16 years ago

Date: 28th June 2008

Title: WBC World Lightweight Title

Promoter: Top Rank

Tv: HBO PPV

David Diaz
( 34 - 1 - 1 )
Weight: 135 lbs

Manny Pacquiao
( 46 - 3 - 2 )
Weight: 134½ lbs

On June 28, 2008, Manny Pacquiao faced David Diaz in a WBC World Lightweight Title bout at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The fight was billed as the "Lethal Combination" and was promoted by Top Rank. Diaz was defending his WBC World Lightweight Title for the second time, and Pacquiao was looking to become the first Asian fighter to win four major titles in four weight classes.

From the first round, Pacquiao showed that he was stronger and faster than Diaz, unleashing big punches and ripping off three and four-punch combinations at a time. He cut Diaz's nose in the second round and opened a gash above his right eye in the later rounds, turning the fight into a bloody affair. Despite Diaz's toughness and heart, Pacquiao continued to dominate the fight.

In the ninth round, Pacquiao landed a vicious left hand that sent Diaz to the canvas, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:24, awarding Pacquiao the victory by technical knockout. With this win, Pacquiao put his name in the history books as the only Asian fighter to win four major titles in four weight classes.

The fight generated 12.5 million dollars, with 250,000 pay-per-view subscriptions at $49.95 each. Diaz earned his best payday of 850,000 dollars, while Pacquiao earned at least 3 million dollars plus. The official attendance was 8,362 out of a maximum capacity of 12,000.