-3-2, 34 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, has blitzed through the best fighters Mexico has had to offer since 2003 including Erik Morales (KO 3, TKO 10), Marco Antonio Barrera (TKO 11, W 12), Juan Manuel Marquez (W 12, D 12), Oscar Larios (W 12), Emanuel Lucero (TKO 3), Hector Velazquez (TKO 6) and Jorge Solis (KO 8). Pacquiao was named 2006 Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring magazine for his two spectacular knockout victories of Mexican icon and three-division champion Morales, as well as his dominating 12-round unanimous decision over former world champion Larios. The hard-hitting southpaw has won 22 of his last 23 bouts including 2007 victories over Barrera and Solis. Pacquiao’s 12-round split decision victory over Marquez earlier this year not only avenged a disputed draw from their 2004 battle, it also made Pacman a four-division world champion.
Diaz (34-1-1, 17 KOs), from Chicago, will be making the second defense of his title. He successfully defended it against the three-division world champion Morales last summer winning a hard-fought unanimous decision over the future Hall of Famer. Although behind on the scorecards early, Diaz remained cool and rallied before the raucous hometown Chicago crowd of 10,000 to capture the decision. He swept the championship rounds and won the decision by scores of 114-113, 115-113 and 115-112. With the victory, Diaz cemented his place among the best lightweights in the sport and one of the most popular and respected athletes in the sports-crazy town of Chicago. A member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, Diaz, with 12 years of experience as a professional, is more than prepared to handle the pressures that come with battling boxing’s pound-for-pound most exciting fighter.
The Pacquiao vs. Diaz pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Pacquiao vs. Diaz fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.