Vargas eyes stardom vs Pacquiao

LOS ANGELES – Jessie Vargas wants to use Manny Pacquiao as his ticket to stardom.

The 27-year-old Vargas, who stakes his WBO welterweight crown against Pacquiao next Saturday in Las Vegas, said he’s waited long for a fight like this.

He was an eight-year-old kid when he took up boxing and started dreaming of being a legend one day. The coming fight, he said, is what it’s all about.

“I have been waiting for this for a long time and I’m glad it’s here and I am going to take advantage of it,” said the Mexican-American.

Vargas is in Las Vegas, where he’s based, when he graced a conference call with the boxing media the other day, barely eight days to the fight.

“It would definitely put me on the world-wide stage – make me that boxing star that I have been looking forward to being,” he said.

Vargas is 10 years younger than Pacquiao, meaning he was in still his teens when Pacquiao locked in a classic trilogy with Mexican great Erik Morales.

Morales is one of the few boxers who beat Pacquiao.

“The only fighters to beat Manny Pacquiao have become legends themselves.  So I plan to become one of the few to beat Manny Pacquiao and also become one of the legends,” said Vargas.

Vargas said he doesn’t mind the age gap between him and Pacquiao.

To him, age doesn’t matter.

“What I am focused on is that I am in my prime,” said Vargas, who was joined during the conference call by his trainer, Dewey Cooper, and manager, Cameron Dunkin.

On Monday, fight week begins, and soon he will come face to face with Pacquiao.

Vargas vowed to put on a show that will be remembered.

“I have a lot to show and I have a lot to give in this sport and on the 5th I am going to perform at the highest level,” he said.

It’s Pacquiao’s first fight since he announced his retirement following an impressive win over Timothy Bradley, the fighter who dealt Vargas the only loss in his career (27-1 with 10 knockouts).

“As you said, Manny Pacquiao’s best performance in those three [Tim Bradley] fights was in that last fight which was only a few months ago and I’m happy that he was able to give that performance.

“So when I defeat Manny Pacquiao they will see that I beat a good Manny Pacquiao who is still performing at the highest level.  That’s the Manny Pacquiao that I want to beat,” he said.

On Saturday, the fifth of November, Vargas gets the chance to back up his words.