By Ryan Burton
MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV-BoxingScene.com caught up with world class trainer Joel Diaz shortly after the press conference for the rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Tim Bradley ended. Diaz's impressive stable of fighters include Omar Figueroa, Diego and Jessie Magadaleno, Diego De La Hoya and Bradley.
In the lead up to Pacquiao-Bradley 2, much has been made of Pacquiao's alledged lack of a killer instinct. Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has said numerous times that Pacquiao has felt compassion for his opponents in recent fights and has been content to win decisions instead of look for knockouts. Pacquiao has made similar comments as well.
Diaz feels that a fighter must be an assassin in the ring and go for the kill. He said that when you let an opponent off the hook, you are taking a risk of receiving a bad decision. He went as far as to say when a fighter no longer wants to hurt his opponent that he should think about hanging up his gloves.
"As a fighter you can say that you are going to knock your opponent out and that is okay. There is nothing wrong with saying that. You are supposed to say it but Manny can't say that. He won't say it. His camp is saying that Manny Pacquiao feels sorry for his opponents. Since when? It gets to a point where if you feel compassionate for your opponents, then you don't belong in boxing.
Boxing is a fight. You are there to execute your opponent. The faster the better. Why are you in there risking a loss, carrying your opponent because you are compassionate? If you get to the point where you feel sorry for your opponent then you don't belong in this business, period. And that is what he has been saying. 'I carried him. I didn't want to hurt him,' and that he did the same thing with Brandon Rios. You know what, if you carry your opponent because you feel sorry then you might lose. That is exactly what he said he did with Timmy. You cannot feel sorry for your opponents. Boxing is a fight. You need to execute your opponent and the faster the better," Diaz told BoxingScene.com.
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