Vargas touts advantages over Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – Although a huge underdog against Manny Pacquiao, WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas says he’s heading into the fight of his life armed with several advantages.

Time, the 27-year-old Vargas stressed, is on his side, being 10 years younger than Pacquiao.

"I am younger, bigger, stronger,” the champion told Philstar.com in an email coursed through Lee Samuels, a longtime Top Rank Inc. publicist.

At 5-foot-11, Vargas possesses a significant height advantage over the 5-foot-5 Pacquiao which he believes will also spell the difference.

According to Samuels, Vargas has put together his “Dream Team” for his showdown with Pacquiao. Heading his corner is chief trainer Dewey Cooper, who will be aided by cutman Rafael Garcia and strength coach David Hayes, a nephew of Dewey.

Vargas, a native of Las Vegas, will stake his WBO welterweight diadem against Pacquiao on November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center, which he believes is another advantage.

“I have the right team and I am fighting in my hometown Las Vegas. What can be better than that?" he added.

Samuels said Vargas is training like a madman at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas everyday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., determined to pull off an upset over Pacquiao.

“Jessie [also] runs on the Lee Canyon Trail, which is asphalt and goes sharply upward for five miles,” Samuels told Philstar.com.

“While finishing his running on Lee Canyon Trail, he makes a sharp left turn and goes up a dirt mountain trail where he does jumping jacks and other exercises,” he continued.

Vargas is coming off a TKO win over Sadam Ali last March to win the WBO welterweight belt, which, interestingly, was also held by Pacquiao and Vargas’ lone conqueror Timothy Bradley.

He said he is best prepared to notch the biggest win of his career.

"I have the team I always wanted, the one to beat Manny," Vargas said.