SO David Diaz is insisting Manny Pacquiao will be his biggest fight ever? Ask Team Pacquiao and they will tell you this will also be the Filipino fighter’s toughest challenge to date.

American trainer Freddie Roach the other day determinedly said Pacquiao will have the biggest challenge of his career—by far—once he enters the ring against Diaz on June 28 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.

First, according to Roach, Pacquiao will have to contend with the fact that this will be his first foray into the lightweight division after lording it over in the tough 130-lb division the last two years.

Second, added Roach, Diaz himself is a legitimate competitor who has proven countless critics wrong in some of his crucial bouts.

“It’s probably a combination of both. The thing is, we need to see how Manny performs at that weight and if he brings that speed and power with him,” Roach said in an interview with dzSR’s Sports Chat.

“David Diaz is an Olympian, he is a southpaw and very strong. I think we are going to have a great fight with David Diaz. We haven’t fought a southpaw for a long time. People who tell Manny it will be an easy fight are dead wrong,” the renowned trainer added.

In the same radio interview, Roach said he will tap three to four sparring partners for Pacquiao, all of whom must be southpaws to simulate the style of Diaz.

“They will be all new. I’m looking for two more and we need some good sparring partners,” said Roach.

Topping the list of Roach’s preferred sparmates is former world champion Freddie Norwood, a 38-year-old former featherweight ruler who dealt Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez a sound beating in their 12-round title fight back in 1999.

“He’s a very good southpaw and he now weighs a 140 lb, and so he is my first choice right now,” said Roach.

Norwood reigned as World Boxing Association featherweight champion during the ’90s and is set to make another comeback fight next month in North Carolina.

As for Roach’s concern with the weight, the revered guru said they will closely monitor Pacquiao especially after the official weigh-in, which is done a day before fight time.

Roach said it was probably an oversight on their part to allow Pacquiao gain too much weight after a draining to battle with the scales.

“We’re going to be careful about not gaining too much weight after the weigh-in. I think in Manny’s last fight he put on 16 lb in one day and that was too much. Too much food in your system can make you sluggish and slow you down a little bit,” said Roach.

Roach is expecting Pacquiao to be at the Wild Card Gym a few days before the scheduled press conference on May 12 in Los Angeles to officially announce the title match dubbed “Lethal Combination”.

“I have no worries. Manny told me he’s dedicating this year to boxing and he knows that he needs to stay focused,” said Roach “One thing about Manny, once he steps into the Wild Card [Gym], it’s all business and that’s what I love about Manny Pacquiao.”

Thanks for the memories, Suns…

…Or maybe that Shaquille O’Neal deal really wasn’t such a good idea.

Not that all us skeptics were saying that when they won 15 of their last 20 and ran over the Spurs in San Antonio and coach Gregg Popovich said they were the hottest team in the West.

RP-Nokia 5, Franz expecting worse

KUALA LUMPUR—The Philippines was to meet host Malaysia late Thursday and what kept head coach Franz Pumaren worried was that he would be going to a war zone aware of the possible scenarios, but not about how strong or weak the enemy would be.

THE Ginebra Gin Kings will try to score their first win this tournament as they go up against a similarly struggling Purefoods TJ Giants tonight in the ongoing elimination round of the Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference.

BURGER King ended its elimination campaign on a high note after beating Pharex, 69-65, in the 2008 Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup yesterday at the Gov. Ayong Maliksi Gym in Trece Martirez, Cavite.

SO David Diaz is insisting Manny Pacquiao will be his biggest fight ever? Ask Team Pacquiao and they will tell you this will also be the Filipino fighter’s toughest challenge to date.

FIVE more Filipino swimmers will attempt to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

Philippine Amateur Swimming Association president Mark Joseph said that female swimmers Erika Totten, Marichi Gadiongco, Jackie Pangilinan and Denjylie Cordero, and lone male tanker Kendrick Uy will compete in various meets in the US, particularly in the Janet Evans International Meet at the University of South California this June.

MAGIC Millions managing director David Chester is arriving on Monday and will personally invite local horsemen to join the highly successful June National Sales, considered to be the biggest horse auction in the northern hemisphere today, from June 2 to 16 at the Gold Coast.